Profiting from trials

James: The half brother of Jesus, who led a church in Jerusalem

Bondservant is an important word. It translates the ancient Greek word doulos, and is probably better simply translated as slave. “A slave, a bondservant, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another… Among the Greeks, with their strong sense of personal freedom, the term carried a degrading connotation.”

Lord is also an important word. It translates the ancient Greek word kurios.

1. (V2) Count it all joy when you fall into various trials

Times of trials are an opportunity for growth

a) Its not if, its when you fall into trials

Application: Many of you are going through trials now

Friendships,

b) James says, count it joy

Joy is not happiness

Acts 5:41 “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

They identified with the suffering of Christ

The suffering helps them to become more like Christ

2. (V3) The testing of your faith produces patience

If you allow the work to be completed it produces patience

When we find ourselves in a test, the temptation is to find a way out (We want the pain to stop)

Application: God allows difficult things in our life to teach us

God is constantly teaching us, it doesn’t stop until we take our last breathe