S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
James 1:2,3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
O-bservation:
These are the words of the half-brother of our Lord James. At the time of his writing, he acknowledged the fact that the twelve tribes of Israel were scattered among the nations. Of course, this made it difficult for his people to carry on. Since it was to these twelve tribes he was writing initially, he started by telling them to “Consider it PURE JOY, whenever you face trials of any kind because you know that whenever your faith is tested, it will produce perseverance in your life.
A-pplication:
I’m pretty sure that if you like me and you’ve read this passage before, you’ve thought, “Pure Joy, Really?” Because usually, when I face trouble, I don’t immediately get happy. When I read this passage, I picture a man jumping up and down, clapping his hands for joy because he just wrecked his car. He’s happy and jumping because he knows that this terrible accident is going to increase is perseverance quotient. What? But that’s what James says. Seriously though, James is not saying it the way I envisioned it. He’s saying when you face trouble, stop! Don’t fly off the handle! Get a grip! And then remember that God has allowed this to happen in order for your perseverance to be strengthened. Why? Because this small hit is just the beginning of a life of hits, each of which will build your perseverance to the point that you can be trusted by the Lord, to carry tremendous loads for the kingdom of God. So once again, “Pure Joy, Really?” YES! REALLY!
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
Most of my life, I’ve said in prayer, “Bring it on,” because I know that trials work perseverance. It’s not the goal of any man or woman of God to live on milk for the rest of our lives. So once again today, I’m ready for whatever you believe will build my faith. I’m yours! Amen
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