Thursday 7 February 2008

Thursday Reading: James 1:2-6
 
Key Verse: James 1:5
5  But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and with no reproach, and it shall be given to him.
 
Devotion:
One of the biggest questions that we all face in our Christian lives is “why does it happen to me”. When we become Christians we like to think that our life is going to change and that we will no longer be bothered by the bad things in this world. Well, truth be told, the opposite is more likely to happen – the difference being that we now have Christ on our side so we will no longer loose! We may give in to the minor skirmishes, but we will not loose the battle. We will still give way to some temptations along the way because we are still the same human and still living in the same word, but we can fight those temptations if we are willing to ask for help.
 
The more that we are willing to learn to fight against the temptations, the more that we will grow stronger against them. There is nothing like on the job training to gain the most experience. No matter how much reading you do, there will always be a time when you have to put that knowledge into action... but don't let me persuade you from the reading! You have to know how to handle a situation before you can handle it. We don't all like to loose hope by failing in situations before figuring out how to win!
 
God is willing and able to help you to understand how to get the most out of life. He is willing and able to help you avoid certain situations in life. He is willing and able to help you to grow stronger so that you can stand up to situations... but each time, you are the one that has to make the first move to start the ball rolling. You are the one that has to stand up to the world for the first time and ask God for help to keep you on your feet. Do not be afraid, He has promised us that He will never leave us! Never doubt His love for us, His power, His faith. Do not doubt your faith otherwise you will be tripping yourself up!
 
Points to Ponder:
Do you think someone else is in control of your life?
 
Have you ever realised that God is the one who is in control?