Dear Daily Message Readers,
READ: Philippians 4:1-9 and James 1:1-4
James 1:2-3 (NIV) "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
After William Carey was well established in his pioneer missionary work in India, his supporters in England sent a printer to assist him. Soon the two men were turning out portions of the Bible for distribution. Carey had spent many years learning the language so that he could produce the scriptures in the local dialect. He had also prepared dictionaries and grammars for the use of his successors.
One day while Carey was away, a fire broke out and completely destroyed the building, the presses, many Bibles, and the precious manuscripts, dictionaries, and grammars. When he returned and was told of the tragic loss, he showed no sign of despair or impatience. Instead, he knelt and thanked God that he still had the strength to do the work over again. He started immediately, not wasting a moment in self-pity. Before his death, he had duplicated and even improved on his earlier achievements (Christianglobe.com).
Finding a reason to rejoice in difficult times is tough. It certainly must have been for William Carey and even more for the apostle Paul. Yet, while imprisoned in Rome, the apostle wrote a heartfelt letter to the struggling group of believers in Philippi, encouraging them to look beyond their circumstances and praise God for the chance to become more like Jesus through the journey. He instructed them to rejoice in the Lord always" (4:4) and to meditate on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (4:8). Paul didn't tell them to deny their worries, fears, or true feelings about their many tribulation periods, but to give them to God through prayer and supplication (4:6).
Today, rather than concentrating on the trials of life, fix your attention on its blessings, on its end results (e.g., the developed character you will gain). If we keep praising Him, we won't be distracted by life's tests.
Faith Lesson: Don't focus your thoughts on your troubles. Instead, remember to count your blessings!
In Christ,
Darin Smith
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READ: Philippians 4:1-9 and James 1:1-4
James 1:2-3 (NIV) "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
After William Carey was well established in his pioneer missionary work in India, his supporters in England sent a printer to assist him. Soon the two men were turning out portions of the Bible for distribution. Carey had spent many years learning the language so that he could produce the scriptures in the local dialect. He had also prepared dictionaries and grammars for the use of his successors.
One day while Carey was away, a fire broke out and completely destroyed the building, the presses, many Bibles, and the precious manuscripts, dictionaries, and grammars. When he returned and was told of the tragic loss, he showed no sign of despair or impatience. Instead, he knelt and thanked God that he still had the strength to do the work over again. He started immediately, not wasting a moment in self-pity. Before his death, he had duplicated and even improved on his earlier achievements (Christianglobe.com).
Finding a reason to rejoice in difficult times is tough. It certainly must have been for William Carey and even more for the apostle Paul. Yet, while imprisoned in Rome, the apostle wrote a heartfelt letter to the struggling group of believers in Philippi, encouraging them to look beyond their circumstances and praise God for the chance to become more like Jesus through the journey. He instructed them to rejoice in the Lord always" (4:4) and to meditate on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (4:8). Paul didn't tell them to deny their worries, fears, or true feelings about their many tribulation periods, but to give them to God through prayer and supplication (4:6).
Today, rather than concentrating on the trials of life, fix your attention on its blessings, on its end results (e.g., the developed character you will gain). If we keep praising Him, we won't be distracted by life's tests.
Faith Lesson: Don't focus your thoughts on your troubles. Instead, remember to count your blessings!
In Christ,
Darin Smith
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Check out the Daily Message Devotional's new and full-featured website at http://www.dailymessage.org
To subscribe to the Daily Message Devotional mailing list, please send a blank email to UICDevotions-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
