Good morning. Open up your Bibles to the book of James. James chapter 1.
I've got a lot of ground to cover in 30 minutes, so we better get ruling.
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.
And Mitchell, he had a pretty serious drinking problem and a little bit of drugs, but mainly drinking in high school.
And a few years into college, a friend of mine said, hey, did you hear about Mitchell?
Mitchell got saved while he was in prison.
He's in prison right now, and like he's come to know the Lord, and I couldn't believe it.
It was awesome.
So he says, when he gets out of jail, he's going to need some really good friends to come alongside him.
And I was like, let's do it.
But as is the fashion, like when you're saved in jail, you're pretty blunt to the point a lot of the time.
And Mitchell was very much like that.
So he was like, hey, have you read the book of James?
I'm like, yeah, let's read it together, man.
And it kind of characterizes the book of James.
Like Mitchell was very straightforward, didn't beat around the bush, just kind of told you how it was.
Didn't really care about truth first and your feelings later.
And we had a mutual friend that we were both trying to help.
And he said, hey, how's this guy doing?
And I said, well, he's doing a little better.
Like he's not partying as much.
He's gotten out of the way from the crowd.
And he's doing a little better.
And Mitchell said, is he following the Lord?
And I just said, I don't think so.
But he's not doing good then.
It's kind of like what he, kind of that.
But I see why he loved the book of James, because it is just sort of really straightforward.
James' primary theme is not really how someone becomes a believer or how someone becomes saved,
but rather like what does real faith look like?
What does a, what does genuine saving faith look like?
And he focuses on being more of a doer of the word than just a hearer of the word.
His audience is primarily Jewish Christians.
Because he mentions in verse one, the 12 tribes and the dispersion.
So Jewish Christians who are probably being persecuted and driven away from a lot of their,
their context that they were living in.
This is James, more than likely the brother of Jesus.
It's mentioned in Matthew 13, a leader in the Jerusalem church.
And so he gets right into it.
But Zach and Caleb did a really good job of going through the last parts of this.
We're going to be picking up in verse nine today of chapter one.
But the context of this whole section is basically how God uses trials to refine the faith of the believer
in God's design in those trials.
So James chapter one, verse nine.
It says,
Under trial for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life,
which God has promised to those who love him.
Let's pray with me real quick.
Father, we are grateful to be gathered today as your people.
People that have all been saved by Jesus Christ.
And now that we are one in Jesus Christ, that we belong to one another.
And I pray that today he would use your word to strengthen, challenge, convict, build up.
That you would have the desire that you wish for each of the person here, Lord.
That your spirit would apply the word appropriately.
And thank you for this time, Lord, in Jesus name.
Amen.
All right.
So again, in the context, James had been talking about trials and affliction.
If you go back up to verse two, he says,
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
And let steadfastness have its full effect.
That you may be perfect and complete, lacking and nothing.
And again, since Zach and Caleb did a good job of kind of wringing every drop out of this text about trials,
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.
But this word, trials, is used here in James, is parizamos.
And it means not an inner wrestling with sinful inclinations, but rather outward undeserved sufferings from outside a person.
So persecution, things that are coming from out here and coming on you, that weigh on you, that press at you.
So it's not like, you know, again, it's not a struggle with sin or temptation,
but it's the stuff that comes from outside that distresses us.
That's what trials kind of mean here.
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,
the parizamos, the darkest hours of our souls.
And so Peter, the Apostle Peter, just like James, kind of writes about this.
But just to get some more context of trials, flip over to 1 Peter 1 real quick, but keep your hand in James.
But 1 Peter 1, verse 6.
And likewise, Peter is preparing the churches to get ready for official Roman persecution that was coming,
which up to that point had mainly been from the Jews, but it was getting to be official from Rome itself.
So Peter's preparing the churches to prepare to suffer and to endure trials.
So 1 Peter 1, and look at verse 6.
And to pick up on the language that James uses, he says,
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold,
that perishes though it is tested by fire,
may be found to result in the praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
And though you have not seen him, I love this verse, though you have not seen him, you love him.
Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with the joy that is inexpressible
and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
And so in this one text, tying it into James, right,
is this idea of how precious metals and a refiner's fire,
so it's an image used a lot in the Bible for a powerful metaphor for trials.
So our suffering and all that we go through is testing that is sent from God.
