Sermon Tone Analysis
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“Find It Pure Joy...”
James tells us to “find it pure Joy” when we face trials…
BUT… How do we do that?
James says to us:
— “Remember, trials bring spiritual maturity”
— “Perseverance makes our Faith complete”
— “Endurance brings us to a place where we lack nothing”
We talked about this last week…
James tells us that “Trials TEST our Faith,”… and… Faith — held to — produces endurance… endurance produces perseverance… which, in turn, produces a Mature Faith.
What is Faith?
(I’ve said this many times…)
— Faith is NOT as simple as “believing in things unseen”
— It is more…
— Faith pistis - “to believe to the extent of complete trust and reliance” (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains)
The Dictionary of Biblical Languages defines faith as: “a state of certainty with regard to belief”
So… If we want a “working” definition of Faith…
Faith is “having certainty in God’s Promises to His children… AND… the FACT that we are His children!” (Pastor Tony)
Everybody say: “I Am A Child Of God.”
Do you believe that?
— We have to “trust” that promise!
How do we do that?!
How do we learn to trust God completely?
How do we stand Faithful in the face of trials?
Where do we turn when doubt and hardship invade our lives?
I’m glad you asked!
James says: When you doubt… when you struggle… when you need direction because you do not know where to turn…
Turn to God!
When we don’t know where to turn, we need to turn to the One who loves us more than any other being in this universe…
We need to turn to the One who can — and will — carry us when we cannot walk on our own…
We need to turn to the One who promises to “never leave us or forsake us”… the One who promises to see us through to the very end of the race!
We MUST recognize that we CANNOT do it ourselves…
You do understand that, right?
You cannot do it yourself… You can’t heal your marriage… you can’t love your wife… your kids… your family… your friends… or your neighbor… without God!
You cannot overcome this world… with its trials and tribulations… by yourself!
WE NEED GOD’S HELP!!!!
“Triumph in our trials is tied to our ability to see things from God’s perspective.”
— Pastor David Owens
We NEED God’s wisdom!
James understood this.
James wasn’t/isn’t suggesting that some of us have it figured out… that some people don’t “lack” wisdom…
— To think that is foolishness!
No… He is saying “When you lack wisdom”, or “Since you lack wisdom”…
— A lack of Godly wisdom is a given… it’s a reality!
NONE of us is as smart as we think we are, or as wise as we think we are!
We need God’s wisdom, and…
We don’t just need it SOME of the time… We need God’s wisdom ALL the time!
This is something that John Wesley’s mom, Susannah, understood…
(tell story)
Church… Our Problem is… We don’t always want to admit our need!
— That’s why we make excuses for not spending quality time alone with God!
“I’m too busy… I can’t find the time.”
“I don’t know how to do it”
“I don’t know what to pray”
“...”
We will MAKE time for what we FEEL is important…
— Recognizing our NEED is the first step towards the wisdom and help we need.
We NEED to be like Susannah — We need to intentionally get alone with the God who loves us… KNOWING that He is the ONLY One who can give us the wisdom and direction we need.
And James promises… He will give it “ungrudgingly”…
— not making fun of us…
— not degrading us…
— but LOVING us!
BUT… We need to stop for just a minute… we need to back up… and ask:
What is wisdom?
You see… We tend to think of wisdom and knowledge as the same thing…
Wisdom and Knowledge are related… but not synonymous.
Wisdom — “the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting”
Knowledge — “information gained through experience, reasoning, or association.”
Knowledge can exist without wisdom…
Knowledge exists in the head… it doesn’t necessarily take root in the heart… a person can be extremely intelligent without being wise.
I’ve known some really nice, smart guys, who I’d describe as: “The stupidest smart guys I know.”
… Because they were “book smart”, but not “street smart”.
There is a difference between knowing things (knowledge) and applying those things to our lives (Wisdom)…
Knowledge is gained over time through study… Wisdom applies the knowledge properly!
— knowledge understands a red light means stop… wisdom applies the brakes.
— knowledge sees quicksand and knows the danger… wisdom walks around it.
— knowledge knows the Ten Commandments, or the Sermon on the Mount… wisdom obeys them.
— knowledge learns “of God”… and memorizes scripture… wisdom LOVES God.
A person — even a Christian — can be an “educated fool!”
We live in the most skilled, knowledgable, and technologically advanced generation ever, BUT… we are also the most profane, violent, and hedonistic generation ever!
We have knowledge at our fingertips, but… we lack wisdom.
But…
The knowledge of God comes through God’s self-revelation… in scripture.
“The wisdom of God is found in the Word of God!”
— The Bible is the “Written” Word of God… in it is found everything we need to live a Holy Life!
— In it we discover Christ!
And Christ is the FULLNESS of God’s Word!
Paul says:
BUT… understand this Church… Wisdom does not come from simply reading this (the Bible)!
— the Wisdom of God is found only in complete submission to Him.
Where do we get wisdom?
From God!
If we ASK, God WILL deliver!
If “worldly” wisdom contradicts, or goes against God, IT IS FALSE “WISDOM”!
Let me ask: “How does God impart wisdom?”
Through His Spirit, His Word, and Prayer.
— God’s wisdom doesn’t come as a “sudden revelation”… that hits out of nowhere…
— You won’t find it in “Dear Abby”, or Reader’s Digest, or in a Facebook meme…
— God’s wisdom comes directly from Him!
— — through His revealed Word.
Colossians 2:3 tells us that God’s word is revealed through Christ…
We need to be IMMERSED in God’s Word…
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