TITLE: The Truth About trials TEXT: James 1:2-12 THEME: trials, faith, believers under test, testings,

perseverance P.S. The Christian does not have to be a victim of his circumstance, but can have victory even in times of trials and testings.

INTRODUCTION: Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm, Word Publishing, 1991, p. 11. Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippies owner decided to clean Chippies cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. Shed barely said "hello" when "ssssopp!" Chippie got sucked in. The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie -- still alive, but stunned. Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him. A few days after the trauma, the reporter whod initially written about the event contacted Chippies owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesnt sing much anymore -- he just sits and stares." Its hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over . . . Thats enough to steal the song from the stoutest heart. Sucked in, washed up, and Blown over That about sums up how many of us feel at times isnt?

It describes the certainty of trials and feelings of powerlessness that trials bring. An Army Chaplain had a sign on his door that said, If you have troubles, come in & tell me all about them. If you dont have troubles, come in & tell me how you do it. James reminds us of the reality that even in the Christian life, there are trials and temptations. However, the Christian does not have to be a victim of his circumstance, but can have victory even in times of trials and testings. James tells us No matter what the trials on the outside, we can experience victory through faith in Christ. How do you respond when Life Deals You A Lemon?.. There are four essentials for victory in Trials:Count - A Joyful Attitude James 1:2 Know -An Understanding Mind James 1:3 Let - A Surrendered Will James 1:4, 9-11 Ask - A Heart that Wants to Believe James 1:5-8 1. Count - A Joyful Attitude James 1:2 Count or consider is an accounting term. It means to take stock of. Consider carefully. Investigate fully. Line up all the numbers them add them all up. What are the things we are to consider? a. Consider the facts about trials: James does not say if trials come, but when they do come. Expect them! Do not hide your face inn the proverbial sand. Notice that just because you are a believer, you are not exempt. The Proverbs tell us that rain falls on the just and the unjust alike. Satan fights us, the world opposes us and makes this life full of battle! B. Consider many different trials: James says we face trials of many kinds. This can refer to two things. Firstly, it can refer to types of trials. Emotional trials, trials at work, physical trials etc. Or it can refer to the source of trials. Trials generally come from one of two sources. There are the trials that we experience as a result of living the Christian life. In fact this is probably what James had in mind as he wrote this letter. His audience was the twelve tribes scattered throughout the earth... He was addressing those believers who had been uprooted from their homes and families just because they were believers. There are still many in our world who are experiencing persecution for their faith. Christian World Report, says that in China alone,

1100 people are executed monthly just because of their Faith. In some restrictive Nations in the middle east, to become a believer is an automatic death sentence. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are experiencing such trials. It is a reminder to us to be thankful for our momentary window of freedom we presently have to worship God without restrictions, and to be ready for when the door might one day be slam behind us. For the most part, we have it pretty good on the western world. Our trials come from another source. They are the unknown, unexpected experiences of life. For the most part people do not have control over such experiences. No one could have predicted or controlled the hijacking of four air planes by some crazed, deluded, terrorists and the subsequent destruction of the Trade Centre with its unbelievable loss of life. These kinds of trials are unexpected. They find you, you dont need to make your own trials. C. Consider your response to your trials. James says Count it joy when you face them. The Apostle Peter also says, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through as if something strange were happening to you. Instead be very glad (rejoice) because these trials will make you partners with Christ in His suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world. Warren Wiersbe made this observation that the trials of life are not all alike. They are like multicolored yarn that the weaver uses to make a beautiful rug. God arranges and mixes the colours and experiences of life. The final product is a beautiful thing for His glory. Evaluate your goals and priorities old&new Live for the things which matter the most. Our values determine our evaluations If you value comfort more than character, then trials will upset us. If we value the physical and the material more than the spiritual, we will not be able to count it all joy. If we live for the present and not the future, then trials will make us bitter, not better. Job 23:10 When God has finished with me, I shall shine as gold.

When trials come, dont pretend, dont try self hypnosis, simply look at the trial through the eyes of faith. Outlook determines Outcome to end with joy, begin with joy! But how is it possible to rejoice in the middle of trials? 2. Know - An Understanding Mind James 1:3 What do we as believers know that makes it easier to face trials and benefit from them? A. Faith is always tested to increase our faith! God tests to bring out our best, Satan tempts to bring out our worst! B. Testing works for us, not against us! (1 Peter 1:7 the testing of your faith) - the approval of your faith it is genuine, proven. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold and your faith is far more precious to god than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tested by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on the day Jesus is revealed to the whole world. Ills A gold prospector brings his ore sample into the assayers office to be tested. The sample itself may not be worth more than a few dollars, but the approval, the official statement about the ore, is worth millions. It assures the prospector that he has a gold mine. Gods approval of our faith is precious because it assures us that our faith is genuine. Gods approval of our faith is precious, because it assures us that our little faith is genuine faith. Trials work for the believer because God approves of our faith when we trust Him through the trial. C. Trials rightly used help us to mature How does God spell maturity? patience, endurance - the ability to keep going when its tough to keep going!!!! Ills Kids on a long trip to wonderland Are we there yet? How long? Too Immature to understand the journey. Immature people are often impatient

