“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” - Genesis 2:7
We know that life is a gift, but it is easy to forget. We feel the pressures from the world around us, prompting us to believe we are self-made; after all, we know where babies come from. Or we think that we are who we are because we’ve worked hard to get there.
But Genesis 2 tells us a different story. It reminds us that we are of dust and that God’s breath brought that dust into life. Why are we who we are? Because of the life-breath of God! Our very breath depends on him.
Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that, from moment to moment, we rely on the gracious gift of breath that makes human life possible? That makes God the constant source of our being, not us. At the same time, we also serve a God who sees our vulnerabilities and knows the challenges of being human.
And that points us to Jesus, who not only sees them, but who has experienced them in the flesh. What gives us hope is that Jesus, who was clothed with our own flesh, died, rose to new life, and is now ruling with God in heaven. To think...The dust from which we were made has entered the heavenly throne room on our behalf! Knowing that, we can sing together with the Psalmist who remembers that we are dust in Psalm 103:1, “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.”
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” - Genesis 2:3
We all live in a world that pushes us to run faster and work harder. How many of you feel the pressures? Just one look at your calendar and you see the busyness of life color coded in all its glory! Except it’s not glory...It’s draining!
And yet when we look at scripture, we discover the God-ordained rhythm of life. It’s God-ordained because God is the very first Sabbath keeper. As we discovered last week, the first six days of creation were filled with a flurry of activity. God released His creative energy, and planets were born, the stars were set in place, and the earth began teeming with life. But on the seventh day, the Creator rested.
It was God who first started the rhythm of six days of work followed by one day of rest. He is the one who established the pattern in the very beginning, and He gave it to His people as a gift in Exodus 20. And because we have been made in His image, this pattern is built into the very fabric of who we are.
We would be wise to reflect the life of the Creator where we follow the rhythm of work and rest. As we prepare for worship this week, may we “remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” I look forward to seeing you in person or online (though, remember, if bodily able – in person is the preferred option).
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” - Genesis 1:1; 31
Have you ever stopped to ponder the wonders of creation, and by that, I mean more than just a beautiful sunset, or the fall colors of leaves, or the splendor of mountains? Bumble bees covered in so much pollen that they can barely fly. Colorful banana spiders and their intricate webs. Even snakes or fat toads that end up in your garage and scare you.
There is something beautiful and good about God’s creation that points to the fact that God is the ultimate creator. Yes, human beings can make things, but we make things out of created matter. Only God can create things out of nothing, and each one of those things points to the creativity of God. Imagine God’s smile as he stretched the giraffe’s neck! Imagine His joy at the gazelle leaping!
But the sovereign God who created everything is also sustains God who sustains everything. He is attentive to His creation. He cares for it.
That means that when you and I feel formless and void, when we feel as though things are out of control, when we weep at the challenges we face, we are reminded that there is a God who created us and who sustains us. As we start a new sermon series together that walks through the opening pages of Genesis, we will see that God is sovereign and in control. We can trust Him.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
John 13:1-17 (ESV)
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.”11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
As we conclude our Take Heart series, consider this: Can you imagine your life if Jesus had never shown up? How often do you stop and reflect on the countless moments He has been faithful, serving you, sustaining you, and ultimately giving His all for you?
In light of His faithfulness, we are called to live in the way He modeled for us. In John 13:1–17, we see the very heart of Christ’s ministry. Just before going to the cross, He reveals what kind of Master and Teacher He is as He humbles Himself to serve His disciples, even those who would deny and betray Him.
Christ calls us to the same posture: to humble ourselves in service, not only to friends but even to enemies. He calls us to holiness, and when humility leads to holiness, true happiness follows.
My prayer for you this Sunday is that you will grow deeper in your understanding of Christ’s love, the love that moved Him to lay everything down so that you might truly live.
May the Lord bless you,
Pastor Blake
“We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” - Acts 14:22
What is it about the good news of the Gospel that threatens some people to the point where they break out in violence? And why is this a common response in the book of Acts and in our world? As we will see in our time together this week, while some people believe in Jesus, others decide to pick up stones to try to kill Stephen, Paul, Barnabas, and their companions.
Yet what we believe is that violence does not have the last word – life does! Not only is Paul raised back up again, but he goes right back into the city! And the message of the Gospel is that the violence of the cross doesn’t get the last word either! Jesus’ resurrection and ascension assure those of us who are in Christ that we have victory over sin and death.
But still...Why such strong reactions?
