Calvary Chapel Lake of the Ozarks

Discover the power of a faithful prayer life, bringing every joy, struggle, and need to God with confidence in His character, not our feelings. Together in community, confessing, supporting, and praying earnestly, we experience God’s healing, freedom, and immeasurable power at work in our everyday lives.

In James 5, we are reminded that earthly wealth and indulgence rot away, and true treasure is found in a heart anchored on God, lived out in faithful obedience. Like the patient farmer, the enduring prophets, and Job, we are called to wait with hope, persevere through trials, and trust in God’s steadfast compassion and ultimate justice.

James reminds that life is fragile and fleeting, urging us to live humbly by aligning our will with God’s rather than boasting arrogantly about the future. True humility transforms how we speak, act, and prioritize, making our lives eternally meaningful when surrendered to God’s purpose.

In James 4:1-10, James is warning us about the dangers of worldliness – if we are causing wars around us, it is due to the war within our hearts. James shows us that if we want a pure heart, we need a new heart –this means we must submit ourselves fully to God. 

In a world overflowing with information but starving for wisdom, James invites us to consider not just what we know, but how we live. True wisdom—the kind that brings peace, integrity, and lasting fruit—comes not from the world, but from above.

Our words are powerful indicators of our spiritual health—what flows from our mouths reveals what’s rooted in our hearts. In James 3:1–12, we’re reminded that Spirit-filled speech is a mark of true maturity, with the potential to heal, encourage, and reflect the grace of Jesus.

True saving faith isn’t just something you say or feel—it’s something you live. James 2:14–26 challenges us to reveal our faith through action, because while faith alone saves, the faith that saves never stands alone.

Faith in Jesus calls us to reject favoritism, honoring all people equally as reflections of God’s grace and mercy. When we show partiality, we contradict the Gospel’s heart, forgetting that true worth is found not in status or appearance, but in our shared identity in Christ.

James urges believers to slow down, listen well, and align their actions with God's Word, warning that unchecked anger and self-deception hinder true spiritual growth. Genuine faith is not just hearing truth but living it—marked by humility, self-awareness, controlled speech, compassion for the vulnerable, and a commitment to personal holiness.

God uses trials to mature and strengthen us, while Satan twists struggles into temptations meant to destroy. By adopting a mindset of joyful endurance and gratitude, we can gain wisdom and overcome temptation, focusing on God’s goodness rather than dissatisfaction.

God’s agape love is selfless and unconditional, calling us to actively love the lost with patience, grace, and humility—reflecting Jesus’ heart and pointing others to salvation.

In this message from the Becoming Series, we explore how brotherly affection—deep, intentional love within the faith family—marks a Christ-centered community. Rooted in God’s love, this affection shows itself through hospitality, forgiveness, encouragement, and bearing one another’s burdens, shaping us into a family that loves beyond duty and welcomes with open hearts.

Godliness is a Christ-centered way of life combining right belief and behavior, empowered by God’s grace, that shapes perseverance with humility and reverence. Though it may bring persecution, godliness leads to true spiritual gain and prepares us for eternal life.

Steadfastness—endurance and patience under pressure—is an active, Spirit-powered response to trials that God uses to shape us into Christlikeness, proving His presence and refining our faith rather than signaling His absence.

Self-control is not about willpower but about surrendering our desires and habits to Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to shape our lives. It reflects spiritual maturity, protects our witness, and flows from grace-filled surrender rather than personal striving.

True knowledge of God comes not from mere intellect but from a personal, obedient relationship with Christ that transforms our character and equips us to live effectively. We are called to add virtue before knowledge, because a life entangled in sin cannot rightly receive or live out the truths of God, and true growth comes when our understanding of Christ shapes how we live.

The foundation of faith begins with recognizing that, through Christ, we have been made partakers of the divine nature and freed from the corruption of sin. True faith—personal trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection—leads to salvation by grace and a transformed life, which we are called to actively grow by supplementing our faith with godly qualities.

Spiritual growth isn't optional—it's the natural outworking of our new nature in Christ, who has already given us everything we need to grow from rebirth to maturity and live a fruitful, God-glorifying life.

In Mark 15–16, we see darkness fall, a curtain tear, and hope rise. This week’s message reminds us that the debt is paid, and access to God is wide open.

Though wrongly condemned, Jesus willingly endured the cross—bearing our shame, fulfilling God’s purpose through injustice, and showing that even in the darkest moments, His sacrificial love brings redemption and hope.