Daily Reading for Personal Growth, 40 Days with God

1 I am James. I am a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I send greetings to all of God's people wherever they live.

² My brothers, be very happy when you are tested by having troubles of many kinds.

³ You know this, that when you prove you believe, you become stronger to take troubles.

⁴ But you must keep on being strong to take trouble. Then you will be all right in every way. You will not need anything more.

⁵ If any of you need to be wise, ask God to make you wise. He gives plenty of wisdom to all people. He is not angry because you ask him. He will make you wise.

⁶ But when you ask, you must believe that God will do it. You must not doubt and think, `Perhaps God will not do it.' A person who doubts is like a wave on the sea. The wind drives it this way and that way.

⁷ That person must not think that he will get anything from the Lord.

⁸ A person like that has two minds. He cannot go straight in any of his ways.

⁹ A Christian brother who is poor should be glad: he is in a high place now he is a Christian.

¹⁰ A Christian brother who is rich should be glad: he is in a low place now he is a Christian. A rich man will pass away like a flower on the grass.

¹¹ The sun shines and is very hot. Then the grass dries and its flower falls off. It was nice at first, but now it is not nice any more. In the same way, the rich man will die while he is going around trying to make money.

¹² God will bless any man who is strong to take his trouble, when he is being tested. When he has proved he is strong, he will live for ever. That is what the Lord has promised to those who love him.