Luke 2:8-15 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (9) And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, (14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (15) When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

The beauty, majesty, and complexity of creation points to a divine creator. Furthermore, the splendor of creation not only points to God but also reveals His greatness and his glory. Here is a link to some beautiful photos of God’s greatness and glory on display in Glacier National Park.

Here is a link to an excellent post by Tim Challies about  how we ought to prepare ourselves to be active participants in our worship when it comes to the pastor’s preaching. Am I rightly preparing to hear God’s word proclaimed? Am I studying further after the sermon and seeking to apply the Word to my life? These are some of the questions that this post forces me to ask and examine myself with.

http://www.challies.com/archives/christian-living/being-a-diligent-listener.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+challies/XhEt+(Challies+Dot+Com)&utm_content=Google+Reader

If you ever find yourself at a loss for what to pray for, call on God:

CALL ON GOD TO EXALT HIS NAME IN THE WORLD

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed (glorified) be your name” (Matt 6:9).

Pray that we and millions of others would be more satisfied in Him than in anything.

CALL ON GOD TO EXTEND HIS KINGDOM IN THE WORLD

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).

Pray for the arrival of God’s kingdom in the fullness of its glory, when “He will wipe away every tear, and death will be no more, neither will there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore” (Rev 21:4).

“The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14:17).

Pray for the spiritual triumph of God’s kingdom to rule over us and the church all over the earth.

CALL ON GOD FOR THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

Pray for the joyful boldness in witness and joyful freedom in worship which flows from the fullness of the Holy Spirit in us.

CALL ON GOD TO SAVE UNBELIEVERS

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Rom 10:1).

Pray that God would draw unbelievers to know Jesus and value Him as their greatest treasure, joyfully counting everything else as loss. For “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt. 13:44).

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7).

Pray that our hearts would carry a burden for the lost,  joyfully sharing the Gospel and rejoicing with God and the angels when one of the lost repents and believes.

CALL ON GOD FOR HEALING

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among  you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up” (James 5:13-15a).

Pray that God would touch and heal those in need and that through God’s healing, His name would be glorified as people find comfort and joy in Him.

CALL ON GOD FOR WISDOM

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5).

Pray that God would grant us wisdom to live holy, Christ exalting lives, achieving God-centered goals for which we were created, with the “Word of God dwelling in us richly teaching and admonishing one  another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in our hearts to God” (Col 3:16).

CALL ON GOD FOR UNITY

“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21).

Pray that as a body of believers, that we would be as one, united in Christ so that the world may believe that God has sent His son Jesus Christ.

“Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind (Phil 2:2).

Pray that Christ would make our joy complete, uniting the body in love.

CALL ON GOD TO KNOW HIM MORE

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,” (Ephesians 1:16-17).

Pray that God would increase our joy, granting us pure hearts to see Him and giving us a deeper spiritual knowledge of Him.

Soli Deo Gloria

A woman hearing a preacher speak on predestination said, “Ah, I have long settled that point; for if God had not chosen me before I was born, I am sure He would have seen nothing to have chosen me for afterwards!”



Wordle.net takes text you input and turns it into word clouds. This is
from my sermon on James 1:2-3. I like how God is prominently displayed over all the words, especially “trials”. It is a good illustration that God is indeed sovereign over all things, including trials and suffering.

The Word of God is essential in our fight for joy in Him. In His book, When I Don’t Desire God, John Piper writes:

“If you would have power over the devil, and if you would escape the snare of his deciet and the destruction of your faith, then do what Jesus did and what all the triumphant saints have done: Treasure up the Word of God, and wield it like a sword against your foe.

And though this world, with devils filled,
Should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us.
The Prince of Darkness grim,
We tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure,
For Lo! his doom is sure;
One little word shall fell him.

(Martin Luther: “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”)

When the powers of darkness are arrayed against you, and aim to destroy your joy forever, nothing is more precious to have than the Word of God ready for the battle. The fight for joy is not for the unarmed.”

Let us not forsake God’s Word in our fight for joy. May His Word be our strength by treasuring it up in our hearts and minds, ready to be wielded at a moment’s notice. Soli Deo Gloria!

Here is the third and final part of my sermon manuscript from James 1:2-3. If you haven’t already, be sure to read part 1 and part 2 first.

III. Joyful endurance of trials requires understanding

v.3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness

The first part of verse 3 says ”for you know”. That speaks of the right understanding that we must have. We must understand that trials and tribulations are not without a purpose and that they are not outside of God’s control. God is Sovereign, that is to say that he is in control over all things

A. God is Sovereign and in control over all things

Proverbs 19:21  Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.

