We strive for perfection in our spiritual disciplines. Doesn’t Jesus himself say, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48)? The book of James appears to support this line of thinking when it states that an individual must pray “in faith, with no doubting,” because a “double-minded man” is “unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6–8). Portions of James’s letter are difficult to understand, and what he says about prayer appears unattainable. Do any of us truly possess perfect faith when we pray? James states that if we have doubts in our prayer life, we shouldn’t expect to “receive anything from the Lord” (v. 7). To answer this pressing question requires us to identify the double-minded person. Once we understand who James has in view, then we can better understand what James says about prayer. Who Are the Double-Minded? James is the only New Testament writer to use the terminology “double-minded” (dipsychos), and he doesn’t come right out and define the term. So we must determine what it means from the context of James and by comparing his language to similar writings of his era. It could be that the double-minded are immature believers—a view that would fit with James’s emphasis on the need to press on to maturity in our faith (1:4; 3:2). If so, the double-minded are those not yet mature in their faith. This is possible. A better option is to understand the double-minded as hypocrites who outwardly behave as Christians but inwardly live as unbelievers. The double-minded in James are analogous to the “double-hearted” in the Psalms, who are the enemies of God’s people (see Ps. 12:2). In Psalm 119:113, the psalmist declares his love for God’s law in contrast to the “double-minded” person. Though James’s word for “double-minded” isn’t specifically used in the Psalms, the concept does seem to be there to describe those not truly committed to the Lord. Another similar concept is “double-tongued,” an idea found in noncanonical Jewish literature (Sirach 5:9) and in the New Testament (1 Tim. 3:8). The double-tongued are fundamentally divided in the ways they use their tongues (see James 3:9). Their speech reveals what’s really in the hearts better than their outward claims to faith (see 2:14; 3:10–12). Double-Mindedness as Hypocrisy Put simply, James uses the term “double-minded” to refer to religious hypocrites. Following his half-brother Jesus, James is tough on those who claim to be religious but who aren’t truly committed to the Lord. Jesus critiqued those who honored God with their lips but whose hearts were far from him (Isa. 29:13; Mark 7:6–7), and he compared the scribes and Pharisees to whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23:27). James uses the term ‘double-minded’ to refer to religious hypocrites. James claims that true devotion is caring for those in need (James 1:26–27) and that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God (4:4). These are additional ways James warns against double-mindedness without using the precise term. To be double-minded is to break the first great command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37–38). The double-minded aren’t fully committed to God; they don’t truly love him with their whole selves. Single-Mindedness and Answered Prayers To return to James 1:5–8, the reason the double-minded shouldn’t expect to receive anything from God is that a person’s heart condition is related to his or her prayer life (see 5:16). Jesus himself says that God answers his children’s prayers (Matt. 7:11; Luke 11:13). But the Bible warns that God refuses to answer the prayers of the unrighteous (e.g., Pss. 66:18; 73:1; 145:18–20; Prov. 15:8, 29; 28:9, 13; Isa. 1:15–16). If someone claims to be a friend of God without true love for God, that person shouldn’t expect to receive anything from him. Claims to faith don’t necessarily reflect the reality of true faith (James 2:14). The double-minded person is unstable in all his ways, indicating someone not rooted in faith (see Eph. 3:17; 4:14). In sum, those insincere in their commitment to God and fundamentally divided in loyalty—those whom James describes as adulterous people (James 4:4)—shouldn’t expect their prayers to be answered. Instead of being double-minded, Christ tells us to be pure in heart (Matt. 5:8), which includes single-minded devotion to God (Ps. 86:11). Genuine Prayer Can true believers be double-minded? Strictly speaking, no. True believers aren’t the double-minded, fundamentally divided hypocrites. Although the double-minded are nonbelievers, James uses this category to motivate true believers toward greater maturity. Genuine believers must respond faithfully to James’s warnings, remaining vigilant against the danger of living hypocritically. Genuine believers must respond faithfully to James’s warnings, remaining vigilant against the danger of living hypocritically. Those who truly trust in Christ should be encouraged that God hears their prayers. Those who love Christ will do what he commands and should have confidence their prayers will be answered (see John 15:7, 10). Let’s not miss that holding fast to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ manifests in single-minded devotion to God and true love for neighbor (James 2:1). Christ is the One in whom there’s absolutely no double-mindedness and the One through whom our prayers are accepted.