I believe the good news Jesus presents is a threat to lives, to systems, and to governments. It calls us to repentance, to peace, to grace, to love, and to live according to the truth of Scripture. But for many, that is a threat to our usual way of living – one that is self-centered. And when people feel threatened, they often turn to hatred and violence. What is the result? Those who follow after the things of God often get knocked down and beat up (physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally).
But as we will discover together this week, Christ calls us to something different. We are to be a people of peace and proclaim peace with God through Jesus. And even when we are attacked and feel like we are “down for the count,” God picks us back up again and sends us back in His grace and strength. We may experience hardships, but they are not the end of the story. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” - Acts 4:13
After Pentecost, the apostles’ teaching to the crowds resulted in people coming to faith in Jesus. Then after healing a man and continued preaching and conversions, Peter and John end up spending a night in jail. Now that morning has come, they are brought before the religious rulers and teachers of the law.
These religious leaders thought they were done with Jesus when they managed to get him crucified. Now they want to do what they can to silence Peter and John, so they threaten them. But they also know that a great healing has taken place since everyone who goes to the temple knows the man who was lame...And now he’s healed?! How can this be?
As they interrogate the disciples, Peter preaches with boldness and courage, and he links it all to Jesus. What shocks the rulers is that they know Peter and John as ordinary, unschooled people. They are fishermen. Yet somehow these two men, who are used to the Sea of Galilee, seem equally at home in the Sanhedrin council of rulers. And what do they note? That Peter and John had “been with Jesus.”
As we continue with our sermon series this week on Godly courage, what we will discover is that when we trust in Jesus and are led by his Spirit, God can accomplish great things through us. My prayer is that WEPC will be known as a church that is “with Jesus.” Let’s put that into practice as we gather together in worship this week!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“Who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
Have you ever asked, “Why me?” when someone asked you to do something, or when something tragic happened to you? Queen Esther may have felt that way when she was taken (more like trafficked) to the palace and subjected to participating in a beauty pageant. She’s then forced to be the trophy wife of a foolish king.
Perhaps she asked it again when her cousin Mordecai suggested that she could use her position to stop the annihilation of her people. From Mordecai’s perspective, he figured that no one else among the Jews had such access to the king. But from her perspective, she could have said, “Why me?” since she knew it could lead to her death. But knowing what she needed to do (and believing that she was in this position for this very moment), she asked all her people to fast for three days and nights, praying for deliverance.
When Esther walked into the king’s throne room, she was wrapped not just in a beautiful robe, but also in the prayers of God’s people. It wasn’t just the king in that room; God was there too. And that gave her the ability to stand even if her life was on the line!
It’s a good reminder for us that God is always with us, preparing places, opportunities, choices, and options ahead of us. We have a God who cares and who is in control of the big (and little) things. That means that we can thank God each morning for His faithfulness to carry us through each day.
As we unpack this beautiful story together this week, I pray that God reminds us of His sovereignty and providence – and in so doing, it gives us the courage to stand. I look forward to seeing you in person or online. (However, if you are regularly attending online and are able-bodied, I would strongly encourage you to gather with your church family face to face.)
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. - 1 Samuel 17:45
Perhaps more than any other story in the Bible, David’s triumph over Goliath is known by people both inside and outside the church. It’s the perfect underdog story with a hero vs. Villain, where a plucky lad with a few smooth stones defeats a giant, armored warrior decked out with heavy weapons. It’s a story filled with contrasts and ironies: tall versus short, arrogance versus humility, strength versus weakness, and glorious victory versus humiliating defeat.
But as much as people like to make it out, this story isn’t mainly about David. Or Goliath. The core conflict is between the false gods of the Philistines and the God of Israel, Yahweh Sabaoth, which means, “the LORD of Hosts” or “the LORD Almighty.”
This name for God is one of the most widely used names in the Old Testament. It occurs nearly 300 times, and comes from the Hebrew word for “that which goes forth” and for “armies” or “hosts.” It is a name that declares God’s reign over heaven and earth, as well as every earthly and spiritual army.
The reason that David had confidence is because he understood that the real conflict belonged to the Lord. He reminded everyone that “The battle is the LORD’s,” and through him, “the LORD of Hosts,” would defeat the mighty Philistine and his gods.
In a hymn that we sometimes sing, we say, “Lord Sabaoth his name, from age to age the same. And he must win the battle.” May our confidence come from God because He goes before us as the God of angel armies!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
One of the most well-known events in the Bible is Daniel in the Lion's Den. It features intrigue, betrayal, courage, and a surprise ending. Daniel inspires us to do the right thing.
When I was in elementary school, I read nearly every biography book in the Monger Elementary School library. I was inspired by the exciting events in people’s lives to imagine what adventures might lie before me.
