Author: Audrey Bauman (Audrey Bauman)

2 Corinthians 5: 17  NLT “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” 2024 – a NEW YEAR has begun. Many people talk about New Year’s Resolutions, a time to set new goals. Sometimes we look back over the past...

Isaiah 40: 28 – 31  NLT “Have you never heard?    Have you never understood?The LORD is the everlasting God,    the Creator of all the earth.He never grows weak or weary.    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.29 He gives power to the weak    and strength to the powerless.30 Even youths will become weak and tired,    and young men will fall in exhaustion.31 But...

Psalm 121  NLT A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. 1 I look up to the mountains—    does my help come from there?2 My help comes from the LORD,    who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble;    the one who watches over you will not slumber.4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel    never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD himself watches over you!    The LORD stands...

Psalm 23: 3 – 6  NLT 3  He renews my strength.He guides me along right paths,    bringing honor to his name.4 Even when I walk    through the darkest valley,I will not be afraid,    for you are close beside me.Your rod and your staff    protect and comfort me.5 You prepare a feast for me    in the presence of my enemies.You honor me by anointing...

Psalm 23: 1 – 3  NLT The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,he leads me beside quiet waters,3 he refreshes my soul. Sometimes Christmas season can be stressful. Maybe our plans didn’t go the way we thought they would. Maybe it was exhausting as you tried to do your best getting...

Isaiah 9: 6 – 7  NLT 6 For a child is born to us,    a son is given to us.The government will rest on his shoulders.    And he will be called:Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 His government and its peace    will never end.He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David    for all eternity.The...

James 5: 1 – 6  NLT “Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire....

By Mark Potma James 4:13-17 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and...

By Mark Potma James 4:11-12 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers.[d] The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is...

James 3: 1 – 12  NLT Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We...

James 2: 14 – 26  NLT “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay...

Let’s do a little “supposing” before we read today’s verses. Suppose one Sunday, our mayor showed up at LSA. On the same Sunday, a rather ragged looking man came on his bicycle to the service. Which person do you think people would talk to the most? To which person would someone say, “Please come back...

James also knows that when life is difficult and challenging, we have a tendency to be “on the edge”, more likely to get angry about even little things. So let’s look at what he says about those bursts of anger. James 1: 19 – 27  NLT 19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must...

When we are going through challenging times, sometimes we might give into temptation more easily. We turn to those things that might give us some kind of pleasure or relaxation, because – if we admit it – we wonder if God really understands what we are facing. Does he really care? James 1: 13 –...

So, how do we cope when life is difficult? Let’s see what James has to say today as he tackles that tough problem. James 1: 1 – 12  NLT “This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes” – Jewish believers scattered...

James 1: 1  NLT “This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes” – Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings!” God chooses the most unlikely people to represent him in our world. Jesus chose 12 disciples who were not the most educated, influential...

John 1: 1 – 5   (NLT) Prologue: Christ, the Eternal Word “In the beginning the Word already existed.    The Word was with God,    and the Word was God.2 He existed in the beginning with God.3 God created everything through him,    and nothing was created except through him.4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,    and his life brought light...

The past few years have been difficult ones. The waves of the pandemic were so frustrating. Would it ever end? When would life return to normal? Do we even know what “normal” is anymore? Our economy is going crazy. Will young people ever be able to buy homes? It’s tough even paying for groceries and...

Hebrews 4: 12  NLT “For the word of God is alive and poweerful. It is sharper that the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between the soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.” Psalm 119: 97 – 105  M:T 97 Oh, how I love your instructions!    I think about them all day...

Ephesians 6: 10, 13 – 18  10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. … 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on...