The living faith that saves is illustrated by both Abraham and Rahab. Abraham was attested as righteous (right with God) on the basis of faith 30 years before offering up Isaac on the alter. He will be vindicated in the final judgment because of the deeds that prove the reality of his faith. Likewise, Rahab was not made right with God because she hid the spies, but her brave deed stands as evidence that her faith was real. Both of them bolster James' claim that living faith will always result in righteous acts.

Thanksgiving Service message.

God richly deserves our thanks. A lack of thankfulness is a prominent mark of fallen humanity. All who have experienced God

God grants mercy to those whose true faith is demonstrated in their mercy

Gospel faith and favoritism are totally incompatible. Jesus Christ summed up our whole duty toward others in words from Leviticus,

We must reject any religious system that allows us to separate professed faith from active obedience to Jesus Christ. Such a

Through the saving power of the Gospel implanted in our souls, we who have been reborn by the Gospel have the power to reject sinful anger and to strip off all filthiness and rampant wickedness, so that we live a lifestyle that matches our new status as the firstfruits of God

A missional church will be a church of love, separating from the world and its demonic practices without concern for society

Instead of shifting blame when we yield to emptation, we need to take full responsibility, seeing our sin as completely the result of our own evil desires. Instead of the deceptive notion that God leads us to sin, we must see God as our only means of escape, since He is the only one who can regenerate us by the Gospel and reshape our souls so that we now have the power to resist sin.