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All right, this evening we're going to actually start with the book of James. And so we'll be going through the book of James for the next five weeks. And so we'll be in chapter one this evening. Look at verse number one. It says, James, the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ of the 12 tribes, which are scattered abroad, greeting my brethren, counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Now, right off the bat, we see that he's addressing the 12 tribes which are scattered abroad, and he greets them. Now, we should know that right off the bat right here, he's not referring to unsaved Jews, right? Why is that? Because verse two says, my brethren, counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. And over and over again, you see this throughout the book of James, that he calls them brethren. That's a term that's only used for those who are in Christ. Now, are there times in the Bible when that's used when it's just referring to that which is part of your kinfolk or part of your tribe? Yes, but you could always tell based upon the context of who he's talking to. And here when he's talking about my brethren, counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, he's not talking to unsaved Jews, he's referring to those who are in Christ. I think that's pretty obvious there. Skip down to verse 13. So the first thing he gets across here is to count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. That seems like a very difficult thing to do. Now when he talks about diverse temptations, you'll see it used in chapter one as in regards to trials and tribulations, but also temptations as far as that which entices you, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, that which would cause you to get into sin and stumble. Both of those are used in this chapter. And the way we can define which one is being used is just based upon the context. Obviously we're not referring to the temptation of the lust of the flesh here in verse number two because it says counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. It's not talking about like, you know, hey, when you're tempted with sin, alcohol, you know, drunkenness, weed or whatever, you know, counted all joy, you know, that's, that's a good thing. It means you're, you're alive, man. No, this is referring to trials and tribulations. This is referring to difficulties. Now this requires a supernatural power, amen? Because of the fact that it's hard to be joyous in a time of temptation. It's hard to be joyous in a time of trial and tribulation. So what does it require for you to do? Walk in the spirit. Because when you walk in the spirit and you're, you're being filled with the spirit, the spirit produces joy in your life. You see, often I used to hear, heard it said this way, happiness comes from happenings, but joy is of the Lord. You know, happiness comes when we have, you know, the possessions or some event takes place that creates this sense of happiness within us. But joy is of the Lord. That is the supernatural fruit that he bears in our lives through the Holy Spirit as we walk in the spirit. And he says, counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Look at verse 13, let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempted he any man, but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. You see how both of these words are being used in two different ways. Okay, now hold your place there and go to first Peter chapter one in verse number six, because this is important. The reason it's important because it's because of the fact that temptations could be that factor that actually gets you out of church, that gets you out of the Bible, as we mentioned today, creating a reason to stay. Many of the reasons why people get out of church, they go through a trial, they go through a death in the family, they go through a illness, a physical illness, they go through an offense or even persecution because of the word and by and by he is offended and what happens? They fall away due to a temptation. We don't want to be that type of Christian, okay, where we're just easily knocked over because of an offense, we're easily tripped up because of persecution, we're easily caused to be offended by and by because of whatever reason, we want to make sure that we're strong Christians. Look, you're in a church where your toes are probably going to get stepped on every once in a while, you know, but that's a good thing. Okay, because your toes have sin, not specifically your toes unless, you know, you got those corns and stuff like that, you know, these spiritual ingrown toenails, right? And when you get those stepped on, it hurts, but that lets you know there's something wrong there, right? And that's going to happen, you're going to get it from the pulpit from time to time. That's not a time to say, well, I'm just going to go look for another church. Now, if you're in church for the wrong reasons, then yeah, you probably should go look for another church, you know, go look for a happy-go-lucky church where they just give you cotton candy all the time, tofu, and you can alleviate your conscience by congregating yourself with the lukewarm congregation and a pastor who doesn't preach the Bible, you know, an example that I heard about today, actually, okay, you can go to the church like that. But if you want to grow, you know, no pain, no gain. So we see here that when there's temptations, even trials in our life, we're to become joyous, right? Because at that point, it becomes an opportunity for us to grow and for us to be strong. Look at 1 Peter 1 verse 6, wherein ye greatly rejoice, though not for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations. By the way, James 1, 2, when he uses diverse temptations, it simply means manifold temptations, as we see in verse number 6. Verse 7 says that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. You know, instead of seeking gold, instead of seeking possessions, instead of seeking material wealth, we ought to be seeking to fortify and be rich in faith. A lot of Christians want to be rich as far as money is concerned, but you know what? That shouldn't be our goal. Our goal should be that we want to be rich in faith, that we have faith in God, faith in the Bible. Why? Because faith can move mountains. Through faith, you know, the prophets of old, the Bible tells us they subdued kingdoms and were able to stop the mouths of lions. They're able to do these great exploits because they had faith. Okay. Look at chapter 2 of 2 Peter, excuse me, 1 Peter, oh, no, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it is 2 Peter, sorry. