Who has the Reins?

515.  "Who has the Reins?                      May 9, 2012
James 1-Part 11
If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
James 1:26-27


LET IT GLOW

One of my early childhood pleasant recollections is that of my riding Topsy. She was our horse we had when I was three years old. She was a good, tame young horse, to me, anyway. She would let me ride her, alone, while my brother or sister led her calmly and slowly around the yard. But let one of them get on her, and away she'd go, down the road as fast as she could.

Before anyone could ride her, someone had to catch Topsy and put the bridle on her. That someone was usually my brother. I recall one time he chased her all the way to the back forty corner fence before getting the bridle on her, then rode bareback to us. Without the bridle, there was no controlling that horse. With the bit in her mouth, a small bar connected to the harness, and the reins, we could turn her left or right or make her stop. I am like that horse-stubborn, wild, out of control. Today I was convicted with the studying of these two verses.

Am I giving God the reins of my life or do I continue to take control of it, going where ever I want? Do I give Him control of my tongue, as a bit in the horse's mouth? Will I let God control when I stop talking and where I go by His pulling on the reins of my life? Do I quickly obey His commands? Will I let go and allow Him to lead me where He wants me to go, faithfully walking beside Him? Do I graze in God's grace when He lets me relax and feed on His Word?  Or am I like a wild, rebellious, untamed horse that defies having the bits and bridle on, controlled by my God? Things to ponder hard.
Friends, I have felt convicted by the words of this lesson. I only thought I was submitting to God's reins and bridle, but was only deceiving myself. My words were my words; my life was my life. After repenting, I'll share what I learned.

We are still reading about the effectual doer obeying God's Word. When I obey, I am a mirror reflecting real Christianity. What should I look like?

• Quickly use an open ear to listen to what the Word of God says.
• Be slow to speak
• Have a calm spirit, not get angry at the drop of a hat.
• Have a clean heart by putting away filthiness and wickedness.
• Keep a humble attitude.
• Not only hear the Word, but also do it, applying it in my life.
• Endures or runs from temptation; slam the door to my thought rooms of my mind.
• Asks God for wisdom in how to handle a trial or temptation.
• Stay joyful during trials.

Then I will be blessed according to verse 25.


LET IT GROW

Read the two key verses again.
In MacArthur Bible Commentary, it says:

Religious, in verse 26, refers to ceremonial public worship (Acts 26:5). Instead of internal godlliness, James emphasized the external trappings, rituals, routines, and forms that were not followed sincerely. Bridle means "control" or "keep a tight rein." Purity of heart is often revealed by controlled and proper speech (Matt. 12:36). James picks two synonymous adjectives to define the most spotless kind of religious faith-that which is measured by compassionate love.

James tells me what I am supposed to be doing if I want my religion to be pure and undefiled before God:

• Control my tongue. Remember that I will some day give an account for all my words said. If they were put on a video screen, would I want everyone to see it? "An uncontrolled tongue is a spiritual problem," says Liberty Bible Commentary.
• Visit the fatherless (orphans) and widows in their afflictions. These are without parents and husbands. Not only am I to see them and speak words of comfort, but I am to help meet their needs. Caring for them shows Christian love.
• Keep myself unspotted from the world, the evil world system. Strive to stay free from the evil influences in my culture that would altar my values and pursuits. (Baker) (1John 2:15-16) Watch out for their ungldliness and lusts.

Guzik says,"Your walk with God is usless if it does not translate into the way you live and the way you treat others."

LET IT GO

Pass the reins of my life and my tongue over to God so He can control them.

Use my thoughts, words, and actions so they are honoring my Savior, Jesus.

Be open to helping widows and orphans.

Avoid world things.

A Teenager's Face of Zits

514.  "A Teenager's Face of Zits"                   May 8, 2012
James 1-Part 10
But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.  James 1:22

LET IT GLOW

Verse 25 says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

How can I be blessed in my deeds?

