1 00:00:15,458 --> 00:00:16,750 Howdy Mars Hill Church. 2 00:00:16,833 --> 00:00:19,833 Pastor Sutton Turner here and I'm in Ethiopia. 3 00:00:19,875 --> 00:00:21,667 And I just want to thank Jesus 4 00:00:21,708 --> 00:00:25,000 for continuing to use Mars Hill Church 5 00:00:25,042 --> 00:00:28,583 to make disciples and plant churches. 6 00:00:29,167 --> 00:00:34,292 Mars Hill Global is the arm of Mars Hill Church 7 00:00:34,333 --> 00:00:35,917 that makes disciples 8 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,833 and plant churches all over the world. 9 00:00:38,917 --> 00:00:40,375 We not only do church planting, 10 00:00:40,458 --> 00:00:43,333 but we help better equip church planters. 11 00:00:43,417 --> 00:00:47,042 Most recently we shipped and now distributed 12 00:00:47,125 --> 00:00:49,500 1,000 bibles into Amharic, 13 00:00:49,542 --> 00:00:52,125 which is the language here in Ethiopia. 14 00:00:52,167 --> 00:00:54,042 And we launched a project 15 00:00:54,125 --> 00:00:59,250 to translate Pastor Mark Driscoll's doctrine book into Spanish. 16 00:00:59,333 --> 00:01:02,583 We have people from over 29 different countries 17 00:01:02,667 --> 00:01:06,167 that are giving on a monthly basis to Mars Hill Global. 18 00:01:06,208 --> 00:01:08,125 So whether you're a member 19 00:01:08,167 --> 00:01:11,083 of one of our Mars Hill church locations 20 00:01:11,167 --> 00:01:12,542 in the United States, 21 00:01:12,625 --> 00:01:18,208 or you're 1 of 100,000 podcasters every single week, 22 00:01:18,292 --> 00:01:19,667 we encourage you to pray 23 00:01:19,750 --> 00:01:23,083 about giving above and beyond your tithe 24 00:01:23,167 --> 00:01:24,625 to Mars Hill Global. 25 00:01:24,667 --> 00:01:28,958 Thank you and let's see more materials translated, 26 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:32,167 more pastors sent out, more churches planted, 27 00:01:32,250 --> 00:01:34,500 and more people saved by Jesus Christ. 28 00:01:54,458 --> 00:01:58,208 Brotherhood, it's a bond as old as time. 29 00:01:58,292 --> 00:02:00,333 It's a love that runs deep. 30 00:02:00,417 --> 00:02:04,542 It's bold, it's strong, it's enduring. 31 00:02:04,625 --> 00:02:07,000 There's a trust that's built among brothers, 32 00:02:07,042 --> 00:02:10,167 from the trials to the triumphs. 33 00:02:10,250 --> 00:02:13,583 It's a trust that comes from living life together. 34 00:02:13,667 --> 00:02:16,542 No one knows you like your brother. 35 00:02:16,625 --> 00:02:19,875 He knows your strengths; he knows your weaknesses. 36 00:02:19,958 --> 00:02:24,792 A bold brother will lay it all down for his family. 37 00:02:24,833 --> 00:02:28,542 It is difficult to describe that kind of loyalty, 38 00:02:28,625 --> 00:02:32,542 that kind of courage, that kind of strength. 39 00:02:32,625 --> 00:02:34,500 It's the love of a brother. 40 00:02:34,542 --> 00:02:36,500 It's that kind of love that compelled James 41 00:02:36,542 --> 00:02:40,208 to become Jesus' bold little brother. 42 00:02:45,625 --> 00:02:47,500 All right, how'd he do it? 43 00:02:47,542 --> 00:02:49,833 How did Jesus live the life he lived. 44 00:02:49,875 --> 00:02:51,208 How did he do it? 45 00:02:51,292 --> 00:02:53,208 Have you ever read the Gospels and wondered, 46 00:02:53,292 --> 00:02:54,625 "How did he do it?" 47 00:02:54,667 --> 00:02:57,333 Every time he was tempted, he said no to sin. 48 00:02:57,375 --> 00:03:02,250 Every time Satan opposed him, he held his ground steadfast. 49 00:03:02,333 --> 00:03:04,083 Every time a critic came against him, 50 00:03:04,167 --> 00:03:06,792 he endured and weathered that storm. 51 00:03:06,833 --> 00:03:08,250 How did Jesus do it? 52 00:03:08,333 --> 00:03:11,250 How did he know what to say and what to do without 53 00:03:11,333 --> 00:03:12,667 denying his emotions? 54 00:03:12,708 --> 00:03:14,167 There are times that he grieved. 