The Importance of Patience Under Trials

Blessed is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive the victor's crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. ~ James 1:12

Let's start with the original Greek text for blessed.

Blessed - makarious (mak-ar'-ee-os): supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, happy.

That sounds good to me! If I am patient and stand firm when I am tempted and under trials I am blessed. It doesn't stop there though. I also earn treasure in Heaven. Treasure that no thief can steal and no moth or rust can destroy. It is a promise of God.

He wants to give us something we can have while we are here on earth. When we stand firm and remain patient under temptation and trial we become SUPREMELY blessed. We gain true happiness. Why? Because we trust and are confident in our Mighty God and His Hand over our lives.

God also wants to give us an eternal reward for standing strong. He wants to give us a crown. WHOO HOO! I will wear mine proudly! I plan on getting that crown! I hope you do to.

Standing firm is an act of will. We must want to do it. It is never a matter of "can we." It is always ONLY a matter of will we. God has given us the power to do all things. It is our job to receive that power and exercise it by faith.

As far as the patience part of this promise, that's another devotional! LOL!
Here is a link to it.

The wonderful thing about when God wants us to do something is, He always has some awesome benefit or reward to give us for our obedience.
What a GREAT DADDY!

Let's Pray,

Daddy God, I just want to thank You for always making life as Your child a joy. Thank You for always giving rewards for my obedience. You are truly an AWESOME God. You are the perfect model of what a parent should be. I would be blessed to be even a fraction of the parent You are. I love You Daddy. I love You very much and I trust You completely. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,
Lara ;)

Copyright © Lara Velez

Materialism

And the rich person ought to glory in being humbled by being shown in his human frailty, because like the flower of the grass he will pass away.

For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. James 1:10-11

Last time, we talked about lack and finding things to be thankful for. Today, we talk about when we have plenty.

These two verses can almost appear to scorn the rich. However, two things stand out to me.

The first thing is verse 10. This verse is explaining that being rich may give you many material possessions, but it cannot protect you from the trials of life. When you are rich you are still human with human problems and circumstances. Remembering that will humble you. Lest you get "puffed" up.

The second thing that stands out for me is in the next verse. Even so, will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. This is an extremely powerful statement. The pursuit of riches can be a very dangerous one. We can get so caught up in having material things and luxuries that we forget what is really important.

This verse clearly says that the person who spends all of their time pursing the riches of this world, will die in the midst of it. Our purpose is to fulfill God's purpose, not what our own. Money will NEVER make you happy. The treasure you earn that is waiting in Heaven is what our focus should be on. That is eternal treasure where neither moths nor thieves can take it from us. When we put all of our time and effort making wealth in this world we are fools. This is only a grain of sand in eternity.

Am I saying wanting wealth is wrong? NO WAY! I want to be wealthy and have requested it from God. However, my life does not revolve around pursuing it. It revolves around God and His will for my life. If HE makes me wealthy...YIPPEE!! If not, YIPPEE! Either way, I know that He knows better than I.

Another thing to remember, if God has blessed us with wealth, it is NOT only for us to enjoy and give scraps here and there. It is meant to further His Kingdom, help others when we see a need, give MUCH, and then think about ourselves.

When we spend it all on ourselves, and only give a small portion of what's left over, then we are being poor stewards. We will grieve the Holy Spirit when we are selfish. That is something that I never want to do.

Let's Pray,

Daddy God, help me to see the "big" picture. Help me to let go of the pursuit of earthly riches and grab hold of my eternal treasures. Help me to understand what that is. I want to please You, and live my life in Your will, not my own. I trust you, Daddy. I know that You will never do anything or give anything to me that would harm me. I also know that You would not keep anything good from me unless it was not good for me. I release all of my desires to You. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,
Lara ;)

THANKFULNESS

Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God. James 1:9

In this verse we are being told that if we lack in finances, we should be content. Content in knowing that even though we do not have earthly riches we are an heir to eternal treasure in Heaven.