• Look at the perfect  law of liberty. Jesus came to fulfill the Law (Matt. 5;17). It says to love God and love our neighbors (Mark 12:29-31), and to love your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14). Looketh refers to "one who would become acquainted with something; look carefully into"; doer is" one who obeys or fulfills the law, a performer"; work is "an act, deed, thing done"; blessed means "happy, well off, fortunate"; deed is "a doing or performing; in the obedience he renders to the law." So if I am becoming acquainted with God's Word, the New Covenant, and my heart is transformed by the Spirit, and I am a believer in Jesus and saved by His grace, then I am blessed in my deeds.   
• Continue in freedom from sin. Jesus sets me free when I ask for and receive His forgiveness. I am free from the bondage of sin, free from Satan's captivity, not influenced by other doctrine, but established in faith, stand fast in it, abide in it, look to Christ as the author and finisher of my faith, keep my eye on it, and constantly attend to it. I am blessed in what I do, not for what I do. (Gill)
• Do what the Word of truth says, not just hear what it says. Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free, Jesus said in John 8:32. Actions should become my lifestyle.

I will be blessed by God, prosperous and successful in all I do. God's blessings are rich both in spiritual and temporals.

LET IT GROW

I remember as a teenager, spending time in front of the mirror. I squeezed zits, blackheads, and whiteheads. I pampered my face. I tried to improve my face. I even put green and blue facials on it. But when it was all done, I had the same face-a teenager's face. Nothing seemed to help, so when I walked away from the mirror, I forgot about all that stuff and focused on something else that was previlent in my life. These scriptures seem to describe a person who forgets what they saw in the mirror-a hearer of the Word, not a doer. Wonder what's the difference? Read on, friend.

Doers of the Word of God continue being doers, become doers, views their obedience as a constant struggle. Their life changes because of what they read because they apply it to themselves.
Hearers merely soothe their conscience temporarily, deceiving themselves. They leave the mirror, go on their way, forgetting what they read.
Whoso looketh (parakyto in Greek), implies much more than a glance, for the word involves bending over for closer inspection. It pictures a person before a mirror noticing a blemish, then leaning forward to examine and attend to it.  (Falwell)

How closely do I look into the Word of God? Does my heart bend down in humility, with open ears, taking a closer look at what it has to say to me so I can apply it? Or do I quickly read it, then go on down the road of life, forgetting what I read? So many times it is the latter. Perhaps I should ask Jesus to speak to my heart through His Word before I read it. Sometimes I do invite Him to sit beside me while I type a lesson and speak to me and through me. Perhaps that isn't enough.

Change my heart, Lord, into what You want it to be. May the Words for today stick in my heart all day long.
Which am I-a hearer or a doer of the Word? Which does Jesus want me to be?

LET IT GO

Look closer into the Word of God.

Let it change my heart.

Apply it in my life.

Bless my deeds as I work with You and You work in me, Lord Jesus.







In the key verse above, James doesn't say just "be doers." God isn't looking for activeists who don't know His Word. Nor is He interested in hearers who know His Word but do nothing. The Greek term for hearers refers to someone who audits a course at a university-someone who listens carefully and takes notes, but has no assignments, tests, or responsibilities. someone who merely takes in information. Those who simply audit the faith are deceiving themselves about their Christianity, and that sincere believers will prove their authenticity by applying what they hear. (Swindoll)

Unlike the mirror, which only reflects outward appearance, the Scriptures reveal our inner character. This hearer forgets what both reflect; while the effectual doer, gives careful attention to the Scriptures, responds positively, applies what is heard and is genuinely fulfilled. As an effectual doer, obeying the revealed Scriptures, I become a mirror reflecting real Christianity. The question is, "Do I?"

Am I walking the talk?

Old Wringer Warsher Machines

513.  "Old Wringer Warsher Machines"              May 7, 2012
James 1-Part 9
Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.  James 1:21

LET IT GLOW

Growing up on the farm, I didn't think it unusual for our neighbors to raise a big garden and wear overalls. The ones next door were an elderly couple. Probably once a week was all that his overalls got washed. As a child, I recall going to the local laundry mat with her. First, she would use the agitating part of the machine with laundry soap to wash the dirty clothes, which was an open tub. (Hillbilly slang called it a warsher machine.) Then she would hand feed her husband's overalls through the wringer, which was two bars on top that rotated. I think she had to do the same procedure for rinsing. May I add, there were modern washing machines available, but she chose this old timmy one. Come to think about it,the one she used may have been modern to her, since she was in her 80's at the time. I can't remember, but she probably hung the overalls out on the clothes line at home to dry instead of using the clothes dryer at the laundry mat. Anyway, her husband had to take off those dirty overalls in order for them to be washed. Our verse tells us to put off something. Let's find out what it is. But first:

Humbly accept the Word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
NLT verse 21b
In humility receive the Word implanted, which is able to save your souls.  NAS verse 21b
One essential ingredient for receiving truth is having the right attitude. James wants our attitude to reflect humility, which means "with gentleness, openness; having a teachable spirit." Coupled with this, he says there must also be an action-receive meaning "welcome." So, whenever truth knocks, we're to open the door and welcome it with great hospitality. (Swindoll)
The engrafted word, the implanted message of the gospel, should be received by Christians (brethren) with unqualified submissiveness. The phrase, able to save your souls, points out the inherent efficacy of the gospel with they have already accepted. (Falwell)

The Word of God had the power to save my soul? It showed me that I was a sinner in need of a Savior. It teaches us about the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross for me, His resurrection from the grave, and His intercession for me to the Father. It changes my heart daily as I surrender to Jesus.

