Common Sense Conversations

James challenges us here with a passage asking if we are doer of the Word or hearer only. So what does it mean to be a “doer” of the Word? What does it mean to be only a “hearer”? We will tackle this and so much more in this session.

Do you find that you spend more time rationalizing your sin or being repulsed by your sin? If we aren’t repulsed by our sin, and sin in general, we are probably being led by our emotions and not the Holy Spirit.

In this passage James teaches us about how important it is to speak less and listen more. But we will also see how our mouth, speaking too much can cause anger to build and come out. This podcast will help us look at what it means to speak less to prevent anger from coming into our lives.

James tells us we need to be quick to listen. But what does it mean to listen? What is the difference between hearing and listening? This podcast will show how hearing and listening are different and how it will effect our spiritual and daily lives.

Satan’s goal is to deceive us into giving in to temptation. When trials come, we can be more easily deceived. I share a trial I am currently walking through to in this podcast to show how easy it is to be deceived.

This podcast will look at James 1:13-15 and see that there is a difference in trials and temptation. They both come from different sources and both produce completely different results.

James is going to be talking to young Christ followers that are struggling with their financial situation. Some are poor, some have had to flee because of persecution. James is teaching an important lesson to them that is applicable to us today.

All of us are surrounded by instability. If we aren’t careful, the enemy will use that to not only impact us, but we will allow it to define us. This passage in James will show how to find stability in unstable lives.

We all lack wisdom. But what really is wisdom and where can I find it? This podcast will dive into this and show how it’s related to our trials we go through.

There is a purpose for the tests and trials that we go through. It is to make us mature in our faith and walk with the Lord. This podcast will dive into what it means to be a mature disciple.

Patience is something most everyone wants, but they don’t want to do what it takes to have patience. This podcast will look at how God intends trials and tests in our lives to produce that patience.

Why do we go through trials? Today we finish the three perspectives of why God brings trials into our lives and the purpose behind them.

Today we will look at trials from Satan’s perspectives and how he lies to make us feel like God is against us. We will also look at perspectives from God’s view and how God is using trials to conform us into the image of Jesus.

We begin a study through the Book of James. Today we look at why we should have joy in trials and what the purpose of trials in our lives are for in the Christian life.

Would you wash the feet of someone you love who hurt you? Would you wash the feet of someone who betrayed you and stabbed you in the back? Are we allowing humility to lead and guide our lives or are we allowing what we deserve to guide us? These are all questions we look at in this podcast.

Are we more like the Priest and Levite or the Samaritan? Jesus teaches us there is one word that separated these men and it was what Jesus had that we should as well: compassion. Compassion for the hurting made the difference.

If you are serving in the local church or serving the Lord and your concern is power, prestige, notoriety, then you are not lining up with God’s Word. So what does that look like, does this describe me and the church I attend, and what do I do about it?

Are we spending our greatest resource, time, trying to build bigger earthly barns? Or are we investing our time on Jesus and serving others? Are we more worried about always having and getting more or are we satisfied with what we have?

Too often churches have an us verses them mentality. The problem is that doesn’t line up with God’s Word. All people are whosoever’s. This episode will look at 3 us verses them mentalities that are detrimental to the church.

When looking at our lives, everyone seems to be so busy. But are we too busy? Are we playing into the enemies plans by being too busy to really serve the Lord?

We can so caught up in emotionalism that we forget that emotions are not the focal point of our life. Faithfulness and growing in the journey is more important than how we feel.

Why don’t we see miracles in our lives and in the Church like we should? Could it be that we have become so focused on moments that we are missing the miracles that God has in store for us daily?

In our churches and lives today we seem to struggle with prayer being the centerpiece. We have too often replaced prayer with programs in order to get results. But is this working?

Is the Great Commission more than just mission trips? Too often it seems people think that going on a mission trip is what the Great Commission is. I believe when we look at the Bible Jesus teaches it is so much more.

Are we letting culture’s version of Jesus influence us more than the Bible? Do we have a clear picture of who Jesus really is?