James 1: 1-19 Faith Under Pressure

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201:1-19&version=65

Reading from The Message:
When things seem upside down, we turn to the scriptures to find what God explains to be up side up. We often can’t comprehend what is truly a blessing or success and what is a curse or defeat. James, the brother of Jesus, and a leader of the early church in Jerusalem is in a position of being able, with the help of God’s Holy Spirit, to help people in his day and ours with similar challenges. It is more than attitude, it is altitude…being above our circumstances. Consider it pure joy???? whenever you face trials of many kinds.
God obviously needed to place Joseph in authority in Egypt. Yet in the process of getting there it seemed that it was one failure after another. However, Joseph held fast in his faith and lived to see God pour out unimaginable blessing through Joseph.
Job had more than his share of trouble. His wife in essence, counseled him to curse God and commit suicide. His friends questioned his honour. Yet Job remained faithful to God in the midst of no answers and confusion. God honoured Job ’s loyalty and Job ends by praising God for all that he has learned throughout his time of utter and seemingly futile dependence on God.
Do we need to consider Daniel and his friends Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego? Whether a den of lions or an overheated oven, their faith remained constant. They did not understand but they knew of no better place to put their trust.
It is hard to imagine more glorious praise being lifted to heaven than the faithfulness of His people when under stress. Grapes under pressure produce the fine wines. Steel produced under great pressure produces the strongest steel. And Christians living their lives for God in the midst of life’s confusing dilemmas are magnificent testimonies of the faithfulness of our God. Show me the person that has most influenced you in your faith and I will show you a person that has counted the cost and chosen to remain faithful to Christ throughout their trials. I’m feel sure that such people know the experience of apparent failure when it seems that wrong is victorious and that the heavens are as brass…their prayers and questions seem to go unanswered.
Listen to what James has to say: "Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance….so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Blessed is the man or woman who perseveres under trial because when he or she has stood the test, he or she will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

Noel