Meditations on James
One of the benefits to scripture memorization is the ability to redeem seemingly idle time. As I was rocking my sick baby to sleep, I was meditating on some verses in James.
Jam 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Jam 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jam 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Trials is what according to verse 3? It is the testing of your faith. Anything that tests your faith and remember according to James 1:13-15 that all things are trials unless we respond sinfully to them then they are temptations.. As Hebrews 14:23 states that all things not of faith are sin, so we are to respond in all things in faith.
What happens in the testing of faith is endurance. We will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. What a promise! Something to remember when I struggle with just the routines of a day. Character is built in routine, mundane routine. Not only that, I am being tested to become perfect and complete.
What does James 1:12 say? 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.
What happens after perseverance/endurance? Once approved, we receive a crown of life. Crown is a picture - the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: the crown (wreath) which is the reward of the righteousness (Strong's). What is the crown of life - it is the proof of salvation. It amazes me how often proof of salvation is in the Bible when you look for it.
Look at verse 12 closely, who is the crown for. Yes for those who endure, but also to those "the Lord has promised to those who Love Him". It is a PROMISE to those who love Him!! Yet it is only given to those who endure. What a beautiful picture here! Those who love God will endure!
It supports verse Philipians 1:6. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
God sees the whole picture - the end result. He is at work, even now. Respond to trial in faith to cooperate with God's work. Rejoice,believer, God is there with you in trial to His glory. To His glory we will receive the crown of life.
Jam 1:2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Jam 1:3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jam 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Trials is what according to verse 3? It is the testing of your faith. Anything that tests your faith and remember according to James 1:13-15 that all things are trials unless we respond sinfully to them then they are temptations.. As Hebrews 14:23 states that all things not of faith are sin, so we are to respond in all things in faith.
What happens in the testing of faith is endurance. We will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. What a promise! Something to remember when I struggle with just the routines of a day. Character is built in routine, mundane routine. Not only that, I am being tested to become perfect and complete.
What does James 1:12 say? 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.
What happens after perseverance/endurance? Once approved, we receive a crown of life. Crown is a picture - the eternal blessedness which will be given as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ: the crown (wreath) which is the reward of the righteousness (Strong's). What is the crown of life - it is the proof of salvation. It amazes me how often proof of salvation is in the Bible when you look for it.
Look at verse 12 closely, who is the crown for. Yes for those who endure, but also to those "the Lord has promised to those who Love Him". It is a PROMISE to those who love Him!! Yet it is only given to those who endure. What a beautiful picture here! Those who love God will endure!
It supports verse Philipians 1:6. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.
God sees the whole picture - the end result. He is at work, even now. Respond to trial in faith to cooperate with God's work. Rejoice,believer, God is there with you in trial to His glory. To His glory we will receive the crown of life.
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