Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Help me to see wonderful things from Your Word as I read the Book of James. Help to rid myself of the sinful, selfish things that weigh me down and to desire the refreshment of Your truth. Reveal your will for me as I listen to your Spirit today. In Jesus name, Amen

The first part of James 2 is James’ exhortation regarding partiality and our need to guard ourselves from it.  In order to rightfully exhibit the love of God for people and rightfully exhibit His value of people, WE MUST actively put others before ourselves.  Not only is discrimination shown by preferring to greet and/or help those who are cleaner looking or easier to work with, it is also shown by preferring to help myself over someone else.  What’s best for me? The thought “THAT’s not really in my comfort zone” - should be a non-issue!

James 1:2-3 "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." 

HIGHER MATH - Mathematical formulas work well with numbers, but not with people. That's why this equation in James 1 sounds unworkable: 

FAITH + TRIALS = PATIENCE 

Romans 8:26 says: “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Have you ever stopped to really consider what having Jesus in your life really means? And what He can do for you if you would allow Him to?

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you

John 14:16-18

No one likes to feel alone and without a friend. We all recognize the importance of friendship and the priceless gift that a true friend can be. Deep friendship—the kind marked by consistency, honesty, and sensitivity—is the standard which the Bible holds up to us

We were discussing this passage in our Life Group the other day, mostly concentrating on the names attributed to Jesus (Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace) when we landed on “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” It refers to Jesus establishing His kingdom and that it will exist for now and forever, but that it is the zeal of the Lord that will do it. He will rule in his sovereignty now and forevermore. But what is zeal according to the Bible? It’s not a word we really use all that much in this modern era. 

The Prophet Isaiah really likes to punch me in the gut every now and then. In this passage, Isaiah is calling Israel (in the midst of trial and suffering) to return to the Lord, reminding them that God’s mercy and plans go far beyond their finite human imaginations. But his reminder is both comforting and challenging. Comforting, because it means God sees what I can’t. Challenging, because it means I don’t always get to understand why things happen the way they do. 

When life doesn’t unfold the way I wanted it to, frustration rises.I get disappointed, and yes, sometimes even angry with God. Why didn’t He fix this situation? Why didn’t He answer my prayer the way I imagined?