Patience is needed for spiritual growth and at the same time it is one of the greatest indicators of spiritual maturity. Unfortunately, the best way for patience to be developed is through trials and testing. We all are familiar with Romans 5:3 “. . . tribulation worketh patience” and James agrees with that sentiment in 5:1-12 that God uses trials for our growth. James uses the farmer as an example of patience. Farming requires a lot of hard work, planning, patience, and faith that what has been sown will produce a crop. In the spiritual life we act by faith in obedience to God, trusting that in due season he will bring for fruit to His glory. Join us this Sunday as we take a look at the patience of a farmer and spiritual growth.

As you are aware I have been doing a sermon series, “Growing Up with Jesus,” where we are moving passage by passage through the Epistle of James. I generally like to preach in a series that sometimes is topical (but still based on a scripture passage) and other times, like this one, is totally driven by the content of a book or section of a book.  I like to preach through a book or section of a book because it forces me as a preacher and us as a congregation to address what can be some difficult and uncomfortable issues. Scripture is timeless and is relatable to life across cultures, as well as generations of time. I hope in some way God has spoken to you through this book and I pray that you all are continuing to Grow Up with Jesus.

This Sunday we will cover the entire fourth chapter of James with a message titled “The Posture for Spiritual Growth.” The spiritual life runs counter to the ways of the natural world and the norms of various societies. The natural world operates on a survival of the fittest mindset; that in order to grow you need to assert yourself and watch out for number one! Spiritual growth is the opposite. Spiritual growth only takes place when we assume the posture of submission and humility. Anything else will stunt spiritual growth. Join me this Sunday as we consider the correct posture for growth.

Some people think knowledge and wisdom are one in the same. While knowledge is important there have been many people throughout history that in spite of what they knew still acted foolishly. The Mars candy company thought it would be bad for business to let the movie ET use M&M’s to entice the Extra Terrestrial into the house. That proved to be one of the biggest missed marketing opportunities in history.  The ancient city of Troy believed the wooden horse left by the Trojans was a sign of peace but that proved to be an unwise conclusion and they lost their city. Simply put, wisdom is the correct use of knowledge. And wisdom from a spiritual perspective means using knowledge in a way that reflects our relationship with God. In James 3:13-18 false wisdom is compared to true, godly wisdom. The growing follower of Christ will seek the wisdom God promises us when we ask for is sincerely.  Join us this Sunday.

There are lots of way we measure growth in a child’s development. In addition to things like height, weight and physical features. We also measure their growth by how they talk. I volunteer once a week in a Kindergarten class at CBES and it sometimes takes all my powers of understanding to comprehend what some of these students are saying. As they grow, they will develop a better ability to communicate. The same is true in the spiritual life. How Christians talk is a big indicator of their spiritual growth or lack thereof.  In James 3:1-12 we will see the powerful influence our words can have on the world around us and how they reflect what is on the inside of a person. Join me as we look at the Sound of Growth this Sunday.