Life Hacks - Temptation

This summer, we are studying the book of James, and James gives us several principles by which we need to live our lives, and with these principles James provides some practical advice.  We are calling this advice, life hacks, because a life hack is a new of doing something that is better than the old way.  It’s been fun looking at life hacks that can improve simple things in our lives and I’m told several people started fires last week using Doritos, so I can tell you that life hack works.  Today I want to share a very timely hack. 
1. Use cups to protect hands from sparklers.
2. Sugar & water paste removes grass stains


Again, these are fun and useful, but what we really want to focus on is how to make our faith stronger and our lives better, so let’s go back to the book of James.  One of the reasons James is so powerful is that it is universal.  James doesn’t talk about issues that are important to just a few people, James addresses issues that impact ALL people.  For example, how many of us ever find ourselves tempted?  Whether it is food, money, or a desire for new stuff, new experiences, or new relationships, we all face different temptations.  James 1:13-14. 

Notice that James says “when” we are tempted because he knows that temptation is universal and we all struggle with temptation because it comes from selfish desires, and in case you haven’t noticed it, everyone is selfish.  Our family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and everyone around us only seem to be looking out for themselves.  But if that is true then if we stop and think about it, we must be selfish as well.  We are selfish, and James says that it is our selfishness, our own self-centered desires, that lead us into temptation.

So temptation is something we all face and there are two principles about temptation we need to understand.

1. We can KNOW the right thing to do but then DO the wrong thing. 
This tells us that temptation never comes as a surprise.  We know what we should and should not do, we just don’t always do it.  Adam and Eve knew that they were not to eat from the tree of knowledge, so it’s not like they suddenly came across this tree with amazing looking fruit and wondered if they should eat it or not.  They knew about this tree.  They knew the fruit would look good and they knew it was bad for them.  There was no surprise here.  They knew the right thing but then did the wrong thing, and this is how temptation works in our lives.  We know the right thing to do, but then still do the wrong thing. 

Just like with Adam and Eve, there are certain foods that tempt us all.  We know these foods aren’t good for us and we know we shouldn’t eat them, but then we do the wrong thing and not only buy the food but eat it anyway, and sometimes we eat a lot.  I love potato chips.  Not just any chips, (I am not a fan of Middlesworth chips, and I know some of you will now look at me differently because of that confession, please don’t judge me), I love kettle cooked chips.  But here is the problem with chips, I can’t eat just one, or two, or a handful, or even a coffee filter full.  When I get a bag, I eat the whole thing, and then feel just like this guy. 

I know that eating a full bag of chips is not healthy.  I know that after I eat the bag, it will sit in my stomach and make me feel lousy.  I know I won’t feel good the next morning because of all the fat and cholesterol coursing through my body, and because the empty bag will remind me that I have no self-control.  I know all of this.  I know the right thing to do, but I still do the wrong thing. 

Maybe for you it’s not potato chips but Oreos.  You tell yourself just a few, ok just one row, and then you stop and have to ask yourself what happened to the bag.  Or maybe it is that king size candy bar you buy to eat over the course of a few days, but then eat in one sitting.  Or maybe it’s fast food like BK or McDonalds. We know it has a lot of fat and cholesterol and we go in telling ourselves that we will have the grilled chicken salad, but then walk out with a Big Mac, fries, and those fabulous fried apple pies.  Don’t judge, we all know the right thing to do but then don’t do it. 

But it is not just food, it’s just that food is easy to talk about, and it makes us smile because we all have our weaknesses, but there are more serious temptations we face, like alcohol, gambling, and pornography.  We know these things can be bad, we know they can destroy our relationships and our lives, but we still do them.  Sometimes the temptation is to cheat in order to get ahead at work or in school, or it’s pursuing that relationship we know is dangerous to our marriage if our spouse were to find out, but we go down that road anyway.  Or it’s buying that new toy, or those new clothes thinking that our lives will be better, but we just end up deeper in debt. 

We know that all of these things are bad for us, but we do them anyway, and then we are left with the consequences.  And this is the second life principle, there are always consequences. 

2. We can choose to FALL but we can’t choose the FALLOUT.  
We can choose to do the wrong thing, we can choose to fall, but when we do, we can’t choose the fallout.  When we give in to temptation, we don’t always get to choose the consequences.  We can choose to give to excess drinking and drugs, but we don’t get to choose the effects of that abuse.  Maybe it’s the DUI we thought we would never get because we tell ourselves we don’t drink that much.  Maybe it is the loss of our job because the drug use made our work less productive, or we missed too many days.  Maybe it’s the loss of our marriage and family because we crossed a line in a relationship with a friend.

Part of the fallout from giving in to temptation that we don’t think about is our weakened relationship with God.  Every time we do something we know is wrong it is called sin, and sin moves us farther away from God, and it’s not that God moved, and it’s not that God tempts us, James says God cannot tempt us, it is our own selfishness that tempts us and leads us away from God. 

So what are the practices that James gives us to overcome temptation?  Let’s look at James 4:7-8a
1. Resist It.  The first practice to help us overcome temptation is to resist it.  We can’t just stand against it, we need to fight against it.  When it comes to temptation, we are in a battle, and a battle means we have to fight.  It’s not always easy to walk away from the chip aisle in the grocery store, but if I don’t walk down that aisle then I don’t buy the chips.  We can’t get drunk if we don’t buy the alcohol.  We can’t lose our money if we don’t make that trip to the casino.  No matter what the temptation is, we can resist it and we can flee from it, but we need to be ready for a fight because we are in a battle.

Notice that James doesn’t say we flee from temptation, he says we are to flee from the devil because he is the one who tempts us.  It is the devil who wants us to give in to all our human hungers and desires instead of trusting in God, so when we resist temptation we are resisting the devil and that is always a battle, which means we need to be prepared for the fight.  Look at Ephesians 6:10-18. 

