James

The Benefit of Trials [James 1.12]

The Benefit of Trials [James 1.12]

The point of our lives and salvation is not our comfort, but God's glory. Understanding this requires maturity in our faith. He is a loving God. That love was what initially caused Him to give His Son Jesus to live as us and die for us, even while we were still unsaved sinners. God gives us the strength to withstand and grow from trials, and then blesses us when we do what He has enabled us to do. As we echo God's love back to Him and to the rest of those Jesus died to save, we are blessed. The blessing is not fleeting comfort in this passing world, but perfect salvation from death: everlasting life as adopted sons and daughters of the King of kings so that we can forever continue to give glory to Him.

Luke Harbaugh

All Joy?! [James 1:2-3]

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.” Malachi 4:2

In context, this passage for the Real Talk series comes at the end of many things. It is at the end of the book of Malachi, the end of the minor prophets, it is an end to this particular way God led his people, it is at the end of our current Old Testament. Though these words mark the end of many things, they describe a future event. One day the Lord would return. He would separate the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats, those who fear His name from those who don’t.

This verse was a hope and a promise repeated for those who knew the Lord and feared his name. Though difficulty and darkness would encompass God’s people, the Lord would keep his promise to act, to remove sin, to heal, and to bring joy as God’s people wait expectantly for His full plan of redemption to unfold. This is important as we approach the passage in James as well.

Kim Williams