Why Do Trials Make You Stronger? | Bible, Bros & Brew

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On this episode of Bible Bros and Brew, we're going to start a new series digging into the book of James, going verse by verse and doing some classic Bible exposition.
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So stay tuned.
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It's going to be a great one here on Bible Bros and Brew.
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My name is Philip.
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Uh, yes, the one talking with the choppy visuals.
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And I also have with me John in the middle there, and my cohort, co-host, and co-conspirator, uh David McIntyre, taking a sip of his coffee.
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So we're um we're excited about this episode, guys.
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It's gonna be a brand new series, and I'm pretty sure uh none of us are gonna know how many episodes this might turn out to be.
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I'll go ahead and say that up front.
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But we're gonna be talking about or digging into the book of James, going verse by verse.
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Uh, we were talking about it last week, just kind of after the show, and we were saying that you know, we've we've got a lot of topical uh episodes here on the on the podcast, just different things we've covered about, you know, Bible-based uh subjects of this, that, or the other kind.
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But how cool would it be for us to build a library of Bible study, verse by verse exposition type of podcast episodes?
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And so that's the kind of in the spirit of what we're gonna be doing tonight, just really digging into uh, first of all, starting with the book of James, just digging into it verse by verse, taking our time and just really, you know, explaining what's right there in the text, because one of the things that, you know, I think really set me on solid ground, and I know I can probably speak for David and John too, is when I took the time to actually go and read the Bible for myself, not even so much listening to sermons about the Bible, which is important.
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I don't want to take away from that, but also taking the time to read God's word for yourself is absolutely critical because you'll see that there's different little little treasures and gems and nuggets you can pull out of the scripture that maybe did not get covered in in a typical Sunday sermon or whatever the case is, but it's things that the Holy Spirit can start revealing to you based on your own study of the scripture.
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And so even though I know that David's read the book of James many times, I've read it many times, I'm sure John's read it many times, there's always something new to pull out of the scriptures.
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There's always something new that you can discover, even though you've read those verses five, six, ten, twenty times.
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It's almost like uh, and and I heard a pastor say this a while back.
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He said, God's word is like a finely cut diamond.
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He said it's going to reflect a different light based on how the light hits it, based on what angle the light hits it.
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So you might see one thing at one moment, but then you study that same verse or that same passage maybe another day, and a whole different thing stands out to you.
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And so that's what excites me about getting into the word, uh, going verse by verse.
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And I think even as we do this this series where we're studying different books, I promise you we might go back maybe a year later and do the same book and have a whole different set of things to talk about.
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So that's exciting.
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And I but before I we dig too deep into actually the the beginning of the book of James, um, we gotta always kick it off with our famous question here on the podcast, which is what is in the cup?
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So let's find that out.
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David, what's the deal?
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What is now that you've joined us again, what is in your cup?
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I was just surprised to be called first.
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Um tonight I am in a fall mood, and so I am having my first cup of pumpkin spice of the season.
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Come on now.
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I feel strange drinking it because it is um it still feels early, but it is September, so God bless the pumpkin spice and the lovely creamy foam that I've made the creative.
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Wow.
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Yes, nothing wrong with that, sir.
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I said, how about you, John?
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Oh, okay.
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I'm I'm sorry.
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See, I was just kind of taken aback because you see, I also am drinking a pumpkin spice.
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But I guarantee you though, it's it's we're drinking two different pumpkin spices.
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My pumpkin spice is from Black Rifle Coffee Company.
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Okay.
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Okay.
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See, I made uh an iced iced pumpkin spice coffee.
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Excuse me.
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Sorry, I had to I it's a it's it's basically cold.
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It's a cold pumpkin spice coffee.
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Uh very, very strong, and honestly, see, unlike Mr.
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David, with all due respect, this is my first fall.
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Actually, no, I can't say that because now that I recall, I had a few fall flavored coffees these past weeks.
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I I sure did, yeah.
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I can't say that.
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Yeah, I can't say that.
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But this is my first pumpkin spice.
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Yeah, sorry.
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So it's good, dude.
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And it's cold.
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I I like a good cup of iced coffee.
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Um I get very hot very quickly, so sometimes it's nice to be refreshed with coffee.
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It's very strong, too.
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So I'm not mad.
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Good stuff.
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What about you, Mr.
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Phil?
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Well, um I've had quite a bit of coffee today already.
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So anytime that happens, I know that I have to crank up the decaf for this for the podcast in the evening.
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So I did just that, and I've got Peregrine's new decaf offering called the Peru La Bicunia, and it is from the rich soils of the Peruvian region, and we've got hints of fudge, praline, and hazelnut.
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So as I've heard it once, yeah, man, it's it's beautiful, and uh, it has a crisp finish and a never-ending beginning.
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So uh it's really, really great.
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Sorry, I got that from JP Sears, I can't lie.
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So, but anyway, did you say crisp finish in a never-ending beginning?
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I sure did, I sure did.
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Okay, I next slide.
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I still don't understand, but I don't it'll register in just a few minutes, John.
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Yeah, just go down a few verses in James and I'll I'll let you know.
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Okay.
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Yeah, man.
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Now there's a video on YouTube called uh People Who Take Their Coffee Too Seriously, and he he that's one of the lines from it.
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I stole that, so but uh anyway.
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Um, but yes, so we're gonna go ahead and kick it off and start looking into the book of James and looking at uh, of course, starting with chapter one.
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Now, for those who may not know, just a little bit of an intro here.
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James was um the brother of Jesus, the natural brother of Jesus.
