Count it all Joy
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Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
well what is a trial?
A trial is a difficult situation
a trial is going through a time of hard circumstances
but the greek root of the word used here is also used for the words test and temptation
trial, test, and temptation are all part of the same family
This version, the NASB, uses the word trials, “consider it all joy when you encounter various trials”
and the KJV uses temptations, “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”
trials, tests, temptations work together because a test can be full of temptations, and a temptation can be a test, you can be tempted during a trial, and a trial can be a test
trials, tests, temptations . . . and though trials, tests, and temptations are not joyous, this verse says to consider it all joy
KJV - count it all joy
NLT - consider it an opportunity for great joy
in other words, decided to have a positive attitude and outlook about your trial
you don’t have to think of your trial as “woe is me” . . . poor me . . . why me
you don’t have think of your trial as poor me . . . . instead . . . .
you can choose to consider it all joy
you can choose to count it as all joy
for trials will come your way, because it says “when” and not “if”
you will go through trials
trials, test, and temptations are a part of life and definitely a part of the Christian life
I also see the word “various” and the word “trials” with an “s” . . . the there will be different types of trials and many trials
So it is best to chooose to consider it all joy or majority of your life will be sad
James, can you help us out with this consider it all joy?
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
again we see that trials and tests and temptations go together
the trial that you are going through is testing your faith
your trial is a trial, and what will the verdict be?
will it be proven that you have the faith that
God knows and cares
God can do anything
God is reliable
God is an all wise God and knows better than you
God’s plans can be trusted
God’s way is the best way
these many and various trials boil down to faith
that money problem is about faith
that marriage problem boils down to faith
that health issue boils down to faith
that sin boils down to faith
you trial is a trial about your faith
your trial is a test of your faith
your trial will present a temptation to give up your faith
but this verse teaches us to consider it all joy because this testing of your faith will produce endurance
over versions interpret the greek words as steadfastness, patience, perseverance
what do all of these words have in common?
They allow you to finish the race, reach the goal
The Christian race is not a sprint, it is a long race, it is a marathon, and in a marathon you’ve gotta have endurance
Count it all joy, because this trial is an opportunity to build up your endurance so that you can win the race, reach the goal, make it to the end, claim the prize
Championship players consider grueling practices as an opportunity to built the team so that they can win the championship
and it says that in the next verse
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
perfect does not mean without fault . . . but complete, prepared, ready
trial will build endurance, the endurance will have you ready
God is getting me ready
God is preparing me
God is coaching me up
But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
trials gives us good reason to to seek wisdom from God. We often don’t know we need wisdom until our time of difficulty.
In a time of trial, we need to know what God wants us to do
push forward or change direction
pray for change or accept what God has allowed?
This requires wisdom.
And if in your trial, you ask God for wisdom, he will give it to you generously!
“without reproach” - no rebuke, no scolding . . . his is glad that you are asking, and will give it to you
But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
but when you ask for this wisdom, you must ask in faith without doubting
I am asking for wisdom and God will give it! Has given it!
You can’t live doubting the wisdom God has given . . . . through the word . . . through revelation (that doesn’t contradict the word)
oooh . . . . I don’t know
ok, I guess you’re right
but are you sure?
alright, alright, I trust you
buar are you sure though?
you’re just like the sea being tossed back and forth . . . infuriating
For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
if you ask and treat his answers like that, then you can stop expecting answers
pet peeve: when I am the expert by a mile in a certain subject (because of learning and experience), a clueless person ask for my advice, and then doubts my answer
someone ask me what makes an F chord on a keyboard
I tell them FAC
and they say, “mmmmmm . . . but if it’s an F chord, wouldn’t it be all F’s? Why would an A and a C be in an F chord?”
I thinking, “You’re wasting my time. Why did you ask me, if you were going to doubt my answer?”