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 8. Now that's not to say that though temptation of the flesh and temptation as far as trials are concerned are two different things, there are two elements that we are still to overcome in order to be strong. So when you overcome the temptation of trials, you become strong, but when you also overcome the temptations of the flesh, you become strong. You know, when you resist the devil, he will flee from you. You become strong in the Lord and the power of his might and we see that, look at verse 8, for that righteous man dwelling among them and seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds, the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust until the day of judgment to be punished. Now what is the literal interpretation of this? Well, the literal interpretation is that Lot was literally delivered out of Sodom and Gomorrah and he reserved judgment for those homos that were there in Genesis chapter 19. But an application that we could take from that is the fact that God can deliver us from that hour of temptation. You know, whatever that may be for you, for someone it might be drunkenness, for another person it might be lust, for one person it might be covetousness, another person it just might be fear. For everyone it's different, but at the end of the day we still have to overcome that and God is able to deliver us from those things if we resist. The problem is that Christians don't work on resisting temptation. As soon as it comes they just give in and they wonder why it's so much easier to give in every time after that. You know why? Because you haven't resisted. You haven't taken time to resist temptation, resist the devil, therefore your flesh has grown stronger and stronger whereas if you resist Satan you resist the flesh. You walk in the Spirit, you know what, you're able to overcome it so much the more afterwards. Now go back to James chapter 1 and just remember there is no temptation taking you but such is as common to man. And the Bible tells us that God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it, the Bible tells us. So what does that mean? You know when the temptation comes, God gives us the ability to overcome that temptation. It's not like oh I just have to give in to this or I just have to give in to my weaknesses. No you don't. There is no temptation taking you but such is as common to man and don't think you're the only one with that temptation. You know man has struggled with sin throughout history, it's common to every man but you know what, escaping that temptation is also common as well. It's also common as well. So the type of temptation that we see here is the trial or tribulation. This is what the Bible will refer to as the trying of our faith. Look at verse 3, knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience but let patience have a perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Now how is it that the trying of our faith works patience? Well when you go through a trial you very quickly come to the conclusion that there's nothing you can do about it. Because it's out of your control. So you know what it forces you to do? Be patient. To wait on the Lord and he shall renew your strength. It causes you to be patient. Let me say this, patience is a very important virtue that every Christian should learn. Because that which is worth waiting for requires what? Patience. And how do you gain patience? By God allowing you to go through certain trials that takes your ability to fix it out of the equation. Well you're not able to fix it. You're not able to do anything about it. What do you have to do? Be patient. It worketh patience. Verse 4, but let patience have a perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Now when the Bible says wanting it means lacking. So if you allow yourself to go through the process of tribulation and the trying of your faith and it works that patience, it's able to supplement that which is lacking on your part. Don't think that you've apprehended because you know all the right doctrines. I got my end times right. I got my replacement theology in check. I hate homos like the best of the new IFB does. I mean you got your ducks in order when it comes to doctrine. Hey that's great. Amen. But you know what there's another aspect of faith that needs to be tried. Your character. Who you are. Your characteristics and your attributes as a person. As a Christian. And that needs to be tried in order to supplement that which is lacking because here's the thing. You can know all the right doctrines and still be an immature Christian. You know you could be a very much an immature Christian that has not grown up even though you believe right. And look thank God that you believe right. That's a big step. Amen. But you know what's sometimes more important than that is just you maturing as a Christian. You what matures you difficulties trials you say why is that. Well because of the fact that trials humble you. And in order for you for God to grow you you have to be humbled. You have to recognize that you can't go through this alone. You need your brethren. You need God. You need prayer. You need the answers from the Bible and you ultimately realize oh man I thought I was all that in the bag of chips. I guess I'm not. Oh man. Oh man I thought I was like I have apprehended had everything all in order. No you don't. And sometimes it takes a trial to just take that carpet from out under you for you to realize I guess I'm not all that. I guess I'm not all that I was that I thought I was cracked up to be. You know. But what does that require. A trial. And look everyone will go through a trial sometime or another. Everyone does. You know even the world goes through trials. The difference is is that we got God. We have the Bible we have prayer we have instructions on how to go through that trial. Look you're either coming out of a trial you're in a trial or you're about to go through a trial like in a month or so. That's the cycle of life. So get used to it. Amen. You say man that sounds so miserable. Not really because it says count it all joy. Because it makes you a better person when you struggle when you go through difficulties when you