WEBVTT

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 Good morning. Open up your Bibles to the book of James. James chapter 1.

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 I've got a lot of ground to cover in 30 minutes, so we better get ruling.

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 But as an early believer, my first study of the book of James was actually with one of my really good friends from high school named Mitchell.

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 And Mitchell, he had a pretty serious drinking problem and a little bit of drugs, but mainly drinking in high school.

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 And a few years into college, a friend of mine said, hey, did you hear about Mitchell?

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 Mitchell got saved while he was in prison.

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 He's in prison right now, and like he's come to know the Lord, and I couldn't believe it.

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 It was awesome.

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 So he says, when he gets out of jail, he's going to need some really good friends to come alongside him.

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 And I was like, let's do it.

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 But as is the fashion, like when you're saved in jail, you're pretty blunt to the point a lot of the time.

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 And Mitchell was very much like that.

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 So he was like, hey, have you read the book of James?

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 I'm like, yeah, let's read it together, man.

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 And it kind of characterizes the book of James.

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 Like Mitchell was very straightforward, didn't beat around the bush, just kind of told you how it was.

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 Didn't really care about truth first and your feelings later.

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 And we had a mutual friend that we were both trying to help.

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 And he said, hey, how's this guy doing?

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 And I said, well, he's doing a little better.

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 Like he's not partying as much.

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 He's gotten out of the way from the crowd.

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 And he's doing a little better.

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 And Mitchell said, is he following the Lord?

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 And I just said, I don't think so.

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 But he's not doing good then.

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 It's kind of like what he, kind of that.

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 But I see why he loved the book of James, because it is just sort of really straightforward.

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 James' primary theme is not really how someone becomes a believer or how someone becomes saved,

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 but rather like what does real faith look like?

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 What does a, what does genuine saving faith look like?

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 And he focuses on being more of a doer of the word than just a hearer of the word.

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 His audience is primarily Jewish Christians.

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 Because he mentions in verse one, the 12 tribes and the dispersion.

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 So Jewish Christians who are probably being persecuted and driven away from a lot of their,

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 their context that they were living in.

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 This is James, more than likely the brother of Jesus.

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 It's mentioned in Matthew 13, a leader in the Jerusalem church.

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 And so he gets right into it.

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 But Zach and Caleb did a really good job of going through the last parts of this.

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 We're going to be picking up in verse nine today of chapter one.

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 But the context of this whole section is basically how God uses trials to refine the faith of the believer

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 in God's design in those trials.

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 So James chapter one, verse nine.

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 It says,

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 Under trial for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life,

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 which God has promised to those who love him.

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 Let's pray with me real quick.

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 Father, we are grateful to be gathered today as your people.

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 People that have all been saved by Jesus Christ.

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 And now that we are one in Jesus Christ, that we belong to one another.

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 And I pray that today he would use your word to strengthen, challenge, convict, build up.

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 That you would have the desire that you wish for each of the person here, Lord.

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 That your spirit would apply the word appropriately.

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 And thank you for this time, Lord, in Jesus name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 All right.

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 So again, in the context, James had been talking about trials and affliction.

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 If you go back up to verse two, he says,

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 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.

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 For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

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 And let steadfastness have its full effect.

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 That you may be perfect and complete, lacking and nothing.

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 And again, since Zach and Caleb did a good job of kind of wringing every drop out of this text about trials,

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 I thought we would turn over to another familiar text just to get a little more of the context of just what God means by trials.

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 But this word, trials, is used here in James, is parizamos.

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 And it means not an inner wrestling with sinful inclinations, but rather outward undeserved sufferings from outside a person.

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 So persecution, things that are coming from out here and coming on you, that weigh on you, that press at you.

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 So it's not like, you know, again, it's not a struggle with sin or temptation,

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 but it's the stuff that comes from outside that distresses us.

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 That's what trials kind of mean here.

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 And God can work in the little things in our lives, but he really works in the tragedies and the hard-pressed moments of trials,

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 the parizamos, the darkest hours of our souls.

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 And so Peter, the Apostle Peter, just like James, kind of writes about this.

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 But just to get some more context of trials, flip over to 1 Peter 1 real quick, but keep your hand in James.

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 But 1 Peter 1, verse 6.

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 And likewise, Peter is preparing the churches to get ready for official Roman persecution that was coming,

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 which up to that point had mainly been from the Jews, but it was getting to be official from Rome itself.

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 So Peter's preparing the churches to prepare to suffer and to endure trials.

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 So 1 Peter 1, and look at verse 6.

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 And to pick up on the language that James uses, he says,

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 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

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 so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold,

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 that perishes though it is tested by fire,

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 may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

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 And though you have not seen him, I love this verse, though you have not seen him, you love him.

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 Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with the joy that is inexpressible

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 and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

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 And so in this one text, tying it into James, right,

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 is this idea of how precious metals and a refiner's fire,

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 so it's an image used a lot in the Bible for a powerful metaphor for trials.

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 So our suffering and all that we go through is testing that is sent from God.

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 Trials are a crucible, so to speak.

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 So just as gold and other precious metals go through extreme heat and a refiner's fire,

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 a crucible to burn out any impurities that are there,

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 to refine it.

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 So it's used as a metaphor of how God uses trials to take the object of our faith and push it through it

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 so that it'll burn a lot of the junk out of our lives.

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 It should not be there.

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 It brings us closer to what God desires.

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 The psalmist said in Psalm 66,

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 For you, O God, have tested us.

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 You have tried us as silver is tried.

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 You brought us into the net.

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 You laid crushing burdens on our backs.

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 You let men ride over our heads when we went through fire and through water.

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 Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.

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 So the imagery as God is the skilled refiner,

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 taking our faith and putting it through fire of trials and suffering.

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 So just as gold has a lot of impurities,

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 yeah, the believer's life, my life, your life,

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 has a lot of stuff in it that should not be.

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 We are not yet perfect.

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 But when God puts us through fires, it hurts.

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 It hurts.

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 It burns.

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 But when we come out of the furnace,

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 more pure, closer to Christ, and more like Him.

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 So a few observations, just really quick,

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 just an intro here,

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 from Peter's passage about trials,

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 because again, they went well on James the last two weeks.

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 A few observations from this passage in 1 Peter.

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 Notice, he says,

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 Though now for a little while.

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 Here's four observations.

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 Trials are temporary.

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 Though now for a little while.

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 So when you're going through trials,

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 it can seem like they won't stop.

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 They never will end.

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 And it just makes us feel like,

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 is there ever going to be a stop to this?

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 Is it unending?

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 But he's saying for a little while.

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 It's temporary,

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 because one day we will inherit eternal salvation.

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 So life is not easy.

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 The second observation,

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 our trials bring grief.

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 It says you have been grieved.

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 Meaning trials are not fun.

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 They're not pleasant or easy to go through.

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 Suffering, affliction, and hardship

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 brings great distress, discomfort,

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 pain, and grief into our lives.

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 So it's hard.

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 I like that recognition.

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 Trials bring grief.

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 Thirdly, trials vary in form.

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 And this is important.

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 It connects to what James says.

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 By various trials.

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 Trials of many kinds.

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 They vary in form.

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 So they don't always look the same for my life,

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 or your life, or someone else's.

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 God providentially can design a certain trial

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 to hit you where he needs to hit you.

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 That might not really be necessarily

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 as big of a test for somebody else.

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 But for you it is.

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 He knows exactly what to pressure you with.

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 He knows exactly what to do.

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 And so design for each believer.

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 Some it's physical persecution,

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 sickness, illness, relational loss,

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 whatever it is.

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 He just knows.

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 So trials vary in form.

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 And then lastly, trials have design.

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 This is difficult in the moment to see.

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 But he says if necessary.

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 So meaning trials just don't happen

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 randomly or meaninglessly.

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 They always have a providential design

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 behind them.

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 So that's why James says ask God for wisdom.

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 He'll show you.

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 Ask him.

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 So he designs for us to learn

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 something about ourselves

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 and him in those trials.

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 So trials are temporary.

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 Trials bring grief.

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 They vary in form.

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 And trials have design.

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 So if you're going to go back to James now.

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 James chapter 1.

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 Faith that doesn't flourish.

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 Faith does not flourish

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 when it lies untested.

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 It's kind of like going to the gym.

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 If you don't exercise your muscles,

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 you atrophy.

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 And so when God loves us

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 and he saves us,

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 he imparts to us saving faith

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 when we are born again.

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 But because he cares for us,

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 he also injects various trials

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 to train, grow, and sweeten,

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 and strengthen, and mature us

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 in the process.

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 So trials are not given to us unnecessarily

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 to produce enduring faith.

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 But trials are one of the most essential things

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 that God uses

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 to keep our faith alive,

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 to sustain it,

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 and to help us persevere.

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 He keeps alive the faith

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 that he has given us to the very end.

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 Trials are a huge way he does that.

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 So, walking through our text here,

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 there's just four points.

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 All right?