“you don’t know enough about music to doubt me. . .you know what? . . . bye!”
bye with your double minded, unstable self
and that’s how we do god, we don’t know enought to doubt his wisdom
But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
for the person who goes through humble circumstances/trials it is an honor
for the person who is rich/has it easy/no trials it is a disgrace
how does that work
there are eternal rewards for making through trials
if you have it easy, that is your reward, and it is temporary
For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
just like grass and flowers, here one minute, gone the next, not missed
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
you are blessed if you are going through a trial and you persevere, endure, hold on
for when you pass the test, there is a reward
you are not going through for nothing
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
The Christians at the time lived in a culture of people who worshipped gods that liked to trick humans . . . they had stories of the Greek gods and the Roman gods purposefully setting out to tempt and trick people . . . their gods could be just as much a foe as a friend . . . you couldn’t really trust them
And James is letting them know that our God, the true God does not tempt his people, play tricks on his people, or try to bring them down . . . . . no games are being played . . . that’s not in God’s character
So if you are tempted to do the wrong thing, make the bad choice . . . it’s not God’s doing
But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
What tempts us to do wrong is our own lust
what tempts us to make wrong choices is a fleshly desire within us
in other words, the battle is not on the outside, but on the inside
in other words, it’s definitely not God, it’s not even the unseen enemy . . .
ground zero is “In A Me”
the heart of the battle
where the battle lines are drawn
the most important battle front is “in a me”
This is important to know because we have a tendency to think we are the smallest part of the equation
we will blame our shortcomings on God, others, and circumstances
if God had not allowed this
if I was raised in better circumstances
that’s just how people in my family are
if my finances had been different
they pushed me too far
the situation forced my hand
God allows things, people do things, and circumstances can be trying . . . but the main battle is still “In A Me”
if you win that battle then what God has allowed won’t stop you, what people do won’t stop you, circumstances won’t stop you
we can put so much energy in trying to figure out God
we put so much effort into trying to outmaneuver the people who are against us
we put in so much time complaining about the circumstances
we worry so much about what the devil is doing
that we don’t have anything left to battle the main problem.
the success of your marriage doesn’t start with your spouse it starts in a me . . . some of you can have a happier marriage without your spouse changing one bit . . . . somebody else will take all those problems off your hands
when we are tempted to sin we have a choice: to sin OR not to sin - that is the choice. We can allow ourselves to be enticed into sin OR to resist sin. We can be governed by our old sinful, carnal nature and refuse to keep self nailed to the cross OR to we can be guided by the Holy Spirit and walk in spirit and truth. We can allow ourselves to be a slave to sin or a servant of righteousness - to yield to the temptation and dishonour God by sinning OR to resist the temptation and give glory to God by resisting the temptation.
which shifts the blame for our ungodly choices onto other people or circumstances. Indeed both God and Satan are equally blamed when we fall into sin - “Satan made me do it'.. or “it's all God's fault, He made me like this'
the lust is there, but the yielding to the lust is up to you
it’s not God’s fault, that’s just you wanting to quit
take the short cut
give up
try another way of life
the blame falls on you, the ultimate reason is the person in the mirror
not the unseen enemy - the devil
not seen enemy - that person who dislikes you
not the unintentional enemy - that friend who hurt you thought they didn’t mean to
not the disguised enemy - that false teacher
no the blames fall on the In A Me
Church may have hurt you . . . but that’s not reason you don’t go to church, the reason that you don’t want to go is that you rather chill at the house and have that extra time every weekend, you rather not be accountable of responsible to a church family
the hurt was real, but that’s not the ultimate reason
you have been job hurt, but yet you found another job . . . you didn’t let job hurt stop you
“but I need a job” . . . realize or not, you need a church home
your spouse may have done you wrong, they may have not being paying attention to your needs, they may have cheated on you, but the reason you failed the test of rocky times in a marraige is that YOU just wanted to . . . it was the IN A Me
how much power do you
the
trials
I am looking forward to having my day in court
you look forward to trial when you will win a lawsuit
“Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
“If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
the only one who can stop me is me
