James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Father, as we begin studying together, our prayer is that we can eliminate any distractions that may preclude us from hearing the message that You have for us this week. We know that the enemy does not want us to grow in wisdom and knowledge, for it is when we begin to put our faith into action that we become a threat to him. Many of us have experienced various trials this week that we just do not know how to handle alone, but we now know that you have sent them our way for the mere reason to grow and mature us for the glory of your name. Help us to get to that place where we can count each and every trial joy and that these trials will produce godly patience in us so that world watching will see Christ in us. Thank you for choosing us for eternity. Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.
A little review -
Why would James write a letter of this nature to Jewish Christians who had been scattered everywhere because of persecution? Shouldn’t he have been more understanding, more compassionate? Instead he is telling them to “Get their life in line with your faith!” Should he be saying something like, “I know of some good hiding places?”
James tell the brethren to: Count it all joy!
Count meant to number and bring to remembrance all the past trials you have experienced so that you can reflect on how God brought you through them. Moses had the children of Israel place huge rocks on the other side of the Red Sea so that they could remember how God saved them from the Egyptians?
I asked you to go back a few months or so and bring to remembrance your past trials. I asked you to determine if you walked through the Red Sea with the power of God on your side or if you took control of the situation and went back to Egypt or if you tried to take a detour around the Red Sea.
What do I mean by going back to Egypt? It means, did I repeat the same mistakes I have always done, and tried to handle things on my own, or did God bring you through my last trial?
You might say, “I got through it”. That is an example of taking a detour. We have to get to the point where we say, “God got me through it”.
Count …it (the trials)…ALL (everything) JOY…
Let’s look at the word ALL before we go onto JOY.
Romans 8:28 says: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Predestined means: (v) to determine beforehand. Those God chooses He predestines (to set apart for a specific purpose) sanctified – to purify (to get useful) or free from sin.
Destined means (adj) bound for a certain destination. Awesome!
Listen to this statement: I am a “destined” bond servant.
Those God chooses he predestines and conforms to His image, to the likeness of His Son. God wants to conform (mold) us to the image of His Son so that the lost will see Jesus in us.
Vs 2 Count it all – JOY –
How would you define the word JOY?
First of all, I was relieved to know that we are not capable of doing enough deeds/works to obtain this state of spiritual being. You see, I thought that if I got good enough at this Christian walk, and did “things” right, I’d find JOY.
I thought if I did this this and this and worked at it hard enough then I’d… “get happy”. I’d get joy. So for many years, I was depressed because I wasn’t happy. I knew that the Bible said that one of the fruits of the Spirit was Joy, but I couldn’t figure out how to grow that fruit.
Remember I told you…I am not one of those naturally “happy” people.
So WHAT in the world is James talking about,
Count it all JOY my brethren…. How was I going to get JOY in my life?
I learned that it has nothing to do with the things I do just for the sake of doing things for God, but has everything to do with what God does through me. It has nothing to do with religious behavior, but instead doing things that are in obedience to God.
Joy is simply an attribute (a character quality) of God. Deut 30:9,10
The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good. For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, 10 if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
The Lord rejoices (JOYFUL) if I obey His voice.
So it goes back again to one thing. We live to reflect the image of God so that the lost can see Jesus in us.
How? Not by works…then expecting to be happy. No, it is simply living in total obedience to the will of your Father, just as Jesus did.
Important: The word Joy should not be used synonymously with the word Happy.
If you have fun buying new clothes, shopping makes you happy. If your child is being obedient for a couple of hours, you are happy for those few hours. This is a temporary emotion! Happiness is a temporary emotion.
What happens if you don’t have any money and can’t go shopping? Are you then unhappy? If after a few hours the child flips out and starts screaming, are you then unhappy? Happiness is a temporary
JOY should be a permanent state of your being, regardless of the circumstances. Because of the reason mentioned above. Through all things, we are to reflect the image of Christ.
That is what James is saying. Through all your various trials, show the world that you can maintain permanent joy.
