3. Trials and Joy…
•There are five different topics in verses
2-8; we will look at them all individually
•Trials orTemptations
•Perseverance or Patience (Endurance)
•Wisdom, Prayer, and Faith
•How we deal with circumstances of life directly
reflects our individual spiritual maturity
•Joy inTribulation isn’t giggling while the house
burns down…
4. “2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when
you encounter various trials, 3 knowing
that the testing of your faith produces
endurance.”
James 1:2-3, NASB
5. A. Promises of God
•Lets start off with our weekly Greek lesson
•Peirasmos– translated ‘trial’ and ‘temptation’--
same word– defined as “a putting to proof (by
experiment [of good], experience [of evil],
solicitation, discipline, or provocation); by
implication adversity: temptation, X try
6. A. Promises of God
•Lets start off with our weekly Greek lesson
•Peirasmos– translated ‘trial’ and ‘temptation’--
same word– defined as “a putting to proof (by
experiment [of good], experience [of evil],
solicitation, discipline, or provocation); by
implication adversity: temptation, X try
•So–When God uses trials to train us, Satan tempts us
while we are in the midst of the trial
•When Satan tempts, God uses it as the means to
strengthen character
7. A. Promises of God
•These verses give us simple promises
from God
•Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before
you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses,
so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor
forsake you.”
•Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things as you
have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave
you nor forsake you.’ ”
8. A. Promises of God
•The following verses tell us to rejoice in
trials, persecutions, suffering– because the
endurance of these, proves our faith
•1 Peter 1:6-7 “In this you greatly rejoice, though
now for a little while, if need be, you have been
grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of
your faith, being much more precious than gold
that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be
found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation
of Jesus Christ…”
9. A. Promises of God
•Romans 5:3-5 “And not only that, but we
also glory in tribulations, knowing that
tribulation produces perseverance; and
perseverance, character; and character,
hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the
love of God has been poured out in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
•Peter called tribulation precious
•Paul called it glorious
10. B. Optimism vs. Pessimism
•We can put people in 2 categories
•Optimists tend to look at things
too lightly, but their character
thinks “things could have been
much worse, but all will be better
from now on”
•A pessimist is very careful, looking at all the
angles of every situation– the downside is
they always find the downside!
11. C. Biblical Examples of Character…
1. Joseph
• Joseph helped himself to get into
trouble by showing off his coat of many
colors made by his dad, Jacob. Sold into
slavery; ended up at Potiphar’s, Pharaoh’s guard
captain, falsely accused as a rapist; thrown into
prison; forgotten by a friend he’d helped, yet he
did not lose heart and kept his faith in God.The
reward was amazing! Pharaoh’s number 1!
12. C. Biblical Examples of Character…
2. Job
• Job had everything– the Bill Gates
of his day. God lifted His protection to let
Satan test him, and he lost everything except his
wife. But he did not lose heart, because in his
spiritual maturity, he knew God was bigger than
his circumstances. Job simply said, “Naked I came
in…”The reward?All things restored tenfold. I
wish He didn’t do things this way but…
13. “Such knowledge is too wonderful
for me; It is too high, I cannot
attain to it.”
Psalm 139:6, NASB
14. D. Be a careful Optimist…
•I believe he wants us to look for the
good of all situation, but carefully
•What do I mean? Don’t assume the
worst in bad situations, trust God, and look for
what He may be teaching you
•JVern McGee said this, “There is more immaturity in
the main sanctuary of the church than in the nursery.
The immature babies in the nursery are cute, but the
immature Christians in the sanctuary are not cute,
unless you are a new born Christian.”
15. “2 Consider it all joy, my brethren,
when you encounter various
trials...”
James 1:2-3, NASB
16. “2 Consider it all joy, my brethren,
when you encounter various
trials...”
James 1:2-3, NASB
17. Take Home!
1. God uses our trials to “grow us
up” in His ways
•Do you know the difference between
Caribbean palm trees and ours in
southern California?
18. “Therefore I am well content with
weaknesses, with insults, with
distresses, with persecutions, with
difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for
when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:10 NASB
19. Take Home!
1. God uses our trials to “grow us
up” in His ways
•Do you know the difference between
Caribbean palm trees and ours in
southern California?
2. Trials are part of every Believers’
Required Curriculum
