By Pastor Mark Lee

Pastor Mark Lee of Vantage Point in Eastvale

In the entertainment industry, the month of May marks the beginning of the blockbuster movie season.  From now until the end of July, the film industry will be releasing some of their most highly-anticipated films of the year.  Not surprisingly, the majority of these films are in the action genre.  In fact, during the first few days of May, two of the most popular franchises will debut their newest offerings – Captain America: Civil War and X-Men: Apocalypse.

By definition, an action film is one in which a resourceful character successfully overcomes incredible odds, including horrible situations and villainous opponents. Their fast-paced plots and exciting stunts draw large audiences and make a lot of money.  The popularity of this type of movie is not surprising.  After all, who would pay to watch a movie about a man who just sits around and hopes that his problems will go away?

Much like action film heroes, we often find ourselves facing obstacles that are seemingly insurmountable. When our backs are up against the wall, the primary response should always be to turn to God.  However, this isn’t where our involvement ends.  For example: the unemployed don’t just pray for God’s provision, they also start applying for new jobs.

James 2:17 says, “In the same way, faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead.”  We have all heard the popular saying, “God helps those who help themselves.”  While this is not entirely true (He does, after all, intervene when we are helpless), the truth is that we cannot expect God to provide for our every need as we sit idly by.  Yes, we need to have faith that our Heavenly Father will take care of us.  However, we also need to remember that faith often requires action.

VantagePoint Church meets at Roosevelt High School on Sundays at 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.