Revelation opens with a declaration that the Trinity is giving John a letter for the churches that were in Asia, which is now Turkey. Then God tells us He is the Alpha and Omega who was and is and is to come. He is declaring the letter is from Him, the timeless One. That means it is for the church of every age, preparing us to face the persecution that is inevitable, and to show us the grand conclusion is worth suffering with Christ.

James gives us step by step instructions on how to make agreements, what to do when we are sick, when we are happy, and when someone strays away from fellowship. The last is instruction is the very purpose of his letter.

Almost 300 years ago, Charles Wesley wrote the hymn, Hark, The Herold Angels Sing. The message and the poetry were thoroughly Biblical. This year's Christmas message is an explanation of what he penned so long ago.

When faced with those in the church who are not acting as they should, what are we to do? Life is often difficult and we expect the church to be a refuge. So how should we respond to ungodly behavior toward us? Those James was writing to were being abused by the wealthy, even to the point of fraud and what James calls murder. Hear his inspired instruction.

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This sermon's passage is the harshest warning against the misuse of wealth in all of Scripture. Money is one of the chief, if not the chief, competitor for our affections. It promises security, comfort, enjoyment. So what is the balance of using it while keeping Jesus as our priority and source of satisfaction? Listen and take the challenge.

In this sermon, James is telling us of our tendency to do our own thing without considering God's will. We make plans and even arrogantly boast about them, when God had something much better for us to do. We act as if we control our lives when God has already planned every day before we were born. He has a better plan for our short lives than what we would naturally desire. But we must seek Him and acknowledge Him.

Submission and humility are not terms that our culture values, but the Bible tells us that they are essential to blessing and exaltation. In this brief but memorable passage, James confronts our insincerity and challenges us to be the people God can bless and exalt.

In a culture dominated by worldly pursuits, it is important that followers of Christ take time to consider the wonder of the eternal unseen blessings that are ours in Christ. In the message Counting My Blessings, Pastor Paul tells of the top ten things he is grateful for, all of which have an eternal value. The message challenges us to do this regularly.

There is a war going on within every follower of Jesus. Our old nature wants to find pleasure in this world. Our new nature in Christ wants to seek those things that are from above. The danger of letting the old win out is that in the process we make ourselves enemies of God. Thankfully, God gives us grace and His promises assure us that He will help us. He is jealous for us and longs for our hearts to be fixed on Him.