This is what it means to go into battle against temptation.  We need to be fully clothed in the armor of God, trusting in and drawing upon all the faith and power God gives us, and being willing to enlist and engage the people of God in the fight.  Just as we would be foolish to go to war by ourselves, it is foolish to try and fight temptation by ourselves – we need the strength that comes from others and God gives us people to back us up, and fight at our side.

This is the power of groups like weight watchers and AA.  If we try and fight temptation alone, it is too easy to give in, but if we can enlist the help of others who know the battle, who fight the same temptation, we can find with them the strength to overcome. 

There is strength when we are standing with others.  Ecc. 4:9-12.  A strand of three, two people with God, will be strong, so if we want to resist temptation we need to put on the armor of God, enlist others in the battle, and trust God to see us through.  But at times, even when we do all of this, we will still fail, but when we do, all is not lost, look at James 4:8b-10.

2. Own It.  When we fall into temptation, when we know the right thing but do the wrong thing, we don’t give up, we give in to God.  We wash our hands, which means we own up to the fact that our hands our dirty.  We humble ourselves, which means we own up to what we have done wrong.  Instead of trying to place the blame on someone else, or make an excuse for our failure, or try to convince ourselves that it really wasn’t that bad, we need to own up to our failure.  This is what Adam and Eve didn’t do. 

After they gave in to temptation and did what they knew was wrong, both Adam and Eve tried to shift the blame and make excuses.  Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.  They didn’t wash their hands, and they didn’t humble themselves before God.  They didn’t own up to their failure but tried to protect themselves by placing the blame on someone else.  We can never overcome temptation if we aren’t willing to own up to the reality of temptation in our lives.  We can never overcome something that we aren’t willing to admit is a problem in the first place.  Once we own it, we are able to overcome it.  Once we take responsibility for it, we can loosen the grip it has on us, which leads us to the third practice…

3. Confess It.  James 4:9.  James isn’t telling us to just mope around and cry about our situation, he is calling us to confess.  We need to be honest about our situation and confess our sin to God, and maybe confess it to someone else – someone who can stand with us.  Confession is not just good because it cleanses our soul, confession can also lead us to those people who can help us, and it reminds us that we can never overcome temptation in our lives without the help of the Holy Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 says that while we are all tempted, God will never let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.  God will give us a way out.  Sometimes that way out is the help and support that only comes when we own our sin and confess it.  When we do this, and when we ask God for his help, we are given a new strength and power to go back and resist it. 
You see these three practices, these life hacks to help us overcome temptation, aren’t really steps, they are the cycle of our lives.  We resist it, but if, or when, we fail, we own it, we confess it, and then we go back to resisting it.  Failing when we are tempted isn’t the end, but neither is owning up to our failure and our confession, those practices need to lead us right back into the battle to fight temptation all over again. 

The principle we all live under is this, we can know the right thing to do but then do the wrong thing.  It is a battle to do the right thing, at times a hard fought battle that needs the armor of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the help of God’s people, but God gives us the ability to do the right thing.  If we fail, it’s not the end, we own it, we confess it, and we get right back into the fight, with this prayer, God, lead me away from temptation. 
 

Next Steps
Life Hacks – Temptation

Life Principles:
• We can know the RIGHT thing to do - And still do the WRONG thing.

• We can choose to FALL - But we can’t choose the FALLOUT. 

Life Hacks:

1.  Resist It.
• Read James 1:13-15, James 4:7-10
• Identify the temptations that you need to resist. 
• Read Ephesians 6:10-18
• How can the armor of God help you?  What pieces do you need to put in place first?
• Who can fight the battle with you?  Read Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

2. Own It.
• Falling into temptation is not the end.  What failure do you need to own? 
• What failures have you blamed on others, and excused away, that you now need to own?
• Ask God to help you see the seriousness of your sin.

3. Confess It.
• What sin do you need to confess to God? 
• Look for a person God has already placed in your life to share your struggle with and invite them to fight temptation with you. 
• Be a fighter with someone else.  Join their battle when you are asked.

Life Hacks - Speech

This summer we are reading through the book of James and looking at some life principles that if we are willing to put into practice, God says our lives and relationships will be better, and our faith stronger.  We are calling these practices life hacks because a life hack is a new or novel way of doing something that is better than the old way.  A life hack is putting a cup of water in the microwave when you reheat pizza, or using a coffee filter to wash your windows and clean your mirrors.  Today we want to share some more life hacks that can improve your summer activities:
1. Use an Onion to clean your grill.
2. Doritos to start a fire
3. Toothpaste to soothe bug bites

Again, these life hacks are fun, but what we really want to focus on are the ways we can practically live out the biblical principles we find in the book of James, and today we are going to talk about how we need to use the most powerful muscle in our body, the tongue. 

Our tongue is the most powerful muscle in our body because it is with the tongue we can create life, and with our tongue we can destroy life.  Our words have the ability to lift people up and tear people down.  Our speech can speak the truth in love or spread lies with an evil intent.  Words are powerful because they shape and direct not only our lives but the lives of others.  It is words that shape and change the direction of our world.  James makes clear to us the power of words in shaping and directing life by using two different images, a bit in a horse’s mouth and a rudder on a boat. 
James 3:3-4

A bit is a small piece of metal that is put into a horse’s mouth and using a harness and reins, the bit can control a horse that weighs 1,000 pounds.  Karen Port gave me this bit to show you and we talked a little bit (no pun intended) about how this small thing gives direction to a horse. 

James also uses the image of a rudder on a boat.  A rudder is a very small thing but when it shifts just slightly in the water it has the ability to turn something thousands of times larger. 

On the Aircraft Carrier USS Roosevelt, there are 2 rudders that are 29’x22’ and they control a ship that is 1,092 feet long (longer than the empire state building is tall) and is over 20 stories high and has a flight deck that is 4.5 acres.  A relatively small rudder sets this entire ship in motion and helps move it to a new location. 

