James #2

“A Living Faith”
James #2
December 14th
Pastor Ben Fleming

Turn in your bibles to the book of James. We began this book last week. It is a letter that Pastor James wrote to the New Testament believers scattered abroad – he wrote it to you and me and he wrote to us so that we might know what it means to have and experience a living faith. Watch this testimony with me. VIDEO CLIP.

Please stand as we read James chapter one. READ. ET READS Pray about trials.

INTRODUCTION: When James wrote this letter – believers in Jerusalem were facing many trials – believers everywhere were facing many problems and challenges. You face them. The young man in the video faced the challenge of his mom and dad splitting up and forgiving his dad. Some of you have faced that same challenge in your life. You might be facing the trial of unemployment. You might be wondering how you are going to pay for your mortgage – rent - your cell phone bill or even a utility bill. How are you going to pay for school? You might have the challenge of an illness. You might have the challenge of a relationship problem. You are going to face trials. You cannot get out of them --- you cannot run from trials. They come in many different forms and in different levels of severity……. Many Christians have great confidence in their faith…… until it is severely tested by a hardship or a disappointment. How a believer handles their trails will reveal to them whether his or her faith is a living or a dead – a genuine or an imitation – a saving or a non saving faith……………..

Everyone who is born in this world will undergo a measure of trouble. Some of our troubles are a result of the fall of Adam and Eve in the beginning – in Job 5:7 it says, “for man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” David cried out to God in Ps.22:11 “Be not far from me, for trouble is near”…. and Isaiah said, “look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish.”……. Christians are not exempt from trouble. It is false teaching to say that if a Christian is in trouble it is always because of sin in their life……..You will even find trouble in the best of the things which God gives to His children – your marriage and your family – there will be trouble. Your church and relationships in the church – there will be trouble. Christians can also and should expect trouble because of their faith. Jesus said, “if they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” and Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12 “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

In this letter – James is pressing the point that if a person has a genuine faith – it will prove itself during times of trouble – whatever the nature of the trouble is or the source of the trouble. When trouble comes to a person who considers themselves a Christian - they will find out if they have a saving faith or a faith that is worth nothing at all…….. There are at least 8 reasons why God allows or causes or brings trouble to the life of His children. First – He does so to test the strength of our faith and then He allows trouble to humble us and remind us to put our trust in Him. Thirdly, God brings trouble to wean us of our dependence upon worldly things. The more we accumulate things – they more we depend upon those things ---- and then God allows trouble to call us to eternal and heavenly hope. The longer our trails last -- the more we look forward to being with the Lord. Fifth – God allows trouble to show us what we really love ---- and then He allows trouble to teach us to value His blessings. Troubles help us to be used more for God and they help us to better help others in their troubles.

In this section --- In chapter 1:1-12, James is focusing on the keys that a believer needs to persevere through trials. We are going to examine the first two keys today and then on the 28th we will examine the last three….. Since trials are used by God to produce in our lives godliness – we must understand what these keys are and how we should use them – purse them and love them.

Five Keys To Persevere Through Trials

1. Cultivate a joyful attitude in your life. Verse 2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” .. James says to the believers that they will encounter and go through many trials. The King James bible wrongly translated this when it said divers temptations – for trials of many kinds. Periasmos could be temptations but in this context it means a trial or testing that is directed towards an end…….. The end that it is talking about is that the one who is tested will emerge stronger and purer as a result of the trial. James says that the trial will have many colors to it. The death of our grandson – the cancer you go through Rhea and your MS Phil – unemployment – broken relationships – financial troubles --- those are are all trials of many kinds.

James says that we are to look upon or consider our trials as pure joy. I do not recall riding on the airplane to Seattle on June 9th as joy. I do not recall feeling joy when the starter motor went out or feeling joy when the stove would not work. What is this joy? HA HA look at all the money that I get to spend and all the hassles I get to go through………...? James is saying that pure joy is when God’s children willingly and un complainingly know that God is using the pain and the trouble they are going through for their benefit and for His glory. This joy is a sincere trust in the promise and goodness of God that we can welcome our troubles as friends……... it is a knowing like Joseph did that what may have been meant for evil against us – God meant for good. That is the joy that James is talking about….. Do you get it????

