How to Face Trying Times

1. James 1:2-18 How to Face Trying Times

2. James 1:2-18 (Page 1025 in pew Bibles) • Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, • knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. • But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. • Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.

3. But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. • That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. • An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways. • The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation;

4. but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. • For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.

5. Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him. • No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. • But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.

6. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death. • Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. • Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. • By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.

7. James 1:2-18 How to Face Trying Times (Page 1025 in pew Bibles)

8. If You’re Not Sure How to Feel 1 • Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” >

9. If You’re Not Sure How to Feel • How You May Feel… Overwhelmed • Vs. 2, Amplified: “Whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.” • Wuest: “Whenever you fall into the midst of variegated trials which surround you” >

10. If You’re Not Sure How to Feel • How We Should Feel… Joyful • Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy” • Wuest: “Be constantly rejoicing. Consider it a matter for unadulterated joy” >

11. If You’re Not Sure How to Feel • How We Should Feel… Reassured • Vs. 3, Amplified: “Be assured and understandthat the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.” >

12. If You’re Not Sure How to Feel • No Matter How You Feel… Yield! • Vs. 4, Amplified: “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.” • Wiersbe’s secretary . >

13. If You’re Not Sure What to Do 2 • Ask God for Wisdom • Vs. 5 “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” • God gives all the wisdom you will need – “Generously” • God gives wisdom without criticizing you for not already knowing what you should do • God promises to give it – “It will be given” . >

14. If You Are Having Doubts 3 • Vs. 6-8 “But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.” • Doubters are influenced by events, instead of influencing events • Doubters are unstable people • Real belief anchors you like a rock . >

15. If You Find Things in the Present World Alluring 4 • Vs. 9-11 “The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation; but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing his activities.” >

16. Poor Man, Rich Man • 1st Corinthians 7:31 “This world in its current form is passing away” • The Christian who is poor should remember that his standard of living is temporary • He should celebrate His future eternity • The Christian who is wealthy should remember he is a future “has-been” and be humble • He should be trust God as his source of security, not his wealth • No one should live for this short-term world >

17. If You Find Things in the Present World Alluring • Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.” HL >

18. If You Find Things in the Present World Alluring • Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.” Q >

19. Charles Spurgeon You are blessed if you have a religion which God gives, which God tries, which God sustains, which God accepts. As an uncultivated garden is no garden, so untried godliness is no godliness. A faith that will not bear strain and test is no faith. A love that cannot endure a temptation is no love to God at all. See, then, he is not blessed who is screened from temptation, but he is blessed whose faith, and hope, and love, and every grace will bear the trial. HL >

20. If You Find Things in the Present World Alluring • Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.” • Christians should think l-o-n-g term . >

21. If You Are Being Tempted 5 • Vs. 13 “No one undergoing a trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by God.’ For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.” • “If God hadn’t put me in this stressful situation I wouldn’t have fallen into that” >

22. If You Are Being Tempted • Vs. 14-15 “But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires.” • Drawn away: To pull a net into a boat or a boat onto land • Enticed: To lure with bait. • Evil desires: Intense longing, desire, craving – “his own evil desires” >

23. If You Are Being Tempted • Vs. 14-15 “Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.” • Conception – embracing the thought • Birth – doing the act for the first time • Growth – developing a addictive habit • Death – separation… loss of relationship with God, others . >

24. If You Are Wondering Why God Would Turn on You 6 • Vs. 16-18 “Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning.” • God doesn’t change so He cannot turn on us >

25. If You Are Wondering Why God Would Turn on You • Vs. 18 “By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.” • God is consistently good to us • God has begun a new work in us – “new birth” • God is working a plan for us… to make us like Jesus – “The firstfruits of His creatures” . .

26. James 1:2-18 How to Face Trying Times