Before gold is pure it must be tested in the fire. The trials which come your way will test your faith, and out of your struggles your faith can emerge stronger than it ever was before
The rigors which the athlete has to undergo are not meant to make him collapse but to help him develop strength and staying power. For the Christian, our trials are not meant to take the strength out of us, but to put the strength into us. Endurance through trials produces strength.There is no doubt that you will experience trials in your Christian life.
Some new Christians mistakenly believe that being a Christian means living a life free of hassles and struggles. God never promised us freedom from trials; He promised us that He would walk with us through the trials and help us to endure our hardships. No one looks forward to trials, but trials can produce a stronger faith.
You can withstand anything that comes if you remember that every trial is actually a test
Who is wise and understanding among you ?
Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
But if you harbor bitter, envy, and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
Such "wisdom " does not come dowm from heaven but is earhtly ,unspiritual, of the devil.
For where you have envy and selfish ambition there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the Wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
james 3:13-18
A Diffent type of prayer
Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and was rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking fellow, begging for money in the same spot every day is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together."
As children the Golden Rule was said in our classrooms, teaching us to be fair and nice.
As adults, we now teach the next generation this same phrase. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
But do you truly act this way? Or is the Golden Rule just a looming phrase and a nice ideal? The words in Matthew 7:12 are the words of Jesus. These words are building blocks of compassion and kindness.
God shows us this kind of love every day. What can you do today to show an act of mercy or goodness? As Christians it is important to treat others the way Jesus would treat them…you may be the only Jesus someone ever sees.
