Daily Bread 2010 - James 1
Trials and Temptations
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Today, we begin the book of James. The title says the author is James, and this could be James brother of John, or Jesus’ half brother, or another person named James in the early Christian community. The argument for the latter is that this book was written near the end of the 1st century, or even the early 2nd century.
In this first chapter James right away discusses the trials these early Christians are facing. (ie. there was much persecution for the church near the end of the 1st century) and how these trials could help them to develop to maturity in their faith. I don’t think there is a better verse to memorize for the sake of withstanding the various types of trials we all face as brothers and sisters in Christ.
These verses give us several principals from which to deal with the temptation we all face on a daily basis. First it says, “Consider it all joy!” The word “consider” is a mathematics word, which is also translated “count it all joy”. Meaning we are to make a calculation in our brain to have joy.
When? When we face trials of many kinds! There are various kinds of trials. There are physical trials. There are emotional trials. There are circumstantial trials. There are spiritual trials. There are relational trials. There are many kinds of trials. And sometimes there are trials on multiple levels. But the verse says, “We should consider it joy when we face any of these types of trials”.
Why? Two reasons, when our faith is tested and we withstand it produces perseverance. Perseverance is the capacity to not quit under pressure. It is a quality that many lack. There are many talented people in the world, but many fold under pressure, or when the going gets tough. Christians develop perseverance when they withstand trials or temptations, also called “tests”.
And what does perseverance lead to? The verse says it leads to “maturity” and “completeness”. Both words come from the Greek root word “telos”, which mean ultimate purpose or aim. Meaning as we withstand trials and persevere under them, our character is shaped and molded and we become the person we were meant to become. Although not pleasant at the time, these trials are actually giving us strength so we can learn to overcome whatever obstacle is thrown at us.
Maybe this is why we can consider it joy (notice this is not a feeling but a thought process) when we face trials? They are shaping us to become the type of people we were meant to be (character). As we look at Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, he too grew most when he was facing trials/suffering. Ie. In the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus’ ultimate act of obedience came when he was being tempted the most. His perseverance led to our salvation. In the same way as we persevere through trials God is making us into mature disciples and temptation has less and less of a grip on us.
Jesus thank you for James who teaches us today how to consider it all joy when we face various types of trials. Help us to have this perspective when we are tested knowing that we are becoming a little bit more like you each time we persevere and trust in Your promises. Amen.
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Today, we begin the book of James. The title says the author is James, and this could be James brother of John, or Jesus’ half brother, or another person named James in the early Christian community. The argument for the latter is that this book was written near the end of the 1st century, or even the early 2nd century.
In this first chapter James right away discusses the trials these early Christians are facing. (ie. there was much persecution for the church near the end of the 1st century) and how these trials could help them to develop to maturity in their faith. I don’t think there is a better verse to memorize for the sake of withstanding the various types of trials we all face as brothers and sisters in Christ.
These verses give us several principals from which to deal with the temptation we all face on a daily basis. First it says, “Consider it all joy!” The word “consider” is a mathematics word, which is also translated “count it all joy”. Meaning we are to make a calculation in our brain to have joy.
When? When we face trials of many kinds! There are various kinds of trials. There are physical trials. There are emotional trials. There are circumstantial trials. There are spiritual trials. There are relational trials. There are many kinds of trials. And sometimes there are trials on multiple levels. But the verse says, “We should consider it joy when we face any of these types of trials”.
Why? Two reasons, when our faith is tested and we withstand it produces perseverance. Perseverance is the capacity to not quit under pressure. It is a quality that many lack. There are many talented people in the world, but many fold under pressure, or when the going gets tough. Christians develop perseverance when they withstand trials or temptations, also called “tests”.
And what does perseverance lead to? The verse says it leads to “maturity” and “completeness”. Both words come from the Greek root word “telos”, which mean ultimate purpose or aim. Meaning as we withstand trials and persevere under them, our character is shaped and molded and we become the person we were meant to become. Although not pleasant at the time, these trials are actually giving us strength so we can learn to overcome whatever obstacle is thrown at us.
Maybe this is why we can consider it joy (notice this is not a feeling but a thought process) when we face trials? They are shaping us to become the type of people we were meant to be (character). As we look at Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, he too grew most when he was facing trials/suffering. Ie. In the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus’ ultimate act of obedience came when he was being tempted the most. His perseverance led to our salvation. In the same way as we persevere through trials God is making us into mature disciples and temptation has less and less of a grip on us.
Jesus thank you for James who teaches us today how to consider it all joy when we face various types of trials. Help us to have this perspective when we are tested knowing that we are becoming a little bit more like you each time we persevere and trust in Your promises. Amen.
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