Perseverance Must Finish Its Work 20 [Jam 1:1-8] / Anne's Faith Column

 

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Perseverance Must

Finish Its Work 20

 [Jam 1:1-8]

 / Anne's Faith Column 

 

/ By Priscilla

 

 

 "Perseverance must finish

its work so that you

may be mature and

complete, not lacking

anything."

 (Jam 1 : 4)

 

 

 

Whenever we face

trials of many kinds,

we should consider

it pure joy.

 

 

 

That's because

the testing of our faith

develops perseverance.

 

 

 

In fact, it is more

important than

anything else for our

believers to persevere

under trial to the end.

 

 

 

This is why God

sometimes allows these

trials of many kinds

to keep us from lacking.

 

 

 

Therefore, when

the trials come to us,

 

 

 

we should truly rejoice

because it is clearly

recorded in the

scripture as follows.

 

 

 

 Blessed is the man

who perseveres

under trial,

 

 

 

because when he has

stood the test, he will

receive the crown of life

 

 

 

that God has promised

to those who love him. 

(Jam 1 : 12)

 

 

 

 Like this, through James,

we can confirm the

word of promise that

God gave to his children,

 

 

 

and we can only

rejoice in hopes.

 

 

 

 God loves us humans

so much that there

are times when he

 interferes with us.

 

 

 

 Sometimes when we

become indolent

or spiritually arrogant,

 

 

 

he allows trials for us

through circumstances. 

 

 

 

 

He even trains us

every moment so that

we may take root of faith

by breaking the egos

 

 

 

in the depths of our hearts

through those around us. 

 

 

 

Also, even when we

have lack of wisdom

in our lives,

 

 

 

God wants to be deeply

involved in our lives

 

 

 

 And he says,

 

 

 

"Don't boast of your

understanding and

don't trust your will." 

 

 

 

Despite the fact

that our entire life

is in God's control

 

 

 

and must be obedient

in front of our loving

and tolerant father

in heaven,

 

 

 

like immature children,

we have lived insisting

to bear the burden

of our own life since

the ego was formed.

 

 

 

Then, in today's scripture,

in order to persevere

under trial to the end,

what should we do?

 

 

 

 1. We must rely on God. 

 

 

 

Do not doubt at all,

but we must trust him

with one single mind. 

 

 

 

No matter what situation

may come to us, we mus

t not be shaken on the

basis of faith.

 

 

 

The Bible says

 as follows:

 

 

 

 “But when he asks,

he must believe and

not doubt, because

he who doubts

 

 

 

is like a wave

of the sea,

blown and tossed

by the wind.

 

 

 

 That man should

not think he will

receive anything

from the Lord;

 

 

 

 he is a double

-minded man,

unstable in all

he does.”

(Jam 1 : 6-8)

 

 

 

 2. In our lives we must

be clothed in being filled

with the Holy Spirit.

 

 

 

 Even though

we have faith, if we

are not filled with

the Holy Spirit,

 

 

 

we cannot see

 Almighty God,

 

 

 

and face the limit

of our ability and are

often frustrated. 

 

 

 

When our spiritual

condition is distracting,

how many times have

we underestimated

 

 

 

and distrusted the Word

  and working of the Lord! 

 

 

 

 

This is because we

have lack of spiritual

training, are not armed

  with the Word of God,

 

 

 

and eventually

become double-minded

due to inner conflict.

 

 

 

 3. We need to examine

our attitudes of faith,

our lives, and our

inner beings.

 

 

 

 In order to correct

our inner condition,

which has become loose

and off guard at

some point,

 

 

 

we must ask the

Holy Spirit for help and

 stand firm in the Lord.

 

 

 

If we face trials worthy

of the perseverance

to make us mature

and complete,

 

 

 

we should consider

it pure joy. 

 

 

 

And we will have

to rely on the Lord

to overcome the trials,

going step by step

toward the Lord.

 

 

 

 Prayer

 

 

 

Lord!

 

 

 

We want to be changed

into more orderly lives

in the guidance

of the Holy Spirit. 

 

 

 

With your wisdom,

help us to persevere

under trial to the end. 

 

 

 

Amen.

 

 

 2009/12/08

 

 

 / By Priscilla