We all know the signs of life for a person. What are the signs of life for faith? How do we know if we have a relationship with God that is actually real? 

It can be easy to look at someone’s clothes or the car they drive or some other outward appearance and draw conclusions about them as a person. We are all tempted to judge based on externals. Sometimes this can seem harmless but James shows us the dangers of discrimination even in its most subtle forms. There is a higher standard that Christians are called to in the ways we view and relate to people.

We all know what it feels like to lose our temper. We know what it feels like to say or do things we regret because of a moment of uncontrolled anger. God provides direction on how we can start to transform our response to difficult people and situations and how we can see real change in our lives.

Temptations (simple and big) are all around us. How do we resist doing the things we don’t want to do? Where do we even start?

Life is hard. No one makes it through life without facing situations and circumstances that can only be described as difficult and even overwhelming. How are we supposed to respond when we face these kinds of trials? Is there a way to face them that will not only lead to a better outcome but a transformed life?

When we are wronged, there is a certain desire and even pleasure in getting even. We want people to pay for what they have done to us. What we usually realize is that this is much messier and more complicated than we think. Jesus provides a dangerous new idea about how to confront the wrongs we experience that does not just change our own lives, but has the power to change the world.

When we are wronged, there is a certain desire and even pleasure in getting even. We want people to pay for what they have done to us. What we usually realize is that this is much messier and more complicated than we think. Jesus provides a dangerous new idea about how to confront the wrongs we experience that does not just change our own lives, but has the power to change the world.

Every single one of us has financial needs, relational needs, physical needs and so many other necessities to live. Jesus presents a dangerous idea suggesting that there is one need that we need more than anything else. This is a need that every person is desperate for and cannot live the life they were made for without it. Are we willing to take the dangerous step and trust him with this need? Are we willing to bet our lives on it?

If you find yourself limping around with the quality of relationships in your life, consider this dangerous idea that will be completely counter intuitive to how you have approached relationships before.  

We all have people in our lives we find challenging to love. Whether it be their political stances, their personality, or something they have done to us, we can struggle to show dignity and value to certain people. The Bible introduced an idea thousands of years ago that has profoundly shaped our world and completely changed how we view and relate to the people around us. How can this idea change our lives and the world today?