Day 2 - James 1:2

If you took my suggestion yesterday and read through the whole book of James you probably have some questions. The book of James is really a book that is a test of your true faith. By that I mean that we sometimes confuse good works and doing what God commands us to do as a means of getting to heaven. "I've been a good person, why wouldn't God let me in to His kingdom when I die." That's not what the Bible says is the way to get into heaven. We've all seen John 3:16 displayed. Remember the guy at every major sporting event who had the wild colored wig on and either had John 3:16 painted on his chest or was holding a sign?  Well, he was just trying to get the message out, in a sort of unorthodox way maybe, that says "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish". So let's think about it in practical terms. If the only way to get to heaven was through our good works, how much good works is enough? If Jesus was perfect and we use Him on one side of the equation and you take the most despicable person you can think of on the other side, where are you on that line. Where on that line is the dividing marker of who gets in and who doesn't? That's why God sent Jesus to die for our sins on the cross. There isn't a way for you to be "good enough". You have to do what John 3:16 says. Confess in your heart that you're sorry for your past sins, acknowledge that Christ came to wipe away those sins by dying on the cross and agree that you're going to make him the Lord of your life. That's it, if you pray that with an earnest heart, God says He will let you in His kingdom.  That's why it's called being born again.  You are starting a new life in Christ and shedding your old one. It's a do-over of sorts.  Once you make that choice, and you start to really feel like God is at work in your life, then the works part starts meaning something. I invite you to do that right now if you've never done it before. Doesn't have to be fancy, just talk to God and tell Him how you feel. After you've done that, this is where the book of James comes in and why I love it. It's telling us how God wants us to live our everyday life and testing us as to how well we're doing against God's standards. It doesn't matter what you say, you have to be tested the way you live, the things you do. In other words, talks cheap or actions speak louder than words. James, when he wrote this was writing to people who had already confessed to being Christians in the way that I described previously so as we go through the book you'll see that he often times refers to them as brothers or brethren. That's what he means by that. We're brothers in Christ. 


So today let's take a look at James 1 verse 2.
The Message 

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

New American Standard

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

Nothing like starting off with the hardest first. Trials...never really considered it a joy to go through trials before I was a Christian. Now I know that going through trials makes me better, makes me depend on Him more, which is what He wants. We all try to do everything ourselves...and usually fail miserably. Other things are out of our hands. Like when the doctor gives us that cancer diagnosis.  We can do all the things that we "humanly" can do like eating the right things, trying the natural supplement method of healing, even do the medical things that the doctors recommend, chemo, radiation, surgery. But in the end, who's in control. Of course God is. Then we get to the "why me", and if God is a loving God why does he allow bad things to happen. Very real questions and some hard answers. In the Bible, God uses the example of the grape vine quite a few times. If a grape vine is left unattended, it becomes wild and unruly and doesn't produce very good fruit.  However if each year the vine is pruned back it grows the next year twice as much and produces much more fruit.  Trials are like that. It's God's way of making us more fruitful.  Sure doesn't seem like it at the time but think back on some of the trials you've had and how has God used them. Maybe you've had cancer and beat it. Have you used that experience to encourage someone else who's going through the same thing?  If not, why not? You've been there...done that. Who better to help that person who is struggling with their trial. Have you gone through a divorce? Had very sick kids? Or the worst, had someone close to you die? See, that one is one you don't have to be afraid of if you've accepted the Lord into your life. You know where you're going to spend eternity when God decides it's time to bring you home.  I know with absolute certainty that I'm going to see my mother and my wife's mother when I get to Heaven. I had that conversation with both of them before they died and know they had given their hearts to Jesus. That's a comforting thought.  That's why I started this study. So you too, can have the assurance of where you're going when you die. Think about it. If you still have questions about this, you can comment here or email me. bbrown4352@gmail.com