Good morning. We are now into the book of James. We have looked at a lot of verses in James before, so there's gonna be a lot of repetition. There is a dispute as to when it was written. I prefer to go with an earlier date before James came to a full revelation about the Gentile converts. The book says that it was written to the 12 tribes of Israel who were dispersed. It seems to be very much based on the Law of Moses. We tend to think that all of the early believers knew everything there was to know about Christianity on the day of Pentecost. However the book of Acts shows that they had to learn things as they went along. God used Peter fairly early on to show them that the Gentiles could receive the Holy Spirit too. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Yeah, I'm really happy I'm going through all of this. Of course our trials are not like theirs. Their very lives were in danger. The Jews did not take kindly to people converting to Christianity. Some quickly believed when Paul preached, and others rebelled and stirred up mobs against him. Of course we go through trials not related to being Christians. We have to keep believing no matter how unlikely it seems that what we are believing in will happen. If we get everything immediately – then where is the faith in that? As we continue believing even when things look like they're not going to happen, our faith is strengthened. You don't gain endurance exercising, if you quit after a short time. The same thing is true about our faith. You don't gain endurance if you quit just because things are hard. Father thank You that the reader's faith endures despite the trials. He/she continually believes that what You said will happen is going to happen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God

  Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
Read more

And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds

  Good morning. And men repented, right? And they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pain and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and the water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. Previously, the 6th angel blew his trumpet and told them to release the four angels at the river Euphrates so that the army of 200 million could cross over. Back to the bowl: and I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great Day of God, the Almighty. Father continue to bring blessings upon the reader and his/her family every day  of their lives.
Read more

So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed

  Good morning. We left John at the entrance of the tomb, stooping and looking in. “Shy” Peter then arrives following John, and enters the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there. So the other disciple, John, who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. It does not say whether or not Peter believed. For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes. I’m not exactly sure what it means by their own homes. They were originally from Galilee and would not have had homes in Jerusalem. Perhaps it means the homes where they were staying while in Jerusalem. Apparently, they were not staying in the upper room, or it would have said so. But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped (just like John) and looked into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been l...
Read more