55 00:03:14,208 --> 00:03:15,875 There are times that he wept. 56 00:03:15,958 --> 00:03:17,458 How did he do it? 57 00:03:17,500 --> 00:03:19,458 I want to know how he did it. 58 00:03:19,500 --> 00:03:21,667 I want you to know how he did it. 59 00:03:21,708 --> 00:03:25,292 I want us to know how he did it so we would not just admire 60 00:03:25,333 --> 00:03:27,292 his life, but we would enjoy his life, 61 00:03:27,333 --> 00:03:30,000 that we'd follow in his life, that we'd have a life 62 00:03:30,042 --> 00:03:32,542 patterned after his life. 63 00:03:32,625 --> 00:03:35,167 I have got something wonderful to share with you. 64 00:03:35,250 --> 00:03:37,167 It's in Luke 2:40. 65 00:03:37,250 --> 00:03:40,458 It tells us how Jesus did it, and it gives hope 66 00:03:40,500 --> 00:03:42,042 for all of us today. 67 00:03:42,125 --> 00:03:44,042 Here's what it says: "And the child [Jesus]." 68 00:03:44,125 --> 00:03:46,083 So, the picture here is that he's young. 69 00:03:46,167 --> 00:03:47,583 He's not yet a full-grown man. 70 00:03:47,667 --> 00:03:49,000 This is at the beginning. 71 00:03:49,083 --> 00:03:50,667 This is where it all started. 72 00:03:50,750 --> 00:03:53,333 It says, "He grew and became strong," 73 00:03:53,375 --> 00:03:55,875 as you and I must grow and become strong. 74 00:03:55,958 --> 00:03:58,500 And that's my hope and my prayer for you today. 75 00:03:58,542 --> 00:04:00,167 "Filled with wisdom." 76 00:04:00,250 --> 00:04:01,667 That's what it's going to take. 77 00:04:01,750 --> 00:04:04,875 To live a life like he lived is to live by the wisdom 78 00:04:04,958 --> 00:04:06,292 that he had. 79 00:04:06,333 --> 00:04:08,000 And where did it come from? 80 00:04:08,042 --> 00:04:10,167 Where did he get his wisdom for his life? 81 00:04:10,250 --> 00:04:12,542 Where do we get our wisdom for our life? 82 00:04:12,625 --> 00:04:14,500 "And the favor of God was upon him." 83 00:04:14,542 --> 00:04:17,500 And this is Luke's language for the Holy Spirit, 84 00:04:17,542 --> 00:04:20,667 that the person and the work of the Holy Spirit is the source 85 00:04:20,708 --> 00:04:22,292 of wisdom in our life. 86 00:04:22,333 --> 00:04:23,667 Jesus is God; 87 00:04:23,750 --> 00:04:25,667 Jesus is the second member of the Trinity. 88 00:04:25,708 --> 00:04:29,167 God became a man, he set aside the continual use of his 89 00:04:29,250 --> 00:04:32,833 divine attributes, and he lived humbly as we must live. 90 00:04:32,917 --> 00:04:36,167 He had to grow as we grow, he had to learn as we learn, 91 00:04:36,250 --> 00:04:38,167 he had to endure as we endure. 92 00:04:38,250 --> 00:04:40,458 Jesus never cheated. 93 00:04:40,500 --> 00:04:42,750 He lived the perfect human life. 94 00:04:42,833 --> 00:04:44,250 God did that. 95 00:04:44,333 --> 00:04:46,792 God became a man to identify with us, 96 00:04:46,833 --> 00:04:51,167 to set an example for us, and to empower us to become like him. 97 00:04:51,250 --> 00:04:55,500 And he does that by the power of God the Holy Spirit. 98 00:04:55,583 --> 00:04:58,625 And so Mars Hill, today the question is, for you and I, 99 00:04:58,667 --> 00:05:03,500 how do we not just be absolutely overwhelmed and astonished by 100 00:05:03,542 --> 00:05:07,458 his life, but experience and follow in his life? 101 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:09,167 We can grow. 102 00:05:09,208 --> 00:05:12,500 We can grow in wisdom because the favor of God is 103 00:05:12,542 --> 00:05:15,042 on the people of God through the Spirit of God. 104 00:05:15,125 --> 00:05:17,333 And I am really excited to teach you today 105 00:05:17,417 --> 00:05:20,583 in one of the most practical sections of the Bible, 106 00:05:20,667 --> 00:05:24,583 and it's written by Jesus' little brother. 107 00:05:24,667 --> 00:05:28,667 James was there when no one was there. 108 00:05:28,750 --> 00:05:31,292 Before the disciples were there, before the critics were there, 109 00:05:31,333 --> 00:05:33,750 James was there. 110 00:05:33,833 --> 00:05:37,000 James was there as Jesus' little brother to see him learn, 111 00:05:37,042 --> 00:05:41,167 to see him grow, to see him resist temptation, 112 00:05:41,250 --> 00:05:45,000 to see him overcome trial. 