[0:00] I am thinking on the terms of Memorial Day, in fact, what I turned it by was in James chapter 1, and we didn't know the program. It probably should fall over with that as a comment.
[0:13] But on Memorial Day, I mean, the idea that there was a quote from Franklin Roosevelt, and he said, those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died for them.
[0:31] It is a great truth for us to keep in mind that we have great privileges that have had at some point cost. And as we look around today, I think especially as we look at trials of our faith, and in this first chapter of James, and think about the trials, the various kinds of trials that we go through, you don't have to look very far to be tested in your faith a little bit than to just scan through the news, right?
[1:08] I mean, just a simple scan through, and I did that just for my own sense as I was thinking through that. If I just scan through the news, I'm going to encourage you to go, fine.
[1:19] It kind of looks like, wow. Now, I just jotted down a few things that I saw over the trials that we see in our country right now, but just for this sector, a country where the causes to be challenged.
[1:32] One was talking about Bill Gates sponsoring mosquito breeding. Does that bother you? That's what that bothers me, right? Because right after that, there was another article that said maybe the next pandemic will be spread by mosquitoes.
[1:47] It's two separate articles. So I just looked at that. It's shaking the head of it. No. Or what is going on? Are there any others? I saw another article that talked about someone being confirmed by some congressional panel judge, who, after a man requested that he be transferred to the women's prison because he's transgender, the judge granted his convicted child rape system to be put in a women's prison.
[2:21] And we didn't even read about that, just the discussion about women's prisons now, just the accessibility to condom dispensers and things like that, and just the crazy state of affairs around.
[2:39] I saw another article about just the, you know, Oklahoma trying to tighten up immigration laws and how the Biden administration is suing the state of Oklahoma, because they're going to tighten up on some things and protect ourselves.
[3:00] And then another article right here talking about an incident in North Carolina outside the military base where a Chechnya was recorded as being, documenting what soldiers were doing outside of military bills.
[3:16] And in fact, one naval base in the U.S. reported that they have incidents of foreign nationals trying to get on the base. This one naval base reported up to three times a week now.
[3:29] You just think, word. You see another article that talks about the U.N. court calling for the arrest of Prime Minister Israel, and how Germany said they're going to act on that warning.
[3:46] And you think to yourself, what is going on? Our economy is a disaster. You look at the prices, you don't have to go very far to go to the grocery store and realize it.
[3:56] We've got articles talking about it. We bought a container of oats that used to cost a dollar not too long ago. Now it's four or something. Another article talking about daily marijuana use in the U.S.
[4:13] now surpassing daily alcohol use. Are you guys bothered? Can I do it? Does it challenge your faith, especially at these moments when you're looking through all this stuff, to just be like, I don't know who it is?
[4:29] I mean, there should be some legitimate concern about all these things. I mean, don't mistake it out of it. That's just on the larger scale. And then you look at, like, real life, you know, more personal situations, even like my own family going through it, experiencing the loss of my nephew, and just going through the grief of all of that.
[4:52] My friend Tom Cox, some of you know Tom Cox, in his 80s still preaching the gospel. His wife of 74 years passed away this week.
[5:06] 74 years. I said he was married. He was 17. She was 19. He said, I'm going to work with the back pocket.
[5:16] He was 19. It was just a grief. Just a normal grief. Normal trials. Lost.
[5:27] John losing. Don Neville's losing his mother. Lucas losing his grandmother. Great-grandmother. Luke is. This grief. Larry. David's in the hospital.
[5:39] Cynthia running back and forth trying to take care of him. The trials not normal. What's going on? Testing going on. Figured out. James said various kinds of trials.
[5:53] Right? Various kinds. All kinds of trials. All dimensions of trials in our life. Are you going to have a faith that works in the face of all of this?
[6:05] All the trials of your own Christian walk. The trials that you're a believer and you're trying to maintain your marriage.
[6:17] You're trying to walk in your marriage as a Christian. As a believer, follower of Christ. And be a disciple of Jesus. And kind of maintain your relationship with your spouse. Maybe you've been a Christian for a long time and just experiencing the challenges of that.
