Dealing With Trials Series

Let us continue our worship of God, who is our Loving Creator and Savior, by hearing and learning from His Word. If you don’t have a Bible in your hands, please grab one now.

Do we really see the Bible as God speaking to us? Think about it for a moment…. If God created us and everything we see, including the vast universe constantly expanding, and God truly knows our future, and He speaks through the Bible, do we treat the Bible in our house like any other book which we just pick up occasionally? Let us treasure our Bibles as if our lives depend on it, which it does!

And so, let us learn from the Letter by James in the New Testament today. Why is the letter by a person named James God’s Word?

God calls people to partner with Him in getting godly things done here on earth! This is an immediate Biblical Principle for us today: God is calling you and me to partner with Him right now to get godly things done right where we are! Do we see our daily lives partnered with the Almighty Loving God? We should!

Look at James 1:1 with me now….

James likely was the half-brother of Jesus Christ, born from Mary after Jesus had grown. But the important thing to note is James was a servant of God and James believed Jesus Christ was his Lord God! Let me say that again… James was a servant of God and James believed Jesus Christ was his Lord God! James intent for the letter was to glorify Jesus Christ.

Going back to the Biblical Principle we noted earlier, the Almighty God will partner with us for His glorious work here on earth if we yield to Jesus Christ the Lord. Let me repeat that…

Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up!

With things happening today, there has never been a more important decision to make in our lives but to believe in Jesus Christ as our only Savior and Lord! Have you and I truly bowed down to Jesus Christ? We are to bow down to our Lord Jesus Christ on a daily basis! Jesus Christ is always Lord no matter what we think or feel!

Take a moment to quietly do that now….

Now, let us read James 1:2-8 as God is speaking to us…..

James 1:2-4 tells us several things:

The words “my brothers’ and “your faith” indicate that,

#1 - This letter is for Christians; those who have faith (trust and belief) in Jesus Christ

If you are a Christian, the letter by God through James is for you!

#2 - Christians will face many trials!

#3 - Trials come to grow faith; Christians are to delight in being closer to God, a growing faith!

#4 - Christians are to grow their faith till they are no longer complaining or wanting! How are we doing with this?

So, how can Christians grow their faith?

Verse 5-9 of James 1 tell us Christians to ask God for wisdom without doubting God! Christians are not to be double minded about God! Ask for God’s Wisdom in everything!

Now, there are of course many other things to note in James Chapter 1 which I encourage you to study during the week.

But let us not miss this main passage in v22-25, read it with me…..

So for today, let us focus on the main points we noted, especially for such a time as this, with the whole world affected by a virus.

#1 Believe and trust in Jesus Christ as your Only Lord and Savior! Amen??

#2 Trials and troubles in this world should not surprise us Christians.

Jesus states to His followers, in this world you will have troubles. We are not immune to the problems of this world, including this corona virus! We have to deal with this pandemic with the help from Jesus Christ!

#3 Accept trials and troubles as means to be closer to God!

Let’s keep growing our faith in Jesus Christ!

How do we grow our faith and know how to deal with a pandemic?

#4 Ask God for wisdom without doubting God!!

Learn how to pray the right way, with a righteous heart! Pray continuously without doubting God. Pray C A T S! Confess your sins and believe the Cross of Christ. Adore God. Thank God. Ask (Supplication).

And let us note that God has actually given us His wisdom already with the Bible! Do we question the Bible? Memorize James 1:22….

And so….

#5 Let us constantly listen to God’s Word and just do it!

Please take a quiet moment right now to make a commitment or a recommitment to your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His Word