Trust in a Trial!

The most beautiful human being that I have ever encountered in my life is Leah’s Uncle Terry, who is no longer with us. He was Holy Spirit filled, and when I say Holy Spirit filled, I’m not talking about “I Should bought a honda”, or a high step to shout music, I’m talking about peace like a river, displayed as he was on his death bed. He was faithful to God and full of joy, during a time that the society says we should be giving up.

As we continue preaching through the book of James, this weeks passage, brings profound conviction, commanding us to trust God in a trail. The title of today's message is

“Trust in your Trail” Somebody look to your prettier neighbor and say, “I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna trust God in my trial!” I think when James talks about trials its two-fold. Circumstances that make you want to throw in the towel, and temptations that make you want to indulge in sin.

I love the new Halo series on Paramount+ but the problem is that you need a subscription. I didn’t want to pay a subscription for only one show. I saw that they had a free trial, of course their are strings attached, it was only for 3 days. So, I payed for the subscription and started binging as many shows I could watch. I even started watching westerns (who does that). My friends, life as we know it now, is like my free trial, so why not make use of the time we have been blessed with to live out our fullest for the glory of God, no matter the circumstance?

James 1:12–25 (CSB)

12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

C- This is a conditional sentence that reveals that true happiness is a result of enduring trials. When life a temptation wins a battle, it doesn’t feel good and it makes us feel empty.

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.

C- This verse is extremely important to understand the character of God. Trails do not feel good and can be quite depressing. We get trapped in sin to cope and medicate our depression and anxiety. The worst response we can have to troublesome circumstances is to medicate our emotions with sinful habits and addiction. Then we start to live in denial about the seriousness of our problem. You fill in your own blank.

My friend, stop pointing fingers at people and making excuses for dancing with sin. If you are pointing the finger at God, “God this is your fault because you won’t take this desire away.” God is love and love doesn’t force us to love him back. We have to decide if God is more lovely than what we are tempted by.

James reminds us that God is not dangling the apple of sin in front of our face, rather we see the enticing, luscious apple tree, that we know is poisonous, but we want it anyway. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, as Adam and Eve desired the fruit tree that defied the goodness of God, no matter how good he was to them, and their circumstances were perfect.

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

C- Adam told God after he ate the forbidden fruit, “it was this woman you gave me.” Adam was not tempted because Eve gave him the fruit. Adam was tempted because Adam, himself, saw that the fruit was pleasing to his own eye.

I wonder if there is anyone here today who is blaming their sin on their parents, friends or family.

College football players typically get an orientation to the football program for a visit. Coaches do this to influence recruits to commit to the school. One of the hooks for teenage boys who are wrestling with their hormones is to link them up with veteran players who can show them a good time. The hope is that drunk teenagers can have enough party and pleasure to play for that program.

I just gave my life to Christ and I have never even been to a party in high school because I was a square. Here I am on my visit, enduring the pokes and prods of peer pressure to go out and drink and link up with girls who were expecting a crowd of football players at a local club. I kept denying, looking forward to my hotel room and my Bible. After many attempts, scoffs, and derogatory slurs, my sponsor, who was a senior wide receiver, yelled at all of the players in that smoke hazed apartment.

“You heard the man, he said he doesn’t want to go.” My sponsor, now a company commander for the Army, grabbed me by the shoulder and said, come on, let me take you back to your room.

If went that night, I could not blame the players peer pressure, or God. I would have gone by my own desire. I believe that as I am speaking that God is revealing to you the fruit of self control, that is only provided by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters.

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

C- God only gives good gifts. He never gives evil, He can’t give evil. When he gives gifts, it does not leave a void. “Chaplain, how do I know if my boyfriend, or my girlfriend is from God?”

Are you ready for this answer? First and foremost, this question is might as well be rhetorical. Proverbs 10:22

Proverbs 10:22 ESV

22 The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

If he or she has you persistently crying yourself to sleep trying to figure out why you keep running back, that’s not from God. If that action his making you depressed, not wanting to spend time with God, and isolated, that's not from God. Vampires can’t enjoy the daylight because the sunlight will kill them. If you don’t have joy and peace, I can guarantee you that this “gift” did not come from heaven. God only gives good gifts, Amen?

REPEAT AFTER ME,

“GOOD GIFTS COME FROM HEAVEN!

PEACE COMES FROM HEAVEN!

JOY COMES FROM HEAVEN!

IF IT IS MAKING ME SICK, IT’S NOT FROM GOD!

IF IT IS MAKING ME LOSE MY MIND, ITS NOT FROM GOD!

IF IT IS MAKING ME DEPRESSED AND ANXIOUS, IT’S NOT FROM GOD

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?

18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

19 My dear brothers and sisters, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,

20 for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

23 Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror.

24 For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of person he was.

25 But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer who works—this person will be blessed in what he does.

C- This verse is a treasure! James is not simply scolding non-doers of the word. He gives us a point of application that is very powerful. Instead of being a forgetful hearer that walks away from the Word of God unchanged, he says that the person that perseveres in hearing is blessed.

Phone calendars and notifications are the best inventions for productivity jobs. I have always had the habit of logging an event on my calendar and never referring back to it. Therefore, I would forget and sometimes miss a mandatory meeting or an important event. James is saying that a person who is just a hearer of the word, does not persevere in the word. They are like the person who logs into the calendar, never refers back to it, and forgets about it.

Doers of the Word are persistent in the Word. They keep on hearing seeping and implanting the Word of God into their hearts.

How can I remain faithful during a trial? It is so hard?

Jesus knows what you are going through because he has been through it too!

Hebrews 4:14–16 NIV

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.