James is saying that it only takes a few words to change the direction of our lives.  A few encouraging words can set a child on the course of success, and a few critical words can keep them down.  When I was young, I heard the words, your fat, and those words shaped my self-image and my self-esteem for years.  My sister was a freshman in HS when her science teacher said, you will never get above a D or C in this class because you are a girl and you are focused on and thinking about other things.  She says that those words kept her from trying harder and reaching for higher goals.  Just a few words can shape our lives.

For all of us, there may have been some critical words that closed doors and kept us down, but my hope is that there were also words of encouragement that fueled our hopes and dreams. Words not only shape our history, but just a few words can shape world history.  Think about the power of these words. (video)

President Kennedy’s words, we choose to go to the moon, changed how we looked at the universe.  They sparked a generation of science that has taken us to the moon and beyond.  His words led to moon landings, space shuttles, mars probes and the exploration of space. 

President Reagan’s words, tear down this wall, changed nations. Not only did the wall come down, and Germany became one nation again, but the entire Eastern Bloc of Europe changed and freedom came to millions of people. 

Martin Luther King Jr.’s words, I have a dream, forever changed our society.  His words continue to shape us as we strive to look at people not by the color of their skin but the content of their character.  We fundamentally see people differently because of his four words. 

Words are powerful and they always have been.  God didn’t create the world with his hands, he spoke it into being with his words.  God said, let there be light, and there was light.  God said, let the water teem with living creatures and let birds fly in the sky, and there were birds and fish.  God said, let us make mankind in our image, and men and women were created.  God’s word spoke history into being, and our words continues to shape our history and the history of our world.  Our words are powerful and they can create life or destroy life, but James also says that once our words are spoken they take on a life of their own.  We see this in the third image James uses for our words, fire.  James 3:5b-6

No matter how careful we may be when we start a fire, it always has the potential of becoming uncontrollable and uncontainable.  We see this every year across the mountains of California.  A camp fire left unattended, a match thrown on the ground, even the spark from a car can set entire communities on fire, and the same is true with words once they are spoken.  Once a word is said out loud, we cannot take it back.  We can try and minimize its impact, we can try and give a fuller context to what we were trying to say, and explain what we meant to say, but once a word is spoken we cannot control it and we cannot contain it.  We see this all around us in the world of social media.  Once a word is tweeted, or posted to Facebook or Instagram, we no longer are able to contain it and we are no longer able to control it. 

Which brings me to the reality that when we talk about our words today, we are not just talking about what we say out loud, we are also talking about what we say on social media.  Social media is dangerous because it is like putting a bullhorn up to every word we say and thought we have.  When we post to Facebook and Instagram we might as well be broadcasting to the entire world because we have no idea who will see it or how people will hear it.  With all social media, once the words are spoken we can no longer control them and we can no longer contain them and the consequences of what we have said can be devastating. 

People post all kinds of things about their jobs that they would never say to their boss, but when their boss finds out, and they always do, that person often hears the two words that change their history –you’re fired.  We might think we are sending a private message to a friend on facebook complaining about our spouse, only to find out it was posted for all to see, and suddenly we are trying to find the right words to say, I’m sorry.  Social media simply makes the power of our words that much stronger and it shows us how true this life principle really is: words, once spoken, are uncontrollable and uncontainable. 

Because words are so powerful and can quickly move beyond our control, James gives us some sound principles that we need to consider.  The first comes from James 1:19-20.  James tells us to listen more, speak less, and to make sure we don’t speak when we are angry, so our first life hack is to shut up when we are angry. 

Now I know that saying shut up is not considered very polite, and I thought about another way of saying this, but then I thought that maybe we need to hear it just this way.  There are times when we all need to learn to keep our mouths shut.  Just because we can say something doesn’t mean we should and not all truth needs to be spoken.  There are times we will serve ourselves well if we will let our tongues remain silent. 

There is a reason God put our tongues behind a set of teeth and two lips, because there are times we need to keep it locked up and silent and this is especially true when we are angry.  When we are angry, there are so many things that we want to say.  We want to vent our frustration.  We want people to know we have been hurt or offended.  We want to shout about how we are right, and while there is a time and place for all of this, we need to be very cautious about when we share any of these words.  There really is value in counting to 10 when we are angry instead of saying the first thing that comes into our mind.

Now this doesn’t mean we avoid talking about our problems, or working to resolve our differences, the Bible also says that we should not let the sun go down on our anger and that we should seek to restore relationships and resolve conflicts, but it is always better to shut up when we are angry and allow God’s spirit to guide us to more peaceful and wise places.   

The second thing we need to learn to do with our speech is to speak up while we have the time.  There are two very important times when we need to do this, when our children are young and when our parents are older.  We only get one chance in life to shape the life of a child and that is when they are a child.  The words we speak to children when they are very young, and the way we encourage and speak to our teens, shapes their hearts and lives.  Our words can ignite their passion and give fuel to their future, or our words can burn down their dreams and destroy their destinies. 

At every turn, we need to encourage our children.  We need to praise them, and love them, and fill their world with a faith and vision that tells them they can do and be anything.  And let me say this to the men here today.  Our children are waiting for, longing for, and needing to hear words of affirmation and love from us.  Women are often better at using words to nurture and encourage, but the words of fathers, brothers, grandfathers, uncles and male friends is desperately needed in the world today. 

If you are a father of children – speak up while you have the chance.  If you are a grandfather or uncle – speak up while you have the chance.  If you are a coach, work with children in any capacity, and have the opportunity to speak words of encouragement to children – speak up while you have the chance.  We will never get this chance again.

And the same is true when we are dealing with our parents or grandparents.  Life is short and we need to say today the things that are important.  We need to say today that we love and appreciate people.  We need to say what we can while we have the chance, and this isn’t just true for our parents, and grandparents, but those we work with as well.  Most people at work are hungry for affirmation.  There is no such thing as too much affirmation as long as our words are genuine and heartfelt.  The words of affirmation we say today might the words that change the direction of a person’s life.