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And it says so in several places.
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Uh, I think one of them is in Galatians, where Paul says, James, the Lord's brother.
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There's some other spots where it just identifies him as you know the brother of Jesus.
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And what's interesting is as we read the book of James, I want those of you guys in the audience or in our podcast listening crowd to um think about some of the things that Jesus said in the different places in the gospels and really kind of match it up to some of the things that James uh mentions in his his book because there's or in his letter rather, because there's a lot of similarities and a lot of things.
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And so you can tell he hung out with his brother quite a bit.
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He was one of the apostles, and he picked up on a lot of what Jesus was saying, and so that I think that's a pretty cool little um little kind of a side note there about this book, is that you'll see a lot of the spirit of what Jesus was saying in many of the things James said as well.
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And of course, as are practically all the New Testament books, it this is a letter.
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This is not a book in the traditional sense of like a standalone work of nonfiction.
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This is um James's letter, and we'll see it here in a minute when he opens up the letter.
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It's actually uh addressed to the 12 tribes.
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So it was mainly targeting the Jewish Jewish diaspora.
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I think that's how you say that word, a diaspora, however you say it.
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The different tribes that have been scattered all throughout the region where they were.
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So um we're gonna be um, you know, just kind of taking it from that angle because a lot of times we forget that the early church was comprised of a lot of Jewish people, you know, that that was like the majority of folks that were the the newest converts to the faith were uh Jewish folks.
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And then, of course, as Paul began to do his ministry, uh, more of the Gentiles started coming in, and and then it became kind of a mixture of Jew and Gentile in the church.
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But um, anyway, so this is uh an early epistle, obviously.
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And let's just look at the first verse here.
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Uh Phil, before you go ahead, the other thing that it's important to remember when when James talks about how he wrote this letter to the 12 tribes or to the diaspora, um, remember that Israel had been spread out, they'd been scattered.
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And so it wasn't like he was just speaking to the Jewish people back in the land that God had given them.
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By this point, uh, there had been so much disobedience, so many other things that had happened that Israel had been spread out literally uh all over the world, the living world.
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And so that's why you when you put the pieces together, you begin to see this is why Paul traveled all over the place.
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And then while there were certain brothers in certain areas and certain brothers way over here in other areas, uh, you know, you can have somebody in Greece, and somebody way on the other side, well, not way, but a great distance away in Turkey, and then down south of that in Israel, but even further south of that in Africa, and then over here there.
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So there everybody was all over the place, and so their decision was to spread themselves around, but then when he Paul is he is the first one that we hear, Philip, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, where he addresses his letter to everybody spread around, right?
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Right, so he has a there is intent about what he's writing, and I'll say one other thing about James, he's very practical in his writing.
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So I wouldn't, as you're reading through this, I wouldn't try to be super spiritual deep.
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Yes, I would look very practically first at what James is writing because it will that will serve you well.
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That's so good, David.
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It's so true, too, because you know, when we talk about like looking at the letters of Paul, that's a little bit of a different story, right?
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Because Paul was a very uh well-studied man, he was an intellectual, he was uh went to the best schools of his day, and so he he was an academic for all intents and purposes.
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And so a lot of the things that Paul shared were quite heady, quite cerebral.
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And then even Peter mentioned it in 2 Peter at near the end of the his uh his his letter, he said, Hey, look, there's some letters from Paul that are kind of complicated to understand.
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He's like, you know, a lot of people that don't really get it, they twist this stuff that he says for their own to their own destruction.
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But James is not like that.
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James is on the other side of the spectrum.
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He's uh actually there there's a famous kind of a saying about James, the book of James is that it's considered to be the proverbs of the New Testament.
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And I love that that kind of a uh kind of a definition of what of how James's style is.
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It is very much like a proverbs type of style, very practical, very uh no nonsense and kind of down-to-earth wisdom.
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And so um, there's a lot of it in this book, and so yeah, we'll go ahead and just uh throw that first verse up there in James.
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And we're we're reading from the English Standard Version, and it says here, James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes in the dispersion, just like David mentioned earlier.
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Um, verse one, I want to just point this out real quick.
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Notice he didn't even name himself uh an apostle, even though he was one of the 12.
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He was like, I'm just a servant, dude.
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You know, I you know, he didn't he didn't really even give a lot put a lot of stock in titles, as you can see from the very first verse.
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Um, but also this kind of comes back as another theme later on in James, where in chapter three he says, Hey, everybody shouldn't be aspiring to be a teacher, but we'll get to that later.
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So I also want you to see the trinity that's already at work here because you see, James says, and he properly outlines it, he says, a servant of God, placing God at the head, and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And as we know from scripture, all scripture is spirit inspired, spirit-led.
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So we already see the Trinity at present here in this work.
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I love that.
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I love that, David.
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And so he says, greetings, and in verse two, I love how he starts this um on a very immediate type of theme that they were dealing with at the time.
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He says in verse two, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
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For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
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And then in verse 4, he says, And let steadfastness have its full effect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
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Now, this little piece kind of gives us an insight into the kind of things that these people were dealing with that he's writing to.
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Evidently, there was a lot of persecution at the time.
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There were obviously just the fact that they were the part of the dispersion, part of the people who had to been chased out of the land, or whatever else the case was, uh, they were living a bit of a turbulent life, to say the least.
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And so he says, Hey man, when you meet trials of various kinds, now in the King James it says various temptations, but that word uh temptations in the King James actually trials is is probably a more accurate term.
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So I think the English Standard Version is a good uh rendering of it.