This can be a very difficult thing. It is very hard to "feel" content when you don't know how you'll pay your rent or where your next meal will come from. I have been there. it can bring bitterness and frustration. It almost did me in. Praise God, though, He said he will never give us more than we can bare...even if we "think" we cannot bare anymore.

No matter what you financial burdens are the way to break free of the mental poverty is to be thankful. And yes, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

~ If you have arms and legs, be thankful you have them.

~ If you have eyes, be thankful you can see your child.

~ If you have a roof over your head, be thankful your not in the streets.

~ If you have health, be thankful you have no diseases.

~ If you have children, be thankful for their laughter.

~ If you have a bed to sleep in, be thankful your not on the floor.

~ If you had a meal today, be thankful you did. Many did not.

~ If you have even one outfit to wear, be thankful your not naked.

~ If your reading this, be thankful you have electricity and internet access.

~ If you have a car, be thankful you don't have to walk.

And....

If you are saved, be thankful that you won't burn in hell for all eternity!

These examples were only to get you started. I'm sure you can come up with MANY more reasons to be thankful.

The most important thing to remember is exactly what James said, "Glory in your elevation as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God!"

Let's Pray,

DaddyGod, thank You for calling me from my mother womb. Thank You thai I am Your child and heir. Thank You for saving me from hell. Thank You for loving me. Thank You for the MANY blessings that I have but do not always see. Help me to see them and realize that I could be in MUCH worse circumstances. I love You. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,
Lara ;)

Double-Mindedness

A man of two minds (hesitating), he is unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, and decides. James 1:8

Most people have probably been double-minded about something at one time. Some people may even struggle with it on a regular basis. Either way this is not a place that you want to spend a lot of time in. It is a very unstable and unhappy place to be.

When we are double-minded we are not giving God 100%. We are giving Him just enough to get by and be considered a "good" Christian. If we are serving God with our whole heart then we have a close relationship already established with Him. And if we have a close relationship with the Lord we have no reason to doubt. We trust Him. We trust Him, because we know Him. We know that He does not lie. We know that He is true to His Word. We know His character. We have faith. We go from faith to faith. We give no place to doubt.

The only way to be free from double-mindedness is to develop a personal relationship with God and give Him your WHOLE heart...not just a piece of it. We went into some practical ways that we can begin to know God in our final Flesh vs Spirit series. If you need a refresher, click here.

How do we give God our whole heart? How do we know when we are not giving Him our whole heart? Let me list the some examples for you. I may not hit on an area that you need to hear about. So, I suggest that you pray, and ask God to reveal where you may be lacking in your dedication to Him.

- You don't attend church on a regular basis.
- You don't go to church because your husband won't.
- You think that it's OK to tell "white" lies when necessary.
- You become offended easily or regulary.
- Your Bible has dust on it.
- You can't remember the last time you spent time with the Lord.
- You get irritated when you are under conviction.
- You frequently watch immoral programming and "feel" no conviction.
- You rarely make prayer a priority.
- You feel stressed out and/or irritable on a regular basis.
- You have become very negative.
- You feel like things are hopeless.
- Your children are more important to you than spending time with God.

I could go on for quite awhile....

If you are experiencing two or more of these symptoms, then you may be someone who has begun the to lose their focus. You are becoming desensitized. You are no longer pursuing God with your whole heart.

It does not have to continue. You can get joy, peace, contentment, and a sound mind. All you have to do is let go of the world and self. Then hang on tight to God. And begin a new relationship with Him. He is waiting with open arms for you. He longs for you to give Him your whole heart. He will cherish it and never break it. He is all you need. Begin to put Him first in your life and your life will become more than you had ever hoped it could be!

Let's pray,
Daddy God, I want my life to shine for You. Forgive me for the times I have let go of Your Loving Hand and took matters into my own hands. Forgive me for putting You in any position other than first in my life. Help me to make right choices. I love You, Lord. I love You more than anything in the entire Universe. Thank You for loving me always. Even when I forsake You. In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.

In His Love and Service,
Lara ;)