When, not if.

Sometimes it’s not a question of if, but when. This is no more clearly spelled out than in the Book of James. If you’ve never read James, I urge you to do so. It’s one of my favorites in all of the Bible. However, I must warn you, it’s not for the faint of heart. The Book of James is very heavy and very convicting.

James 1:2 (NLT) reads, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” You probably have to do a double-take after reading that sentence, huh? How in the world can troubles be a joyful occasion?

The next verse tells you, “For you know when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” James is basically saying that when, not if, but when troubles come your way, consider it a joyful experience for God is testing you in order to shape you into the person he desires you to be. God is putting us to the test, hoping we’ve learned to rely on Him rather than ourselves.

Do you rely on God or do you rely on yourself? When trouble comes, do you try to overcome it through prayer and obedience or through your own power? It’s okay, you can answer honestly. There are many times that I’ve tried to “fix” the problem on my own as well. However, the Bible tells me to turn my attention to God and allow him to fix it.

James 1:4 (NLT) goes on to say, “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” I told you it was heavy. James is saying there will be adversity, pain, struggles, and loss. It’s done, not as punishment, but to shape you into the person that God desires you to be. And when He’s done, you will be perfect in God’s eyes.

May love be your highest goal.

I had the privilege this past year of marrying my best friend. There were certainly some touch-and-go moments as we were preparing for a destination wedding amid a global pandemic, but we made it work and everything was perfect. However, something really stuck with me during the ceremony.

As is the case at many weddings, our pastor cited 1 Corinthians 13, a chapter of Scripture that focuses on love. We’ve all heard it, right? 1 Corinthians 13:4-6 (NLT) says, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable and keeps no record of being wronged.”

While all that is true, our pastor cited the following chapter as well; 1 Corinthians 14:1 reads, “Let love be your highest goal!” Whoa! That’s good, right? Those six words have stuck with me from that day, and I’ve tried to put that into practice regularly. I’m a very goal-oriented person, but I’d never thought about making love a goal in my life.

The Apostle Peter tells us in 1 Peter 4:8 (NLT), “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” Another verse of Scripture from 1 John 4:7-8 (NLT) says, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

Jesus said in John 13:34-35 (NLT), “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” Let’s go show the world that we are followers of Jesus Christ. May love be your highest goal today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Don’t let it control you.

Sin is a word we’d rather not speak of in today’s society. I think of it oftentimes like Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter…”He Who Must Not Be Named.” However, we cannot just ignore it, for the Bible tells us in Genesis 4:7 (NLT) that “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you.”

That’s an eerie thought, isn’t it? But how true it is. We don’t like to admit it, but we have a deep-seated sinful nature that dates all the way back the Garden of Eden. Ever since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, sin has existed in the world.

Despite our desire to do good, acting in the flesh, we’re powerless to control the sin in our lives. That sinful nature lives in us, and as Paul says in Romans 7 (NLT), “…because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” But, there’s good news, and it’s found in the next chapter of Romans.

Romans 8:3 (NLT) reads, “The Law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent His own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins.”

A few lines later, Paul tells us how to cast off the shackles of sin. Romans 8:6 (NLT) says, “So letting your sinful nature control your life leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.” Allow the Spirit to guide your steps so that you may walk in peace.

May your joy be infectious.

My maternal grandmother’s name was Joy. Her name can be seen donning pillows, trinkets, and decorative items throughout the homes of my mom and my aunt who have great reverence for their mother. My hope is that joy may fill my home and yours as well.

In reading Philippians 4:4 (NLT), Paul challenges us to be joyful in all things. “Always be joyful in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!” The word that sticks out to me from that particular passage is ‘always’. Paul is saying to be joyful in all circumstances. Don’t forget, Paul was chained to a Roman soldier while writing his letter to the Philippians.

While it may be hard for us to wrap our minds around, we need to be joyful in the Lord regardless of our circumstances. We have the tendency to let our circumstances dictate our feelings, our emotions, and our mood. And while that’s a very human way to deal with things, it causes us to take our focus off God.

I want to challenge you to allow your joy to be infectious. Don’t let your circumstances restrict you from smiling. Don’t let a rainy day bring you down. Don’t let an illness overwhelm you and cast a shadow over your life. Don’t be held captive by loss. Be joyful; always. Remember that God is sovereign, and He has you right where you’re supposed to be at this very moment.

The next verse of Philippians 4 reads, “Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” (Philippians 4:5 NLT). If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, I don’t know what will.

Be humble.

This is a tough one, right? It’s so counterintuitive to our American way of life. We try our hardest to be No. 1. We’re taught that we’ve got to look out for ourselves first. However, we’re never more like Jesus Christ than when we’re humble.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” – Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

Finding that humble spirit is no easy task. It means putting others ahead of yourself. It means setting pride, arrogance, and assertiveness aside. There’s no room to be proud or arrogant when you put the needs of others ahead of your own.

Jesus Christ did that when he bore our sins on the cross. If anyone had the right to be proud or arrogant, it was Jesus. He was the Son of God. But instead, He laid down His life for us. There’s no more humble act than that.

Will you join me in trying to be more like Jesus Christ? During Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:5 NLT), He says that “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” That’s a promise worth pursuing.

What is discernment?

Discernment is not a word that’s tossed around very often in today’s society. However, discernment is vitally important for us to live out our lives the way God intended. Discernment is, in essence, the ability to see past the clutter of today’s jumbled world and ascertain the truth.

Fake news may be a relatively new term to us in the 21st century, but the idea of truth being stretched or outright lies being told in order to make people believe falsehoods is nothing new. The Apostle John tells us as much in 1 John 4:1 (NLT) – “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”

Discernment allows us to separate what’s accurate from what’s false. To separate truth from lies. One of my goals in putting together this blog is to encourage people through God’s Word. I believe what’s in the Bible to be accurate and inspired of God. If you believe that as well, I urge you to use the Scriptures as a guide to help you become more discerning.

I’m excited to go on this journey with you. In Ephesians 2:10, we’re called God’s masterpiece…created anew in Jesus Christ to do the good things he planned for us long ago. Let’s do those good things together. Thank you for joining me.