Embracing Trials: Growing Through Faith and Wisdom

### Bible Reading
1. James 1:2-4 (NIV) - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
2. James 1:13-15 (NIV) - "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."
3. James 1:22 (NIV) - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

### Observation Questions
1. According to James 1:2-4, what should be our attitude towards trials, and why?
2. What does James 1:13-15 say about the source of temptations and their progression?
3. In James 1:22, what does James urge believers to do with the Word of God?

### Interpretation Questions
1. How does viewing trials as opportunities for joy and growth change our perspective on difficult situations? ([58:32])
2. Why is it important to distinguish between trials and temptations, and how does this understanding affect our response to each? ([59:34])
3. What does it mean to be a "doer of the Word" and not just a "hearer"? How can this be practically applied in our daily lives? ([01:33:27])

### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent trial you faced. How did you respond, and how might you respond differently in light of James' teaching to consider it pure joy? ([58:32])
2. Think about a temptation you struggle with. What steps can you take to recognize and resist it, knowing that it comes from within and not from God? ([59:07])
3. In what areas of your life do you need to seek God's wisdom to navigate trials and temptations more effectively? How will you ask for and apply this wisdom? ([01:19:55])
4. How can you practice patience in your current circumstances, resisting the urge to prematurely alter God's process? ([01:12:11])
5. Identify one specific way you can be a "doer of the Word" this week. What action will you take to demonstrate your faith through your deeds? ([01:33:27])
6. How can you be "quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger" in your interactions with others this week? ([01:29:23])
7. Reflect on the pastor's story about his period of unemployment. How can you trust God as your provider in your current situation, even when things seem uncertain? ([01:05:00])

Day 1: Understanding the Purpose of Trials and Temptations
Trials and temptations serve different purposes in the life of a believer. Trials are external challenges that God uses to mature us and make us more like Jesus. They are opportunities for growth and spiritual development. On the other hand, temptations come from within and are used by Satan to lead us into sin and away from God. Recognizing this distinction helps us respond appropriately to each situation. When faced with trials, we should embrace them with joy, knowing that they produce perseverance and maturity. In contrast, we must resist temptations by seeking God's strength and wisdom.

James emphasizes that God does not tempt anyone; temptations arise from our own desires. Our response to these challenges is a measure of our spiritual maturity. By seeking wisdom from God, we can navigate these situations effectively. Wisdom is a skill for living that helps us endure trials and resist temptations. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?" we should ask, "What am I to learn from this?" This perspective shift allows us to grow in our faith and reliance on God. [59:34]

James 1:13-14 (ESV): "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire."

Reflection: Think of a recent trial or temptation you faced. How did you respond, and what did you learn from it about your faith and reliance on God?


Day 2: God's Faithfulness in Trials
During trials, it's crucial to remember that God is our provider. He uses these difficult times to bring clarity to our faith and reliance on Him. Even when it seems like everything is falling apart, God is working behind the scenes to take care of us. Trials are not meant to break us but to build us up and strengthen our faith. They are opportunities for us to experience God's faithfulness and provision in new and profound ways.

In the midst of trials, we may feel overwhelmed and uncertain, but we can trust that God is in control. He is our provider, not our job, title, or circumstances. By focusing on God's faithfulness, we can find peace and assurance even in the most challenging times. This perspective helps us to endure trials with a sense of purpose and hope, knowing that God is with us and will see us through. [01:05:00]

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV): "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you experienced God's provision during a trial. How did this experience strengthen your faith and reliance on Him?


Day 3: Seeking Wisdom from God
In the midst of trials and temptations, we should ask God for wisdom. This wisdom is a skill for living that helps us navigate our circumstances effectively. Instead of asking, "Why is this happening to me?" we should ask, "What am I to learn from this?" Seeking wisdom from God allows us to see our situations from His perspective and respond in ways that honor Him.

Wisdom helps us to endure trials and resist temptations by providing us with the insight and understanding we need to make wise decisions. It enables us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and recognize the bigger picture of what God is doing in our lives. By seeking wisdom, we can grow in our faith and become more like Jesus, who perfectly exemplified wisdom in His life and ministry. [01:19:55]

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

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need God's wisdom right now? Take a moment to ask Him for the wisdom to navigate this situation effectively.


Day 4: The Importance of Patience
Patience is crucial in enduring trials. It allows us to stay in our lane and resist the urge to prematurely alter God's process. Patience helps us mature and develop a deeper trust in God's timing and methods. When we are patient, we can endure trials with a sense of peace and assurance, knowing that God is working all things together for our good.

Patience is not passive; it is an active trust in God's sovereignty and faithfulness. It requires us to wait on the Lord and trust that His timing is perfect. By cultivating patience, we can grow in our faith and become more like Jesus, who demonstrated perfect patience in His life and ministry. Patience helps us to remain steadfast and faithful, even in the face of challenges and difficulties. [01:12:11]

Romans 12:12 (ESV): "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."

Reflection: Think of a situation where you are struggling to be patient. How can you actively trust in God's timing and process in this situation?


Day 5: Being Doers of the Word
It's not enough to hear God's Word; we must also act on it. Our faith is demonstrated through our actions, especially in how we respond to trials and temptations. Being doers of the Word ensures that we grow and mature in our faith. When we put God's Word into practice, we become more like Jesus and reflect His character to those around us.