We are not just to act joyful, or pretend to be joyful – but to be…. genuinely joyful. It is a matter of the will and not our feelings – it should be and it can be a conscious – determined commitment of every faithful believer who wants to experience a living faith. Look on your outline at these scriptures:

Hebrews 12:1 - 2 “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” ------ circle the word joy on your outline.

Jesus demonstrated the joy that James is talking about here. Jesus did not go to the cross laughing and smiling – but His joy was deep within – joy that God was in control – joy that God was using this for His glory. You might say okay --- that was Jesus but what about a sinful man like you and me??

Philippians 2:17;3:7- 8 “But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you…whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ.” ---- Paul wrote those words from prison. He says that he is glad and rejoices with all of you. He considered all that he was going through as joy. He was putting into practice what James is writing. Long time pastor Warren Wiersbe writes these words, “Our values determine our evaluations. If we value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value material and physical more than spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy. If we live only for the present and forget the future, our trials will make us bitter – not better.” How about you? What do you care about? Have you become bitter as a result of a trial or trouble in your life??

PHOTO – Amy Charmichael – longtime missionary to India writes “Hast thou no scar? No hidden scar on foot, or side, or hand? I hear thee sung as mighty in the land, I hear them hail thy bright ascendant star, hast though no scar? …….. Hast thou no wound? Yes, I was wounded by the archers, spent, Leaned me against the tree to die; and rent by ravening beasts that compassed me, I swooned: Hast thou no wound?......... No wound? No scar? Yes, as the Master shall the servant be. And pierced are the feet that follow Me; But thine are whole: can he have followed far who has no wound nor scar?

So – how do you cultivate joy? You start by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. You start by being filled with the Holy Spirit and the bible tells us that the result of being filled with Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 “love – joy – peace – patience – kindness – gentleness – faithfulness - goodness and self control.” So – ask God to fill you – do not assume that you are filled with the Holy Spirit – you most likely are not. When a trial comes or a testing comes --- quote this verse out loud. Memorize it. The first Key to persevering through a trial is to cultivate joy in your life. If you are going to cultivate it that means that you have to actively do something to cause it to grow…… Key#2

2. Cultivate an understanding mind. (Verse 3) “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Ok – what does James mean here? Do you really know that when your faith is tested it will develop perseverance in you? What does the bible mean when this word know is used? Let’s try to understand it. On your outline:

To know = Ginosko – a full understanding that is beyond mere facts and only comes through personal experience. Jesus used the word ginosko in Mark 13:28 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near.” What does He mean? From experience you know that summer follows spring. In Romans 1 :19 “Since what may be known about God is plain to them and in verse 21 “for although they knew God”. Both words come from ginosko. A full understanding that is beyond facts but an understanding that comes from personal experience. So – here is the point:

Romans 1:19 – the ungodly have a level of knowing God through creation and conscience. Every person in this room knows murder and adultery is wrong and immoral but not every person in this room knows God as their savior from experience. If you do not know God from personal experience – from knowing His Son Jesus through receiving Him --- you cannot cultivate an understanding mind. You cannot have joy in the midst of trails – but you can have a level of knowing God because He has revealed Himself to you through nature and your conscience – He gives you enough knowledge of Him to come to Him and be saved……… And some of us today that is the need that you have and that is the response that God is asking of you today. Stop being content in the knowledge of God that you have of Him through your conscience and nature……. and come to Him and receive His Son Jesus. Jesus said in John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” So --- Christian --- you can cultivate an understanding mind – to do that you have to know from experience God’s Word. The believer has the mind of Christ --- do you think with the mind of Christ? If you think you do --- do you know the mind of Christ? Why is this important? The rest of the verse tells you --- “You know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

How Does Perseverance Happen In The Life Of The Believer?

