In James 2, James introduces us to two kinds of faith. The one faith is a superficial faith. It’s the kind of faith to expect when we hear someone say, “I believe there’s a God.” The second kind of faith that James talks about is genuine faith. James first offers the example of Abraham to demonstrate the link between faith and action.
Reading through the Bible, one can’t help but notice how creative our loving heavenly Father is in providing for His children. I find this extremely encouraging. So often, when we’re in need, we imagine how God’s provision must come and typically we even pray that way. But I’ve found over the years that quite often God will provide for us in a way that makes us smile and wonder at the amazing God who cares for us.
When you tell others that you’re a Christian, what do they think you mean? To some it means you’re religious or conservative. Some may assume you’re self-righteous or judgmental. Hopefully, to many it means you are a follower of Jesus, not perfect, but forgiven.
Thomas Andrew Dorsey was the first African American elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Gospel Music Association’s Living Hall of Fame. His notoriety and contributions to Christian music are amazing.
Although stress is not new, the fast pace of the technological age has deceived us. We have all these modern gadgets to make life easier, but they combine to inundate us with stressful stimuli 24/7. Additionally, we are often our own worst enemy by packing our lives so full that we have no margin. When something unexpected occurs, we have no reserves with which to deal with it.
Texas history is full of heroes, but Sam Houston is one of my favorites. Houston’s battle cry, “Remember the Alamo!” helped win independence for Texas. Much later still, he married the daughter of a Baptist preacher and trusted Christ as his Savior. His was a drastic conversion, as he purposed to live a life of righteousness.
I thoroughly enjoyed all my fishing and hunting adventures with my good friend, Jeff Klippenes. Born and raised in the backwoods of Northern Minnesota, he has a wealth of outdoor experience that adds to the excitement of every outing. One of my favorite memories of Jeff begins with his decision to purchase a consignment boat from me.
Have you ever heard someone refer to a person as a scapegoat? A scapegoat is a person blamed for the wrongdoings of others. Maybe it’s that weird uncle who seems to mess up all the time, or the athlete who chokes on a critical play, or a person at work who gets the blame for everything that goes wrong.
I have enjoyed the pleasure that came from several friends and mentors in my life who were in their later years. Most churches and Christian ministries today could not continue without the totality of the dedication and determination of these senior committed Christians sharing their gifts and talents.
Based on interviews and studies with children and grandparents, it becomes clear that children need their grandparents and vice-versa.
Early in his career (1989) songwriter/singer Garth Brooks wrote a song called “The Dance”. In 1991 the Academy of Country Music awarded him the Song of the Year for this piece. Why was this song such a hit?
Often when we feel discouragement settling in on our spirit it comes because of disappointment from unmet expectations. Satan’s goal is to weaken, dishearten, discourage, and make us lose hope.
Let’s double-back on our footsteps! What is our end goal? To glorify God and leave an honorable legacy for our family to follow. 2 Tim 4:6-7, John 4-5. Recorded March 23, 2021.
We desperately need a spiritual awakening — that’s our wall to build. Like Nehemiah, God may call upon many of us to step into the fray and assume a leadership role to help bring about this spiritual awakening.
Story of NZ Helicopter Problem – Fear settled in incapable of proceeding – Is our fear keep us from witnessing to people? Obstacles and barriers can keep us from doing God’s work and fulfilling His purpose for our lives. Recorded on March 16, 2021.