113 00:05:45,042 --> 00:05:49,208 And James learned from his big brother Jesus, 114 00:05:49,292 --> 00:05:52,000 and then James became a pastor and author of the Bible, 115 00:05:52,042 --> 00:05:54,417 and by the power of the Holy Spirit, 116 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:58,125 he is going to teach you and he is going to teach me about how 117 00:05:58,167 --> 00:06:00,833 his big brother endured not just the best days 118 00:06:00,917 --> 00:06:02,375 but the worst days, 119 00:06:02,458 --> 00:06:04,375 not the easy days but the hard days, 120 00:06:04,458 --> 00:06:07,167 not the joyful days but the painful days. 121 00:06:07,208 --> 00:06:10,083 And he started in James 1:1 basically telling us, 122 00:06:10,167 --> 00:06:11,667 "My name is James. 123 00:06:11,750 --> 00:06:15,583 I serve Jesus and any Christians wherever they are." 124 00:06:15,667 --> 00:06:18,333 And then in verse 2, he immediately leaps forward 125 00:06:18,417 --> 00:06:23,000 for you and I, starting at the book of James on the hard days, 126 00:06:23,042 --> 00:06:27,167 the dark days, the difficult days, the painful days. 127 00:06:27,250 --> 00:06:28,875 And I love that he starts here. 128 00:06:28,958 --> 00:06:31,375 He says, "Christianity works when you need it most." 129 00:06:31,458 --> 00:06:34,083 Jesus works most when you need him most. 130 00:06:34,167 --> 00:06:37,083 The Holy Spirit works when you need him most. 131 00:06:37,167 --> 00:06:40,000 And there are certain days that we need God like we've 132 00:06:40,042 --> 00:06:42,583 never needed him, and what happens on those days? 133 00:06:42,667 --> 00:06:44,583 What do we lean into on those days? 134 00:06:44,667 --> 00:06:46,792 Where do we look on those days? 135 00:06:46,833 --> 00:06:50,500 And that's what we find in James chapter 1, beginning in verse 2. 136 00:06:50,583 --> 00:06:55,500 He starts by telling us that life is sometimes hard. 137 00:06:55,583 --> 00:06:58,500 How many of you, if you're not even a Christian, you're like, 138 00:06:58,542 --> 00:07:01,542 "I agree with that first point. I agree with that one. 139 00:07:01,625 --> 00:07:03,792 "I don't know about the rest of this sermon, 140 00:07:03,833 --> 00:07:05,958 but life is sometimes hard." 141 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,792 And we don't do a good job sometimes as believers telling 142 00:07:08,833 --> 00:07:13,458 unbelievers that sometimes, even with Jesus, life is hard. 143 00:07:13,500 --> 00:07:16,167 We tell them, "Life is hard. Give your life to Jesus. 144 00:07:16,250 --> 00:07:17,750 Go to heaven." 145 00:07:17,833 --> 00:07:20,583 We forget to tell them about the middle, OK? 146 00:07:20,667 --> 00:07:22,667 That's called life. 147 00:07:22,750 --> 00:07:24,500 Life is hard. You meet Jesus. 148 00:07:24,542 --> 00:07:28,500 It'll get harder, and then it gets better when you see him. 149 00:07:28,542 --> 00:07:30,458 The Christian life is the best life, 150 00:07:30,500 --> 00:07:33,667 but it's not the easiest life, and sometimes the closer you are 151 00:07:33,750 --> 00:07:37,750 to Jesus, the more resistance you receive, just as Jesus did. 152 00:07:37,833 --> 00:07:39,875 I don't want to lie to any of you, 153 00:07:39,958 --> 00:07:41,667 and I love that James starts there. 154 00:07:41,708 --> 00:07:44,375 He's a pastor, and a pastor is somebody who loves people 155 00:07:44,458 --> 00:07:47,083 and wants to take the truth of God and apply it 156 00:07:47,167 --> 00:07:49,125 to the people of God for their good. 157 00:07:49,167 --> 00:07:50,625 I love you. I'm your pastor. 158 00:07:50,667 --> 00:07:53,292 I really want to help, and love, and serve you today. 159 00:07:53,333 --> 00:07:55,625 And I'm so excited because this section of Scripture 160 00:07:55,667 --> 00:07:58,833 was a particular gift to me this week. 161 00:07:58,875 --> 00:08:03,083 It's incredibly practical, insightful, and helpful. 162 00:08:03,167 --> 00:08:05,458 And I love that James starts realistic, 163 00:08:05,500 --> 00:08:07,458 "Life is sometimes hard." 164 00:08:07,500 --> 00:08:10,083 So, don't be shocked when you have a bad day, 165 00:08:10,167 --> 00:08:11,500 hard day, tough day. 166 00:08:11,542 --> 00:08:13,000 "Why? Why?" 167 00:08:13,042 --> 00:08:15,167 God's like, "I wrote a book. It's in there. 