“It really is a joy”...........

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

The first thing that James says to Christians about trials, is “count it all joy”.......the Phillips translation of the Bible says it this way, “When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!” Or to consider it an opportunity for joy.

The phrase “count it all joy” means to consider, to think it through to it’s logical conclusion, just the way you would if you were working out a math problem. There is a right sequence to go through in the problem, and it comes to right ending. That’s the meaning here. We are to look at trial, and then consider what it’s going to bring into our lives. It’s a matter of Joy.

So as Christians, this is how we are to, and how we can, and how we ought to regard the trials ( and even the temptations ) that come into our lives. This is contrary to how we feel, and it’s not my first reaction, but, it’s how our Father directs us. We are to welcome them as friends.

A true friend will not hurt you, and trials ( while they can be very painful to say the least ) are not going to hurt us when it’s all said and done, but rather help us and encourage us in our walk with the Lord. Trials in that sense can become our friends.

As we go through James 1, it will become apparent to us why we can welcome them as friends.....but suffice to say, they will bring benefit into our lives.

Please take a moment to consider what is said by way of explanation in James 1:3. “knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”

Trials will produce something very helpful in our lives. Patience. That’s what the Lord gives us as we walk through a trial with Him. Let’s pray.

Lord, Your Word is like nothing else in the world. You speak right to our hearts and minds, and You tell us the truth, and here You tell us about trials, and what they will bring into our lives, and how we ought to look at them, and understand them. Thank You for that Lord. And, help us to take Your Word to heart, and to put it into application. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier

Calvary Chapel Visalia

Application/Promises

1. We can be completely sure of God’s Word.

2. What He says to us is precisely correct and true.

3. The subject of trials and temptations is important.

4. This is God’s counsel to us about trials.

5. Looking back on your trials don’t you see how they do help us?

6. God will get you through any trial.

7. Blessings of Grace, Power and Peace to you.

What can separate good friends?

Proverbs 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

We looked at this verse on Wed, in our through the Bible Study.

It talks about 2 kinds of people, or 2 kinds of actions, with 2 kinds of results. It speaks of love and it speaks of separation. It speaks of transgression, and it speaks of what might be done with that transgression, that is to cover it.

The wisdom of God here, tells us that the person who covers a transgression, is seeking love. To cover, means to hid, to conceal, to clothe, to spread over. Transgression, means sin, or rebellion, either against God or against people.

So, if someone sins, we don't have to go and tell anyone about it, but, we can cover it, we can conceal it, we can keep it to ourselves. And by doing so, we are seeking love. Being loving towards someone in their transgression, is exactly how the Lord is towards us. He seeks to bring His love into our lives when we have sinned. He does everything He can to cover it, to forgive it etc, etc.

On the other hand, if a person becomes aware of someone else's sin, and they repeat it, or "do it again" that is to tell it to someone else, can wind up separating the best of friends.

The meaning could also be, that if you sin, and your friend is gracious towards you, and seeks to cover your sin in love, but you continually take advantage of their graciousness, that you could lose that friendship. That's one way to separate the best of friends, by taking advantage of their love.

But, surely, the other meaning is something we see all the time in life, that someones sin gets spread around by word of mouth, and it gets back to someone, and a friendship is lost. Good friends are separated.

Lord, help us to be like You are towards sin, and towards sinners. Help us to be towards others the way that You are towards us. Full of Grace, Full of Mercy, and Full of Forgiving Love. May we make friends and not separate friends.

In Jesus name ....amen

Bob Grenier

Senior Pastor Calvary Chapel Visalia

P.S.......some practical applicational thoughts.

God has plenty of love to give us to give to others.

Others need the love of God just as much as we do.

Friends are a blessing, let's bless them, and help them be better friends.

Covering someone's transgression, can be done by just bringing it to the Lord and asking for His help.

Let's leave others transgression with the Lord, He will take care of it, and of them.