[6:31] Maybe you're a new believer and you're facing these challenges freshly. Trying to raise your kids. Trying to raise your kids. Trying to earn a living.
[6:43] Tests. Trials. All kinds. And some this morning are battling temptations of different kinds in your life, in your heart. Nobody knows about you.
[6:54] It's the things that Satan's attacking you. Luring you into. Some with addictions that you're struggling with. Some with depressions of all kinds.
[7:04] I'm not just talking about normal grief and sorrow. I'm talking about the unhealthy fixation on your pain. There is an unhealthy fixation on your pain.
[7:16] Grief is normal. Sorrow is normal. When you hold on to that. When you embrace it. And live that way. That is where it comes from. Problem. Trials.
[7:31] Reminded of what somebody once said. When we read through James. Great faith is the product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests.
[7:44] Great triumphs can only come out of great trials. The strength of our faith. The faith that's going to work. Is only going to be seen against these kinds of things.
[7:58] That's where we see it. That's where the reality of it comes out. For James. It was from his perspective. Of experience and persecution. If you remember from a few weeks ago.
[8:11] Endurance. That leads him to a place of encouragement. Because he sees all of the trials. Of various kinds. In light of who Christ is. What Christ has done.
[8:22] What Christ is doing. What Christ is going to do. The Christ that we believe in. That we put our faith in trust in. The kind of savior that we follow. So this starts with a command to trust.
[8:37] That is based on the reality. That God is trustworthy. Right? He's trustworthy. Why will you trust him? In all kinds of trials. No matter what it looks like.
[8:47] In the world. It seems to be falling apart. Just coming unraveled. In your life. Just going through these stumbling places. That are God's trustworthy. Why?
[8:59] So this morning. What I'm doing. As I'm looking at this verse of scripture. Is I just realized. I didn't bring my Bible up here. Which is a problem. Okay? So hold that thought.
[9:12] I'll be right back. No sense to do it.
[9:22] Let's talk about it. James chapter 1. If you are there. In your places. Go ahead and stand. And read this together. James chapter 1.
[9:33] We're going to go back to verse 17. Every good gift. Every perfect gift.
[9:44] Is from above. Coming down from the Father of life. With whom there is no variation. Or shadow due to change.
[9:55] By his own will. He brought us forth. By the word of truth. That we. Should be a kind of first fruits. Of his preachers.
[10:07] Father bless the reading. Of your word today. I pray. That you would encourage us. To grow. In our faith. That our faith.
[10:18] Would be a kind of first fruits. Love you. Praise you. In Christ's name. So. So. I just skipped over this.
[10:29] I was ready to preach the next passage. And so. I started studying. On Monday. Just looking at verse 19. And following. And. Put together. And it was just. Such encouragement.
[10:40] Of reading through that. Studying that. Digging stuff out. The commentaries. Whatever. And. And then. I realized. At every point. I just kept. Kind of running into a stumbling block. I kept pointing back to.
[10:52] The verses before. And I realized. Last week. When I covered that section. I just kind of breezed over. Those last two verses. And. And. And. And. As I looked at it.
[11:03] I kind of realized. That what. I skipped over. Was really. Like. The answer came. Uh. It's. It's. One of the greatest discoveries. I ever made.
[11:13] In school. Is when. Uh. In a math book. Where I'm struggling. Through this. Leslie. You can relate to this. Right. But. Struggling through a math book.
[11:24] And I'm dealing with the problems. And then I discovered the greatest joy of my life. As I skipped to the back of the book. And realized. The answer's right. Right. I mean.
[11:36] It was beautiful. Right. Now. I'm encouraging you kids to. Study it out. And work the problem. And give me care. Your answer. That's what you should do. I didn't quite do that.
[11:48] You should do that. But what I realized. Is that our life. Seems to be the problems. And this. Is the key. And as I look at this passage.
[12:00] And I start seeing. James start. You know. Dealing with all the trials. Of various kinds. And all the challenges. That we face. Whether we're risen for. Whether we're tempted. Or are meaningless.
[12:11] So. All the things that he's dealing with. And I realized. Come down to verse 17. He really gives kind of. The answers. Why should I trust. Jesus. Why should I trust him.