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 Doing it a little different maybe,

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 but point number one,

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 our trials are meant to humble us.

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 Trials are meant to humble us.

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 You see this in verses 9 and 10,

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 the second part.

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 He says,

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 Because like a flower of the grass,

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 he will pass away.

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 For the sun rises with its scorching heat

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 and withers the grass.

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 Its flower falls,

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 and its beauty perishes.

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 So, he's giving you a metaphor,

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 one familiar in Scripture.

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 Mortal mankind is often compared

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 to the flower of the grass.

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 There's three common flowers in Israel,

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 and they have beautiful colors

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 when they come out in February.

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 But despite their beauty,

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 their youth,

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 eventually they are scorched

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 and burned to ashes by May.

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 And so, the scorching heat

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 refers to this strong blast,

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 scorching wind,

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 that just kind of devastates

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 every flower in its path.

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 And he's saying,

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 so it is with mortal man.

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 He's like that.

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 Because one day,

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 because of sin,

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 he will decay,

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 and eventually all of us

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 will not be here.

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 All of us will not be here.

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 One day,

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 we will all pass away.

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 Job wrote,

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 man,

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 who is born of woman,

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 is few of days

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 and full of trouble.

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 He comes out like a flower

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 and withers.

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 He is like a shadow

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 that continues not.

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 And later on,

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 in the book of James,

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 James chapter 4,

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 he says,

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 what is your life?

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 For you are but a mist.

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 You are but a vapor

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 that appears for a little while

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 and then vanishes.

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 So like short-lived flowers

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 of the field,

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 so too we also

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 will perish one day.

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 Is that a humbling thought?

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 If you sit and chew on it

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 for a little while,

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 it'll be a humbling thought.

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 Do you feel the weight of that,

00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:35.619
 that we're here

00:14:35.619 --> 00:14:36.879
 and we're gone?

00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.519
 And a lot of the younger crew here,

00:14:38.959 --> 00:14:40.199
 it's just not on your radar

00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:42.100
 because you feel strong,

00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:42.600
 healthy,

00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:43.520
 kind of at the peak

00:14:43.520 --> 00:14:45.860
 of your physical vitality,

00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:47.620
 but I promise one day

00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.520
 it'll hit you

00:14:48.520 --> 00:14:50.040
 in a very real way

00:14:50.040 --> 00:14:51.220
 that we are fading.

00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:53.259
 The blasting heat

00:14:53.259 --> 00:14:54.500
 and wind and fury

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.320
 of trials

00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:56.420
 will come

00:14:56.420 --> 00:14:57.480
 and will humble us.

00:14:57.560 --> 00:14:59.100
 We are not immortal.

00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:01.460
 So,

00:15:03.040 --> 00:15:03.940
 trials are meant

00:15:03.940 --> 00:15:04.860
 to humble us.

00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:06.240
 Trials

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:07.879
 and suffering

00:15:07.879 --> 00:15:08.879
 touch everyone.

00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:10.559
 That's one of the common themes here.

00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:10.860
 So,

00:15:11.320 --> 00:15:12.159
 the broader theme

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:13.419
 is it touches everyone.

00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:14.960
 James wants

00:15:14.960 --> 00:15:15.860
 the readers

00:15:15.860 --> 00:15:17.240
 to have this sink

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:17.919
 in their heads

00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:18.720
 and no matter how

00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:19.620
 powerful

00:15:19.620 --> 00:15:20.720
 and rich they are

00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:22.259
 or how weak

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:23.419
 and poor they are,

00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:25.360
 trials and suffering

00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:26.179
 will come upon

00:15:26.179 --> 00:15:26.939
 everyone.

00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:27.860
 It kind of levels

00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:28.759
 the playing field.

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:30.080
 It's the great equalizer.

00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:30.919
 There's no one

00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:32.659
 who can escape it.

00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:33.580
 No one's exempt.

00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:34.620
 And so,

00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:35.460
 in this context,

00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:36.399
 James particularly

00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:37.120
 has in mind

00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:38.639
 people who are rich

00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:39.559
 and people who are poor

00:15:39.559 --> 00:15:40.500
 in the context

00:15:40.500 --> 00:15:40.960
 of the church.

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:41.779
 It says the brothers.

00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:42.960
 So,

00:15:43.100 --> 00:15:43.779
 in the Psalms

00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:44.159
 it says,

00:15:44.580 --> 00:15:45.740
 those of low estate

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:47.580
 are but a breath.

00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:49.860
 Those of high estate

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:51.299
 are a delusion.

00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:53.100
 In the balances

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:53.960
 they go up

00:15:53.960 --> 00:15:54.759
 and they are together

00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:56.220
 lighter than a breath.

00:15:57.220 --> 00:15:58.679
 Psalm 62 verse 9

00:15:58.679 --> 00:15:59.279
 meaning like

00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:02.659
 none of them are permanent.

00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:03.759
 Whether you're high,

00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:04.399
 you're low,

00:16:04.980 --> 00:16:06.019
 rich or poor,

00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:07.079
 we're all like

00:16:07.079 --> 00:16:07.659
 a breath.

00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:10.000
 Trials and afflictions

00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.519
 we face in this present life

00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:12.879
 are the great equalizer.

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:14.960
 Bring all of God's people

00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:16.699
 to complete dependence

00:16:16.699 --> 00:16:17.360
 on Him

00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.279
 and then also

00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:18.939
 in connection

00:16:18.939 --> 00:16:19.720
 to each other.

00:16:20.779 --> 00:16:22.039
 We're all knocked down

00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:23.240
 to the same level.

00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.179
 Trials force us

00:16:25.179 --> 00:16:25.899
 to despair

00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:27.600
 of our own resources

00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.519
 and then to look

00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:30.139
 to God's resources.

00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:32.059
 So,

00:16:32.179 --> 00:16:33.480
 it is imperative though

00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:35.279
 it's imperative

00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:36.539
 that God helps us

00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:37.980
 see our need for Him.

00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:39.480
 And trials

00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:40.399
 are how He does that.

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:41.259
 Whatever it costs

00:16:41.259 --> 00:16:42.799
 it's so important

00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.220
 that we become aware

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.259
 of our need for Him.

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:47.759
 Hold your hand there.

00:16:47.819 --> 00:16:48.399
 I don't want to replace

00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:49.120
 for you to turn

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:50.899
 but hold your hand in James

00:16:50.899 --> 00:16:51.919
 but my favorite passage

00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:52.460
 to display

00:16:52.460 --> 00:16:53.340
 what I'm talking about

00:16:53.340 --> 00:16:53.720
 is here

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:55.019
 is 2 Corinthians.

00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:57.580
 2 Corinthians chapter 1.

00:16:57.580 --> 00:17:00.580
 If you haven't read this lately

00:17:00.580 --> 00:17:02.020
 it's going to blow your mind.

00:17:03.139 --> 00:17:04.779
 2 Corinthians chapter 1

00:17:04.779 --> 00:17:05.660
 go to verse 8.

00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:07.480
 So,

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:08.380
 Apostle Paul

00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:10.079
 writing his second letter

00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:10.700
 to the church

00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:11.279
 at Corinth.

00:17:13.620 --> 00:17:15.000
 Check this out.

00:17:16.860 --> 00:17:18.720
 2 Corinthians chapter 1

00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:19.299
 verse 8.

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.700
 Paul says,

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:23.400
 For we do not want you

00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:24.079
 to be unaware,

00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.019
 brothers,

00:17:25.860 --> 00:17:26.799
 of the affliction

00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:27.940
 we experienced

00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:28.519
 in Asia.

00:17:29.419 --> 00:17:30.819
 For we were so

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:31.919
 utterly burned

00:17:31.919 --> 00:17:33.399
 beyond our strength

00:17:33.399 --> 00:17:35.119
 that we despaired

00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:36.399
 of life itself.

00:17:37.099 --> 00:17:37.599
 You hear that?

00:17:37.700 --> 00:17:38.159
 Paul's like,

00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:38.960
 it got so bad

00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:39.779
 we wanted to die.

00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:41.019
 That's like how bad it got.

00:17:42.180 --> 00:17:42.700
 Can you imagine

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:43.559
 Paul saying that?

00:17:43.619 --> 00:17:44.119
 I think we have

00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:45.180
 kind of a false

00:17:45.180 --> 00:17:46.399
 view of him sometimes.

00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:46.879
 He just,

00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:48.379
 it's okay,

00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:48.759
 you know,

00:17:48.799 --> 00:17:49.819
 just sort of brushes it off.

00:17:49.899 --> 00:17:50.919
 It got so bad

00:17:50.919 --> 00:17:51.379
 in Asia,

00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:51.720
 he said,

00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:52.559
 that we despaired

00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:53.240
 of life.

00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:55.079
 Verse 9.

