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Devotional Email for Aug 28

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James 1:2-4 New King James Version (NKJV)

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Hebrews 6:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

What does it mean to be "perfect and complete, lacking nothing"? The word "perfect" in this verse has to do with being fully mature. Let me show you how they say it in the message translation.

James 1:2-4 The Message (MSG)

2 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Or the Amplified Version

James 1:4 Amplified Bible (AMP)

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

What does it mean to be mature? It means you will do the right thing even when you do not want to. It means you have trained yourself to do what is right.

Hebrews 5:13-14 Amplified Bible (AMP)

13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!

14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.

Maturity is doing the right thing. Doing the right thing is how you demonstrate your faith in Jesus. Jesus said if you love me you will keep my commandments. By doing the right thing, you will walk in the law of love and you will not lack anything.

Speak the Word: Father, I do the right thing. I always walk in love and I am lacking nothing because you always provide for me.