James: A Faith that Works
James 1:19-21
3 Keys to Surviving Tough Times
Introduction – Sailors Perished Due to Faulty Rescue Equipment
In August 2000, 118 Russian sailors perished when the Kursk nuclear submarine suffered an underwater explosion and became disabled in the depths of the icy Barents Sea. High-level Russian sources recently told Time magazine that some of the men could have been saved had rescue gear aboard the Russian submarine been tested. According to studies done after the mishap, 23 surviving crew members rushed to a floating rescue capsule located in the rear of the submarine. But the capsule failed to disengage and surface because of mechanical problems that existed from the time the sub was commissioned. It seems the ship's completion was behind schedule and "orders from the top" demanded that shortcuts be taken to make the construction deadline. One such shortcut was failing to test the capsule to see if it could handle the pressure of a rescue procedure.
There are no shortcuts in living a committed Christian life. God doesn't offer shortcuts in growing your character. Trials, tests, and temptations will shape who you are and how you behave. It’s what’s on the inside that counts. Time magazine (6-3-02), p. 18; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois
Your response to Trials (1:2-12)
Your response to Temptations (1:13-18)
Your response to the Truth (1:19-27)
Your Teachability
Ask the question: Am I teachable?
“People who fly into a rage always make a bad landing.” Will Rogers
In your personal life
Men have 2 ears but 1 tongue, that they should hear more than they speak. The ears are always open, ready to recv instruction; but the tongue is surrounded w/ a dbl row of teeth to hedge it in, & keep it w/in proper bounds. Rabbinical teaching
Listen to the conversation of the world…Dialogues of the deaf “ Paul Tournier
In your public life
In your professional life
In your spiritual life
Your Purity
Infections in the spirit
Drop the rags
Soiled, dirty garments
(Continuously, consistently, conspicuously)
Dump the filth
Discard the trash
Your Humility
Is your humility like the man who wrote the best-selling books, "Humility and How I Attained It" OR "The Ten Most Humble Men in the World and How I Chose The Other Nine."
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” Rick Warren
It’s an attitude!
It’s an offer!
It’s a choice!