[12:23] In the face of all this stuff. And then you start. Taking the problems. And start bouncing it. Off the key. And you realize. Here's the answer. Right here. Here's the answer.
[12:35] So. This morning. I'm going to ask. Basically. Some questions. And throw them. At the text here. And come away. With the answers. And I really think.
[12:45] That God's going to encourage us. This morning. In this. We're looking at. James. Who is. Coming from. A place of maturity.
[12:57] James. Who started. As sibling. To Jesus. Who ends up. As servant. In the reward. Jesus. Time. We're looking at.
[13:07] James. Who starts. As unbeliever. Denying Christ. With the other brothers. To. To. An encounter. With Jesus.
[13:18] After the resurrection. Which the scripture tells us. That Jesus. Appeared to James. His brother. And in this. We see him. As a church. In place.
[13:29] Being the leader. Of the Jerusalem church. So. So. Enduring persecution. And hardship. And growing in faith. To the point.
[13:39] Where now. He is. A key leader. If not. A key leader. In the church. Of Jerusalem. And his encouragement. Is that this kind of faith. In Christ.
[13:50] Is the faith that works. Jesus. And so. Here's question number one. As I'm dealing with this. Can I. Can I trust God.
[14:00] When I feel like. He has forgotten me. That's the first question. Can I trust God. When I feel like. He's forgotten me. You look at verse 17.
[14:13] And. He begins. This way. After verse 16. He says. Do not be deceived. My little brother. There is a real possibility. That you'll miss the answers. That you'll be deceived.
[14:24] And you'll be motivated. As John speaks to me. That's the clarity. And. Describing him. As brothers in Christ. He's the poor believers. Verse 17.
[14:36] Every. Good. Gift. And every. Perfect. Gift. Is from. A brother. What's he saying?
[14:48] You see. For me. I. I. I. I. Can relate to this. Because. As a kid. My parents were divorced. And. My dad didn't live with us. We were on the east coast. He was on the west coast. And so.
[15:00] He. He. He lived in Nevada. He lived in Mississippi. Or in Florida. We lived in Mississippi. He lived in California. Always that far. Apart.
[15:10] And. I. I. Can remember. As a kid. When my dad would call. It would be a big deal. Like. My mom would call for us kids. And we would come running in.
[15:21] And wait. One time. And get to talk to my dad. Because. It would be months. A long period of time. As a little kid. Before we would hear from him. And then. Then there were times.
[15:32] When it was like. Birthday times. And. We would get a package in the mail. And. And. Oh my goodness. What a big deal. That was.
[15:42] To get a package. From my dad. And there would be. Sometimes. When my birthday would come. When there would be no call. Or there would be no package. And.
[15:53] As a kid. Just. You know. Just. Thinking. He forgot. You know. I mean. As a kid. You. Did he forget. I was not going to forget.
[16:05] But. But. You didn't call. Or. My brother would be in line. And my mom would call. One by one. And I. I just sit back. In the other room. Just waiting. To see if she was going to call me.
[16:15] And then. The call's over. And. And. And nobody called me. No. And. Just that sense of being like. Perhaps we're coming. You know. And as a kid.
[16:26] You can kind of feel. The sting of that. And as an adult. You can relate to that. Because when you're going through pain. You sit in the hospital.
[16:36] Not in the hospital. Not in the hospital. In arms. With your son. Or your husband. Or whatever. And you're feeling the sting of that. You're praying. You're asking God. And you don't see anything on the surface.
[16:48] You're wondering to yourself. Have I been forgotten? God. Have you forgotten me? Are you not hearing me? When you're going through pain of divorce. Or some hard situation.
[16:59] That's just agonizing. Or you're waiting for a spouse. Or whatever the situation is. And you're just like. God. Have you forgotten me? Do you hear my cries?
[17:12] Notice what he says in verse 17. What is he giving? He used the word gift. Twice. He says in verse 17. Every good gift.
[17:25] Don't be deceived brothers. Temptation. Trials come. But every good gift. And every perfect gift. Is from above. And this is not just incidental.