LET IT GROW

Now let's look back at the beginning of verse 21. It tells me to:

• lay apart all filthiness-Apart means "to put off or away which any one gives up, renounces"; filthiness means "wichedness as moral defilement." Just as I put off dirty clothes, I am to put off sin prior to receiving God's Word.
• lay apart all superfluity of naughtiness-Superfluity refers to "the wickedness remaining over in the Christian from his state prior to conversion, abundance, superabundance"; naughtiness is "malice, ill-will, desire to injure, badness, evil." (Thayer's Lexicon/Young's Concordance)
• receive with meekness the Word-Meekness refers to "mildness, humility." (Strong's Concordance)

"This is an expression of coarseness rather than immorality," states Liberty Bible Commentary.

"James is saying to us, as you're slow to anger and to speak, carry that out in your daily living by laying aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness. Our words and outbursts of anger reveal the true person within us. As we become more and more possessed by the Holy Spirit, we'll enjoy the fruit of the Spirit. Listen to God's Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit," states Preacher's Commentary.

Do I prepare myself for receiving with humility, God's Word of truth? Do I put off immorality, confess my sins, and seek God's forgiveness.

After I've heard the truth, and the Holy Spirit convicts me of sins, so I let it go in one ear and out the other? Or do I deal with what I have heard?

* Here's a funny:This topic reminds me-as a child, my daughter learned a song that went this way:"Oh you can't get to heaven in dirty blue jeans, 'cause God don't have no warsher machines up there." We would laugh at her accent and slang of the hills, while she was raised in the flatlands of our state, 6 hours away.


LET IT GO

Prepare to hear God's Word by confessing my sins.

Humbly accept His Words of instruction.

Be ready to apply it to my life.

Stopped up Ears

512.  "Stopped up Ears"                                May 4, 2012
James 1-Part 8
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

LET IT GLOW

My ears have stopped up several times while I was flying in a plane. That's when I yawn or chew gum for the problem. Do I intentially stop up my ears so I don't hear what is being said? I have seen a full grown woman stick her fingers in her ears, shake her head, and say no, no, and leave. As though that would change the truth. (She was being told what the Word of God said on the topic.) If I don't like what the Word says, I don't tear it out of my Bible, yet do I forget it when it's not what I want to do?

James has been talking about faith and endurance, about temptations coming from our own desires that entice us, about good and perfect gifts come from God, and God gives us His true word.

Charles Swindoll, in his Bible study book, James, Practical and Authentic Living, says:

James sets forth four requisites for preparating ourselves to receive God's truth.

1. An Open Ear (verse 19a)-We don't really hear what God says. the problem isn't that we're hard of hearing, it's that we're hard of listening. the Pharisees had knowledge of the Law, but they didn't really listen to what they read; they didn't allow God's truth to speak to them personally, individually.
2. A Controlled Tongue (verse 19)-No one can speak and learn at the same time. How much time do you spend in silence preparing yourself for the sowing of God's Word? Before we can listen, we must first learn to control our tongues.
3. A Calm Spirit (verses 19- 20)-The seed of God's Word cannot take root in a heart overrun with resentment and revenge. We must tear out the tendrils of anger in our hearts before they strangle the truth that's trying to blossom in our lives.
4. A Clean Heart (verse 21a)-William Barclay says the word filthiness, from the Greek word rupos, used in a medical sense, means "wax in the ear." James says to get rid of everything which would stop their ears to the true Word of God. When wax gathers in the ear, it can make a man deaf; and a man's sins can make him deaf to God.

Wickedness refers to "hidden sins, motives, and attitudes that cause the corrupt outer behavior that others see."