00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:55.519
 Indeed,

00:17:56.399 --> 00:17:57.559
 we felt that we had

00:17:57.559 --> 00:17:58.740
 received the sentence

00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.519
 of death,

00:18:00.579 --> 00:18:02.879
 but this was to make us

00:18:02.879 --> 00:18:05.439
 rely not on ourselves,

00:18:05.639 --> 00:18:06.419
 but on God

00:18:06.419 --> 00:18:07.899
 who raises the dead.

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.980
 He delivered us

00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:11.299
 from such a deadly peril,

00:18:11.720 --> 00:18:13.259
 and he will deliver us.

00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:14.460
 On him,

00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:15.819
 we have set our hope

00:18:15.819 --> 00:18:17.919
 that he will deliver us again.

00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:19.400
 So,

00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:22.200
 hopefully we can

00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:23.380
 fix this problem.

00:18:23.560 --> 00:18:24.460
 There's a lot of people,

00:18:25.120 --> 00:18:25.840
 it's kind of become

00:18:25.840 --> 00:18:26.980
 a cliche in the church,

00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:28.340
 but it's not true,

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.039
 but it says

00:18:29.039 --> 00:18:31.220
 God will not allow you

00:18:31.220 --> 00:18:31.800
 to go through

00:18:31.800 --> 00:18:32.880
 more than you can bear.

00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:34.380
 Not true.

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:37.080
 He says it right there.

00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:38.019
 We were burned

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:39.380
 beyond our strength

00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:40.320
 that we despaired

00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:41.300
 of life itself.

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:43.100
 It does say in James,

00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:43.860
 coming up soon,

00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:44.539
 that he won't allow you

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:45.080
 to be tempted

00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:46.220
 beyond what you can bear.

00:18:46.360 --> 00:18:47.400
 It's not the same idea.

00:18:47.940 --> 00:18:49.340
 Not an enticement to sin.

00:18:49.460 --> 00:18:49.800
 This is,

00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:51.900
 God isn't just up there

00:18:51.900 --> 00:18:52.360
 kind of being

00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:53.000
 your cheerleader.

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:54.519
 He wants to break you

00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:55.280
 to where you are

00:18:55.280 --> 00:18:56.100
 very aware

00:18:56.100 --> 00:18:57.240
 of your need for him.

00:18:58.100 --> 00:18:58.680
 And how will you

00:18:58.680 --> 00:18:59.380
 ever get there

00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:00.160
 if you don't despair

00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:00.960
 of your own strength?

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:01.940
 If you get to that point

00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:03.720
 where you realize,

00:19:03.820 --> 00:19:04.800
 I don't have anything left.

00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:05.700
 It's got to be him.

00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:07.380
 So he will

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.440
 put us through

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:09.280
 more than we can bear

00:19:09.280 --> 00:19:10.640
 so that

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:12.240
 we will not rely

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.080
 on ourselves,

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.400
 but on God

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:15.440
 who raises the dead.

00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.160
 And it's not

00:19:17.160 --> 00:19:17.740
 a fun lesson

00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:18.200
 to learn

00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:19.300
 in the middle of it.

00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:20.980
 But when you come

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:21.519
 out of it,

00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:23.040
 it's so great.

00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.519
 So go over

00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:25.640
 back to James again.

00:19:27.220 --> 00:19:28.100
 Trials bring us

00:19:28.100 --> 00:19:29.320
 to the same level

00:19:29.320 --> 00:19:30.680
 of dependency

00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:31.600
 on God

00:19:31.600 --> 00:19:33.440
 and humbly

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.680
 the same level

00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:35.380
 with each other

00:19:35.380 --> 00:19:36.980
 no matter who we are.

00:19:38.040 --> 00:19:39.040
 It says in Acts,

00:19:39.140 --> 00:19:39.660
 there are many

00:19:39.660 --> 00:19:40.480
 tribulations.

00:19:40.700 --> 00:19:41.380
 All of us

00:19:41.380 --> 00:19:42.060
 must enter

00:19:42.060 --> 00:19:43.759
 the kingdom of God.

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:45.900
 So the point here

00:19:45.900 --> 00:19:46.799
 is whether poor

00:19:46.799 --> 00:19:47.319
 or rich,

00:19:47.400 --> 00:19:48.180
 trials will come

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:48.879
 into our lives

00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:49.599
 to humble us

00:19:49.599 --> 00:19:50.299
 and remind us

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.440
 that we are not God,

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:52.220
 that we must

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:53.680
 humbly admit

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.519
 that our resources

00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:55.400
 are not enough

00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:56.160
 and that we must

00:19:56.160 --> 00:19:58.039
 go to him alone.

00:19:58.839 --> 00:19:59.619
 So that's

00:19:59.619 --> 00:20:00.539
 just imperative

00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.400
 that we see that.

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:03.420
 So as a poor brother

00:20:03.420 --> 00:20:04.319
 forgets his earthly

00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:04.779
 poverty,

00:20:04.900 --> 00:20:05.759
 so the rich brother

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.379
 will forget

00:20:06.379 --> 00:20:07.740
 his earthly riches

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:09.339
 in the middle of trials.

00:20:09.339 --> 00:20:10.160
 They are equal

00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:11.700
 in faith in Christ.

00:20:12.660 --> 00:20:13.640
 And so God,

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:14.600
 again,

00:20:15.560 --> 00:20:16.340
 in his providence

00:20:16.340 --> 00:20:17.420
 uses trials

00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:19.300
 a certain design

00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:20.160
 both for the rich

00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:20.960
 and for the poor.

00:20:21.660 --> 00:20:22.180
 That's kind of

00:20:22.180 --> 00:20:22.960
 where we're going to go

00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:24.080
 the next few points here.

00:20:24.860 --> 00:20:25.140
 But

00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:26.940
 if you're

00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:28.320
 under the delusion

00:20:28.320 --> 00:20:29.560
 that just because

00:20:29.560 --> 00:20:30.560
 you're a follower

00:20:30.560 --> 00:20:31.040
 of Christ

00:20:31.040 --> 00:20:31.640
 that you're going to be

00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:32.620
 exempt from trials,

00:20:32.820 --> 00:20:33.000
 like,

00:20:33.700 --> 00:20:34.940
 it's not going to happen.

00:20:35.600 --> 00:20:36.380
 We all have to,

00:20:36.380 --> 00:20:36.540
 like,

00:20:36.600 --> 00:20:37.160
 be aware

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:38.640
 that it's going to come

00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.460
 in this life.

00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:40.840
 And that

00:20:40.840 --> 00:20:42.660
 we must learn

00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:43.279
 how to suffer

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:44.560
 well.

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.340
 It's just going to get worse.

00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:48.720
 So,

00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:50.060
 number two.

00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.240
 Trials lift up

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:53.840
 the poor.

00:20:54.460 --> 00:20:55.480
 This is in verse 9.

00:20:55.580 --> 00:20:55.820
 He said,

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:56.980
 let the lowly brother

00:20:56.980 --> 00:20:59.680
 boast in his exaltation.

00:21:00.800 --> 00:21:01.160
 So,

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:02.160
 here,

00:21:02.300 --> 00:21:03.160
 James is addressing,

00:21:03.840 --> 00:21:04.440
 in other words,

00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:04.940
 the brother

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:06.560
 of humble circumstances,

00:21:06.700 --> 00:21:07.700
 of low degree.

00:21:07.860 --> 00:21:08.560
 Someone who actually

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:09.879
 is financially,

00:21:10.679 --> 00:21:11.259
 economically,

00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:12.359
 poor,

00:21:12.539 --> 00:21:13.539
 didn't have much.

00:21:14.159 --> 00:21:14.859
 That would represent

00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:15.839
 most of

00:21:15.839 --> 00:21:16.799
 the people

00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:17.639
 in the ancient world.

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.279
 Most of

00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:19.960
 the believers.

00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:21.119
 There wasn't

00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:22.519
 a majority middle class

00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:22.960
 back then.

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.399
 It was either,

00:21:23.480 --> 00:21:23.639
 like,

00:21:23.679 --> 00:21:24.019
 the really,

00:21:24.099 --> 00:21:25.019
 really powerful,

00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:25.579
 rich,

00:21:25.679 --> 00:21:27.019
 and usually

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:27.980
 extreme poor.

00:21:29.019 --> 00:21:29.659
 But it also

00:21:29.659 --> 00:21:30.399
 could refer to

00:21:30.399 --> 00:21:31.240
 believers who maybe

00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:32.440
 were rich,

00:21:32.659 --> 00:21:33.319
 but because of

00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:34.419
 trials and persecution,

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:36.139
 they've been dispossessed

00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:36.860
 of their homes,

00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.100
 their possessions.

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:39.180
 So,

00:21:39.220 --> 00:21:39.860
 they've been brought

00:21:39.860 --> 00:21:40.320
 low.

00:21:41.320 --> 00:21:41.780
 And so,

00:21:42.340 --> 00:21:43.200
 very important

00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:43.759
 to kind of see

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:44.200
 that here.

