The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "God’s Team" for Friday, 15 September 2017 - Read James 1:1-12-------
James 1:1 From: Ya‘akov, a slave of God and of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah
To: The Twelve Tribes in the Diaspora:
Shalom!
2 Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; 3 for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. 4 But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in trust, doubting nothing; for the doubter is like a wave in the sea being tossed and driven by the wind. 7 Indeed that person should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 because he is double-minded, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother in humble circumstances boast about his high position. 10 But let the rich brother boast about his being humbled; since, like a wildflower, he will pass away. 11 For just as the sun rises with the sharav and dries up the plant, so that its flower falls off and its beauty is destroyed, so too the rich person going about his business will wither away.
12 How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation! For after he has passed the test, he will receive as his crown the Life which God has promised to those who love him.
To: The Twelve Tribes in the Diaspora:
Shalom!
2 Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; 3 for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. 4 But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in trust, doubting nothing; for the doubter is like a wave in the sea being tossed and driven by the wind. 7 Indeed that person should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 because he is double-minded, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the brother in humble circumstances boast about his high position. 10 But let the rich brother boast about his being humbled; since, like a wildflower, he will pass away. 11 For just as the sun rises with the sharav and dries up the plant, so that its flower falls off and its beauty is destroyed, so too the rich person going about his business will wither away.
12 How blessed is the man who perseveres through temptation! For after he has passed the test, he will receive as his crown the Life which God has promised to those who love him.
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Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12 (NIV))My wife and I enjoy college sports. The traditions and strong loyalties appeal to us. In all honesty, when our team is winning, being a loyal fan is easy. Nevertheless, we have lived through the prosperous years and the lean years with our team, as any true fan does.
In the same manner, for people of faith, being hopeful during the perfect times in our lives is easy. During the times of difficulty, our faith can be tested. We might become negative and less hopeful when our lives don’t appear to be going our way.
Being in the middle of a financial or health crisis makes life look bleak. But God is with us to help us through the tough patches. God is the source of our strength to overcome and to win the final victory. God will never abandon us, so we need to continue to walk our life’s path with the Lord. Through faith and prayer, we will overcome.
The Author: Don Kamps (Iowa, USA)
Thought for the Day: On God’s team, the victory is ours.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us strength that will see us through hard times. Remind us that you are with us and that with you, we cannot lose. Amen.
Prayer focus: Sports fans
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