168 00:08:15,250 --> 00:08:16,667 "I told you it was coming. 169 00:08:16,750 --> 00:08:18,667 "In fact, I put it in verse 2. 170 00:08:18,750 --> 00:08:21,375 "I wasn't sure you were going to read the whole thing, 171 00:08:21,458 --> 00:08:24,042 so I put it up front so you couldn't miss it." 172 00:08:24,125 --> 00:08:26,250 OK, here's what he says: "Count it all joy." 173 00:08:26,333 --> 00:08:27,667 Don't say it like that. 174 00:08:27,708 --> 00:08:31,250 What a--"joy." 175 00:08:31,333 --> 00:08:34,375 "Count it all joy," OK, "my brothers." 176 00:08:34,458 --> 00:08:35,792 That includes the sisters. 177 00:08:35,833 --> 00:08:37,250 It's God's people. 178 00:08:37,333 --> 00:08:39,667 "When you meet trials of various kinds, for you know"-- 179 00:08:39,750 --> 00:08:42,375 we need to know something-- "that the testing of your faith 180 00:08:42,458 --> 00:08:43,792 "produces steadfastness. 181 00:08:43,833 --> 00:08:46,333 And let steadfastness have its full effect"-- 182 00:08:46,417 --> 00:08:50,208 don't quit too quick--"that you may be perfect and complete, 183 00:08:50,292 --> 00:08:52,708 lacking in nothing." 184 00:08:52,792 --> 00:08:57,208 Life is sometimes wonderful, sometimes painful. 185 00:08:57,292 --> 00:09:01,375 Now, let me say what he's not saying, 186 00:09:01,458 --> 00:09:05,500 because when trials come--here's the theme today: trials 187 00:09:05,542 --> 00:09:08,000 and wisdom through the trials. 188 00:09:08,042 --> 00:09:13,583 When trials come, we can feel more than we think, 189 00:09:13,667 --> 00:09:17,667 and we need to feel what we are feeling, 190 00:09:17,750 --> 00:09:21,167 but think about what God is saying. 191 00:09:21,250 --> 00:09:24,167 Before we examine what God is saying through James, 192 00:09:24,250 --> 00:09:27,167 I want to examine what you might be feeling in the midst 193 00:09:27,250 --> 00:09:28,667 of your trial. 194 00:09:28,750 --> 00:09:30,667 Are you in a trial now? 195 00:09:30,750 --> 00:09:33,250 How many of you are in a trial right now? 196 00:09:33,333 --> 00:09:36,083 It's a tough season, hard season, difficult, 197 00:09:36,167 --> 00:09:40,333 dark, devastating, discouraging season. 198 00:09:40,417 --> 00:09:43,458 When those seasons come, our emotions tend to be 199 00:09:43,500 --> 00:09:45,667 very elevated and escalated. 200 00:09:45,750 --> 00:09:49,708 We feel sometimes more clearly than we think. 201 00:09:49,792 --> 00:09:52,875 And I want to tell you first of all what he's not saying, 202 00:09:52,958 --> 00:09:55,875 then we'll return to the text to see what he is saying. 203 00:09:55,958 --> 00:09:57,292 Here's what he's not saying: 204 00:09:57,333 --> 00:09:59,292 when life is hard, God is punishing you. 205 00:09:59,333 --> 00:10:01,417 True or false, it can feel like that? 206 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:03,708 Hard day, God must be punishing me. 207 00:10:03,792 --> 00:10:06,417 You look back in your life, "OK, what did I do. 208 00:10:06,500 --> 00:10:07,875 "I must have done something wrong. 209 00:10:07,958 --> 00:10:10,875 "God is going to punish me to pay him back for what 210 00:10:10,958 --> 00:10:12,625 I have done or failed to do." 211 00:10:12,667 --> 00:10:14,625 That's a lie; it's not true. 212 00:10:14,667 --> 00:10:17,333 You may feel it, but don't feed it. 213 00:10:17,375 --> 00:10:21,417 God does not punish his people 214 00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:24,333 because he's already punished his Son. 215 00:10:24,375 --> 00:10:27,917 Jesus went to the cross, took upon himself all of the sin of 216 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,583 all of his people, and suffered and died in their place 217 00:10:30,667 --> 00:10:32,000 for their sin. 218 00:10:32,042 --> 00:10:35,000 It would be unjust for God to punish Jesus and you, 219 00:10:35,083 --> 00:10:37,833 much like sending two people to prison for the same crime. 220 00:10:37,875 --> 00:10:39,708 It's injustice. 