00:21:44.420 --> 00:21:44.600
 But,

00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:45.759
 how does

00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:46.640
 God use

00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.660
 trials and suffering

00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:48.400
 in the life

00:21:48.400 --> 00:21:49.540
 of the poor person,

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.220
 the lowly person?

00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:52.620
 It says that

00:21:52.620 --> 00:21:53.700
 he exalts

00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:54.920
 him.

00:21:55.560 --> 00:21:56.520
 Despite his

00:21:56.520 --> 00:21:57.460
 earthly condition,

00:21:57.460 --> 00:21:58.180
 when a poor

00:21:58.180 --> 00:21:58.980
 saint has

00:21:58.980 --> 00:21:59.520
 an eternal

00:21:59.520 --> 00:22:00.160
 perspective,

00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:02.060
 he can boast

00:22:02.060 --> 00:22:03.100
 or glory

00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:04.899
 and rejoice

00:22:04.899 --> 00:22:06.339
 in his

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:07.159
 exaltation.

00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:08.339
 So,

00:22:08.419 --> 00:22:09.019
 it's a legitimate

00:22:09.019 --> 00:22:09.799
 form of pride.

00:22:09.879 --> 00:22:10.299
 It doesn't mean

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:10.959
 like an arrogant

00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:11.480
 boasting.

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.119
 It means like

00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:12.719
 you're boasting

00:22:12.719 --> 00:22:14.199
 in your God

00:22:14.199 --> 00:22:14.879
 and how great

00:22:14.879 --> 00:22:16.159
 he is.

00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:17.480
 And so,

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:18.859
 in the fallen

00:22:18.859 --> 00:22:19.719
 world's eyes,

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.439
 I look at

00:22:20.439 --> 00:22:21.019
 people who don't

00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:21.579
 have a lot,

00:22:21.719 --> 00:22:22.219
 people who

00:22:22.219 --> 00:22:23.740
 appear poor,

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.179
 and as Paul

00:22:25.179 --> 00:22:25.619
 said,

00:22:26.659 --> 00:22:27.759
 we have become

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.679
 and still are

00:22:28.679 --> 00:22:29.759
 like the scum

00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:30.259
 of the world,

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:30.839
 the refuge

00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:32.019
 of all things.

00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:32.500
 It's like how

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.500
 the world views

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:34.879
 people in that

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.400
 condition.

00:22:36.299 --> 00:22:36.759
 Yet,

00:22:37.460 --> 00:22:37.980
 because of

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:38.500
 Christ's

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:39.480
 transforming power,

00:22:39.639 --> 00:22:39.980
 because of

00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.639
 his love for

00:22:40.639 --> 00:22:40.900
 us,

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.720
 a poor saint,

00:22:42.220 --> 00:22:42.819
 in God's

00:22:42.819 --> 00:22:43.180
 eyes,

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.460
 is beautiful.

00:22:45.920 --> 00:22:46.700
 A true believer

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:47.400
 in this life,

00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:48.000
 regardless of

00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:48.839
 how low he

00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:49.200
 is,

00:22:49.940 --> 00:22:50.599
 in the world's

00:22:50.599 --> 00:22:50.819
 eyes,

00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:51.680
 can take pride

00:22:51.680 --> 00:22:52.619
 in his God.

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:53.940
 And James

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.940
 exhorts the

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:55.559
 poor person

00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.319
 to boast of

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:57.220
 glory in his

00:22:57.220 --> 00:22:58.539
 status in

00:22:58.539 --> 00:22:58.859
 Christ,

00:22:58.940 --> 00:22:59.539
 that one day

00:22:59.539 --> 00:22:59.980
 he will be

00:22:59.980 --> 00:23:00.799
 exalted and

00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.660
 vindicated by

00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:01.980
 God,

00:23:02.019 --> 00:23:02.400
 even though he

00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:02.800
 doesn't have

00:23:02.800 --> 00:23:04.160
 much in this

00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:04.560
 life.

00:23:04.700 --> 00:23:05.100
 And so,

00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:06.380
 he can look

00:23:06.380 --> 00:23:07.779
 at true

00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:08.460
 riches that

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:09.019
 are above,

00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:10.180
 and not what

00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:11.320
 is here below.

00:23:12.100 --> 00:23:13.220
 That gives him

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.000
 hope and

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.980
 expectation to

00:23:14.980 --> 00:23:15.779
 go into the

00:23:15.779 --> 00:23:16.380
 next life.

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:17.600
 So he can

00:23:17.600 --> 00:23:18.640
 gladly accept

00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:20.600
 temporary

00:23:20.600 --> 00:23:21.519
 deprivation,

00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:21.880
 right,

00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:22.840
 of suffering,

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:23.840
 trials,

00:23:23.940 --> 00:23:24.320
 because he has

00:23:24.320 --> 00:23:25.160
 a future hope

00:23:25.160 --> 00:23:26.519
 set on the

00:23:26.519 --> 00:23:27.500
 eternal realm

00:23:27.500 --> 00:23:28.160
 of God.

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:28.200
 God.

00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:29.680
 And he can

00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:30.220
 hope in the

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:30.540
 truth that

00:23:30.540 --> 00:23:31.300
 one day he

00:23:31.300 --> 00:23:31.540
 will be

00:23:31.540 --> 00:23:31.980
 exalted.

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:33.440
 All right,

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:34.140
 so here's a

00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:34.900
 commentator,

00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:35.360
 I love this,

00:23:35.380 --> 00:23:36.560
 he says about

00:23:36.560 --> 00:23:36.980
 the poor

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.300
 saint,

00:23:38.060 --> 00:23:38.600
 he may be

00:23:38.600 --> 00:23:38.960
 hungry,

00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:40.400
 but he has

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:40.860
 the bread of

00:23:40.860 --> 00:23:41.220
 life.

00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:42.400
 He may be

00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.779
 thirsty,

00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:44.360
 but he has

00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:45.220
 the water of

00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:45.580
 life.

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:46.880
 He may be

00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:47.259
 poor,

00:23:47.779 --> 00:23:48.580
 but he has

00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:49.360
 eternal riches.

00:23:50.140 --> 00:23:50.740
 He may be

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:51.660
 cast aside

00:23:51.660 --> 00:23:52.460
 by men,

00:23:53.060 --> 00:23:53.640
 but he has

00:23:53.640 --> 00:23:54.380
 been received

00:23:54.380 --> 00:23:55.260
 by God.

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:56.620
 He may

00:23:56.620 --> 00:23:57.440
 have no

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.000
 home here,

00:23:58.680 --> 00:23:59.700
 but he has

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.180
 a glorious

00:24:00.180 --> 00:24:01.380
 home in the

00:24:01.380 --> 00:24:02.020
 life to come.

00:24:03.040 --> 00:24:03.640
 So that is

00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:04.540
 how we ought

00:24:04.540 --> 00:24:06.020
 to look at

00:24:06.020 --> 00:24:06.700
 those of us

00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:08.020
 who are poor,

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:08.680
 those of us

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:09.740
 who are lowly.

00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:11.600
 Poor is kind

00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:11.980
 of a hard

00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:12.720
 context to

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.200
 apply to a

00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:13.680
 lot of us

00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:14.620
 because comparatively

00:24:14.620 --> 00:24:15.460
 we are pretty

00:24:15.460 --> 00:24:16.040
 well off,

00:24:16.980 --> 00:24:17.740
 but it can

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.300
 also mean

00:24:18.300 --> 00:24:18.780
 someone who

00:24:18.780 --> 00:24:19.500
 is lowly,

00:24:19.620 --> 00:24:20.380
 of lowly

00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:20.840
 spirit,

00:24:20.940 --> 00:24:21.220
 someone who

00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:21.720
 is broken,

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:22.980
 right?

00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:24.700
 So be

00:24:24.700 --> 00:24:25.200
 aware of

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:25.519
 that.

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:26.180
 God will

00:24:26.180 --> 00:24:27.599
 exalt the

00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:27.860
 poor.

00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:28.140
 He will

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:28.500
 lift up

00:24:28.500 --> 00:24:28.940
 the poor.

00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.620
 Point number

00:24:30.620 --> 00:24:30.940
 three,

00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:33.360
 trials bring

00:24:33.360 --> 00:24:34.400
 down the

00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:34.720
 rich.

00:24:36.220 --> 00:24:36.900
 Trials bring

00:24:36.900 --> 00:24:37.360
 down the

00:24:37.360 --> 00:24:37.599
 rich.

00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.440
 You see in

00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:39.059
 verse 9,

00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:40.140
 it said,

00:24:40.440 --> 00:24:40.920
 let the

00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:43.059
 rich boast

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.860
 in his

00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:44.640
 humiliation.

00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:46.019
 And rich

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.480
 here is

00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.079
 referring to

00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:47.519
 someone who

00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:47.779
 is well

00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:48.059
 off,

00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:48.559
 someone who

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.019
 has a

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:49.259
 lot,

00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:49.980
 someone who

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:51.319
 is financially,

00:24:51.860 --> 00:24:52.640
 economically,

00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.420
 stable,

00:24:53.960 --> 00:24:54.759
 everything going

00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.259
 for him.