And the last thing we need to do with our words is to clean up what we mess up.  We all say things that we shouldn’t, and whether we said it in anger, or frustration, or we really meant it but now regret it, we need to use new words to clean up what we have messed up.  Jesus talked a lot about forgiveness and much of what we need to be forgiven for is what we have said to, or about others. 

This past week there was a story of a student from the Parkland Florida school who had his acceptance to Harvard rescinded because of hateful words he said to his friends in an email and social media posts when he was 16.  What I appreciated about this young man was that he didn’t blame someone else for his words, he apologized for them, and said they were wrong.  He was trying to clean up what he had messed up.  It may not get him back into Harvard, but he is living out this principle in a more mature and honest way than many people in politics, sports, and entertainment.  Most people who are in trouble for saying something they now regret find someone to blame, but what we need to do is apologize, and begin to clean up what our words have messed up. 

James is clear that our tongue is powerful and our words shape history.  Our words can bring life or death, they can build others up or tear them down, they can point people to Jesus or they can diminish our witness and the glory of God in this world.  Our words are powerful, and once spoken we lose the ability to control them or contain them, so we need to shut up when we are angry, speak up when we have the chance, and clean up what we have messed up. 


Next Steps
Life Hacks – Our Speech

Life Principle: Words, once spoken, are uncontrollable and uncontainable.  (James 1:19-20, 33-12)


Life Hacks:

1.  Shut Up – when you are angry.
• Read James 1:19-20.
• Where do you need to spend more time listening and less time talking?
• When angry, type up an email to vent your frustration and then hit “DELETE”.

2. Speak Up – while you have the time.
• Commit to speaking words of love and encouragement this week to your spouse and children.
• Commit to speaking words of appreciation to parents, coaches, mentors, and friends.
• Find ways to speak words of support at work to all those you work with. 

3. Clean Up – what you have messed up.
• Where have your words created a mess in a relationship?
• How can new words ask for forgiveness?
• How can new words restore relationships?
• Ask God for forgiveness and ask for strength to reconcile all that is broken in your life. 

Life Hacks - No Favoritism

We are in a series called life hacks and we want to remind you that a life hack is actually a good thing.  A life hack is a new way and at times a novel way of doing something that is better than the old way.  A life hack can make a chore easier and an experience better than it was before.  Last week we talked about many great uses for coffee filters and someone told me that I forgot the most important use of coffee filters for parents who have children home for the summer.  You rip the filter into quarters, roll it up, and stick it in your ears.  Instant ear-plugs.  I can’t share the source of that hack.

Since many people travel during the summer here are some life hacks that might help.
1. Roll your clothes when you pack.  It reduces wrinkles and increase space.
2. Add dryer sheets to your suitcases to keep clothes smelling fresh.
3. Dryer sheets can help repel bugs.  Bounce repels mosquitoes.

While these are fun, and I love sharing a few each week, what we really want to do is learn how to make our faith stronger and live in ways that are more pleasing to God.  We are reading through the book of James which gives us several practical ways for us to do just this. 

James has 108 verses which contain 59 commands, and James encourages us to follow them all so that we don’t just hear God’s word but do what it says.  While obedience is often the key to a stronger faith, we need to remember that our obedience does not make God love us more.  God can’t love us any more than he already does.  God’s love is unconditional.  God reached out in love to us before we turned back to Him, so our actions have nothing to do with God’s love.  Being obedient to God’s word doesn’t make God love us more, but God does love it when we follow him. 

We have already seen that James gives us some solid life principles to follow.  The first principle we learned was that we will not live free FROM trials but that we can live free UNDER trials.  Problems will come to all of us, but we can learn how to live free and full lives during these difficult times.  Last week we learned that we need to be doers of God’s word because faith without action is dead.  Today’s life principle has to deal with how we treat others, and it is built on the idea that God shows no favoritism. 

Deut. 10:17 - The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality.

2 Chronicles 19:7 – Judge carefully for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.

Romans 2:11 – God does not show favoritism.

God shows no favoritism, and so as followers of Jesus, God in the flesh, neither should we.  We need to treat all people the same, with love, kindness, and compassion.  Growing up, my parents worked hard to show that there were no favorites between me and my sisters.  My mom would work out to the penny how much they spent on all our Christmas gifts, to make sure they were always even.  The number of gifts might be different the cost was the same.  For the most part, my parents did pretty well, but let me just say, I am the youngest and the only boy so clearly I was their favorite. 

But God says we are to show no favoritism and we read this in James 2:1.  My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.  It can’t get much clearer than that.  We are not to show any kind of favoritism and yet the truth is that there are conscious and unconscious biases that we all have that lead us to favoring some people over others.

An unconscious bias is a bias that we are unaware of and which happens outside of our control. It is a bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick judgments and assessments of people and situations, influenced by our background, cultural environment, and personal experiences.  In these situations we aren’t intentionally trying to favor a person or group of people, but we do. 

Malcolm Gladwell shares an unconscious bias that is seen in CEO’s of Fortune 500 Companies.  Research shows that 58% of all Fortune 500 CEO’s are over 6 feet tall.  Now, clearly Fortune 500 companies didn’t come together and make a rule that only tall people could lead their companies, but there is clearly an unconscious bias that says men over 6 feet tall make better leaders.  In fact, 30% of Fortune 500 CEO’s are over 6’2”, while only 3.9% of men are that tall. 

Unconscious biases take place all the time.  Studies have shown that in the Emergency Room, people from a higher income bracket are given more pain medication than people from a lower income bracket.  ER workers insist that this is not true, but studies have shown this again and again.  While this kind of favoritism can be painful and keep some people down, it is not as hurtful as a conscious bias, which are the preferences we have that we are aware of.  When we intentionally discriminate against a person because of their race, gender, age, economic or marital status, or educational level, it breaks God’s heart because God shows no favoritism and that is what God wants from us. 

Because favoritism happens all the time, consciously and unconsciously, we need to be aware of it and looking for it, so James tells a story that helped people see how favoritism can creep into our lives and our actions.  James 2:2-5. 