Trials are a crucible, so to speak.
So just as gold and other precious metals go through extreme heat and a refiner's fire,
a crucible to burn out any impurities that are there,
to refine it.
So it's used as a metaphor of how God uses trials to take the object of our faith and push it through it
so that it'll burn a lot of the junk out of our lives.
It should not be there.
It brings us closer to what God desires.
The psalmist said in Psalm 66,
For you, O God, have tested us.
You have tried us as silver is tried.
You brought us into the net.
You laid crushing burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads when we went through fire and through water.
Yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
So the imagery as God is the skilled refiner,
taking our faith and putting it through fire of trials and suffering.
So just as gold has a lot of impurities,
yeah, the believer's life, my life, your life,
has a lot of stuff in it that should not be.
We are not yet perfect.
But when God puts us through fires, it hurts.
It hurts.
It burns.
But when we come out of the furnace,
more pure, closer to Christ, and more like Him.
So a few observations, just really quick,
just an intro here,
from Peter's passage about trials,
because again, they went well on James the last two weeks.
A few observations from this passage in 1 Peter.
Notice, he says,
Though now for a little while.
Here's four observations.
Trials are temporary.
Though now for a little while.
So when you're going through trials,
it can seem like they won't stop.
They never will end.
And it just makes us feel like,
is there ever going to be a stop to this?
Is it unending?
But he's saying for a little while.
It's temporary,
because one day we will inherit eternal salvation.
So life is not easy.
The second observation,
our trials bring grief.
It says you have been grieved.
Meaning trials are not fun.
They're not pleasant or easy to go through.
Suffering, affliction, and hardship
brings great distress, discomfort,
pain, and grief into our lives.
So it's hard.
I like that recognition.
Trials bring grief.
Thirdly, trials vary in form.
And this is important.
It connects to what James says.
By various trials.
Trials of many kinds.
They vary in form.
So they don't always look the same for my life,
or your life, or someone else's.
God providentially can design a certain trial
to hit you where he needs to hit you.
That might not really be necessarily
as big of a test for somebody else.
But for you it is.
He knows exactly what to pressure you with.
He knows exactly what to do.
And so design for each believer.
Some it's physical persecution,
sickness, illness, relational loss,
whatever it is.
He just knows.
So trials vary in form.
And then lastly, trials have design.
This is difficult in the moment to see.
But he says if necessary.
So meaning trials just don't happen
randomly or meaninglessly.
They always have a providential design
behind them.
So that's why James says ask God for wisdom.
He'll show you.
Ask him.
So he designs for us to learn
something about ourselves
and him in those trials.
So trials are temporary.
Trials bring grief.
They vary in form.
And trials have design.
So if you're going to go back to James now.
James chapter 1.
Faith that doesn't flourish.
Faith does not flourish
when it lies untested.
It's kind of like going to the gym.
If you don't exercise your muscles,
you atrophy.
And so when God loves us
and he saves us,
he imparts to us saving faith
when we are born again.
But because he cares for us,
he also injects various trials
to train, grow, and sweeten,
and strengthen, and mature us
in the process.
So trials are not given to us unnecessarily
to produce enduring faith.
But trials are one of the most essential things
that God uses
to keep our faith alive,
to sustain it,
and to help us persevere.
He keeps alive the faith
that he has given us to the very end.
Trials are a huge way he does that.
So, walking through our text here,
there's just four points.
All right?
Doing it a little different maybe,
but point number one,
our trials are meant to humble us.
Trials are meant to humble us.
You see this in verses 9 and 10,
the second part.
He says,
Because like a flower of the grass,
he will pass away.
For the sun rises with its scorching heat
and withers the grass.
Its flower falls,
and its beauty perishes.
So, he's giving you a metaphor,
one familiar in Scripture.
Mortal mankind is often compared
to the flower of the grass.
There's three common flowers in Israel,
and they have beautiful colors
when they come out in February.
But despite their beauty,
their youth,
eventually they are scorched
and burned to ashes by May.
And so, the scorching heat
refers to this strong blast,
scorching wind,
that just kind of devastates
every flower in its path.
And he's saying,
so it is with mortal man.
He's like that.
Because one day,
because of sin,
he will decay,
and eventually all of us
will not be here.
All of us will not be here.
One day,
we will all pass away.
Job wrote,
man,
who is born of woman,
is few of days
and full of trouble.