It is not about me doing a list of “good” things and then I’ll find joy, it’s about doing the Father’s will. Being obedient to God. That’s all He ever asked the Israelites and that is all He will ever ask of us.
JOURNAL entry – What temporary thing am I seeking to replace the permanent joy that God wants me to display in my character? Am I seeking happiness through things and people to replace the eternal JOY that James is referring to?
Jesus knew Joy at the cross (Heb 12:2)… looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.
***Jesus showed the lost world who His Father was by accepting and fulfilling God’s will for His life.
And that is the same thing God asks of us.
Paul and Silas were joyful in prison (Acts 16:23-33)
That is what James is talking about. In spite of our circumstances, we have to
Count it all JOY!
For eternity sake…eternal joy…living each day striving to be Christ-like. To be like Christ. Obedient unto death.
Count it all joy when….not if….but when ….in other words no getting around those trial….you are going to fall so just brace yourself.
BEAUTIFUL - 1 Pet 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy!
Trials…1) Expect them 2) rejoice in them 3) entrust them to God.
It is the only way.
Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
When you fall – (to pass into some physical, mental, or emotional condition)…
into various (being different ones, numerous)
trials – Greek word meaning trouble or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy, or happiness in your life.
Interesting: the verb form of trials means: to put someone to the test with the purpose of discovering that person’s nature.
And do not be confused. These trials are not from the pit of hell, they are from God. Temptation (which we will discuss another day is from Satan) but the trials are from God. They are happening to strengthen you not destroy you. They are happening to you so you will grow more Christ like not more worldly.
Every trial becomes a test of faith designed by God and therefore from God to strengthen us. If we the believer responds with obedience, this is when we will become CHRIST LIKE.
But we also have another choice and that is to scatter during these fiery trials just like the twelve tribes did.
What are some of the way Satan scatters you during a trial? Has your past experience indicated that you go back to Egypt or take a detour?
What are some examples?
Walk away from other believers. Busyness. Priorities out of line. Stopped going to church. Scattered (not focusing on what’s right). Went into hiding? Fell into worldliness for answers? Pouted? Got depressed? Took medicines to cope? Spent too much money? Grumbled and complained to whoever would listen. Self-pity, selfishness.
What are my choices when (not if) trials hit?
Choose JOY (reflecting the attributes of God) or we can scatter (reflecting the world to the world).
What will be the reward for those who reflect Jesus to the lost world?
Eternal joy is our reward. Matt 25:21 His Father said to Him, Well done good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.
And for those who choose unbelief – Isaiah 16:10 Gladness is taken away, and joy from the plentiful field. Eternity without joy.
Personally I choose to be a Reflection of the Light!
This is soooooooo hard. But so right!
So it is inevitable that adversities or trails are going to happen. The question is: What are we going to do when they happen? Choose to be Christ like or like the world?
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Verse 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
Knowing (having knowledge) that this testing (trial) of what you say you believe (faith) produces (will bring into existence)
Patience – the bearing of annoyance, misfortune, pain, etc without complaining, loss of temper or irritation! Quiet perseverance! Endurance.
OH, that is what patience means! The bearing of annoyance, misfortune, pain etc without complaining, loss of temper or irritation.
Whoa!
Patience – give me some examples of when Jesus showed extreme patience? Regardless of the annoyance, he endured it without complaining, loss of temper or irritation.
On the cross…when the soldiers were mocking him-
When his own disciples feel asleep on him-
When he was very patient with the disciples explaining things in parables so they could better understand-
Palm Sunday knowing these same people would holler, “Crucify Him”-
Toward Pontius Pilot-
Toward the Pharisees who mocked him and tried to trap him-
Toward the prison guards
Toward the sick, sinners, the unworthy, the poor, the downtrodden
Do you see? It is all about us living to be like Him. Copy His behavior. Why? So that the lost will see Christ in us.
Trials are from God to create what in you? to produce patience.
What does patience mean? Rewrite the definition of Patience. Put it on your refrigerator.