 they want the blessings of maturity without walking the road of growth. The only way God can develop patience and character in our lives is through trials! (not reading, prayer, sermons) When we go through trials, when we trust God and obey Him, the result is patience and character. This is how we can face trials with a positive attitude we know what trials will do in us & for us that the end result will bring Glory to God. 3. Let - A Surrendered Will James 1:4, 9-11 God cannot and will not build our character without our cooperation. He is a gentleman and will not push, prod, pull or drag us against our wills. If we resist him, the natural consequence will be His chastisement. However, when we submit to him, then He can accomplish His work. Ills Gods goal for our lives is maturity. It would be tragic if our little children remained little babies. We enjoy watching them grow through the various stages of life. There are times when naturally we want to shelter our kids from the dangers of life. But we cant. Many Christians make the mistake of trying to shelter themselves from the trials of life, and as a result never grow up. How can you tell? Be cause they keep experiencing the same trial over and over again. God has three tasks to complete in our growth:-Eph. 2:8-10 a. For us this is salvation. Jesus completed his work on the cross. B. In Us We are His workmanship or literally his masterpiece. This is sanctification. God builds our character and we become more like Jesus. C. Through us This is service. He has created us anew s that we can to the good things he planned for us long ago. God doesnt work in us without our consent we must surrender our will to His! If we face trials without a surrendered will, we will remain immature infants.Ills James 1:9-11 explores this truth with two classes of Christians the poor and the rich. Gods testing has a way of levelling us all. It is not our material resources that are going to get us through the trials of life, but our spiritual resources. Sometimes God uses a trial to pose the question Which do you love more - this or Me? (immaturity)

4. Ask - A Heart that Wants to Believe James 1:5-8 When the unexpected trials of life land on our doorstep, How are we to respond? How are to pray what should we ask God for? James gives the answer, Prayer for WISDOM> Wisdom is more than knowledge. Someone has said that knowledge is the ability to take things apart, while wisdom is the ability to put them together. Wisdom is using knowledge rightly. Why do we need wisdom when we are going through our trials? It is popular in charismatic circles to want to pray for more power or strength or deliverance. We need wisdom so we will not waste the opportunities God is giving us to mature. Wisdom helps us to use these circumstances for our good and Gods glory. Ills One day a farmers donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway, it just wasnt worth it to retrieve the donkey So he invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyones amazement, he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmers neighbours continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed, as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! Moral: Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up! Dont waste the opportunities God gives you to prove Himself. James tells us what to pray for wisdom He also tells us how to pray confidently, specifically, and unwaveringly in faith.

When we do God promises to answer generously To all Without finding fault. No need for fear God is anxious to answer. No need to doubt God is faithful to His promises Conclusion: So whats in it for me? James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When a Christian endures trials, there is compensation both now and ahead: a. Now Character, Endurance, Patience b. Ahead a Crown of LifeGod doesnt help us by removing the trials, he makes them work for our growth and maturity Satan wants to use these trials to tear us down, but God uses them to build us up. (Who are you letting control your growth in trials?) What motivates me to act in this way? James identifies the response as Love (James 1:12) - Love motivates a joyful attitude We love God, God loves us and will not harm us. - Love motivates an understanding mind God teaches us through the trials, and we grow. - Love motivates surrender of my will when love reigns, we can surrender and obey - Love motivates belief love and belief go together. When you love, you trust and ask for help. Where is your love found? God or the world. What are you trusting in trials will it get you through? God wants us to grow when trials come. In love to Christ - count, know, let, and ask.

The Sweet Fruit of Bitter Times James 1:1-4 Krispy Kreme donuts are all the rage right now. Many of us have tasted them. Some people will line up and wait for hours to purchase these sweet delights. Let me tell you about the process that leads to a Krispy Kreme donut. First the little balls of dough are shot through with a piercing blast of air to create a hole. Then they go into the proof box where they ride up and down an elevator in an atmosphere of heat and humidity. This causes the dough to rise. After this, they are dropped into hot oil and boiled thoroughly. After surviving this ordeal, the donuts pass through a cascading waterfall of icing. Does anyone here today feel like a Krispy Kreme? Do you feel like you have been blasted with air? Do you feel like you have been boiled in oil? Well, remember that these experiences precede the sweet delight that follows. None of us look forward to trials. None of us love hardship. But without them, we will never enjoy the sweet fruit of maturity. A Billy Graham said, Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys. Today, as we begin our study of James, we are going to look at the sweet fruit of bitter times. James introduces his letter. A. James, the author. 1. He refers to himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. His identity is almost surely James, the half brother of Jesus. a. He was a leader in the early church of Jerusalem (Acts 15, 27). b. He was the brother of Jesus (Mk. 6:3). c. He was an eyewitness of the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:7). B. His readers. 1. He refers to them as the twelve tribes scattered among the nations. a. Christian churches of a predominantly Jewish character. b. Christians who were scattered (diaspora) among Gentile nations. C. His letter. 1. It is much like OT wisdom literature. It deals with a variety of subjects which describe how to live an upright life.

