James 1;2,3. James doesn’t say if you face trials, but whenever you face them. He assumes that we will have trials and that it is possible to profit from them. The point is not to pretend to be happy when we face pain, but to have a positive outlook because of what trials can produce in our lives. James 1;2,4 We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It is easy to be kind to others when everything is going well, but can we still be kind when others are treating us unfairly? God wants to make us mature and complete, not to keep us from all pain. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Thank God for promising to be with you in rough times. Ask him to help you solve your problems or give you the strength to endure them. Then be patient; God will not leave you alone with your problems, he will stay close and help you grow. James 1;6,7,8. If you have ever seen the constant rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are, subject to the forces of wind, gravity and tide. Doubt leaves a person unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed around, rely on God to show you what is best for you.
James 1;12,13,14,15. Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. Like a snowball rolling downhill, sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is to strong or moving too fast to control. People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? God test people but he does not tempt them. God allows Satan to tempt people, however in order to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey his word.
It is easy to blame others and make excuses for evil thoughts and wrong actions. Excuses include, it’s the other persons fault, I couldn’t help it, everybody’s doing it, it was just a mistake, nobody’s perfect, the devil made me do it, I was pressured into it. A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself or herself to something or someone else. A Christian, on the other hand, accepts responsibility for his or her wrongs, confess them and asks God for forgiveness. [NIV]
Trials, Temptation and Greed never travel alone. They always bring all kinds of sin with them.
James 1;12,13,14,15. Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. It begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. Like a snowball rolling downhill, sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way. The best time to stop a temptation is before it is to strong or moving too fast to control. People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. Does God tempt them? God test people but he does not tempt them. God allows Satan to tempt people, however in order to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey his word.
It is easy to blame others and make excuses for evil thoughts and wrong actions. Excuses include, it’s the other persons fault, I couldn’t help it, everybody’s doing it, it was just a mistake, nobody’s perfect, the devil made me do it, I was pressured into it. A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself or herself to something or someone else. A Christian, on the other hand, accepts responsibility for his or her wrongs, confess them and asks God for forgiveness. [NIV]
Trials, Temptation and Greed never travel alone. They always bring all kinds of sin with them.
No comments:
Post a Comment