James emphasizes the importance of being quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. These qualities help us to respond to trials and temptations in ways that honor God. By being doers of the Word, we can demonstrate our faith through our actions and grow in our relationship with God. This active obedience is a key aspect of spiritual maturity and a vital part of our Christian walk. [01:33:27]

James 1:22 (ESV): "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

Reflection: In what specific ways can you put God's Word into practice this week? How can you demonstrate your faith through your actions in your daily life?

Good morning, CLC. Good! Come and y'all talk back to me. Good morning, CLC. Good!

Now listen. Y'all gonna have to follow that pattern. Maybe you don't know me. For those who don't, my name is Jason Parks. I'm one of the pastors here. But more importantly, I'm the churchy pastor. I'm the very Pentecostal, very charismatic churchy brother, okay? So you're gonna have to talk back to me by saying amen and thank you Jesus and hallelujah.

And I'm looking around. There's some other churchy folks in here. So all the new people, listen, just rock with us a little bit. But I see some of my churchy people in here. Watch this. When I think of the goodness of Jesus and my soul cries out, thank God for y'all churchy, too. Yeah, they in the house. Thank you, Jesus. My people are here.

As the churchy pastor up in here, my assignment is clear. First of all, I have to try to walk through this first chapter of James to give you an overview and to walk through those scriptures. But also my assignment from the Lord is also to intercede for who I believe the Lord has placed on my heart. Those of you who are impacted by what James is talking about in this first chapter.

James is talking about in this first chapter how we need to grow up. How we need to mature. Because we are encountering trials and temptations. And some of you have been stuck in the middle of a trial or a temptation. You're too far away from the beginning for you to, you know, be inspired like you was. In the beginning of something, you kind of feel like, oh, the Lord, he promised to bring me out. And so you're real excited. But then the promise doesn't manifest like you thought it would.

But then you're praying. You're like, Lord, I don't see the promise, but I feel your presence. You're with me. Help me. Okay. And then all of a sudden when you pray, you don't even feel his presence. It's like your prayers are just bouncing off the ceiling. You're not sure what's happening. Some of you are stuck in the middle.

But what God wants us to do for you today is intercede and intervene so that you can begin to understand. Mature to the place where you know and believe that because of God's character, He will deliver you. Maybe you don't see the promise yet. Maybe you don't feel his presence. But the person of God, how He operates means He's going to be faithful, regardless of what you experience.

So James talks about trials and temptations. And I want to get there and make sure that we end in prayer. But let me start with an overview of James. James is written by a God. A God named James. I received that of the Holy Spirit. If you read, especially in the Gospels, you see that there were two men, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were the best friends of Jesus. And James and John were called the sons of thunder. You know James and John, the sons of thunder. Not that James, to be clear. Not that James.

This James was the younger brother of Jesus. And just in case you didn't know, Mary and Joseph stayed married after Jesus was born. And they did stuff to make more kids, in case you didn't know. But this is the half brother of Jesus. And you would think that being the half brother of Jesus, seeing your brother perform miracles, seeing your brother speak with all wisdom, that he would be an early believer. But he wasn't.

James was not an early believer in Jesus. John 7 says this. After these things, Jesus walked in Galilee. For he did not want to walk in Judea because the Jews sought to kill him. Verse 5 says in John 7, for even his brothers did not believe him. It be your own people. You performing miracles. You doing all these good things. And they looking at you sideways like... Could you imagine being the younger brother of Jesus? But he didn't believe.

But something happened to James that converted him into a true believer. First Corinthians 15 says this. This is Paul writing. He says that when Jesus was buried, after he resurrected, he was seen by Cephas. Well, that's Peter. Then by the twelve. And verse 7 says after that he was seen by who? James. He was an early believer. But it was hard to deny faith in the Messiah when you see the person you grew up with, the person that was on the cross, then dies. And then he shows up and says, "Brother, it is I." James became a believer.

And so much so, he was a pillar in the early church. He was converted. And so this man, converted by seeing his risen Savior, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned this general epistle. What makes it general is that it went out to a vast body of believers, the diaspora. They were spread across many places. And he said, "I want to give you this letter to help you grow up, to help you mature."

And when you go through the book of James, that is the point of James. James wants us to be practically, realistically mature. He wants our faith and our actions to be aligned. He was a father of our faith that says, "Listen, I don't want you just saying one thing and living another. I want you to grow up in this faith so much so when they see you, they know you have been with Jesus."

Even though he didn't believe early, he was converted and was a man that truly was convicted by Jesus. What I appreciate about James the most is that he doesn't sugarcoat anything. He gets right to it. And many scholars, they actually parallel the book of James with Proverbs. It's very straightforward. Wisdom that you can use in a practical way. And I appreciate James. I don't want to beat around the bush. Give me the word.

And when you talk to me, I'm going to warn you. When you talk to me, I'm going to listen to you for a little bit. And then we're going to say, "Okay, what does the Bible say?" We're going to get straight to it. Now I will admit, I don't want you to be afraid of talking to me. God has dealt with me on this to be more patient with people.

Now the way He's dealt with me is that I have two daughters. I won't name their names, but I will walk in the house. I haven't put a bag down, a coat down, or anything. And they go right in with the longest story. I mean, I've had a full day of work, and I'm 45 minutes in to what she was wearing. She didn't say what he had on, what shoes they were wearing. How dare they? And I'm just sitting there lost, like what is the point of this story?

So God has helped me. There are times to get straight to the point, but He's also helped me to know you need to be patient. He's done that in my household. But James gets straight to the point. Very different than Paul. Paul is his literary prowess. You can see it in how he gives salutations, some of what he says. But James says, "No, I need you just to get this point to grow up."