He comes out like a flower
and withers.
He is like a shadow
that continues not.
And later on,
in the book of James,
James chapter 4,
he says,
what is your life?
For you are but a mist.
You are but a vapor
that appears for a little while
and then vanishes.
So like short-lived flowers
of the field,
so too we also
will perish one day.
Is that a humbling thought?
If you sit and chew on it
for a little while,
it'll be a humbling thought.
Do you feel the weight of that,
that we're here
and we're gone?
And a lot of the younger crew here,
it's just not on your radar
because you feel strong,
healthy,
kind of at the peak
of your physical vitality,
but I promise one day
it'll hit you
in a very real way
that we are fading.
The blasting heat
and wind and fury
of trials
will come
and will humble us.
We are not immortal.
So,
trials are meant
to humble us.
Trials
and suffering
touch everyone.
That's one of the common themes here.
So,
the broader theme
is it touches everyone.
James wants
the readers
to have this sink
in their heads
and no matter how
powerful
and rich they are
or how weak
and poor they are,
trials and suffering
will come upon
everyone.
It kind of levels
the playing field.
It's the great equalizer.
There's no one
who can escape it.
No one's exempt.
And so,
in this context,
James particularly
has in mind
people who are rich
and people who are poor
in the context
of the church.
It says the brothers.
So,
in the Psalms
it says,
those of low estate
are but a breath.
Those of high estate
are a delusion.
In the balances
they go up
and they are together
lighter than a breath.
Psalm 62 verse 9
meaning like
none of them are permanent.
Whether you're high,
you're low,
rich or poor,
we're all like
a breath.
Trials and afflictions
we face in this present life
are the great equalizer.
Bring all of God's people
to complete dependence
on Him
and then also
in connection
to each other.
We're all knocked down
to the same level.
Trials force us
to despair
of our own resources
and then to look
to God's resources.
So,
it is imperative though
it's imperative
that God helps us
see our need for Him.
And trials
are how He does that.
Whatever it costs
it's so important
that we become aware
of our need for Him.
Hold your hand there.
I don't want to replace
for you to turn
but hold your hand in James
but my favorite passage
to display
what I'm talking about
is here
is 2 Corinthians.
2 Corinthians chapter 1.
If you haven't read this lately
it's going to blow your mind.
2 Corinthians chapter 1
go to verse 8.
So,
Apostle Paul
writing his second letter
to the church
at Corinth.
Check this out.
2 Corinthians chapter 1
verse 8.
Paul says,
For we do not want you
to be unaware,
brothers,
of the affliction
we experienced
in Asia.
For we were so
utterly burned
beyond our strength
that we despaired
of life itself.
You hear that?
Paul's like,
it got so bad
we wanted to die.
That's like how bad it got.
Can you imagine
Paul saying that?
I think we have
kind of a false
view of him sometimes.
He just,
it's okay,
you know,
just sort of brushes it off.
It got so bad
in Asia,
he said,
that we despaired
of life.
Verse 9.
Indeed,
we felt that we had
received the sentence
of death,
but this was to make us
rely not on ourselves,
but on God
who raises the dead.
He delivered us
from such a deadly peril,
and he will deliver us.
On him,
we have set our hope
that he will deliver us again.
So,
hopefully we can
fix this problem.
There's a lot of people,
it's kind of become
a cliche in the church,
but it's not true,
but it says
God will not allow you
to go through
more than you can bear.
Not true.
He says it right there.
We were burned
beyond our strength
that we despaired
of life itself.
It does say in James,
coming up soon,
that he won't allow you
to be tempted
beyond what you can bear.
It's not the same idea.
Not an enticement to sin.
This is,
God isn't just up there
kind of being
your cheerleader.
He wants to break you
to where you are
very aware
of your need for him.
And how will you
ever get there
if you don't despair
of your own strength?
If you get to that point
where you realize,
I don't have anything left.
It's got to be him.
So he will
put us through
more than we can bear
so that
we will not rely
on ourselves,
but on God
who raises the dead.
And it's not
a fun lesson
to learn
in the middle of it.
But when you come
out of it,
it's so great.
So go over
back to James again.
Trials bring us
to the same level
of dependency
on God
and humbly
the same level
with each other
no matter who we are.
It says in Acts,
there are many
tribulations.
All of us
must enter
the kingdom of God.