I remember reading about Davy Crockett and his confident leadership. A quote that stuck with me was, “Always be sure you are right, then go ahead!" He was willing to stand for ‘right’ even if he stood alone.
In Sunday School, we learned James 4:17 – “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” We all knew without doubt that we shouldn’t sin.
Later, I remember hearing that Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The time is always right to do the right thing.”
The right thing. It seemed to me that the hard part of these quotes was figuring out “the right thing.” But I’ve learned that more often the challenge isn’t knowing the right thing. It’s doing it. Often, what we need is not clarity (we know the answer to what God wants us to do), what we need is courage and conviction to do it.
We can become so afraid of death that we never live, so afraid of failure that we never risk, so afraid of pain that we never discover how strong God is. Many of us are not choosing between life and death; we are choosing between existence and death. We actually never choose to live.
Erwin McManus said, “The tragedy of a life that is never fully lived is not solely the loss of that one life. The tragedy is the endless number of lives that would have been forever changed if we had chosen to live differently.” We need to move past what God will do for us to what God will do through us.
This week, we will see Daniel demonstrate courage and conviction, even when his life was on the line. What can we learn from Daniel that will guide us to be willing to do the right thing? Maybe more importantly, what will Daniel teach us about our God?
Jeff Peck
God had significant plans for Moses’ successor, Joshua. Joshua went from being a slave in Egypt to becoming God’s leader of his people, the Israelites. Joshua demonstrated Godly courage that spanned from the time of the Egyptian exodus until Israel’s rest in the land God promised his people. Joshua was one of only two of the original Israelite spies with enough courage to trust God to conquer the Promised Land. His faith clashed with his fellow Israelites to the point where they talked about stoning him. Still, Joshua’s courage was unwavering.
Joshua had big shoes to fill in taking over leadership of the Israelites when Moses died. With God alone leading him, Joshua had to prepare the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, take over the entirety of the Promised Land, and then divide the Promised Land into tribal allotments.
God’s command to Joshua was to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua is a powerful demonstration of how God’s people can lead courageously when they transfer from trusting in themselves to trusting in God and his plan. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, believers find that, like Joshua, they are equipped with all that they need to confidently take on anything that the Lord puts before them.
Robby Kissling
Ruth 1:15-18 (NIV)
15 “Look,” said Naomi, “your sister-in-law is going back to her people and her gods. Go back with her.” 16 But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.” 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.
I love the phrase, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” It’s about taking life’s sourness and turning it into something sweet. When we face trials in life, we usually have three options: endure them, escape them, or engage them.
The problem with simply enduring trials is that they often end up mastering us, leaving us bitter. If we try to escape them, we miss out on what God is trying to produce in us. But if we choose to engage them, we master our trials instead—and they end up serving us. When we engage with our trials, God works all things together for our good and His glory.
In the story of Ruth, we meet an Israelite family who chooses the path of escape, a decision that ultimately ends in tragedy. Yet out of that tragedy, good emerges—good that comes through the person of Ruth. She was a Moabite woman who would not have been naturally welcomed into the Israelite community, yet she found tremendous favor with God. Why? Because she came to love the one true God, rejected her former false gods, and engaged her trials with steadfast faith.
This Sunday, my prayer is that Ruth’s life will encourage your faith. As we observe her journey, we see a woman who faced countless obstacles, yet kept her eyes fixed on the Lord.
Friends, fix your eyes on the Author and Finisher of your faith. Follow Him courageously—even when everything and everyone else is shouting, “Don’t do it!” Instead, listen for that still, small voice that says, “Trust in Me.”
Many blessings to you all,
Pastor Blake
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. (Exodus 6:1-2)
When God called Moses to speak to Pharaoh, the first thing we see him say is, “Not me.” There was a desire to “pass the buck” to someone else. Then, when he did answer the call, Pharaoh became angry at God’s demand to release the Israelites, and he greatly increased his oppression of Israel. That, in turn, led the Israelites to accuse Moses of adding to their problems.
Moses was now confused and wondered if God really was in charge after all. In spite of all the things he had seen God do in his life, he wondered if God was still with him. He questioned whether or not this was all a mistake.
We all have moments of doubt when we are called to lead, don’t we? The lessons we learn are challenged by events that make them seem like strange dreams and empty promises. During those times, we are tempted to think that the best way forward is to go back to our old habits of self-reliance and self-direction.