[17:37] Description of this gifting from God. It's actually very intentional. In the original language. It's not just used once. And every like implied. Sometimes the translation in your Bible.
[17:48] It will be implied in the second. For a third. And a fourth time. And so he'll add it. In an italicized word there. To say. In the original. It implies that this carries over.
[17:59] That's not the case here. In the original language here. It actually says. Gift. Twice. And that really is the emphasis. He's given the double emphasis.
[18:10] On the gifting of God. And the good and the perfect. It's really kind of a synonymous use. Of these. Is that God. Is giving. Good. Perfect. Things to you.
[18:23] It's a reminder. Of what you've been given. From God. Has God forgotten? No. God has not forgotten. In fact. If you will stop. For just a moment.
[18:33] In your life. In the middle of your pain. In the middle of your difficulty. You'll realize. Some things that God has given you. Just like Romans 6. 23 said. The wages. Of sin is death. But the gift of God.
[18:45] Cool. Aren't you glad. God gives gifts. A gift of God. He gave you salvation. He gave that free. It's not something you earned. It's not something you deserve.
[18:56] It's not something that you were entitled to. Literally. In an entitled generation. I expect a gift. I expect a trophy. I mean.
[19:07] As a kid. I had one trophy. Sitting on the shelf. You go into somebody's house. I got thousands of trophies. What's this for? He showed up. Oh.
[19:19] That's beautiful. I mean. There's a case full of all these trophies. And awards. All these things. For doing absolutely nothing. Aren't you glad God gives gifts.
[19:30] Gave his only son. For God so loved the world. He gave his only son. And so Peter would say. In 1 Peter 4. As each one has received a gift.
[19:41] Received a gift from God. You've received something. And so. Peter said. As each one has received a gift. Use it to serve one another. As good stewards of God's.
[19:53] Very grace. His unmerited favor toward you. Where he has gifted you. With salvation. Gifted you. With spiritual gifts.
[20:07] According to Ephesians 4. He also gave us as a church. Prophets and apostles. As followers of Christ. He's given us. His word. The prophets and apostles.
[20:18] The apostles. Are given to the church. For this reason. So that revelation from God. Can be conveyed to us. He gave pastors and evangelists.
[20:28] And teachers. According to Ephesians 4. For the church. To be stewards of those things. That revelation of God. Which has been given to us. Is now steward. So that those.
[20:39] In the church. Gifted by God. Can be used. In the light of his word. What has God given us? Boy. He's given me salvation. He's given me.
[20:50] His word. He's given me the scripture. So that I'm not left alone. And he's given me. He's given me. He's given me his Holy Spirit. I'm not going to leave you orphans. Jesus said. But when I go away.
[21:01] The comforter is going to come. You're going to be indwelt. By the Holy Spirit of God. God himself. Is taking up residence in you. He's given me. He's given me anything.
[21:16] That's why Paul would say. In Philippians 4.13. I can do all things through Christ. Who gives me strength. Not so I can play better football. But so that I can live in his power.
[21:29] So that I can experience. His goodness. That is given to me. And his gift in me. In so many ways. Now. Even though you're thinking. All these ways. That he's gifted you.
[21:40] He is pointing here. Not just to the general. Gifting of God. Which is absolutely true. He's pointing back. To verse five. You're asking for something.
[21:52] In prayer. That God will give. And now. He speaks it. It's a gift. It comes from above. What's he given? His wisdom. His wisdom.
[22:04] To be applied. To every circumstance. In your life. So not only. Do you have salvation. That you can stand. And not only. Do you have this word. That you can study. To know his heart.
[22:14] And his mind. Not only. Do you have. A community of believers. To be a part of. So you can encourage. One another. You've got this Holy Spirit. To be inside of you. You've got wisdom. Collectively at work.
[22:24] And as he works this year. It's being poured out. Continually to you. So that when you're in the middle. Of trials. You can remember. Something about it.
[22:36] What are you going to remember? And he's good. Every good gift. Every fully mature. Perfect gift.
[22:49] Has he forgotten you? No. Because he's good. And there's a purpose.
[23:00] For everything. Under the sun. How do you hold on? Well. You hold on. In the middle of trials. Of various kinds. Trusting. That God is good. And that God.