When James wrote this, people in different social and economic brackets got to wear different clothing and jewelry.  If you were in one bracket you got to wear rings, in another bracket a special kind of robe, and so it was very easy to see who people where when they walked into your home.  If they had rings and fancy robes then you knew they were rich, and the temptation was to treat them better.  James is pointing out a way that favoritism had entered into people’s lives as a means of encouraging them to evaluate their attitudes and their actions and make some changes to align their heart with God.  The change we are to make, James says, the life principle to live out is this: give VIP treatment to those more vulnerable than we are. 

God has always had a heart for those who were vulnerable.  In fact, James began his discussion on favoritism immediately after saying that the religion God accepts, wants, and looks for is where we care for the widow and orphans, or where we meet the needs of those others forget.  Jesus set the example for us in this area again and again.  While most were looking to get ahead and spend time with those who were well connected and wealthy, Jesus was looking in the other direction.  Jesus looked to the least in society, those who were always last in line, and those who were lost, looked down on, or looked over by others.  Jesus made children, lepers, tax collectors, and people with bad reputations his VIP’s, and this is how he calls us to live.  Jesus said, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. 

So the life principle is to give VIP treatment to those who are the most vulnerable, the most in need, or the most forgotten in life, and here are some life hacks, some practical steps to help us do this.

1. Learn Names.  We need to take the time to learn people’s names.  When God called people to follow him he didn’t say, “Hey you.”  God called them by name.  From the burning bush, God called out Moses’ name.  In a dream, God called Samuel’s name.   From a blinding light, Jesus called Saul by name, and in Isaiah 43:1 we see that God calls us all by name. 

I heard a pastor share this week that for many months he has been going into the same Starbucks and has been waited on by the same barista.  Every time he orders, the barista has to ask him his name.  He thought, I’ve been coming here for months, ordering the same thing, and you can’t remember my name.  But then he realized that he didn’t know the name of the barista – and his name was written on his name tag.  We are more interested in people knowing our name than in getting to know their name, but learning people’s name is important.  Learning people’s name let’s them know they are valued, cared for, and VIP’s. 

2. Listen to Stories.  Getting to know a person’s name is good, but that is really just the first step, the second step is to listen to their story.  Can we take the time to hear the stories of those around us?  How did people get to where they are in life?  That can be how they have succeeded or how they have fallen.  Many people who find themselves struggling, or in need, have powerful stories to share, but most of the time no one wants to listen.  We seem to only care about success, fame, and future.  We need to take the time to listen. 

My Dad loves to get the life story of the person waiting on us at a restaurant.  I have to say that sometimes I find this a bit irritating because the wait staff might not have time to answer all his questions about their life’s goals and ambitions.  But then I was thinking this week that maybe someone taking the time to ask them about their life is the first time someone actually took the time to acknowledge them as a person and not just a servant.  Maybe that recognition was just what they needed to get through the day. 

If we want to hear people’s life stories all we need to do is ask.  Most people love to talk about themselves, and share their history, as well as their hopes and dreams, so can we take the time to ask, and then be quiet enough to listen.  Once we know someone’s story, what will we do with it? 

3.  Look for opportunities – for OTHERS to be blessed.  Who can we invite to join us for a meal, or an activity, or an adventure?  After we have heard someone else’s story, how can we be part of making their hopes and dreams come alive?  Getting back to those who wait on us in restaurants, I have shared before that my grandmother had a motto that she had when it came to giving a tip.  I have never felt bad for leaving too much, but I have often felt bad for leaving too little.  I remember that when I go out to eat.  I never want to regret leaving too little.  I want to bless others.
And this leads us to the last life hack for treating others as a VIP,

4. Lend Possessions – but I need to be clear that I am using the word lend because it makes for a nice alliteration to help us remember these life hacks, but we need to lend without the thought of getting it back, in other words, we need to give away our possessions.  And this needs to become second nature so that we simply give when we see a need, and bless someone when we are given the opportunity. 

A few weeks ago I was in the Weis store and saw a woman whose family has taken in several foster children through the years.  She had another infant in the shopping cart and we talked a few minutes about their new foster child, and how the other two were doing in their home.  I admire people who are able to open their homes this way and I thought about how to be an encouragement.  I was checking out in line and she came up behind me, we talked some more and I heard God say, pay for her groceries.  Well, that is kind of awkward right?  So I didn’t do it and walked out of the store.

As I was starting to make my way across the parking lot, I heard GOD say, go back and buy their groceries.  So I put my bags in the car, walked in and had that awkward moment of saying, I am going to run my card through for your order.  She said, you don’t need to do that, and I said, yes I do.  It is the least I can do as you care for the children. 

I got over the awkwardness and just did it because God says, lend what you have and don’t think about getting it back.  God says, give and be a blessing.  I’ll be honest, it isn’t always second nature for me and God sometimes has to tell me two or three times what I need to do.  Even then sometimes I fail, but that day I was so glad I listened because in that moment I was blessed.  Does God love me more because I did it, no – God can’t love me more than he already does.  Did God love that I listened and obeyed - absolutely, and so did I, because that is the kind of faith I want, and that is kind of love I want to share and life I want to show the world. 

If we will look around this week, God will bring someone into our life that He wants us to treat like a VIP.  It may be someone no one else sees as important or worthy, it may be someone that no one else even sees, someone that no one else knows the name, but God does, and God wants us to see them, and God wants us to know their name, and listen to their story, and find ways to bless them.  May we see that person this week, and may we take the opportunity we will be given and be a blessing to them. 



Next Steps
Life Hacks – No Favoritism

Life Principle: Don’t show favoritism.  Give VIP treatment to those more vulnerable than we are.  (James 2:1-13)


Life Hacks:
1. Learn Names
• Learn the names of those you interact with on a regular basis. 
• Keep a list of names that you can review to help jog your memory.

2. Listen to Stories
• Take time this week to listen to the life story of a friend, coworker, or neighbor. 
• What story have you heard recently that you need to go back and get more connected, or respond in some way? 
• How can you listen to the stories of those who are most vulnerable in our church and community?