So the point here
is whether poor
or rich,
trials will come
into our lives
to humble us
and remind us
that we are not God,
that we must
humbly admit
that our resources
are not enough
and that we must
go to him alone.
So that's
just imperative
that we see that.
So as a poor brother
forgets his earthly
poverty,
so the rich brother
will forget
his earthly riches
in the middle of trials.
They are equal
in faith in Christ.
And so God,
again,
in his providence
uses trials
a certain design
both for the rich
and for the poor.
That's kind of
where we're going to go
the next few points here.
But
if you're
under the delusion
that just because
you're a follower
of Christ
that you're going to be
exempt from trials,
like,
it's not going to happen.
We all have to,
like,
be aware
that it's going to come
in this life.
And that
we must learn
how to suffer
well.
It's just going to get worse.
So,
number two.
Trials lift up
the poor.
This is in verse 9.
He said,
let the lowly brother
boast in his exaltation.
So,
here,
James is addressing,
in other words,
the brother
of humble circumstances,
of low degree.
Someone who actually
is financially,
economically,
poor,
didn't have much.
That would represent
most of
the people
in the ancient world.
Most of
the believers.
There wasn't
a majority middle class
back then.
It was either,
like,
the really,
really powerful,
rich,
and usually
extreme poor.
But it also
could refer to
believers who maybe
were rich,
but because of
trials and persecution,
they've been dispossessed
of their homes,
their possessions.
So,
they've been brought
low.
And so,
very important
to kind of see
that here.
But,
how does
God use
trials and suffering
in the life
of the poor person,
the lowly person?
It says that
he exalts
him.
Despite his
earthly condition,
when a poor
saint has
an eternal
perspective,
he can boast
or glory
and rejoice
in his
exaltation.
So,
it's a legitimate
form of pride.
It doesn't mean
like an arrogant
boasting.
It means like
you're boasting
in your God
and how great
he is.
And so,
in the fallen
world's eyes,
I look at
people who don't
have a lot,
people who
appear poor,
and as Paul
said,
we have become
and still are
like the scum
of the world,
the refuge
of all things.
It's like how
the world views
people in that
condition.
Yet,
because of
Christ's
transforming power,
because of
his love for
us,
a poor saint,
in God's
eyes,
is beautiful.
A true believer
in this life,
regardless of
how low he
is,
in the world's
eyes,
can take pride
in his God.
And James
exhorts the
poor person
to boast of
glory in his
status in
Christ,
that one day
he will be
exalted and
vindicated by
God,
even though he
doesn't have
much in this
life.
And so,
he can look
at true
riches that
are above,
and not what
is here below.
That gives him
hope and
expectation to
go into the
next life.
So he can
gladly accept
temporary
deprivation,
right,
of suffering,
trials,
because he has
a future hope
set on the
eternal realm
of God.
God.
And he can
hope in the
truth that
one day he
will be
exalted.
All right,
so here's a
commentator,
I love this,
he says about
the poor
saint,
he may be
hungry,
but he has
the bread of
life.
He may be
thirsty,
but he has
the water of
life.
He may be
poor,
but he has
eternal riches.
He may be
cast aside
by men,
but he has
been received
by God.
He may
have no
home here,
but he has
a glorious
home in the
life to come.
So that is
how we ought
to look at
those of us
who are poor,
those of us
who are lowly.
Poor is kind
of a hard
context to
apply to a
lot of us
because comparatively
we are pretty
well off,
but it can
also mean
someone who
is lowly,
of lowly
spirit,
someone who
is broken,
right?
So be
aware of
that.
God will
exalt the
poor.
He will
lift up
the poor.
Point number
three,
trials bring
down the
rich.
Trials bring
down the
rich.
You see in
verse 9,
it said,
let the
rich boast
in his
humiliation.
And rich
here is
referring to
someone who
is well
off,
someone who
has a
lot,
someone who
is financially,
economically,
stable,
everything going
for him.
Such people
did exist
back then,
but again,
it was a
very slim
majority.
But put
yourself in
James'
shoes.
He's writing
to a
Jewish
audience,
and to
a lot of
the Jews,
the Pharisees
and others,
like wealth
was a sign
of God's
favor and
acceptance
of that
person.
And the
poor person
was looked
at as
cursed by
God.
And so
he's reminding
them,
not really,
not true.