I like the wisdom that's contained within James. So let me get through. Here's an example of James getting right to it. Verse 1 he says, "You know it's me. It's James. Let's get this work. Consider it all joy when you go through trials." That's verse 2. He didn't warm us up or anything. Verse 2. Because you will encounter various trials. That is part of the experience of all believers.

The second thing that James tells us in verse 13, the second thing that James tells us in verse 13, that will be the place of all. Every believer will experience. He says this: "When tempted, not if. When you are tempted, no one should be saying, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone. But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own desire and enticed."

So he deals with us on two realities of every believer. You will go through trials, and you will be faced by temptations. But do not get it twisted. Trials are not temptations. They are not synonymous. You cannot equate them. They are two different experiences from two different sources. Trials are the outward circumstances that involve suffering, conflict, and trouble. God uses trials to mature us. God uses trials to make us more like Jesus. God is the source of that trial, but it is for His glory and your maturity.

Temptations, though, are not from God. They come from within and they lead towards sin. Temptations come from this flesh that we all have. They come from desires within us. And Satan uses those desires to lead you ultimately to a place that is separate from God. You are consumed, yourself in a temptation, and you no longer can see God or even care for the things of God.

Temptations. And when it comes to these trials and temptations, James is saying to us he wants us to grow up and recognize that your response to them is an indication of your maturity. How you respond to a trial, how you respond to a temptation will indicate how mature you are.

Now God uses trials, right? He uses them to correct us, to expose something that is out of alignment, that is immature. And ultimately a trial will bring clarity to your true belief system, what you really believe. Not what you say on Sunday, but when you get angry.

Okay, let me... I'm not going to do that. The circumstances will reflect whether what you believe is truly of God or if it's man-made, if it's tradition, if it's a superstition, if it's from the culture. It will show you because that's the point. It will show you you because God already knows, and He's using the situation for it to come to the surface.

So you have to say, "I am not of God. I need to grow up in that space." I had this experience. God used a very difficult two-year period in my life to bring up to the surface something that I just... I would never have admitted to you that it was the case. I work in finance, and I was working for this really fancy company. I tell you it was fancy. My first week on the job was kind of the employee retreat, and they put us in a hotel room. It was my first week, and they gave me a hotel room in a fancy hotel.

So now I have a fancy company with a fancy title, and I'm in a fancy hotel. It was fancy. And I began to live that life. It was the first time I experienced being in a private jet. It was also the last time I've been in a private jet. But it's okay, I'm telling you the truth. And I began to enjoy this lifestyle. It opened up opportunities for me and my family. My income was up, and we went on one or two trips to Wisconsin Dales. It was a fancy lifestyle.

And then one day, 25% of the staff was laid off. That's a big number. At home, wife and kids looking at me like, "You ain't fancy no more, brother." And for two years, I couldn't find consistent work. And for two years, I struggled to figure out who I was. For two years, I would just take on some odd jobs. And for two years, I didn't recognize that I was suffering from depression. And for two years, God just worked with me and worked with me.

And in those two years, I used that experience to see who was actually providing for you. It taught me a lesson that He is Jehovah Jireh. He is my provider. Not a fancy title, not a fancy company, not a private jet, not the CEO. God, my provider. Two years it took for that lesson to work its way through my system. But that thing had its perfect work. I don't care what job I have now. I just look at my provider who is on high.

I know that the heart of every king, every CEO is in the hand of the Lord, and He's the one that turns it. He has given me power to get wealth. Not the CEO on that paycheck, not the W2. No, no, no. God is the one that gives me every opportunity. He works that thing in me. As difficult as it was, can I tell you? How do I know that situation is from God? Because that's the question. If I was depressed, if I was going through, if it was difficult, the way I know it was from God is because no mortgage payment was missed. No bill was missed.

He began to work out things, and people would give. I don't have a job. I'm your provider. Glory to God. That's how you know. Because the things you used to rely on, God still finds a way to take care of His people. I told you I was churchy. Let me calm down. It's a little early. It's a little early to be churchy.

So that trial, God used it to uncover that I did not have faith in Him but in something else. Trials bring clarity to our faith. However, what's important is during the trial, you have to stay in it. You have to be able to resist the temptation to do something to help you relieve the stress, to relieve the pressure, to change the situation. You have to stay in it so that it can have its perfect work. Patience. Have its perfect work to help you mature. You have to stay in that lane.

During that same time, I remember just asking and praying to God, "When are things going to change? I've been putting in these applications. I've been calling folks. I was still relying on my connections. Nobody was returning my call. God, when are you going to do something? Why is this happening to me?" And He took me to John the 14th chapter. This is what we call a rhema word. A rhema word is when God uses scripture when you're reading it, and you've read that scripture before, and you understood it. But some way the Holy Spirit uses that word to say, "No, no, no. This is for you."

And so I'm reading John 14. It's about the story of when Lazarus died. Y'all know the story. And so when they got to the tomb, and I believe it was Martha, said, "Jesus, if you had been here, my brother wouldn't have died." And so they're complaining. They're like, "You should have been here because it was four days." And Jesus said something peculiar to Martha. He says, "If you would have just believed, you would see the glory of God."

Let me explain why this was rhema. Because I was asking God for a job. He says, "I just need you to believe because I'm trying to show you my glory." You're thinking about one part of your life. I'm trying to uncover more for you than just a job. Glory. And so I backed up and I said, "God, I won't move until you tell me to move. I won't apply for another job. I won't do anything. I won't send another resume. But I'm going to stay in prayer. I'm going to stay before you. I'm going to stay in this work."

