Text: James 1:12
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, "I am being tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when that desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and that sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death. Do not be deceived, my beloved.
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
James lays it on the line. Many folks asks why God tempts us with the things and actions of the world...others will say "the devil made me do it." And yet, "one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it..." This goes well with the piece on riches from yesterday. We have an opportunity in front of us - we are God's beloved people. At the same time, the day is filled with the many ways to forget that essential word for us. There are more temptations pulling us to be self-indulgent and self-concerned that we can come to believe that those temptations are the true way of life. Do not be fooled! And the temptations don't come from outside of us. Sure there is good marketing and subtle pressures to conform from many parts of our lives...but in the final analysis, we move one way or another - we take the steps within our lives. No one puts a gun to our head to make us do this or that. We act as we act. Blessed, therefore, are those who endure these temptations...they are real and they have power. Blessed are the people who can talk to one another and walk with each other in the midst of these temptations. It takes a willingness to be both vulnerable and available to one another.
Connection: How blessed is our God to bring us to the beginning of this day! How blessed are the opportunities of this day for in them we are given the grace and power to be God's beloved children! In the midst of our temptations, we need to remember the blessedness of this time ahead of us.
Lord of LIfe, you bring the word of truth among us and we are shaped by that word. We give you thanks for the many people around us whose lives touch ours when we are in the midst of temptation and the pulls of the world within us. Amen.
Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
James lays it on the line. Many folks asks why God tempts us with the things and actions of the world...others will say "the devil made me do it." And yet, "one is tempted by one's own desire, being lured and enticed by it..." This goes well with the piece on riches from yesterday. We have an opportunity in front of us - we are God's beloved people. At the same time, the day is filled with the many ways to forget that essential word for us. There are more temptations pulling us to be self-indulgent and self-concerned that we can come to believe that those temptations are the true way of life. Do not be fooled! And the temptations don't come from outside of us. Sure there is good marketing and subtle pressures to conform from many parts of our lives...but in the final analysis, we move one way or another - we take the steps within our lives. No one puts a gun to our head to make us do this or that. We act as we act. Blessed, therefore, are those who endure these temptations...they are real and they have power. Blessed are the people who can talk to one another and walk with each other in the midst of these temptations. It takes a willingness to be both vulnerable and available to one another.
Connection: How blessed is our God to bring us to the beginning of this day! How blessed are the opportunities of this day for in them we are given the grace and power to be God's beloved children! In the midst of our temptations, we need to remember the blessedness of this time ahead of us.
Lord of LIfe, you bring the word of truth among us and we are shaped by that word. We give you thanks for the many people around us whose lives touch ours when we are in the midst of temptation and the pulls of the world within us. Amen.
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