Am I swift to hear God's Word?
John Gill suggests that we receive the truth with all readiness, so our souls are profited and God is glorified. We should weigh and consider what is said. This may regard silence under hearing the Word.
Silence: nothing is better for the body; if a word is worth one shekel, silence is worth two;It is worth a precious stone; it is the spice of speech and chief of all spices; it is a hedge of wisdom.

In John 10:27-30, Jesus says: My sheep hear my voice...

In James 1:19, hear means "hearken"; speak means "to speak against"; wrath means "anger."
(Thayer Lexicon, Young's Concordance)

Listening, speaking, and controlling my temper, all three are a part of a process connected with the tongue. Liestening is a lost art. By listening carefully, I show respect. I can discover where a person is spiritually. Anger is sin when it is out of control or jumps to unwarranted conclusions. I should look for ways to resolve a disagreement once it exists.

So I am to be swift to hearken to what I hear in God's Word; slow to speak against; slow to anger.
Do I think before I speak? Do I meditate on God's Word? Do I study to be approved to God and others? Do I need correcting in an area of my life?

LET IT GROW

Looking at the last two things mentioned about receiving God's truth, having a calm spirit and a clean heart.

The New Living Translation says it this way: Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get ride of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

This refers to expressions of coarseness rather than immorality.To overcome trials, one must shun vulgarity as well as wickedness.


LET IT GO

Listen more, talk less.

Have a calm spirit and a clean heart.







 Am I swift to hear others in our conversation?

Shadows and Sounds

511. " Shadows and Sounds"                      May 3, 2012
James 1-Part 7
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  James 1:17-18

LET IT GLOW

When I was growing up, I had a best friend. We would often spend the night at each other's house. One night, when she was staying with me, we decided to sleep outside, sort of camp out in the back yard. We took all of our covers, made a tent from a blanket, and settled in with pillow talk. If you're familiar with the night sounds in the country, you know there are plenty of them. With the moon shining, there were plenty of shadows, too. Now combine those sounds and shadows along with our  young girls imaginations and we had bears and pamthers coming out of the woods, coming to eat us. Need I say, the shadows and sounds got the better of us. We gathered up everything and spent the rest of the night sleeping in my bed inside a safe room. I said all of that to say, shadows are the result of the light from sun and moon. They result from rotation, turning of the earth and the sun and moon, but with God, the Bible says there is no shadow of turning. Let's check it out.

What do our key verses say about God's gifts to us?

• Every good gift and perfect gift is from God (above). Good means "useful, practical, beneficial," while perfect means "nothing lacking in them, complete." Not only are His gifts good and perfect, but His liberality is wholly consistent. (Falwell)
• Two different Greek words for gift emphasize the perfection and inclusiveness of God's graciousness. the first denotes the act of giving, and the second is the object given. Everything related to divine giving is adequate, complete, and beneficial. (MacArthur)
• These gifts come down from the Father of lights-the Creator. The celestial bodies have different rotations, movement, always changing their position daily and nightly. God does not change, for He is immutable, changeless. (Mal. 3:6, 1John 1:5)
• God gives us the gift of salvation, regeneration, not as a wish, but an expression of His will. The sovereign will of God is the source of this new life. It was through the Word of truth, Scriptures, that He regenerates sinners through the power of that Word. (Col. 1:5)  All Christians have been brought to God through the word of truth, His Word. I am to rely on His Word for deliverance in my daily struggle against temptation. Ps. 119:9 -11 tells us where to hide His word-in my heart.

Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap your character. Sow your character, reap your destiny.
Good deeds and hurtful words and bad actions begin in my thoughts. Do I want to overcome temptations? What my thoughts dwell on has an effect. In Philippians 4:8, Paul tells me to think about true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, good repute excellent things. I am learning to slam the door to my thought rooms when a bad thought tries to enter. I am tired of that lier of a devil tripping me up to sin. It's time I take charge of my thoughts.

LET IT GROW

We are to be the first fruits of God's creatures. NLT says, He chose to give birth to us by giving us His true Word. And we, out of all creation, became His prized possession.

Am I showing others how to live as God's child, His prized possession?
Christians cannot achieve victory over temptation with knowledge alone. We must sow God's Word into our daily living through obedience. Then temptation will begin to lose its foothold in our lives. (Swindoll)

Do I give god my best, my first fruits, as an offering? Giving God that initial crop was an act of faith that He would fulfill His promise of a full harvest to come (Prov. 3:9-10). Christians are the first evidence of God's new creation that is to come and enjoy presently in their new life a foretaste of future glory. (MacArthur)

Joseph resisted Potiphar's wife's seduction. Swindoll shows us what we can learn from Joseph's running from the temptation.
If you want to say no when lust says yes, you must not be:

1. weakened by your situation; Joseph's job made himl second in command in Egypt;
2. deceived by persuasion; Mrs. Potiphar's daily persistence continued; 
3. gentle with your emotions; this young man with hormones did not want to sin agains God;
4. confused by the immediate results; the devil continues to tempt us, even when we say no one time.

How's my battle plan? Do I plan to not sin very much today, or not to sin at all? Am I prepared with scriptures?

LET IT GO

Think on good things, not bad, happy, not sad.

Slam the door to sinful thoughts; don't let them enter my mind nor let them sit down for a discussion.

Remember, the devil is the father of lies.

Sing praises to my Lord Jesus throughout the day.

Stay in the Word of God and meditate on it, memorize it.

Confess my sins and seek His forgiveness. Have a battle plan.

In everything give thanks.

How Do I Resist Temptations?

510. "How Do I Resist Temptations"                        May 2, 2012
James 1-Part 6
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  James 1:13-15

LET IT GLOW

Chocolate candy or anything chocolate does not tempt me. I rarely eat it because I don't like chocolate. I know, I've been told that I am wierd.  However, if carmel candy is lying around, or even strawberries, cheese cake, ice cream, sweets,chips, now that's a different story. If I see it, I want it, and I eat it. So I have started putting sweet snacks in the cabnet drawer, out of sight, out of mind. I have gained back 8 pounds during the winter and I am not pleased with the way my spring clothes don't fit. Oh, it's time to do something about it. How do I resist temptations? Do you have a similiar problem? Maybe we can get some help in James 1 today.
Faith is tested by trials and temptations. There is a difference-trials are without a person, on the outside, and temptations are within a person, an inward thing.
Temptation is powerful only when faith is weak. What kind of faith? It is faith in God's ability to provide that which a believer truly needs in relation to the object of his or her temptation. (Baker)

Verse 13 says for us to not say that God is tempting me. God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else. Like Adam and Eve blamed another for their sin, then ultimately Adam blamed God for giving him that woman as to the reason he sinned. It was not true. God is untemptable and unable to sin.

Tempted, used 4 times in verse 13, means "to solicit to sin." (Thayer's Lexicon)
Webster defines tempt as "to entice to do wrong by promise of pleasure or gain."

Charles Swindoll gives us four facts that describe temptation:

1. Temptaion is always present in life. (verse 13a) The author said when and not if  we are tempted. It is a lifelong battle. We are responsible for our reactions to temptations.
2. Temptation is never prompted by God. (verse 13) The word of means "from" apo  in the Greek. It shows that God is not even indirectly involved in tempting us to sin.
3. Temptation follows a consistent process. This process of allurement is like tempting a fish with bait. (verses 14-15)

          First the bait is dropped. Satan knows when, where, and how to drop bait in front of us that
          might lure us away from God.
          Second, our inner desire is attracted to the bait. In order to pull that fish out from its comfortable
          hiding place, we've got to find a bait that will interest it, one that it can't resist. Once the bait is
          dropped and the fish sees it, it's as good as caught.
          Third, sin occurs when we yield to temptation. When we allow temptation to join the sinful
          desires within the womb of our minds, it gives birth to sin.
           Fourth, sin results in death. It isn't the physical death, for none of us would be alive, nor is it the
           spiritual death, for no one could be saved. The fulfillment of lust brings a death-like existance
           in the believer's life.
     4.  Temptation flourishes on inconsistent thinking. (verse 16) Don't be deceived, led down the
           wrong path. Don't allow lust to blur your thinking so that you forsake the truth to follow a lie.

Every time we say yes to temptation, we make it harder to say no the next time. (Jerry Bridges)

All at once a secret, smouldering fire is kindled. The flesh burns and is in flames. It makes no difference whether it is sexual desire, or ambition, or vanity, or desire for revenge, or love of fame and power, or greed for money...Joy in God is in course of being extinguished in us and we seek all our joy in the creature. (Bonhoeffer)

LET IT GROW

This High Priest (Jesus) of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin.  (Hebrews 4:15 NLT)

Jesus is our example of how to react whenever tempted by the devil-use God's Word. How was Jesus tempted? Luke 4:3-13 tells us:
1. Lust of the flesh-tempted with bread, for He had fasted 40 days in the wilderness.
2. Lust of the eyes-tempted with the kingdoms of Satan (envy). (Jesus created everything and
    controlled everything.)
3. Boastful pride of life-tempted to prove His power as the Son of God.

