Daily devotion – Start the week strong
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Monday morning, time to ‘chew over’ , to meditate on what the Lord spoke to us about Sunday. How do we tackle this week? What do I need to repent of and what do I need to implement, what do I need to learn?
We will face some tests this week that God will allow in our lives to help us to grow. God tests us to bring out the best in us. Satan tempts us, a very different word, and he does this to bring out the worst in us.
Satan baits the hook with what ‘seems’ good. We take the bait and end up doing something we wish we hadn’t. We can overcome the tempter by having faith and putting on our armour (Ephesians 6) that God has provided.
By utilising God’s Word, by praying, by trusting, by keeping in fellowship, God will provide the way of escape for all of us.
1Co 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
It’s Monday morning, let us depend on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide and keep us this week!