Comments on: James 1:2-8 http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/james-12-8/ "Surely then you will count my steps, but not keep track of my sin.” Job 14:16 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:42:48 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: barry http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/james-12-8/#comment-852 barry Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:02:14 +0000 http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-852 I should be laden with joy by now.....but I am not.....When I think just of me....I don't feel much joy...but when I think of others- then there is joy.....I think I will think of others like some good people who prolly saved my life....They have a nice little church around 37th and ave A in Lubbock.... <strong><em>BARRY..YOU BROUGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THAT LITTLE PLACE ON AVENUE A. GOD IS WORKING IN YOUR LIFE NOW, JUST LIKE HE WAS WHEN HE CROSSED YOUR PATH WITH OURS. HE DOESN'T ALWAYS ANSWER YOUR PRAYER BY THURSDAY (AS REX WOULD SAY), BUT HE HEARS. AND HE IS WORKING. REST IN THAT KNOWLEDGE. MISS YOU. AND STILL PRAYING....</em></strong> I should be laden with joy by now…..but I am not…..When I think just of me….I don’t feel much joy…but when I think of others- then there is joy…..I think I will think of others like some good people who prolly saved my life….They have a nice little church around 37th and ave A in Lubbock….

BARRY..YOU BROUGHT SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THAT LITTLE PLACE ON AVENUE A. GOD IS WORKING IN YOUR LIFE NOW, JUST LIKE HE WAS WHEN HE CROSSED YOUR PATH WITH OURS. HE DOESN’T ALWAYS ANSWER YOUR PRAYER BY THURSDAY (AS REX WOULD SAY), BUT HE HEARS. AND HE IS WORKING. REST IN THAT KNOWLEDGE. MISS YOU. AND STILL PRAYING….

]]> By: oakesclan http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/james-12-8/#comment-847 oakesclan Thu, 23 Jul 2009 23:26:50 +0000 http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-847 In Jesus Christ we are gifted with a joy that not even trials can remove from our hearts. We have to note the differences between mere happiness (which while fun, is not the spiritual blessing we have in Christ) and joy. To make this distinction is not always easy for me to do...how about you? There are feelings that go along with the facts of our lives. And while joy is not to be defined as that "happy-go-lucky, don't worry, be happy" feeling that comes when things are well in my little world, nevertheless I enjoy such feelings immensely when they come and I can have those feelings at times in my life and still be in possession of that deeper joy Christ gives us. But this joy of which James speaks, is deeper isn't it? Much deeper. It's joy that endures and survives and is even strengthened by trials. It's not grinning in the midst of trials. It's expecting God to do His faithful work even through trials. It's knowing He's with us and we are not suffering purposelessly (did I invent a word?). It's knowing that trials of whatever length (even life-long) cannot last forever, but we will last forever. Sherry, I hope the summer is going well for you and yours. Will you punch Rex for me? Remind him he owes me a visit...big time! God bless. <em><strong>WE HAVE TALKED OFTEN ABOUT THAT FACT WE ARE NOT PROMISED HAPPINESS...BECAUSE HAPPINESS IS BASED ON HAPPENINGS. IT'S A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS. JOY AND BEING BLESSED ARE THE CONSTANT STRAIGHT LINE THAT PLOWS RIGHT THRU THE ROLLERCOASTER OF HAPPINESS! GOD IS WITH US AND WORKING IN OUR LIVES NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE. I LIKE THE WORD PURPOSELESSLY...FEEL FREE TO INVENT WORDS WHENEVER YOU NEED TO DO SO! :-D AND I WILL REMIND REX...I THINK YOU NEED TO COME HERE SOMETIME TOO! THANKS FOR STOPPING BY</strong></em>! In Jesus Christ we are gifted with a joy that not even trials can remove from our hearts. We have to note the differences between mere happiness (which while fun, is not the spiritual blessing we have in Christ) and joy. To make this distinction is not always easy for me to do…how about you? There are feelings that go along with the facts of our lives. And while joy is not to be defined as that “happy-go-lucky, don’t worry, be happy” feeling that comes when things are well in my little world, nevertheless I enjoy such feelings immensely when they come and I can have those feelings at times in my life and still be in possession of that deeper joy Christ gives us. But this joy of which James speaks, is deeper isn’t it? Much deeper. It’s joy that endures and survives and is even strengthened by trials. It’s not grinning in the midst of trials. It’s expecting God to do His faithful work even through trials. It’s knowing He’s with us and we are not suffering purposelessly (did I invent a word?). It’s knowing that trials of whatever length (even life-long) cannot last forever, but we will last forever.

Sherry, I hope the summer is going well for you and yours. Will you punch Rex for me? Remind him he owes me a visit…big time!
God bless.