What Word of God did Jesus use to refute Satan?
1. Deut. 8:3:Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
2. Deut. 6:13:Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
3. Deut. 6:16: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Satan tempts us in the similar ways and my lusts tempt us in similar ways:
flesh-food, drinks, sex
eyes-clothes, cars, technology, money, things
pride-title, job, positions

The question is, "Do I want to resist temptations so I remain in fellowship with God?" Or do I want to yield and fulfill the lust of my flesh, eyes, and pride of life?
Do I know my weaknesses? Am I prepared with Scripture to send the temptation on its way without my sinning?

LET IT GO

Leave alone those things that would tempt me to sin.

Remove myself from those things or remove those things from me.

Slam the door on temptation in my mind.

Memorize more of the Word of God.

Ask for the Holy Spirit's help and God's wisdom.

Crowned One

509.  " Crowned One"                           May 1, 2012
James 1-Part 5
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.   James 1:12


LET IT GLOW

My husband and I name our daughter Stephanie and our son Stephen, which are dreived from the Greek word Stephanos, meaning "crowned one." To us their parents, they were beautiful babies. Oh, they were not born into a royal family. We are just ordinary country folk. However, as grown adults, they are both Christians and a child of the King (Jesus). So I hope they wear their names proudly, with honor and dignity, and remember they are royalty. We will discuss "crowned one" later. 

What is promised to me when I handle problems, trials, temptations correctly?
The first promise is happiness.
Blessed (makarios in Greek) means "happy," according to Young's Concordance.

In the Old Testament the word blessing is always used in the plural, signifying being happy many times over, This kind of happilness is impossible if it's dependent on circumstances, but it's available in abundance if we depend on the Lord in all our circumstances. (Swindoll)

Endureth means "to bear bravely and calmly;" temptation means "the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue; an enticement to sin, whether arising from the desires or from outward circumstances."
Endureth (hypomeno in Greek) is the verb form of the word "patience." (Liberty Bible Commentary)

In Psalms, there are some things of God that endure forever:

• His mercy (Ps.136)
• His goodness (Ps.52)
• His truth (Ps. 100:5)
• His righteousness (Ps.111:3)
• His praise (Ps. 111:10)
• His Word (1Peter 1:25).

Aren't we glad some things endure forever?

So am I supposed to remain happy, even during those times of troubles, problems, trials, temptations? I am supposed to bear them bravely and calmly? Well, as a Christian, I am to have joy that the unsaved person can't have. Is the peace and love of God bubbling over in my heart today?Ohhh!

LET IT GROW

The New American Standard Bible says verse 12 this way: Blessed is the 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.

William Baker, author of The Books of James and First and Second Peter says:

The word perseveres is the verb form of the earlier word "endurance" (verse 4), which James says the trial of faitah will produce. In other words, the exercise of faith produces endurance that in turn enabbles the person to endure further trial. At the end of this process, he or she becomes "approved," a word was used of anything that successfully passed a test. Rewards are granted at that time, symbolized by the "crown of life."

"The crown which is life" is a better translation, according to John MacArthur, denotes the believer's ultimate reward, eternal life, which God has promised to him and will grant in full at death or at Christ's coming. (Rev. 2:10, 1Peter 5:4)

According to William Barclay, in the the ancient world the crown (stephanos) had at least 4 associations:

1. The crown of flowers worn at time of joy, festives.
2. The crown was the mark of royalty. It was worn by kings and those in authority.
3. The crown of laurel leaves was the victor's crown in the games, the prize which the athlete coveted above all.
4. The crown was the mark of honor and of dignity.

We Christians have joy; a royalty as the child of God; a victory in Jesus; a new dignity because of Jesus. No man can ever be worthless, if Christ died for him.


I can handle that crown of life. How about you? However, am I ready to endure, bravely and calmly, the test of perseverance in suffering?

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  1 Cor. 10:13

"He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how," said Nietzsche.

James has given us they why about our adversities, and now we can do more than just bear our trials; we can actually choose to grow through them.

Let it be said of me that I stood the test.

By faith Linda...


LET IT GO

Stop grumbling when little problems arise.

Accept trials, troubles, temptations, and problems as a way of growing in faith.

Be ready to have my faith tested after studying this lesson.

Remember there is a crown of life waiting for me in eternity when I endure.