The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.
James 1:9-19

ok, it took me a few time through reading this passage to understand what was going on. it’s come down to these two things:

1. the brother who is in humble circumstances, i beleive to be meaning poor in this case, is to take pride in his high position in reguards to his relationship with Christ. partially because what else does he have? i know it’s harsh, but it’s kinda what i’m getting out of it.
2. the rich fellow should take pride in trials that bring him down from being so self centered. the easiest way to get rich alot of times (by the world standards, not mine) is to only care about yourself and just step on and go around everyone else around you, which in turn makes you very you centered. some study Bibles point to this as being the loss of wealth that the man should take pride in. i don’t think so, i think it’s more of the humbling experience before God that reminds the rich man that money is nothing compared to God.

one of the things i like about having lots of tools for reading is that i miss things alot of time. liek the fact that this section is between sections talking about trials, which is why i always thought about this section in terms of trials. it’s the little things that the Holy Spirit does that make Him so cool.

just a little something to think about. no matter where you are on the money ladder, trials are there to bring you closer to God, no matter what the trial is.

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!
John 8:42-45

one of the lies the enemy tries to use is that: “you’re never going to get any better. you can’t do anything, so why try? just give up now!” but that’s contradictory to what God says He does in our lives. God loves us and thus is in the process of ever changing us into his likeness. we have been given many tools to this end, cheif amound them for me is prayer.

prayer is a way for me to work things out. which parts the enemy is trying to input, the parts that i’m inserting to try to explain it all, and the part that God is contributing that i’m missing. it’s usually in these times of prayer that God reviels to me what the lie is (my problem is that i second guess that i’m hearing right).

to be honest this was the first time i’ve written an article and then found versus for what i was thinking about. funny thing is that the verses i found opened up some ideas that i hadn’t thought of at the time of the original writing. the only real way i’ve known the truth about the voices in my head has been through praying and with God’s help. interesting how some things just don’t get thought about much until you get slapped up-side the head.

in the end, the point i’m really trying to get across is to not beleive the lies that the enemy lobs, throws, and launches at us. so what to do? pray, pray to know the truth.