But the lesson that God was teaching Moses and Israel is also a lesson for us: At every step along the way, we have a God who listens, who promises, and who rescues. It is a lesson we learn and so quickly forget. But thankfully, time and time again, we have a God who reminds us of His faithfulness. We can have the courage to lead because we have a God who is trustworthy.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8
If I were to ask you how adventurous you are, how would you respond? While some of us may be up for more adventure than others, probably all of us love at least some level of it in our lives. We want it to be fun (and at least a little bit challenging) while not requiring too much of us.
From a spiritual perspective, this adventure begins when we hear the call of God in our lives and respond by following Jesus. Since life brings with it various twists and turns, stepping into the journey of faith can often be the same. Whenever we face challenges, courage is necessary.
As we start a new sermon series this week, the question for us will be around the development of Godly courage, and we will begin by looking at the life of Abraham. Abraham’s journey includes incredible challenges, painful setbacks, and thrilling victories – all in the context of being called to follow God and to believe in God’s promises.
As we will discover, Abraham is considered great by many people in the world. But what is it that made him great? Ultimately, it was God who did that. God called Abraham, Abraham believed in God, and God credited that to him as righteousness. Because of God, Abraham’s faith in God became the defining mark of his life.
But that didn’t make it easy. His life was also marked by great challenges that required Godly courage. As we study his life together, may we be challenged to trust in God, to take Him at His word, and to step out in faith.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.[a]17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.
19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
The foundation of the Church is built on the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. Upon Him, layer by layer, come the faithful and righteous prayers of the saints. From Old Testament prophets praying in faith, to New Testament apostles immersed in prayer, to the church in 2025 crying out for God’s kingdom to come.
Prayer is essential in the Christian life. It brings us under the authority of God and establishes our hearts in His will. When a believer devotes themselves to a life of prayer, things change. Prayer not only mends, it restores, heals, and carries great power. The most powerful force in the world is not the nuclear bomb but the church devoted to prayer.
What is even more incredible is the privilege we now have to access God directly through prayer because of Jesus. Old Testament saints did not enjoy that kind of access. There was a veil, a barrier, and only the high priest could enter God's presence on a specific day and for a specific purpose. But now the veil has been torn. Through the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ, we are invited to approach the throne of grace with confidence and faith.
When we choose not to devote ourselves to prayer, we inevitably devote ourselves to pride. Pride says, “I don’t need forgiveness. I can fix my problems on my own.” But that path leads to emptiness, restlessness, and spiritual dullness.
Our prayer this Sunday is that Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church would be a church marked by prayer. A people who recognize our need, our brokenness, and our call to confess and seek the Lord. Prayer is the pathway to healing, wholeness, and revival.
Patience in Suffering (James 5:7-12 ESV)
7 Be patient, therefore, brothers,[a] until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8 You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.9 Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
It is truly an incredible thing that one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience. I don’t know about you, but patience is one of the most challenging fruits for me to grow in. In a world that constantly says go, go, go and get it now, it can be difficult to cultivate a spirit of forbearance.
James encourages us once again to remain steadfast. He introduced this theme all the way back in chapter one, and now he concludes with it again in chapter five. But this is not just a general call to patience—it is a specific call to remain anchored in the midst of suffering. We often use the phrase, “when it rains, it pours,” and James challenges us, as followers of Christ, to endure and remain firm during those downpour seasons. When the world wants to run away or point fingers, we are called to stay rooted and remember God’s faithfulness.
As you prepare your heart for this Sunday, begin even now by asking the Lord to reveal the areas of your life where you need to grow in patience. And please pray for me, too, as I prepare to preach the Word.
Blessings to you all,
Pastor Blake
With a title like this, you might think that we’re unpacking Tolstoy’s novel, but that’s not actually the case. As we turn our attention to James 4:1-12, there is little doubt that it feels like we could camp within this text for the next couple of weeks. That’s because it can feel like verses 1-3, 4-6, or 7-10, or 11-12 are all separate and different from each other, with different themes. But if you take a step back and look at it from a 30,000 foot view, you can see a common theme tying it all together.
More than just interpersonal conflict, James is talking about a whole web of relational breakdowns – with others, with self, and with God. And, as is usual, James is not interested in surface fixes. Instead, he's getting to the heart and root of the matter - our own selfish desires and the things that war within us!