[23:10] Who gave you salvation. That God. Who gave you all things. That pertain to the life. Of Godliness. Is going to do all things. In your life. For good. Because he forgot from you.
[23:22] And Jesus even said this. In his teaching. And people are getting together. In Luke chapter 11. He said. What father among you. If his son asks for a fish.
[23:34] Will give instead a serpent. For if he asks for an egg. Will give him a scorpion. If you then. Being evil. Know how to give good gifts.
[23:46] To your children. How much more. Will the heavenly father. Give the holy spirit. To those who ask him. Is God good. Yes.
[23:57] God is good. Is God forgetting you. In your circumstances. No. Because God is good. Can I endure. Is my faith going to work. In the face.
[24:08] Of the craziness. Of our country. Or the craziness. Of my life. Or the trials. And temptations. That I face. God is going to work. Because he's good. We got to remember.
[24:20] That God is good. All the time. And all the time. God is good. Aren't you glad? I think God's forgotten. Faith holds on to his goodness.
[24:32] And this is the answer. That's the key. To this whole thing. God's giving good things. Even. In the face of evil. Jerry Bridges said.
[24:44] This way. He said. Nothing can be more consoling. To the man of God. Than the conviction. That the Lord. Who made the world. Governs the world. And that every event. Great and small.
[24:55] Prosperous and adverse. Is under the absolute. Disposal. Of him who does. All things well. And who regulates. All things. For the good of his people.
[25:06] Aren't you glad? Give me a little arm. Does your faith work? Is your faith. Functional. In the face of these things. James is trying to encourage you.
[25:17] As scattered believers. Do you trust God? Do you feel like God's forgotten me? Yes. Because God's good. Question two. Can I trust God?
[25:28] When circumstances don't make sense. Can I get an amen? Or an oh me? When it doesn't make sense.
[25:39] Am I still going to trust God? When things don't turn out. The way I thought they should. Am I still going to trust God? Do I have the kind of faith.
[25:51] That's going to work. In these circumstances. These believers are scattered. They're experiencing. What Hebrews. Describes. As the plumpering. Of their goods. Hardship.
[26:04] Beings. And we just saw recently in the news. The Haitian missionaries. That were murdered this last week. I don't know if you saw that in the news.
[26:15] Young couple. 23. I think he was 23 years old. She was 21. Haitian gang. Spun on. Murdered in their home. Why do bad things happen to good people?
[26:29] It doesn't make sense. Are you still going to trust God? In the family. They put out a post on social media. It said. Please pray for us. We're trying to make sense of all this. We're trying to stay strong in this.
[26:41] But we have fallen apart. And we don't blame them. Right? We see the hardship of that. We see the difficulty of that. Are you going to hold on?
[26:53] When things are making sense? And so he says. This. This good thing. This good and perfect wisdom of God. He says.
[27:04] Is coming down. From the father of lights. From where? From heaven. He's speaking from his position.
[27:15] God is. Is on his throne. It's coming down from above. The authority. The picture of authority. Of sovereignty. Here.
[27:26] It's coming down from above. From his throne. From his seat of authority. From his position. Not only from his position. But from his relationship with you. From the father of lights.
[27:37] When he speaks of light. He's talking about God. The God who reveals. The God who reveals. Luminates truth.
[27:48] Shines wisdom. We see it all over the scripture. Psalm 43. 3. Send out your light. And your truth. Let them lead me. Oh Lord. Let them bring me to your holy hill.
[27:59] And your dwelling place. Your light. The father of lights. Who's on his throne. Who from above. Is dispensing. With him. All kinds.
[28:09] For you. In the face of all your trials. So that if you'll follow his plan. His way. His will. And do it in his way. And get his blessing. You'll be strengthened.
[28:20] In the middle of your trials. And even through them. You'll come out the other side. Yes. You will be beaten. And you'll come out stronger. Psalm 119. 105.
[28:30] Your word is a lamp unto my feet. And a light to my God. And when we see Jesus. Described according to John. John 1. Verse 4.
