Discover answers for dealing with life’s challenges in James 1
Is there a difference between a “trial” and a “temptation”? Let’s explore James 1 for answers on dealing with life’s challenges. We’ll find that our response to those challenges makes all the difference!
destructive pride
In the classic 1991 animated movie Beauty and the Beast, Gaston is the town’s strapping, egotistical hero. He’s a “manly man” admired by the locals and desired by many of the town’s younger women. Most seem to be huge fans of Gaston and overlook his obnoxious ways, except for the young and beautiful Belle.
The Day I Stared Death in the Face
I was hesitant to watch initially. But missing it would mean missing the complete Toraja* experience, so I relented. It was traumatizing. Over a mere 15 minutes, I witnessed how five buffalos were killed, as part of a funeral ceremony unlike any other I had experienced before. A total […]
Life’s Darkest Moments
Charles Whittlesey was a hero’s hero. Leader of the so-called “Lost Battalion” in World War I, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery when his unit was trapped behind enemy lines. When the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was dedicated, Charles was chosen to serve as pallbearer for the first soldier laid to rest there. Two weeks later, it is presumed that he ended his own life by stepping off a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean.
How our faith is seen more in the small, daily battles, than in the big events we face
The Bible is full of stories of how faith enabled ordinary people to defeat giants, survive a den of lions, and move mountains. A conversation on James, chapter 1.
spiritual self-examination
Yed Anikpo created an app called Heartpoints to help Christians track their spiritual progress. Users of the app can review their daily history to rejoice over victories and to repent of sins. According to Anikpo, “Heartpoints [can] help us capture [what] makes up our walk today so that we can examine it and use [it] to inform . . . our pilgrimage tomorrow.”
When Jesus Couch-surfs
The Internet is often described as a “safe” way to get to know new people because of the option to disconnect with someone if we feel that our personal space is being infringed on. But a friend recently introduced me to a kind of social networking designed to allow […]
Spiritual Navigation
Dava Sobel’s award-winning book Longitude describes a dilemma faced by early sailors. They could readily determine their latitude north or south of the equator by the length of the day or height of the sun. Calculating east/west longitude, however, remained complex and unreliable until English clockmaker John Harrison invented the marine chronometer. This was “a clock that would carry the true time from the home port . . . to any remote corner of the world,” thus enabling sailors to determine longitude.
A thoughtful conversation about faith and how it influences what we think and how we respond to life’s challenges
What is faith? Is it something we believe, or something we live? Let’s answer those questions in a study of James, chapter 1. Join in this thoughtful conversation about faith.
the source
For the past 2 years, I’ve served in a church in the urban heart of a large city. It’s a difficult ministry that calls one to have deep compassion and an open heart for others—things that don’t come naturally to me. I often feel woefully unqualified and wonder how I can be the person of grace and compassion that I need to be.
Why I Signed Up for Ironman
Swim 3.8 kilometer, cycle 180 kilometer, and run a 42.2 kilometer marathon—sounds insane? It is called an Ironman Triathlon. Some said it is one of the most gruelling endurance races. Being a sedentary sportsman (think archery and pistol shooting) during my school days, I picked up triathlon recreationally while in university […]
More Than Waiting
I don’t know how it works where you live, but when I have to call for a repair for one of my appliances, the company says something like, “The repairman will be there between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.” Since I don’t know when the repair person will arrive, all I can do is wait.
staying alert
Writer and media consultant Phil Cooke was on a business trip to Calgary, Canada. More than a thousand miles from home, he thought he was walking around in total anonymity until someone tapped him on the shoulder and asked, “Aren’t you Phil Cooke?” The man who made the inquiry had read Cooke’s books and followed him through social media. Phil wasn’t doing anything that could have damaged his reputation, but the interaction did remind him of the unfortunate stories of executives, pastors, politicians, and others who have crossed a moral line when they thought no one was watching.
Memory Loss
Sometimes when we face times of trouble, we may get spiritual amnesia and forget the grace of God. But a good way of reestablishing a thankful heart is to set aside undistracted time and deliberately remember God’s past provisions for us and give thanks.