And I backed up and I said, "I'm going to stay in this lane. I just want to stay before you." And two weeks later, two weeks later, I got a call. And the person on the other line said, "I've been looking for you. I heard about you, and I have a job for you." I said, "But I didn't send you my resume." "Well, somebody else was talking about you, and they sent me your information."

Even in trial, God will take care of you, and He will show Himself strong. All you have to do is stay in the lane. The day that waits on the Lord, church.

So a rhema word, when you are staying in your lane. And God gave me a practical illustration of staying in your lane. I commute downtown to Chicago from Indiana five days a week most times. And I remember early in the commute, He would show me how frantically I would be trying to make it to work, trying to beat the time on the GPS. Y'all do it too. The GPS tells you 55 minutes, and here you are trying to save a minute. Gonna kill everybody in the car to save one minute in the accident.

But He showed me how when I would be driving to work, I would see I would be in a lane that was stopped. And I would see the other lane going fast. So of course, the natural thing to do is let me go on and switch that lane. But of course, as soon as I get into that lane, that lane stops, and the other lane keeps going. So here I am going back into the other lane.

And He showed me that I would be doing that often, frantically looking for a way to... But He also showed me what maturity looks like. He said, "You stop driving so frantically, and instead of looking at other cars trying to figure out where to get in, you started to discern the road."

And when the road itself would change, what do I mean? Because part of the journey was on a two-lane highway. Then part of the journey is on a three-lane highway. And then part of the journey is on a four-lane highway. So I had to stay in my lane until an entirely new lane would open up. And it would create then the opportunity. I didn't have to be frantic. Stay in the lane, move. And then when I get to another part, stay in the lane, move.

And then all of a sudden, my commute got different, more efficient, more effective. I wasn't worried about where to go because I knew I would get there on time. And He showed me this is a metaphor for our life. When we're going through trials, you're switching lanes. You're trying to figure it out yourself. And God's saying, "No, discern. Slow down. And I will show you how to discern the road."

You're trying too hard. Stay in your lane. Wait on the Lord. And what will happen in the trial? You will mature and realize patience is working. Patience. You're not rushing to the next thing. Patience. You're not trying to figure it out anymore. "Lord, what are you saying? Because I don't know." Patience. "Lord, just tell me what you want to do in this season." Patience. "Lord, what are you telling me to do in this season?" Patience.

Patience is the ability to go through what I'm going through without prematurely and illegitimately altering God's designed process. Because the reality, it gets that hard to where you want to illegitimately and prematurely help yourself out.

Now listen, some of us are old enough to know what this really feels like. When you apply for that job when you know you wouldn't, but you just needed to get up out and under this ball. So you apply for that other job. You moved. You filed for divorce. Whatever it... No, no, no, no. God is saying patience. But you can look for a way to let yourself out.

The reality is you can undo it and have to start all over again. Some of us have lived it. And if you haven't, keep living. Life be life-ing it. You're going to find out. Because this is the case for all believers. We're going to go through trials.

That's not the only thing. James talks about in verse 13, temptations. He tells us that, yeah, you're going to face temptations as well. And these temptations, they're not from God. They're used by Satan for us to stumble. He wants... Satan wants us to be bound to sin. He wants you to live in condemnation. He wants you to be shackled to guilt and shame.

So he will have you preoccupied with what happened last night when God has given you brand new mercy today. That's what condemnation does. Condemnation will have you looking in the rearview on your drive, and God wants to move you forward. But shame will set in, and the enemy will try to shame you into not going to God because that's what he does.

Using temptation, he wants to accelerate our death. Verse 13 says this: "Let no man, when he is tempted, say, 'I am being tempted by God.' God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one." This is important. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. It's not just Satan out there playing and throwing stuff at you. That thing resides in you.

And then when that desire, when it has conceived, it brings and gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Literally, the temptation will send you towards physical death or spiritual death, where that thing will overtake you, and you will find yourself so far away from God you are too ashamed to go back. You will feel that He does not love you. He could not care for you. You will feel all of that, and that is a deception of the enemy.

I come to tell you today, you may be struggling. God is trying to draw you out. He cares for you. And Paul said it like this: There is no temptation that is so big. There is nothing that is not common to man. But God gives a way of escape because He is a good God.

Here is what you don't want to do: blame shift. And I have heard it. People say, "If God didn't want me to do it, He would just take it away. If God didn't want to use this to help me out, He would just cut it off and stop it." That is in us. It is in us. And God gives us this way to say, "No, no, no. That is not me."

But this way for you to endure it, for you to get through it, that is me. Choose life. Choose to follow the ways of God. And how does God do this? How in the middle of trial, how in the middle of temptation does God help us? It is because He will always give us wisdom. He will always give us a way to say, "You don't have to go through this alone."

Here is what James says. You don't have to go through this. About wisdom, he says this: that he will give us wisdom. And if you lack it, ask. If you don't know what to do, ask God who gives to everyone liberally. He won't hold it back. He has no reason to hold any good thing from us.

And this wisdom, what this wisdom is from a definition standpoint, is a skill for living in the circumstance we are in. You need to know how to navigate this. You need to know what to do, what not to do, what to say, especially when you are in the middle of a trial. Because you want to give somebody a piece of your mind. You want to be upset. You want to be angry. You just want to change the situation.

But wisdom from God says, "Let me show you how to endure this." It's not a temptation. You can ask God, "Where is this way of escape?" He wants us to have this skill for living. Can I tell you this? The question when it comes to asking God for wisdom is not, "Why is this happening to me?" It's actually not the best question you can ask.

