Text : James 1:2–4 : 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall
into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your
faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that
ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
When our faith is tested and tried by trials, the immediate response
should be perseverance. Tough environments are not always an
unfortunate occurrence. Sometimes they are set up to make us, and
not break us.
Perseverance- What is this? – It is a continued effort to do or achieve
something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition. It is
steadfastness.
This, however, is not in itself the final goal of testing. According to
James the apostle, believers should let endurance have its perfect
work. The benefits of testing come only to believers who respond to
them in the right way. As Followers of Christ, we must allow
endurance or patience to do its intended work. Apostle Paul in
Rom.5:3 spoke of glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulations
worketh or produce patience, patience > experience > hope, and
hope does not make us ashamed because through it the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.
Luke 21:19 says, in your patience, possess ye your souls, and 1
Thess.4:4 reminds us that each of us should know how to possess
his vessel in sanctification and honor. Is the Word telling us that
patience is connected to sanctification?
Matt. 5:12 speaks of rejoicing and being exceeding glad so let’s take
a quick peek at the reason why.
Matthew 5:11–12: 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and
persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for
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12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
1 Peter 1:6-7: 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season,
if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold
that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise
and honor.
There are many reasons why Brother James was prompted by the
Holy Spirit to remind the brethren in chapter 1:12, “Blessed is the
man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
love him.”
Finally, 1 Cor. 9:25 -27, hear the words of Paul, the one who had a
personal encounter with Jesus, who met the Savior in person after He
ascended;
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we,
an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I,
not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body,
and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
My friends, all of the great athletes strive to be the best in their fields,
practicing day and night, injured at times, in order to be great at their
game. They study videos of the sport, they strategize, and they study
the moves of the opposing teams to strive for better plays, why?
because they want more than anything to win! We as Christians must
do the same. We must strive for mastery in being a follower of Christ.
The Holy Spirit said today to my husband and I, and I dare to quote!
“Out of all of the gifts we are given, the most important one is being a
Christian and being called one, there is no greater gift.” All else are
by-products. The prophecies, the healing, etc. are all by-products.
Praying for our enemies and loving them is being like Jesus, and it is
the pre-requisite to spending eternity with God.