WE HAVE TALKED OFTEN ABOUT THAT FACT WE ARE NOT PROMISED HAPPINESS…BECAUSE HAPPINESS IS BASED ON HAPPENINGS. IT’S A ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS. JOY AND BEING BLESSED ARE THE CONSTANT STRAIGHT LINE THAT PLOWS RIGHT THRU THE ROLLERCOASTER OF HAPPINESS! GOD IS WITH US AND WORKING IN OUR LIVES NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE.

I LIKE THE WORD PURPOSELESSLY…FEEL FREE TO INVENT WORDS WHENEVER YOU NEED TO DO SO! :-D AND I WILL REMIND REX…I THINK YOU NEED TO COME HERE SOMETIME TOO! THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!

]]> By: cemotosnack http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/james-12-8/#comment-833 cemotosnack Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:33:29 +0000 http://sherryfisher.wordpress.com/?p=243#comment-833 What jumps out at me today is that I am to ask. I used to have a hard time asking people for help ... asking God for help. Whether it was help for me or someone else, I just didn't like asking. Once I learned that God wanted me to ask I kind-of took off. Now I'm always asking. I know that He wants me to voice my questions and petitions. But then it says "believe and don't doubt". I have a lot harder time not doubting. I know this to be true because just like the verse says I feel blown and tossed by the wind just like a wave. In fact, my doubt comes in waves. One minute I have a sense of belief ... a secure feeling that God will answer in my best interest. I know that I may not like the course He leads me on, but that it will end with Him if I only trust. Then next minute I just don't seem to be able to muster that secure feeling. Doubt creeps in and I begin to experience waves of emotion and moodiness. Once I realize the irrational thoughts that bring that doubt into my mind I'm once again able to believe. I don't want be unstable and double-minded. The rewards for the single-minded woman of faith are so much greater ... the main reward being peace of mind ... which is priceless. <strong><em>THE PEACE THAT COMES FROM KNOWING THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US...DO WHAT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST...IS AMAZING. I SEEM TO HAVE A HARD TIME HANGING ONTO THAT PEACE. I SAY THAT I TRUST HIM, BUT THEN TURN AROUND AND WORRY. THAT'S COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO SAY THE LEAST ISN'T IT? I WANT WISDOM, BUT FORGET TO SEEK HIS WISDOM WHEN FACING CHOICES IN MY LIFE. I ASK HIM TO BLESS ME OR MY FRIENDS, BUT FAIL TO ASK HIM FOR SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS THAT I WANT. OF COURSE I WANT HIS WILL TO SUPERCEDE MY WANTS BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS...HE WANTS ME TO ASK! AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, HE WANTS US TO BELIEVE WHEN WE ASK. THAT REQUIRES ME TO UNDO YEARS OF THINKING THAT ASKING GOD FOR SOMETHING I WANTED WAS SELFISH AND HE WOULD PUNISH ME INSTEAD OF BLESS ME. ASK AND BELIEVE....SIMPLE BUT NOT ALWAYS EASY RIGHT?</em></strong> What jumps out at me today is that I am to ask. I used to have a hard time asking people for help … asking God for help. Whether it was help for me or someone else, I just didn’t like asking. Once I learned that God wanted me to ask I kind-of took off. Now I’m always asking. I know that He wants me to voice my questions and petitions.

But then it says “believe and don’t doubt”. I have a lot harder time not doubting. I know this to be true because just like the verse says I feel blown and tossed by the wind just like a wave. In fact, my doubt comes in waves. One minute I have a sense of belief … a secure feeling that God will answer in my best interest. I know that I may not like the course He leads me on, but that it will end with Him if I only trust. Then next minute I just don’t seem to be able to muster that secure feeling. Doubt creeps in and I begin to experience waves of emotion and moodiness.

Once I realize the irrational thoughts that bring that doubt into my mind I’m once again able to believe.

I don’t want be unstable and double-minded. The rewards for the single-minded woman of faith are so much greater … the main reward being peace of mind … which is priceless.

THE PEACE THAT COMES FROM KNOWING THAT GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US…DO WHAT IS IN OUR BEST INTEREST…IS AMAZING. I SEEM TO HAVE A HARD TIME HANGING ONTO THAT PEACE. I SAY THAT I TRUST HIM, BUT THEN TURN AROUND AND WORRY. THAT’S COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE TO SAY THE LEAST ISN’T IT? I WANT WISDOM, BUT FORGET TO SEEK HIS WISDOM WHEN FACING CHOICES IN MY LIFE. I ASK HIM TO BLESS ME OR MY FRIENDS, BUT FAIL TO ASK HIM FOR SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS THAT I WANT. OF COURSE I WANT HIS WILL TO SUPERCEDE MY WANTS BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS…HE WANTS ME TO ASK! AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, HE WANTS US TO BELIEVE WHEN WE ASK. THAT REQUIRES ME TO UNDO YEARS OF THINKING THAT ASKING GOD FOR SOMETHING I WANTED WAS SELFISH AND HE WOULD PUNISH ME INSTEAD OF BLESS ME. ASK AND BELIEVE….SIMPLE BUT NOT ALWAYS EASY RIGHT?

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