Because in trials, He has a purpose for you. And generally asking why this is happening to me is similar to blame shifting, as if you don't deserve it to happen to you, as if you've been good enough for it not to happen to you. "Why is this happening to me?" But the better question: "God, what am I to learn in this situation? God, what are you saying to me about this situation? God, where do I need to mature in this situation? God, what is the godly behavior that is appropriate for this circumstance? God, what is the godly perspective that I should have in this situation? God, what is the lesson that I need to learn throughout all of this happening?"

That's how we begin to tap into the wisdom. And if you're in that temptation, "God, where is my way of escape?" Because you are good, and every good and perfect gift comes from you. Where is my way of escape?

I like how James, when he's talking about temptation in the 16th and 17th verse, he says this: "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." What God gives will always be good. It will always be perfect. It will always be from above.

Even in the middle of our temptations, it will be a good way of escape. He will provide us. He has provided us salvation, which is good and perfect. He has given us every day new mercies. That is wonderful. It is good and perfect grace. Things He gives us, even when we don't deserve it. He has given us the word of God that is able to change our life. It is even a discerner of what we think and our intentions. It is good to help us mature.

Remember, James wants us to mature. That is what he is saying in this book. And the one gift, if you don't remember anything else that God gives that is perfect, remember that He gave us the Holy Spirit that descended like a dove when Jesus was baptized. And Jesus gave to us. He said, "I must go so that the comforter can come." We have God in us. Every believer, good and perfect. He is the perfect comforter. He is the perfect help. He is the perfect guide. He is good to us because He leads us into all truth. He is perfect and good. He empowers us. He directs us. He encourages us when we feel down. Good and perfect.

That is what God provides. And I love how James and Paul agree. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful that He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation, provide the way of escape that you will be able to endure it. There is that common thing. Endurance. God wants us to mature. And James is telling us that endurance is a sign of maturity.

And what does that look like? When it comes to a temptation, because we think the scripture says He will provide a way of escape, we usually stop there. And so we are just looking for just one way out to where it just kind of vanishes. No. Maturity is in the face of temptation. I can stand there, ten toes down. I will not bow. I know it is there, but I will not look. I know she texted me. I am not texting back. Matter of fact, take it out the phone. Block the number.

I know somebody, they just spoke to me rude. I am about to go off. I am about to show them I am from the west side. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Is there stole my wallet? Can I buy you lunch? Excuse me.

See, the way of escape does not look like taking away the problem. But motive in the way of escape allows you to stand and be the ambassador you're supposed to be on that job. Uh-oh. I know you not like the way of escape. The way of escape does not mean taking away all your problems. The way of escape means escape so that we may endure.

He gives us trials so that we can grow up and learn how to endure so that when the next person comes behind him, we can testify and glorify God through the life He has shown us in true maturity by what we've been through to glorify God.

And so that's the case with believers and unbelievers. For all believers, we're going to go through trials and temptations. And so if it's someone in here, you're wondering, "Well, if I follow Jesus and I'm gonna go through trials and I'm gonna still face temptations, why would I want to be saved? Why would I follow Jesus?" That's a valid question.

It's a valid question because you may think incorrectly that being saved exempts you from problems. It does not. It does not. You will still encounter trouble. The Bible says, though, that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord can deliver us from them all.

Well, why would I want to be saved if I'm gonna go through temptation and I'm gonna go through trials? Because it's different when Jesus is on the boat with you. It's a different response you can have. It's not about your strength because we know as believers that even in our weakness, His strength is made perfect. That means it shows up, begins to reveal yourself. The faith, your faith is in what God can do in that moment, not what you can do.

So if I'm not a follower of Jesus, I have no guarantee that anything or anybody is gonna help me. But if I follow closely, if I trust in the Lord, He will be my strength. If I trust in the Lord, He will be my strong tower. He will be my help. He will be my shield and buckler. He will be... I'm not relying on what I can do.

So we're gonna face trials. We're gonna face temptations. And we're gonna face trials. We're gonna face temptations. And we're gonna face temptations.

And so, okay, Jason, I'm with you. I might want to be saved, maybe. But how do I deal? And everyone really, the question is how do I deal? How do I work through when I am faced with a trial or a temptation? James helps us out in verse 19. He says this: "Know this, my beloved brothers. Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger."

Verse 22, he says, "Be doers of the word and not hearers only because if you're just a hearer, you're deceiving yourself." The one who looks at this perfect word, this perfect law, and if you persevere, not just being a hearer, but if you actually persevere, stay in your lane, if you persevere and actually do what you're told to do because of the wisdom of God, you're gonna be blessed in his doing. You're gonna be blessed.

Here are the four things that James points out: quick to hear, quick to hear the wisdom of God. Remember in my case, it was a rhema word. It was a word in due season. It was a word at the right time. It was a word to help me stay in place. He is not a respecter of person. Just because I'm a pastor and I'm on this stage doesn't mean I'm the only one that gets a rhema word. God can use any means to give you a rhema word. He will show up for any and all believers.

Wisdom of God, He will show you the purpose of that trial. Be quick to hear for it, and then He will be there to show you the way of escape so you can endure it. But you have to be quick. That means willing, looking, searching, knowing where is that way of escape, God?

And how do I exercise? I want to see it. Slow to speak. Our faith can be unraveled by our mouth. You can talk yourself out of faith, even if it's as simple as this: murmuring, complaining. Murmuring, "Man, why this always happening to me? It seems like ain't... I don't know what God's showing up for such and such." Like, sit down. Why you up jumping and hollering and all that stuff? Complaining.