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But in the Greek, that word is uh Pyrasmus is the Greek word.
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It I looked it up earlier.
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I don't know this by heart.
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I'm looking at my notes right now.
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Um, and it says the definition of it means a putting to the proof by experiment, experience, solicitation, discipline, or provocation.
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So again, a putting to the proof by experiment, experience, solicitation, discipline, or provocation, meaning it's you're being put to the proof right now.
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That's what James considers to be a trial or a temptation, even.
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You're being put to the proof.
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In other words, you're it's being found out what's in you.
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Like if you think about it in this kind of a way, when uh like if if if someone's like refining gold, they do what's called an assaying, A-S-S-A-Y.
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And the assaying process is they have to remove impurities, remove impurities, and it's like this whole kind of a uh a process that they do to heat the gold up uh over and over again until it gets out all the impurities, and then they can make something, you know, like a I don't know, a gold bar, gold coin, whatever it is.
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But the whole purpose of doing that heating and that um that that intense heat is to put to the proof that that gold is pure.
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It's for the purpose of making sure that there's nothing in there that that is uh could be contaminating or that type of thing.
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And it's it's really kind of testing the authenticity of that gold.
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So I think that's a great kind of a parallel to what's what uh when he talks about the trying of your faith or the testing of your faith, it's putting to the proof that your faith is genuine, you know, the pressure that they might be going through, the persecution they might be going through, all of it is a putting to the proof that their faith is genuine.
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And I love that.
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I think that's such a good kind of a word picture of what's happening.
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And and think about what he said too.
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He said, You're falling into various trials, or you're dealing with various trials, so there's that part of it, and then he calls that process of going through trials, he calls it the testing of their faith.
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That's kind of the label he slaps on what those trials are.
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It's the trying of your faith.
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That's what it says in the King James, the trying of your faith or the testing of your faith.
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Um, and it says that it produces or it employs steadfastness.
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I think that's what it says, John.
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If you don't mind putting it back up there real quick to make sure I'm not just talking out of my yeah, it says the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
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Now, David, what what are your thoughts on that, man?
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Um, the fact that the kind of the end result of testing the faith is a steadfastness that you steadfastness that you develop.
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It's pretty fascinating.
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You know, uh I want to connect two dots.
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First of all, uh, did anybody just in case you did?
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The first thing it said is count it all joy.
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Count it all joy, dude.
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So you mean to tell me what the Bible is trying to tell me to do is when Sharika comes at me and tries every last nerve I got that I'm supposed to say, oh glory, it's a test.
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That's that's that's the craziest thing you could possibly be thinking.
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But yeah, that's exactly what it is that as we there's something that happens as we kind of grow in Christ, and certain things happen.
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You in some cases begin to identify okay, this is a she this person's trying me, or this situation's trying me.
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My my son's going through a tough situation right now.
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And I told him the other day, I said, you know, it's these are the times where it is determined what kind of man you are.
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Wow, whether you're a man that goes to God, hears wisdom, and follows that out, or whether you're just the kind of man who's always used religion as something that you've played with, but it doesn't really mean anything to you.
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Uh, because he's in a tough he's in a tough spot.
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And my answer to him is not it's not necessarily the most appealing answer, but my answer is you've you can't do this without the Lord.
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And the same is true with the trials and situations and circumstances that come your way, but you could get to a point where you sometimes recognize these things, and I recognize in his life, I'm like, oh, he's being proven.
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Right.
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It's a test, it's a it's a determination time to determine whether he's really all the you know, these things come along, and part of the reason why these trials come is they come to prove whether you just all talk or whether what you mean is real and genuine.
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And that's where he is, and that's where so many.
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Of us are.
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But then you get to a point where sometimes you go through these things or something comes back around that hadn't been after you for years.
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You've overcome some things.
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And they come back around, and you're like, ah, this is a test to see if I'm still in the right place.
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Come on, man.
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And when you recognize what's going on, you can count it all joy.
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Why?
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Because number one, I've been found worthy to walk through this.
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And if it's at my front door, then I already know I can win because he doesn't allow me to fail.
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Amen.
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He will always walk with me.
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And even if I fall, he, you know, well, the scriptures say, even though I fall seven times, rise up again.
00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:52.960
I'll rise again, right?
00:22:53.440 --> 00:23:01.200
And so we as Christians have this wonderful joy to know that God doesn't just let us fail.
00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:06.240
Even if we don't get it quite right the first time, He'll give us another time.
00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:12.960
And another time, we'll keep we'll keep going until we pass that test and learn what the thing is.
00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:18.319
Because in every test, there is um, in every test, there's a lesson.
00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:20.640
Come on, man.
00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:22.880
And so there's something we've got to learn.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:25.279
And oftentimes we're learning about ourselves.
00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:26.799
We're learning, you know what?
00:23:26.960 --> 00:23:28.480
I do trust God.
00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:31.039
I believe that scripture is true.
00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:31.920
Yeah.
00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.240
And He is with me.
00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:37.440
He won't ever leave me or forsake me.
00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.119
He said, fear not, and I didn't, and it worked out.
00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:59.279
And you begin to see all these things in scripture, and all the things that you've been practicing aren't just practice for practice sake, but they actually, when it comes time to do battle, that you really do have that shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the enemy.
00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:01.920
That you really are wearing that helmet of salvation.
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:11.839
You really do yield and and um use the sword of the spirit and the gospel of peace is on your feet.
00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:18.640
You have your belt of truth on, you have your breastplate of righteousness on, and you see it all, it's working.
00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:19.680
Yeah.
