Suffering Successfully

Text: James 1:1-8

ETS: This passage tells us how to suffer successfully.

ESS: There are three keys to suffering successful.

OSS: The people of Providence Baptist Church will suffer successfully.

PQ: How can we suffer successfully?

UW: Keys

Title: How to Suffer Successfully

I. A Good Attitude (vv2-4)

A. An Attitude of Joy (v2a)

1. Joy is not a product of circumstance (Gal 5:22-25)

2. Joy is not the absence of pain (Phil 4:4)

3. Joy is living in the presence of God (Psalm 16:11)

B. An Attitude of Contentment (v3)

1. Godliness with Contentment (I Tim 6:6 & Phil 4:11)

2. Discontentment leads to moral failure (Gen 3:1-6 & Ex 20:1-17)

C. An Attitude of Meekness (vv2-4)

II. A Godly Wisdom (v5)

A. It must be received (v5a)

1. From the Holy Spirit (John 16:13 & I Corinthians 2:14)

2. From the Word of God (2 Tim 2:15 & 3:16-17)

3. From other Christians (James 3:13-18)

a. Ungodly Wisdom (vv14-16)

i. It is envious (v14a)

ii. It is self-seeking (v14b)

iii. It is unbiblical (v14c)

iv. It is based solely on human experience (v15)

v. It is demonic (v15)

vi It breeds confusion (v16)

vii. It leads to moral failure (v16)

b. Godly Wisdom (vv13 & 17-18)

i. Conducts themselves in a Christian manner (v13)

a. Good works

b. Meekness

ii. Characteristics (v17)

iii. Leads to righteousness (v18)

B. It will be given freely (v5b)

C. It can be counted on (v5c)

III. A God-centered Faith (vv6-8)

A. A faithless person has no stability (v6)

1. He has no emotional stability (Israel)

2. He has no doctrinal stability

3. He has no spiritual depth

B. A faithless person receives nothing from God (v7 & Matt 13:53-58)

C. A faithless person is an undependable person (v8)