I'm tired of these... I'm tired. Or as simple as this: talking to the wrong people. You can start calling around looking for opinions. You can start calling around to get somebody on the bandwagon. You know, I'm still over here suffering through. I'm still going through. And the wrong person, especially if you're in a temptation situation, the wrong person will reinforce bad actions.

During temptation, you just around just kicking dogs throughout the neighborhood. You just kicking dogs because you mad. I could say some other stuff, but I'm trying to keep it... You kicking dogs. You know you wrong for kicking the dog, but the wrong person will say, "Yeah, that dog does bark too loud."

Let me get a real example, and I'm gonna say this because it's statistically true: seven out of ten men in church watch porn weekly. And if you talk to the wrong man, I'm talking to our men, you talk to the wrong man, he'll say, "Well, you need a little relief. You know your wife..." Listen, brother, listen. Your wife ain't doing what she's supposed to do. It's tight, but it's right.

The wrong person will lead you further into sin. And so James is saying, "Be slow to speak because your mouth will undo the process. Your mouth will not allow you to get out of this situation." Don't go to work talking to your work husband. You don't have a work husband if you have a husband at home.

Now somebody needed to hear that. I just had to obey. I listen, I'm just gonna say it because the Lord told me. You don't have a work husband. Don't blame me. Your mouth, so every time you go to work, you in the arms of your work husband. He playing, he paying for lunch. What's going on at home?

Okay, all right. I'm in somebody's business. I mean, I'm in your business. Be slow to speak. You will unravel the process and fuel the fire that's burning. Help me, Lord.

Slow to be angry. This slow to be angry is about avoiding behavior that does not reflect godliness. It is outbursts. It is taking care of business for yourself. It is doing anything that you feel necessary to ease the pain. Slow to be angry while God is processing you through a trial.

Be mad at God. Be slow to be angry. And James says this: a doer of the word. This is as easy as it is. It's hard because we don't have a work husband. We don't have a work husband. We can get all the revelation in the world. We can get all the rhema word in the world, all the prophetic word in the world. And if you don't do what you're supposed to do, you will remain stuck.

Scripture says later in James that if you don't do it, it's like a man going into the mirror, looking at themselves, fixing their face up, and walking away not remembering what they saw. He will give us this wisdom to reflect, but then give you wisdom to do it. He will give you grace to do it. He will provide the way of escape to stand in it. But if you don't delete the number from your phone, if you don't unsubscribe to... Help me, Lord.

Because the reality is that today it is more prevalent to fall into temptation because it comes directly to our phones, our iPads. It is easier. It is easier to find this, not the way of escape, but the way to be dug in deeper and entrenched and have to be able to do what God is saying for us to do.

Now I said earlier that I sensed, and I'm going to pray, and I want to pray for individuals that are stuck in the middle. I want to pray for individuals that feel weary in the middle. Because the reality is you can know what I'm talking about. You can know how it feels to be in a trial, and you can feel helpless. You can be tired. I have been there. You know that God is processing you, but you just don't even have the energy to pray anymore.

You just don't have the energy to pray anymore. You know that you've been dealing with this temptation so long, and you're kind of like, "Well, maybe this is just what God wants to give me, and it's gonna be here." And the danger, I'm sorry, I'm gonna say it, the danger is that you have read the scripture where Paul said he had a thorn in his flesh, and you're using that to justify your sin.

That is not a justification for you to stay in that temptation. "Oh, this is just my thorn in my flesh. God is just... He's using it to keep me humble." That's deception. You know that in the middle of that, you just need help. You need strength. You need someone to understand practically where you are.

So what I want to do, because Sunday is the perfect place for it, there are different opinions around what we should be doing on Sunday. If you read pundits and you read all these kind of articles, they have transformed what Sunday is for. I believe, I still believe that Sunday we should not deny coming together because the scripture says that in the coming together, the gathering, you will find love and you will find encouragement.

This is the one, this is the safest place for believers. The safest. You can be free here. Not just Sunday, but you can be free in the house of God. You can receive prayer. You can worship freely. And because of that, I want to make sure that in this free and safe place that you receive prayer and ministry.

James was practical, straightforward, but he was also a great man of prayer. And faith early church history says that physically James would pray so much that he had calluses on his knees. They said the man looked like a camel walking around. Have you ever seen a camel with these big old knobby knees? He was such a man of prayer that when they pushed him off a temple to kill him, he didn't die instantly when he hit the ground. They began to beat him, and while they were beating him, he was praying.

He's a practical man, but he's a man of prayer. And he says this in James 5: "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." He's a man of prayer, practical but believes in prayer. "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call on the elders and let them pray over him, and the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick. If he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your sins one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous person has great power."

This is a house of prayer. And so you're stuck in the middle. You've been wavering. You're weak. You're tired. Let me offer two scriptures that the Lord has given me in my times when I was stuck in the middle. Again, it was a rhema word. It was in prayer, and He just allowed these scriptures to pop up off the page and answer some of the deep questions I had.

I remember being in a situation at work where they wanted me to do something that was against my convictions. Not my current job, let me be clear. Not my current job. I want nobody going to work talking about Jason over there with the... No, previous job. And what they did, since I didn't want to do what they wanted me to do, which was against my convictions, they reduced my salary by 33 percent.