And what is the result? It affects our prayer lives, it affects our relationship with God, it affects our view of Scripture, and it affects our relationships with others. Instead, God gives us a remedy – submission to God and drawing near to him in humility. God says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
The beauty of drawing near to God and finding peace with him is that it helps us to find peace within ourselves and peace with others. How wonderful is it that we can come as we are, even empty handed and with a simple prayer, and we are promised that God is where we are. Give thanks that what Jesus says in John 6:37 is true: “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
May each of us find ourselves coming to Jesus.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Sometimes we say things like, “I don’t know what tomorrow may bring.” The problem is that we don’t often keep this in mind as we go about our day. We fill our schedules with plans and appointments, we make checklists, and we live by our calendars. Come into my office and you’ll find loads of Post-It Notes with things to do. If you saw my phone, you’d see that our family shares at least 2-3 Google calendars with each other.
But as much as I try to be organized, am I ever really able to plan my day as much as I think I can? What about the random meetings? The “drop-ins”? The Things that happen to us throughout our day? The words of James and Proverbs call us to think about our limited ability to control our lives. While we can plan and prepare, I recognize that my life could be over tomorrow...Or even today.
But God knows what tomorrow will bring. In fact, God ordained all of our days before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:6). That means it’s not enough to listen to our own wisdom or the wisdom from our family and friends. We need to listen to God in prayer.
Wise people reflect on - and live by - the reality of planning and doing in cooperation with the Lord’s will. They understand Proverbs 19:21: “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’S purpose that prevails.” May each of us trust in the wise plans of God!
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
Over the years I have met people with wealth who have seen it as a privilege and responsibility. People have used it to give back to God and to bless others. They live with an eye toward eternity. At the same time, I have met people for whom it is a vehicle to indulge in their own selfish pursuits and to hoard it for themselves. They live with an eye for the here and now.
In James 5:1-6, it is apparent that the people he is addressing are misusing their wealth. They were hoarding their riches, and they were cheating their workers. While living in luxury and wastefulness, they did not hear the cries of the needy. But God heard, and he tells the rich who have been selfish that their wealth will not last.
Riches can be dangerous in the wrong hands. Wealth can grow calluses and make us indifferent to the needs of others. It can give us a false sense of security and power and lead us to take advantage of others. But riches can also be a great blessing in the right hands. Throughout the Bible we meet several people who had great wealth, and they were a blessing to others.
As we turn our attention to James 5 this week, the temptation for us might be to say, “Well I’m not rich, so this passage isn’t for me.” Yet all of us must give an account for what we have and how we use it. Whether rich, middle class, or poor, all of us need to ask, “How did I get my wealth? How do I use my wealth? And is my wealth invested in God’s kingdom?” My prayer for us is that we will find ourselves seeking to use the gifts we have been given to benefit others.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
“But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” James 3:17
Many of us are familiar with the story of King Solomon, who, in 1 Kings 3, was told by God that he could ask for anything he wanted and would receive it. Instead of asking for a long life, riches, popularity, or power like many of us probably would, Solomon asked for wisdom. He understood that the “wisdom that comes from heaven” is the one thing we need more than anything else if we are to be what God wants us to be.
As we turn our attention to James 3:13-18 this week, what we find is that wisdom is not some intellectual gift that makes us intelligent. True wisdom does not come from a high I.Q. or from high scores on college entrance exams. As we know, the smartest person in the room is not necessarily the wisest.
True wisdom is a gift from God, given to help us live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to Him. It’s the kind of wisdom that affects every area of our everyday lives. James reminds us that this kind of wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. That is a long list, but one that encapsulates what it means to be the kind of person who blesses instead of curses, whose faith is shown in their works, and who shows mercy instead of casting judgment.
Without wisdom, we cannot be what God calls us to be. As we continue in our sermon series this week, I pray that God will continue to fill us with the presence of the Holy Spirit so that we can experience “the wisdom that comes from heaven.” I look forward to seeing you either in person or online.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Aaron
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b] 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,[c] these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Have you ever said something that truly encouraged someone? How did they respond? How did it make you feel? Now, think about a time when your words hurt someone. How did that affect them, and how did it affect you?
Our words matter. The tongue is a powerful tool. It has the ability to bring life, but it also has the power to bring death. Proverbs 18:21 highlights this truth: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” James builds on this idea by pointing to small things that wield great influence, like a bit in a horse’s mouth or a rudder on a ship.
Though small, the tongue holds great power. It can shape lives, define relationships, and influence our entire being. It can promote goodness or corruption. Speak blessing or harm. It can protect or pervert.
As we dive deeper into the book of James, our hope is to become people who are learning to control our speech. Imagine having perfect control over your words. One day, in eternity with God, we will speak without flaw, with only truth, love, and righteousness. But while we are still here on earth, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to speak life into one another, not death. We are called to encourage, not diminish. We are called to be like Christ in our speech, who spoke with perfect truth, grace, and self-control.