Written by TWFYT
Tuesday September 8
"James...to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings." James 1:1 NKJV
James addressed "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad," those early Christians who had fled Jerusalem. The Greek word James used to describe this is "diaspora," from which we get the word "dispersed." The pictures is of someone scattering seeds. After the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts chapter seven, the Christians in Jerusalem came under increasing persecution from the Roman Empire. They refused the Romans' demand to confess "Caesar is Lord." Instead, they insisted that there was only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the Bible informs us, "They were all scattered...except the apostles" (Ac 8:1 NKJV). James wrote to believers who had to leave their homes their jobs, their properties—everything. Talk about stress! Yet God permitted them to experience the scattering and the resulting stress for a purpose. Had these believers stayed in Jerusalem, chances are the gospel would not have spread so completely through the known world. Everywhere these early followers of Jesus were scattered, they shared the Good News of Christ's redemptive work, and in just one generation, the gospel had spread throughout the Roman Empire. That's why James wrote to the church that was "scattered abroad": "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (Jas 1:2 NKJV). Their uprooting from Jerusalem resulted in the planting of the church throughout the known world. "Our God turned the curse into a blessing" (Neh 13:2 NKJV). With God, short-term pain can lead to long-term gain. He uses setbacks we sometimes don't understand to fulfill His purposes. Is that what's happening in your life right now? Trust God; He knows what He's doing!
Tuesday September 8
"James...to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings." James 1:1 NKJV
James addressed "the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad," those early Christians who had fled Jerusalem. The Greek word James used to describe this is "diaspora," from which we get the word "dispersed." The pictures is of someone scattering seeds. After the martyrdom of Stephen in Acts chapter seven, the Christians in Jerusalem came under increasing persecution from the Roman Empire. They refused the Romans' demand to confess "Caesar is Lord." Instead, they insisted that there was only one Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the Bible informs us, "They were all scattered...except the apostles" (Ac 8:1 NKJV). James wrote to believers who had to leave their homes their jobs, their properties—everything. Talk about stress! Yet God permitted them to experience the scattering and the resulting stress for a purpose. Had these believers stayed in Jerusalem, chances are the gospel would not have spread so completely through the known world. Everywhere these early followers of Jesus were scattered, they shared the Good News of Christ's redemptive work, and in just one generation, the gospel had spread throughout the Roman Empire. That's why James wrote to the church that was "scattered abroad": "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials" (Jas 1:2 NKJV). Their uprooting from Jerusalem resulted in the planting of the church throughout the known world. "Our God turned the curse into a blessing" (Neh 13:2 NKJV). With God, short-term pain can lead to long-term gain. He uses setbacks we sometimes don't understand to fulfill His purposes. Is that what's happening in your life right now? Trust God; He knows what He's doing!
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2026
January
MAKE PRAYER YOUR FIRST PRIORITYBIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (1)BIBLE READING; THE KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (2)BIBLE READING; THEY KEY TO SPIRITUAL GROWTH (3)LIVING IN THE PROMISED LANDWHEN YOUR MATE STRUGGLES WITH INSECURITYKEEP PERSEVERING AND REFUSE TO QUITSHOW YOUR APPRECIATIONCOUNT YOUR BLESSINGSTHE "DOWNSIDE" OF IMMORALITYHAVE YOU BEEN WRONGED? FORGIVE"KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON"BE SENSITIVE TO GOD'S PRESENCEA PRAYER FOR GOD-CONFIDENCELIVE FROM "GLORY TO GLORY"ABOUNDING GRACEPREVAILING PRAYERTHE FIRST BEATITUDETHE SECOND BEATITUDETHE THIRD BEATITUDETHE FOURTH BEATITUDETHE FIFTH BEATITUDETHE SIXTH BEATITUDETHE SEVENTH BEATITUDETHE EIGHTH BEATITUDEBE CONTENTYOU ARE A STEWARDDEMONSTRATING GOD'S KINGDOM WHERE YOU LIVEAVOID COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERSHE'S LOOKING FOR LABORERSKNOWING AND ENJOYING YOUR INHERITANCE
February
HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (1)HOW TO CONQUER YOUR JERICHO (2)HEALING FOR YOUR MINDHUMBLE YOURSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE IT RIGHTYOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCELIVE ON PURPOSE, FOR A PURPOSEHOW TO "RENEW" YOUR MINDFIGHT FOR YOUR MARRIAGETRUE REPENTANCE BRINGS RESTORATION"I HAVE SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME"RESPONSIBILITY AND THE "ABILITY TO RESPOND"MEDITATE AND ASSIMILATECLICK THE SAVE BUTTONBE CONFIDENT OF GOD'S LOVE FOR YOUGOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (1)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (2)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (3)GOD FORGIVES AND FORGETS (4)PRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODHEALING FOR ANXIETYEXPERIENCING GOD'S PEACETHE CHALLENGES AND REWARDS OF LEADERSHIPSTAY TRUE TO THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORDLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODOVERCOMING ENVYRELY ON GOD, NOT YOURSELFPAID IN FULLTRY FOR RECONCILIATION
March
HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (1)HAVING A SPIRIT-CONTROLLED TONGUE (2)EMBRACE "THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD"CONFIDANTS, CONSTITUENTS, COMRADESIT CAME TO PASS—NOT STAYLIVE FOR A CAUSE GREATER THAN YOURSELFFREE FROM GUILT AND CONDEMNATIONPRAYER IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GODJUST PLAY YOUR PARTYOU ARE AN AGENT OF RECONCILIATIONLEARN TO LISTEN TO GODWHEN YOU LONG FOR COMPANIONSHIPTHE WHOLE WORLD MUST HEAR GOD'S WORDWILL YOU HEAR CHRIST, OR THE CRISIS?LIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (1)YOU CAN OUTGROW THE PROBLEMGOD WILL GIVE YOU KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDINGLIVE LIKE YOU BELIEVE IT (2)THE WAY UP IS DOWNTHE WORST FAILURE...IS FAILURE TO TRYARE YOU WASHING YOUR NETS?"OVERNIGHT SUCCES" USUALLY TAKES MANY YEARSYOU HAVE FULL FORGIVENESSKNOW WHO YOU AREHE'S THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGSGOD IS "AT WORK IN YOU"OVERCOMING WORKAHOLISMTHE TOUCH OF HIS HANDCHRIST CAN SATISFY YOUR SOULTRY FASTINGGOD IS WORKING IN YOU, WITH YOU, AND THROUGH YOUASK GOD FOR A DREAMTODAY GOD IS "WITH YOU"