00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:30.640
But now when we don't, what we do is we get all into our emotions and feelings and stuff, but you can even overcome that if you trust God through the process.
00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.400
And part of trusting God is counting it all joy.
00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:40.799
That means that we can celebrate the victory before we even have it.
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:42.640
Praise God.
00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:46.559
So um, yeah, that that's that.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:48.480
But it it's you're you're right, Phil.
00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:51.519
I I love what you were sharing uh earlier.
00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:56.240
Um, I forgot the dot that I was gonna connect in that, so I'll just leave it be there.
00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.880
Dude, it it connected.
00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:01.200
Trust me, it connected, man.
00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:09.759
Um, but yeah, it's it's just the fact that that proving process is called the trying of your faith.
00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:22.880
Like in other words, when you get into that pressure situation, whatever it is, or the temptation situation, whatever it is, the first element that's coming to your assistance is faith.
00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.319
Right?
00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:28.240
It's the trying of your faith, whatever it is.
00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:34.720
It's this idea, and and all of us have been there in life before, especially if you've been walking with the Lord for a little while.
00:25:34.880 --> 00:25:41.119
We've all been in this area where we weren't sure how we were gonna get out of whatever it was.
00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:45.680
We didn't see a way out at the time when the pressure was at its highest.
00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:51.759
Things looked down and like we were down ourselves, but then God made a way.
00:25:51.920 --> 00:25:52.799
And you know why?
00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:58.000
Because we decided to trust him, even when things just didn't seem to make any doggone sense.
00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:59.920
We still decide to trust him.
00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:11.599
And next thing you know, something opens up, something breaks through, something happens, or you or you just simply walk the process out without quitting.
00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:18.960
And then the next thing you know, you're on the other side of it, and now you're looking back, going, Man, he brought me out of that.
00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.920
And I I mean it only by the hand of God.
00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:31.119
And it reminds me of that scripture in Psalm 112, and one of my favorite scriptures, when it says, Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness.
00:26:32.400 --> 00:26:35.039
Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness.
00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:40.799
It's this thing of even when it looks like there's just no way out, like, oh, the doors have been slammed in your face.
00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:45.359
All of a sudden, light arises in a in in the darkness that you weren't even expecting, man.
00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:48.480
And now all of a sudden you find a pathway out.
00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:50.720
That's that's good, Phil.
00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:53.920
Let's just take a diversion here, if we could, for a moment.
00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:54.720
Yes, sir.
00:26:54.960 --> 00:26:57.519
Um, because we keep using the term faith.
00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:03.359
And I think we need to just take a moment and let's let's do a little a little defining on it.
00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:14.799
If you all will look at, and John, you may want to go to it, but if we look at Hebrews 11:1, we see a good definition of what faith is.
00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:22.240
Um from the um in my own head translation.
00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.319
Where is it at?
00:27:24.400 --> 00:27:25.039
Where is it at?
00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.839
Because I just he there it goes.
00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:34.720
Hey, hey Hebrews, hey you there from Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1.
00:27:35.519 --> 00:27:41.759
The King James Version says, now faith is the now.
00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:42.720
Keep yours up, John.
00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:44.160
I'm gonna come back to it.
00:27:44.400 --> 00:27:54.720
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, it is the evidence of things not seen.
00:27:55.119 --> 00:28:01.039
Now, John, I believe your version says, Um, could you read that for me?
00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:03.839
I can't read the little on the screen.
00:28:04.319 --> 00:28:05.119
That's okay.
00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.400
Uh, verse one.
00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:13.279
Now, faith is the assurance of good of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:22.960
So, what we see here that how the Bible defines faith is that it is substance and it is evidence.
00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:32.799
So, it gives the impression that what faith is, it is the substance of the thing you're hoping for.
00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:43.279
And it's also the evidence or proof of what you have not seen, of things not seen.
00:28:43.599 --> 00:28:50.400
So, in other words, um, you know, do you realize our salvation is by faith?
00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:52.559
Right.
00:28:53.039 --> 00:29:04.000
So just remember, Romans 10 tells us, you know, that if we can affess with our mouth, believe in our hearts uh what the Lord did for us, we shall be saved.
00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:29.599
And so um when we do that, we by faith say, Jesus, I recognize and believe that you died for me, that you were buried and you rose again for me, that you took the keys to hell and death, and you buried me with you, and you allowed me to rise again with you.
00:29:30.880 --> 00:29:37.440
I'm now born again, and I'm a part of your kingdom, I'm a member of your body.
00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:41.519
That is a faith statement.
00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:43.200
Yes, sir.
00:29:43.839 --> 00:29:52.240
You cannot get around it because currently nobody drops by your house and leaves you a certificate saying this is the case.
00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:59.519
Angels aren't dropping from heaven saying, you know, hey, congratulations on your salvation.
00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:02.000
Um, here's your certificate.
00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:05.279
It just doesn't, it doesn't work that way.
00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:14.160
It is the way it works is I believe this, I confess it, and now it's who I am.
00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:24.640
And I, as the scripture says, we have four different times in the scripture, it says, and from this point forward, I walk by faith and not by sight.
00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:45.039
And so now when I am dealing with the trials and situations and circumstances that come my way, we take on another little episode here where we realize that where does our faith come from?
00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:54.000
Well, our faith is born out of what we know and understand of the word of God.
00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:55.599
That's right.
00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:02.079
This is why we press you guys so much to study and dig into the word for yourself.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:07.440
Because if you don't know what the word says, you cannot exercise your faith in it.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:08.720
Right.