suffer it makes you a better person. It humbles you it matures you it helps you go to Romans Chapter 5 hold your place there in James Chapter 1. Let me read this again it says knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience but let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect and entire complete wanting nothing look at it says in Romans Chapter 5 verse number 1 therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God and not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience what experience. Hey guys if you want wisdom wisdom comes through experience and experience comes through you doing things wrong and creating errors and going through trials or it can come through someone else's bad experiences you know you see the bad experiences someone else and say yeah I'm not going to do that thanks for helping me out with your bad example kind of thing you know by the way don't tell don't tell that to anybody I really want to say thank you you know because you know the way you did that I'm not going to do it that way that's going to help me a lot and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us now hope what is that what is the synonym for hope faith so what does it do what happens when we have patience we gain experience what do we get we increase our faith because of the fact that now at the end of that trial when you come out of a difficulty you say wow I obeyed the word of God and he actually came through you know you believed it before but you believe it so much the more now and you know what faith does it causes you to take more risks for God too but it causes you to believe more because here's the thing and maybe you haven't gone through a trial so you're like I don't know what you're talking about you know this is going over my head when you go through a trial there's times when you feel like God has forsaken you there's times when you feel alone there's times when you just you go through a dark valley of life because things don't go well for you and you're like man what's going on you know I'm going through a hard time I feel like I'm not getting my prayers answered God's I feel like God's not providing for my needs I'm going through a tough time and there's times when you can you know just question the love of God at times not question that you're saved question the love of God that is very much a natural byproduct of tribulation is this sometimes you question but you know what happens is that when you just plow through that trial you allow patients to have a perfect work you gain experience you know what it does it increases your faith in God and increases your faith in the love of God because now you've matured to the point you recognize that regardless of the circumstances God will always love me whether in hunger or in nakedness or in peril nothing shall separate me from the love of God and you can and it makes you stronger is what it does okay so it says hope maketh not a shame it's not in faith it's not gonna let you down because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us but you know what if thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small you know that's why you know I'm not saying when it says be joyous it doesn't mean you know you have to like leap for joy when you're going through a trial but there's an inner joy that comes through the Holy Spirit where you know what the world is just tumbling down around you but you know you can still crack a smile you can still enjoy life you know what trials also do they make you appreciate the essentials the most important things in life you start realizing that you know the glitz and glamour of this world the possessions of this world is not they're not that important anymore you know it really helps you to hone in on that which is most important okay second Corinthians chapter 4 verse 1 says seen therefore excuse me therefore seeing we have this ministry and as we have received mercy we faint not but I've renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth committing ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God you see each and every one of us we've received the ministry and that ministry is called the ministry of reconciliation but you know what you can easily you can easily get out of that ministry through a trial you know just think about this if you don't make it through a trial what's going to happen you get out of church you stop reading your Bible and how many souls could you have reached if you just stayed in church how many people could you have you know seen saved and discipled and made an impact in this world if you would have just gone through that trial and typically you know what when you go through a trial just just understand this you're going through something that someone six months from now is going to go through or a year from now and your success on how you come out of that trial is important because of the fact that you're going to be able to help that person six months down the road a year down the road you know all things work together for good to them to love God to them who are the called according to his purpose so what we see is that when we go through a trial someone's going to go through that same trial later on and you know what it's necessary that you pass that trial so that you can help that person along as well okay go back to James chapter one so count it all joy you know don't think God look and look this is how you can tell if God is judging you or not because look when you go through a trial you should question you should wonder man is God judging me that's a good thing to ask don't take the Joyce Myers route and say that God's never mad at you that's what she says she wrote a book right it was called God's not mad at you well God's not angry with you or something you know that wicked woman yeah you know God does get angry with Christians they're in sin he gets angry with them and the initial thought when you go through a trial should be am I in sin is there something wrong with my walk is there something wrong am I do I have something in me that God is not pleased with and it should cause you to examine yourself you know to make sure that your heart is clean but you know once you've taken inventory of your heart and everything seems good to go then count it all joy it's like all right well I guess God's just allowing this trial in my life to make me better he said what if I am involved in sin then good I mean that means