We are thinking about why some Christians’ roots reach down deep into the center of Christ in faith and others’ do not. We suggested it has to do with trust. Those people who respond to life’s trials with confidence that God can eventually turn whatever we face to good, find that as a result their roots go down deeper into God. Thanksgiving, worship and praise during a time of trial has a powerful effect on our spiritual roots and causes them to strengthen and penetrate. I know two Christian women who went through the painful experience of desertion by their husbands. One developed great bitterness towards God for allowing this to happen. Her roots went to the surface for sustenance and she sought relief in the entertainment arts, alcohol and excessive comfort eating. Sadly, life for her became like Jeremiah’s unfruitful ‘bush in the wasteland’ and she was unable to see God’s prosperity when it comes’ as seen in Jeremiah 17:6 saying, “6 For he shall be like a shrub in the desert: and shall not see when prosperity comes, but shall live in the rocky places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.” The other abandoned wife, though deeply hurt, began to focus on God, meditating on the word of God and the things of God and not on her distressing circumstances, actively seeking God’s presence and direction. This resulted in a ministry that has encouraged thousands of other women and drawn them into a closer walk with God. Unless there is an ultimate trust in the goodness of God in our hearts irrespective of our situations, we are most likely to turn to that which is temporary for spiritual sustenance when we encounter troubles and life challenges. When these trials come, it is important to do what James suggest to: ‘consider it pure joy’. George Muller (1805 -1898), a man of great faith who founded the Bristol orphanages and saw many answers to prayer said: ‘The only way to learn great faith is to endure great trials.’ That may be something we don’t want to hear, but it’s what we need to hear.

Now let us read James 1:1-18; James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings ([a]rejoice)! 2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. 3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. 4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing. 5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [b]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. 7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, 8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. 9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], 10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun comes up with a scorching heat and parches the grass; its flower falls off and its beauty fades away. Even so will the rich man wither and die in the midst of his pursuits. 12 Blessed (happy, [c]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. 14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). 15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death. 16 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect ([d]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]. 18 And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself].

James 1:1-18 encourages believers to find joy in trials, understanding that these experiences test and purify their faith, leading to spiritual growth and maturity. It emphasizes that God provides wisdom and strength to those who ask, and that He is the source of all good gifts, never tempting anyone with evil. One test concerning the genuineness of a diamond is for a jeweler to place it in clear water. A real diamond will sparkle with a special brilliance, while an imitation stone will have no sparkle at all. When placed side-by-side, even an untrained eye will be able to easily tell the difference between the two. And in a similar way, there is a test that makes clear the kind of strength and genuineness of faith that resides within a believer. It is a test that will show if faith is alive or dead. It is the test of suffering in our lives called the Cross! This is the test that is spoken of first in the book of James. Throughout this letter of James, he will contrast the sparkle of true faith verses the signs of dead faith. Back in 2013, I was pastoring in South Korea and was able to witness a Church come alive as we lived out our faith in ways I had never seen before. It was a special season of ministry where we were able to bring change in Korea as a Church said the narrator. Within a few years, we were able to change 15 laws (10 concerning trafficking and 5 concerning adoption), we helped rescue and restore many survivors of sex trafficking in Korea, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines. We were a part of a growing adoption and orphan care movement for Asia, and helped many single moms and vulnerable groups in Korea. We were becoming alive in our faith because it was no longer just an individual faith that was expressed only on the weekends. It was exciting to see a Church rise up that was committed to declaring the gospel as well as demonstrating the gospel in our cities and through our lives. This book of James was a key part of our understanding the biblical basis through which we were living out our faith. And this first in a series of studies will look at how true faith works. The letter begins with this: James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]: Greetings ([a]rejoice)! James was the brother of Lord Jesus and a leader in the Council of Church in Jerusalem [The Sanhedrin]. James is writing this to the Churches dispersed in the region and around the world to those going through suffering and he is seeking to connect what we believe with how we live. And speaking to the suffering today, his word is one of pastoral encouragement so we see suffering in its proper light. And when we are able to see it properly, we can also turn these trails into treasures. So how can we turn trials into treasures? One thing we must do is Trust God as we pass through every trial according to James 1:2 that says, “2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.” ‘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 in nothing.’ He begins by saying, “Consider it all joy” or pure joy when we “meet trials of various kinds.” Sounds strange at first, doesn’t it? How in the world can we be joyful during our difficulties? Why does he say or add, Because trials can deepen and develop our faith in a way; then one can try to consider doing it as he said! But the way James put it, it is difficult for one to do it, except with growth and maturity! I think God has our growth and maturity in mind that is why He made James to present it the way he did. Stacy was the wife of one of my youth pastor’s back in Korea and she went through over 36 hours of labor! That is a pain that no man will ever know. The joy of hearing someone go into labor is not because the mom is experiencing deep hurt, but because we know very soon, there will be great happiness at the birth of a child. So consider it a joy when you are in the pains of labor because you know that it’s just a matter of time before you will see brand new life. And that is the way it is with every painful sufferings and hardship that we pass through in life, if we are able to forebear and pass through it with joy, James said, God assures us that what will follow will be to us like a brand new life. For the believer in Christ, all pain serves a greater purpose. All pain that our Lord God permits to come our way, serves a greater purpose in our lives for those who will endure and learn. How do we know this? Verse 3 says: 3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. All pain is a test of faith. It is very important to know this divine truth! • What do we believe about God? • What do we believe about God’s promises? • Will I still trust in God’s Word? • Will I still trust in God’s character and goodness? Nothing tests our faith in God like suffering. Nothing! That is why James is encouraging all true believers to count it all Joy when Suffering comes their way because that is when our Lord God wants to test you to see if really you are true and steadfast to your belief in Him! Suffering reveals faith. And it refines faith. But it also stretches faith and it strengthens faith, when we choose to trust Him our Lord God. We can trust God in our suffering because God is doing something in the midst of it. God is producing something within the pain. Remember all things works for good… 3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience. God is doing something in us, producing something in us, during the trial … as we trust and remain steadfast with Joy passing through what is happening to us irrespective of how fearful and painful it is! If you are a child of God, then God brings pain not to punish us, but to purify us and to prune or clean us. Therefore trust Him through every trial and suffering! In Christ, it is very important to know that all things have a purpose. And even pain has a redemptive [Saving] purpose. For God is committed to Saving and to Sanctifying us to be more like Christ. This is the mindset of God whenever He is dealing with us, to make or transform us into the image of Christ! Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. It is vital to know that this making or transformation to conform to the image of Christ is going on and the selection is in progress as people die, and it is those who pass the test that will be amongst those who will occupy the New Earth that is in the making, our God knows how to bring all these about! God is not committed to your comfort but to do whatever it takes to conform you into the image of His Son irrespective of whether it causes you pain knowing that after pain comes joy. So the question in our suffering is not, “Why?” - which is often the first question we ask. It is not about asking, “Why are you doing this?” or “Why did you allow this?” That question has already been answered. God has allowed it into your life in order to somehow, someway form Christ in you. Do you now get it? Meaning that the whole thing is all about Forming Christ in us, so suffering is one way for us to be like Christ Who Suffered! So instead of asking, “Why?” the better question to ask is, “What?” “What are you trying to do in me through this situation to make me more like Christ?’’ But it’s so hard to believe and see what God is trying to do, isn’t it? It’s hard to know what steps to take in the midst of our suffering. This is why we need His wisdom to guide us. So in order to see your suffering properly, and in order to respond to suffering properly, we need wisdom from God, and in other to have that wisdom from God to act properly you need to accept and welcome the trial and suffering with joy knowing that God is doing something. Therefore pray for this wisdom, guidance and direction in suffering and life challenges. So verse 5 says: 5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of [b]the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. 