Staying The Course

James 5:7-19

An old seaman said, "In fierce storms we can do but one thing. There is only one way (to survive); we must put the ship in a certain position and keep her there."

Commenting on this idea, Richard Fuller wrote:

This, Christian, is what you must do. Sometimes, like Paul,

you can see neither sun nor stars, and no small tempest lies

on you. Reason cannot help you. Past experiences give you no

light. Only a single course is left. You must stay upon the

Lord; and come what may -- winds, waves, cross seas, thunder,

lightning, frowning rocks, roaring breakers -- no matter what,

you must lash yourself to the helm and hold fast your

confidence in God's faithfulness and his everlasting love in

Christ Jesus.

1) The Expectation of the Lord’s Return. (vs. 7-9)

It is hope for the Christian. He came to offer himself as our Savior.

o Every eye shall see Him

o Every knee shall bow

o Every tongue shall confess

o Every enemy will be defeated – sin, death, sickness

HOPE

Hope opens doors where despair closes them.

Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot.

Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God.

Hope "lights a candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."

Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.

Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism.

Hope sets high goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.

Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit.

Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that "the longest journey starts with one step."

Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst.

a) Suffering is seasonal. You’d better believe that there is an end to it and God knows how much we can endure. Often we are convinced that we can take no more when God knows that we can.

i) Training. If I were going to train someone, I would immediately take them out of their comfort zone. Physical training is the process of introducing pain into a person’s life. We would never put ourselves through that pain because it hurts too much. Others, circumstances, withholding the object of our desire (If we want it enough we will endure.) produce something in us that make us better.

ii) Once I am in shape I am no longer bothered by the same rigor of exercise. What once brought pain, I can now handle with ease because I am stronger.

iii) In pain we are instantly qualified as guides to those who are in the mists behind us.

iv) In our sufferings we find a point of identification with Christ.

b) It takes time to produce a crop. I am convinced that there is no adversity that enters our lives without bringing the opportunity to become better, stronger more able to bear lasting fruit for the Kingdom. In other words there is no purposeless pain as far as God is concerned. Often we do not look for these benefits. We object to troubled times as though they were purposeless. Sometimes the lessons that we can learn in times of lesser trouble can preserve our very lives when the ultimate test comes.

Jacques Plante was an amazing man. His career as a goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, The Toronto Maple Leafs and finally the Boston Bruins included the development of the goalie face mask, and the movement of the goalie out of the net to help the defense (revolutionary when Plante began them, but now standard practice). He won the Vezina trophy seven times for highest achievement in goal, and was named to the all star team seven times. He had 79 career shut-outs.

What most don't know, however, was that it was adversity that moved the man into the goal net. Jacques Plante was a severe asthmatic. As a child, when he would play defense on the ice-pond in sub-zero weather, he had difficulty breathing whenever the position would require him to skate fast. As a result, he moved into goal where he wouldn't have to do high-speed skating. When Plante was interviewed about his illustrious career, he frankly confessed, "If it hadn't been for my asthma, I probably would have stayed on defense and never progressed beyond pond hockey."

What may seem an obstacle may in fact be the stepping stone, the loss may in fact be the gain.

n Rev. David Chotka. From the files of Leadership.

Afflictions, when sanctified, make us grateful for mercies which before we treated with indifference. We sat for half an hour in a calf's shed the other day, quite grateful for the shelter from the driving rain, yet at no other time would we have entered such a hovel. Discontented people need a course of the bread of adversity and the water of affliction to cure them of the wretched habit of complaining. Even things which we loathed before, we shall learn to value when in troubling circumstances. We are not fond of lizards, and yet at Pont St. Martin, in the Aosta valley, where the mosquitoes, flies, and insects of all sorts drove us nearly to distraction, we prized the little green fellows, and felt quite an attachment to them as they darted out their tongues and devoured our worrying enemies. Sweet are the uses of adversity, and this among them--that it brings into proper estimation mercies which were before lightly esteemed.

n Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)

It is suffering that creates compassion in my heart for others who go through difficult times. Divorce and the pain that I encountered as a teen has left a very soft place in me for young people who encounter the same thing.