Now take whatever your paycheck is and take a third of it off, and you ask me how it felt. You tell me it hurt. I had a family. I felt the Lord led me there. And so one morning, I remember looking out the window, and I heard Isaiah 43. And I said, "Well, what is Isaiah 43?" This is Isaiah 43: "But now says the Lord, he who created you, he who formed you, fear not, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine. When you pass through these waters, I'll be with you. When you go through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

Can I tell you? God, you are my God, my all righteousness. You have not heard the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. You may be wearied anyway, or there shall be an end to all this. You may be tired, but I, the Lord, I do not become weary or tired. My understanding is unsearchable, and my job is to give strength to the weary.

Anyone who lacks might, I'm going to increase your power. Even young folks grow weary and tired, and vigorous men even stumble. But those who wait on me, you will renew your strength. You will gain a new strength. You will mount up with wings like eagles. You're going to run and not get tired. You're going to walk and not become weary.

The Lord is speaking to someone in here. You are weary, but God is saying, "I do not get weary. Trust and wait on me." I just heard the word reset. God is resetting some of us. And when you do a reset, that means He kind of clears out everything that was existing on the heart. Any kind of viruses, any type of issues, that kind of guy. He begins to reset.

And that's what He's doing to many of you spiritually. He is resetting. It's different than renewing. Resetting eliminates. So you start fresh from your original intent. Some of you in here will be... You will go back. Do not be afraid of this season. You will go back and have to give up a lot of stuff that you depended on. But God is saying to you, He is resetting your operating system.

He's saying, "I'm going to give up a lot of stuff that I depended on." He's taking out all of the habits that you have picked up over time that are simply viruses, that are simply hindrances. It has slowed down your operating system. So I'm going to reset you. So don't be afraid to let go of the things that have kept you in past seasons.

In this new season, He's giving you something new. And I'm going to ask that the altar team, our altar ministry team, come up. And if you know I've been talking to you, that you are stuck in the middle, you are weary, you're dealing with temptation, and you feel weak. You're not certain what God is saying about the season you're in. You can't discern whether this is a trial from God or a temptation that you led yourself into.

I don't want to separate them. I want you to be free to come up either way, whether it's a temptation or a trial. I don't want you to feel any type of shame or guilt for coming up. You just admit, "God, I am humbling myself to you to show me I need a word from you." This team is up here for you to come up now. They will stand. They will pray with you. They will pray for you.

I'm going to pray over all of us because some of you may just feel like, you know, I don't want to put myself out there. Maybe you are with someone and you have been struggling and hiding, and you just don't want to be exposed. I don't want you to miss out on this. So I will pray for you. But if you are bold enough to believe that the Lord is speaking to you, your first sacrifice, your first step of humility to receive the wisdom of God is to come up and allow this team to pray for you.

Do not delay. Allow this team to give you a word. God wants to speak to you. He wants to minister directly to your situation. They will be able to say some things to you that I won't be able to say over the mic. That's why it's important for you to come up here with them. Because you actually are struggling in the middle of whether it's a trial or a temptation. But God wants to bring freedom today.

Glory to God. God is saying wait. Yeah, the reason that my story about my season of unemployment resonated with someone here. You have sent resumes. You've been trying to figure out exactly what's going on. You are resourcing. Your sources, your connections are not connecting. God is saying they that wait on the Lord shall renew, renew your strength.

God will tell you when to submit a resume and where. He's creating a position for you. He's creating something for you. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I seek you as you have told me to. I have said what you have told me to say. Now do what only you can do. I pray for grace in this time of need. I pray for mercy on those that are stuck in the middle. I pray. I pray for them that their strength is renewed. I pray for them to see you. I pray that they will hear you clearly.

Holy Spirit, I pray that their ears are attuned to what you are trying to tell them. I pray, Holy Spirit, begin to encourage them. Lift up their head. Help them to remain focused on you and not their circumstances. Don't look to the left or the right. But God is saying look towards me and my perfect law of liberty, perfect word of liberty. Stay connected to me.

I pray for strength. Lord God, that you've been telling them to fast. God is saying fast. I pray that they will have the strength to do it. I pray that you would. I pray that you would take away all the obstacles in their life so that they can submit themselves to you, God.

And in the name of Jesus, I speak liberty. I loose liberty and freedom. I speak and loose strength in their emotions. I speak against. I bind oppression in the name of Jesus. Lift up your head, God says. See that I am the Lord your God. Hallelujah.

I pray, oh God, we intercede right now. We intercede right now. It is tough. It is difficult. They cannot discern. So I pray for their eyes to see. I pray for their ears to hear. Help them to be slow to speak but only declare what you have said. Give them strength, God.

In the name of Jesus, I pray for the marriage that is in trouble, on the verge of divorce. I pray. I pray that you give the marriage strength. Reset it, oh God. Hallelujah. Reset it. Glory to God.

And I pray the glory of God rests. The spirit of God rests in these homes. That Lord God on the jobs where they are feeling burdened and overwhelmed. God, in the name of Jesus, I speak freedom on the job. In the name of Jesus, that they won't be preoccupied with how hard it is. But they know that there is patience working. And that you will bring glory. You will get glory in that situation.

I pray for those that are on the fence of giving up. Support them, God. Keep them from giving up and walking away. Keep them, oh God. Strengthen their minds. They're on the verge of a breakdown. But in the name of Jesus, I come against depression, anxiety attacks, stress, oh God, panic attacks. In the name of Jesus.

In the name of Jesus, I loose peace in your life. Freedom in your life. In the name of Jesus. Clarity in your vision. Hallelujah. We stand on your word. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. We will mount up and rise above what is happening.

In the situations where this is a trial, show us how to hold on. When it's a temptation, show us where the way of escape is. I for those that, hopelessness. I come against hopelessness. I come against hopelessness.

