The Word To Live By: 8-15-25
Phil Waggoner
Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4
The Word To Live By: I believe this is number 14 of the “Great Promises of God Tour of 2025.” I’m happy to announce that we will extend the tour for several more weeks. (I’m having way too much fun. As one man said, “I’ve preached myself happy.”) Anyway, how do you consider a test, trial, or tribulation great joy? He tells you; it’s a faith test. Since when is a faith test, or any test for that matter, a good thing? Because of what it does for you in the long run. Let’s look at it from a practical standpoint. It’s an open-book test, so you have the answers at your fingertips, and when you pass it, the reward is complete maturity and lacking nothing. Now here’s the rub. You need to know where to find the answers. I took several open-book tests in college that I failed. I didn’t fail because the answers weren’t in the book. I failed because I didn’t know where to look in the book for them, and no one I hung around with knew where to look either. (There’s a sermon begging to be preached.) That’s why it’s important to read your Bible and meditate on what you read daily. When you meditate on the promises of God, you put yourself mentally in a place where you will need them. When those things appear in life, you know what to say and what to do. Plus, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you. When I took my school bus certification test, it was an open-book, multiple-choice test. In the room with me, I had the book that I had studied and underlined (something I never did in my first year of college) what I thought were important statements from over 100 years of experienced men and women who had gone before me. I, of course, passed it with flying colors and as a reward, had ten years of some of the best times of my life. Tests, trials, and tribulations are not fun in themselves, but if you adjust your attitude to look at what the end results are going to be, the juice is always worth the squeeze. Here’s a second promise today for the price of one. “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God; those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Read through the Bible in a year: John 1:35-51; 1 Chronicles 9; Haggai 1:1-2:23;
Read through the New Testament and Proverbs: Proverbs 15, Matthew 23:21-39, 1 Corinthians 2
The sum of Thy Word is Truth Psalm 119:160