Words mean a lot – especially in the bible. So – perseverance or as some translate it endurance does not mean patience as some bibles translate what James wrote.

Perseverance = the product of patience. In the context of our study --- the second key James writes about is patiently enduring trials while trusting God produces perseverance. Patience is only needed in the trial but perseverance is a permanent inner quality of strength which increases every time a trial is patiently endured. Look with me on your outline at two examples of this:
Psalm 40: 1 -2 “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on the rock and me a firm place to stand.”

Do you think David is writing about a trial that he went through? Yes – He sure is. He waited patiently for the Lord – God lifted Him out of His trial – God brought Him through it and in the end perseverance was built into David’s character. What is your character like? Are you known as one who endures and trusts God when you go through a trial? The apostle Paul assures the believer in

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation (trial) has seized you except that is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He also will provide a way of escape.” The bible makes it perfectly clear that no person who comes to God in saving faith will ever be separated from the Savior. If you have a genuine faith in Christ you cannot loose that faith. You cannot become a Christian and then decide one day that you are not a Christian. When a trial comes into your life and you decide “enough is enough” I am dumping this God and Jesus thing --- you never were a real believer in the first place. This is a doctrine or teaching all through out the New Testament. Perseverance to the end is the destiny of a believer. It is called the perseverance of the saints or believers. How does it happen? Is it on the shoulders of the person??????? If you are a believer you can count on three facts for your perseverance.

You Will Persevere Because Of:

1. The Power of God – Jesus said these words to His disciples in John 10:28 - 29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of My hand.” My father who has given to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” The hand of Jesus is powerful enough to keep His disciples or it is not . John 6:39 “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me, but raise them up on the last day.” The power of God is real or it is not and when Jesus says that He will not loose any that God has given to Him and He will raise them up on the last day ---- you either believe Him or you do not. Cultivate a joyful attitude and an understanding mind as you walk through the trials in your life. A genuine believer will endure because of the power of God. You will persevere because of:

2. The promises and prayers of Christ. Before Jesus was arrested He prayed a prayer in John 17:12 “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that the Scripture might be fulfilled”. Jesus says all of His disciples except Judas persevered. We saw last week that Judas did not persevere because He has a demonic faith. Jesus said to Peter in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that you might not fail”. Jesus lives today – seated at the right hand of the God interceding for His children.

Jesus is praying for those who are His. He is praying for believers that they may persevere. When a trial comes upon them --- Jesus is speaking to God for them and about them. You will make it through what you are going through. God hears and answers the requests of His Son. Do not give up ---- God answers His Sons prayer’s. I have no idea how one can believe that they can loose their salvation if they have been truly born again. It does not matter how terrible your trial is or will be ---- you will persevere. 1 John 2:1 “ Our Great High Priest, who “is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him.” It does not say that God saves everybody does it??? It says that Jesus saves those who draw near to God through Jesus. There are not many ways to God. If Jesus is able to save ---- then He is able to save forever those who He is given by God. You will persevere because of the prayers and promises of Jesus and #3 you will persevere because of

3. The presence of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 -14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.” Look what Paul says: you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth and having believed. Someone who hears the word of Christ and does not believe is not included in Christ. Someone who believes – who has a saving living faith – is marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit who guarantees your perseverance.

Warning:
Perseverance is inseparable from holiness. A life that is consistently immoral and unspiritual cannot persevere because it does not belong to God. It has no desire to persevere in the faith. Someone who does not live for Christ and reflect Christ must be warned to not assume they have salvation. Someone who consistently and presumptuously sins must be warned. You cannot nor will you persevere. You do not have a saving faith. Closing…….. When trials and testing comes to your life --- cultivate a joyful attitude in your life and cultivate an understanding mind.

Watch this Testimony with me:

Let us pray………….. Heavenly Father – thank you for the trials and testings of life. Thank you that we can consider them joy. We can have a joy knowing that You are in control and that you are using all that we go through for our good and Your glory. Lord – help us to endure – Help us not to give up and drift away. Help us to persevere. Thank you. In Jesus Name -Amen