Change Your Perspective and Change Your Life

Pre-Introduction:

Prayer

Text:

James 1:2–7 ESV

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

james 1:

My sermon title is:

Introduction:

The path of life is not an easy path to walk.  Life is filled with all kinds of trials and temptations.  You have probably heard the saying, “when life gives you a lemon, make lemonade!”  Throughout the Bible there are people who have turned: Defeat into victory and Trial into triumph. They were, Victors instead of victims – Do you want to turn your trials into triumphs?  Then we must obey four imperatives:

Defeat into victory

In recent years parenting has been tagged with plenty of labels: tiger, helicopter, elephant, free-range, etc. The school year of 2018-19 began with a new moniker, "lawnmower parent." A post that went viral on WeAreTeachers.com explained how lawnmower parents mow down all of their children's challenges, struggles and discomforts.

Trial into triumph

A post that went viral on WeAreTeachers.com explained how lawnmower parents mow down all of their children's challenges, struggles and discomforts.

They were, Victors instead of victims – temptation on the outside (1:1-12) \ inside (1:13-27).  Do you want to turn your trials into triumphs?  Then we must obey four imperatives:

In the post titled “Lawnmower Parents Are the New Helicopter Parents & We Are Not Here for It,” the unnamed teacher recalls being summoned to the school’s office to pick up something a parent dropped off for a student. Believing it would be an essential item, like “an inhaler or money for dinner,” the teacher was shocked to find that a father went out of his way to deliver an insulated water bottle for his daughter. Wearing a suit for the midday dropoff, the writer recalled that the dad “sheepishly” began with “Hi, sorry.” “Remy kept texting me that she needed it. I texted back, ‘Don’t they have water fountains at your school?,’ but I guess she just had to have it out of the bottle,” the father reportedly said. “He laughed, as if to say, ‘Teenagers, am I right?’ ” the teacher remembered. Though the educator voiced empathy with “the motivations of a person not wanting to see their child struggle,” they could not believe that the parent of a middle schooler would be pampered over such a minor matter as forgetting their water bottle at home.

Believing it would be an essential item, like “an inhaler or money for dinner,” the teacher was shocked to find that a father went out of his way to deliver an insulated water bottle for his daughter.

Wearing a suit for the midday dropoff, the writer recalled that the dad “sheepishly” began with “Hi, sorry.”

“Remy kept texting me that she needed it. I texted back, ‘Don’t they have water fountains at your school?,’ but I guess she just had to have it out of the bottle,” the father reportedly said.

“He laughed, as if to say, ‘Teenagers, am I right?’ ” the teacher remembered.

Though the educator voiced empathy with “the motivations of a person not wanting to see their child struggle,” they could not believe that the parent of a middle schooler would be pampered over such a minor matter as forgetting their water bottle at home.

The writer continued to define the “lawn mower parents” as those willing to go to “whatever lengths necessary to prevent their child from having to face adversity, struggle, or failure.”

Editorial Director of the website, Hannah Hudson, shared a few examples. A high-school student's parent asked a teacher to walk her teenager to class to assure he wouldn't be late. One parent requested that someone in the cafeteria blow on her child's hot lunch to cool it down. In their attempts to help a child succeed, lawnmower parents take away virtually every opportunity for maturity and resilience to emerge. Hudson suggested it's not an emergency unless the cell-phone-totting student would be willing to go to the school office and use the secretary's phone. All parents want to help their child succeed; we just need to make sure we're really helping. USAToday.com, 9/19/18

The Fact Of Trials.

The scripture does not say “IF” you experience trials, it says “When”

We all have many trials and temptations

God tells us to expect trials

Jesus, Paul, and Peter also warned us of this:

Jesus warned His disciples “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Paul told his converts that “we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Peter emphasized this in his first letter “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

Four Imperatives to turn your trials into triumphs:

In their attempts to help a child succeed, lawnmower parents take away virtually every opportunity for maturity and resilience to emerge. Hudson suggested it's not an emergency unless the cell-phone-totting student would be willing to go to the school office and use the secretary's phone. All parents want to help their child succeed; we just need to make sure we're really helping. USAToday.com, 9/19/18

I. A Joyful Attitude

I. A Joyful Attitude

Greek word Kharin - through favor

another word derived from the same root is Kharis - worthy

It is through favor that God deems you worthy to go through what you are going through

You will not understand God’s purpose in your preparation process but he see’s what we don’t

There was a story told recently about a king in Africa who had a close friend that he grew up with. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation that ever occurred in his life (positive or negative) and remarking, "This is good!"

One day the king and his friend were out on a hunting expedition. The friend would load and prepare the guns for the king. The friend had apparently done something wrong in preparing one of the guns, for after taking the gun from his friend, the king fired it and his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!". To which the king replied, "No, this is NOT good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail. About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake. As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

About a year later, the king was hunting in an area that he should have known to stay clear of. Cannibals captured him and took them to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake and bound him to the stake.

As they came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone that was less than whole. So untying the king, they sent him on his way.

As he returned home, he was reminded of the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his treatment of his friend. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right" he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." And he proceeded to tell the friend all that had just happened. "And so I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this." "No," his friend replied, "this is good!" "What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year."

"No," his friend replied, "this is good!"

"What do you mean, 'this is good'! How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year."

"If I had NOT been in jail, I would have been with you.

II. An Understanding mind

II. An Understanding mind

Understand that you are building endurance to run the good race. You are conditioning to fight the good fight. And you are preparing to be a true soldier for God.

What does not kill you only makes you stronger

Pain is only weakness leaving the body

III. A Surrendered Will

Resign to the fact that no matter how good you live your life, how much you attend church, or how much your net worth is, you will go through challenges in life. If you have not experienced any hardships yet.....just keep living.

Surrender to God and be receptive to his Will in your life

IV. A Heart That Wants to Believe

God has always intended for our faltering, difficult baby steps to turn into a consistent ascent of the mountains of this life and a desire to not only be ready for the next evolution in our preparation, but truly believing in our heart that he has equipped us with the necessary tools and conditioning to persevere.

Summary:

When facing adversity, there are only two options: grow or suffer.

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

In closing remember in order to change your life you only need to change your perspective. Be like the King’s friend in the earlier story.

Develop a Joyful attitude

Develop and Understanding Mind

Surrender to His will

Have a heart that wants to believe

Just remember this when the next challenge comes, “It’s all good”.