00:31:09.200 --> 00:31:21.359
So the more you know about the word, when situations and circumstances come against you, you can then say, the Bible says God will not leave me nor forsake me.
00:31:22.400 --> 00:31:31.039
And so, in this situation and circumstances where I'm fearing that God will depart from me because I've sinned in my life, it's not true.
00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:41.119
And I choose to believe that God holds on to me as I recommit myself to not living that way, and I connect and hold on to him.
00:31:42.160 --> 00:31:55.440
Yeah, and then the step after that is now I work to hold on to God's unchanging hand and walk my way out of that situation and circumstance that I was in.
00:31:55.759 --> 00:32:07.680
That is a practical application of my faith, believing in what the word says, and then practically applying it until I get the end result.
00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:10.240
I hope that makes sense.
00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:12.240
I feel like I may have just rambered.
00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:13.359
No, no, no.
00:32:13.440 --> 00:32:14.559
That was good stuff, David.
00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:16.400
I think it makes really good sense.
00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:23.839
Um, and it's Romans 10, I think 17, where it says, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
00:32:24.160 --> 00:32:24.880
Correct.
00:32:25.119 --> 00:32:35.279
Which which means, which means, Philip, that if faith comes by hearing, then that means the more we hear, the more faith can grow.
00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.480
There you go.
00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:37.680
That's it.
00:32:38.000 --> 00:32:52.319
Because as we as we've had talk to us and we've heard over and over again, it's not faith comes from having heard, faith comes from the practical application of ongoing hearing.
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:55.279
And yes, we can't have faith, you know.
00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:03.279
I heard Hebrews 11 a long while ago, and I I didn't just read Hebrews 11 today.
00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:09.200
So am I being kind of funny about this?
00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:21.359
No, not really, because I have heard Hebrews chapter 11, and even though I don't discuss Hebrews chapter 11, I'm walking elements of it out every day simply by believing in Christ.
00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:22.240
Yeah.
00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:35.279
So it faith faith is not only the word you know, but it's when you begin to apply that word as well, it becomes a part of you, and it changes how you move.
00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:36.720
That's good, man.
00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:37.599
That's good.
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:38.559
Wow.
00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:46.960
Yeah, I mean, it's it's all like it all ties together, you know, the fact that faith is inseparable from God's word.
00:33:47.200 --> 00:33:54.400
That's one thing we have to remember because if you think about it, when you say I have faith or I'm exercising my faith, faith in what?
00:33:54.880 --> 00:34:04.720
Yeah, faith, you know, because faith simply means like if you look up that word faith in the Greek, it it's the word pistis, and it means like persuasion and confidence.
00:34:04.799 --> 00:34:08.559
That's like the the uh the most common definitions.
00:34:08.960 --> 00:34:11.280
And okay, persuaded about what?
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:14.800
To be fully persuaded, yeah, fully persuaded.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:20.639
Yeah, fully persuaded, fully confident, and then you have to ask the question again confident in what?
00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:22.480
Fully persuaded about what?
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:34.239
And then you land on what Romans talked about in Romans 4, when it said that Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able to perform.
00:34:34.400 --> 00:34:39.039
So we're talking about things that God's promised, the things that God has spoken.
00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:45.519
That's the source of my persuasion, not me just drumming up some confidence that's kind of unfounded.
00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:52.159
It's me knowing what God has said about something and putting my full weight on that thing, whatever it is he said.
00:34:52.559 --> 00:34:57.440
Um, and it's the it's the same theme that runs through the entire Bible.
00:34:57.679 --> 00:35:05.039
It's the theme of God simply asking humanity to believe him and take him at his word.
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:19.679
It's been that way from the beginning, it's been that way since Adam and Eve were in the garden, and they failed that test back then, and Lord knows we failed it many times ourselves, but the test hasn't changed.
00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:26.480
Just believe what he said, take him at his word, and you'll see him fulfill the things that he's promised, man.
00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:36.800
Yeah, and Philip, I wanted to tie one other piece together here, and it's this piece that says that as a you know that faith worketh patience, yeah.
00:35:37.280 --> 00:36:21.360
Well, um the ESV translates it steadfastness, but I also one of the things um well, if you go on to verse four there, it says, but let patience have her perfect work, let it happen, walk it out, that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing, and one of the things that allowing these things to happen and working your way through them, it actually also increases your faith.
00:36:21.760 --> 00:36:37.760
Yes, so it takes faith to walk through it, and then at the end of it, when you realize you're on the other side of it, your faith is increased because you realized you have the faith to walk through that, yeah.
00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:43.039
You're like, I'll snap, and then boom, boom, boop, it's just like the video game.
00:36:43.119 --> 00:36:51.599
It's like once you get to the end and you hit a little special power up at the end, and it's like and your character gets bigger because he's growing.
00:36:52.639 --> 00:36:53.360
That's right.
00:36:54.000 --> 00:36:54.800
I love that idea.
00:36:55.039 --> 00:37:01.119
So it's it's the same, it's the same concept uh in your Christian life.
00:37:01.360 --> 00:37:01.840
Yep.
00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:15.039
Actually, John, if you don't mind, if you could pop over to Romans 5, because this is this is like just came up in my mind as far as uh supporting what David just said in Romans 5.
00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:29.679
And this is Paul talking here, this isn't James anymore, this is Paul, but he says here in verse uh three, he says, not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance.
00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:31.519
It's kind of along the same theme.
00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:39.679
Um, and he says here, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.
00:37:40.159 --> 00:37:44.559
And so, like what David said, you gotta have the faith to get through the thing.
