WISDOM & SUCCESSFUL LIVING:Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James Have you ever noticed that life is something about avoiding extremes?  The pendulum swings between self-loving and self-loathing.  The social sciences are of limited help in understanding ourselves.   The Scriptures affirm the need to judge ourselves, but it also is clear about cautioning…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James Unlikely players in the Biblical narrative – the unlikely but real Heroes of the Faith.  Rahab, a prostitute, a Gentile outside the Jewish protections and community, stepped up and demonstrated her living faith by her works. James 2:25-26 25In the same way, was not even Rahab the…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James Two of the greatest theological errors in America are the following: I am a Christian because (1) I was born in America, or I was born to a Christian family; or (2) I believe in God, therefore I am a Christian.  Wrong.  Very wrong. God has…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James I am amazed at the blend of self-righteousness and self-deception.  This is a combination that, like oil and water, never mixes, and only results in lethal consequences.  Both human maladies are summarized in Biblical warnings against pride.  Proverbs 16:18: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James One bedrock principle of the Church is that the ground at the base of the cross is level.  All are sinners.  All are in need of salvation.  Grace is a free gift of God, not earned. Personal standing or merit has no basis. In that regard, all men…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Studies in James Few things frustrate me more, personally, or professionally, than the need to repeat myself, or remind myself, of what I or others have known, been requested or reminded of, and forget, ignore, let go, overlook, whatever.  Now, to be sure, we all forget things from time…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Part 6 of 12 In our pilgrimage through the New Testament, defining skillful living and wisdom and success, we have seen the following: For God’s people, He tailor makes tests in life designed to grow us up.  These trials are to be received with joy and with perseverance, without challenging…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Part 4 of 12 Continuing with our series on Wisdom and Successful Living, we have found that wisdom is both from above and necessary in our daily living.  It is a life skill that comes with knowledge and practice. Maybe it would be easier if life came with a buyer’s…

Life Lessons from Hard Times – Part 2 of 12 Advocating skillful living is all well and good – even kind of lofty – but what happens if I am confused about what to do, I come up short on options, or I am afraid of making the wrong decision?  My ‘wisdom ship’ has sprung a…

Part Two of Two Continuing with our series on Wisdom and Successful Living, we have found that wisdom is both from above and necessary in our daily living.  It is a life skill that comes with knowledge and practice.  It is the Hebrew term chokmah, which means skillful living or wisely winding your life with skill around the circumstances you…

Money and Financial Gain & Greed – Part Three of Three Continuing with our series on Wisdom and Successful Living, we have found that wisdom is both from above and necessary in our daily living.  It is a life skill that comes with knowledge and practice.  It is the Hebrew term chokmah, which means skillful living or wisely winding your…

Money and Financial Gain – The Gremlin of Greed That Surrounds Us – Part One of Three To date, we have found that wisdom is both from above and necessary in our daily living.  It is a life skill that comes with knowledge and practice.  It is the Hebrew term chokmah, which means skillful living or wisely winding your life…

Wisdom & Skillful Living Building off of our previous narratives, where we concluded that in the pace and rush of our lives, we need to slow down and consider wise living – living skillfully in the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  In the words of the New Testament, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is…

Another of my favorite series of TV ads right now features Pinocchio.  In the story of Pinocchio, a little puppet gets his wish: He loses the strings that had been used to control his life and gets the opportunity to be a real, independent boy.  But what Pinocchio didn’t realize was that this also meant coping…

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