you have to repent that means you have to repent and that means that God is chastising you if you're going through a trial and you come to the realization that you're in sin that mean God that means God is whooping you the Lord is whooping you is what he's doing to get you back on track to basically produce holiness in your life okay the peaceable fruits of righteousness as the Bible puts it okay look at verse five if any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and abraighteth not and it shall be given him now this is important when it comes to going through trials because when you go through trials your emotions are just out of whack okay you just you know your decision maker is broken is what some would say you just don't know how to make right decisions so what do you need you need wisdom and the way you get wisdom obviously is from the Bible obviously it's from others but sometimes you just got to ask God for wisdom and the Bible tells us here if you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally that means generously and abraighteth not and it shall be given him what is he saying you need to ask God for wisdom and understand that God's not gonna get mad at you at you if you ask he goes on to say but let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that waver it is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways let that sink in for a minute what is he saying here you can't be a person who's halting between two opinions you cannot be double-minded if you're asking God for something be fully persuaded that what he has promised he is able also to perform be strong in faith don't stagger at the promises of God don't be double-minded now we'll see later on that actually what this is referring to is someone who is is not putting away the filth of the flesh so what are they doing they're kind of living a life of sin they have sin in their lives but they're asking God to bless them it doesn't work that way that's someone who's double-minded they want they want to have it both ways in other words okay you know what that's not the way it works now it says here today they they're tossed they're like the wind the sea driven with the wind and tossed and this is very important because Christians need to make sure that they don't halt between two opinions that they're make they make sure that they're fully persuaded they say you know what if I'm gonna be in church I'm gonna be in church if I'm gonna serve God I'm gonna serve God you know don't want to serve God one day be in church wise like man I'm gonna I'm gonna show up to church every single time at the wood the doors are open and then all of a sudden it's just like you know I think I'm gonna take a break I think I jumped in it to a little too fast that's not the kind of attitude we should have you're being double-minded you know oh I'm gonna I'm gonna just start so any and I'm gonna go all in and all of a sudden it's just like you don't go so any anymore don't be double-minded because at that point you're not gonna get anything because it says there verse 7 for let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord you know what that tells me of the Lord he doesn't want you to play around either ask for it I'll give it to you but if you doubt that I'm gonna give it to you then I'm not gonna give it to you at all a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways and typically a person who's double-minded they halt between two opinions they're like that in every area of life they're like that with their job they're like that with their family they're like that with everything they're double-minded they can't make up their mind they can't just make a decision okay let me see here go to Romans go to Matthew chapter 21 I'll reach you from Romans chapter 4 speaking of Abraham says and be not weak in faith he considered not his own body now dead when he was about a hundred years old neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was able also to perform look at Matthew 21 verse 21 it says here Jesus answered and said unto them verily I say to you if ye have faith and doubt not ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree but also if ye shall say unto this mountain be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea it shall be done all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive and let me say this you know we have faith in the Bible amen but we also have to have faith in prayer to ask in faith believing so it doesn't just tell you to just ask which is pray it says when you pray you need to believe hey those of you praying for the building I hope you're praying believing it's not like God please give us that building but I don't think it's gonna work out man I'm not gonna be the one to say anything the brother here the Lord I mean you know all things are possible with you Lord you know nothing's impossible I'm just saying you know from my standpoint you know I just don't think it's gonna work out $300 cheaper and it's four thousand screen yeah I don't know you know ask believing amen look we shouldn't be skeptical when it comes to the things of God it's okay to be you know a realist to be realistic but you know what when it comes to the things of God this is realistic is ask believing that God is able to provide for that that will increase your faith you know by the way when's the last time you actually prayed for a miracle why not in your life in the life of the church you know in your children's lives when's the last time you actually prayed for a miracle to take place it was like well I just don't think you know God what do we you don't think God can do miracles he can do miracles he's in the business of miracles but we got to ask believing you know and it's important that we get grounded in the Bible it's important to read the Bible through cover to cover but it's also important that we're growing in our prayer life as well that we ask believing that's how we can increase our faith ask nothing wavering don't be like the sea driven about with the wind don't be double-minded just believe that God can do it go to 1st Peter chapter 5 1st Peter chapter 5 you know here in our church we want to make sure that Christians are grounded that they're rooted that they mature you know you I hope that you can evaluate your Christian life from the time that you first came to our church up until now and see growth okay see some a difference in your life and look if you haven't seen