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Count It All Joy

James: Faith Works
Sunday, May 12, 2024
Pastor Jojo Ma

 

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

God uses trials to make us more like Christ. If we will mature in faith, we must endure many tribulations.

I.          Purpose of trials [vv2-4]
II.        Prayer in trials [vv5-8]
III.       Poverty and prosperity as trials [vv9-11]

I.         Purpose of trials [vv2-4]
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James is not aiming for triviality and superficiality; he is aiming for serious joy in a very painful world.

The apostle wants his readers, and us too, to have a truly biblical perspective that trials are unsurprising in this life, that God is in control through them, and we can have a deep, abiding peace and joy as we endure them. The apostle wants this lens, this worldview, this perspective to capture our hearts and minds.

From childhood home to the retirement home, life is hard, trials abide, and testing of your faith is constant. This is why we desperately need the Bible to guide us and give us hope.

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Trials are a great mercy because we grow closer to our Savior through them, we become more like our Savior because of them. We won’t without them.

II.        Prayer in trials [vv5-8]
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

How does this giving God give? Generously! God is generous in how He gives joy and peace and wisdom.

6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

God doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want half-hearted prayers. He wants His children to confidently ask Him because God is your heavenly Father who does not give stones or serpents but bread and fish to His children when they ask in faith.

III.      Poverty and prosperity as trials [vv9-11]
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

Prov 30:8-9 Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, 9 lest I be full and deny You and say, “Who is the Lord?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

It is better to compare yourself to God than to your poor brother. Before God, you are very low and poor. That is correct pride, to see your lowliness bef God.

What trials are you going through right now that God wants to use to strengthen your faith?

In what areas of your life do you need to ask for wisdom? Where do you struggle with doubt?

What does it look like for you to be steadfast, “staying under,” this week?