Brethren, this isn’t about whether works save us—that’s not the point here. James is not contradicting Paul. The issue is this: true faith, the kind that actually saves, is never alone. It’s completed by works. That’s what James is saying. Look at Abraham—he believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness. But it was when he acted, when he offered Isaac, that his faith was shown to be real. Faith without works? It’s dead. It’s like a body without the spirit—there’s nothing there. The question James is asking is this: can a faith that has no works really save you? The answer is no, because real faith is always proven by what it does.
Dead Faith Crumbles; Living Faith Conquers Giants
November 8, 2024 • Tim Conway
Tim Conway | James Series | The believer lives by faith, facing situations like Israel entering the Promised Land. Do we have a faith that trusts God in the face of great opposition, or one that crumbles when things get tough?
The Christian Phenomenon: From Selfishness to Genuine Mercy
October 15, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 2:1–12
This sermon from James 2 invites us to reflect on the significance of partiality in our lives and its deeper implications. Tim focuses on how favoritism violates the royal law, "Love your neighbor as yourself," and stresses that partiality is not just a small flaw but a serious matter of love, law, mercy, and judgment. James connects partiality to judgment, reminding us that mercy triumphs over judgment, and that God will look for this mercy in His people on the final day. The message explains how true Christianity is a phenomenon—a transformation from selfishness to genuine compassion.
Unstained from the World: The Battle for Purity
September 20, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:27
The fight to stay unstained from the world is mainly a matter of not being double-headed. It’s a battle of the mind, a fight to stay singular in our devotion to Christ. - Tim Conway
"Visit" Is A Big Word
August 2, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:27
Tim Conway | James Series Part 10 | James 1:27 - Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
What Did You See in the Mirror Today?
July 20, 2024 • Tim Conway
Brethren, do you realize that Jesus Christ saved us to beautify us? Yes. That's the picture of how Christ loved the church and the washing with this water. And he's taking out all the wrinkles and all the defects. He's beautifying us. That's what this is meant... That's what his word is for.
(Excerpt taken from: 26 Ways We Talk Ourselves Out of Obeying God’s Word)
Is Your Religion Worthless? Your Speech Will Show
July 16, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:26
James 1:26 – If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless.
0:00 – Has Anyone Not Spoken a Word Today?
1:04 – What Kind of Conversations Have You Had?
15:43 – The Only Religion That Is Not Worthless
24:03 – This Gives Us a Firm Warning
31:51 – Who Are the Most Problematic People in the Church?
34:06 – What Bad Speech Must We Put Off?
39:58 – What Good Can We Do with Our Speech?
57:06 – Conclusion
Blessed Doers: Living Out the Perfect Law
July 10, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:21–24
James 1:22-25 - But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
0:00 Introduction and Overview
3:20 What Is the "Perfect Law of Liberty"?
11:06 We Don't Glance but We Look at God's Word
18:51 Blessed Are Those Who Hear and Obey
21:33 Let Us Look in God's Word at the Weighty Matters
35:41 What Pleases God?
37:01 What Is Justice According to God's Perfect Law?
39:58 Christianity Is Not Primarily About What You Do Not Do
46:26 How Do We Implement This Into Our Lives?
50:04 You Are Called to Do What You Can Do
55:18 Where Is Grace in All of This?
1:02:00 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
Stop Blaming God and Start Thanking God—The God Who Transforms
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
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.
Rejoice Ye Poor, Ye Rich, Ye Tried!
May 14, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:9–11
Tim Conway | Series: James, Part 3 | Believer, though you may be lowly in this world, do you rejoice in the great riches that await you in paradise with Christ? While the world may pursue what they believe brings true honor in this life, we must remain steadfast, enduring trials and suffering, honoring the Lord.
(0:00) Introduction
(0:59) Notice the emphasis on having joy in the book of James.
(6:28) First—consider the lowly brother.
(14:32) Charles Spurgeon on who is truly honored before God.
(28:32) Ephesians 2 tells us of the great height to which those who are lowly will be exalted.
(37:19) God’s Word shows us that we possess the greatest riches in the universe.
(39:35) Second—consider the rich…
(46:51) How do we define wealth?
(52:19) Third—consider the man who remains steadfast under trial.
(57:52) Closing prayer
The Wisdom Giving God: Are You Asking?
May 7, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:5
Believer, do you consistently seek wisdom from the LORD? Wisdom encompasses more than just knowledge; it entails the righteous application of knowledge in one's life. You don't have any wisdom if you know the right way and you don't go down it. Believer, we need to diligently pursue wisdom, as it forms the foundation for making righteous decisions and leading a life that pleases God.
0:00 Introduction
3:29 Who Should Be the Wisest People on Earth?
7:26 What Is Wisdom?
15:14 Tim's Definition of Wisdom After Considering the Context of Scripture
32:40 Wisdom or Weightlifting?
34:45 The First Motive for Asking for Wisdom Is Need
42:17 God Does Not Reprove You for Coming to Him for Wisdom
49:58 James Now Warns Us Against Doubt
God's Nightingales Sing In The Dark
April 30, 2024 • Tim Conway • James 1:1–6
In the midst of our affliction, let's heed Paul's words. Despite the challenges, he speaks of overflowing joy. He reminds us to rejoice in our sufferings and to be sorrowful yet always rejoicing. Though tears, sorrows, and groans are real, in the darkness of suffering, God calls us to sing. - Tim Conway
0:00 - Opening Prayer
0:39 - A Series on the Book of James
2:20 - Which James Is This Who Wrote the Letter?
9:25 - What Should We Emphasize About the Book of James?
12:59 - Considering the Text
14:53 - Are You Joyful in the Trials You Are Facing Right Now?
22:32 - Nightingales Sing in the Dark
25:02 - Let Us Do Some Counting, Some Thinking...
37:49 - What Happens When You Face Your Trials With Joy?
39:34 - How Should We Think When in a Trial?
43:00 - Testing of Faith Produces Steadfastness
52:44 - If We Are Going to Sing in Our Trials We Must Realize That the Affliction Is Light
58:48 - People Are Watching You as You Are Suffering, What Are They Witnessing?
