Here’s what James has to say about trials and tribulations.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”
James 1: 1-8 (NIV).
Side bar: I should be among the most joyful Christians alive given that what we call trials in America pales in comparison to the sufferings of Christians worldwide.
God foreknew us and knows EXACTLY when each of us will leave this earth.
“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139: 13-16 (NIV).
#Tuesdaythoughts #Bible #CarolSwainSpeaks #Psalm139
I prayed for today’s scripture and this is what the Lord dropped into my spirit. Maybe we all need this reminder that God has high standards. Christianity is a come as you are religion, but we are expected to allow Christ and the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside out.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 6: 9-10 (ESV).
#Bible #CarolSwainSpeaks
“A Call to Repentance
Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.”
Hosea 6:1-3 (NKJV).
Compliments of @patsylevang5 #Jesus #hope #peace #CarolSwainSpeaks