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.539
 Such people

00:24:56.539 --> 00:24:57.180
 did exist

00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:57.640
 back then,

00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.039
 but again,

00:24:58.079 --> 00:24:58.360
 it was a

00:24:58.360 --> 00:24:59.059
 very slim

00:24:59.059 --> 00:24:59.980
 majority.

00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:00.960
 But put

00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:01.579
 yourself in

00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:01.960
 James'

00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:02.640
 shoes.

00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:03.180
 He's writing

00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:03.539
 to a

00:25:03.539 --> 00:25:03.759
 Jewish

00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:04.319
 audience,

00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:06.019
 and to

00:25:06.019 --> 00:25:06.360
 a lot of

00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:06.740
 the Jews,

00:25:06.860 --> 00:25:07.460
 the Pharisees

00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:07.940
 and others,

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:08.519
 like wealth

00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:09.079
 was a sign

00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:09.680
 of God's

00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.740
 favor and

00:25:10.740 --> 00:25:11.160
 acceptance

00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:12.240
 of that

00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:12.599
 person.

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:12.900
 And the

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.460
 poor person

00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:13.779
 was looked

00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:14.079
 at as

00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:14.799
 cursed by

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.140
 God.

00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:16.259
 And so

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.860
 he's reminding

00:25:16.860 --> 00:25:17.279
 them,

00:25:17.680 --> 00:25:18.220
 not really,

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:20.059
 not really,

00:25:20.940 --> 00:25:22.220
 not true.

00:25:22.980 --> 00:25:24.339
 In contrast,

00:25:24.539 --> 00:25:24.799
 James

00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:25.420
 exhorts the

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:26.059
 rich brother

00:25:26.059 --> 00:25:26.799
 to boast

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.920
 in his

00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:28.620
 humiliation

00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:29.460
 because he's

00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:30.180
 being shown

00:25:30.180 --> 00:25:31.599
 by God

00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:32.000
 that he is

00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:32.319
 weak,

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:32.740
 that he is

00:25:32.740 --> 00:25:33.160
 vulnerable,

00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:34.440
 that he is

00:25:34.440 --> 00:25:35.319
 fragile because

00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:36.000
 of trials.

00:25:36.839 --> 00:25:37.839
 So I think

00:25:37.839 --> 00:25:38.440
 at least there's

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:39.460
 two things that

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:40.380
 James is trying

00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:40.819
 to get the

00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:41.440
 rich man to

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:41.720
 see.

00:25:42.400 --> 00:25:42.920
 First,

00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:43.839
 he wants to

00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.640
 use trials to

00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.200
 help the rich

00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.259
 man realize

00:25:46.259 --> 00:25:47.480
 that his wealth

00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:48.220
 is temporary

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:49.500
 and it brings

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:49.880
 him no

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:50.700
 advantage before

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.140
 God.

00:25:51.140 --> 00:25:52.380
 money can

00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:52.980
 solve some

00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:53.520
 problems,

00:25:54.620 --> 00:25:55.040
 some,

00:25:55.880 --> 00:25:56.580
 but there's

00:25:56.580 --> 00:25:57.440
 a lot that

00:25:57.440 --> 00:25:57.960
 they cannot

00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.840
 solve at

00:25:58.840 --> 00:25:59.400
 all or

00:25:59.400 --> 00:25:59.800
 help you

00:25:59.800 --> 00:26:00.080
 with.

00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:01.060
 It can't

00:26:01.060 --> 00:26:01.700
 buy people

00:26:01.700 --> 00:26:02.040
 out of

00:26:02.040 --> 00:26:03.000
 their problems.

00:26:03.520 --> 00:26:03.980
 When you

00:26:03.980 --> 00:26:04.780
 lose a

00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:05.380
 loved one

00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:07.160
 to death,

00:26:07.820 --> 00:26:08.240
 when you

00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.460
 have a

00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:09.160
 child who's

00:26:09.160 --> 00:26:09.880
 diagnosed with

00:26:09.880 --> 00:26:10.800
 a chronic

00:26:10.800 --> 00:26:11.360
 illness,

00:26:12.120 --> 00:26:12.620
 when you

00:26:12.620 --> 00:26:13.840
 suffer physically

00:26:13.840 --> 00:26:14.320
 or you have

00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:15.080
 deep emotional

00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:15.460
 pain,

00:26:15.560 --> 00:26:16.040
 like no money

00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:16.600
 can buy you

00:26:16.600 --> 00:26:17.040
 out of that.

00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:18.820
 And God

00:26:18.820 --> 00:26:19.840
 uses that to

00:26:19.840 --> 00:26:20.480
 show you

00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:21.099
 that you

00:26:21.099 --> 00:26:22.299
 are vulnerable,

00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:22.920
 that you

00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:23.599
 need him,

00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:25.079
 that you

00:26:25.079 --> 00:26:25.700
 don't have

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.700
 this invisible

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:30.720
 attitude towards

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.160
 God.

00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:32.460
 So James

00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:32.860
 says,

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:33.339
 the rich,

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:33.759
 those who

00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.079
 are well

00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:34.380
 off,

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.099
 should boast

00:26:35.099 --> 00:26:36.059
 not on

00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:36.519
 their riches,

00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:37.799
 but being

00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:38.640
 made low

00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.519
 before God.

00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:40.759
 So the rich

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.120
 man should

00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:41.799
 thank God.

00:26:42.799 --> 00:26:43.319
 Thank you

00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:43.759
 for making

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.319
 me aware

00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:45.420
 of my

00:26:45.420 --> 00:26:46.019
 great need

00:26:46.019 --> 00:26:46.420
 for you.

00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:46.960
 Because of

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.279
 all my

00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:47.720
 stuff,

00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:48.799
 I sometimes

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.720
 will lose

00:26:49.720 --> 00:26:50.079
 sight of

00:26:50.079 --> 00:26:50.299
 that.

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.299
 I think

00:26:51.299 --> 00:26:51.579
 that I

00:26:51.579 --> 00:26:51.759
 am

00:26:51.759 --> 00:26:52.660
 independent,

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.140
 self-sufficient,

00:26:54.400 --> 00:26:54.819
 and God

00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:55.519
 uses that

00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.120
 to bankrupt

00:26:56.120 --> 00:26:57.319
 them of

00:26:57.319 --> 00:26:57.799
 their worldly

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:58.140
 riches,

00:26:58.140 --> 00:26:58.720
 to show

00:26:58.720 --> 00:26:59.519
 them their

00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:00.160
 need for

00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.839
 his grace.

00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:02.380
 So God

00:27:02.380 --> 00:27:02.819
 used the

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:03.400
 trials to

00:27:03.400 --> 00:27:03.860
 humble the

00:27:03.860 --> 00:27:04.140
 rich,

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:04.759
 bring them

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.120
 low,

00:27:05.360 --> 00:27:05.640
 to make

00:27:05.640 --> 00:27:06.120
 them aware

00:27:06.120 --> 00:27:07.200
 of their

00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:07.620
 need for

00:27:07.620 --> 00:27:07.920
 him,

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.079
 to have

00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:09.519
 their hope

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:09.799
 set on

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.100
 the living

00:27:10.100 --> 00:27:10.519
 God.

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.000
 Secondly,

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:12.299
 though,

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:12.559
 underneath

00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:12.839
 this,

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.299
 I think

00:27:13.299 --> 00:27:13.839
 that God

00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:15.200
 uses trials

00:27:15.200 --> 00:27:15.559
 to help

00:27:15.559 --> 00:27:16.000
 the rich

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:17.059
 identify with

00:27:17.059 --> 00:27:17.380
 the poor

00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:17.700
 brother.

00:27:17.700 --> 00:27:18.380
 God

00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:19.140
 both have

00:27:19.140 --> 00:27:19.460
 that in

00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:19.799
 common.

00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:22.180
 We're both

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:22.620
 fleeting.

00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:23.200
 We both

00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:23.860
 are temporary.

00:27:24.660 --> 00:27:25.440
 Trials bring

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:25.900
 us down to

00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:26.279
 the same

00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:26.880
 level and

00:27:26.880 --> 00:27:27.200
 make us

00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:27.860
 both aware,

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:28.440
 poor or

00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:28.740
 rich,

00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:29.080
 of how

00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:29.519
 much we

00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:31.120
 need God.

00:27:32.160 --> 00:27:33.059
 So it's

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.420
 the great

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.100
 equalizer,

00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:34.519
 like I

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:34.860
 said.

00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:36.519
 Just as

00:27:36.519 --> 00:27:37.420
 the trials

00:27:37.420 --> 00:27:38.440
 that come

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.840
 upon the

00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:39.140
 rich,

00:27:39.740 --> 00:27:40.100
 all their

00:27:40.100 --> 00:27:40.400
 stuff will

00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:40.759
 be gone

00:27:40.759 --> 00:27:41.140
 one day

00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:41.400
 and they'll

00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:41.759
 have just

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.140
 the same

00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:42.700
 amount as

00:27:42.700 --> 00:27:43.019
 the poor

00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:43.259
 guy,

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:43.519
 right?

