James 1:12 Featured Today on Heartlight Daily Devotional

This is the featured verse and discussion of that verse on Phil Ware's Heartlight Daily Devotional.  This is also today's verse featured on Biblegateway.com. 

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive he crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Thoughts on today's verse

Only Christians win at life. That's because none of us have the power to hold back our greatest enemy, death. But when we have persevered, we are given the ultimate victory, LIFE that will not end.

Prayer:

Thank You, O Father, for giving me the assurance that when all is said and done, I will share in your life and your victory forever. Help me this day to live confidently, knowing that I have your life. Through Jesus, my conquering King, I pray. Amen.

Max Lucado's Daily Devotional: A God Thing

This is Max Lucado's Daily Devotional found on his UpWords website:


Works Matter
By Max Lucado

'“If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?”  James 2:14

James’ message is bare-knuckled; his style is bare-boned. Talk is cheap, he argues. Service is invaluable.

It’s not that works save the Christian, but that works mark the Christian. In James’ book of logic, it only makes sense that we who have been given much should give much. Not just with words. But with our lives."


I think the world of Max Lucado's preaching but, I do not go to his website regularly.  I just began this site and finding something that fits so perfectly at the very beginning of building this site is really cool! I am going to count this as a "God Thing" that I happened upon this devotional at exactly the right time.

James 1: 1-8

James 1: 1-8
¹James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
      To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
      Greetings.
 ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.


In the first verse James proclaims who he serves - who knows that might not be a bad idea in the letters that we write today.  "Bob Wynn, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ"  may seem a little silly but write that with your own name in place of James' or my name.  There is a reminder and power in that even if we do not write this at the beginning of all our letters or emails. Make no mistake the part that follows is addressed to you and me.  We are part of "the twelve tribes scattered among the nations." Greetings - y'all!


Verses 2-4 are great strengths when you are face with a tough situation.  Next time you face a "trial" try to remember that these times of trial are the very times when you are becoming a mature and finished work.  And remember that God's work is perfecting not simply finishing. When we are going through these times it is sometimes frustrating to be reminded "in the moment" of verses 2-4 and on those occasions (when the perspective of verses 2-4 are kind of frustrating) verses 5-7 are the perfect words.  If you lack wisdom ask for it and truly believe that you will receive it.  I also have found that when I feel like I am "double-minded", like I am being tossed back and forth with waves of uncertainty at the many choice before me, that is the time when I need to stop, pray and remind myself that God is there ready, willing, and able to take on all challenges and all challengers.  All he asks is that I ask for his help and know that I will receive it.   

James 1: 9-11

James 1:  9-11


⁹The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. ¹⁰But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.


On face these verses seem to be simply saying that we should be viewing our circumstances exactly the opposite of what the world might expect.  If you are in a humble circumstance, be proud of your high position.   If you are rich, be proud of your low position.  What may require a bit more thought is: "Why should the rich man be proud at all?" especially after the description given of him whithering like a shriveled flower.  On the other hand, maybe what these verses are saying is that we should take pride in whatever circumstances that we find ourselves in.  The humble man can already see that his situation is humbling so he merely needs to be reminded that he should hold his head up and not be ashamed.  Whereas the rich man maybe be in a situation where is already proud but for the wrong reason, namely: his material wealth. Both men should take pride in something other than there circumstances because in reality all of us are truly blessed.

James 1: 12-15

James 1: 12-15

 ¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.


 ¹³When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.


We will all be faced with trials and temptations.  Dr. Pat Day in a recent sermon said that once you make a commitment to Christ and to living for Christ, expect to be challenged by the world.  When you choose life, the world is going to challenge that commitment.  If you choose a living death, you can pretty much watch life pass you by.  These verses tell us that it is not God that is challenging our resolve.  These verses also tell us that if we choose to stand in the face of adversity that the reward is "the crown of life that God has promised to those that love him" and that if we choose the other path of desire we will commit and/or condone sin and that sin with out a doubt leads to death.  

James 1: 16-18

James 1: 16-18


¹⁶Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.


Verse 16 is a warning that few of us realize when "we" have won a victory or "we" have "earned" some wonderful gift or "we" have impressed someone with "our" talent.  Because verse 17 reminds us that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father . . . ." We have won no victories, or earned anything, nor have we impressed anyone with our talent.  All of these good things are gifts from God and we should be thankful and overjoyed that God has blessed us with these things.  In verse 18 we are reminded that the reason we have been given these good and perfect things is because of our rebirth in Christ (the living "word of truth").  And because of our rebirth through Christ we have also become living gifts ("a kind of firstfruits") of all he created. 

James 1: 19-21

James 1: 19-21


¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.


If I had to choose only one part of one verse in this chapter of James as the very most important partial verse it would be "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, . . . ."   What a world this would be if only we could take this advice to heart.  I can think of countless times when I have gotten in trouble as a child and even as an adult because of a lack of these words.  I am repeating "be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" like a mantra to my children because since they are my children, I know that these are words that will serve them well. Verses 20 and 21 explain why you should follow these words. Unfortunately, most of us can come up with some examples of why we should follow these words.