Stop Blaming God and Start Thanking God—The God Who Transforms

I'll Be Honest

Stop Blaming God and Start Thanking God—The God Who Transforms

Tim Conway | 52:25 | James

June 4, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:17–18

James urges us not to blame God for our temptations, reminding us that God is the source of all good gifts. He contrasts the idea of God as a taker with the reality of God as a giver, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and perspective in our relationship with Him. Is it not glorious that God sent His only Son to save us sinners!

(00:00) How does the logic of James 1 fit together?

(03:49) Stop blaming God and start thanking God

(05:41) Do you realize all that God has given you?

(09:34) No shadow of turning with the LORD?

(12:38) Verse 18: He brought us forth?

(18:16) If I am saved, who gets the credit?

(48:32) This is Christianity!

(51:17) Closing prayer

26 Ways We Talk Ourselves Out of Obeying God's Word

July 2, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:21–22

In this sermon, Tim Conway exposes 26 mental gymnastics we perform, 26 excuses we make after the sermon, and 26 ways we talk ourselves out of obeying God's Word, even when convicted by its truth. Drawing from James 1:21-22, he'll reveal the gap between hearing and doing, challenging us to move beyond mere conviction and into active obedience. 0:00 Introduction and Reading Text 2:30 Where We Will Go Next Time: What is the Perfect Law of Liberty? 3:38 Have an Anger Problem or a Problem with Rampant Wickedness? 12:35 Be Hearers of the Word, Not Hearers Only 14:54 How Many Did Not Look in a Mirror Today? 24:49 The Mindset Behind Why People Hear and Don't Do 26:11 1 - The Casual Listener 27:39 2 - Listening on Behalf of Someone Else 29:23 3 - Create a Category Where the Text Does Not Apply to Us 33:16 4 - We Wait for God to Do Something 34:12 5 - We Imagine Someone Else Is Going to Do It 36:06 6 - I Am Praying About It 37:16 7 - The Wretched Man Complex 38:17 8 - Always Looking for the Next Mentor or Counselor 39:52 9 - The Person Easily Offended and They Reason Themselves Out of Obeying 42:00 10 - Living on Past Obedience 43:41 11 - Living on Future Obedience 45:18 12 - Living on Someone Else's Obedience 46:14 13 - The Imputed Righteousness Excuse 48:09 14 - It Is Just the Preacher Saying It, He Didn't Prove It from the Bible 49:11 15 - Because of Exceptions to the Rule You Dismiss the Entire Obligation 51:23 16 - I Can't Understand It, So I Don't Need to Worry About It 52:21 17 - You Lie to Yourself About You Doing What You Are Not Truly Doing 53:28 18 - Others Do Not Obey So I Don't Need To 53:58 19 - I Am Partially Obeying So It Is OK... 55:10 22 - Doctrine Instead of Obedience 55:39 23 - Discouraged by Past Failures 57:07 24 - Disobeying God by Obeying Man-Made Legalistic Commandments 57:36 25 - Or the Scriptures Are So Broad in an Area That You Miss Applying It 58:48 26 - I Am in a Trial So God Cannot Expect Me to Obey in That Area 1:00:20 Where Can I Run Faster for Christ? 1:03:08 27 - Our Mindset of American Christianity Makes Us Not Think Like the Bible Does 1:07:29 Closing Prayer

Understanding James 1:19: "Quick to Listen"—To Who?

June 21, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:18–22

What does it mean for God to bring us forth "by the word of truth"? Why is it essential to be "quick to hear" and "slow to speak" according to James? How does anger hinder the righteousness of God, as James describes? How can we effectively receive God's Word with meekness? James 1:18 - Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 0:00 James 1.19-20 5:37 Let Us Consider the Context 9:35 Quick to Hear What? 11:40 History of the Ministry of the Word at GCC 16:02 Scripture in the Life of the Christian 30:44 What Does He Mean by "Know This"? 36:38 Receiving the Word Is Not Automatic 43:04 Do You Read Your Bible Every Day? 45:00 What Does James Mean by "Be Slow to Speak"? 50:19 Controlling Proud Thoughts and Opinions 53:00 What Does "Slow to Anger" Mean? 57:26 A Closing Thought - God Is Speaking 59:22 Do You Leave Prayer Meeting Early? 1:03:16 Closing Prayer

The Anatomy of Temptation: Does God Tempt Us or Not?

May 21, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:9–14

In James 1:12-16, the passage highlights the blessedness of those who endure trials, emphasizing the eventual reward of eternal life promised to those who remain steadfast in their faith. It warns against attributing temptation to God, affirming that temptation arises from one's own desires rather than divine influence. The progression from desire to sin to death underscores the seriousness of succumbing to temptation, urging believers not to be deceived but to remain vigilant in their faith. 0:00 - Introduction 1:50 - Teaching on James is tougher than it would appear on the forefront. 3:34 - God can't be tempted with evil? 6:37 - Temptation, tested, peirasmos? 9:33 - Why am I doing this word study? 11:13 - Trial versus being tempted to sin? 14:54 - What does peirasmos lead to in both cases? 15:30 - First—the positive view of peirasmos. 21:46 - Second—the negative sense of the word. 22:42 - Is the desire for sex a bad desire? 29:53 - Notice "fully grown" in verse 15. 31:35 - Let us combine together the positive and the negative views of this word being used. 37:18 - A list of the ways we blame God for our sin. 46:31 - We must be steadfast! 47:22 - Are you unmerciful? 59:24 - Not purposely sinning in a day? 1:01:40 - Closing prayer.