JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Good News Focus is on James 1, verses 2 through 4.
“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.”
Here we see that there is purpose to the trials of our lives. That purpose is to grow in godly character. We may not like the trial, but we can rejoice in the fruit that is produces after we endure the trial.
The strong wings of a butterfly are made through the struggle to get out of the cocoon. If the struggle did not happen, the butterfly would likely never fly. In a similar way, our trials give us the opportunity to grow stronger in our faith.
Jesus is our source of Good News, leading us to a place of godly character in the Year of Vision.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today’s Eye on Integrity is based on James 1, verses 2 to 4.
“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.”
It is not unusual to come out of a trial with a very different mindset than when we entered into a trial. Something happens in the midst of a trial that humbles us to recognize our dependence on Jesus.
Coming out of a trial, we can usually be more sympathetic to other people in similar circumstances, because we have been there.
We rarely seek trials before they happen, but after they happen, we can often look back on their value to our faith. James has wise advice for our trials-Persevere. Another way of saying that is “Don’t give up.”
Walking in perseverance and maturity are virtues to embrace for our lives in the Year of Integrity.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
JOHN SHIRK – Today, WJTL remembers the perseverance of Job.
James 5:11 says, “As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
The story of Job is one of human tragedy and godly triumph. Here was a man who lost practically everything. Yet, he did not give up on God even though he suffered much pain without knowing why he was going down this road of human suffering.
One of his statements gives us insight into what God can do through our moments of hardship. Job said, “He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
Just as God took Job’s faith through the refinement process in the midst of his troubles, He can also use trials to purify us. First Peter 1:6 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
The perseverance of Job is a lesson of faith worth remembering.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