3. Look for Opportunities
• Identify someone you can bless this week.
• Invite someone to join you in your mission and ministry in order to bless them. 

4. Lend Possessions
• What can you share with others?
• What can you give to those who are most in need in our community?
• What loans might you need to forgive moving forward?

Life Hacks - Doers

Last week we started a new sermon series called Life Hacks and if you weren’t with us we want to make sure that you understand what a life hack is, it is not a way to hack into your bank accounts, email, or social media.  A life hack isn’t a bad thing, but a good thing that can make your life better.  A life hack is a trick, shortcut, or skill that increases productivity or efficiency in any area of life.  A life hack is a new way of doing something that is better than the old way.  There has been a lot of conversation and even some controversy this past week about how to reheat left over pizza.  I didn’t realize how passionately people take their pizza.  There are those that use the microwave, those that use a toaster over, and those that use a skillet, and they all believe their way is the best way.  Of course there are also those who ask, what’s left over pizza?  There is never any left over at our house.

There are life hacks in just about every area of life you can imagine and so let me share a few of them with you this morning.

1 –  An 18’ pizza is larger than 2 12’ pizzas

2 – Coffee Filters make good window cleaning cloths

3 – Coffee Filers can be used with Popsicle to protect children's hands, as well as chip and hot dog holders

While these are fun and interesting, what we really want to explore is how to make our relationship with God stronger, so we are reading through the book of James which is a very practical book filled with life principles and helpful practices – or life hacks.  So let’s look at James 1:22-25.  

I don’t know if you caught it, but God has just told us how to make life better.  God gives us here the secret to experiencing a truly blessed life – not a life free from trials – we heard last week that that is just not possible.  A blessed life isn’t a life without problems but a life where we can feel free and experience the power and grace of God through the problems, and God just said that if we do this one thing, we will be blessed.  This one thing is – live out God’s word.  James 1:25.  Later James says it this way, faith without works is dead.  James 2:26

   

Just reading God’s word will not strengthen our relationship with God.  Just talking about God, and learning about Jesus will not deepen our faith.  A stronger faith and a deeper relationship with God calls for us to do something.  Our faith has to turn into deeds, and activity, and a way of life.  Now let’s be clear, we are not saved by what we do, salvation is a free gift from God given to us through Jesus Christ, but a blessed life and a vital faith comes when we put our love for God into action.  To experience the life God wants for us and to feel really free and full – we need to take our love for God and do something with it.  

If we say we have faith in God, and if we say that we love God, but do not love others in some real and tangible way, then our faith is dead and our love is cold.  Faith needs action.  Love for God needs to be seen in our love for others.  The disciple John wrote, If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person.  Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and truth.  1 John 3:17-18.  So to deepen our faith we don’t necessarily need more knowledge, but obedience.  To experience the life God wants for us we need more action, so let’s look at three things we can do to make this happen, our life hacks for this week.

1. Step Up.  James 2:14-19.  James is telling us to step up and do something.  It’s not that we stop reading God’s word, learning about Jesus, and sharing our love and faith with God through words, it’s that we have put some activity with this.  We need to love others in some tangible way and we need to serve others here and now.  We have to step up and do something.  

James specifically mentions two areas where activity and service is needed and expected by God.  James 1:27, Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.  God has always cared about those who have no one to look out for them in life and God has always called his people to reach out in love to help them.  

Orphans need someone to step in and love them.  They need someone to care for them and provide for them and widows are the same.  In Jesus’ day, widows were women who have no one to care for them.  Without husbands and children, they would have no financial or physical support, and since they didn’t have social security and pension programs, these women were vulnerable and in need.  God called his people to care for those who had no one else to care for them.  Today there are still orphans and widows in need.  

Today there are 15.1 million double orphans, meaning they have lost both their parents.  There are 140 million single orphans, meaning they have lost one parent, and 2.8 million are living on the streets or in residential facilities.   In the US there are 427,910 children in foster care.  110,821 are available for adoption and the average age of a child waiting to be adopted is 8 years old.

Now let’s talk about PA.  There are 14,766 children in foster care, 1,982 are waiting to be adopted, Here is the most troubling statistic, 746 children age out annually without a forever family. Within 2 years of aging out 80% of males are in jail, 75% of females are pregnant without a father of the baby in the picture.  Now that’s not the troubling statistic, this is, in PA there are 15,539 Churches and the religion that God accepts as pure and faultless is to care for the orphans.  If one family in every church in PA could step up, there would be no children in need and there would be over 1,000 families waiting to love and help a child.  

In Centre County there are always between 70 -75 children in the foster care program, but there aren’t enough homes.  Recently 25 children had to be moved outside Centre County to be placed in a foster home, which means that those children had to move away from their schools, friends, and any family connections they might have.  

One way we can all step up and help support orphans in our region is to do something very simple.  Maybe this will be the first step up in serving for you, or maybe this will just be another way to step up, but for the next few weeks we are going to be collecting snack crackers, granola bars, to provide to foster children.  Penn State is holding an open house for foster children to visit the campus and these crackers are going to be used as snacks given to the youth between activities.  

Food insecurity is a big concern for children in foster care.  If you don’t know where you are going to be living, you don’t always know where your next meal will come from, or when it will be, or what it will be, and so these kind of snacks provide support and hope for foster children.  I want to invite us all to step up and provide some help and hope to foster children by bringing in some kind of snack over the next few weeks.  

This is just one simple thing we can all do, but maybe God is calling you to do more.  Maybe you are the family who can love and care for a foster child.  On Sunday June 30th at 9:30, Hillary Harris, the director of the Orphan Care Alliance for Centre County, will be here to share with all of us how we can help support children.  There is more we can all do, but if you are hearing God call you step up in this way, I want to encourage you to be there.   