Matthew 10:29-30  Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  (30)  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Isaiah 46:9-11  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,  (10)  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:  (11)  Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

Count it all joy! God is Sovereign. God is in control. His purposes will stand. All that he purposes comes to pass and nothing comes to pass that He does not purpose. And when the Scriptures say that God is Sovereign that means Sovereign over all; which means that God is Sovereign even over trials and tribulations

B. He is Sovereign over trials and tribulations:

Consider Joseph. We read in the book of Genesis that Joseph was Jacob’s favorite son and that made all his brothers jealous and bitter. So what did his brothers do? They took him and sold him into slavery and lied to their father Jacob letting him think that his son was dead. God blesses Joseph and he goes from slave, to overseer of Potiphar’s house, to prison by way of false accusation, and to overseer of all Egypt when he interprets Pharaoh’s dreams. He warns Pharaoh of the famine, they prepare for it, and eventually Joseph is able to provide for his brothers who come to buy food from Egypt to survive the famine. As we know, Joseph and his brothers were the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel and because of all these events, the bloodline of the nation of Israel is preserved.

Later in chapter 50 of Genesis we read that Joseph is reunited with his brothers and when he reveals himself to them he has this to say in verse 20:

Genesis 50:20  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

We see how God was in control of the situation. Joseph’s being sold into slavery and even prison were all part of God’s plan.

Or take Job for example. As you study the first 2 chapters of Job, you find that Satan is looking for someone to afflict, but first Satan must ask God for permission:

Job 1:6-12  Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  (7)  The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”  (8)  And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”  (9)  Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?  (10)  Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.  (11)  But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”  (12)  And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Here, God purposefully allows suffering and loss through Satan to come upon Job (Job 1:8, God offers Job to Satan to afflict). Satan was betting on Job’s faith to waver in the midst of his suffering (Job 1:11 “touch all that he has and he will curse you to your face). Of course God knew that wasn’t going to happen. God knew that Job had genuine faith and that Job’s faith would not waver but rather his faith would actually be strengthened as a result of His suffering. And this is what we see happens as we read the rest of Job chapter 1:

Job 1:13-22  Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,  (14)  and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,  (15)  and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”  (16)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”  (17)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”  (18)  While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,  (19)  and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”  (20)  Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.  (21)  And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”  (22)  In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Job’s response is astonishing! He has just lost all of his possessions, his sheep, his cattle, his camel, his servants, and on top of that his sons and daughters are dead. He does naturally respond in grief (he tears his robe and shaves his head which was an expression of grief and mourning in that time and culture) but he also responds in faith and trust in God. He does not curse God as Satan was betting on. But rather he falls to the ground and worships and acknowledges that God is in control of the situation. And he did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Later in chapter 2 we find that Satan, still not satisfied, goes again before God and asks God to afflict Job even more, and this time Satan wants to inflict physical suffering on Job (Job 2:4-5). Satan was betting that surely Job would curse God if his faith was tested by physical suffering. So God allows Satan to afflict Job again and Satan strikes Job with boils from head to toe which were so awful that Job has to take broken piece of pottery to his skin to scrape off the boils. At this point, Job’s wife appears and says (Job 2:9), “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”  To which Job replies (Job 2:10), “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job had a right understanding of God’s sovereignty. Job understood that God is in control, even in the midst of great suffering. I believe that when Job said,” Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”, he trusted that God does not allow trials in our lives for no reason, but rather God has a purpose in them. In this, we can count it all joy, because God is sovereign over trials; and he uses them to test and strengthen our faith! And we find that very truth in the second half of James 1:3, where it says that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. What we learn from this part of the text is that God uses trials to test and to strengthen our faith.

C. God uses trials test and strengthen our faith

1. Trials test and assure us of genuine faith

Jewelers often test the genuineness of a diamond by placing it in clear water, which causes a real diamond to sparkle with brilliance. An imitation will have almost no sparkle at all.

Likewise, a significant difference can be seen between true Christians and those who merely profess faith in Christ and do not have genuine saving faith. There is a significant difference in the way they respond to trials and tribulations.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the two houses:

Matthew 7:24-27  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  (25)  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.  (26)  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.  (27)  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

So think about this house that is founded on the rock. That is our faith that is founded upon the rock Jesus Christ. And think about these winds and the rain and the floods; these are the tests, the trials, the tribulations, that come into our lives and threaten to shake the foundation of our faith. So when trials come our faith is being tested. But when our faith is founded upon our rock and our redeemer, Jesus Christ, it is in those times when we are tested that we cling all the more to Christ and like Job, hold fast to our integrity! Count it all joy, the endurance of trials is the fruit that assures us of genuineness of our faith!

1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  (7)  so that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

2. Enduring trials while trusting in God produces steadfastness.

Romans 5:3-5  More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  (4)  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,  (5)  and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Malachi 3:3  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver

Now let me a story about this verse and refining silver.

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of Malachi.  As they were studying this verse they were puzzled and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that, in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities, or the dross.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot – then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”  He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s the easy part — when I see my image reflected in it.”

So if this day or some time in the future if you are feeling the heat from the fire of the trials of this life remember that God has His eye on you and will keep His hand on you and watch over you until He sees His image in you. This is God’s purpose in trials, He is refining us. And not because He is cruel but because He loves us. We are as precious to Him as that silver is to the silversmith. It is an act of love for God to hold us in the fiery trials of life so that he can refine us like the silver, so that he can burn away our impurities, our sin, the wickedness in our hearts, so that we may be conformed to the image of Christ.

Romans 8:28-29  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  (29)  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son

All things work together for good God’s children. All things! All suffering, All pain, All loss, All illness physical or mental, All trials, All tribulations, All persecution, All things work together for our good. So count it all joy! This is how God has purposed to used trials in our lives!