00:37:44.719 --> 00:37:47.599
But then when you're out of it, you realize, man, I made it.
00:37:47.760 --> 00:38:00.320
Then it builds your faith and it builds into you that hope that, man, I can uh, you know, I've I've I've been through something here, man, and I came out all right without the smell of smoke, just like the three Hebrew boys, you know.
00:38:00.480 --> 00:38:08.719
So um it it produces a hope that God, I mean, you look at God's track record and you go, He's never failed me.
00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:15.599
All the stuff that I've endured and gone through and had to face, I never, you know, I never fell.
00:38:15.679 --> 00:38:24.000
I may have stumbled, I may have even, you know, had a temporary like setback or whatever it is, but ultimately he brought me out, you know.
00:38:24.400 --> 00:38:26.639
Um, and and that's just it's awesome.
00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:30.719
It it so it gives you hope for whatever future thing you might run into.
00:38:30.880 --> 00:38:38.800
Hey man, look, uh uh you know, I I it's like what David said when he was faced with Goliath.
00:38:39.119 --> 00:38:47.599
He said, Look, I I slew a lion, I slew a bear, you know, at the time, those were some big time challenges, but I got through those.
00:38:47.679 --> 00:38:49.280
He said, Who is this Philistine?
00:38:49.360 --> 00:38:50.159
What what you know?
00:38:50.239 --> 00:38:51.199
I'm good.
00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:53.440
I know I'm gonna, I've got God on my side.
00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:58.000
I know I'm gonna give him his whole view because this is one of my favorite Bible lines ever.
00:38:58.320 --> 00:39:00.639
Who is this uncircumcised?
00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:07.519
That means he hasn't even had his stuff properly attended, dude.
00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:10.719
Come on now, he's not even legit, dude.
00:39:12.800 --> 00:39:17.440
I mean, just uh just disrespectful all the way around.
00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:22.960
That's like not having the check mark on your ex account or your Instagram, like he's not right.
00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:25.119
Yeah, he doesn't have the blue check, man.
00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:26.000
He's not sorry.
00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:27.920
He's not when you think about that.
00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:33.280
What he was really saying was, who is this man who has no covenant with God?
00:39:33.519 --> 00:39:36.320
No covenant with God, no covenant with God.
00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:45.199
That's good stuff, and I and then he says, you know, he says, He who does he think is that he might defy the armies of the living God.
00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:49.599
He's like, Right, we're the ones with the covenant, we're good to go, you know.
00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:52.159
So anyway, John, I think I interrupted you.
00:39:52.239 --> 00:39:52.880
Go ahead, man.
00:39:53.119 --> 00:39:53.920
No, you're good.
00:39:54.000 --> 00:40:30.480
I just I wanted to uh it's so interesting because when you define faith, you look at like your day-to-day life, and people, people who believe in Christ and who don't alike are always practicing faith because I mean it's it's even in the simple things, like you know, uh Isaac Newton saw an apple fall and create you know discovered the laws of physics, and so nowadays we're so familiar with it, like not that it's changed now, or but it's like you you have faith that if I like you know hold up my phone and I let go, I have faith that it will fall on the ground, right?
00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:33.840
I even have a little bit of faith that it might break a little bit, you know what I mean?
00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:38.079
Like I it's like with like we're using that definition, those terminology, like that.
00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:43.599
You there are just certain certain things that you know like if I drop this, it's gonna fall.
00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:53.440
If I you know these people have a lot of faith in the chairs and the stuff that they use, like you're if you sit in this chair, you know, you have a lot of faith that it's gonna hold you back up, you know what I mean?
00:40:53.840 --> 00:41:23.440
And so it's kind of it's a daily thing, and so it's it it really shouldn't be any different with Christ, with with because you're mentioning a covenant, and honestly, it's it's it's it's as simple as if God said let there be light and there was light, you know, you can trust the fact that if God said he's going to be there, that's that's a certified fact, like and that and that's enough evidence to put your faith into.
00:41:23.519 --> 00:41:27.039
So it's just kind of like it's so interesting when you think about it that way.
00:41:27.119 --> 00:41:29.440
People are practicing faith every day, yeah.
00:41:29.599 --> 00:41:31.519
You know, absolutely now.
00:41:31.679 --> 00:41:33.920
What's gonna get good here in just a minute?
00:41:34.079 --> 00:41:37.840
Um, because I just started I started thinking about it a few minutes ago.
00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:53.039
Is I don't want you guys to forget this conversation about faith because it's going to resurface here in just a little bit because James is gonna say something that has caused the church world some trouble over the years.
00:41:53.760 --> 00:41:57.519
Because he said, I have you have faith, and I have works.
00:41:57.760 --> 00:42:06.480
Oh boy, okay, and uh so we're gonna square that, we're gonna square that up here in just a little a couple of weeks as well.
00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:08.960
We got we got a little bit to go to get there.
00:42:10.880 --> 00:42:21.760
Don't forget that he said that because um some of you might think he actually contradicts himself when he when he doesn't, he goes full circle.
00:42:22.079 --> 00:42:23.440
Yeah, that's it.
00:42:23.679 --> 00:42:24.800
That's it, man.
00:42:25.039 --> 00:42:29.599
Yeah, it it it's um there's a lot here, guys.
00:42:29.679 --> 00:42:30.800
We're we're excited about it.
00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:38.800
And I I just want to um, I guess we're I know we got to put a pin, a pen in where we are, probably because we're getting close to that time.