Verse 4
And you are to let (allow) that patience (vs 4) have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Have its perfect work – this is not meaning sinless …perfection, but to grow into spiritual maturity. It is a journey, a race, and it doesn’t end till we die.
James tells us to get ready to be Spiritually worked out/exercised. Because after your work out is complete, you are on your way to being spiritually fit (mature) Hebrews 12:11
Whew!
Trials are to produce strong godly character in us. We will never reach perfection, but we must continue to strive for spiritual maturity. 1 John 2:14… because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.
Why? The testing of our faith drives us to deeper faith which in turn produces a stable, godly and righteous Christ-like individual. (Gal 4:19) …Christ is formed in you.
That’s what I want to be. Don’t you. I just want to be Christ like so that others will see Jesus in me.
1Pet 5:10 is a beautiful verse: But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen
So that you may be whole and complete, lacking nothing
God wants us whole – 1 Thess 5:23,24
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
And He will get you through these trials…its His guarantee to all who believe in Him.
Journal Entry: Am I bold enough to tell this to people who observe me going through a trial?
God has allowed this trial. He obviously has a reason or purpose for allowing it to happen. I don’t know right now what that reason is but I trust that He does. I want my life to bring glory to His purposes not mine!
One more thing before we leave. Like I mentioned in the first lesson, the book of James parallels the Beatitudes, which are found in first part of the Sermon on the Mount.
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5 and the Beatitudes begin at verse 1. Jesus was teaching his disciples principles for good character and conduct. It is not a salvation message…
Instead, Jesus is describing what the behavior of an ideal citizen of God’s kingdom would be like.
There are 9 Beatitudes…1, 2, 3 4, and 6 …Jesus is telling you what the personality of a believer should be like. 5, 7 teach you how to behave toward others….8, 9 Jesus teaches what your attitude toward the world should be like.
Each beatitude begins with Blessed which means happy, fortunate, or blissful… Interesting! Do you suppose that Blessed means temporary happiness or eternal Joy.
From what we learned earlier about the difference between happy and joyful, I would like to say that by living your life according to the beatitudes you will find joy in your everyday life.
Because according to what I read, Jesus teaches that we should do just the opposite of what the world would teach us to do.
The world puts value on money, entertainment, having an abundance of stuff…Jesus says Blessed are those who are humble, meek, poor in spirit, who hunger and thirst for righteousness…
Does that sound like the world to you?
James 1:2 Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
This lines up with the 8th beatitude… Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
You see, God has a purpose for your trial that you are going through right now, and the trials you have gone through, and all the future trials you will go through.
1 Peter 4:12 (repeated)
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding JOY!
You see, trials are going to come. How you handle them is going to determine if others will see Christ in you, or if you will just handle them like the world does.
The way to heavenly blessedness, is to following the Beatitudes, the book of James and the entire word of God!
Easy, right? Remember, do just the opposite of what the world is doing, and you’ll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
I want to teach you about the three kinds of Blessings.
- God blesses His people when he bestows (gives) them gifts rather earthly gifts or spiritual gifts.
- We bless God by thanking him for his mercies and grace toward us. We deserve nothing.
- One blesses another when he offers prayers to God for their welfare.
Adversity is going to come our way. Easy trials like a traffic jam or major trials like life-threatening diseases or prodigal children.
Matthew 5:10 says:
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
The kingdom of heaven is promised to those believers who suffer for doing right. Their integrity condemns the ungodly world and brings out its hostility. People hate a righteous life because it brings out their unrighteousness (own wrongdoing).
Prayer: Lord God, may you have mercy on us, forgive us for being so stubborn and not allowing You to command our life. From this day forward, I commit myself to your righteousness. I am tired of doing it my way and screwing it up. I choose today to “Count it all Joy” so that my life will reflect your image so that the lost will see Jesus in me.
I choose today to follow you.
We bless you Lord that your mercies are new every morning.
God bless you as you faithfully persevere through your various trials.
j
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