a difference don't blame me okay because later on we're gonna see it's because you're not a doer of the word a doer of the word you might be just to hear but not a doer excuse me you might be just to hear but not a doer as well we would need to make sure that we put in the work right of the things that we're listening to to be rooted and grounded look at 1st Peter 5 verse 8 be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour whom resists steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world but the God of all grace who had called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after the heat that ye have suffered a while make you perfect establish strengthen settle you the Bible tells us so again it talks about the suffering right that we go through the trials what does it do it makes us entire which is perfect it establishes us right it strengthens us and it settles us what is that talking about it's basically the opposite of what we see in James chapter 1 the person who's tossed to and fro the person who's double-minded that's not the kind of Christian you want to be don't be the one to say well you know we'll see what happens when we go independent you know I'll see if I stick around after that I just want I just want to make sure I have that faith forward here and if it doesn't work out no just stick it out to for the long haul why not you know be settled somewhere be established in your faith know what you believe know what you expect know what you want pray for it in faith be established don't be tossed to and fro care don't be like a person who basically they just go according to the opinions of others you know your family starts criticizing you because you come to this church and say I just can't take it anymore I'm just I'm gonna head back or whatever you know my friends keep keep criticizing me because I'm in a new IFB church or whatever you know what suffer that allow it count it all joy you know people are gonna start coming in the future when they come they're gonna go through trials here you know this is not your regular independent fundamental Baptist Church you come here you come also and you're gonna be bearing the reproach as well this isn't necessarily the popular Baptist Church you know this is not the popular Baptist Church and you come here you're gonna come and you know what you're gonna get fed you're gonna make me make great friends and relationships it's gonna be awesome but the fact remains there's there's there you're gonna gain some enemies to mine enemy shall be your enemies okay you know you're gonna drink the cup of that I drink I mean baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with okay there's the trials that go with being a part of this church you know just even within the last two years two years we've had so many enemies we've had infiltrators you know but that's part of it you need to make sure that you're established and you're settled you're strengthened okay the Bible tells us in Colossians 2 verse 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as he had been taught abounding therein with thanksgiving go back to James chapter 1 so we see there that it's important that we go through trials don't run from them because here's the thing when you run from a trial you basically your trial doesn't go away just just because you go somewhere else a different location doesn't mean the trial goes away it follows you wherever you go you know and if you run from a trial you're gonna have to face it one day that's just the bottom line you're gonna have to face your problems sooner or later don't run from them it's only gonna make you better look at verse number 9 let the brother of low degree rejoice and that he is exalted but the rich in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away now who what is verse 9 talking about well obviously we know according to verse 10 if we were to contrast it in verse 10 he's talking about the rich therefore verse 9 the brother of low degree is what the poor right just keep that in mind so he says but the rich and that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away for the Sun is no sooner risen with the burning heat but it wither at the grass and the flower thereof faded of all excuse me and the grace of the fashion there of it perishes so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him so look temptations or trials they come in all different forms shapes and sizes you have trials that deal with your health you have financial trials you have persecution now hold your place there go to Revelation 2 we're gonna observe the similarities between what we're looking at here in James chapter 1 and Revelation 2 so notice that he contrasts the brother of low degree with the rich man which will lead us to believe that the brother of low degree someone who is poor and then he follows it up over 12 blessed is a man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive a crown of life so we should give heed to this because it's telling us here that someone who's able to endure temptation will receive a crown of life which the Lord has promised to them they love and look at Revelation 2 verse 8 and unto the angel of the church in Smyrna right these things saith the first and the last which was dead in his life I know thy works and tribulation and poverty so isn't that interesting that in verse 9 and 10 of James chapter 1 he contrasts a poor man and a rich man then he talks about those who is blessed who endures temptation he shall receive a crown of life and then Revelation 2 verse 8 says I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou are rich so the brother of low degree should rejoice in the fact that he is exalted why because he's rich in faith this is not referring to that he's rich like you know I know you're you're you're poor but I know you got some stocks I know you got certain accounts all over the world and stuff and you got some money in the bank still that's not what that that's referred to that's referring to the fact that they're rich in faith I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the synagogue of Satan fear none of those things which thou shall suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison so what is the tribulation that they're going through prison persecution they may be what tried and he shall have tribulation ten days be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a what crown of life exactly what we see in James