He shut off the car, got out and walked around the vehicle, but not seeing anything wrong, he got back in, started it, and pulled forward very slowly. Then, he felt the right rear end of the car sag and he knew immediately that the wheel had come off!
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.
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?
When Jesus first called His disciples, He asked them to follow Him. And just before He ascended into heaven, He challenged those same disciples to follow Him. As His disciples, we are to follow Him. Following Jesus is a way of life, and not merely a one-time decision.
I have heard it said and asked, “Indeed, life is suffering. Contradiction, misfortune, disappointment, and heartbreak surrounded us. Why must we enter the Kingdom of God through many tribulations? Why does God allow suffering?”
The world we live in and the trends we’re experiencing in our country can be quite unsettling. Mass-shootings, wars in the Middle East, blatant sinful practices now being embraced and even thrust upon us, pandemics, and a host of other things. And the media seems to thrive on broadcasting only doom and gloom, which casts a social landscape filled with potholes and insecurity.
Living life by formula is an easy trap to fall into. When life doesn’t turn out like we expect, eventually disappointment and frustration can well up into resentment and disillusionment. What we really create with all our formulas for living is a formula for disaster!
August 1, 2020 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.
July 25, 2020 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.
July 4, 2020 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.
Nowadays, we face many social and peer pressures to conform and be compliant. People tell us “not to rock the boat”, but to trust political leaders and media sources that try to intimidate us. It is noteworthy when someone stands up for their faith and convictions, others gain confidence to join with us, for courage is contagious.
Keeping focused can be a challenge. Whether it’s studying for an exam, taking mental notes during a key meeting, or following through on a plan of action, it’s easy to get distracted if we start looking around at other things.
October 19, 2019 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.
October 12, 2019 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.
October 5, 2019 – Listen to this week’s ManUp! Radio show with host, Jim Grassi.