In contrast,
James
exhorts the
rich brother
to boast
in his
humiliation
because he's
being shown
by God
that he is
weak,
that he is
vulnerable,
that he is
fragile because
of trials.
So I think
at least there's
two things that
James is trying
to get the
rich man to
see.
First,
he wants to
use trials to
help the rich
man realize
that his wealth
is temporary
and it brings
him no
advantage before
God.
money can
solve some
problems,
some,
but there's
a lot that
they cannot
solve at
all or
help you
with.
It can't
buy people
out of
their problems.
When you
lose a
loved one
to death,
when you
have a
child who's
diagnosed with
a chronic
illness,
when you
suffer physically
or you have
deep emotional
pain,
like no money
can buy you
out of that.
And God
uses that to
show you
that you
are vulnerable,
that you
need him,
that you
don't have
this invisible
attitude towards
God.
So James
says,
the rich,
those who
are well
off,
should boast
not on
their riches,
but being
made low
before God.
So the rich
man should
thank God.
Thank you
for making
me aware
of my
great need
for you.
Because of
all my
stuff,
I sometimes
will lose
sight of
that.
I think
that I
am
independent,
self-sufficient,
and God
uses that
to bankrupt
them of
their worldly
riches,
to show
them their
need for
his grace.
So God
used the
trials to
humble the
rich,
bring them
low,
to make
them aware
of their
need for
him,
to have
their hope
set on
the living
God.
Secondly,
though,
underneath
this,
I think
that God
uses trials
to help
the rich
identify with
the poor
brother.
God
both have
that in
common.
We're both
fleeting.
We both
are temporary.
Trials bring
us down to
the same
level and
make us
both aware,
poor or
rich,
of how
much we
need God.
So it's
the great
equalizer,
like I
said.
Just as
the trials
that come
upon the
rich,
all their
stuff will
be gone
one day
and they'll
have just
the same
amount as
the poor
guy,
right?
So it
brings them
together,
helps them
relate.
So,
you know,
again,
in our
affluent
Western
culture as
believers,
we tend
to think
that we're
insulated
and we
have some
sort of
false sense
of security,
nothing bad
or dangerous
is going to
happen.
But,
we all
know that's
not true.
We know
that God
is going
to use
whatever it
takes to
make us
aware of
our need
for him.
So God
ordains
hard times
to make
sure that
we don't
make idols
out of
the good
times.
Does that
make sense?
And he
wants to
show us
what's in
our hearts.
Like,
where does
your true
treasure lie?
Is it in
him or the
stuff that
he just
gives us?
And when
he takes
it away,
are we
angry and
resentful?
Or are we
recognized
it was grace
in the first
place and
that because
of him we
still can
glory in
him?
And then
lastly,
I could
spend the
whole time
on just
this last
point,
but I'm
trying to
land the
plane for
everyone.
Point
four,
trials lead
to glory.
Trials lead
to glory.
First
12,
blessed,
happy,
intensely
joyful is
the man
who remains
steadfast under
trial.
For when
he has
stood the
test,
he will
receive the
crown of
life,
which God
has promised
to those
who love
him.
So,
a promise
to persevere.
So,
being straightforward,
if you knew
that a really
great trial
was about to
come,
one that was
going to
hit you
or hurt,
to endure
a great
tribulation,
our souls
need something
to hold
on to,
if we're
going to
make it.
It's not
that easy
to do it
just with a
mere command
to survive.
Our minds
and our hearts
need to latch
on to a
reason for
us to go
forward.
We need a
rock-solid
truth,
a promise
to grasp
hold of
so that we
don't get
blown away,
an anchor
for our
souls.
And there's
so many
in the
scripture
for believers
in Jesus
Christ,
while we
can count
trials as
great joy,
count all
joy.
How about
this one?
2 Corinthians
again,
chapter 4,
says,
this light
and momentary
affliction
is preparing
for us an
eternal weight
of glory
beyond all
comprehension.
You can't wrap
your head
around it.
We can embrace
the promise
that no eye
has seen,
nor ear heard,
nor heart
of man
imagined what
God has
prepared for
those who
love him.
It's greater
than anything
you can
concoct up.
It's greater
than anything
you can conceive
or imagine.
We can agree
with the
Apostle Paul
in Romans 8,
I consider
the sufferings
of this
present time
are not
worth comparing
with the
glory that
is to be
revealed in
us.