[28:41] In him was life. And the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness. And the darkness does not overcome it. Even in John 8.12. Jesus spoke and said.
[28:51] I am the light of the world. He who follows me. Will not walk in darkness. But will have the light of life. And so the father of lights. Dispensing wisdom. Dispensing truth.
[29:02] Truth. Is not only dispensing truth. Through the scripture. But through the presence of Christ. In your life. The father of lights. Dispensing into your life.
[29:15] The presence of God. Truth of God. Do I trust him? Do you think so make sense?
[29:27] God dispenses truth. And sees all things. I think it's what Spurgeon said. He said. God is too good to be unkind. And he is too wise to be mistaken.
[29:39] When I cannot trace his hand. I must trust his heart. I trust him. Faith. It works. It's something that's holding on.
[29:50] To the goodness of God. On the one hand. And the wisdom of God. On the other. I've got to trust that God. And his all right. His dispense of wisdom. To me. He gives me wisdom through his word.
[30:01] He gives me wisdom through the presence. Of the Holy Spirit. He is a God who knows. My suffering. When I'm faced with decisions or dilemmas.
[30:13] I go into the secret place. To save the heart and mind of God. I want to seek his will for my life. I want to seek counsel. To people in my life.
[30:25] That he's placed in authority. I do want to talk to a pastor. I do want to talk to my parents. I want to talk to my peers. The people in my life. God has placed there. To speak wisdom into me.
[30:37] Because I know they're walking with God. As I walk with God. As they walk with God. He's pouring wisdom into us. So I go into prayer. In a secret place. I seek God's face. Scripture says in Matthew 6.6.
[30:50] When you pray. Go into your room. And shut the door. And pray to the Father. Who is in secret. Not just from his position of authority. But from his position of relationship with you.
[31:03] And your Father who sees in secret. Will reward you. And I trust God. In certain circumstances don't make sense.
[31:18] And maybe don't seem just. Fair. And the answer is yes. Because faith says. God is wise. That's what faith is saying.
[31:30] Faith says. What I don't want to say. When I'm struggling. It's difficult for me to say. God is good. In this. But faith says.
[31:40] In spite of what I see. I know God is good. Faith says. In spite of it. None making sense. I know God is wise. He's all wise.
[31:50] There's no lack of wisdom. From him. Number three. Can I trust him. When things. Are unrighteous. Right.
[32:02] In our country. When it's unrighteous. I don't know if he's unrighteous. It is unrighteous. But at times. You don't think there's no things in your life. And things just seem.
[32:13] The wheels just seem to come off. Can you trust him in this moment? If everything's falling down around you. A joke.
[32:27] You're laid off. The horrors. If things are destroying your family. Or everything's coming apart. And you're in a place where you just can't trust anybody. Because the way you've grown up.
[32:37] You've been abused as a child. People that should have protected you. You have a hard time trusting people. You have a hard time trusting God.
[32:52] It seems like things are unraveling. It's really easy not to trust him. One of the reasons that I like the 1689 Confession. Is because it's old.
[33:05] Okay. I mean. Let me just be honest. Open up. I like it because it's old. Do I ever point in there. Some of you. It's hard to understand. I'm looking at the old English.
[33:16] I'll tell you what. I like it because it's old. I like it because it was speaking truth so long ago. I mean. We've got statements of faith. They're changing all the time. Every group of the trend changes.
[33:28] Try not to pay. Whatever. I'm tired of all of them. The word of God is unchanging. I want something old. I think our young people want something old.
[33:42] They don't want something new and flashy and novel. I think young followers of Jesus. They're looking for old stuff. It's not changing. Our kids are shopping at Goodwill because they like stuff that's old.
[33:55] You know? I mean. I love you. I never kind of thought in my head about shopping at Goodwill for clothes. Even though we were poor growing up. I don't want to get it from Goodwill.
[34:07] You know? And my kids are like, hey, he's got a Goodwill. What are you talking about? Because they want something established. They want something old. They want something that seems like it's been around.
[34:18] Seen some life. Seen some experience. When you think about God, the reality is God is unchanging. And this is what he says in verse 17.