3. It has much in common with the Sermon on the Mount, i.e. oaths, the tongue, peacemakers. I. A Proper Attitude Toward Trials (v. 2). A. What are trials? 1. The term is used to speak of afflictions and adversities that we encounter in life. 2. These trials are of various kinds. It could be illness, financial reverses, problems at work, persecution for our faith, etc. They come in all shapes and sizes. B. Our attitude toward trials. 1. Consider it pure joy. Not part joy and part something else, but pure joy. 2. It seems quite unnatural for our attitude toward trials to be pure joy. 3. However, this is a categorical biblical command. We are commanded to have an attitude of joy in trials. APP: We must be careful to understand what James is calling for here. He is not suggesting some kind of masochistic happiness in the hurts and losses of life. He is not saying that we are to enjoy being sick, losing a loved one, getting laid off from our job, being persecuted, etc. This is not some weird kind of denial that life often hurts. Some of us here today are hurting. We are suffering. James does not suggest that we manufacture some kind of other-worldly, phony sense of happiness about our troubles. So, what is he suggesting? There is a reason to be joyful in the midst of trials.

It is not being happy about the trouble. It is finding joy in what the trouble produces. It is enjoying the sweet fruit produced only by bitter times.

II. The Powerful Outcome of Trials (vv. 3-4) A. Consider it all joybecause you know 1. We know that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. a. Testing of your faith. Trials test faith. 1) Not a test to find if faith is there. 2) A test to strengthen faith (1 Pet. 1:7).

ILL: In the LXX, this word is used to describe the process of refining silver. It is put into the flames to burn off the impurities and strengthen the quality of the silver. God does not test us to destroy us but to purify and strengthen us. b. Testing leads to perseverance. The Gk. term hupomone means to abide under. It refers to the ability to bear up under a burden. It is the staying power of the Christian life. ILL: I love this little parable of endurance. It seems that an old dog fell into a farmers well. After considering the situation, the farmer decided that neither the dog nor the well were worth saving. So, he decided to bury the old dog and put him out of his misery. When the farmer began shoveling, the dog was hysterical. But as the farmer kept on shoveling, and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck the old dog. Each time a shovel full of dirt hit his back, the dog would shake off the dirt and step up. So, blow after blow, the dog would shake it off and step up. No matter how painful those shovels of dirt were, the old dog fought panic, he just kept shaking it off and stepping up. Finally, the dog, battered and exhausted stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well. What he thought would bury him actually benefited him because of the way he handled his adversity. Perseverance is the ability to shake it off and step up when a load of trials are dumped on you. B. Perseverance produces maturity. 1. The greek term is teleion. It speaks of something that has reached its intended end. Here is refers to the maturity that perseverance produces. 2. This maturity is further described as not lacking anything. The Gk. term speaks of a thing which has all its necessary parts. 3. A process is implied here. Trials Perseverance Maturity. This is not automatic. It takes time. APP: Every person here today can think of a trial which he or she has gone through. If I asked you, Would you like to go through that again? You would undoubtedly say, No way. But if I asked you, Are you grateful for what that difficulty accomplished in your life? Many of you would say, I wouldnt trade those lessons and the character developed in those trials for anything. That is why we consider it all joy. We consider it all joy because we know that when

tough times come, the end result is going to be perseverance and maturity. Perseverance and maturity are things that please God. They are essential traits for the Christian life. The only way to get them is through hard times. The mature Christian life is the sweet fruit of bitter times. CONCLUSION: John Eldredge tells the story of a Scottish discus thrower from the 19th century. He lived days before professional trainers and developed his skills alone in the highlands. He made his own discus from the description he read in a book. What he didnt know was that the competition discus was made of wood with an outer rim of iron. His discus was made of pure metal, four times heavier than the ones used by his would-be challengers. This committed Scotsman trained day after day, laboring under the burden of extra weight. He marked the record distance and kept working until he could throw that far. Of course, when he arrived at the competition, he was handed the official wooden discus. He threw it like a tea saucer. He set new records and for many years, none of his competitors could touch him. As Eldredge reflected on this story, he said, So thats how you do it train under a great burden. Some of us here today are training under a great burden. It hurts. It is unpleasant. Sometimes we despair. Sometimes we cry. Sometimes we are angry at the burden. But we must always take heart. We must always have a deep sense of joy. Why? Because the burden is producing perseverance. Perseverance is producing maturity. Neither of these virtues so prized by God would ever be ours without the burden. Dear brother, dear sister, Count it all joy.