James

"Do It. Do It"

James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”

In times like this it helps to laugh.  One of my favorite comedy moments is in the 2004 remake of Starsky and Hutch.  In this scene, Ben Stiller plays the role of David Starsky and in one hilarious scene he repeatedly says, “Do it, Do it.”  As Jesus finishes his sermon on the mount in Matthew 7, he gives us a similar message. 

Tags:  do it do it, James, apply, knowing and doing

One Small Hole

James 1:13-15 “When tempted, no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
 
I came home the other day to find a near miss in our backyard.  A very large limb from a 50-year old red oak tree fell and just missed our house and deck. This puzzled me because the tree looked so healthy on the outside; but
Tags:  James, Heart Rot, Inside

When You Face a Trial

James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
 
What is your typical response to a trial? Do you become frustrated, angry, or sad? That would be natural. But James tells us that there is a better way! He says that we should consider joy when we face a difficult situation. At firs
Tags:  Trials, James, Joy