221 00:10:39,792 --> 00:10:43,625 We reap what we sow, we make bad choices, 222 00:10:43,667 --> 00:10:46,500 we live with the implications and complications 223 00:10:46,542 --> 00:10:48,125 of our own folly, 224 00:10:48,167 --> 00:10:50,333 but God never punishes his people for their sin. 225 00:10:50,375 --> 00:10:52,167 He's already punished Jesus. 226 00:10:52,208 --> 00:10:55,833 I need you to believe that. 227 00:10:55,875 --> 00:10:57,833 Number two, God is not failing you. 228 00:10:57,875 --> 00:11:00,500 "God, you said you love me. It doesn't feel like it. 229 00:11:00,583 --> 00:11:02,292 "God, you said you'd provide for me. 230 00:11:02,333 --> 00:11:03,667 "I'm not seeing it. 231 00:11:03,750 --> 00:11:05,167 "God, there's some promises from you 232 00:11:05,250 --> 00:11:07,167 "but they don't come true in my life. 233 00:11:07,250 --> 00:11:08,583 You are failing me." 234 00:11:08,667 --> 00:11:11,583 You may not say it like that, but you may feel it. 235 00:11:11,667 --> 00:11:15,208 How many of you have truly been in or are in a season where it 236 00:11:15,292 --> 00:11:17,500 feels like God's failing? 237 00:11:17,583 --> 00:11:19,000 Now, he's not failing them. 238 00:11:19,083 --> 00:11:22,000 You can look over the fence into someone else's life and say, 239 00:11:22,083 --> 00:11:24,208 "I think God's certainly good for his promises there, 240 00:11:24,292 --> 00:11:26,875 but not over here." 241 00:11:26,958 --> 00:11:28,333 God is not failing you. 242 00:11:28,375 --> 00:11:31,625 God may not be done with you, but God is not failing you. 243 00:11:31,667 --> 00:11:36,708 God is not without power and God is not without a plan. 244 00:11:36,792 --> 00:11:40,208 And when you're hurting, you need to grow in trusting, 245 00:11:40,292 --> 00:11:42,417 and that's what faith is. 246 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:44,125 Number three, when life is hard, 247 00:11:44,167 --> 00:11:46,292 it does not say that God has abandoned you. 248 00:11:46,333 --> 00:11:49,292 It's easy sometimes to believe that God is near when times are 249 00:11:49,333 --> 00:11:51,792 good, and it's hard to believe that God is near 250 00:11:51,833 --> 00:11:53,792 when times are hard. 251 00:11:53,833 --> 00:11:55,917 You need to take God at his word. 252 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,417 Jesus says, "I'll never leave you. 253 00:11:57,500 --> 00:11:59,625 I'll never forsake you. I'll be with you always." 254 00:11:59,667 --> 00:12:02,042 That's one of the last things he tells us 255 00:12:02,125 --> 00:12:04,042 before he returns to heaven. 256 00:12:04,125 --> 00:12:07,250 He sends the Holy Spirit so the presence and the power of God 257 00:12:07,333 --> 00:12:10,667 is available to us through the person of the Holy Spirit. 258 00:12:10,708 --> 00:12:12,083 God has not abandoned you. 259 00:12:12,167 --> 00:12:13,500 You are not an orphan. 260 00:12:13,542 --> 00:12:16,250 God is not a Father who looks at you and says, 261 00:12:16,333 --> 00:12:18,375 "Well, good luck kids," and walks out the door, 262 00:12:18,458 --> 00:12:20,500 perhaps even like your own earthly father did. 263 00:12:20,542 --> 00:12:22,667 Your Heavenly Father's not like that. 264 00:12:22,708 --> 00:12:25,375 He doesn't abandon you. 265 00:12:25,458 --> 00:12:27,792 Number four, God is not acting evil toward you. 266 00:12:27,833 --> 00:12:29,833 And sometimes, when evil comes upon you, 267 00:12:29,917 --> 00:12:32,458 it can feel like God is acting evil toward you. 268 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:34,333 It can feel like that. 269 00:12:34,417 --> 00:12:37,083 You can get there theologically very quickly, 270 00:12:37,167 --> 00:12:39,458 very erroneously by thinking in this way. 271 00:12:39,500 --> 00:12:40,833 "God is sovereign. 272 00:12:40,917 --> 00:12:42,667 "Everything that happens must be his will. 273 00:12:42,750 --> 00:12:44,792 Evil happens, ergo God is evil." 274 00:12:44,833 --> 00:12:46,167 Not true. 275 00:12:46,250 --> 00:12:48,292 There are things that happen that grieve God, 276 00:12:48,333 --> 00:12:50,792 that break the heart of God, that are rebellion, folly, 277 00:12:50,833 --> 00:12:52,167 and sin against God. 278 00:12:52,250 --> 00:12:55,000 Not everything on the earth is as God intends. 