I was reading through the first chapter of James: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”
What?!
Pure joy?!
I was right in the middle of a trial, and I wouldn’t have immediately thought to consider it pure joy.
But as I thought about it, I realized something. James is not saying, “Look at the trial and feel happy.” No! He knows the visceral emotion partnered with trials is sorrow, not joy. But he says, “Consider it pure joy.” He’s referencing the intensity, not the exclusivity, of the joy. He is not saying, “Have only joy.” He’s saying, “Have the fullness of joy too.” Intensity, not exclusivity. This is important.
This devotion is based on the book Fighting Shadows by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson
Beyond the verifiable emotional and physical benefits of friendship and community, you need to know that were created for community. You were designed for friendship.
One of the many images that Scripture uses to describe those who confess a common faith in Jesus Christ is that of a family (Rom. 8:29; Gal. 6:10; 1 Peter 2:17). By God’s grace, we are adopted into the family of faith (Gal. 4:4-7; Eph. 1:5). But do we actually know this family? Do we know those who have walked before us as followers of Christ?
Here are Five reasons why pastors should introduce their congregations to theologians of the past: