Are You Under Pressure Today?
"Under pressure, your faith-life...shows its true colors." James 1:2 MSG
It takes a long time and an incredible amount of pressure to turn a worthless piece of carbon into a valuable diamond. That's why James writes: "Consider it a sheer gift...when tests and challenges come at you from all sides...under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way" (vv. 2-4 MSG). Once you grasp that scriptural truth, whenever your life is interrupted by problems or circumstances you didn't anticipate, you'll begin to see God's hand at work in all of it. The truth is that you're either in a trial right now, just coming out of one, or heading toward the next one. James talks about "various trials" (v. 2 NAS); they come in every conceivable variety. Like the letters you get in your mailbox, some are addressed simply to "The Occupant." Will Rogers once read a newspaper headline that said, "Innocent Bystander Shot in New York." He quipped, "How about that? All you have to do to get shot in New York is be innocent and stand by!" That's how it is with life's trials. Just stand by--and you'll get hit. But the fact remains that it takes adversity to produce spiritual maturity. It can't come any other way. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NIV). Jesus was an overcomer, and because He lives in you today, you can be an overcomer too.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
It takes a long time and an incredible amount of pressure to turn a worthless piece of carbon into a valuable diamond. That's why James writes: "Consider it a sheer gift...when tests and challenges come at you from all sides...under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way" (vv. 2-4 MSG). Once you grasp that scriptural truth, whenever your life is interrupted by problems or circumstances you didn't anticipate, you'll begin to see God's hand at work in all of it. The truth is that you're either in a trial right now, just coming out of one, or heading toward the next one. James talks about "various trials" (v. 2 NAS); they come in every conceivable variety. Like the letters you get in your mailbox, some are addressed simply to "The Occupant." Will Rogers once read a newspaper headline that said, "Innocent Bystander Shot in New York." He quipped, "How about that? All you have to do to get shot in New York is be innocent and stand by!" That's how it is with life's trials. Just stand by--and you'll get hit. But the fact remains that it takes adversity to produce spiritual maturity. It can't come any other way. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33 NIV). Jesus was an overcomer, and because He lives in you today, you can be an overcomer too.
This message taken from: Daily Devotional - The Word For You Today
Recent
Archive
2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSERVING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIAITONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE."KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATTITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDIATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVEBUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE “THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD”CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS — NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREaTER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD’S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE….IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?“OVERNIGHT SUCCESS” USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE’S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS “AT WORK IN YOU”OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD’S WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS “WITH YOU”
Categories
no categories