Registration fees. Weekend tournaments. Travel teams. Youth sports in America has shifted over the last several decades. Instead of playing ball in the backyard with friends after school or on Saturday mornings, our kids climb into the minivan so we can drive them to practice, pay for uniforms and court fees, and pick up dinner from the concession stand. Youth sports, it seems, is a merry-go-round of time and money that we can’t get off because we know it’d never slow down enough for us to get back on. At The Gospel Coalition, youth sports is one of the top concerns we hear from pastors and youth leaders: they can’t preach to, disciple, or encourage people who miss Sunday after Sunday for basketball or soccer or baseball. But we know sports is a good gift from God. He created our kids to run and jump and throw, and to delight in doing that with friends. Done well, those things honor him. So how can we do them well? Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra talked to parents, coaches, and pastors to find out.

Not sure what winter survival skills can help your homestead survive this winter? If you are in the same scenario, I know you will be glad you found me today. Continue reading and learn some winter survival skills to keep your homestead going through the winter. The Ultimate Winter Survival Skills For The Homestead Many people are getting ready for winter by assembling a winter survival kit in their car. However, too few have winter survival skills in their homes, which can leave them ill-equipped when a snowstorm hits. In my homestead, I make sure our tractor and lawn tractor are under the shelter of the barn when the weather is like this. If we had room to bring them inside a closed structure, I would. This allows easy access to our means of transportation, in case we need to evacuate.  Since preparing your home for winter is fundamental and a more complex undertaking than doing it for your car, here are a few tips to help you prepare your homestead. 1. Create A Comprehensive List List down everything you need to work on your homestead. Think of the main things your homestead will require to stay operational during winter and how you will accomplish them. 2. Prepare Your Home For Winter | Winter readiness is a must! Check everything inside and outside your house, if there's something that needs to be repaired. You might have some things not necessary for winter maybe just crowding your space. Check your supplies, if you have the all the necessities, extra food, batteries, flashlight, water, and other essentials. Don’t wait until you have abundant time to do it all at once because that might never happen. It is better to do it piece by piece because it will give you some insight and enough time to find out what is missing while you prepare. 3. Prepare Your Livestock And Barn For Winter image via Homesteading It is a must that your livestock dwelling place is weatherproof. Winter is the season that gives me the hardest time, especially in giving proper care for my livestock. I always ensure that 2-4 weeks before winter starts, my barn and supplies are ready. This gives me plenty of time to have everything ready when winter comes. 4. Getting Your Winter Garden Ready | Don't lose your garden to the cold weather, it would be devastating if you lose all your plants just because of the cold. Don’t forget that there are still some vegetables that flourish during winter. In my homestead, I have an indoor winter garden which has allowed me to continue growing my own food even during winter. 5. Keep Yourself Warm Knowing how to keep yourself warm is essential for survival. Winter storms more often than not lead to power outages that can last for hours, days, and even weeks. What starts as an inconvenience can easily become dangerous, frightening, and deadly in freezing winter days. It is also very helpful to keep a fire starter handy.   Double tap this photo, if like Charlie Newport ( @nonetheless_homestead ), you love watching your kids run, laugh, and play on the homestead! #HappyHomesteading A post shared by Homesteading (@homesteadingusa) on Mar 15, 2017 at 8:06pm PDT   6. Survive The Blizzard image via Homesteading Even before hearing the weatherman's warning, it's best to be ready than be sorry. You don't need to be the greatest prepper to learn how to survive when the blizzard hits. However, having enough knowledge of the cold weather know-how is also important for everyone's survival. 7. Know What Is Necessary For Your Bug-Out Kit Winter is not just a preparation to have the exact winter clothes, it also involves having the necessities when you need to bug-out since you'll never know when to. Know and prepare the necessary things inside your bug-out kit. 8. Shovel Some Snow Shoveling the snow may seem like mundane work but keeping it off your lawn, especially on your driveway, really helps. You can figure out some ways to make this task enjoyable. 9. Evacuation Vehicle You might be facing a medical emergency, or in the most unfortunate case, your home might be severely damaged and it may no longer be safe to stay inside. It would be very helpful if you have transportation ready. Snowmobiles or even your car can come in handy. Make sure they are operational, filled with gasoline, and within easy access from your house. 10. Communication Telephone lines can be affected by ice and the wind, despite the fact that it's far-fetched that a whole cell system will be wiped out. Keep your smartphone or cell phone completely charged and make a point to have an extra battery, and an auto charger for your cell phone, in case the power goes out. Walkie-talkies in your winter survival kit are a smart thing to have as they can help you remain in contact with family and friends. Radios that keep running on batteries additionally are insightful to have so you can find out about what's happening in the outside world.   Want to see cold weather survival skills? Check out this video from Primitive Skills: Winter presents unique challenges and obstacles every person must know how to overcome and survive. Whether you are living in a homestead setting or not, it's best you plan ahead and prepare for the unexpected situation. I hope you've found these 10 winter survival tips helpful and interesting. Got some winter survival skills you want to share? Let us know in the comments section below. Up Next:12 Ways On How You Can Have A Joyful Winter! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!   Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on December 2016 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.   

