Dear Friends, "God tries our faith so that we may try His faithfulness." Author Unknown
Wisdom for the Trials of Life James 1:1-8, 12 Testing Your Faith 1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. 2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Under what circumstances do you most seem to notice God�s presence? When does your prayer life become more intense? When do you seek after God with every ounce of energy you can muster? For most people, times of intense pressure and trials result in a greater awareness of the power of God. It is during these times�not during life�s greatest successes�that one�s utter dependence on God is at its zenith. How odd that the hardships in life produce greater faithfulness. Would you not expect the opposite result? After all, it seems perfectly natural to praise God in times of joy; however, when your shattered life lies in ruins at your feet, what is there to be thankful for then? During these trials, you quickly realize your own inability to positively impact your situation. The feeling of complete helplessness is a shocking eye-opener; in the face of desperation, the only alternative is to turn the matter over to God, who is more than able to meet the need. It has been noted that those who cry, "A loving God would not allow that to happen," are the people who have never experienced extreme trials themselves. Those who are familiar with pain through loss, famine, disaster, etc., are the ones who elevate the value of the lessons learned through hardships. If you are facing insurmountable trials and you feel broken in spirit, bring your pieces to the foot of the cross. There you will find the One who can reshape your life into something joyously unexpected. Copyright � 2000, IN TOUCH Magazine. In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Your's in Christ Jesus, Biji James, Bangalore Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ----------------------------------------------------- This mail is generated from http://www.jesusyouth.org To subscribe to this mailing list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----------------------------------------------------
