Trials
And Temptations
James,
a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To
the Twelve Tribes scattered among the Nations.
Greetings.
2
Consider it Pure Joy, my brothers,
Whenever
you face Trials of many kinds,
3
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH
PRODUCES
PERSEVERANCE.
4
And Perseverance Must Finish its Work
So
that you may be Mature and Complete,
Not
Lacking Anything.
5
If any of you Lacks Wisdom, he should ask God,
Who
gives Generously to ALL without finding Fault,
And
it will be given to him.
6
But when he asks, he must Believe and Not Doubt,
Because
he who Doubts is like a Wave of the Sea,
Blown
and Tossed by the wind.
7
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;
8
HE IS A DOUBLE MINDED MAN, UNSTABLE IN ALL HE DOES.
9
The brother in Humble Circumstances
Ought
to take Pride in his High Position.
10
But the one who is Rich should take Pride in his Low Position,
Because
he will pass away like a wild flower.
11
For the sun rises with Scorching Heat and withers the Plant;
Its
Blossom falls and its Beauty is Destroyed.
In
the same way, the Rich man will Fade away
Even
while he goes about his business.
12
BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO PERSEVERES UNDER TRIAL,
Because
when he has Stood The TEST,
HE
WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE
That
God has Promised to those who love Him.
13
When Tempted, no one should say,
'God
Is Tempting Me.'
For
God cannot be Tempted by Evil,
Nor
does He Tempt anyone;
14
But each one is Tempted when,
BY
HIS OWN EVIL DESIRE,
He
is Dragged Away and Enticed.
15
THEN, AFTER DESIRE HAS CONCEIVED,
IT
GIVES BIRTH TO SIN;
AND
SIN WHEN IT IS FULLGROWN,
GIVES
BIRTH TO DEATH.
16
Don't be Deceived, my dear brothers.
17
EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE,
Coming
down from the Father of the Heavenly Lights,
WHO
DOES NOT CHANGE LIKE THE SHIFTING SHADOWS.
18
HE CHOSE TO GIVE US BIRTH
THROUGH
THE WORD OF TRUTH,
That
we might be a kind of First-fruits of all He Created.
Listening
And Doing
19
My dear brothers, take not e of this:
EVERYONE SHOULD BE QUICK TO LISTEN,
SLOW
TO SPEAK AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY,
20
For man's anger does not bring about the Righteous life
That
God desires.
21
DO NOT MERELY LISTEN TO THE WORD,
AND
SO DECEIVE YOURSELVES.
DO
WHAT IT SAYS.
23
Anyone who listens to the Word
But
does not do what it says
Is
like a man who looks at his face in a mirror
24
And after looking at himself,
Goes
away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
25
But the man who looks intently
INTO
THE PERFECT LAW THAT GIVES FREEDOM,
And
continues to do this,
Not
forgetting what he has heard,
BUT
DOING IT--
He
will be Blessed in what he does.
26
If anyone considers himself Religious
And
yet does not keep a Tight Reign on his Tongue,
HE
DECEIVES HIMSELF
AND
HIS RELIGION IS WORTHLESS.
27
Religion that God our Father accepts
As
Pure and Faultless is this:
TO
LOOK AFTER ORPHANS AND WIDOWS
IN
THEIR DISTRESS
AND
TO KEEP ONESELF FROM BEING POLLUTED BY THE WORLD.
(James
1)
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