Character in Trials
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Introduction
Introduction
We have been talking about Character. Remember, we defined Character as:
—The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.
—Character is the sum total of what you think and believe.
We began by looking at how our character is effected by the people around us! We talked about how we can become desensitized to sin because of the company we keep.
Next, we saw that our Character is more important than our charisma. We looked at how incredibly important our character is to the message we share.
Then last night we discovered that Character is built upon the foundation of truth, truth that comes from God. Truth that requires our faithful obedience to the commands of Jesus.
Last night we closed with a verse, that I refer to as the Joshua Challenge. Near the end of his life, Joshua talked to the children of Israel, challenging them to make a choice. In Joshua 24:15 we read:
But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
After having some time to think about things I want to make the same challenge to you tonight—If you would say like Joshua, “But as for me, I will serve the Lord!” would you just quietly stand. If you would say, “From tonight on, I want to live for the Lord Jesus!” Would you simply stand up.
Thank you for being so bold! You may be seated.
Tonight we want to see that our character is both deepened and tested by trials.
When I was younger, many, many, many years ago, in a far and distant, I bought into a theological position that was not founded on the truth that comes from God’s Word. This theology came from what I call Pop-Theology!
It said, if I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and if I served Jesus then I would receive the “blessed” life. Which I interpreted to mean the “Happy” life.
I really thought that because I lived for the Lord and because I was in ministry I would somehow escape the hurt and heartache that is often associated with living in this world.
Imagine my confusion, when I was fired from the ministry that I had poured 15 years of my life into.
Imagine my disappointment with God when my 16 year old son was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.
Imagine my anger at God when my life did not turn out the way I thought it should turn out.
You see, there was a huge problem with my false theology that I didn’t understand.
I didn’t understand that my trust in Jesus only deepens when I NEED Him. When I cannot control my situation!
If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to James chapter 1, and we’ll begin reading with verse 2.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
James begins his letter by telling his readers, to consider trials pure joy what does that mean? The word translated pure has the mean of all or completely, totally. So I am to consider it ALL joy. . .
Joy is not the same as happiness. Rather, Joy is a state of delight and well being that comes from knowing God and serving God.
Since Joy is the result of knowing and serving God, we can experience it even in the midst of all kinds of trials, because it is based in our confidence that God has EVERYTHING under control.
James goes on:
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
We can consider the trials that we endure as joy, because we know that these trials are producing something in us:
—Perseverance—Greek has the meaning of endurance, patience, and steadfastness.
—Maturity—Greek has the idea of perfect, finished, fully developed, or genuine.
—Complete—which has the idea of wholeness, intact, or entirety.
—Not Lacking anything—as we endure the trials, receive all that we need so that nothing is missing.
James anticipates some objections from his readers, so in verse 5 he tells lets them know that no lacking anything means they won’t lack anything.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
This tells me that when I’m encountering problems and I don’t know what to do, I can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to me, in abundance, without holding back!
There is a condition though. Look at verse 6.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
We must believe that God will actually give us wisdom. We need to push doubt out—or we are like the waves of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Because being a double-minded man we are unstable in everything that we do.
I’ve noticed when a person is double-minded person about one thing they will be double-minded about anything. And just like the verse says that person will be unstable in all of their activities and decisions.
Doubt causes us to be unstable and James says, when we are in our doubting, unstable condition; we should not expect to receive ANYTHING from the Lord!
Not About Position
Not About Position
The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
Remember our discussion on Tuesday night—about celebrities and their influence because of their popularity, well here James says we should not look at a person’s position, or take pride if we are someone of “high position.”
In fact, he says it is exactly opposite of how the world makes it. He says the person of low position should take pride in his “high position” spiritually.
And the person of high worldly status and position should take pride in his low, or humble position.
We all should realize that everyone of us will pass away like a wild flower does.
The beautiful wild flower glistens in the morning dew, but then the hot Texas sun comes out and the plant withers, and the flower falls off and its beauty is destroyed.
The truth is everyone of us will be just like this plant! So James encourages us:
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James tells us that we need to persevere—we need to hold up under the trials of life. We need to hold up under the tests that come our way.
We may not like our trials and tests. Our trials and tests may cause us pain, and sorrow. Our trials and tests many feel like they are going to destroy us, BUT God uses them to build our character and when we have stood the test—when our life on this earth is finished—we will be rewarded by living with God forever! Just like the Bible promises.
So What?
So What?
Trials in this life are a sure bet! Things WILL go wrong!
No matter what comes our way, our lives should be filled with joy! the Joy that comes from the state of wellbeing that comes from our experiences with the Lord.
Trials in our lives produce endurance—patience—steadfastness.
Trials make us complete, or whole! A Christian that hasn’t experienced trials is an incomplete Christian, or should we say, underdeveloped.
Trials make it where we have everything that we need—we don’t lack anything.
If (when) we lack wisdom, all we have to do is ask God for it, and He has already promised to give it to us, without holding anything back!
Being double minded makes us unstable in EVERYTHING we do! We need to be all in with Jesus, or all out! 1/2 and 1/2 makes us wishy-washy so that we become unstable in EVERYTHING.
God doesn’t see our position in the world, He sees our opportunity to change our world! He looks at our character in light of His message!
Finally, the person who perseveres under the trials that come in life will be blessed! And that person will experience God’s love!
