Counting

" Count it all joy,

my brothers,

when you meet trials

of various kinds,

for you know

that the testing

of your faith

produces

steadfastness."

James 1:2-3

How do you count it joy when times are hard. When you feel joyless? When you realize your not very happy about the present circumstance. How do you rejoice in your sufferings? What does this all mean when we are called to 'give thanks in everything' ?

Counting seems to suggest a perspective. A new way of life. This new life must be counted and counted and recounted and recounted, because frankly the normal way of life produces depression, anger, and grumbling. If we don't "count" I don't think we are going to arrive at the life Jesus wants for us. I do think its a choice. He said to "come" , He said to "drink" . This implies an act or decision on our parts to choose joy. He wants to give us Life abundantly, but are we even asking? Are we even seeking? Are we even available and open to the daily things of God? His benefits are rich.

IN the midst of trials. And trials being various. Are we counting this as a joy , or stressing our way to the finish line of the circumstance. There will be no fruit without steadfastness. There will be no joy produced without a little fight. Are we fighting for joy?

Sometimes it seems modern men have lost the edge to fight. We may think fighting pertains only to aggression. But real fighting takes place at the altar of God. Prayer must inhabit its people. Praying for joy might be a good start. "Restore in me God, the joy of your salvation" Again I will say 'Rejoice!'

' The joy of Lord is our strength'

May God remove the blinders off my eyes so that I might see His blessings. May He remove the hardness of my heart so that I may feel His goodness. May He restore in me the joy of my salvation and bless me so that I may bless others and show them the joy that is found in Christ. Amen.

even

Even though you basically have everything you have ever dreamed of: the fact still remains life is hard. In our modern minds, we think a certain level of achievement or success, or the literal actual tangible dreams of kids, career, and home are met, we will be finally happy and content. But that is not true...our life is yes very blessed and other may envy it or want it, but that doesn't mean its "easy". Its the pride we have in these modern times to look "over the shoulder" and see who could possibly be behind us, or in most cases... ahead. Maybe the worst: the "same". CS Lewis said it best, 'its the comparison that makes us prideful, pride is mere competition'. Without saying it, but almost identically posting it, we are creating an environment of mere competition. I think that is the danger with today's times in men and women alike. More so I would imagine among women with the rise of social media. But more so men in the area that women are the ones still fueling the fire mostly on the materialistic need to live. Now that's super mean right to women? I guess it is. Men want nice things too. But it does seem the urge comes from the mere pressure to just have more. All this is fine. Even without this struggle....mmk okay. Even without this "stuff" or sin present. Life is still hard.

Freedom

Freedom seems to be the topic at hand...
Freedom from what? Myself?
Freedom from Religion is clear from what Paul is saying to the Galatians. Freedom to only have Christ, not Christ + something else.
I think I understand this pretty well, but other areas of my life I am not sure...
I am not free from worry, I am not free from money's control
Freedom must also mean Victory
Can you have Victory without Freedom?

Can you have Freedom without Victory?

WOW

Reading and looking back at our lives those past crazy days and months of our home remodel... about April 17 to Oct 17 , those were some rough days. And here I sit looking at them , tomorrow is May 1st 2018. And God was faithful. Some pangs still linger on, some of the same sin, still is present. We are still "working" on our house, it has become a never ceasing event, going from one project to the next. Living with my parents was pretty rough, we are finally at a place to say "yeah that was rough". God taught me some valuable things during the process. I don't do well to be Angry. He is my Shield. He works things out according to His plan.

How though am I still hurting ? How am I still doing the same "stuff"? Not being patient, focusing way too much on earnings and how to spend those earnings. The Focus of our lives must be on the Central aspect of our lives, the Cross of Jesus, the Relationship of His Spirit, and our daily surrender to the Father. This One Thing, that is to be willed, this One Thing, that is to be the focus our watch. Is the One Thing we reject constantly. We neglect , we quench, and we do not pray. We instead bark, complain, and mouth curses. Our hearts should be full of trust, instead greed. Bitterness and resentment towards any that would come between our comforts that we are now entitled to. Trampling the souls that would come near. Why? What was the lesson? Was there sanctification or just mere change of circumstantial surroundings?

Date we finally moved in : I wrote this:

When our souls are tied up to

material pleasures...

they will never be happy

 

When our idol is money,

we wont have enough

 

When our idol is our home,

it will always

have something

wrong with it.

 

 

Its good to remember. Apart from God we are nothing. We have nothing. We are not happy. We are not at peace. We cannot serve money/mammon and love our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and body. Peace with this world, is enmity with God.