February Beacon

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously

to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

Are you growing in your faith?

George Muller, a great man of faith, once said, “God delights to increase the faith of his children. We ought, instead of wanting no trials before victory, no exercise for patience, to be willing to take them from God’s hand as a means. I say – and say it deliberately – trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith.”

Maybe that is why it says in the book of James, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…”

Has it been a ‘joy’ for you to face difficulties?

James included reasons for appreciating the tough times when he continued, “…because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Maturity does not come easy. We need help along the way. Life includes finding ourselves in situations that ‘go beyond’ our abilities. Is that why James said in the next verse of James 1, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

That may be where you are at right now. You want to grow in the Lord, but you have not been doing so. Matthew 7:7-8 records the words of Jesus when He said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Our struggles in life can lead to growth, but sometimes we must ‘ask, seek, and knock.’ A good place to start involves telling the Lord where we are at (as if He doesn’t know). He invites our coming to Him as a starting point. Can you do that?

When you do, also consider what James said about the one who asks. “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”

Being ‘double-minded’ refers to having one’s mind or soul divided between God and the world. Do you know any men like that today? Do you know any willing to deal with that difficulty!

I would like the men of our church to meet and discuss this idea of our growing in faith in Christ. We will be going through the book of James on 5 Saturday mornings. (2/18, 2/25, 3/3, 3/17, 3/31) We will meet from 9:30 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. in the ‘Fireside Room’ at church.

This is an opportunity for growth in Christ. Men – consider coming and bringing someone else with you. Others – pray for our men to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Pastor Lerud

January Beacon

“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.”     I Chronicles 16:11
The Minnesota Wild are a professional hockey team that you may have seen play. Although there are a lot of sounds that take place during a game, one of the favorites for Wild fans to hear is a single word [...]

December Beacon

“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” Psalm 119:15-16
Have you ever had something that you neglected or took for granted that someone else wanted? Somehow or another, the other person acquired ‘yours or one like it.’ In their [...]

November Beacon

“May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.”  Psalm 67:3
In his book, Let The Nations Be Glad, John Piper begins by saying, “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church.  Worship is.  Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.  When this age is over, and [...]

keep looking »