[Faith-talk] Fwd: Morning Thoughts for Thursday, October 27, 2011

[Amy Ragain]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Stephen Smith <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Date: October 27, 2011 7:48:12 AM CDT
> To: Morning Thoughts 1 <stevesmith1943 at me.com>
> Subject: Morning Thoughts for Thursday, October 27, 2011
> 
> James 1:1-27 (NASB)  Testing Your Faith
> [Jas 1:1] James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
> To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
> [2]  Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
> [5]  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. [6] But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. [7] For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, [8] being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
> [9]  But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; [10] and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. [11] For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
> [12]  Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. [13] Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. [14] But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. [15] Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. [16] Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. [17] Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. [18] In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
> [19] *This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. [21] Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. [22] But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. [23] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; [24] for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. [25] But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
> [26]  If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. [27] Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
> 
> Good morning Savior, Lord Jesus!!  WOW!  What a lot of meat to chew this morning!!  How well fed I am, beyond my imagination, so much have You given me!!  Father, I love Your Word, even when I don't understand it all, for I know it is Truth, Your Gift of Love to me.  In it are all the tools and resources I need for life, for contentment, for purpose.  The mystery of Your Word is that as I seek You in prayer, You reveal more and more of Your Truth to me.  As I exercise that Truth, my faith becomes stronger.  Yet I would not have faith were it not for You, Savior, who came down from Your throne in Heaven to show us the way, to call us to service, to die for our sins, to rise again and leave us with Your Holy Spirit, who gives all strength, wisdom and compassion to those who will follow Your Way.    Thank You for not giving up on me Lord, but for persevering with my slow and stubborn mind, transforming it bit-by-bit, to morph into the design of Your Heart.  Being tested is not my desire, but it is the way of Your Word, and so be it, let the testing come!!  I Love You Jesus Christ!!
> 
> Good morning blessed, beloved and beautiful family!!  How blessed I am to be surrounded by you and the beauty of your lives!! As you testify to the wonders God works in your lives, my spirit is lifted high.  As you report the trials and struggles of life on Earth, I am convicted in my spirit to join in prayers of petition and intercession, knowing fully that the day will come when those trials will morph into testimonies of victory and choruses of praise to God, the Author of Life.  This is the Hope that keeps me going, the sure knowledge that God hears the prayers of the righteous, and we, who believe in , trust and follow Jesus Christ, have been made righteous in His sight.  So now that we've received the privilege of petitioning God, we know He hears.  His answers are not always what we expect, what we hope for in our finite and narrow perspectives, but His answers are ALWAYS right, and best for our beings in the light of eternity.
> 
> And so it is that as we approach the time of year when many - most seek the pleasure(?) of perpetual "fear", we must ponder the question: "How is God glorified in all the preoccupation of witches, goblins, ghouls, ghosts, death, snakes, spiders, and every other scary thing?"  Earlier, I read from Isaiah 57.  There is description of true horror in the midst of that chapter, worse even than the holocausts of all the world's wars combined, and yet, in the end God is able to rescue His own from the worst nightmares imaginable - because of His great love and compassion for His people.
> 
> Check out verses 13-15 above, and seek the leading of God's Holy Spirit to direct your thoughts and desires along the Way that leads to life, communion with the saints, and fellowship with God.     The blood of Christ was shed on the cross to save us all from the grip of sin in our lives.  For those who have accepted that sacrifice, what could draw us back again into the miry clay of the pit of sin and evil??  For surely, as God saved us, He provides a way of escape, which we can choose to follow - or not.
> 
> May your day be blessed with the presence of God in all your thoughts and actions as you seek to glorify God in all your ways.
> 
> With great love, hope and joy in the faith of jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!!
> 
> <3Steve:-))