Thanks for sharing this....I too thought it meant bad things that happened,
not temptation that I might face!
Still hard to count all bad thins or temptations that come my way all joy
though........still working on that one!
*smile*
Blessings!
Rhonda
-----Original Message-----
From: The Electronic Church [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of B Dunse
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 12:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Considering
When reading scripture I often times will find
myself scouring through the passage bit by bit,
word by word, through the Strong's Greek/Hebrew
Dictionary. You can find some real gems of
enlightenment doing this in various passages
assumed to mean somewhat differently than when
first read. As well it can challenge you to look
at the content of the passage as it relates to
surrounding scripture, as many times a word might
mean exceeding joy; happiness; satisfaction, and
also have in its definition, sadness; depression;
or the like. Often times this isn't quite as easy
to determine what is intended and one has need to
look at the context of what is being said to get
a clearer picture of the intent. Although reading
this morning did not give such a north pole-south
pole differentiation, I did pick up one bit of
cool information which the meaning of one word,
well actually two but mostly one word. The
scripture is James 1:2 through 5 reading in the
New American Standard Updated version:
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you
encounter various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces endurance. And let
endurance have its perfect result, so that you
may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
How many of you were like I when reading that
scripture and paraphrased it as "I got to put on
a smile through my rough times and hang in there
with faith and God will win, and I have faith in
God, so I'll win... eventually"
Perhaps you have clearer insight on that verse,
I'm happy to say reading this morning one word
changed it for me. First let's get through the
secondary reminder word that is often times read
into a little thick on the depressing side of
things, and then get to the word that to me at
least, isn't so clear in the translation
according to the definition when you look it up.
The first word here is the word ""trials". Strong's defines it as:
a putting to proof (by experiment [of good],
experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or
provocation); by implication, adversity: KJV - temptation, try.
So this word does have a meaning of bad things
that happen but also temptations, provocations,
that of being provoked towards something and such
things. So it doesn't limit the application of
this scripture to just a string of bad luck but
also warding off temptations in our lives. The
word various as a side note means diverse or even
diverse in character, not knowing where it is
derived even. So that is the secondary
enlightenment or really more a reminder of what
that word includes. The word that helped bring
this scripture to life is the word count or as
NASU says, consider. To me that always meant "do
your best to count it towards the half full glass
side of things". For instance maybe someone would
knock my guitar over in the stand and bust the
neck off and I would be feeling like I was just
punched in the belly and now need to get myself
sitting up straight again wondering how I'm going
to handle this and somehow out of this patience,
I'll be more complete. For you maybe its not a
guitar, maybe it is a financial thing, we all
know what that is about, or maybe a situation at
work or the like where you are feeling a bit
subservient or in some way you've been punched in
the belly and need to try to stand up straight.
Or, in the case of simple temptation you are
tempted to download that music illegally… know
one will know right? And those music industry
folks make more than they need anyway and I don't
make much, temptation's birth. Or maybe it's
bringing home supplies from work and justifying
it because you do think of work at home a lot and
they got more than I have temptation's birth. Or
maybe its that innocent flirting or joking with a
co-worker or the neighbor and you are being
tempted in your mind to follow through with
something you ought not entertain even the idea
of it. Whatever the temptation, this scripture
applies to them as well as adversities.
So back to the word of the day, that being count,
or consider. Strong's defines it as:
to lead, i.e. command (with official authority);
figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider: KJV -
account, (be) chief, count, esteem, governor,
judge, have the rule over, suppose, think.
Are you getting the implication here in not only
the context but the majority of the meaning? It
is saying "walk with your head slumped, shuffling
your feet on the ground, kicking at it
occasionally feeling like you can't do anything
but try to look at the bright side", right? Oh.
No? Hmmm. Well I guess you are right, it means
"take the situation and be rule over it, don't
feel you are subordinate to it just because if
fell upon you or you fell in it". We walk outside
many days in a year and find rain falling upon
us. We don't just stay indoors, or walk out in it
getting soaked to the bone. We find shelter, rain
gear, umbrella or some sort of control over it
despite it falling upon us. And, we can have that
authoritative power over situations and
temptations because we know God is with us, and
will se us through it, and we can hold up a badge
of courage like an officer of the law might when
questioning a civilian. That gives him the right,
the authority, and it gives the questionee, which
in this case your trial or temptation, the
feeling of subordination and you have the right
and ability to take charge.
We humans, if we look at it are pretty small
beings. Roughly 200 pounds give or take some,
five to six feet tall, in light of the world
surrounding us, we are pretty much weaklings
lifting 100 pounds maybe as a general weight,
some more, some less but you get the idea. In
light of the buildings, the trees, the rocks, the
lakes the mountains, the ground beneath us and
even planets above us along with the atmosphere
they reside, we are grains of sand on the beach.
An yet, we build the buildings, we tunnel the
earth, we move trees, we shoot shuttles into
space, we manipulate rivers and lakes and
otherwise take charge of our surroundings, even
though those things are much bigger than us.
Imagine if we, even as man without the
consideration of God, which is probably what many
in our history have done, imagine if they hadn't
considered themselves chief over their passion,
or the challenge? We'd still be clubbing our food
for dinner and roasting it over an open fire.
Well? Actually would we? If we didn't feel a
sense of ability to be authority over a buffalo,
a 2500 pound beast capable of stomping you into
the ground, would we even attempt to use it as
food? No. So why then do we feel subordinate to
some situations in life? Maybe we can't see them?
Or they are objects like finances that is there
but you can't just pick a stick up and beat it
out of your life. But we can take chief authority
over those things. That doesn't mean we will
control the world economy, just like we can't
control the rain that falls down, but we can get
an umbrella, to use our gifts of wisdom,
knowledge and understanding and courage through
knowing God is for us if we are in love with him.
So see how that one word, consider, is really
take authority or, be chief over, just as much as
it is, if not more so, to just contemplate and
consider it joy. It's telling you to make joy the
chief of your situations, authority. I'm sure
you've heard the phrase… "If you think you can,
you are right. If you think you can't, you are
right". How we give perspective to things makes a
difference in what we experience. And God makes
it possible to have the authority in the first
place because it is out of knowing he sees us
through our trials, temptations, situations and
dilemmas, gives us the right and instruction to
allow joy to supersede adversity and temptations in this life.
Brad
http://www.braddunsemusic.com
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