The story goes that Harry the Eighth, wandering one night in the streets of London in disguise, was met at the foot of a bridge by some of the night watchmen; and, not giving a good account of himself, he was carried off to the Poultry Compter and shut up for the night without fire or candle. On his liberation he made a grant of thirty chaldrons of coals and a quantity of bread for the solace of night prisoners in the Compter. Experience brings sympathy. Those who have felt sharp afflictions, terrible convictions, racking doubts, and violent temptations, will be zealous in consoling those in a similar condition. It would be good if the great Head of the church would put unsympathizing pastors into the Compter of trouble for a season until they could weep with those who weep.

n Charles Haddon Spurgeon, The Quotable Spurgeon, (Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, Inc, 1990)

As soon as we know our dependence, our own nothingness, we begin, by dying, to live. In this is our only hope: that knowing our nothingness, we come to learn from tribulation--and then tribulation, instead of paralyzing us and beating us to death and despair, is the necessary condition for us to learn how to live and tribulation teaches us the truth: it teaches us that our philosophy in which everything is centered on ourselves is false and deadly, because evil, in it, is inexplicable, and increases more and more as we try to avoid it more and more.

-- Thomas Merton in Run to the Mountain. Christianity Today, Vol. 41, no. 6.

c) Growth is facilitated by rain as much as sunshine. Almost everyone would rather have sunshine than showers. But just imagine what our world would be like if it never rained again. An example of such a place is in Northern Chile. Franklin Elmer, Jr., described a region between the great Andes mountain range and the Pacific Ocean where rain never falls. He wrote, "Morning after morning the sun rises brilliantly over the tall mountains to the east; each noon it shines brightly down from overhead; evening brings a picturesque sunset. Although storms are often seen raging high in the mountains, and heavy fog banks are observed far out over the sea, the sun continues to shine on this favored and protected strip of land. One would imagine this area to be an earthly paradise; but it is not. Instead, it is a sterile and desolate desert! There are no streams of water, and nothing grows there."

Elmer then made this application: "Too often we long for total sunshine and joy in life. We have wished to be rid of burdensome responsibilities. But, like this sunny, unfertile part of Chile, life without its burdens and trials would not be creative, productive, or challenging. We need sunshine and showers."

d) Don’t fight the wrong enemy. Often people lash out when they are in pain. While this is never right, it is understandable.

2) The Example of the Prophets (vs. 10,11)

I have been repeatedly encouraged in my own life by those who have set the standard. They have gone first. Their lives have shown me that God is faithful, I can trust Him and I can do the same.

a) It takes courage to speak in God’s name. Have you discovered this truth? When we speak God’s Word it is always convictional. It tends to set people on edge. Jeremiah’s complaint

Jeremiah 20:8 Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. 9 But if I say, "I will not mention him or speak any more in his name," his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.

b) We respect people who endure. I can do anything for a day. My personal aspiration in life is to be someone who endures. Everything about it is admirable to me. I’m tired of quitters and God keep me from being one myself.

Blessed are they who are too tired and too busy to go to church on Sunday, for they are my best workers.

Blessed are they who are bored with the minister's mannerisms and mistakes, for they get nothing out of the sermon.

Blessed is the church member who expects to be invited to his own church for he is part of the problem instead of the solution.

Blessed are they who gossip, for they cause strife and divisions that please me.

Blessed are they who are easily offended, for they soon get angry and quit.

Blessed are they who do not give their offerings to carry on God's work for they are my best helpers.

Blessed is he who professes to love God but hates his brother and sister, for he shall be with me forever.

Blessed are the trouble makers, for they shall be called children of the devil.

Blessed is he who has no time to pray, for he will be easy prey.

n Douglas Parsons, Pulpit Helps

The reasons why I'm giving up sports: football in the fall, baseball in the summer, basketball in the winter. I've had it all. I quit attending sports once and for all, and here are my 11 excuses:

1. Every time I went, they asked for money.

2. The people I sat next to didn't seem friendly.

3. The seats were too hard and not comfortable at all.

4. I went to many games but the coach never came to call on me.

5. The referees made decisions that I couldn't agree with.

6. The game went into overtime and I was late getting home.

7. The band played numbers I'd never heard before and it wasn't my style of music.

8. It seems the games are always scheduled when I want to do other

things.

9. I suspect that I was sitting next to some hypocrites. They came to see their friends and they talked during the whole game.

10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.

11. I hate to wait in the traffic jam in the parking lot after the game.

c) God ultimately restores. He cites Job relative to the way that God rebuilds, restores, renews. He promised this to his disciples as the rich young man turned away from the price that they had already paid.

Luke 18:26 Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27 Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." 28 Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no-one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."

