How to Face Trying Times James 1:2-18. (Page 1025 in pew Bibles) 2.Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3.knowing

How to Face Trying TimesHow to Face Trying TimesJames 1:2-18James 1:2-18

James 1:2-18(Page 1025 in pew Bibles)

2.2.Consider it a great joy, my brothers, Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various whenever you experience various trials, trials,

3.3.knowing that the testing of your faith knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. produces endurance.

4.4.But endurance must do its complete But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. complete, lacking nothing.

5.5.Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to himit will be given to him. .

6.6.But let him ask in faith without But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. wind.

7.7.That person should not expect to That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. receive anything from the Lord.

8.8.An indecisive man is unstable in all his An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways. ways.

9.9.The brother of humble circumstances The brother of humble circumstances should boast in his exaltation;should boast in his exaltation;

10.10. but the one who is rich should boast but the one who is rich should boast in his humiliation, because he will pass in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a flower of the field. away like a flower of the field.

11.11. For the sun rises with its scorching For the sun rises with its scorching heat and dries up the grass; its flower heat and dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance is falls off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the rich destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will wither away while pursuing man will wither away while pursuing his activities. his activities.

12.12. Blessed is a man who endures trials, Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that He will receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who love Him.has promised to those who love Him.

13.13. No one undergoing a trial should say, No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God.” For God “I am being tempted by God.” For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone. doesn’t tempt anyone.

14.14. But each person is tempted when he But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. evil desires.

15.15. Then after desire has conceived, it Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.grown, it gives birth to death.

16.16. Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. brothers.

17.17. Every generous act and every perfect Every generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there is no the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by turning. variation or shadow cast by turning.

18.18. By His own choice, He gave us a new By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of truth so that we birth by the message of truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.would be the firstfruits of His creatures.


(Page 1025 in pew Bibles)

If You’re Not Sure How to If You’re Not Sure How to FeelFeel

• Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy, my Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces testing of your faith produces endurance.”endurance.”

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• How You May Feel… OverwhelmedHow You May Feel… Overwhelmed– Vs. 2, Amplified: “Whenever you Vs. 2, Amplified: “Whenever you

are are envelopedenveloped in or encounter in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.”various temptations.”

– Wuest: “Whenever you fall into Wuest: “Whenever you fall into the midst of variegated trials the midst of variegated trials which which surroundsurround you” you”

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• How We Should Feel… JoyfulHow We Should Feel… Joyful– Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy”Vs. 2 “Consider it a great joy”– Wuest: “Be Wuest: “Be constantly rejoicingconstantly rejoicing. .

Consider it a matter for Consider it a matter for unadulterated joyunadulterated joy””

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• How We Should Feel… ReassuredHow We Should Feel… Reassured– Vs. 3, Amplified: “Vs. 3, Amplified: “Be assured and Be assured and

understandunderstand thatthat the trial and the trial and proving of your faith bring out proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and endurance and steadfastness and patience.”patience.”

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• No Matter How You Feel… YieldNo Matter How You Feel… Yield!!– Vs. 4, Amplified: “But Vs. 4, Amplified: “But letlet

endurance and steadfastness and endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.”lacking in nothing.”

– Wiersbe’s secretaryWiersbe’s secretary

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If You’re Not Sure What to If You’re Not Sure What to DoDo

• Ask God for WisdomAsk God for Wisdom– Vs. 5 “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, Vs. 5 “Now if any of you lacks wisdom,

he should ask God, who gives to all he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” it will be given to him.”

– God gives all the wisdom you will need – God gives all the wisdom you will need – “Generously”“Generously”

– God gives wisdom without criticizing you God gives wisdom without criticizing you for not already knowing what you should for not already knowing what you should dodo

– God promises to give it – “It God promises to give it – “It willwill be given” be given”

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If You Are Having DoubtsIf You Are Having Doubts

• Vs. 6-8 “But let him ask in faith Vs. 6-8 “But let him ask in faith without without doubtingdoubting. For . For the doubterthe doubter is like the is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. An receive anything from the Lord. An indecisive man is unstable in all his indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.”ways.”