00:42:38.960 --> 00:42:59.920
But if you don't mind, John, I wanted to put that uh this passage back up one more time, yeah, and just to look at um that last part, because he said, you know, that in verse three, you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness, and so that obviously is a quality that you need when walking through that test.
00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:02.480
You need that quality of steadfastness.
00:43:02.719 --> 00:43:07.760
And he says, okay, in verse four, let steadfastness have its full effect.
00:43:07.920 --> 00:43:17.920
And the King James says, let patience have its perfect work, so that you here's the point, here's the whole point of being steadfast, enduring through the trial.
00:43:18.079 --> 00:43:25.360
Here's the point, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
00:43:27.280 --> 00:43:28.480
I love that.
00:43:28.800 --> 00:43:35.920
So, and when it says perfect, we got to be careful because people hear that and they think flawless, and that's not what he's talking about.
00:43:37.599 --> 00:43:39.199
Yeah, the word perfect there.
00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:44.480
If you look it up in the Greek, uh, it means fully mature or fully grown.
00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:47.679
Like you've become more developed.
00:43:48.000 --> 00:43:50.159
It's kind of like a bodybuilder, you know.
00:43:50.239 --> 00:43:56.159
Like one of the things that that uh you do to build muscle is you have to push against resistance.
00:43:56.320 --> 00:43:59.679
It is it is a necessity if you're gonna build muscle, you have to push.
00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:10.159
Against resistance, and you know, there's this process of the muscle fibers breaking down, and then they when once they've been broken down, they build up stronger, and that's how they grow, and the whole thing like that.
00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:13.760
Um, this is kind of the that same concept here.
00:44:13.840 --> 00:44:30.079
And and James is like, keep your steadfastness, keep pushing it against that resistance, and sooner or later you're gonna come out lacking nothing, you're gonna come out uh with another notch in your belt, like, dude, I I conquered that thing and I'm gonna keep conquering, you know.
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:45.679
Um but one thing I did want to just pop over real quick because it came to my mind earlier, uh, in First Peter chapter four, and I think it's just a good parallel to what this James passage says here, if you don't mind, John, first Peter four.
00:44:48.639 --> 00:44:51.039
Because he said it in verse 12.
00:44:53.920 --> 00:44:55.679
Let's see if we can get down now.
00:44:57.599 --> 00:45:09.280
Yeah, he said, beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
00:45:09.920 --> 00:45:10.159
Right?
00:45:10.320 --> 00:45:21.280
He's sitting there saying, dude, it's almost like if you're a soldier on a battlefield, they drop you into the the LZ, the landing zone.
00:45:21.599 --> 00:45:24.000
Don't be surprised if you get shot at.
00:45:25.039 --> 00:45:25.920
You know what I mean?
00:45:26.079 --> 00:45:27.360
It's it's bound to happen.
00:45:27.440 --> 00:45:30.880
You're in an environment where the battle is raging, dude.
00:45:31.360 --> 00:45:36.480
And you gotta be aware that you know what, I might get, I might take some shots here.
00:45:36.559 --> 00:45:38.159
I need to be ready, need to be alert.
00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:46.000
And and so in James, when he talked about, you know, count it all joy, over here he's saying, don't be surprised.
00:45:46.239 --> 00:45:49.679
It's this idea that sobriety is an important thing.
00:45:49.760 --> 00:45:54.159
And I'm talking about spiritual sobriety, like being alert, being aware.
00:45:54.320 --> 00:46:04.239
And even in First Peter later on in first uh chapter five, he says, be sober and be vigilant because you have an adversary, and he's out there walking around seeking whom he may devour.
00:46:04.480 --> 00:46:09.360
Um, so there's there's this element of, hey man, don't let it catch you off guard.
00:46:09.440 --> 00:46:12.239
You know, you know, don't be surprised.
00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:17.280
Uh it's it's part of you know living in this broken world.
00:46:17.519 --> 00:46:21.760
You know, that there will be obstacles, there will be challenges, it's just part of life, man.
00:46:21.920 --> 00:46:23.360
Um, don't be surprised.
00:46:23.599 --> 00:46:33.119
But if you take what James said, where he says, be be steadfast, let patience have its perfect work, you can have confidence that you'll come out on top, man.
00:46:33.280 --> 00:46:40.000
And that's I think that's probably the most um the most awesome thing about that whole passage in these first four verses of James.
00:46:40.159 --> 00:46:42.239
He's he's it's a very big encouragement.
00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:48.239
And I'm sure that to the original you know, recipients of this letter, I'm sure it was a big encouragement to them too.
00:46:48.400 --> 00:46:54.000
And I just love how it applies even 2,000 years later to all of us who are believers in in Jesus.
00:46:54.159 --> 00:47:02.800
It's like, man, let patience have its perfect work, be steadfast, under pressure, um, know that God's with you and that he's on your side.
00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:05.039
Um, all these things are important, man.
00:47:05.199 --> 00:47:08.000
But anyway, any last thoughts?
00:47:08.320 --> 00:47:24.480
I think it's interesting that James doesn't, you know, you can see the difference between the other writers of the other books, from Peter to Paul to um whoever is said to have written Hebrews um in Jude and the other books.
00:47:24.639 --> 00:47:32.400
And it's funny that, you know, with all of the books of Paul, you get some bit of an intro to each letter.
00:47:32.639 --> 00:47:34.320
James jumps right in.
00:47:34.559 --> 00:47:35.440
Yes, he does.
00:47:35.840 --> 00:47:37.119
There's nothing to talk about.
00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:47.119
The other thing I want to just bring to everyone's attention is that here James says that you may be perfect, that you might come to maturity.
