**James 1:2-4** *My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.*
**1Peter 1:6-7** *Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 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 honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ…*
**Hebrews 12:1-2** *Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.*
**Romans 8:28** *And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.*
1. Trials are a part of life… for everyone; we should expect them - James uses the word “when”… “when ye fall into divers temptations…”
2. We need to understand that God is in control; He is sovereign! Nothing can touch a child of God without His permission. Job didn’t suffer because he was a sinner, but rather because He was holy. God doesn’t always cause the trials we endure, but God always uses them for our good and His glory!
3. God uses tests and trials to produce “patience”, i.e., endurance, to the end that we will be “perfect and entire”, i.e., complete!
4. We must trust God’s plan. We must not rebel, but rather LET God use this test to bring about His purposes. God doesn’t use trials to break us, but rather to make us!
I Didn’t Sign Up for This!
Dealing With Life’s Trials
April 12, 2020 • Bro. Lynn Schuyler
He Gives More Grace
April 7, 2024 • Bro. Lynn Schuyler • James 4:6–12
James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. James 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Where's the Beef?
March 3, 2024 • Bro. Lynn Schuyler • James 4:1–5
James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Who is a Wise Man?—It’s Not What You Know, but What You Show
February 18, 2024 • Bro. Lynn Schuyler • James 3:13–18
James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.