The is a great hymn; How Firm a Foundation. The third verse beautifully tells how God sustains us through trials and how we designs and uses them to purify us:

When through fiery trials, thy pathway shall lie,

my grace all-sufficient shall by thy supply.

The flame shall not hurt thee, I only design,

thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

Count it all joy my brethren, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

This post will be point 2 on my sermon from James 1:2-3. If you haven’t already, click here to read part 1 first.

II. Face trials with an attitude of joy.

v.2a Count it all joy

The language here is imperative, which means that this is a command. We must not simply act joyful, but be genuinely joyful. It is not a matter of feelings it is a matter of will. It is the determined commitment of every believer to meet trials with an attitude of joy. And notice that it says count it all joy. Not part joy, or sometimes joy, but count it all joy. Now, if we’re honest, we have to admit that this does not come naturally. We can be easily be tempted to meet trials with anger, disappointment, despair, or self pity, for example. So how then do we count trials all joy? Well first of all we must not forget that we have the Holy Spirit as our helper; we must pray. And also we have the scriptures which help us to gain a right perspective of God’s purpose in trials.

My next post will be point 3: Joyful endurance of trials requires understanding of God’c control over them. Will we see how God is sovereign, He is sovereign over all trials, and he uses trials to bring us to spiritual maturity and steadfastness in our faith.

This Wednesday, I am preaching on James 1:2-3 at Chevis Oaks Baptist Church. Since someone has requested that I do this, I am going to be posting my sermon manuscript here, in three parts.

The text of James 1:2-3 reads: (2) “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, (3) for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

In order to get us off to a good start in this passage, we need to establish some truths that at first glance may be easily missed. In order to do this I’m actually going to start off in the middle of verse 2 before getting into the first part of the verse. And in the middle of verse 2 we find a very important key word and that word is the word “when”. It may not seem all that significant but the word “when”, is very important because, point number one, we must recognize that trials are inevitable

I. Trials are inevitable.

v.2b when you meet trials of various kinds

First of all, we must recognize that trials are inevitable. The key word in verse 2 is when: Not if you meet trials but when you meet trials. In the original text, that is; in the Greek, the word for “when” carries with it the meaning of not just possibility, but inevitability.

Now, of course we all realize that everyone in this world, saved or unsaved must endure at least some degree of pain and trouble. That is the consequence of the Fall when Adam and Eve sinned. All death, and pain, sorrow and suffering is the result of our sinful nature (1 Cor 15:22) and a world corrupted by sin.

But what we need to focus on here is trials as they relate specifically to believers in Christ, because that is who James is addressing in this passage. Notice in verse 2 that he says, “Count it all joy my brothers, or my brethren.” James is writing to Christians here, as we will see, James is writing about how trials relate specifically to Christians and how we are to respond to them. Now, having established the inevitability of trials and having established who the audience is here, I want to stress the inevitability of trials specifically in the lives of Christians.

This is important because we must recognize that as Christians, we can expect trouble because of our faith. The Scriptures are quite clear on this:

1 Peter 4:12-13  Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  (13)  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

2 Timothy 3:12  Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

Acts 14:22b …through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.

And these are just a few examples. As we read through the Bible, we find, time and time again that Christians are to  expect trials because of our faith. It is important that we remember this especially these days because now we live in a time where something that has come to be known as the Prosperity Gospel is increasingly popular. This is the false Gospel that states that God sent Christ to die on the cross so that you can live in abundance, so that you can live; as one preacher of this false Gospel puts it, “in total victory”. Total victory in your job, total victory in your health, total victory in your finances, total victory in your relationships and so on.

Now let’s think about this. This false Gospel completely ignores all the Bible teaches us about trials, and suffering. By their definition, if living a life a maturity in Christ is defined by living in abundance with no pain, perfect health, abundant wealth, and perfect relationships what does that say about Christ? It reduces Christ to some sort of benevolent wishing well. Now realize that this definition actually excludes Christ, who was born to a poor family, worked a common job as a carpenter, and during His ministry was broke and homeless and at times, hungry. Furthermore, he was rejected by family members, abandoned and denied by friends, unwelcome in many places he traveled, betrayed by Judas, and condemned to die by an angry bloodthirsty mob. When he was handed over to the Romans he was severely beaten, and whipped, mocked and ridiculed, spat on, had his beard plucked out and a crown of thorns jammed into his skull, all before being crucified on a Roman cross.

As Christians we talk a lot about being like Christ. We think a great deal about how we can better imitate Christ; how to walk as Christ walked, how to talk as Christ talked, how to love as Christ loved, and as Christians we should think on these things and pattern our lives after Him. But I wonder how often do we think that in our walk with Christ we might actually have to suffer as He suffered. Christ Himself calls us to take up our cross:

Matthew 16:24  Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

Christ is assuring us here that trials are inevitable if we are his disciples. Christ is calling us to not just to follow Him but joyfully receive with patience every trial or tribulation which comes at the cost of following him. And for believers, this is how we are to respond to trials.

My next post will be point 2: Face trials with an attitude of joy.