"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."
James 1:12 (NRSV)
Prodigal Thoughts: Confession time! James is one of my most favorite books of the bible. The author seems to get straight to the point of the message. In the first chapter, there is a lot of encouragement for those who are facing hard times by way of persecution by the Romans under Herod Agrippa II’s rule. While we are not really facing any persecution here in the US, we should still be on mission for the cause of Christ. Keep in mind that after his baptism, Jesus was led immediately to the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days. He withstood all of the temptations he was faced with. Based on this verse, can you imagine the "crown of life" he received? This is encouraging. The difficulties we face in life are not caused by God, but He can use those situations to grow us to be more like Christ and toward spiritual maturity. There are plenty who are reading this right now that are facing major health issues whether personally or within family. There are those who have grown weary of the constant trials of life. Please don’t give up. God is truly with you. I would like to encourage you to welcome His presence in the situation. Welcoming Him in may not change the ultimate outcome, but He will certainly fill you with the hope, love, and peace you need to overcome all of life’s trials.
Prayer for today: I pray that we would take a step away from those difficulties in life that are overwhelming us. That we would invite the presence of God, the Holy Spirit, to speak into your heart about the situations you are facing. That He would reassure you with His peace and give you holy wisdom to face the giants. I pray that we would truly trust our heavenly Father that He will bring peace out of the chaos and speak life to our souls.
If you need prayer, please reply and I will pray for you. If you would like to talk about this verse or have questions, I’m always open for your feedback.
God’s grace on you…
Prodigal MikeMike
Prodigal Thinker Blog
Prodigal Thinker 