00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:44.559
 So it

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:45.879
 brings them

00:27:45.879 --> 00:27:46.519
 together,

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:48.379
 helps them

00:27:48.379 --> 00:27:49.059
 relate.

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:50.539
 So,

00:27:51.400 --> 00:27:51.680
 you know,

00:27:51.740 --> 00:27:52.059
 again,

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:53.000
 in our

00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:53.420
 affluent

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:53.799
 Western

00:27:53.799 --> 00:27:54.500
 culture as

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:54.920
 believers,

00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:56.180
 we tend

00:27:56.180 --> 00:27:56.859
 to think

00:27:56.859 --> 00:27:57.200
 that we're

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:57.819
 insulated

00:27:57.819 --> 00:27:58.799
 and we

00:27:58.799 --> 00:27:59.500
 have some

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.519
 sort of

00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:01.379
 false sense

00:28:01.379 --> 00:28:01.980
 of security,

00:28:02.119 --> 00:28:02.960
 nothing bad

00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.539
 or dangerous

00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:03.980
 is going to

00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:04.339
 happen.

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:06.700
 But,

00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:08.420
 we all

00:28:08.420 --> 00:28:09.059
 know that's

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.500
 not true.

00:28:10.359 --> 00:28:10.660
 We know

00:28:10.660 --> 00:28:10.980
 that God

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.180
 is going

00:28:11.180 --> 00:28:11.440
 to use

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:11.879
 whatever it

00:28:11.879 --> 00:28:12.259
 takes to

00:28:12.259 --> 00:28:12.579
 make us

00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:13.539
 aware of

00:28:13.539 --> 00:28:14.119
 our need

00:28:14.119 --> 00:28:14.500
 for him.

00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:15.900
 So God

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:16.740
 ordains

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:18.220
 hard times

00:28:18.220 --> 00:28:18.660
 to make

00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:19.059
 sure that

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:19.299
 we don't

00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:19.920
 make idols

00:28:19.920 --> 00:28:20.220
 out of

00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:20.480
 the good

00:28:20.480 --> 00:28:20.859
 times.

00:28:21.559 --> 00:28:22.039
 Does that

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.500
 make sense?

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:24.299
 And he

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:25.799
 wants to

00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:26.680
 show us

00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:27.039
 what's in

00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:27.559
 our hearts.

00:28:27.879 --> 00:28:28.119
 Like,

00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:28.440
 where does

00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:28.920
 your true

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:30.059
 treasure lie?

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:31.480
 Is it in

00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:32.039
 him or the

00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:32.379
 stuff that

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:32.720
 he just

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.299
 gives us?

00:28:34.379 --> 00:28:34.640
 And when

00:28:34.640 --> 00:28:34.980
 he takes

00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:35.359
 it away,

00:28:35.420 --> 00:28:35.599
 are we

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.819
 angry and

00:28:36.819 --> 00:28:37.500
 resentful?

00:28:38.460 --> 00:28:38.799
 Or are we

00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:39.359
 recognized

00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:39.920
 it was grace

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.500
 in the first

00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.180
 place and

00:28:41.180 --> 00:28:41.640
 that because

00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:42.180
 of him we

00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.539
 still can

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.380
 glory in

00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:44.640
 him?

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.380
 And then

00:28:46.380 --> 00:28:46.840
 lastly,

00:28:47.720 --> 00:28:48.440
 I could

00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:48.779
 spend the

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:49.220
 whole time

00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:49.500
 on just

00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:49.880
 this last

00:28:49.880 --> 00:28:50.180
 point,

00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:50.460
 but I'm

00:28:50.460 --> 00:28:51.060
 trying to

00:28:51.060 --> 00:28:51.460
 land the

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:51.940
 plane for

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.299
 everyone.

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.580
 Point

00:28:54.580 --> 00:28:54.940
 four,

00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:57.100
 trials lead

00:28:57.100 --> 00:28:58.000
 to glory.

00:28:58.900 --> 00:28:59.759
 Trials lead

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.519
 to glory.

00:29:01.340 --> 00:29:01.700
 First

00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:01.960
 12,

00:29:02.120 --> 00:29:02.500
 blessed,

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:03.940
 happy,

00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:05.900
 intensely

00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:07.720
 joyful is

00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:08.220
 the man

00:29:08.220 --> 00:29:09.380
 who remains

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:10.400
 steadfast under

00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:10.880
 trial.

00:29:11.600 --> 00:29:11.980
 For when

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:12.340
 he has

00:29:12.340 --> 00:29:12.780
 stood the

00:29:12.780 --> 00:29:13.240
 test,

00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:14.420
 he will

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:14.920
 receive the

00:29:14.920 --> 00:29:15.640
 crown of

00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:16.060
 life,

00:29:16.660 --> 00:29:17.340
 which God

00:29:17.340 --> 00:29:17.980
 has promised

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:19.040
 to those

00:29:19.040 --> 00:29:20.160
 who love

00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:20.420
 him.

00:29:21.420 --> 00:29:21.900
 So,

00:29:22.800 --> 00:29:23.480
 a promise

00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.300
 to persevere.

00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:24.580
 So,

00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:26.000
 being straightforward,

00:29:26.600 --> 00:29:27.259
 if you knew

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:27.780
 that a really

00:29:27.780 --> 00:29:28.519
 great trial

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.100
 was about to

00:29:29.100 --> 00:29:29.380
 come,

00:29:29.600 --> 00:29:30.100
 one that was

00:29:30.100 --> 00:29:30.800
 going to

00:29:30.800 --> 00:29:31.380
 hit you

00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:32.000
 or hurt,

00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:34.060
 to endure

00:29:34.060 --> 00:29:34.560
 a great

00:29:34.560 --> 00:29:35.259
 tribulation,

00:29:35.540 --> 00:29:36.040
 our souls

00:29:36.040 --> 00:29:36.680
 need something

00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:37.080
 to hold

00:29:37.080 --> 00:29:37.519
 on to,

00:29:38.060 --> 00:29:39.100
 if we're

00:29:39.100 --> 00:29:39.259
 going to

00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:39.660
 make it.

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:41.759
 It's not

00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:42.279
 that easy

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.740
 to do it

00:29:42.740 --> 00:29:43.160
 just with a

00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:44.120
 mere command

00:29:44.120 --> 00:29:44.880
 to survive.

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:46.400
 Our minds

00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:46.980
 and our hearts

00:29:46.980 --> 00:29:47.680
 need to latch

00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:48.519
 on to a

00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.880
 reason for

00:29:49.880 --> 00:29:50.799
 us to go

00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:51.180
 forward.

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:51.660
 We need a

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:52.519
 rock-solid

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.420
 truth,

00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:54.259
 a promise

00:29:54.259 --> 00:29:55.299
 to grasp

00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:55.900
 hold of

00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.299
 so that we

00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.220
 don't get

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:57.920
 blown away,

00:29:59.100 --> 00:29:59.680
 an anchor

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.259
 for our

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.640
 souls.

00:30:00.799 --> 00:30:01.000
 And there's

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.900
 so many

00:30:01.900 --> 00:30:02.299
 in the

00:30:02.299 --> 00:30:02.560
 scripture

00:30:02.560 --> 00:30:04.299
 for believers

00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:06.039
 in Jesus

00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:06.559
 Christ,

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.839
 while we

00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:08.299
 can count

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:09.119
 trials as

00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:10.019
 great joy,

00:30:10.159 --> 00:30:10.720
 count all

00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:11.220
 joy.

00:30:12.579 --> 00:30:13.119
 How about

00:30:13.119 --> 00:30:13.599
 this one?

00:30:14.419 --> 00:30:15.279
 2 Corinthians

00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:15.680
 again,

00:30:15.859 --> 00:30:16.460
 chapter 4,

00:30:16.639 --> 00:30:16.960
 says,

00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.919
 this light

00:30:18.919 --> 00:30:20.240
 and momentary

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:21.059
 affliction

00:30:21.059 --> 00:30:22.559
 is preparing

00:30:22.559 --> 00:30:23.399
 for us an

00:30:23.399 --> 00:30:24.500
 eternal weight

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.180
 of glory

00:30:25.180 --> 00:30:26.639
 beyond all

00:30:26.639 --> 00:30:27.379
 comprehension.

00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:28.759
 You can't wrap

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:29.059
 your head

00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:29.539
 around it.

00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:31.259
 We can embrace

00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:31.819
 the promise

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:33.539
 that no eye

00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:34.379
 has seen,

00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.200
 nor ear heard,

00:30:36.299 --> 00:30:36.779
 nor heart

00:30:36.779 --> 00:30:37.299
 of man

00:30:37.299 --> 00:30:39.019
 imagined what

00:30:39.019 --> 00:30:39.460
 God has

00:30:39.460 --> 00:30:40.399
 prepared for

00:30:40.399 --> 00:30:40.799
 those who

00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:41.180
 love him.