279 00:12:55,042 --> 00:12:59,500 Genesis records the days when everyone did what was only evil 280 00:12:59,542 --> 00:13:02,875 all the time, and it grieved God in his heart. 281 00:13:02,958 --> 00:13:08,875 Jesus shows up and he cries, he weeps at what he sees. 282 00:13:08,958 --> 00:13:12,667 God is not smiling and pleased with everyone and everything. 283 00:13:12,708 --> 00:13:15,500 There is much that breaks his heart in addition 284 00:13:15,542 --> 00:13:17,500 to breaking his law. 285 00:13:17,542 --> 00:13:19,542 God is not evil. 286 00:13:19,625 --> 00:13:21,292 God doesn't do evil. 287 00:13:21,333 --> 00:13:24,458 God is not like the Eastern religions would teach us 288 00:13:24,500 --> 00:13:28,292 or like the more animistic, and native, and pantheistic, 289 00:13:28,333 --> 00:13:31,500 and panentheistic religions would teach us, good and bad. 290 00:13:31,542 --> 00:13:34,458 God's only good, God's always good, 291 00:13:34,500 --> 00:13:37,292 and God is dealing with the evil. 292 00:13:37,333 --> 00:13:39,833 And the evil is not representative of God; 293 00:13:39,917 --> 00:13:44,000 it's war and rebellion against God. 294 00:13:44,042 --> 00:13:47,167 But it can feel this way. 295 00:13:47,250 --> 00:13:50,125 In addition, when life is hard, it is not saying that God 296 00:13:50,167 --> 00:13:52,833 will make it all better for you. 297 00:13:52,875 --> 00:13:55,500 Some of you have more of a greeting-card Christianity 298 00:13:55,583 --> 00:13:57,667 than a biblical Christianity. 299 00:13:57,750 --> 00:13:59,917 And the greeting-card Christianity is this: it's hard, 300 00:14:00,042 --> 00:14:04,500 it's going to be great, just wait, OK? 301 00:14:04,542 --> 00:14:06,500 How many of you have been waiting a while? 302 00:14:06,542 --> 00:14:08,792 You're like, "I--it's not going there. 303 00:14:08,833 --> 00:14:13,292 It's not getting better." 304 00:14:13,333 --> 00:14:16,250 God doesn't promise that things will change, 305 00:14:16,333 --> 00:14:20,375 God promises that you can change. 306 00:14:20,458 --> 00:14:22,042 God doesn't promise, "Well, life's hard. 307 00:14:22,125 --> 00:14:24,083 Just wait, it'll get better." 308 00:14:24,167 --> 00:14:25,500 Maybe not. 309 00:14:25,542 --> 00:14:28,083 It might get worse. 310 00:14:28,167 --> 00:14:32,042 And when life is hard, it does not say that God will answer 311 00:14:32,125 --> 00:14:34,292 every question for you. 312 00:14:34,333 --> 00:14:37,667 When life gets hard--a trial, a test, 313 00:14:37,750 --> 00:14:41,167 a storm comes--it's easy to have a list--"God'll care. 314 00:14:41,208 --> 00:14:44,792 "I've got questions. Why, how come, where? 315 00:14:44,833 --> 00:14:46,292 "I don't understand this. 316 00:14:46,333 --> 00:14:49,500 Reconcile, please explain, clarify, I need to see." 317 00:14:49,583 --> 00:14:51,917 God says, "Live by faith, not by sight. 318 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,625 Look to me, don't look to the answers." 319 00:14:55,667 --> 00:14:59,417 You're not going to get all your questions answered in this life, 320 00:14:59,500 --> 00:15:00,875 I promise you. 321 00:15:00,958 --> 00:15:03,583 Many of them, most of them are answered in God's Word, 322 00:15:03,667 --> 00:15:06,292 but some of them you're going to need to wait for. 323 00:15:06,333 --> 00:15:11,167 Paul tells us that we see in part, not in full. 324 00:15:11,250 --> 00:15:13,667 And he says until we see the face of Jesus, 325 00:15:13,750 --> 00:15:16,875 we're not going to have all our questions answered. 326 00:15:16,958 --> 00:15:19,875 It doesn't say that when life is hard, God is punishing you, 327 00:15:19,958 --> 00:15:22,458 God is failing you, God has abandoned you, 328 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:25,833 God is evil toward you, God is going to fix it all for you, 329 00:15:25,917 --> 00:15:29,333 or that God needs to give an answer to you. 330 00:15:29,417 --> 00:15:31,167 What does he say? 331 00:15:31,250 --> 00:15:36,375 Back to the text, James 1:2-4. 