# 25 2020 Dev. James 1. Perseverance! Read all of Ch.1:1-12. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
James 1:2,3 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
The book of James is a unique letter that comes to us as “Wisdom Literature.The author, by most commentators’ opinion, is the brother of Jesus and the leader of the the church in Jerusalem. The book moves from proverb to proverb with commentary directing the reader to apply faith and ethics to true Christian living, which are the two themes that bind the diverse subjects of this letter together. The letter is directed to true Jewish Christians living “among the nations”. Further, God’s Word is relevant today and is relevant at all times, both past, present and future, applying to all people everywhere!
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters”. Really, must we rejoice at persecution and opposition to living out our faith? Yes! But James qualifies his statement by pointing out the results of being tested: perseverance in faith, growth to maturity and to receive wisdom, given on request “from the Lord”. God lovingly shapes, grooms, and prunes His followers for the tasks at hand and prepares us for work in heaven.
In God’s eyes you are rich when you are poor, and you are poor if you are rich.The poor trust in God with a fervent faith, the rich must trust God in humility, thanksgiving and in generosity. In God’s eyes all men and women are equal and in need of salvation. We all are born with nothing and we die with nothing, only our faith in Jesus remains forever.
James ends this section with v. 12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” Jesus loves those who love Him and He loves those who do not love Him (Jn. 3:16-17). Jesus builds us up, using a variety of events in our lives, including unpleasant ones, to prepare us to serve Him and to strengthen us to be able to build the Kingdom of God where He has placed us, according to His will. Praise be to God!
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