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:42.619
 It's greater

00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:43.000
 than anything

00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:43.299
 you can

00:30:43.299 --> 00:30:43.980
 concoct up.

00:30:44.839 --> 00:30:45.139
 It's greater

00:30:45.139 --> 00:30:45.460
 than anything

00:30:45.460 --> 00:30:46.220
 you can conceive

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.000
 or imagine.

00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:48.839
 We can agree

00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:49.059
 with the

00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:49.779
 Apostle Paul

00:30:49.779 --> 00:30:50.599
 in Romans 8,

00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:51.220
 I consider

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.960
 the sufferings

00:30:51.960 --> 00:30:52.220
 of this

00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:53.000
 present time

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:54.000
 are not

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.480
 worth comparing

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:56.920
 with the

00:30:56.920 --> 00:30:57.680
 glory that

00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.059
 is to be

00:30:58.059 --> 00:30:58.579
 revealed in

00:30:58.579 --> 00:30:58.899
 us.

00:30:59.519 --> 00:30:59.839
 No matter

00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:00.460
 how bad

00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:01.139
 this is,

00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:02.220
 something

00:31:02.220 --> 00:31:02.940
 greater is

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.320
 far,

00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:04.480
 far much

00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:04.860
 more than

00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:05.080
 we could

00:31:05.080 --> 00:31:05.720
 even comprehend

00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:06.160
 now.

00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:07.759
 And then

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.100
 what Jesus

00:31:08.100 --> 00:31:08.539
 said,

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:09.519
 rejoice and

00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:09.980
 be glad

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:10.279
 for your

00:31:10.279 --> 00:31:10.920
 reward is

00:31:10.920 --> 00:31:12.340
 great in

00:31:12.340 --> 00:31:12.620
 heaven.

00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.120
 We need

00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:13.900
 to fill

00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.360
 our mind

00:31:14.360 --> 00:31:14.660
 with those

00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:15.100
 promises.

00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:18.039
 Favorite

00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:18.720
 Piper quote,

00:31:19.720 --> 00:31:20.500
 wimpy views,

00:31:20.840 --> 00:31:21.820
 wimpy worldviews

00:31:21.820 --> 00:31:22.360
 make wimpy

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:22.900
 Christians.

00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:24.700
 So,

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:26.240
 because when

00:31:26.240 --> 00:31:27.100
 trials come,

00:31:27.160 --> 00:31:27.519
 you've got to

00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:27.960
 have something

00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:28.380
 to latch

00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:28.660
 onto.

00:31:29.360 --> 00:31:29.960
 You've got to

00:31:29.960 --> 00:31:30.420
 have something

00:31:30.420 --> 00:31:30.960
 for the Holy

00:31:30.960 --> 00:31:31.500
 Spirit to

00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.340
 remind you of.

00:31:32.339 --> 00:31:33.939
 to make it,

00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:34.339
 or you're

00:31:34.339 --> 00:31:34.559
 going to be

00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:35.119
 blown away.

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.619
 So now is

00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.059
 the time to

00:31:37.059 --> 00:31:37.579
 fortify.

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.099
 But in

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.480
 James,

00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:38.899
 he gives us

00:31:38.899 --> 00:31:39.339
 a great

00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:39.559
 one.

00:31:39.679 --> 00:31:40.059
 Blessed,

00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:40.740
 happy,

00:31:41.699 --> 00:31:42.720
 deep joy

00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:44.819
 are those

00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:46.119
 who persevere

00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:46.779
 under trial,

00:31:47.859 --> 00:31:48.119
 right?

00:31:48.359 --> 00:31:49.099
 Who remain

00:31:49.099 --> 00:31:49.939
 steadfast.

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:50.259
 Love the

00:31:50.259 --> 00:31:50.559
 word,

00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:51.679
 that word.

00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:51.959
 It means

00:31:51.959 --> 00:31:52.439
 those who

00:31:52.439 --> 00:31:53.379
 bear bravely

00:31:53.379 --> 00:31:54.679
 and calmly

00:31:54.679 --> 00:31:56.199
 all the

00:31:56.199 --> 00:31:56.679
 ills that

00:31:56.679 --> 00:31:57.279
 befall them.

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:58.720
 You only

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.439
 can do that

00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:00.080
 if you have

00:32:00.080 --> 00:32:00.519
 Christ.

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.400
 Under trial,

00:32:02.580 --> 00:32:03.100
 parisimos,

00:32:03.320 --> 00:32:03.580
 there's that

00:32:03.580 --> 00:32:04.059
 word again.

00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:04.539
 Why?

00:32:05.080 --> 00:32:06.080
 For because

00:32:06.080 --> 00:32:07.000
 when he has

00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:07.440
 stood the

00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:07.900
 test,

00:32:08.680 --> 00:32:09.019
 he will

00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:09.500
 receive the

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:09.900
 crown of

00:32:09.900 --> 00:32:10.299
 life.

00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:11.539
 Crown

00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:12.100
 alludes not

00:32:12.100 --> 00:32:12.820
 to a royal

00:32:12.820 --> 00:32:13.340
 crown,

00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:14.000
 more of an

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.100
 athletic crown,

00:32:15.320 --> 00:32:15.500
 a,

00:32:15.640 --> 00:32:16.620
 back then,

00:32:16.840 --> 00:32:17.700
 a laurel

00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:18.039
 wreath,

00:32:18.580 --> 00:32:19.200
 the athletics

00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:20.220
 victor crown,

00:32:20.820 --> 00:32:21.259
 or the

00:32:21.259 --> 00:32:21.820
 general's

00:32:21.820 --> 00:32:22.480
 victorious

00:32:22.480 --> 00:32:24.140
 victor crown

00:32:24.140 --> 00:32:24.600
 that he would

00:32:24.600 --> 00:32:24.940
 wear.

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:26.580
 It's this

00:32:26.580 --> 00:32:26.980
 idea.

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:28.380
 Paul wrote

00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:29.039
 about it.

00:32:29.620 --> 00:32:30.500
 In 1 Corinthians,

00:32:30.759 --> 00:32:31.400
 he talks about

00:32:31.400 --> 00:32:32.100
 believers who are

00:32:32.100 --> 00:32:32.700
 on a spiritual

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:34.640
 race to receive

00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:36.160
 a wreath that

00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:37.160
 is imperishable,

00:32:37.940 --> 00:32:38.240
 right?

00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:39.519
 So,

00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:41.160
 the literal

00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:41.400
 here,

00:32:41.460 --> 00:32:42.039
 I love this,

00:32:42.120 --> 00:32:42.620
 it just means

00:32:42.620 --> 00:32:43.480
 the crown which

00:32:43.480 --> 00:32:44.380
 is life.

00:32:44.920 --> 00:32:45.259
 So,

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.259
 the reward for

00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.640
 faithful perseverance

00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:48.759
 is eternal life.

00:32:49.180 --> 00:32:49.920
 The resurrection

00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:50.860
 that we will all

00:32:50.860 --> 00:32:51.600
 have if we are

00:32:51.600 --> 00:32:52.440
 in Christ Jesus,

00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:53.000
 that's our,

00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:53.920
 that's the reward.

00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:55.880
 One that we don't

00:32:55.880 --> 00:32:56.400
 deserve,

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.259
 but one that we've

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:57.799
 been given

00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:59.680
 by faith in

00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:00.480
 Jesus Christ.

00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:02.620
 The guarantor,

00:33:03.620 --> 00:33:04.000
 however you want

00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.460
 to say that,

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.080
 of such a promise

00:33:06.080 --> 00:33:06.680
 if you look,

00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.559
 is God himself.

00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:08.779
 He has promised.

00:33:09.420 --> 00:33:10.380
 God is not a liar.

00:33:10.620 --> 00:33:11.120
 God does not

00:33:11.120 --> 00:33:12.019
 change his mind

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:12.700
 as if he was

00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:13.580
 a mere man.

00:33:14.519 --> 00:33:14.820
 So,

00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:15.740
 if God says,

00:33:15.860 --> 00:33:16.380
 one day,

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.960
 if you persevere,

00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:20.019
 if you make it,

00:33:21.140 --> 00:33:21.660
 you'll receive

00:33:21.660 --> 00:33:22.500
 the crown of life.

00:33:23.140 --> 00:33:24.180
 I promise you.

00:33:24.940 --> 00:33:25.820
 And then,

00:33:26.059 --> 00:33:26.860
 to tie it in,

00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:27.440
 to make sure

00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:28.400
 that our affections

00:33:28.400 --> 00:33:29.019
 are on him,

00:33:29.880 --> 00:33:31.140
 it is a promise

00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:31.940
 of God he makes

00:33:31.940 --> 00:33:33.160
 only to those

00:33:33.160 --> 00:33:34.400
 who love him.