6 Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. You will agree with me that praying to ask for wisdom, guidance and direction in such situation is hard and tempting because assuming God uses a prophet to talk to you and what you are hearing does not go down well with you, verse 6 starts happening, is it not? So pray in faith, without doubting God’s goodness or His character. Because the one who doubts God’s character and goodness is unstable. Why? Because there is no foundation. Thus, they will move because of the wind. But people of faith will move because of the Word. True wisdom is more than just “what to do” it’s about knowing who to trust and who to follow in times like this. 7 For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, 8 [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]. Can you get it now! So always try not to be like this verse seven person whenever you find yourself in this type of situation! God said through James that this verse seven person [he] will not receive what he asks for because his hands of faith are not held out to trust that he will receive something good from the Father’s hand. A sign of trust is seen in open hands to receive. When my son, Emmanuel, was 2 years old, he would smile at everyone, but he wouldn’t go into the arms of everyone. He would only open his arms to those whom he trusted. And that’s a reflection of our hearts too. We open up our hearts and hands and arms only to those that we trust. And in our storms, God is asking us to open our arms, trust Him, and enter into His rest. 9 Let the brother in humble circumstances glory in his elevation [as a Christian, called to the true riches and to be an heir of God], 10 And the rich [person ought to glory] in being humbled [by being shown his human frailty], because like the flower of the grass he will pass away. Why does James suddenly talk about money after talking about trials and suffering? And why does he say the rich are in a lowly position while the poor are in a better position? It’s because difficulties reveal our dependence. Hard times show us what we are holding onto for strength, comfort, and hope. For those with great wealth, the temptation is to trust in bank accounts to get them through life. How do you answer this statement: “As long as I have _______________ in the future, I’ll be okay.” • As long as I have money? • As long as I have a spouse? • Or as long as I have God, I’ll be okay. Assuming you are asked to choose from above and fill the blank space, which will you choose? When life gets hard, we see what we are depending on to get us through. Some people will shop, others will sleep, many will eat, and still others will drink coffee to get them through hard times. But faith-filled people will pray and trust God through every trial, asking Him for wisdom, guidance and direction. Another element of handling trials properly is when we ... Treasure God through every trial. James 1:12 12 Blessed (happy, [c]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. Blessed and happy is the one who remains steadfast in faith, trusting in God under trials, because when we have passed the tests of suffering, pain, and loss, and still trust Him God, we will receive the crown of life - faith’s reward. Look again at what the end of verse 12 says: James 1:12 12 Blessed (happy, [c]to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him. He doesn’t say to those who “trust Him”, it says for those who love Him! What is that test? It is a test for you to see who you love more! Do you love yourself more or God? Do you love comfort more or God and what God is doing for you through the pain and suffering? Do you love pleasure more or trust treasure in Christ? Because holding onto Christ in the midst of pain and suffering is declaring from your heart, “Lord Jesus, I love You more.” It’s telling Lord Jesus that we love Him more than comfort, more than our loss, and even more than our lives. That kind of heart brings great glory to Lord Jesus and brings a crown of life on your head. One of my favorite songs that reminds me of this kind of love is the old song from Hillsong, Lord Jesus Lover of My Soul. The chorus goes, “I love You, I need You, though my world might fall, I’ll never let You go.” I think that line depicts the kind of love this verse is talking about. So many times we love to declare how God’s love is unconditional love for us. No matter what happens, no matter what we do, God loves us. Without condition, He loves us! And what an amazing love that is. We celebrate and sing about His unconditional love for us. “I could sing of your love forever, and ever, and ever.” But how often do we declare and celebrate and sing about our unconditional love for Lord Jesus? How often do we say that no matter what happens in my life, no matter what God chooses to do, no matter what He chooses to take away, my love for Him will remain. Even if I never get that job, or spouse, or child … that though my world might fall, I’ll never let You my Lord Jesus Christ go. “No matter what, Lord Jesus, I’m going to sincerely and truly love You anyways.” This is the anthem of the redeemed and regenerated heart that’s been washed by the blood of Lord Jesus and won over by His love. So as we celebrate God’s unconditional love for us, let us in return, declare our unconditional love for Him! That is what it means to treasure God through every trial. It is saying that more than anything else, during this time of suffering, we love Him more. • More than getting what I want … • More than getting more comfortable … • More than getting out of this prison … • More than getting healed of this sickness … • More than seeing your loved ones healed … I treasure and love Lord Jesus … more … Those who have been given the grace to truly love God will last through the trials. But this is precisely the area that Satan attacks in us when pain comes. The enemy’s target of attack is centered around our faith and our love. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. 14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). 