As we have studied James it has been clear that our Faith in Christ and His finished work is sufficient for salvation, yet… a Faith in Christ should challenge us to put action to what we believe in and cause us to live life differently! Today James challenges that Faith in Action in the area of PATIENCE...…

How a believer responds to trials

Do you remember the last time you were discouraged? I’m not talking about a minor disappointment or frustration. This kind of discouragement is not about your favorite sports team experiencing an unexpected loss. I’m talking about a deep, personal pain. The discouragement I am talking about you and a…

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” The most spoken directive from God in the whole bible is to NOT BE AFRAID The need to know that we are: Not alone in life That someone is one our side…

Title: The Faithfulness and Goodness of God Text: Lamentations 3:19-25 Preached by Pastor Phil Layton at Gold Country Baptist Church on April 15, 2007 www.goldcountrybaptist.org A brother in the Lord has shared that the first prayer he learned as a child was the simple table grace: “God is great; God…

Health Quiz - How many here have ever broken a bone? How many here have ever had stitches? 30 or more stitches? How many have cut yourself? Anyone wounded in combat? Talk about a different type of wound… our hidden emotional wounds. What are our hidden wounds? memories, resentments, regrets, worries,…

So many things we do in life aren’t necessarily hard, they just require we hang in there until we finish. My first job out of college, the man who hired me told me that even though my degree was psychology and not business, it showed that I was willing to work and complete something. In Seminary , it…

Peter challenges believes to rejoice in the Hope of Christ despite suffering in this life. He makes an appeal to the temporal nature of suffering as compared to eternal salvation. Further, he demonstrates that suffering has purpose in purifying our faith and bringing glory, honor, and praise to God. Thus, even in the midst of horrible suffering we can rejoice in the hope of our God.

The whole period between Christ's first and second coming is identified in Scripture as the "Last Days". In chapter 3 of 2 Timothy, Paul gives use three commands that serve as a survival guide for the Last Days.

Introduction: One of my favorite books is John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. In the Book, Christian sets out on a journey towards the celestial city and one of the very first obstacles that he comes to along the way is the Slough of Despond. In the story, Christian and a man named Pliable are off on their…

Intro - Last week we learned how to live a stress free life in a stress filled world. One of the things that happens in our lives to cause stress is when People try to push us to live the way they think we should. Many of us struggle with the FEAR of disapproval. Disapproval This fear messes up our relationships…

Introduction was written by Asaph it’s important we know who Asaph was. He was not just an ordinary lay person. Asaph was one of three primary musicians in David’s Tabernacle. He was a Levite, thus in the line of hereditary priests, although it is unknown whether he was a priest himself. He was apparently…

Series that will take us to Easter Sunday. FRAN - people will come to church on Easter more than any other time. A lot of people have ideas about Jesus but they are not based on the Bible. They are based on tradition, culture, Christmas stories… movies. 1 Y ou’ll remember, friends, that when I first…

ME: Superficial conversations - How are you? Fine! Good . Okay. I try to answer honestly. But sometimes it feels easier to tell a simple lie. There are some moments, some days, some seasons where when someone asks me how I’m doing I should say, I’m Not okay. I may look fine, talk/act normal. But if I’m…

Though Jesus was the Son of God, he was tested by the Father and tempted by the devil. Because He stood, we may stand our own times of testing and temptation.

Introduction This is why I love the Bible - It confronts the hard question Chapter eight ends with Jesus being confronted by the Pharisees. Jesus declares that “before Abraham was born, I Am!” At this the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus slipped away, leaving the temple grounds. On his way…

The believers of Northern Turkey have stuggled under various trials that God has allowed to afflict his Church. Peter writes to encourage them to look the blessed hope of Jesus Christ in their struggle. Peter described process of salvation in 1 Peter 1:1-2. Peter described the greater riches of our salvation in 1 Peter 1:3-5. Peter gave us the purpose of trials in 1 Peter 1:6-9. In 1 Peter 1:10-12 he reminds them that they are a privilaged generation to know the Christ. Likewise, we are privilaged because through the Gospels we know Christ.

The first of Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, has finished giving Job his advice. Though he seeks to instruct Job in as gentle terms as possible, he still makes the accusation that there must be some hidden sin in Job’s life for this much suffering to have happened to him. The problem is that his counsel…

Introduction: What is security to you? ILLUSTRATION: Everyone of us have habits we do to keep us safe. - I grew up in California where you lock your door at all costs. For some of you that is weird … but I always lock my doors. Drives my wife nuts … but I lock my doors. - Many of you don’t lock your…

True and Proper Worship 1. The mission is a statement of what the church is supposed to be doing, while the vision is a snapshot or picture of it. 2. The mission is used for planning where the church is going; the vision is used for communicating where the church is going. 3. A mission statement must…

Introduction: I would like to begin today’s message with a poem I found online this week. This poem reminds us of the mountains we sometime face in our lives. It speaks of despair and sorrow, as well as courage. It talks of trouble and of blessings. It speaks of weakness and strength. So it is with life.…

Prayer 16 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. 18 I said in my heart…

When is suffering good?

Intro: We want to become people that others say about us, They were with Jesus... Complaining makes us un-attractive to believers and to unbelievers. It will kill our witness. It will drive people away from us. The problem is that complaining is a difficult habit to break because it’s so easy to do.…

Right now we are living in a time like no other in our life times, nor in the life of our nation. We have stopped our economy and the Government is infusing money to people for survival, but even with that… jobs are being lost every day. Some businesses may not come back when this is over… whenever that…