332 00:15:36,458 --> 00:15:40,500 What he does say is that life is sometimes hard. 333 00:15:40,542 --> 00:15:44,167 "Count it all joy." 334 00:15:44,250 --> 00:15:47,833 "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials 335 00:15:47,917 --> 00:15:50,125 "of various kinds, for you know that the testing 336 00:15:50,167 --> 00:15:51,625 of your faith produces steadfastness." 337 00:15:51,667 --> 00:15:53,833 You're going to see that word twice here. 338 00:15:53,875 --> 00:15:55,208 It's a big, important word. 339 00:15:55,292 --> 00:15:56,917 "And let steadfastness"-- there it is again-- 340 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,667 "have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, 341 00:15:59,750 --> 00:16:01,167 lacking in nothing." 342 00:16:01,208 --> 00:16:02,542 Three things he says. 343 00:16:02,625 --> 00:16:04,375 "When trials come." 344 00:16:04,458 --> 00:16:05,792 He doesn't say "if." 345 00:16:05,833 --> 00:16:07,792 How many of you were hoping for "if"? 346 00:16:07,833 --> 00:16:09,792 You're like, "Man, I was hoping for 'if.'" 347 00:16:09,833 --> 00:16:11,542 "If"--like, what's the over/under in Vegas 348 00:16:11,625 --> 00:16:13,042 that I might get a trial? 349 00:16:13,125 --> 00:16:14,542 You know, what are my odds? 350 00:16:14,625 --> 00:16:15,958 A hundred percent. 351 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,375 You're going to get trials. 352 00:16:17,458 --> 00:16:18,792 A hundred percent. 353 00:16:18,833 --> 00:16:20,667 New Christians, don't be shocked by this. 354 00:16:20,750 --> 00:16:22,792 "Oh my gosh, a trial came. 355 00:16:22,833 --> 00:16:25,333 Christianity isn't working." 356 00:16:25,417 --> 00:16:26,792 No, it's working. 357 00:16:26,833 --> 00:16:29,000 James starts there, all right? 358 00:16:29,042 --> 00:16:30,792 Welcome to 101. 359 00:16:30,833 --> 00:16:32,333 It's going to hurt. 360 00:16:32,417 --> 00:16:33,750 "Oh really, OK. 361 00:16:33,833 --> 00:16:36,250 OK, then I guess I expect it's going to hurt." 362 00:16:36,333 --> 00:16:37,667 When trials come. 363 00:16:37,708 --> 00:16:39,667 So, point number one, when trials come. 364 00:16:39,750 --> 00:16:42,375 So, when trials come, don't say, "God, how come, where, why? 365 00:16:42,458 --> 00:16:43,792 "I don't understand. What? 366 00:16:43,833 --> 00:16:45,167 "I had no idea. 367 00:16:45,250 --> 00:16:47,167 Had I known this, I would have--what, what?" 368 00:16:47,250 --> 00:16:49,208 God says, "No, I told you they're coming." 369 00:16:49,292 --> 00:16:51,208 Some of you are in them right now. 370 00:16:51,292 --> 00:16:54,792 Some of you see the clouds on the horizon. 371 00:16:54,833 --> 00:16:58,292 Number two, he says, "When the trials come, know this." 372 00:16:58,333 --> 00:16:59,667 It's very strong. 373 00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:01,167 "Know this." 374 00:17:01,208 --> 00:17:02,542 Don't forget this. 375 00:17:02,625 --> 00:17:04,042 Hold this truth in your hand. 376 00:17:04,125 --> 00:17:05,458 Cling to it. 377 00:17:05,500 --> 00:17:06,833 Here's your life vest, right? 378 00:17:06,917 --> 00:17:08,250 Like, keep it close. 379 00:17:08,333 --> 00:17:14,667 "Know this: when a trial comes, it's a test." 380 00:17:14,708 --> 00:17:17,333 A test can be a good or a bad thing. 381 00:17:17,417 --> 00:17:21,042 It depends on how good you are at taking the test. 382 00:17:21,125 --> 00:17:23,792 If you pass the test, it's actually really encouraging. 383 00:17:23,833 --> 00:17:26,792 How many of you have taken a test, maybe even in school? 384 00:17:26,833 --> 00:17:28,292 You're like, "I took the test. 385 00:17:28,333 --> 00:17:30,792 "It was a little stressful. I got a good grade. 386 00:17:30,833 --> 00:17:32,167 That was pretty awesome." 387 00:17:32,250 --> 00:17:36,000 Life is filled with tests, spiritual tests. 388 00:17:36,042 --> 00:17:38,583 A trial is a test. 389 00:17:38,667 --> 00:17:41,875 Here's what it means: it's an opportunity. 390 00:17:41,958 --> 00:17:48,083 It's an opportunity to prove who you are in Christ, 391 00:17:48,167 --> 00:17:54,292 to see who you're becoming in Christ. 