The Daily Fountain Daily Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 1 May 2020 – TOPIC: THE VIRTUE OF ENDURANCE
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DATE: FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2020
(St. Philip and St. James the Apostles’ Day)
TOPIC: THE VIRTUE OF ENDURANCE
READ: JAMES 1:1-12 (NKJV)
1. James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4. But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8. [he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9. Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10. but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
11. For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12. Blessed [is] the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
THE MESSAGE:
The writer of our text is believed to be James, the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a respected Christian leader in Jerusalem (Acts 12:17; 15:13), he wrote exercising pastoral care/concern to believers who were scattered throughout the Roman world because of persecution. His purpose was to encourage them to remain in the faith despite the hardship they experienced in their new locations. The operative words in the text are trial, temptations and testing.
Real Christianity is not easy. Faithful, uncompromising Christians often attract persecution (John 15:18-20). Persecution comes in various forms of trials (hard situations in which God provides a person an opportunity to do something right) and temptations (enticement of a person to do something wrong). Christians should see trials and temptations as a process of spiritual growth, not destruction (1 Peter 1:6-7). Trials and temptations call for steadfastness in our faith, with joyful patience (verses 2, 3, 12), the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). James’ admonition implies that difficult situations are overcome, not by complaining, but by endurance. Therefore, periods of hardships demand wisdom (correct application of knowledge) from God so that a Christian will be victorious and obtain the crown of life (James 1:2; Revelation 2:10).
PRAYER: Father abide with me in times of difficulties that I may be victorious.
HAPPY NEW MONTH OF MAY!