[Trials and testings are synonyms for sorrow, poverty and punishment]
Thanks to consumerism, T.V. evangelists and peddlers of a soft gospel- that tells us God is more concerned with our comfort than our transformation- many of us hide, hate and repent from trials. North American Christianity holds within itself a underlying appeal that some how because I have said a prayer, go to a Church, or do a good deed my life is going to be full of all kinds of physical treasures and trinkets that will give me great joy, popularity and affirm my 'rightness' with God and the rest of His world. All REAL Christians drive big Caddies, that come equipped with a license plate that says 'BLE-SSD'. If you are in North America and are reading this blog you have seen, or are believing, this Pablum version of the Gospel.
James- skeptic brother of Jesus, turned believer, becoming lead Pastor/Elder of the Jerusalem church,comes to these Jewish believers (who have fled Jerusalem because they were being hunted down as criminals) as their fellow 'bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.' He writes to them because they have allowed all sorts of poor theology to creep into their understanding of the Goodnews that Christ taught, lived and secured at the cross. Poor theology always results in poor behavior. A poor understanding of the Gospel always results in a poor expression of spiritual life and a resultant emptiness of soul. You think I'm being too blunt? Wait until you start thinking on the words of James.
James gets right to it- like stepping into the octagon- the bell rings and James walks across the ring... doesn’t throw a warning jab- just a straight hard right to the jaw... it rocks today’s North American Christianity:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Jms 1:2 again in Jms 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial..." No health, wealth, prosperity here! Straight up- 'Blessed' a beatitude- You are favored by God as you are remaining steadfast in the midst of all sorts of testing, trials, hardships! Rejoice! Count it a great gift and privilege from God! It will bring about something far greater than riches, fame, prosperity, comfort, and all the other trinkets of the world. It will bring about a depthness of life, a completeness of assurance in Christ, a soul that is lacking nothing.
How can I wrap my mind around this? What if my home and life has been uprooted by war, hate crimes, persecution? What if I just found out I have lost my retirement funds in the stock market? What if the doctor has just brought me the news that a dear loved one has died, or my child has cancer? Where does James point us to in various trials? A right trust and knowing of God!
Vs 5-8 A Surrendered Reliance on the Open-Handed Wisdom of God
Vs 9-11 A Determined Trust in the Providential Opinion of God
Vs 12-18 A Steadfast Commitment to the Goodness of God's Love
Think these through... if you refuse to surrender, rely and commit to the wisdom, providence and goodness of the love of God shown to you through the giving of His Son, Jesus when facing temptation, trials, and testings you are left with only yourself. Self wisdom, self reliance, self commitment. Of course you are going to come up with a perverted opinion of why you are going through trials. A right trust and knowing of God, as seen through the love of the cross, allows us to surrender to the point of being made whole, perfected and complete in the midst of the trial and testing.
God's not really that interested in your comfort, this life is a passing moment. He is more concerned with your transformation. A transformation that comes when we apply the hope of the Gospel to every corner of our life, relationships and heart, in the midst of all sorts of trials. You will discover that the grace of God more then sustains you to the point of deepening and filling you.
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The relative difficulties of men's and women's style
Both men and women may have the demands of keeping their clothing up-to-date and in season, yet men's fashion frequently seems a lot less complicated. Of program, for both genders, costumes and style choices can be just as elaborate, and there are many'stylish'items that could quickly become fashion faux pas - who can say they often see people running around in 70s flares? On the other hand, men's fashion includes a few choice things that will exist forever - which man is going to keep an eye out of place with a good-quality, tailored suit, for example? Pick traditional cuts, colours and materials and you'll never seem out-of-place.
Why basic men's fashion is timeless
The common man's suit has scarcely changed for over a hundred years. True, there are several varieties for various occasions, however they are all popular in their quest for a wise, sharp try to find the wearer. The best part about classic style for men is that it is simply fashionable efficiently neat. A well-groomed gentleman will more often than not appear his sharpest in a well-tailored suit, and this is a testament to the design of such apparel. A match will be worn to work in many professions because of the professional search it provides to the individual, instilling a sense of respect and confidence. Equally a match will undoubtedly be used to several social events, such as a tuxedo to a black-tie event. This extraordinary flexibility that enables matches to be used in virtually all events is what gives it its eternal side and a lasting place in men's fashion.
Contemporary developments in classic men's style
Although classic men's designs will never be replaced, it is interesting to note that shifts in men's fashion trends have brought certain traditional garments back to fashion. The popularity of vintage clothing, specifically, has had back a wide-variety of common designs into men's wardrobes, such as that of the dandy gentleman. 'Dandy'is a term used to make reference to men who dress yourself in a classic yet extravagant way, placing importance on appearance and operating in a sophisticated manner. This development for almost'over-the-top'common fashion for men is evident from events such as the'Tweed Run', where men and women of all ages dress in significantly Victorian-style attire and decide to try the roads on vintage bikes - with most of the men wearing impeccable mustaches! This is just one of many types of evidence displaying the resurrection of such variations. Additionally, there are numerous blogs online which give attention to gentlemanly type - such as'The Dandy Project'and'Dandyism'- as well as complete sites such as'The Art of Manliness'focused on providing articles on traditional men's fashion and grooming.
In summary, although specific facets of common men's style could be brought back as new styles, the essential outfits that they are based on will never fall out of fashion.
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