chapter number one now here in Revelation 2 this is referring to when it talks about those ten days this is symbolic of those last 75 days after the abomination of desolation set up the Antichrist makes war with the Saints he begins to kill them they go through tribulation ten days and I won't get into all that what that's referring to when talks about those ten days it's talking about the tenth day of the seventh month which is well just ask me afterwards okay I'll explain that it's not relevant to this particular sermon that we're talking about here but what this is referring to is the fact that when someone is tried when they go through tribulation they're going through persecution and we can see according to verse 9 it's probably the Jews who are persecuting them right that they're given a crown of life so what does this tell us hey it's okay to be poor amen because when you're poor you're rich in faith and when you're rich in faith you're a person who could potentially just endure a lot of affliction a lot of persecution now we live in a day and age where we don't really receive this type of persecution as of yet but it's coming it's coming there is gonna come a day when this type of persecution becomes a reality potentially in our personal lives but let me ask you this how much faith money do you have in the bank how much you got in the bank are you rich in this world or are you poor but rich in faith okay how much faith do you have in the bank and look I remember they used to tell me going through it when you go through a trial that's not a time to start building up your faith the time to build up your faith the time to be rich in faith is before the trial because once you start going through the trial you're gonna need to basically withdraw some faith there okay in order to receive that crown of life go back go to James chapter 2 James chapter 2 James chapter 2 let's let's further validate this look at verse number 5 of James chapter 2 it says harken my beloved brethren hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom you know you think of the crown right crown of life heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to them that love him but you have despised the poor do not rich men oppress you and draw you before the judgment seats do not they blaspheme that worthy that worthy name by which ye are called so the teaching that we see here is to be rich in faith how but here's the thing how can you be rich in faith well you go through trials how can you pass the trial of persecution by passing the trial of tribulation today you know if thou if thou has run with the horses if thou has run with the men and they have weary thee how canst thou contend with the horses right if you can't pass the trial today what makes you think you'll make it through the tribulation we have a lot of people oh man I want to go through the tribulation and yeah I'll seven five days I want to see what Christ I mean are you do you really think about what you just said just think about it can you really you know are you the type of person that gets easily offended today you know if something easily offends you today you're probably not rich in faith enough for the tribulation then you know because it's not gonna get any easier it's not gonna get any softer the persecution shall come it's gonna be more difficult that's why it's important for us to go through trials in order to accumulate riches to be rich in faith you know look at verse 13 of chapter 1 and look this is good for us because of the fact that you know what don't take church lightly don't take your Bible reading lightly don't take prayer lightly you know if we're not careful because of the fact that this sometimes even when you read the book of Revelation it seems like it's it's it's a distant you know time period the fact remains is that it could come in our lifetime and you know what you need to prepare now read the Bible now memorize scripture now pray now increase your faith now now is not the time the Bible tells us to not forsake the assembly of ourselves together as the manner of some is but so much the more as you see the day approaching be in church as you see the day approaching be in church so much the more okay look at verse 13 let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God but for God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man I wish the Calvinist would read that but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed he said why do you say well Calvinist believe that you know he makes people do wicked stuff I mean so stupid but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death that is the progression right there when it comes to sin do not err my beloved brethren every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning now this is a good verse right here because it's telling us that God doesn't change and sometimes we go through a trial we go through a difficulty and we feel like God's changes position on us now if you've examined yourself you see there's no sin and guess what he hasn't changed in that area obviously God can change his attitude towards us based upon our sin right if we have sin in our lives but for the most part his attributes his attribute is the fact that he does not change there is no variables variableness neither shadow of turning verse 18 of his own will begat he has to the word of truth that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures wherefore my beloved brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath what is he saying well if he begat us through the word of truth if the word of God was that powerful to save us should we not thereafter be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath so if God through his wonderful word can save our souls amen if he can save our souls how much more should we should we give heed to the things which we have heard to be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath there's a reason why God gave you two ears and one mouth but sometimes we behave as though we have two mouths and only one ear you know we talk more than we're than what we want to listen to okay and we want to opinionate more than actually just and actually listen you know shutteth your lips that's King James language right there he that shutteth his lips is a steam the man of understanding so look if you have the tendency to open your mouth too much just remember this shutteth your lips that's not proper obviously I understand