Look Into Bible Series - James: Making Our Faith Active

By Graham Kettle

‘Look Into’ materials provide the reader with an overview of Scripture at a level to help personal knowledge and application for the individual, together with Bible study and sermon material for the hard-working church leader. ‘Look Into’ series are intended to provide an overview of Bible books and pick out main topics. In this way, the reader is left with a real flavour of the specific Biblical subject, with the hope that, in due time, he/she might be encouraged into a deeper study. These studies from the book of James meet our aims and focus the reader on the need to study, learn and apply the undoubted word of God. Why? Because we live in a time when the Word of God has never been easier to obtain, yet it is a time when that same Word is so little understood. This creates one of the greatest dangers to the Church that is from within, not from outside.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9781716200953

Book preview

transformed.

James Part 1

The Four P’s Of Tribulation

In this first part of our eight-part study, we concentrate on this often-unwelcome subject of tribulation. No one actually wants times of difficulty or hardship, but it is an inevitability when we look to the final book of the Bible, Revelation.

In the initial twelve verses, James wants to talk to Believers, showing them that trials and difficulties do indeed provide a means of showing the depth and level of maturity of the Believer’s faith. He focuses on patience, coming from the testing of faith, and then turns to wisdom and its source, who is of course God.

Patience is not something that the majority of people experience or even want in today’s society. However, for the Christian, problems and difficulties, correctly dealt with under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, can be the source of growth in our faith and its expression through our life’s actions.

Everyone will go through hard times at some point in their lives. James helps us focus on the truth that God will see us through them as we trust in Him, connecting to Him through prayer and following His leading guided by the Holy Spirit, all the while checking that our actions are confirmed by His Word.

Reading

James 1:1-12  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. 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. 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. (NKJV)

Summary

When encountering a time of difficulty and hardship, it is an opportunity to grow as a believer - yes it really is. I want to focus on four key words that will make us look at problems and dangers from a different perspective.

Introduction

What is the purpose of a thermometer? It is used to take the temperature of something. What if someone gave you a spiritual thermometer to take your spiritual temperature? Would it show you red hot, on fire for Jesus, cold and indifferent, or maybe lukewarm?

A good spiritual thermometer to test our spiritual temperature is a problem situation. These events will quickly tell us how far we have matured in Christ. They have a way of revealing our faith and showing how deep it is.

However, they can also help in the development of our faith, if we respond properly. We all know that problems are a built-in part of life, but God can bring good out of them.

This is what our text is about. Look at verse 1. James writes this letter to encourage many believing Jews, who had encountered persecution for their faith. Many were forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives. They were displaced.

However, notice verse 2. James makes it clear that it is possible to still have joy through their afflictions. Paul makes a similar remark in 2 Corinthians 7:4 (‘believe me - this does not happen by accident’).

2 Cor 7:4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

When encountering a problem or persecution, it does become an opportunity to grow as a believer.

However, I want to focus on four key words that will cause us all to view our problems and difficulties from a different perspective. They all start with the letter ‘P.’

Key Words from James

Perfection

The first word is "perfect" in vv 3,4

The word "perfect in verse 4 means complete"

So, God says, "I want you to be complete, satisfied and content." Remember the context. These people had been forced to abandon their homes and way of life.

Persecution can serve the purpose of developing spiritual character in our lives; it produces ‘heavy pressure’ on people such as loss of friends, jobs etc. We have to learn to patiently endure and rely on God. This does a work in us, painful as it is at the time. This has a way of removing the pride and self-reliance we all are prone to have. We like to think that we can do it alone and that we do not need God. This is the flesh. When situations come that we cannot fix, we have to patiently endure. We have no choice but to look to God and lean on Him.

To do this, it is important to understand that we are complete in Christ.

Col 2:9,10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  10  And you are complete in Him, who is the Head of all principality and power. (NKJV)

Paul, in the same book, wrote that Epaphras was praying for the Colossian