Whether we help orphans, widows, our family, friends, neighbors, or strangers doesn’t matter, we just need to step up and do something.  Help feed the hungry, cloth the naked, visit the sick and hopeless, care for the widows and orphans.  Just step up and do something.  

2. Step Back.  Not only do we need to step up but we also need to step back.  James 1:27  - keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  Keeping ourselves free from the pollution of the world means we work to pull ourselves back from sin.  We might need to make sure our language is filled with grace and not harsh criticism and put downs, and we will be talking more about our language in a few weeks.  We might need to make sure the media we consume is honoring to God.  Do the programs we watch, the music we listen to, the games we play, and the websites we surf honor God and fill us with good things, or are we filling our minds and hearts with trash?

Philippians 4:8, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.  

It’s not just what we see and say that can pollute our lives, it can also be what we pursue.  When all we are trying to do is get more in life, more money, more status, more resources, more things, then we have become polluted by the world.  When we are trying to get our own way, no matter the cost, we have become polluted by the world.  And while justice is often a worthy goal, there are times we might need to let go of justice in our own lives to offer forgiveness and extend God’s grace.  There are times when we know we are in the right, and we could move forward to pursue that right, but God might be calling us to extend mercy and offer forgiveness instead.  

Which leads us to our relationships with one another.  We need to examine how we are treating our family and friends to make sure that we are honoring them and not seeking to use them.  Are we truly loving one another as God in Christ Jesus loved us?  If we are not seeking the well being of those we love at all costs, then we have become polluted by the thinking of the world, a thinking that tells us that we are always the most important person in the room.  

#3 Step Out.  The third step in putting feet to our faith is to step out of what is comfortable and easy.  We need to step out of what is safe and learn what it means to truly sacrifice.  How is God calling us to give in ways that will really push us and challenge us?  The first mission trip I went on was outside my comfort zone.  I didn’t know any of the people going and I am not a very handy worker when it comes to tools, but I went and learned how to tear up floors and strip a trailer down to the metal frame.  But more than that, I was blessed to be able to meet some amazing people, in fact, the pastor and his wife who led the trip were Barb Reed’s parents.  

When I first started as a pastor and wasn’t making a lot of money, had student loans to pay off, a car payment, and other bills, I wasn’t sure about the whole concept of tithing, but I stepped out and gave 10% back to God through the church, and I have never regretted it.  Today I continue to ask God what % I need to give because I have been blessed to be able to give more, and at times I have heard God say, Andy you need to step up and give more.

For some, the sacrifice might be in giving time to God in service to the church.  The sacrifice might be getting outside our comfort zone and work with children, or commit to the next mission trip, or buy a case of peanut crackers, or maybe you are the family that is positioned to take in a foster child and bless a child in Centre County.  God is never satisfied with us just stepping up and stepping back, God always calls his people to step out and sacrifice.  Jesus said, If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  Luke 9:23.  

If we are going to listen to God’s word and obey what it says, there will be a shift that takes place in all of our lives, we will go from having a casual relationship with God to a radical relationship with God.  We will develop a relationship where we will do all that we hear God calling us to do, and where we love like Jesus.  And what does the love of Jesus look like?  It looks like the cross.   

Jesus gave himself willingly, completely, and sacrificially for us and now we are called to step out and give sacrificially for others.  In what ways is God calling you to give sacrificially?  How is God calling us to move into a more radical relationship?  What does it look like for us step out?  I guarantee that if we are willing to listen to God and look to him – God will show us.  

The life principle we find in James is to put our faith into action.  When we do, we will experience the blessing of God.  And here’s how we put that faith to work; we 

Step Up and do something

Step Back from the world

Step Out to sacrifice and give.

 

Next Steps

Life Hacks – Doers

Life Principle: Faith without deeds is dead.  James 2:26

• Read James 1:22-27 and 2:14-26)

Life Hacks:

1. Step Up

• Find one way to put your faith into action.

• Support foster children by providing snack crackers or granola bars.  (thru June 30)

• Learn more about the needs of foster children and families on Sunday, June 30 at 9:30 AM.

• Volunteer to visit our shut-ins.

• Read Romans 12:1-8.  Find a practical way to use God’s gifts in your life.  

2. Step Back

• Read James 1:27 and Philippians 4:8.

• What activity do you need to step back from to improve your heart, mind, and life?

• Invite your family, friends, or church family to support you in this change.

• Take time in prayer each day asking God to help you keep your heart and mind fixed on Jesus.

3. Step Out (Sacrifice)

• Reflect on a time when you made a sacrifice for someone else. What did you experience?

• How are you being called to move from a casual to a radical relationship with God, the church, and the world?

• Take one small step forward in this relational change. 

Life Hacks - Trials

Today we are starting a new sermon series called Life Hacks, and it is important that we all understand what a life hack is.  A life hack is a trick, shortcut, or skill that increases productivity or efficiency in any area of life.  A life hack is a new way of doing something that is better than the old way and there are literally thousands of life hacks you can find to help you with cooking, cleaning, travelling, parenting, entertaining, car maintenance, and health.

One of my favorite life hacks has to do with how we reheat pizza.  For years I would reheat it in the microwave because I just wanted it fast, but it always came out kind of soggy on top with a tough crust.  If you want to reheat pizza in the microwave, place a glass of water in the microwave with your pizza.  It is 100% better.  If you like an even crispier crust, don’t use the microwave or a toaster oven but a skillet.  Heat it for a few minutes, move it to the side, add a little water and cover the skillet so it can steam and then you will have a perfect piece of left over pizza.

Here are some more life hacks that might be helpful…
• Tall Watermelons are the juiciest
• Store cottage cheese and other containers upside in the fridge to help them last longer
• use cola to clean oil stains on concrete and driveways.
• Use ketchup to clean copper and brass.

