James 1:2-4 ESV
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
What kinds of trials are you presently facing? We all have
them. Some of them are huge and some of them are minor, and they aren’t all the
same. Some are long lasting and never go away while others are short lived, and
so we are relieved when they are finally past. Some trials are more personal in
nature while others are more general, i.e. they are things most all people go
through from time to time. But whatever the trial is, it is still a trial.
But we are to count it all joy when we meet trials of
various kinds. Now that can be difficult to do, can’t it? But I don’t think it
is saying that we are not to cry or feel sorrow or grieve. Even the small
trials are not easy or they wouldn’t be called trials. Trials involve pain and
suffering. They are difficult. Some are very complicated. They are challenging
and they put our faith to the test. And some of them may produce many tears.
Now what came to mind here is a passage of Scripture in
Hebrews 12 where it reads: “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
And this: “Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful,
even to death; remain here, and watch with me.’ And going a little farther he
fell on his face and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will’” (Matthew
26:38-39).
Jesus Christ felt the pain of his suffering and he was very
sorrowful, even to the death, and he prayed to the Father, if it be possible,
that this cup of suffering might pass from him, and yet he submitted to the
will of the Father. And yet it was for the joy that was set before him that he
endured the cross, and that joy is the salvation of human souls (human lives).
So if Jesus can be sorrowful and yet endure for the joy set before him, we can,
too. We can endure unjust suffering for the joy of what God has planned for our
lives, in his sovereignty, and for how he is going to use us, too.
And what our Lord has planned for our trials is that the
testing of our faith would produce steadfastness of spirit within us in our
walks of faith in obedience to our Lord and in submission to the will of God
for our lives. And this is also that, via these trials and our correct responses
to them that we may become mature and complete in Christ, lacking in nothing.
That is the ultimate goal, our maturity, and that we would learn to rely on God
and not on ourselves and that we will
trust him fully with our lives.
And it is so that God can then use us in the lives of other
people, Christians or non-Christians. For as we mature in our walks of faith
through our trials we become more like Jesus, we take on more of his character,
we feel more of his heart and passion, and we care more deeply about the things
he cares about. And then we share with others what we are learning through our trials
and our experiences to help them as they go through similar trials. And the
main thing is to learn to trust our lives into God’s capable hands.
[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25;
Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; John
15:1-21; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet
4:12-17; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb
12:3-12]
James 1:12 ESV
“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”
Blessed is the Christian man or woman who remains steadfast
under trial. We are blessed who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior
of our lives, who are daily by the Spirit putting the deeds of the flesh to
death and who are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the
flesh. We are blessed of God who walk in obedience to his ways and who are no
longer walking (in conduct, in practice) in deliberate sin. We are blessed
because Jesus died for us that we might die with him to sin and live
righteously.
We are blessed because Jesus Christ loved us enough to give
his life up for us so that we can be crucified with him in death to sin and be
raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, created to be like God in
true righteousness and holiness. We are blessed to have the Spirit of God
living within us teaching us the ways of the Lord, instructing us in what is
right and warning us against all evil. And we are blessed that he empowers us
to live holy and righteous lives, too, for the glory and praise of God.
We are blessed in so many different ways because of what God
did for us on that cross and because, by his grace, he called us to be his
followers. And involved in being his followers is suffering for righteousness’
sake that we might become more like Jesus and that he might use us in the lives
of others to help them to become more like Jesus. And when we have stood the
test, when our final days are done, we will receive the crown of life, which
God has promised to those who love (obey) him. Amen!
[Lu
9:23-26;
Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-17; Eph 4:17-24; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Tit 2:11-14; Jas
1:21-25; Rom 12:1-2; Php 2:12-13; Col 1:21-23; Col
3:5-10; Gal 5:16-21; Eph 5:3-11; Gal 6:7-8; Rom 2:6-8; Heb 10:26-27; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn
2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Matt 7:21-23; Ac 26:18; Rev 21:8,27;
Rev 22:14-15; Eph 2:8-10]
Songwriters: Cordelia J.
Whiteside Bridgewater, 1920 / Andy Pickens Bland
We read of a place that's called
heaven,
It's made for the pure and the free;
These truths in God's word He has
given,
How beautiful heaven must be.
In heaven no drooping nor pining,
No wishing for elsewhere to be;
God's light is forever, there shining,
How beautiful heaven must be.
The angels so sweetly are singing,
Up there by the beautiful sea;
Sweet chords from their gold harps are
ringing,
How beautiful heaven must be.
How beautiful heaven must be
Sweet home of the happy and free;
Fair haven of rest for the weary,
How beautiful heaven must be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCfHh-Ra1N8
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