The storehouse of the world’s knowledge grows larger every day, yet we don’t seem to be growing in wisdom. We learn, we achieve, we hang diplomas on our walls and put titles in front of our names, but we struggle to become wiser. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. It’s good to pursue both, but one must also know the source of each, and act accordingly.

The more powerful a thing is, the more it needs to be regulated. Like any incredibly powerful thing, your tongue must be carefully harnessed so it never becomes a source of destruction. If your speech is to reflect what God desires, you must be intentional about controlling it. Followers of Jesus distill our words so they are free of impurity as we devote ourselves to seeking God.

Our modern Christian subculture often places more emphasis on defending the faith than on demonstrating it. James is clear with respect to this: “Faith without works is dead.” A biblical faith is one that is accompanied by works.

Favoritism is one of the natural results of our fallen nature. We have a tendency to exclude. But favoritism is contrary to the nature of God. What is more, it is sinful at its core and results in judgment for those who practice it. Consequently, there is no place for favoritism in the Church of Christ.

The quality of the mirror impacts your reflection. The mirror you choose matters, because a good mirror does not lie. Try as we might, you cannot escape its honesty. You may ignore or deny what you see in the mirror, but that doesn’t change the reality that is in your heart.

As Christians we all sin and fall short of God’s glory. But even though we acknowledge that we sin, we don’t have to accept that we sin. We are responsible for sin. Do we stop sin in its tracks or let it run us over until it reaches its natural conclusion: death?

We often do all we can to avoid trials of one kind or another. The irony is that trials most often result in something positive. James makes it clear that trials can produce more than they cost. They result in durability, maturity, clarity, certainty, and humility.

Reflections on the Sermon on the mount for our graduates.

Samuel and Kings is a continuation of the prophetic history that springs out of Deuteronomy. As Moses delivered his final address to the Israelites, he highlighted both the blessings and the curses that accompanied the covenant. As each Israelite or Judean king arrived on the scene, their success or failure was measured by the same stick: their adherence to God’s covenant. As is demonstrated in these stories, God always follows through.

The Israelites keep wanting to go back to Egypt. This is true of the Exodus. Even after the monarchy was established, Solomon figuratively went back to Egypt. He made an alliance with Pharaoh and sealed that alliance by marrying an Egyptian princess. He purchased chariots and horses in direct violation of Moses’ teaching because he trusted in his own might rather than God’s.