[34:29] Notice the way he says it. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming down to the Father of life. Notice this. With whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
[34:44] He doesn't change. Everything in your life. I don't know.
[35:18] When the scripture uses this phrase here in the original language, it throws in absolute negation here. So when it says there's no variation or shadow of eternity.
[35:31] When it adds the no, the impetus, the way he does. It's an absolute negation. Meaning he changes not. Right? It's like a declaration.
[35:42] Like he does not change. Everything changes. That's what I was going to say. So if you think of someone who's 80, 70 years old, all his friends have passed on.
[35:54] Everything changes. Everything changes. The whole life. I mean, he's lived long ago. I mean, he's lived long ago. But his friends have been in ministry. He's all died off. He's the last handstand.
[36:05] You know? Everything changes. Your whole life is going to change. Tomorrow, this week, this month, this year, for some of you, your whole life is going to change. You're going to have a car wreck or something.
[36:16] Something's going to dramatically change the course of your life. And things change. If you are under the delusion that things are going to be the same next week or next year, you are so mistaken.
[36:27] Everything in this world changes all the time. The God does not change. Culture's going to change. The standards are going to change. Oh, we're going to change the way we look at the issues of homosexuality and transgenderism.
[36:44] We're going to start mutilating children. And before long, these churches that have gone on to the God of the Women Pastors will soon, like every other church, will look at the homosexuals into ordination, just like all of them do as the progression.
[37:00] And before long after that, because our culture is changing, it will also see the change to your transgenderism and for bringing transgender people into ministry. It is going to happen.
[37:12] You can mark it down. Our culture changes. But here's the thing about God. He changes not. He does not change.
[37:23] His view on these issues hasn't changed. His approach to this hasn't changed. One day, He's coming again. He's going to judge the living and the dead based on what He said. Can I give a amen?
[37:35] He doesn't change. When He uses these phrases here, So we look at verse 17. He says, There is no variation or shadow due to change.
[37:49] And what He's talking about, as Puritan writers were describing, because they were describing in terms of a lens, like a telescope or a camera. It would have been more of a telescope for some of these writers.
[38:00] They said, It speaks of the effect whereby the position or direction of an object appears to differ when viewed from different positions, through the viewfinder, per se, and the lens of a camera.
[38:16] Think of an object in a video for us, and the background is moving at a different speed. Like when you're watching something at a distance, and there's an object you're focused on, and the background mountains or whatever is behind, and this is moving at a pace, and the background is moving slower.
[38:35] And it's a perspective issue. Right? I'm looking at this from a perspective. And when He's talking about variation here, this is what He's using, a word to describe that kind of effect.
[38:49] Or, as one commentator said, speaking of tropics, technical term, paradox, tropic, has to do with lenses, you have isotropic lens, it means something about your lens, it fixes something.
[39:03] He said, there is a variableness, and there is a shadow returning in the sun. But in that great Father of lights, there is neither parallax nor tropic.
[39:16] He is evermore the same. And we may go to Him with unwavering confidence, because He is the same. Oh, what a blessing to such changing creatures as we are, to have an unchanging God.
[39:31] And what He means is looking at this, what James is saying is, when God looks at things, He sees everything in perfect respect. There's no shadow, there's no variation, there's no changing.
[39:45] He sees it all, all time, all place, all space, light or dark, He sees it all the same. That's not changing. Can I hold on to Him?
[40:03] In verse 23 and 19, God is not man, but He should lie, or He is not a man, but He should change His mind. He has said, and will He not do it? He has spoken, will He not fulfill it? God, change it, not.
[40:18] Psalm 102, verse 25, that of old and later foundation, the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain.
[40:29] They will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a road, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years, oh Lord, they have no need.
[40:42] You don't change ever, ever. Isaiah, verse 40, the grass riggers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
[40:56] Can I trust God when you feel like He's forgotten me? Faith says yes, because He's good. Can I trust God when circumstances don't make sense?
[41:07] Faith says yes, because He's wise. Can I trust God when it seems like things are unraveling or falling apart? Faith says yes, because He is immutable, He is unchanging.
[41:19] And then the last question, can I trust God when it seems like the only answer is good to God? Can I trust Him?