Hey, glory. The Lord says, my joy will give you strength. Ah, glory to God. He will give you an opportunity to be in His presence for the first time in a long time. Provide and find the space for Him to come into you. He will come into your room. Yes, God. Go to your office this week so His presence can rest on you.

You used to go there often. Go back. Find the time so He can renew your strength. So, Father, I thank you for all that have come up. Renew their strength. I pray that they experience a breakthrough in their life. A breakthrough like the wind coming in to reset their life.

I pray for their deliverance. Those who are dealing with issues. I pray deliverance in this room. In the name of Jesus. It is beyond their power. It's beyond them, their mind. I pray for deliverance. I pray, Lord God, that you rebuke the enemy. Every spirit that is not like you. I pray deliverance in the room.

God says that you need to submit to me and then resist the devil. You cannot do it on your own. I am calling you to submit. Submit to me. Resist the enemy, and then he will flee. Then he will flee. Then he will resist the enemy after you submit to me.

I know my plans for you. I know my thoughts for you. I know what I want to do in you. Submit to us. Submit to me. Submit to me. Submit to me. Come unto me, all you who are heavy laden and burdened. I will give you rest. Ah, you want my rest. Not the rest that the world gives you, but my rest.

Hallelujah. Glory, glory, glory. Glory, glory. I will give you rest. I care for you. I care for you. Believe me again. I care for you. Believe me again. I care for you. I pray against deception. Ah, glory.

Tell us that you do not care for you. Care for us. I thank you. Rebuke the spirit of lust. I bind every spirit. Ah, the spirit of deception. Deception. Deception. Doctrines of men. You cannot mix. Ah, you cannot mix.

God, show us deception and uproot everything that is not like you. And we thank you in Jesus' name, I pray. Thank God. Amen.

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "What God wants us to do for you today is intercede and intervene so that you can begin to understand. Mature to the place where you know and believe that because of God's character. He will deliver you. Maybe you don't see the promise yet. Maybe you don't feel his presence. But the person of God, how he operates means he's going to be faithful, regardless of what you experience." [52:13] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "God uses trials. To mature us. God uses trials. To make us more like Jesus. God is the source. Of that trial. But it is for his glory. And your maturity. Temptations though. Are not from God. They come from within. And they lead towards sin. Temptations. Come from this flesh. That we all have. They come from desires. Within us. And Satan uses those desires. To lead you ultimately. To a place. That is separate from God." [01:00:03] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "How you respond. To a trial. How you respond to a temptation. Will indicate. How mature you are. Now God uses trials. Right? He uses them to correct us. To expose something that. Is out of alignment. That is immature. And ultimately a trial. Will bring clarity. To your true belief system. What you really believe." [01:01:05] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "The way of escape does not mean taking away all your problems. The way of escape means. escape so that we may endure he gives us trials so that we can grow up and learn how to endure so that when the next person comes behind him we can testify and glorify God through the life he has shown us in true maturity by what we've been through to glorify God." [01:25:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "If I follow Jesus and I'm gonna go through trials and I'm gonna still face temptations why would I want to be saved would I follow Jesus that's a valid question it's a valid question because you may think incorrectly that being saved exempts you from problems it does not it does not you will still encounter trouble the bible says though that many are the afflictions of the righteous but the lord can deliver us from you them all." [01:26:00] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




### Quotes for Members

1. "James wants us to be practically. Realistically mature. He wants our faith. And our actions to be aligned. He was a father of our faith. That says listen. I don't want you just saying one thing. And living another. I want you to grow up in this faith. So much so when they see you. They know you have been with Jesus. Even though he didn't believe early. He was converted. And was a man that truly was convicted. By Jesus." [56:00] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




2. "Patience is the ability. To go through what I'm going through. Without prematurely. And illegitimately altering. God's designed process. Because the reality. It gets that hard. To where you want to. Illegitimately. And prematurely. Help yourself out. Now listen. Some of us are old enough to know what this really feels like. When you apply for that job. When you know. You wouldn't. But you just needed to get up out and under this ball. So you apply for that other job. You moved. You filed for divorce. Whatever it. No no no no. God is saying patience." [01:13:13] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




3. "The question when it comes to asking God for wisdom. Is not. Why is this. Happening to me. It's actually not the best question you can ask. Because in trials. He has a purpose for you. And generally asking. Why this is happening to me. Is similar to blame shifting. As if you don't deserve it to happen to you. As if you've been good enough. For it not to happen to you. Why is this happening to me. But the better question. God. What am I to learn. In this situation. God what are you saying to me." [01:19:55] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




4. "The way of escape does not look like taking away the problem. But motive in the way of escape allows you to stand. And be the ambassador. You're supposed to be on that job. Uh-oh. I know you not like the way of escape. The way of escape does not mean taking away all your problems. The way of escape means. escape so that we may endure he gives us trials so that we can grow up and learn how to endure so that when the next person comes behind him we can testify and glorify God through the life he has shown us in true maturity by what we've been through to glorify God." [01:25:02] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)




5. "James helps us out in verse 19 he says this know this my beloved brothers let every person be quick to hear slow to speak slow to anger verse 22 he says be doers of the word and not hearers only because if you're just a hearer you're deceiving yourself the one who looks at this perfect word this perfect law and if you persevere not just being a hearer but if you actually persevere stay in your lane if you persevere and actually do what you're told to do because of the wisdom of God you're gonna be blessed in his doing you're gonna be blessed." [01:27:41] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)