• Doubters are influenced by events, Doubters are influenced by events, instead of influencing eventsinstead of influencing events

• Doubters are unstable peopleDoubters are unstable people• Real belief anchors you like a rockReal belief anchors you like a rock . >

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If You Find Things in the If You Find Things in the Present World AlluringPresent World Alluring

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

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Poor Man, Rich ManPoor Man, Rich Man

• 11stst Corinthians 7:31 “This world in its Corinthians 7:31 “This world in its current form is passing away”current form is passing away”

• The Christian who is poor should remember The Christian who is poor should remember that his standard of living is temporarythat his standard of living is temporary– He should celebrate His future eternityHe should celebrate His future eternity

• The Christian who is wealthy should The Christian who is wealthy should remember he is a future “has-been” and be remember he is a future “has-been” and be humblehumble– He should be trust God as his source of He should be trust God as his source of

security, not his wealthsecurity, not his wealth• No one should live for this short-term worldNo one should live for this short-term world

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• Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who endures trials, because when endures trials, because when he passes the test he will he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who He has promised to those who love Him.” love Him.”

HL >


• Vs. 12 “Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who Blessed is a man who endures trialsendures trials, because when , because when he passes the test he will he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that receive the crown of life that He has promised to those who He has promised to those who love Him.” love Him.”

Q >

Charles SpurgeonCharles Spurgeon

HL >

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


• Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who Vs. 12 “Blessed is a man who endures trials, endures trials, because when because when he passes the test he will he passes the test he will receive the crown of lifereceive the crown of life that that He has promised to those who He has promised to those who love Him.”love Him.”

• Christians should think Christians should think l-o-n-g l-o-n-g termterm

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If You Are Being TemptedIf You Are Being Tempted

• Vs. 13 “No one undergoing a trial Vs. 13 “No one undergoing a trial should say, ‘I am being tempted by should say, ‘I am being tempted by God.’ For God is not tempted by God.’ For God is not tempted by evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt evil, and He Himself doesn’t tempt anyone.”anyone.”

• ““If God hadn’t put me in this If God hadn’t put me in this stressful situation I wouldn’t have stressful situation I wouldn’t have fallen into that”fallen into that”

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• Vs. 14-15 “But each person is Vs. 14-15 “But each person is tempted when he is tempted when he is drawn awaydrawn away and and enticedenticed by his own by his own evil desiresevil desires.”.”

• Drawn awayDrawn away: To pull a net into a : To pull a net into a boat or a boat onto landboat or a boat onto land

• EnticedEnticed: To lure with bait. : To lure with bait. • Evil desiresEvil desires: Intense longing, desire, : Intense longing, desire,

craving – “his own evil desires”craving – “his own evil desires”

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• Vs. 14-15 “Then after desire has Vs. 14-15 “Then after desire has conceivedconceived, it gives , it gives birthbirth to sin, and to sin, and when sin is when sin is fully grownfully grown, it gives , it gives birthbirth to death.”to death.”

• ConceptionConception – embracing the thought – embracing the thought• BirthBirth – doing the act for the first time – doing the act for the first time• GrowthGrowth – developing a addictive habit – developing a addictive habit• DeathDeath – separation… loss of – separation… loss of

relationship with God, othersrelationship with God, others

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If You Are Wondering Why If You Are Wondering Why God Would Turn on YouGod Would Turn on You

• Vs. 16-18 “Don’t be deceived, my Vs. 16-18 “Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. Every dearly loved brothers. Every generous act and every perfect gift generous act and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from is from above, coming down from the Father of lights; with Him there the Father of lights; with Him there is no variation or shadow cast by is no variation or shadow cast by turning.”turning.”

• God doesn’t change so He cannot God doesn’t change so He cannot turn on usturn on us

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If You Are Wondering Why If You Are Wondering Why God Would Turn on YouGod Would Turn on You

• Vs. 18 “By His own choice, He gave Vs. 18 “By His own choice, He gave us a new birth by the message of us a new birth by the message of truth so that we would be the truth so that we would be the firstfruits of His creatures.”firstfruits of His creatures.”

• God is consistently good to usGod is consistently good to us• God has begun a new work God has begun a new work inin us – us –

“new birth”“new birth”• God is working a plan God is working a plan forfor us… to us… to

make us like Jesus – “The firstfruits make us like Jesus – “The firstfruits of His creatures”of His creatures” . .


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How to Face Trying Times James 1:2-18. (Page 1025 in pew Bibles) 2.Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3.knowing