now james, a little book in the back of the bible is a manual on maturity. to find out how to measure spiritual maturity we need to see what the bible says. now the word “mature” in greek is the word “teleaos” – it’s translated mature, complete, perfect and james uses this word five times in five chapters. james is a manual on how to be mature. james gives us some marks of maturity.
one of them is a mature person is positive under pressure. are you positive under pressure?
james 1.2-4 (msg), consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. you know that 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.
how do you handle trials? how do you handle problems? the first test of maturity is how you react to problems.
do they blow you away? do you get nervous, uptight, negative? do you gripe and grumble? how do you handle problems?
man alive pastor, that is none of your business? and you are right, it is none of my business but it is CHRIST’s business if you call yourself a follower of CHRIST.
you see CHRISTianity is life. it’s not religion, it’s a life. it is not what you do in church on sunday it’s what you do on monday.
JESUS said, I’ve come that you might have life. life means problems and a part of life is solving problems and facing them with the right attitude.
what is your natural attitude; your natural bent when things don’t go right and you’re irritated? are you negative or positive? are you basically a supportive person or are you a skeptical person? is your life filled with gratitude or grumbling? are you affirmative or are you angry most of the time?
james 1.12 (niv) says, blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that GOD has promised to those who love HIM.
you can be great in knowledge of the bible and be cantankerous as all get out! are you positive under pressure?
just a thought from the front porch…
2 comments:
after my marriage when i moved to my husband's house and got one small room to live instead of my bid wide village home for sixteen years,
my dear mom in law was slightly mentally sick ,for sixteen years i was not allow to sleep properly and in such pressures my writing and poetry took painful turn after long twelve years break,
but still i survived by the grace and strength of creator which he gave me,depth of my belief went more deep and strong in god while living there,
thank you so much, baili for sharing that. God is there maturing and strengthening us during difficult times. again thank you for sharing.
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