00:47:47.360 --> 00:48:12.400
And I want to, just like Paul talked about in Ephesians, uh, with the um with the uh five-fold ministry gifts, as he talked about and are growing together as the body of Christ, over and over again, one of the things that you see these apostles calling us to is maturity, and um, which means grow.
00:48:13.679 --> 00:48:14.320
Grow.
00:48:15.199 --> 00:48:20.800
And so you have to you have to eat the word in order to grow.
00:48:21.039 --> 00:48:47.599
And so you have to make sure that you establish a pretty decent diet so that you can grow and come to this maturity that the word wants us to come to, uh, because there's over and over again the promise that when we come into that full maturity, that there's something that shifts, and that we'll we won't want or lack for anything.
00:48:47.920 --> 00:48:48.320
That's right.
00:48:48.559 --> 00:48:55.760
And so there's a motivation if you ever needed one to come into that place of full maturity.
00:48:55.920 --> 00:49:02.480
And I don't think that that's just a um, you know, a spiritual thing.
00:49:02.639 --> 00:49:11.440
I think that even on this earth, even you know, even though the scripture tells us in this world you will have trouble, Jesus Himself said that.
00:49:11.760 --> 00:49:14.480
But be of good cheer, I've overcome the world.
00:49:14.719 --> 00:49:28.079
I think there's a way that you can be in this world and lack no good thing and be busy working on and about the things of God, the things God has called you to, uh, in a broken world.
00:49:28.400 --> 00:49:29.360
Absolutely.
00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:34.480
And uh, in case you don't know, we already live in the broken world.
00:49:34.719 --> 00:49:40.559
So remember, you have good days in this broken world, and you have some tough days in this broken world too.
00:49:40.639 --> 00:49:43.039
So you're a proof that it can happen.
00:49:43.360 --> 00:50:01.760
So our goal is to grow and come to maturity in Christ, because part of my responsibility then becomes helping others to grow and come to maturity in Christ until we all come to that place together as a body that he intended for us to be.
00:50:02.320 --> 00:50:03.440
That's good, David.
00:50:03.519 --> 00:50:04.480
That's good, man.
00:50:04.719 --> 00:50:15.039
Yeah, so right here in James, guys, the first four verses, we're as you can see, we've we've kind of milked this uh this passage to really get some good things out of it.
00:50:15.199 --> 00:50:22.639
And this is just uh, I don't know what to call it, maybe an appetizer, if you will, for um us continuing in this series.
00:50:22.880 --> 00:50:24.960
And we're very excited about it, guys.
00:50:25.119 --> 00:50:30.559
Um, verse by verse exposition, we're gonna continue breaking down the book of James in the future podcasts.
00:50:30.719 --> 00:50:46.079
Uh, we want to just encourage everybody to not only uh listen to this one again, but dig into our past library, I might, I might uh suggest as well, because we've got some cool stuff back there too, some different things, topical things we've discussed.
00:50:46.159 --> 00:50:49.519
And I remember there's one in particular that I really, really enjoyed.
00:50:49.599 --> 00:50:51.360
It was uh how to keep from falling.
00:50:51.519 --> 00:51:00.159
And it was when we kind of went through 2nd Peter and the first like 10 verses of 2nd Peter 1 and really just broke that down verse by verse.
00:51:00.320 --> 00:51:04.480
Uh, it's this is kind of what we're doing now, it's kind of in the same spirit as that series was.
00:51:04.639 --> 00:51:06.079
So definitely check that out.
00:51:07.440 --> 00:51:10.880
Also, as we did with I believe it was Galatians chapter five.
00:51:11.119 --> 00:51:13.760
We we did that's right, the fruit of the spirit.
00:51:14.000 --> 00:51:14.719
We sure did.
00:51:15.440 --> 00:51:17.840
We went we went through that one for a while.
00:51:18.079 --> 00:51:18.719
Yeah, we did.
00:51:18.880 --> 00:51:20.800
That was a good one, yeah, man.
00:51:20.960 --> 00:51:21.920
Praise God.
00:51:22.159 --> 00:51:33.280
So, um, but definitely um please feel free to leave comments, like, subscribe, do all the cool stuff in whatever uh app or um social platform you're listening to us on.
00:51:33.440 --> 00:51:40.559
And also, we do have an email address if you have any kind of thoughts or suggestions or things you want us to cover on the podcast.
00:51:40.639 --> 00:51:49.039
It could be, you know, uh something you'd like to see in the future for us to tackle, maybe one of the books you'd like to see in particular uh that you'd want us to tackle next.
00:51:49.280 --> 00:51:54.320
But that email address is got brew at Bible Brosbrew.com.
00:51:54.400 --> 00:51:57.360
Once again, got brew at Bible Brosbrew.com.
00:51:58.000 --> 00:52:02.000
And is there anything else I'm leaving out, David, before we close that?
00:52:03.679 --> 00:52:05.440
Um no, I think you're good.
00:52:05.760 --> 00:52:06.880
Cool beans.
00:52:07.280 --> 00:52:08.239
All right, guys.
00:52:08.480 --> 00:52:16.320
Well, as we always say here, stay brewed up, which I've never said before, as a matter of fact, but we want you to do that.
00:52:16.480 --> 00:52:18.639
Um, and join us again next week.
00:52:18.719 --> 00:52:20.000
We'll be live once again.
00:52:20.239 --> 00:52:25.679
And until then, make sure to just get your daily uh caffeination and your daily word.
00:52:26.239 --> 00:52:26.960
See you next time.