You can tell what the Regime Media thinks about a debate or other candidate reaction by what they report afterwards. To their credit, NBC Nightly News was the only network evening newscast to report on Democrat vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz’s (MN) struggle to explain his misrepresentations (lies, actually) with regard to being in China during the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Watch as NBC Senior White House Correspondent Gabe Gutierrez touches on the China botch as part of his campaign roundup:  GABE GUTIERREZ: Walz struggling when pressed about his past claim he was visiting China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, when in fact he did not arrive until months later. TIM WALZ: I've not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead at times. All’s I’ve said on this one is I got there that summer and misspoke on this so I will just- that's what I've said. So I was in Hong Kong and China during the Democracy protest- went in and from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance. The Regime Media continue to allow Walz to explain things away with this performative self-effacement ritual that seems more in place at a Maoist struggle session. Walz cited bad grammar as the reason he lied about his military record, with no real consequence. Now, Walz cites being a knucklehead as the reason he lied about being present during the brutal crackdown at Tiananmen Square- a date so pivotal that he and wife Gwen chose its 5th anniversary as their wedding day.  Somehow, this continues to escape media scrutiny- as does the most terrifying line he may have uttered during the debate and which I find shocking that it made it into the report- his learning “a lot of what needed to be in governance.” Was it the censorship, the crushing dissidents with tanks? The Regime Media are suspiciously incurious about these fetishes. The other networks did have an interest in mentioning that the Harris cut a campaign ad out of Walz’s exchange with GOP vice-presidential nominee and Ohio Senator JD Vance on January 6th- because it dovetailed with Jack Smith’s latest filing. But the China stuff? “Knucklehead”? There was no time for that. To their credit NBC, which could be reasonably considered the least awful of the Regime Media newscasts, will on occasion report things that run the risk of making Regime politicians look bad. The latest example: Tim Walz’s China botch. Click “expand” to view the full transcript of the aforementioned report as aired on the NBC Nightly News on Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024: LESTER HOLT: Vice President Harris also toured some of those storm-ravaged areas today after former President Trump went there earlier this week all following what was perhaps the last debate before the election. Here's Gabe Gutierrez. GABE GUTIERREZ: Tonight, a triple threat is looming over the presidential campaign: the rising tensions in the Middle East, a deadlocked port strike threatening to raise prices… JOE BIDEN: We're hearing from the folks regionally, that they're having trouble getting the product they need because of the port strike. GUTIERREZ: And the devastating aftermath of hurricane Helene. KAMALA HARRIS There's a lot of work that's going to need to happen over the coming day, weeks and months. GUTIERREZ: Late today, Vice President Harris visiting the storm zone in battleground Georgia two days after former President Trump went there. Her trip coming after last night's debate where J.D. Vance and Tim Walz remained civil while attacking each other's running mates. TIM WALZ: Donald Trump put this all into motion. He brags about how great it was that he put the judges in and overturned Roe versus Wade. JD VANCE: You’ve got to simultaneously got to defend Kamala Harris' atrocious economic record, which has made gas, groceries and housing unaffordable for American citizens. GUTIERREZ: Walz struggling when pressed about his past claim he was visiting China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, when in fact he did not arrive until months later. WALZ: I've not been perfect, and I’m a knucklehead at times. All’s I’ve said on this one is I got there that summer and misspoke on this so I will just- that's what I've said. So I was in Hong Kong and China during the Democracy protest- went in and from that I learned a lot of what needed to be in governance. GUTIERREZ: While tonight, the Harris campaign is highlighting Vance's refusal to acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election. WALZ: And I would just ask about that: did he lose the 2020 election? VANCE: Tim, I'm focused on the future. Did Kamala Harris censure Americans from speaking their mind in the wake of the 2020 Covid situation? WALZ: That is a damning- that is a damning non-answer. GUTIERREZ: President Biden's name was mentioned just seven times last night. That comes after NBC News has reported that Biden privately complained his name and  accomplishments have virtually disappeared from the national conversation. Lester. HOLT: Gabe Gutierrez. Thank you.  

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