The book of James has practical wisdom for how to walk out our faith in tangible ways, living lives of integrity. He's known as an author who gets right to the point. This Sunday's message title was inspired by four verses in the first chapter of his letter:
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Do no merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it - they will be blessed in what they do.”
As we've been sharing great stories of courage this summer, I wonder if you have asked yourself if you could be one of those people? Do we really believe that God can use us? That we could live to tell stories that inspire the next generation of believers?
So what does it take to go beyond mediocrity? James tells it like it is. We have to be willing to hear the Word and then put it into practice. We can't simply just agree with the principle and not allow it to transform our lives. And when we do what is the result? Freedom and blessing! A life of faith truly is extraordinary.
While I was at General Conference in May, Val Rutten (a PAOC missionary in Ethiopia) was being interviewed and one of her responses lit up the room (and became Tweet-worthy, see side). Want to break out of a pattern of looking in the mirror and forgetting what you've seen? "Get out there and do something!"
Looking forward to talking more about it on Sunday.
See you then,
Pastor Tracy
This Sunday...
THE SUMMER OF COURAGE
The Man in the Miror
Join us on Sunday at 10am as Pastor Tracy shares the final message in our series.