3) Exhortation Relative to Personal Integrity (vs. 12)

a) Don’t be hasty with promises. When we are in pain or hurting we will make almost any promise to escape the pain.

b) They bring a different kind of bondage or consequence.

c) Extra consequence when we tie our promises with an oath. Like the Nike slogan says – “Just do it!”

4) Explanation of Place of Prayer (vs. 13-19)

a) Live in “connection” with heavenly resources.

b) Live in “connection” with others.

c) Live in concern for one another. The scripture tells us that we should be concerned for the spiritual welfare of others.

WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOD'S PEOPLE?

God's will is to heal. His desire is for good to come to us. But His ultimate purpose is to bring us closer to Him. The Lord sometimes uses affliction and infirmity as tools to refine His servants. He seeks to build character in us.

Not all sickness and infirmity is intended by God to produce character - much of it accomplishes nothing but destruction. At times, however, God gives Satan permission to touch us (Job is an example) and He will not bring an immediate solution because He intends for Christ to produce something deep in our hearts.

God uses infirmity to:

* Correct disobedience. He does not discipline you simply to punish you for wrong behavior, but rather to restore you to right behavior. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keep Your word (Ps. 119:67). God's discipline is always for the good. It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I may learn Your statutes (Ps. 119:71). When affliction strikes, it's wise to let your first response be one of broken repentance. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any way in which your life may be out of order.

* Produce greater knowledge of Christ. Affliction naturally produces desperation. If you allow your desperation to push you into Christ, you will come to know Him in a profoundly new and intimate way. Even Jesus sought to be closer to the Father. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly (Luke 22:14).

* Develop greater spiritual maturity. Calamity can become a catalyst for accelerated spiritual growth. The vital ingredient for turning affliction into maturity is perseverance. We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope (Rom. 5:3-4).

* Remove judgmentalism. God wants you to have empathy and compassion for those who are suffering. When you suffer you understand in unfathomable ways with other hurting people in the world. Mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13).

* Restores real Christianity. Where there is great persecution people turn from being merely believers to becoming disciples. When you suffer financial, physical, or family distress it can rekindle your zeal for the Lord. Jesus said to the believers in Laodicea, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth (Rev. 3:16).

* Reveal His glory. When the disciples asked Jesus why a certain man was born blind He responded that the works of God should be revealed in Him (John 9:3). Then Jesus proceeded to reveal His glory by healing the man.

* Accomplish His plan. Chances are that some of you reading this are experiencing great affliction. If that's you, take heart; God will complete the work He is doing in You. Be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). His purposes shall be accomplished.

From "Why Do Bad Things Happen to God's People?"

adapted from The Fire of Delayed Answers by Bob

ONE ANCHORING SCRIPTURE

I didn't think I needed to learn more about perseverance, and I didn't expect to need much in our new church. Granted, it was struggling to survive -- forty people attended on Sunday mornings, and the weekly offerings fell short of break-even -- but I thought we would progress quickly. Wrong, naively wrong.

The first six months were excruciating. Also, we still felt a painful loss over our previous church. In many respects, it seemed we had lost everything. Yet I knew God had led us; never had any decision been confirmed to me in so many ways.

During this period of grief, a sanity-saving Scripture, Hebrews 10:36, caught my attention: "You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised."

Prior to this I had never sensed the weight of this verse, but now it became my anchor. I memorized it and in times of despair repeated it over and over and over. It taught me two lessons:

1. There is usually a delay between our obedience to God's will and the fulfillment of his promise.

Often we step out to follow God based on an assumption that is quite different. Subconsciously we expect that when we obey God, everything should go well. Rough times disorient us. "What's going on, Lord?" we wonder. "I'm obeying. Why aren't you holding up your end of the agreement?" Through Hebrews 10:36, however, I realized I was in the pause of promise.

2. By giving up I would forfeit what God had promised.

This verse showed me the cost of quitting. If I folded tent, the pain already suffered would be wasted and future blessings lost. Despite the anguish, I had to obey longer than a while; rather, I had to persevere as long as necessary.

God's promised blessings can be nipped in the bud. For their fulfillment resembles the blooming of a rose. The bud forms, hard and small and green, nothing particularly attractive. Yet, bound tightly inside are the forming petals, soft and red and delicate. The petals grow unseen. Only later as the rose blooms do we see their beauty. So it is with God's work. His perfect plans for us are forming in the bud -- secretly -- and as we persevere, we will, in God's perfect time, see them blossom.