that let me give you the modern version of it shut your mouth you're like can you go back to the other one you know we need to make sure that we're swift to hear what is swifty here we're ready to listen we're ready to hear slow to speak slow to wrath it goes on to say for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God you know wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls so here we see an instruction that whether it's through Bible reading or through preaching that we are to first what lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness so you know what that means is that obedience to God's Word requires for you to repent of sin so obedience to God's Word so you can gain God's blessing requires for you to subtract some sin from your life because he says lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word which is able to save your souls look at verse 22 so how do we receive with meekness the engrafted word but be doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves now why does it say that why does it say that someone who is only hearing the word and not doing it why are they deceiving themselves you know because they come to church and they think that just listening to good preaching is just good enough they come to church and they think you're just listening to hard preaching instructions and righteousness is sufficient but that's not sufficient cuz listening to the Bible is good cuz how I mean how are you gonna obey what you don't know right so listening to the Bible is good but you know what if you think that that's all you have to do you're deceiving yourself so when you go home you're like man I'm such a good Christian I went to church Sunday morning Saturday night Thursday heard a bunch of sermons on YouTube I'm like one of the best Christians ever liar you're deceiving yourself it's called self-deception you think you're all that in a bag of chips because you're listening to sermons yeah but I heard 150 sermons this week well so what did you obey out of those 150 there you know cuz the Bible tells us here if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man behold in his natural face in a glass for he beholded himself and go with his way and straightway forget it what manner of man he was see the reason we hear is so when we know what we have to obey and then we actually do the word we do the work okay the the the purpose of even listening and so when we take to give us instruction to know what to do so we can change because of the fact that it tells us lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness so if you're listening to the word but you're still smoking pot if you're listening to all these sermons but you're still you still got your blunts still got your rap music you still got your your worldly friends all but you hate homos you're really good with that well but did you lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness no okay then you're deceiving yourself I'm just like the prophet of old man well I don't remember John the Baptist like smoking pot and and drinking and listening to gangster rap that's not the way it works you're deceiving yourself why because we need to be doers of the word not hearers only hearing is good that's where it starts amen when someone comes to church they start hearing preaching they hear preaching online and it moves us it stirs us up but you know at the end of the day we need to take action we need to take action we need to get right we need to clean up our lives when you obey God so we're not deceiving ourselves okay it says here that it's like a man looking in beholding his natural face in the glass in other words it's like looking into a mirror right for he beholded himself he sees all the blemishes he sees that his hair is out of place and he's got spinach in his teeth he's got a pimple on his forehead a booger on the left nostril that's what I'm ears for right so you can see if there's anything you know if everything's in place right go with this way straight away forget about manner of man he was so he basically sees anything everything he walks away and he just doesn't correct anything here's preaching reads the Bible doesn't change anything you're deceiving yourself okay the Bible tells us in James chapter 4 verse 7 submit yourselves therefore to God resist the devil he will flee from you draw nigh to God and he'll draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purify your hearts ye double-minded so it talks about being double-minded in chapter one it's in relation to purifying their hearts it's no wonder that we see the instruction to lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of not in this because a person who doesn't they still have the the the naughtiness the superfluity of naughtiness and all the filthiness but they're still hearing the word what are they doing they're being double-minded because they're listening to one thing and doing a complete different thing that's called what hypocrite right so you're actually deceiving your own self when you hear the Word of God and you don't put it into practice now look I'm not saying like everything that you hear you're just gonna be able to do right off the bat right it's just like oh man I got like so much to work on we all got a lot to work on but here's the thing start with something I mean can you do like one thing I know you got yourself a task list there but work on something work on these one thing don't be the one where it says well I have so much to work on I'm just not gonna work on any on anything that's not the way to go you're deceiving yourself at that point okay look at second Peter chapter one hold your place there in James chapter one obviously we saw in second Peter chapter one when we went through the book there that we're to add to our faith virtue right and it tells us in verse number nine but he that lacketh these things is blind and cannot see how far off and that's forgotten he was perched from his old sins wherefore the rather brethren excuse me give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things ye shall never fall and again this is in reference to I mentioned that the second Peter chapter one is the James one this part is like the James one of second Peter chapter one okay go back to James chapter one look at verse 25 we're almost done it says but who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continue at their end he be not a forgetful here