Contagion

Contagion

We’ve had a contagion going around our house for a few months now.  Everyone in my house has caught it and it’s one of those things where one person gets over it and then another person gets it and then it just keeps getting passed around.  It seems like you don’t develop an immunity to it, you can catch it an infinite amount of times. I haven’t brought it up at prayer time or anything because we don’t usually pray about these things- we just live with them and make excuses for them.

Amidst Trials

Amidst Trials

The subject of trials is the main focus of the first chapter of James. Trials can be beneficial in building character, and they are the common experience of us all, whether poor or rich. God can use trials for good in our lives, but He will never tempt us or entice us to sin. All good and perfect gifts come from Him, with whom there is no shadow of turning.

Life's Difficult Times

Life's Difficult Times

Amidst life’s most difficult trials (verses 2-4), it is easy to be unwise in facing them. As our faith is tested during such times, we might be tempted to veer from the path of faith, and even forsake it altogether. Giving up on God during the hard times is unwise, no matter how tempting the choice might be.

A Process of Growth

A Process of Growth

God through Christ has supplied divine power for everything needed for life and godliness (verse 3), and so our priority is to diligently take the supplied Spirit resources and add them to our lifestyle. Beginning with faith in the truth we add moral character, experiential knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness.