THINK BEYOND THE MOMENT 

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

 

Let me ask you what is the greatest struggle in our lives? What is the one thing that we fight the most to prevent? 

What is the one thing in your life that is the most unstable in your life?

 I want to suggest to you that our greatest struggle is against the thief in our lives and that thief is CHANGE. 

 

It seems as if it were yesterday I was complaining because I was turning 30, now I’m 66

Just yesterday I was young, and today without warning, everything has changed. 

 

Overnight you can lose yourself, your family, your work, reward, and your mind just because of CHANGE.

 James spoke to a group of people who were by all accounts in a place where no one would have been upset if they would have given up. They were in danger of losing themselves. 

Their homes were lost, everything and everyone that they cared about gone. A deep sense of depression was overshadowing them. 

 

 He comes to remind them that God has given them power for the adversity. Faith and the Power to Process (think).  

 He is saying when trouble comes: RESPOND CORRECTLY.

 

 CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS  

Have you ever noticed that waiting in the dental office is often more painful than the procedure?  

Also, the pain you go through at the dental office removes the pain you could not endure. 

He is saying don’t let where you are and what you’re going through tell you how to think.

 

That’s the trouble with trouble does it comes just to upset your day, or to keep you up at night. IT WANTS TO DICTATE HOW YOU THINK

 

I want to encourage you to COUNT IT JOY…knowing that this is just a test of your faith. You are not alone, and God has given you everything you need to overcome, so hold on to your faith and think beyond this moment and grasp the Joy that is yours. 

 

God Bless, Pastor Colley