[41:32] Of His own will, verse 18, of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of His preaching.
[41:51] So now, where He was saying that temptation gives birth to something, when temptation has its way, it gives birth to sin, here He says, life gives birth to something, the Father of life, brings forth, and this is, this is, this is, this is, in terms of pregnancy and birth, it brings forth, like a baby, the Father of life, brings life.
[42:19] of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that the eternal life that we have in Jesus was brought forth by His will.
[42:33] He spoke, He drew you out of the grave, in your deadness, in your trespasses and sin, He raised you up.
[42:47] Here it says, if none who seek God, John 15, 16, Jesus said, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask for the Father in my name, He may give it to you.
[43:01] Why is He answering prayer in your life? Because He brought you forth by the word of truth. The God who raised you up and gave you life and safety, that God is in control of your life.
[43:13] He is sovereign. You can trust Him when you try it, because He trusted Him with your life. 1 John 4, 10, and this is love, not that He loved God, but He loved us.
[43:29] Sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins, substitute, and satisfy the wrath of God. Ephesians 1, even as He chose us and He knew before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, blameless before Him, and love, He predestined us for adoption in Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will.
[43:55] So when He says this here, of His own will, it's giving you confidence that God is sovereign. He has determined some things.
[44:06] And so there's boundaries around your life. There's nothing that's going on in your life that has not been through. I've got my life. Can you trust me?
[44:26] I saw a meeting this week that said, I thank God for protecting me from what I thought I wanted and giving me what I didn't know I needed.
[44:38] Aren't you glad God is sovereign? Some of y'all will be married to somebody else today. Amen. It's like when my kids were small, you know, they'd come outside and play in the rain.
[44:57] It's a big deal. They love, kids love rain. We don't let them go out in the rain. So they, when you let them go out and they play in the rain, it's a big deal.
[45:07] They love sticking their tongue out, catching, and drops and you're stumping in the puddles and all those kinds of things and all of a sudden, when lightning strikes and that thunder claps, that child will leap from 20 yards away and land in your arms because they trust you.
[45:35] You'll hear me? When the trial comes or the testing comes, trust me.
[45:46] Leave it in your arms. That's what you and I are supposed to do as follow Christ. That is the faith that works. I trust that. I see it in control.
[45:57] My kids want to know that somebody's in control. The world is chaotic. They're scared of strangers. The dog in the neighborhood yard, they're scared of every circumstance that comes up.
[46:09] And when those things happen, they immediately look to you to remember that. They're looking for somebody that's going to be in control of the circumstances of their life to give them a sense of peace.
[46:19] And what Jake is saying is, when you're facing the trials of your life, when you're going through the testing, those are the moments that you are to remember. Do not be deceived, brother.
[46:30] You are to remember that God is in control. And faith that works says that. And if you're saying something else right now, you're not exercising faith.
[46:46] Jesus said in John 10.28, I give them to a life that they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hands.
[47:07] My Father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's pain. Which means, I am in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[47:22] There is not a single circumstance or trial or temptation in my life that's going to snatch me from this. And besides that, the Father then has me wrapped up in a good life.
[47:37] And so, I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. my faith is in Christ and it works.
[47:50] We are those, Peter said in 1 Peter 1.5, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation that if he could be able at the last time.
[48:01] Can I trust God? And giving up seems to be the answer. Yes, I can't trust God because He is sovereign. He's good, He's wise, He is immutable, unchanging, and He is sovereign.
[48:20] That's the key. All my trials. I'm closing it this way. I saw this thing and it was the answer to prayer.
[48:33] He said, answer to prayer. I asked God for strength and He gave me difficulties to make me strong. I asked God for wisdom and He gave me problems to solve.
[48:48] I asked God for courage and God gave me dangers to overcome. I asked God for love and God gave me trouble to keep them and help me.
[49:00] Oh, my praise. God's a word. So this morning, I don't know what your trials are. I don't know what the temptations are this place, but here's to them.
[49:17] God's good. God's wise. God's unchanging. He's in control. And so our response to Him is to leap into His arms and say, God, I'm just going to hold on further out because you're in control.
[49:37] I'm not.