Anger is a powerful emotion but also carries the power of “Little Boy,” the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in August of 1945. James gives a warning: the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. As powerful as anger makes us feel and the change it affects in others, one thing is true, it does not produce righteousness. 

Sunday, we’ll take a minute to understand how anger functions and why, in relation to anger, James urges us to put away wickedness and receive with humility the implanted word. So, join us as we worship Christ, hear the call to repentance, and enjoy the hope of His great salvation!

Did you know that in the 1960’s AT&T was undermined by a whistle? Back in the day, the phone company used a 2600 hertz analog tone to control their toll lines. General Mills put a small whistle toy in their cereal boxes that matched that 2600 hertz tone and people discovered that when they used that whistle, the line moved from a toll call to a free call. The company lost revenue as people discovered this secret, and a man named John Draper, nicknamed Captain Crunch, promoted this, creating what became known as the blue box. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built and sold these blue boxes which helped them fund Apple.

Did you know that God has given us something to unlock change in our lives? Join us Sunday as we worship and hear from Him, celebrating the grace given to us in Christ.

Our text this week says, Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. James’ main point is that in the midst of trials, we don’t blame God for what tempts us to sin; we take personal responsibility for the sin that we commit, as our desires respond to the lures around us. As a race, we recognize that evil is the result of the depravity of mankind. But this raises some important questions: Who is responsible for the lures? If God is good, righteous and just, why does He not take action to remove the lures and cure the evil? If God is sovereign, in control of all things, isn’t He still responsible for the evil in the world?

Join us Sunday as we dip our toes into this important teaching of Scripture and worship the One who came to reconcile the world to God!

Don't be deceived! In a world where truth is redefined by culture, and God's character is questioned at every turn, it's easy to believe the lie that God is not present with us and to question his goodness Our hearts are prone to wander, and the voices and distractions around us only add to the confusion. But James 1:16-18 pulls back the curtain and points us to the God who never changes, never deceives, and never ceases to give good gifts to us. 

Join us this Sunday as we discover the steadfast goodness of our Father and the unshakable truth of His Word in a world of shifting shadows.

The Devil made me do it! The dog ate my homework! If I wasn’t broke, I wouldn’t have stolen! If you hadn’t triggered me, I would have responded differently! I sped because I was late! We’ve all heard excuses for bad behavior and maybe have presented our own. My favorite occurred in my own home with a child that would antagonize their sibling, then complain when that sibling lashed out. Took me a few times before I caught on to what was happening. We now call her (ooops!) the Button Pusher!

In our text this week, James anticipates that trials travel with new temptations. He anticipates the excuse, If God hadn’t put me in this situation, I wouldn’t have acted out. Thinking or saying something like this puts the blame on God for my sin, and James challenges that excuse-making and blame-shifting. Instead, James exposes the root of temptation, our unique desires. 

Join us Sunday as we consider the nature of temptation and worship the risen Christ who not only redeemed us but can give us grace to face the temptations around us!

Growing up, Gene Hackman was one of my favorite actors. You probably remember him from the movie Hoosiers, the French Connection, or the original Superman (DC Comics rule!). He was an American icon, who for some reason on screen was always yelling. He was a wealthy, well known celebrity, who one day kind of vanished from public life. Then in February of 2025, he was found deceased in his home at 95 years old. It’s a sad story. His wife, Betsy, cared for him as Alzheimer’s ravaged his mind and heart disease, his body. She died suddenly from hantavirus, spread to her from rat droppings in their home. Without her watchful care, Gene died a week later. Both were found in their home during a welfare check. He died with a net worth of about eighty million dollars with no heir listed in his will other than his deceased wife.

This story illustrates our next section of James. Here the author speaks to the poor and the rich with the same words of hope. Whatever your station in life you have a future glory. Rich and poor in Christ share the same hope, what James calls the crown of life. This future is the lens we use to evaluate our station, not social media, or Real Housewives of Atlanta. So, join us Sunday as we consider another facet of wisdom from above, the Lord’s promise to those who love Him.

God helps those who help themselves. Ever heard that? Ever thought that? While the adage carries an important truth regarding personal responsibility, it doesn’t capture Biblical truth. It’s more a reflection on the independence and autonomy of our culture. When we face hardships (trials), sometimes we respond with a stiff upper lip or an overcomer’s attitude that says, “I’ve got this.” We might ask for help, but do we understand our need for God’s wisdom, especially in trials?

James exhorts us to follow a different path, the path of humility and dependence on God for Wisdom from Above. Join us Sunday as we hear this exhortation and consider the source of our wisdom, worshipping the One who Scripture says is the Wisdom of God.

No one likes going through hardship. In fact, hardships often surprise us when they occur, like, “where did this come from?” Because we live in a first world society, we don’t wrestle with how to acquire our daily necessities. We wake up, turn on the water to make our morning coffee, or just run down to the local Starbucks. We live generally easy lives where the brokenness of our world is mitigated by wealth and conveniences. For many Americans, the biggest trial of the week is poor Wi-Fi. 

Then we’re suddenly faced with a bill or repair that we didn’t anticipate in our budget, a negative health diagnosis, or an unexpected loss. Now our attention is focused and our thoughts, somewhat confused. How could this happen? Why is this happening to me? What does this mean? 

In out text, James challenges our response to trials or hardships and tells us how to interpret these moments with the God who is present and committed to us. Join us Sunday as we seek Wisdom from Above.

If wisdom from Above (God) is marked by humility, how would you expect James to open his letter? Remember, James (Jacobus) had lots of advantages, the primary one being he is Jesus’ brother (Galatians 1:19). In addition, he was known as a pillar of the church (Galatians 2:9), and when he talked, it settled disputes (Acts 15:13-22). You might expect him to lead with these facts. He doesn’t! He’s a slave, a servant of God and the One that God made Lord, his brother, Jesus Christ.

Join us Sunday as we consider the humility of wisdom from God and how it affects how we think about ourselves. Let’s worship the One that God made Lord over the church.

James is a favorite letter for many believers. According to one author, it’s a punch in the gut that confronts our thinking and actions head on. I remember when James 1:20 confronted me. It says, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. The Holy Spirit confronted my anger with my children at home. I could give some intensity, express some anger, and get my kids to shape up quickly. My anger was productive. It accomplished what I wanted it to. But it didn’t accomplish the righteousness of God. It was destructive and sinful. As God led me to repentance, my children and my relationship with them grew closer, and God was glorified.

James is like this. It confronts the deception of our thinking and beliefs. The beauty of this wisdom from God is that it is a manifestation of the character of Christ and grows righteousness in our lives. Join us Sunday as we worship Him and grow in His grace.

This Bible project video on James is helpful.