00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:36.360
 Alright?

00:33:37.140 --> 00:33:37.680
 So,

00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:38.240
 there will be no

00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.200
 boasting in heaven.

00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:41.460
 Those who remain

00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:42.600
 steadfast under trial

00:33:42.600 --> 00:33:43.480
 are those

00:33:43.480 --> 00:33:44.380
 who love God.

00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:46.200
 Eternal life

00:33:46.200 --> 00:33:46.840
 is heaven

00:33:46.840 --> 00:33:47.860
 with all its blessings,

00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:48.440
 but we are in the

00:33:48.440 --> 00:33:49.299
 presence of God

00:33:49.299 --> 00:33:49.740
 forever.

00:33:51.240 --> 00:33:51.519
 Alright,

00:33:51.580 --> 00:33:52.100
 in closing,

00:33:52.220 --> 00:33:52.700
 and then we're done,

00:33:52.700 --> 00:33:54.240
 Revelation,

00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:55.740
 chapter 2.

00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:57.779
 Revelation,

00:33:57.960 --> 00:33:58.559
 chapter 2.

00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:03.319
 Revelation,

00:34:03.620 --> 00:34:04.440
 not revelations.

00:34:06.200 --> 00:34:06.980
 Chapter 2.

00:34:06.980 --> 00:34:09.000
 So,

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:10.920
 Jesus is speaking

00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:13.019
 as the powerful,

00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:13.920
 majestic,

00:34:14.179 --> 00:34:14.659
 radiant

00:34:14.659 --> 00:34:16.079
 Son of God

00:34:16.079 --> 00:34:17.440
 to the Apostle James

00:34:17.440 --> 00:34:18.039
 on the island

00:34:18.039 --> 00:34:18.699
 of Patmos,

00:34:18.800 --> 00:34:19.420
 and he gives these,

00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:21.159
 he speaks to these

00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:21.920
 different churches,

00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:22.960
 these seven churches.

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.639
 This is the church

00:34:25.639 --> 00:34:26.599
 of Smyrna,

00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:28.679
 not Smyrna,

00:34:28.760 --> 00:34:28.980
 Georgia,

00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:30.380
 but

00:34:30.380 --> 00:34:31.659
 in Asia.

00:34:32.460 --> 00:34:32.699
 So,

00:34:32.760 --> 00:34:33.380
 check this out.

00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:34.320
 This is Revelation,

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:34.920
 chapter 2.

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:35.740
 Look at verse 9.

00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:36.419
 This is Jesus

00:34:36.419 --> 00:34:37.579
 talking to the church.

00:34:38.639 --> 00:34:38.939
 He goes,

00:34:39.000 --> 00:34:39.500
 I know

00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:41.059
 your tribulation

00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:42.739
 and your poverty,

00:34:42.979 --> 00:34:44.039
 but you are rich.

00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:46.899
 The physically poor

00:34:46.899 --> 00:34:48.059
 believers

00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:48.619
 in that church

00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.579
 were spiritually rich.

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:51.239
 He says,

00:34:51.939 --> 00:34:52.899
 and the slander

00:34:52.899 --> 00:34:53.959
 of those who say

00:34:53.959 --> 00:34:54.919
 that they are Jews,

00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:55.959
 but really are not.

00:34:56.619 --> 00:34:57.459
 They are a synagogue

00:34:57.459 --> 00:34:58.559
 of Satan.

00:35:00.439 --> 00:35:01.419
 Do not fear

00:35:01.419 --> 00:35:02.719
 what you are about

00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:03.219
 to suffer.

00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:03.259
 Do not fear

00:35:03.259 --> 00:35:02.719
 what you are about

00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:03.239
 to suffer.

00:35:03.239 --> 00:35:06.279
 hear that?

00:35:07.239 --> 00:35:08.159
 Just get yourself

00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:08.519
 ready.

00:35:08.679 --> 00:35:08.779
 Like,

00:35:08.819 --> 00:35:09.439
 just imagine

00:35:09.439 --> 00:35:10.159
 that a trial

00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:10.639
 is coming.

00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:11.359
 They will come.

00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:12.500
 Let's hear Jesus

00:35:12.500 --> 00:35:13.299
 say these kind of

00:35:13.299 --> 00:35:13.939
 words to you.

00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:14.619
 It's meant for

00:35:14.619 --> 00:35:15.679
 this context,

00:35:15.839 --> 00:35:16.559
 but it's also true

00:35:16.559 --> 00:35:17.379
 for all believers

00:35:17.379 --> 00:35:17.959
 in Christ.

00:35:18.459 --> 00:35:18.619
 Jesus,

00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:19.559
 do not fear

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:20.939
 what you are

00:35:20.939 --> 00:35:21.579
 about to suffer.

00:35:22.739 --> 00:35:23.139
 Behold,

00:35:23.239 --> 00:35:23.699
 the devil

00:35:23.699 --> 00:35:24.939
 is about to throw

00:35:24.939 --> 00:35:25.659
 some of you

00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:26.319
 into prison

00:35:26.319 --> 00:35:27.679
 that you may

00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:28.239
 be tested.

00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:30.459
 And for 10 days

00:35:30.459 --> 00:35:30.979
 you will have

00:35:30.979 --> 00:35:31.699
 tribulation.

00:35:31.699 --> 00:35:33.579
 be faithful

00:35:33.579 --> 00:35:34.639
 unto death

00:35:34.639 --> 00:35:36.079
 and I will

00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:36.619
 give you

00:35:36.619 --> 00:35:37.299
 the crown

00:35:37.299 --> 00:35:37.879
 of life.

00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:40.439
 He who has

00:35:40.439 --> 00:35:40.839
 an ear,

00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:41.579
 let him hear

00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:42.899
 what the Spirit

00:35:42.899 --> 00:35:44.039
 says to the churches.

00:35:44.879 --> 00:35:45.599
 The one who

00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:46.219
 conquers

00:35:46.219 --> 00:35:47.599
 will not be

00:35:47.599 --> 00:35:47.919
 hurt

00:35:47.919 --> 00:35:49.099
 by the second

00:35:49.099 --> 00:35:49.480
 death.

00:35:50.259 --> 00:35:51.079
 So good.

00:35:52.139 --> 00:35:52.939
 So good.

00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:54.519
 So,

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:56.119
 I know

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:57.319
 many in this

00:35:57.319 --> 00:35:57.939
 church today

00:35:57.939 --> 00:35:58.739
 are going

00:35:58.739 --> 00:35:59.179
 through much

00:35:59.179 --> 00:35:59.799
 tribulation.

00:35:59.800 --> 00:35:59.860
 tribulation.

00:36:00.860 --> 00:36:01.660
 I hope that we

00:36:01.660 --> 00:36:02.340
 can bear that

00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:02.800
 together.

00:36:03.380 --> 00:36:03.920
 Trials have

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.240
 brought us

00:36:04.240 --> 00:36:04.940
 a lot closer

00:36:04.940 --> 00:36:05.640
 together as a

00:36:05.640 --> 00:36:05.960
 body,

00:36:06.100 --> 00:36:06.680
 particularly this

00:36:06.680 --> 00:36:07.640
 last year and

00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:08.000
 a half.

00:36:08.800 --> 00:36:09.539
 Something just

00:36:09.539 --> 00:36:10.500
 to rejoice over.

00:36:10.700 --> 00:36:11.700
 But it will be

00:36:11.700 --> 00:36:12.260
 over soon.

00:36:12.400 --> 00:36:12.860
 Like we all

00:36:12.860 --> 00:36:13.539
 will be here

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:13.880
 and then we're

00:36:13.880 --> 00:36:14.220
 gone.

00:36:14.400 --> 00:36:14.960
 And then hopefully

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.539
 we'll all meet

00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:17.060
 each other on

00:36:17.060 --> 00:36:18.080
 the other side.

00:36:18.740 --> 00:36:19.660
 And we will

00:36:19.660 --> 00:36:20.780
 receive the crown

00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:21.860
 which is life

00:36:21.860 --> 00:36:23.060
 because of the

00:36:23.060 --> 00:36:23.940
 work of the

00:36:23.940 --> 00:36:24.420
 Lord Jesus

00:36:24.420 --> 00:36:25.120
 alone.

00:36:26.480 --> 00:36:26.880
 Right?

00:36:27.100 --> 00:36:27.640
 We'll be there

00:36:27.639 --> 00:36:27.980
 forever.

00:36:28.699 --> 00:36:29.259
 The one who

00:36:29.259 --> 00:36:29.859
 conquers will

00:36:29.859 --> 00:36:30.579
 not be hurt

00:36:30.579 --> 00:36:31.460
 by the second

00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:31.879
 death.

00:36:32.839 --> 00:36:33.579
 Join me in

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:33.799
 prayer.

00:36:33.799 --> 00:36:33.900
 Amen.

00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900


00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:33.900