Two Kinds of Trials (RCC - Dave Champness)

2/7/10
James 1:9-12

Trials are inevitable
You can stand up under them

Trust in God
Seek his wisdom
Share the load (brother)

Trial of Poverty
let the poor know they are rich

Trial of riches
let the rich know they are poor
"never seen a U-haul following a hearst"
store up treasures in heaven
(world of opposites)

The Payoff
- crown of life
- life that is full and forever

Where is your hope? Does your calendar and checkbook reflect that?

CS Lewis' View of Creative Evolution

One reason why many people find Creative Evolution so attractive is that it gives one much of the emotional comfort of believing in God and none of the less pleasant consequences. When you are feeling fit and the sun is shining and you do not want to believe that the whole universe is a mere mechanical dance of atoms, it is nice to be able to think of this great mysterious Force rolling on through the centuries and carrying you on its crest. If, on the other hand, you want to do something rather shabby, the Life-Force, being only a blind force, with no morals and no mind, will never interfere with you like the troublesome God we learned when we were children. The Life-Force is a sort of tame God. You can switch it on when you want, but it will not bother you. All the thrills of religion and none of the cost. Is the Life-Force the greatest achievement of wishful thinking the world has yet seen? (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, pg26-27)