No matter
how bad
this is,
something
greater is
far,
far much
more than
we could
even comprehend
now.
And then
what Jesus
said,
rejoice and
be glad
for your
reward is
great in
heaven.
We need
to fill
our mind
with those
promises.
Favorite
Piper quote,
wimpy views,
wimpy worldviews
make wimpy
Christians.
So,
because when
trials come,
you've got to
have something
to latch
onto.
You've got to
have something
for the Holy
Spirit to
remind you of.
to make it,
or you're
going to be
blown away.
So now is
the time to
fortify.
But in
James,
he gives us
a great
one.
Blessed,
happy,
deep joy
are those
who persevere
under trial,
right?
Who remain
steadfast.
Love the
word,
that word.
It means
those who
bear bravely
and calmly
all the
ills that
befall them.
You only
can do that
if you have
Christ.
Under trial,
parisimos,
there's that
word again.
Why?
For because
when he has
stood the
test,
he will
receive the
crown of
life.
Crown
alludes not
to a royal
crown,
more of an
athletic crown,
a,
back then,
a laurel
wreath,
the athletics
victor crown,
or the
general's
victorious
victor crown
that he would
wear.
It's this
idea.
Paul wrote
about it.
In 1 Corinthians,
he talks about
believers who are
on a spiritual
race to receive
a wreath that
is imperishable,
right?
So,
the literal
here,
I love this,
it just means
the crown which
is life.
So,
the reward for
faithful perseverance
is eternal life.
The resurrection
that we will all
have if we are
in Christ Jesus,
that's our,
that's the reward.
One that we don't
deserve,
but one that we've
been given
by faith in
Jesus Christ.
The guarantor,
however you want
to say that,
of such a promise
if you look,
is God himself.
He has promised.
God is not a liar.
God does not
change his mind
as if he was
a mere man.
So,
if God says,
one day,
if you persevere,
if you make it,
you'll receive
the crown of life.
I promise you.
And then,
to tie it in,
to make sure
that our affections
are on him,
it is a promise
of God he makes
only to those
who love him.
Alright?
So,
there will be no
boasting in heaven.
Those who remain
steadfast under trial
are those
who love God.
Eternal life
is heaven
with all its blessings,
but we are in the
presence of God
forever.
Alright,
in closing,
and then we're done,
Revelation,
chapter 2.
Revelation,
chapter 2.
Revelation,
not revelations.
Chapter 2.
So,
Jesus is speaking
as the powerful,
majestic,
radiant
Son of God
to the Apostle James
on the island
of Patmos,
and he gives these,
he speaks to these
different churches,
these seven churches.
This is the church
of Smyrna,
not Smyrna,
Georgia,
but
in Asia.
So,
check this out.
This is Revelation,
chapter 2.
Look at verse 9.
This is Jesus
talking to the church.
He goes,
I know
your tribulation
and your poverty,
but you are rich.
The physically poor
believers
in that church
were spiritually rich.
He says,
and the slander
of those who say
that they are Jews,
but really are not.
They are a synagogue
of Satan.
Do not fear
what you are about
to suffer.
Do not fear
what you are about
to suffer.
hear that?
Just get yourself
ready.
Like,
just imagine
that a trial
is coming.
They will come.
Let's hear Jesus
say these kind of
words to you.
It's meant for
this context,
but it's also true
for all believers
in Christ.
Jesus,
do not fear
what you are
about to suffer.
Behold,
the devil
is about to throw
some of you
into prison
that you may
be tested.
And for 10 days
you will have
tribulation.
be faithful
unto death
and I will
give you
the crown
of life.
He who has
an ear,
let him hear
what the Spirit
says to the churches.
The one who
conquers
will not be
hurt
by the second
death.
So good.
So,
I know
many in this
church today
are going
through much
tribulation.
I hope that we
can bear that
together.
Trials have
brought us
a lot closer
together as a
body,
particularly this
last year and
a half.
Something just
to rejoice over.
But it will be
over soon.
Like we all
will be here
and then we're
gone.
And then hopefully
we'll all meet
each other on
the other side.
And we will
receive the crown
which is life
because of the
work of the
Lord Jesus
alone.
Right?
We'll be there
forever.
The one who
conquers will
not be hurt
by the second
death.
Join me in
prayer.
Amen.