How is it possible to "count it all joy" when we "fall into various trials"? When will the "brother of low degree" be exalted? Why should the rich rejoice in their humiliation? How do life's humbling circumstances propel the believer to Christ? How does love motivate the Christian to persevere? This is a practical study which addresses these and more questions.

2. 1 James, a bondservant of God and of the
Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes
which are scattered abroad: Greetings. 2
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall
into various trials, 3 knowing that the
testing of your faith produces patience. 4
But let patience have its perfect work, that
you may be perfect and complete, lacking
nothing.

3. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
of God, who gives to all liberally and
without reproach, and it will be given to
him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no
doubting, for he who doubts is like a
wave of the sea driven and tossed by
the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose
that he will receive anything from the
Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man,
unstable in all his ways.

4. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,
10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a
flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no
sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat
than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and
its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich
man also will fade away in his pursuits. 12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved, he will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has
promised to those who love Him.

5. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation,

6. “brother” (ἀδελφός - adelphos) = from the same
womb
“lowly” (ταπεινός - tapeinos)= one in humble
circumstances, lowly insignificant; of low rank
or employment; in a condition of dependence
or poverty; oppressed
manger
a feeding trough for
animals

7. Matthew 11:28–29 Come to Me, all you who
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I
am gentle and lowly (tapeinos) in heart, and you
will find rest for your souls.
Philippians 2:8 And being
found in appearance as a
man, He humbled (tapeinoō)
Himself and became obedient
to the point of death, even
the death of the cross.

8. “glory” (καυχάομαι - kauchaomai) = boast, brag
about, rejoice in, glory in
Romans 5:2-3 through whom also we have
access by faith into this grace in which we
stand and rejoice (kauchaomai) in hope of
the glory (doxa) of God. 3 And not only that,
but we also glory (kauchaomai) in
tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance

9. “exhalted” (ὕψος - hypsos)= high rank or status,
or heavenly position
Philippians 2:9
Therefore God also
has highly exalted
(hyperypsoō) Him
and given Him the
name which is
above every name,

10. “exhalted” (ὕψος - hypsos)= high rank or status,
or heavenly position
1 Peter 5:6 Therefore
humble (tapeinoō)
yourselves under the
mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt
(ὑψόω - hypsoō) you
in due time (kairos)

11. “exhalted” (ὕψος - hypsos)= high rank or status,
or heavenly position
James 4:10 Humble (tapeinoō) yourselves in
the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up
(hypsoō).

12. 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a
flower of the field he will pass away.

13. “rich” (πλούσιος - plousios) = wealthy in an
abundance of things

14. an Illustration of Irony

16. THE PARADOX OF OUR AGE
“We have bigger houses, but smaller families;
More conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense;
More knowledge, but less judgment;
More experts, but more problems;
More medicines, but less healthiness;
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
But have trouble cross the street
to meet the new neighbors.
We built more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever,
But have less communication.

17. THE PARADOX OF OUR AGE
We have become long on quantity,
But short on quality.
These are time of fast food,
But low digestion;
Tall man,
But short character;
Steep profit,
But shallow relationships.
It is a time when there is much in the window,
But nothing in the room.”
Unknown

19. Luke 12:16–20 Then He spoke a parable to them,
saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded
plentifully. 17 And he thought within himself, saying,
‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my
crops?’ 18 So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down
my barns and build greater, and there I will store all
my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul,
“Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years;
take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ 20 But
God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be
required of you; then whose will those things be
which you have provided?’

20. “humiliated” (ταπείνωσις - tapeinōsis) = being
humbled, being made unpretentiousness,
abased
Luke 14:11 For whoever
exalts himself will be
humbled (tapeinoō),
and he who humbles
(tapeinoō) himself will
be exalted.”
Pride goes before a fall

21. 10 …because as a flower of the field he will pass
away.

22. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning
heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and
its beautiful appearance perishes.
“perishes” (ἀπόλλυμαι - apollymai) = ruined,
destroyed

23. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning
heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and
its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man
also will fade away in his pursuits.
“fade away” (μαραίνομαι - marainomai)= fade
away, wither

24. I met a traveler from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown
And wrinkled lip and sneer of cold command
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed.
And on the pedestal these words appear:
Ozymandias
Percy B. Shelley
`My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!’
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,
The lone and level sands stretch far away’.”

25. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
“Blessed” (μακάριος - makarios) = happy,
fortunate, fulfilled with joy
“endures” (ὑπομένω - hypomenō) = resist,
stand firm by holding one’s ground

26. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
“temptation” (πειρασμός - peirasmos) = test,
examination, temptation

27. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved,
“approved” (δόκιμος - dokimos) = considered
good, judged worthy, determined genuine

29. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised
to those who love Him.
“crown” (στέφανος - stephanos) = resist, stand
firm by holding one’s ground

31. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised
to those who love Him.
“crown” (στέφανος - stephanos) = resist, stand
firm by holding one’s ground
“of life” (ζωή - zōē) = biological or physical life

32. GIRRL

33. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved, he will receive
the crown of life which the Lord has promised
to those who love Him.
“love” (ἀγαπάω - agapaō) = sacrificial giving of
self for another; to love as God loves

35. James 1:9-12

36. 941-729-6600
941-981-5387
http://faithbiblechurchefc.com
http://TRUTHtransforms.com
sanctitas@aol.com