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Writer's pictureRICHARD DEAN BROOKS

FAITH PRODUCES PERSERVERANCE

JAMES 1:2-4

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


1: 2-4   We can’t really know the strength of our character until we see how we react under pressure. We may find that being kind to others is easier when everything is going well, but will we still be kind when others treat us unfairly? God wants to develop us into complete human beings, not simply insulate us from all pain. Enduring through trials generates a whole person— seasoned, experienced, well developed, and fully trained. It gives us the life skills to see our blind spots and anticipate mistakes before we make them. Instead of complaining about our struggles, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Ask God for wisdom to help you solve your problems or to 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. Thank him for walking beside you in rough times.


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 we can profit from them. We should not pretend to be happy when we face pain, but we can have a positive outlook (“ consider it pure joy”) because trials can strengthen and develop our character. James tells us to regard our hardships as times of learning and growth. They build our perseverance. (For other passages dealing with perseverance, also called patience and steadfastness, see Romans 2: 7; 5: 3-5; 8: 24-25; 2   Corinthians 6: 3-7; 2   Peter 1: 2-9.)


1: 2   Joy springs from a deep sense of well-being that can coexist with the full range of human emotions— sorrow, happiness, anger, pain. Joy born out of our troubles is more of an attitude or a decision than a feeling. We can choose to live with joy while not denying our normal emotions. God’s faithfulness teaches us to respond to all of life’s circumstances with joy. It helps us be grateful in all circumstances and to delight in the goodness of God. Joy brings contentment when we realize that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”Tyndale. NIV Life Application Study Bible


In todays society WE WILL FACE TRIALS, so we need to have a strong faith in order to deals with all the trials and persecutions we will face. So ON THE WAY HOME WALK WITH JESUS and make sure your faith in CHRIST is unchangeable in what CHRIST has done for us so that we can face all trials in todays world that is so full of evil, and consider it PURE JOY to face these trials for JESUS CHRIST.

onthewayhomeministries.org by RICHARD DEAN BROOKS

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