JAMES 1:12 " THE BLESSED MAN "

A few years ago I asked my congregation the question what is the definition of a blessed man? Some responded and said to have a lot of money, to have a nice home and car, to have a good marriage and good health. The blessed man is a person that has everything, no wants or cares, he or she has everything. There are a few definitions for the word blessed in the bible , but we will just mention two. Blessed=EULOGETOS=from eulogeo=to bless-eu-good, well and logos=word. English=eulogize, eulogy=commendatory formal statement or set oration , high praise; to extol= means to be well spoken of or inherently worthy of praise. Now another meaning of the word blessed is=MAKARIOS, to be happy, but not in the usual sense of happiness based on positive circumstances. Makarios describes the person who is free from daily cares and worries because his every breath and circumstance is used to describe the kind of happiness that comes from receiving divine favor. When Jesus used this word MAKARIOS  blessed, Jesus knew what he was doing, he was bringing about a paradigm shift in the people's thinking.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The people of that day knew the meaning of this word, Makarios it was used to describe the life of the Greek God's and their lavish life style that they where above pain, poverty, sickness and death. Jesus was saying that the blessed man was happy inspite of his external circumstances because his trust is in his God. And this is the same word MAKARIOS that James uses in (JAMES 1:12 when he says "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation : for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life , which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."  In other words " HAPPY is the man that ENDURETH= remain, not recede or flee, TEMPTATION= trial, adversity, trouble, affliction for when he is TRIED= accepted, pleasing, proved, he shall receive a crown of life:"  According to James this is the BLESSED MAN!!