Reverse thinking

We started a new series today at my church on the book of James. I've always loved how James doesn't mess around with religiously pious platitudes or over the top "christianese"...no not James (most likely the brother of Jesus by the way). 

He just nails it head on for the reader with stuff like, "consider it pure joy (not if, not perhaps, not quite possibly sometime in the far off distance) WHEN you face trials of many kinds."

That's James for you right there telling like it is. You and I will face trials of many kinds, it's inevitable so get ready to realize that God allows tough stuff to come our way for a reason but while we're facing it down remember that God is in control and right there with us as we go through it.

James is filled with "reverse thinking" types of scenarios that I'm really excited to walk through with the crew at my church because we're going to learn and apply so much together.

We played this video clip today to kick off our series on the book of James and I think it really sums up what  the book is all about and it helps us realize that our perspective needs to be God's perspective, which as we all know is counter-cultural and definitely reverse thinking.