My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.
If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.
Any of God’s people who are poor should be glad he thinks so highly of them. But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. This is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.
God will bless you, if you don’t give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him.
Don’t blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and he doesn’t use evil to tempt others. We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us. Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.
Don’t be fooled, my dear friends. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father who created all the lights in the heavens. He is always the same and never makes dark shadows by changing. He wanted us to be his own special people, and so he sent the true message to give us new birth.
(JAMES 1:2-18 CEV)
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#FaithAndWisdom
Summary:
If you want to be wise, ask GOD. But don’t ask GOD, unless you expect Him to answer. Therefore, you must have faith that He will listen and respond.
No doubts are allowed.
Remember the disciples on the boat when the sea was throwing them back and forth. Jesus said “Ye of little faith. Fear not!”
Application:
When we don’t know what to do, our first action and response should be to ask God for wisdom. Be sure to really expect Him to answer too. Acknowledge His response. It encourages us to be faithful and reapply our faith. Apply this in prayer and be sure to listen instead of just throwing prayers up and expect blessings to pour down.
#PoorPeopleAndRichPeople
Summary:
God honors poor Christians, and any rich Christians should be glad when God humbles them. Rich people will fade away like a scorched wild flower.
Application:
Be humble in our richness and with our blessings. Be thankful for what we have. Regardless of our financial status, we trust in God and will be glad in Him and find true joy with Him. If we lose sight of the Creator, we end up worshipping the created instead. We can’t just work for the day because it will fade away. Our real treasure is in Heaven.
Think of Ecclesiastes and Job.
#TrialsAndTemptation
Summary:
Patience receives a reward. Overcome, endure, & be victorious. God can’t tempt or do evil. Don’t be mislead and think you have an excuse to do wrong. God is not a scapegoat. Our own evil desires come from inside and lead evil actions which eventually lead to death.
Application:
A snowball starts small and as it builds up it grows. Sin is the same way. The best way to prevent a disaster is to stop it when it starts before it festers. Those that make the right decisions will remain on the right path and even if they are tempted to get sidetracked or distracted they will receive the crown of life that God has promised. That is a reward of a glorious life.
