"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." - James 1:2-4
It's funny. The section of the Daily Bible appointed for today is exactly what we studied last night at our church in one of our 5:45 Wednesday Bible studies. It's just another reminder how God is always working to help us understand stuff in life.
Like trials and tests and temptations.
In today's reading, God, through James, says that we should "consider it pure joy" when we face trials because it "completes" both us and also our faith.
Here's how it works.
Trials come in two forms: tests and temptations.
The purpose of tests is to build up faith. The purpose of temptations is to tear down faith. As is noted later in James 1, God never tempts because that would make God double-minded, working to draw us to him in faith and also tearing down the faith by which we come to him. So God never tempts because God never works to tear down faith.
But God is sovereign. God is Almighty. God is Lord. So God reigns over every trial, both tests and temptations, which means a couple things. It means that God at least permits tests and temptations to come our way, though God never creates a temptation. It also means that, though God won't tempt us to tear down faith, God is sovereign so that God takes the temptations that other sources send our way and uses them for good. It's as we hear in Genesis 50:20, when Joseph is speaking to his brothers, who years earlier had sold him into slavery. Joseph said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."
So, Friends, all sorts of things will come at you today. But through it all, remember that the God, who raised His Son Jesus from the dead, is the God who reigns. He's the only God. And this one Almighty God is for you! As you trust him, then you will see. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." (James 1:2-3)
Have a great day!
Praise God!
Pastor Chris
"The gospel is the story of Jesus [what God's only Son has done for us that we can't do for ourselves], spoken as a promise." - Robert Jenson
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