but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed if any man among you seem to be religious okay so here it's like someone who's acting religious right and bridleth not his tongue remember what we read earlier be swift to hear slow to speak right so if any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue what does it mean to bridle means to just oh shut your mouth that's right right shut up your lips lipids okay I'm just kidding bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is vain so he's like oh you got religion do you oh you're you're you're listening to the Word of God are you how's that tongue going you know are you gossiping are you slandering are you a tattler are you offending people if you're not bridling your tongue then you're deceiving yourself why is that because of the fact that those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man the Bible tells us look at James chapter 3 verse 1 James chapter 3 verse 1 my brethren be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation for in many things we offend all if any man offend not in word the same as a perfect man that same word we keep seeing over and over again entire and able also to bridle the whole body you see it's important to learn how to bridle your tongue okay what does it mean to bridle your tongue it means someone who's able to speak a good word in due season in other words you know when to speak you know when to opinionate and you know when not to okay go back to chapter 1 verse 27 so if someone says they're religious but they don't know how to bridle their tongue they're deceiving themselves that man's religion is vain look at verse 27 pure religion and undefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world so pure religion is the religion that does what they say they're going to do they are the doers of the word not hearers only so in other words he's saying look the pure religion of those who actually do so many because that's what you do when you're visiting the fatherless and the widows in their affliction you're out door to door you know and you're going to end up talking to widows you're going to end up talking to the childless you're actually doing the work not just talking about it okay but not only that it says that they keep themselves unspotted from the world so what is pure religion it's when you do the word and you're actually laying apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness because that's what that's talking about it talks about being unspotted from the world you're living a separated life okay you know so what is it teaching us here now here's the last scripture i'm gonna have you go to go to jude so notice that the last verse of chapter one ends with to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world so the the the culmination of this chapter is this to be a doer of the word not just to hear only but what does that mean it means to lay apart all filthiness with all superfluity of superfluity of naughtiness receiving with meekness the engrafted word doing the word and not just hearing it so living a separated life and doing what you're told to do right look at jude 20 but ye beloved building up yourselves on your most holy faith praying in the holy ghost keep yourselves in the love of god looking for the mercy of our lord jesus christ into eternal life and if some have compassion making a difference and others save with fear pulling them out of the fire just like in james visiting the the widows and the fatherless right in their affliction others save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh so if we can sum up what is pure religion would be this obeying god's word and and cleaning up your life living a separated life and obeying god's word seeking to preach the gospel see people saved and keeping your keeping yourself unspotted from the world or as jude would say hating even the garment spotted by the flesh this is a lifelong process here you know to have pure religion to see people saved to continually clean up your life but it's okay if it's a lifelong process as long as you're not deceiving yourself as long as you're not in church for like 10 years and you're just hearing the bible but you're not doing any of it you're you're vain your religion is vain oh but i'm so religious i go to an independent fundamental baptist church i hear preaching on on all the good subjects yeah but here's the thing it's vain if you don't actually do something with it now given there's sometimes there's going to be topics where it's it's more mental assent that you have to give of the knowledge is being dispersed right you're learning a certain doctrine and there's not necessarily an application to it it's just you need to learn the bible right but there's going to be times when you not only get knowledge but you understand that the grace of god has taught us to deny ungodliness and worldly lust right there's times when we actually have to clean up our lives become better christians better fathers better children better employees better wives etc we need to make sure that we give heed to this and understand hey this is the way it works we need to be doers of the word so chapter one is simply this trials are going to come the trial of your faith is more precious than that of gold right and it's going to help you to be more patient it's going to help you to increase your faith but also along with that we need to make sure that we're doers of the word not hearers only not deceive ourselves amen let's bow our heads and have a word of prayer father we thank you so much for your word thank you for james chapter one i pray god that you'd help us to be strong because we're all going to go through a trial and some of the trials that we're going to go through in this life will will at times be debilitating it'll be hurtful but help us to continue to increase our faith in you and as we mentioned this morning that when those trials come maybe we just need a spare tire and a good a good spare tire to get us to our next destination where we can get some help and continue to delight in the law of the lord and i pray that lord you would also help us to continue to be a doer of the word not just to hear only help us not to deceive ourselves and to recognize that we need to have pure religion not vain religion that we continue to put into practice that which we hear and live separated lives lord we love you so much and we thank you and we pray these things in jesus name amen