James 1: Learning to Endure

Last week, we said that James was written by James, the half-brother of Jesus. We said it was written to Jewish Christians specifically, but to all Christians generally. We also said that it was the earliest of the New Testament writings.

Tonight, we are going to see how we can endure in this world even though trouble is all around us.

1. Trouble: Count it as joy.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” How many of you would say this is your favorite verse in the Bible? Not many of us right. Do you mean we are to count it as joy when trials and troubles come our way?

The phrase divers temptations means various kinds of testings, trouble, and trials. It does not refer to a temptation to sin.

James 1:13 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”

Listen to me and this is very important, and it slaps the prosperity gospel right in the mouth. You and I are going to face and fall into trials and tribulations. Nowhere in the Bible is a Christian promised a trouble-free life.

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

We have talked about this before, but there is a difference between shall and will. Shall is something that is determined. Will is not necessarily determined. It is an expressed hope or belief.

Jesus Himself said that in this world that it is a settled fact that everyone, both saved and lost, are going to have trouble in this world.

Jesus used the word tribulation which in that context means the pressure, affliction, and distress that we all face daily.

Now, listen to this very carefully, and this is very difficult for people to understand.

The pressures, afflictions, and distresses that are in this world do not necessarily come from God.

Those things are the results of living in this sinful world. Those things are the results that stem from the choice Adam and Eve made. There was no inflation in the Garden. There was no murder before Adam made his choice. There was no theft before Adam made his choice. There were no natural disasters before Adam made his choice. The choice Adam made changed the natural course of earth. We do not live on the earth God intended, but it was the one we deserve because of the choice made by man.

As a result, we will face trials, troubles, and pressures daily, but James says that we are to count those things as JOY.

We are to count those things as joy because of the potential good they bring into the life of a believer. If you think you are going to live a trouble-free, prosperity-filled life after you are saved, I am telling you that you got saved for the wrong reason. DO you know what is written in what some people say is the oldest book in the Bible?

Job 14:1 “Man that is born of a woman Is of few days, and full of trouble.”

You will, if saved, be free from trouble when you die. I came across this quote the other day from a writer named Barbara Johnson as I was studying James Chap. 1.

“Trouble is inevitable; misery is optional.” (Barbara Johnson)

You are going to have trouble in this life. Your reaction to it is the key.

Let me read our verse again.

James 1:2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”

If I were writing this verse, I would say it like this:

“Brothers and sisters in Christ, count it as joy to be tested in this life.”

That leads to another question. What could possibly be the joyful purpose of trouble and tribulation?

2. Trouble: Learning to endure and to be steadfast.

James 1:3 “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”

Those trials in our Christian lives work patience.

In this verse, patience means steadfastness and endurance. Interestingly, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, James uses the phrase “work patience.”

When we work, what are we trying to do? We are trying to complete something.

In terms of of the trials that come our way, God uses our outward circumstances to complete our faith in Him.

There is a perfect example of it in the Bible.

2 Corinthians 1:8–10 “For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”

God used whatever it was that tormented Paul to get Paul to the point that he could trust God who raises the death and the God who has delivered each Christian from a great death.

When trouble comes, we need to remember the God who raised the Lord Jesus and who delivered us from the death associated with the punishment for our sins. If we remember that and focus on that, our endurance and steadfastness will grow. Besides, God has made every Christian an incredible promise.

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

When chaos envelops us, we can stand on our faith in God. It is that steadfastness and endurance that accomplishes the good work, that works patience, and not the tribulation or trouble we are facing.

***If you and I forsake our faith when things go badly and instead of trusting God question Him, the trial of our faith does not work anything good in us at all.

3. Trouble: Lacking nothing.*******

James 1:4 “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

If you and I were to allow endurance and steadfastness to complete their finished work in us, we would be complete and lack nothing.

Now, let me ask you a question. How many Christians do you know that do not seem to be the least bit satisfied? Do you know why? Because they have not learned to lean on God in the face of whatever is going on around them, and as a result the Holy Spirit does not perfect the work God desires in that person, and until the Holy Spirit does, that person will always seem to be searching or hurting.

If you and I ever get to the point where we are living Romans Chap. 8 v. 28, we will have want for nothing in this life because everything we need will come from God living in us.

Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

What does that word content mean in that passage? It means to be satisfied with what is inside, and who is inside of a Christian? The Holy Spirit.

When we mature in the faith, the external things will not matter one bit because we will be content with what is inside, the Holy Spirit. That is incredibly important if you want to mature in the faith.

Most Christians never get to that point of spiritual maturity because we get distracted by the testing, pressure, and trials of this world.

Let me tell you what happens.

Many of us, in difficult times, question God instead of trusting God.

“Why Lord?” “Why are you doing this to me?”

By questioning God, do you know what you are doing? You are blaming God who had nothing to do with it.

Let me explain something very briefly. The troubles of this world and God’s chastising are two different things. God’s chastising comes because of our disobedience. The troubles of this world occur because of the fact that we live in this world.

God did not bring trouble to this world, but He is able to deliver us from it if we stand in faith and trust.

Romans 8:31–32 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

How could God possibly cause the trouble in this world when He sent His precious Son into the world to deliver it?

I think I must add this.

Being able to stand steadfastly in faith and trust is contingent upon the Christian’s level of obedience to what God says in His Word.

Let’s examine two passages.

James 1:4 “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

In both passages, we are given rather significant statements of fact that everyone of us would say Amen to, but how many of us instead of being obedient to what those two passages say worry ourselves to death about the trouble that comes our way?

Did you know that worry for a Christian is a sin?

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

When you and I are steadfast, learning to endure, knowing God is going to deliver us, we will not fear or worry. As a matter of scriptural fact, when we allow the Holy Spirit to perfect that work in us, we can live as Paul wrote.

Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

If I am obedient and allow the Holy Spirit to perfect His work in me, I will not have my peace. I will have God’s peace.

Let me ask you a serious question.

How many of you are living in God’s peace as of this very moment? This is not a promise for the sweet by-and-by. This is a promise for the here and now.

Does not the peace of God not sound amazing?

Well, it is possible through the endurance that develops from the trials and tribulations that come our way, and it will come no other way.

If you have been a Christian for a while and are not living with God’s peace that passes all understanding, you are being distracted by the troubles of this world if you believe the New Testament. We are on a journey, a journey that should lead us to experience the peace of God in our lives, but do not tell me you have that peace when you are never happy and never content.

The peace of God in a Christian’s life is a journey. It does not happen overnight.

James 1:2–4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

2 Corinthians 1:9–10 “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”

I want you to know the process to spiritual maturity begins with the first bit of adversity you face after you get saved, and it continues until you have the peace of God in your life that passes all understanding. It is the peace that Abraham had.

Hebrews 11:17–19 “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.”

Dear friend, that is the peace of God that passes all understanding. It cannot be explained, and when we get to that point in our Christian journey, we will be cooking with gas. Unfortunately, most Christians never get to that point of peace because of worldly distraction.