As we consider the goals and hopes we have for

the new year we may be optimistic or pessimistic

that they will be realized, but the God who created

us has His own goals for us and offers us a hope

that we can depend on. One of His goals is that we

come into a secure, unconditionally loving relationship with Him

as His child. If our hearts are ready He will call us into that kind

of relationship with Him. Such a relationship enables us to face

2013 with hope. Join with us today in celebration as we ring in the

new year with our annual combined.

Good News Fellowship Church

While Jesus is the greatest gift given to God’s people, there are difficulties in

receiving Him as our gift. The first involves accepting the Bible as being

historical and Jesus as being God incarnate. The second involves our

prideful expectation that similar to that of the first century Jews, God

would send a deliverer who would save us from the sin of our world.

Instead, Jesus comes to save us from our sin. When we by

faith believe in what the New Testament says of Him

and with humility accept the purpose of His coming we

will joyfully benefit from the gift He is to us.

This morning is our final look at the book of James. And the last

verses of the book of James are about the power of prayer.

James writes, "The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and

effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed

earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land

for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and

the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its

crops." Today we examine these statements

and look at what the story of the prophet Elijah

can show us about prayer.

Christians are commanded to be patient with those who oppress us and those who make our lives difficult. This does not mean excusing wrong behavior; for God never does. Rather it involves withholding judgment and extending grace while putting our hope not in people but rather in christ and his return.

The Bible teaches that though material wealth is a blessing from God it can become a curse to our spiritual lives if we allow it to so take hold of our hearts that we become calloused toward those we have a responsibility to serve and provide for. in order to heed the warning we must learn to see wealth from an eternal perspective and to give of it obediently and cheerfully.

Making judgements about people and plans for

the future seem to be necessary parts of life. But

the book of James has some seemingly strong

words about this: “Who are you to judge your

neighbour? ... You boast in your arrogant

schemes.” What is the book of

James really saying about how we

can make good judgements and

good plans?

It is impossible to live out one’s faith if the focus of our

lives is on the pleasures of this world rather than

God. James highlights this “spiritual adultery” in the midst

of conflict in the church and points his readers toward the

path of repentance and reconciliation. Today, Roger

.S will give us three motivators from this passage to

changing that focus and getting serious with God: His

jealousy for us, His grace for us, and His desire to honor us

thus helping us to turn our focus away from the pleasures

of this world toward the pleasure of God.

James uses some vivid imagery to describe how influential and how immensely damaging our words can be. Roger Stoesz will share about how this wisdom contrasts modern sayings that downplay that danger and mislead us. He will also highlight the connection between a healthy spiritual life and controlling our speech and provide some practical insight to help us. Join us as we explore “A Warning About Our Words”.