God is looking for worshippers who will worship Him inwardly and honestly. A religious spirit produces outward performance but the wrong prideful heart. Those closest to the throne can be in danger of assuming that they know all that God can do.   

We have not only been saved by grace, but we have also been kept by grace. When we are facing temptation, exhaustion or trouble, it’s not about our will power to stand against it; it’s about God’s power. The life of faith is impossible if we rely on our own ability and our own strength. It is only by Christ’s power in us that we can live the life that God has called us to live.

We serve a God who doesn’t just meet our needs but exceeds our expectations. Jesus went a little bit further when he chose to go to the cross for us. He did more than what was expected. Because of him, we can do more than is expected.

Whatever we may be doing, each of us can make a difference. Hebrews 11 lists individuals regarded as heroes of the faith and one of them is Noah (Hebrews 11:7).

Salvation is not the end of your connection to God; it is the beginning of your called life. God has a purpose for your life. So many of us lead saved lives but not called lives. The question is not whether or not you have a purpose; it’s whether or not you will say yes to it.

“I Pray” is our faith declaration this week. Sometimes the simplest instruction is the highest level of difficulty. No one would tell you not to pray when facing hardships or sickness, but oftentimes prayer is the last place we go when life gets difficult. James wanted the church to know that no matter what season of life they were in--whether mourning in loss or rejoicing in blessing, the answer is to pray.

Our faith declaration today is that I will seek humility. James takes on the cause of conflict in all of our lives: pride. Conflict is a part of life. We are going to face conflict. We can’t run or hide from it, but we can determine how we face it. How you face conflict as a Christian is significant.

In James 1:22-25, James expresses how important identity is. James was a half-brother of Jesus and was not counted as one of the disciples of Jesus. Although he was a late believer, he went all in when he decided to put his faith in Jesus. He pastored the first church in Jerusalem and was martyred for the gospel.

James is saying that we consider it pure joy when we face these trials. Joy is the expression of patience. How do you know if you are accessing the joy God has given to you? The answer is found in how patient you are. We can be joyful in our patience when we know that what we are going through is not forever.