So a life hack is finding new, better, novel, or quicker ways to do things that can make life better.  For the next several weeks we are going to read through the book of James and learn some life hacks that might transform our lives.  James is a very practical book and offers us some life principles and life hacks that can strengthen our faith and improve our lives.  James 1:2—8, 12

The first truth James wants to teach us is that trials will come to all of us.  James doesn’t say to consider it joy IF trials come but WHENEVER they come – because they will come.  Trials and struggles come to all of us.  As children and teens we deal with peer pressure, school pressure, the pressure to perform well in sports and music, and the pressure of pleasing our parents.  As we get older there is still peer pressure, but we can add to that financial pressure, job pressure, the pressure we feel in raising children and then caring for parents.  As adults we feel the never ending pressure of being responsible for so many and so much in life.

There is tremendous pressure we face in life and with this pressure comes trials and problems and the life principle that James teaches us is that we should not try to live free FROM pressure but learn how to live free UNDER pressure.  Do you see the difference?  Striving to live free FROM pressure assumes that somehow we can live our life free from all trials and problems, but we can’t.  The pressure of life brings problems, and as hard as we try to avoid them, the problems will come and we will feel like we have failed.  There will be no freedom and no peace.

Instead of trying to live free from pressure, we need to learn how to live free UNDER pressure.  This way of looking at life understands that trials will come, and since we can’t avoid them, maybe we can learn something through them.  It looks at the problems in life as opportunities that God can use to actually make us stronger, more faithful, and more mature.  When trials aren’t to be avoided, we experience them not as failures but as opportunities, and with opportunity comes choices, and growth, and freedom. 

It’s important to read James’ words correctly.  God doesn’t send trials to make us grow and mature, the trials come because we live in a fallen and broken world.  The problems we face might be the negative consequences of our own choices, but they might also be tragic or difficult events that simply happen in life.  We lose jobs because the market changes or businesses fail even when we have worked hard and done a good job.  We can eat right, exercise, and care for our bodies as best as we can but health problems will still come because our bodies break down and were never meant to last forever.  And through no fault of our own, accidents happen.
If we can understand and accept that trials will always be part of life, then we can look at these situations as opportunities God can use to mature our faith and strengthen every part of our lives. 

The Apostle Paul said, God works for the good in all circumstances for those who love Christ Jesus.  He didn’t say God causes all circumstances and he didn’t say that all circumstances are good.  He said that God can use all circumstances, good and bad, to bring about something good in our lives.  God can use all circumstances to mature our faith.  Since trials have their place in making us grow, we should consider it a joy when they come, not because the trial is good but because the trial is a pathway to deeper faith, greater wisdom, and stronger love.

So here are three life hacks to help us live free under pressure.  These might be new or novel ways to deal with trials, but they are effective ways to find God’s freedom in times of trial and they will mature our faith.

#1 Learn Under Pressure.  When we are stressed or are struggling in life, we need to take time every day to learn something new.  We need to read as much as we can.  If you really aren’t a reader, listen to a podcast, or watch a TED Talk.  If you aren’t familiar with TED talks, they are short video lectures on any and every topic you can think of.  However you learn best, take some time to learn something new every day.

We might want to take time to learn how to more effectively deal with the specific pressure or problem we are facing, or we might want to simply learn something new to expand our horizons and give us a healthy and new perspective.  It really doesn’t matter what we learn because the process of learning will stimulate our brain and open new pathways for us to think about life and our problems.

#2 Laugh Under Pressure.  This might seem counter-intuitive because most of us going through difficult times really don’t feel like laughing, but laughter is a powerful force for good in our lives.  For those of you who grew up reading Readers Digest like I did, it is absolutely true that Laughter is the Best Medicine.  In fact, studies have shown that:

• Laughter relaxes the whole body – it relieves physical tension and stress, leaving muscles relaxed for 45 minutes.
• Laughter boosts the immune system – it decreases stress hormones & increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies.
• Laughter triggers the release of endorphins – this is the body’s natural feel-good chemicals.
• Laughter protects the heart – it increases blood flow, which can help protect us against a heart attack and heart disease.
• Laughter burns calories – ok not a lot, laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories.
• Laughter eases the burden of anger – it diffuses anger and conflicts faster than talking things out.
• Laughter may help us live longer - people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much.

While we may not feel like laughing during times of trial, if we can find those things that can make us laugh, and if we can share a laugh with others, it can help free us from the pressure and trials we face.

#3 Look Up Under Pressure.  Perhaps this is the most important life hack to remember when we are under pressure.  Don’t look down in hopelessness and give up.  Don’t look around for help.  While the wisdom of the world and the support of others can help us at times, if that is all we do in times of need, we will fail.  Don’t look in and rely upon your own strength and power to get through the difficult times because on our own we cannot make it.  We need to look up – we need to look to God who alone gives us the strength and power we need so that we can endure, and persevere, and overcome.   Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

The Bible tells us again and again that we need to look up because God alone is our strength, our support, and the one who can help.
• Psalm 18:2-3, 6
• Psalm 121:1-4
• Isaiah 12:2
• Habakkuk 3:19
• Hebrews 12:1b - 3

The life principle James wants us to embrace is that we shouldn’t try to live free from pressure and problems but learn to live free under pressure.  Trials will always be a part of our lives, so let’s see them as opportunities to become mature in our faith.  And here’s how we can do it:
• Learn Under Pressure
• Laugh Under Pressure
• Look Up Under Pressure


Next Steps
Life Hacks – Trials

Life Principle:
Don’t seek to live free FROM pressure and trials,
Learn to live free UNDER pressure and trials.

Life Hacks:
1. LEARN Under Pressure
• Identify how you best learn new material and find resources that can help you explore and experience new things.
• Read, listen to a podcast, or watch a TED talk.
• Share what you are learning with others.

2. LAUGH Under Pressure
• How can time with family and friends bring you joy?
• What resources can help you laugh every day?
• Share your laughter with others in the church and world.  Everyone needs a good laugh!

3. LOOK UP Under Pressure
• How can scripture, prayer, worship, and obedience to God help you strengthen your relationship with God?
• Read Psalm 18, Psalm 121, Isaiah 12:2, Habakkuk 3:19 and Hebrews 12:1-3.