West Church Peabody

Enduring Temptation

Temptation is one of the most universal struggles for Jesus followers, and James 1:12–18 shows how endurance, honesty, and a greater love for God help us face it with courage. This message draws from the myth of the sirens in The Odyssey to illustrate two ways people resist destructive desires—by limiting their ability to give in, like Odysseus tied to the mast, or by cultivating a stronger, more beautiful desire, like Jason listening to Orpheus’ music. James teaches that God promises the crown of life to those who persevere, and that temptation doesn’t come from God but from our own desires. Confession, humility, community, and spiritual honesty interrupt the cycle before it matures into sin and death. The passage also turns our attention to the goodness of God, the Father of heavenly lights, who gives every good and perfect gift and births new life within us. When we cultivate habits that help us savor God—Scripture, prayer, silence, worship, gratitude—our desire for Him grows stronger than the lesser desires that tempt us. Like catching the aroma of a delicious meal from the kitchen, the presence of God in our lives is a foretaste of the greater joy to come. This sermon invites listeners to endure temptation with honesty and hope, and to pursue the better desire that leads to life. Next week: dealing with anger. Enduring Temptation Bill Shoemaker Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661ab0d6876bed13b49b41be/t/6a4a864f427d8759a20f67bf/1783268953698/Practical+Living+-+Enduring+Temptation+-+Sunday+July+5%2C+2026.mp3]

Wisdom About Wealth

Have you ever daydreamed about what your life would be like if you had more money? I'm sure we all have. Lack of finances seem to make things really hard sometimes. At the same time, chasing after money and possessions can be a trap as well. This week in our series "Practical Living for Jesus Followers," James warns us about the deception of riches. Always wanting more is like the air we breath. It is not necessarily healthy. It can actually threaten our faith. But James shows us how our faith in Jesus helps us to avoid being deceived by the lure of always wanting more. It is amazing that a "primitive" book like the Bible, that is more than 2000 years old, has such helpful wisdom for us in 2026. Let's get wise about wealth together this Sunday. Wisdom About Wealth Bill Shoemaker Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661ab0d6876bed13b49b41be/t/6a414b2d998b557fecc4fab8/1782663993839/Practical+Living+-+Wisdom+About+Wealth+-+Sunday+June+28%2C+2026.mp3]

God’s Help in Hardship

This Sunday we begin an all-new series called Practical Living for Jesus Followers. We will be going verse by verse through the letter from James. The first area of practical living he speaks to is "How do we handle hardships in life?" It's not like we don't have enough. He tells us some amazing things about God. God wants to help us, and he will always help us. God wants to give us what we need, in particular, a new perspective and a new insight. If you're struggling with something in your life this week, you will want to learn this. James is even so bold to suggest that we can experience joy no matter what. God's Help in Hardship Bill Shoemaker Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661ab0d6876bed13b49b41be/t/6a4124f9a29f3368b73a0bf7/1782654213852/Practical+Living+-+God_s+Help+in+Hardship+-+Sunday+June+21%2C+2026.mp3]

From Shame to True Worship

Have you ever daydreamed about what your life would be like if you had more money? I'm sure we all have. Lack of finances seem to make things really hard sometimes. At the same time, chasing after money and possessions can be a trap as well. This week in our series "Practical Living for Jesus Followers," James warns us about the deception of riches. Always wanting more is like the air we breath. It is not necessarily healthy. It can actually threaten our faith. But James shows us how our faith in Jesus helps us to avoid being deceived by the lure of always wanting more. It is amazing that a "primitive" book like the Bible, that is more than 2000 years old, has such helpful wisdom for us in 2026. Let's get wise about wealth together this Sunday. From Shame to True Worship Bill Shoemaker Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661ab0d6876bed13b49b41be/t/6a4120a502dbbf7164aa86f5/1782653106501/Rising+From+Shame+-From+Shame+to+True+Worship+-+June+14%2C+2026.mp3]

The Devil and Our Shame

We're approaching the end of our series, "Rising from Shame." We will be looking at the story of Mary Magdalene who was set free from seven demons by the Lord Jesus. Shame is clearly one of the weapons that Satan would use to hinder us and keep us down. Sometimes we think the negative voices putting us down in our heads are our own negative selves. Sometimes they may be even more insidious. When we come to recognize the message of Jesus, we are better equipped to recognize the voice of Jesus over against other voices that trouble us. Jesus always brought God's freedom to those who came to him for help oppressed by unclean spirits. He overcame Satan when he rose from the dead. He wants us to experience freedom with him. The Devil and Our Shame Bill Shoemaker Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/661ab0d6876bed13b49b41be/t/6a25a6a8c107b26a33bdc5ee/1780852425198/Rising+From+Shame+-+The+Devil+and+Our+Shame.mp3]