Becoming Complete & Mature

James 1:2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I have looked at this verse many times and I am always amazed simple progression it contains. This progression allows us to understand how the circumstances of our lives fit into God’s plan. When looking at something to comprehend it and apply it to my life I have always found it helpful to keep the end product or goal in mind, in other words, why should this be important to me? To understand this we need to examine this text backwards as the end product is found here.

The stated goal here is to be complete and mature with nothing lacking. Doesn’t that sound great? So how do we get there? Well, we must let work happen in our lives. Unfortunately this work isn’t comfortable because it’s called perseverance and that takes effort and implies exhaustion and pain. Yet this is necessary if we want to be complete in our life and faith. Unfortunately many people put ‘stop work’ orders in effect at this point. They don’t want their faith to be tested or life to be challenging, but this is the only way to reach the goal.

Now you might be asking, how does perseverance work through the testing our faith? The answer is found in the beginning of the text. We must go through trials and not just a few, but trials of many kinds. You see each kind of trial tests our faith in a different area. So to become complete and mature we need to go through many kinds of trials. The reality is that this testing will continue throughout our lives. When we understand that all of this is because God is refining us and making us better and that is why we can and should rejoice.

 
Are you rejoicing today because God is working at making you complete and mature?

Living a Satisfying / Fulfilling Life

Psalm 90:13-14 “Relent, O Lord! How long will it be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.”

What do you ask God for? How bold are you in your prayers? Here we find a great prayer that we should all pray. It addresses the core of motives and how to live a fulfilled life. When we think of the things that bring us satisfaction what comes to mind and what are we pursuing? Many chase after all the wrong things trying to find satisfaction, yet there is only one thing that will truly satisfy and last a lifetime. It is God’s love, a love that never fails or fades with time. Is this what you are seeking to bring satisfaction?

This verse also gives us another key to living a satisfied life. As we start every day we need to do so by seeking God’s love. If His love is the first thing to fill us each day then we will stay satisfied regardless of what comes our way. So how do we know when God’s love is our focus, motive and that which satisfies us…we are filled with a gladness and joy that can not be contained. One that we have to express and share with the world around us.

Are you satisfied today and seeking God love? If not, why?

What Kind of Life Are You Living

Hebrews 13:7-8 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

·        We are all leaders to others at times. So in this text we are all given the challenge to live lives so that everyone can imitate our faith. Would we be content if others stated to imitate our faith? My prayer and desire is that I may live my faith in such a way as to inspire even those who say they hate God. As long as we are following Christ and becoming more like Him, it is alright and proper for others to follow us. Who are we following today and why? Who is following us and are they becoming more like Christ because of it?

Using Words Wisely

Psalm 89:1-2 “I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.”

Have you ever stopped to consider what comes out of your mouth most of the time? Where the focus of your speech and does it help others?  If we are honest, most of us would have to admit that we self-centered with our words. Our relationship with God should change that. When we have an active, growing relationship with God, He should become the focus of what comes out of our mouths. This is not just something we talk about at home or just occasionally. We are to proclaim His faithfulness “through” all generation. This means each of us, for as long as we have breath, needs to be sharing with everyone we can the wonders of God and His faithfulness those who love Him. Are you doing your part? You can start today, right now, and continue for the rest of our lives.

Why Church???

Hebrews 10:23-25 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

·         As we think about the hope we have in God, how do we treat it? Is it something we casually throw around and pin on when we want to look good or is it something we value so much that we clutch it tightly to us at all times? The more we value this hope the tighter we will hold on to it never letting it go. Now when we live like this something will naturally happen that impacts those around us. We will look for ways to encourage and inspire others to live out love by doing good. How are you inspiring today? We should have many people that come to mind because every Follower of Christ we know should be inspired by our lives. This encouraging and inspiration will only happen if we are meeting regularly with God’s family…the church. It is through this regular involvement in each other’s lives this happens. That is why church  and regular participation in our home church is so important.