David Henneke's Podcast

James 1:19-27

Ultimately, the key to BOTH….RESPONDING to TRIALS and RESISTING TEMPTATION is found in our reaction to the Word of God. In this final section of Chapter 1, James states that we have three responsibilities toward God’s Word: RECEIVE IT (vs. 19-21), OBEY IT (22-25) and PROCLAIM IT (26-27)

James 1:12-18
After dealing with the subject of wisdom, James returns to his central theme of this chapter—Testing of our Faith. The Testing of our Faith occurs thru TRIALS and TEMPTATIONS. In verses 12-18 James tells us “how to overcome temptations”. We tend to think of sin as a single act but God sees it as a process. James describes this process in FOUR STAGES:

Stage One DESIRE
Stage Two DECEPTION
Stage Three DISOBEDIENCE
Stage Four  DEATH

James 1:5-12
Why do we need to ask for wisdom when we are going through a trial? Why not ask for strength, grace or even for the trial to be removed?

Here’s the reason….and it’s connected to what we learned LAST WEEK…we need wisdom so that we will not waste the opportunity God is giving us to grow in Christlike maturity. Wisdom helps us understand how to use our trials for our good and God’s glory. 

James 1:2-4
Sermon in a sentence: Attitude determines action

Repentance is more than having a conviction of sin (Felix, Acts 24) and it is more than giving a confession of sin (Pharaoh, Ex 9; Balaam, Numbers 22; Saul, 1 Samuel 15; Achan, Joshua 7). The Greek word for Repentance is metanoia and it is a change of mind AND and change of heart that LEADS TO a change in action. If Repentance does not lead to a change of action then it is not true (Biblical) repentance.

Jeremiah 29:11promised that the nation of Israel would be restored, but very few of the exiles lived to see the fulfillment of that prophecy. Most of them died without seeing the “future” that God had planned for them. A future that wasn’t fulfilled until 70 years later. Likewise, the future & hope we have in Christ are not a guarantee that things will go well in this life. For most believers throughout history and in the world today, the world is a cold and dangerous place. In fact, the promise outlined in Romans 8 is specifically that, even though believers will face all sorts of dangers and persecutions in this life, Jesus will never abandon us. May the words of Jeremiah 29:11 remind us that God is faithful and He will never abandon us. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 The statement “God won’t give you more than you can handle”  is both untrue and unhelpful. Quite simply the Bible does not teach this. In fact, the Bible actually teaches the opposite truth. Understanding this will enable us to to give better encouragement to those who are suffering. 

Matthew 5:10 The Beatitude does not say, “Blessed are the persecuted, PERIOD!” Unfortunately, this is the way it is sometimes interpreted. Those who read it like this delude themselves into thinking that any time they experience conflict they are bearing the reproach of Christ. Sadly, Christians are very often persecuted not for their Christianity, but for a lack of it. Sometimes they are rejected simply because they have unpleasing personalities. Know that EVERYONE who seeks to live like Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED…There are no exceptions!

Matthew 5:9, This divine pronouncement…understood…taken to heart…and applied by the Holy Spirit, can not only bring inner peace to our own troubled hearts but it can also make us instruments of peace to those that are troubled. In other words….It has the potential to give us peace within and to make us mediators of peace in the lives of those around us. may we all be both Recipients and Distributors of the Peace of God

Matthew 5:8
The pure in heart are marked by transparency & an uncompromising desire to please God in all things. It is more than an external purity of behavior; it is an internal purity of soul. Imagine having a heart that is totally focused on God. FOUR THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ENHANCE THE FOCUS OF YOUR HEART (1) Be honest (2) Acknowledge that only God can make your heart pure (3) Fill yourself with God’s Word and (4) Think about what you will be in eternity.