15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death. When life is hard, we naturally want to please our flesh. So in times of hardships, many give in to temptations. We will often compromise, saying to ourselves that it’s too hard. I need this. I need to give myself this personal pleasure to make up for this time of pain. What we need to see is that every temptation is drawing us to love something more than Lord Jesus. That is the essence of sin. Temptation is a desire to dishonor God and dethrone God from the center of our lives. We want to call our own shots, take control, and be our own god deciding for our self instead of allowing God to decide for us. So in verse 13, James is reminding us that God does not tempt us. It is never God’s desire to see us fall into sin. Rather, His desire is to see us fall on our knees before the cross and surrender our sins to Him. Every time you fall, it’s time to crawl … back to the cross and begin again. When you discover that it’s not about our love or our goodness, but His, then you begin to see the worth of the Savior and the treasure that He is. And in so doing, you are able to treasure God through every trial. And a third thing we learn about navigating through our times of trial is the need to ... See the true God through every trial James 1:16 16 Do not be misled, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect ([d]free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse]. 18 And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself]. James now says, “Do not be deceived!” Don’t be deceived by lies or by false images of who our God really is. God is not out to get or trap you. God does not want you to fall or fail. If you are in Christ, God is not mad at you! He is mad about you being in pleasant places! One of the biggest struggles during our suffering is to see God properly - not through the lens of pain but through the lens of God’s promises. But it’s always hard to see clearly when your eyes are full of tears in pains. So James tells us in verse 17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. What does this teach us about God? It tells us that only good gifts come from God’s hand. In fact, all that is good in life come from Him. Every good gift - family, friends, food, fellowship, are all gifts from God. So James reminds us to know who our God really is: • He is a Father. • A loving kind Father. • He is good. • He does not change. • He will always be Your good Father. • He will always be good to you. Always. Warren Wiersbe once said, “When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eyes on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. His loving heart knows how much and how long.” How you see God determine how you act around Him. And what you do after your sin reveals who you believe our God to be. A dear sister at our Church Buri said a narrator, had just came back from a 3 month trip to the US visiting organizations and groups that are fighting human trafficking. In every major city of the US there are many South Korean women who are victims of sex trafficking. She was able to talk with these Korean women because the women wouldn’t open up and speak with the US police or aftercare workers. When the police asked the survivors how they became victims or how they ended up where they were, they would all initially lie and say they weren’t victims and that nothing was wrong with them. The police would say, “We’re here to help you and keep you safe.” But the women would not believe it. When finally given a safe environment to speak honestly with Buri other team members from Korea, they finally opened up. They shared that, yes, they were victims of human trafficking. And yes, they were in serious need of help. When Buri asked, “Why didn’t you just tell the police this? They are here to help you!” They just could not believe it. Why? Because in Korea, they saw the corruption in the police force. They see the badge, but they also see deception, corruption and oftentimes they see someone they must service for free when they see the police. They could not see the police in the US as people there to help them because of the harm that they experienced with the police in Korea. Their false perception kept them from getting the help and freedom they needed. And in a similar way, many people today have a false image of God. They think that He’s out to get, trap or punish them. Or they think that He doesn’t really care about us as He promised. That false image (or lie!) prevents them from getting the help and the happiness that is found in Him. Instead of running to Him, we run away from Him. And that is exactly what the enemy wants us to do, Run Away from Him! And that is exactly why in every temptation, the devil casts doubt into God’s goodness towards us. Only when we believe God to be who He says He is in the Bible, a good God and good Father, who does not change, then we can have hearts that are free to trust. Only when we believe and truth, will we be set free to run into His arms with childlike confidence and faith. It is crucial to see the true God through every trial if we’re going to be able to go through that trial with faith.

Mike Leake, in his book Torn to Heal, says: “The Bible holds out a theology of suffering that has a good and sovereign God standing over every second of our pain, going through it with us, and ultimately bringing us out on the other side with more lasting joy in Himself.” That is the aim of our God. So what will turn our trails on earth into crowns of treasures in eternity? Faith that will trust in the Suffering Servant. Faith in the One who took our suffering and sin upon Himself so that one day, suffering and sin would finally be no more … forever. That is the Hope we have through every trial, “looking to Lord Jesus, the founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) We look to Him because He will carry us through the fiery storms and He will faithfully carry us home.