QTVOTD: A study of James…

Today I am starting a study of James with a dear friend and accountability partner. I will be posting a daily consumption/takeaway from my reading of the day. I had taken ‘another’ break from posting here on the site but when I came here to do a search for a post I made several years ago, I was taken aback by the volume of what I had written…so I am going to get back in the swing of things.

If nothing else, this is a legacy for my wife and kiddos that they can come back to and consume as devotionals or just what God was revealing to their dad on his walk through this life and aspirations to be more like Jesus and Glorify God above all else.

Today’s post — James 1:1-4 [Amplified]

​​1 JAMES, A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings (rejoice)!

The 12 tribes are the dispersed Christ believing Jews scattered throughout the nations.

2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.

When we trust that our obedience to God enables the direction and hand of God to go before us; all trials and temptations should be viewed as opportunities to use that circumstance as a coveted classroom and education on how to more fully serve and bless God. Whether hit with a trial or in the midst of one.

Some versions [AMP] have “falling into temptation” also mentioned. I for one, feel guilt and shame with the pang of thought and enticement regarding temptation. I think what James may be meaning here is that we absolutely should be remorseful and confess our sins, but to be joyful that the Lord allows for opportunity to learn from and grow a strength from God to overcome. THAT -> is exciting and something to be joyful about.

3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

The more we see God’s grace through His Son played out, the greater our appreciation and trust becomes. We also receive patience with others because we learn our own tendencies to sin and the pain that comes with it.

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

Do not downplay the endurance, steadfastness, and patience or we may quench the work God intends to do through these attributes. When we embrace endurance, steadfastness, and patience, we will be transformed into perfectly developed people (as much as we can be in our flesh here on earth), lacking in nothing needed to navigate this sin broken world before our death or Christ’s coming.

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