392 00:17:54,333 --> 00:18:00,167 When it first hits, a trial feels like an attack. 393 00:18:00,250 --> 00:18:02,333 And he says, "I want you to know this. 394 00:18:02,417 --> 00:18:05,542 It's a test." 395 00:18:05,625 --> 00:18:07,375 It's a test. 396 00:18:07,458 --> 00:18:12,542 And you need to know this, that the trials are of various kinds. 397 00:18:14,958 --> 00:18:20,667 Financial, emotional, physical, 398 00:18:20,708 --> 00:18:23,083 spiritual, mental, relational, 399 00:18:23,167 --> 00:18:27,583 marital, vocational. 400 00:18:27,667 --> 00:18:29,000 Various. 401 00:18:29,042 --> 00:18:30,500 He says, "Various kinds of trials." 402 00:18:30,542 --> 00:18:31,875 You know what this means? 403 00:18:31,958 --> 00:18:33,792 You don't know where it's coming from next. 404 00:18:33,833 --> 00:18:36,083 It could be coming from anywhere. 405 00:18:36,167 --> 00:18:40,458 Any aspect of your whole life, a trial could come from there. 406 00:18:40,500 --> 00:18:43,667 And they don't always come one at a time. 407 00:18:43,708 --> 00:18:47,292 How many of you have noticed that? 408 00:18:47,333 --> 00:18:51,333 Ouch, ouch, ouch, hey! 409 00:18:53,875 --> 00:18:55,208 Various kinds of trials. 410 00:18:55,292 --> 00:18:57,917 And sometimes what happens is, you get through a trial in 411 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,500 one area of your life, you're like, "Glad that's over," 412 00:19:00,542 --> 00:19:03,000 and then there's a trial in another area of life. 413 00:19:03,042 --> 00:19:07,667 I got my finances in order, and then my relationship fell apart. 414 00:19:07,708 --> 00:19:10,667 Now I'm in another trial. 415 00:19:10,750 --> 00:19:13,292 So, here's what I don't want you to do: 416 00:19:13,333 --> 00:19:16,583 I don't want you to compare trials with other people. 417 00:19:16,667 --> 00:19:19,583 See, some of you, you have great wisdom and experience 418 00:19:19,667 --> 00:19:21,375 in other areas. 419 00:19:21,458 --> 00:19:24,833 Conversely, other people have other wisdom 420 00:19:24,917 --> 00:19:26,500 and other experience in other areas. 421 00:19:26,542 --> 00:19:29,167 So, some of you, let's say, financially, 422 00:19:29,250 --> 00:19:31,167 you've got a massive capacity. 423 00:19:31,250 --> 00:19:34,167 If a financial trial comes into your life, 424 00:19:34,250 --> 00:19:37,667 you have some wisdom on what to do with that. 425 00:19:37,750 --> 00:19:40,875 Some of you, you're like, "I don't know, once I get past ten, 426 00:19:40,958 --> 00:19:43,083 "I take my shoes off and try and count, 427 00:19:43,167 --> 00:19:44,583 "but I'm not good with numbers. 428 00:19:44,667 --> 00:19:46,583 "So, when it comes to balancing a budget 429 00:19:46,667 --> 00:19:48,000 "and setting my finances, 430 00:19:48,042 --> 00:19:49,708 I feel very overwhelmed very quickly." 431 00:19:49,792 --> 00:19:51,917 Well, it's not fair for this person to say, 432 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:53,333 "That's not a big deal. 433 00:19:53,375 --> 00:19:54,708 That's a little trial." 434 00:19:54,792 --> 00:19:56,208 It's a big deal to them. 435 00:19:56,292 --> 00:19:58,167 Conversely, this person might have an enormous emotional 436 00:19:58,250 --> 00:20:00,708 bucket and capacity for relationships, and trauma, 437 00:20:00,792 --> 00:20:03,708 and drama, and this other person might have a thimble-- 438 00:20:03,792 --> 00:20:06,000 an emotional thimble, right? 439 00:20:06,042 --> 00:20:08,083 Like, two strained relationships and they're in 440 00:20:08,167 --> 00:20:10,417 the fetal position reading Lamentations, right? 441 00:20:10,500 --> 00:20:12,417 They're done, right? 442 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:14,625 Well, it's not fair for this person to say, 443 00:20:14,667 --> 00:20:16,708 "Well, hey, come on, just roll with it. 444 00:20:16,792 --> 00:20:18,917 "You need to be, you know, more emotionally present 445 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,333 and compassionate." 446 00:20:20,375 --> 00:20:21,708 They're like, "Ah, numbers. 447 00:20:21,792 --> 00:20:23,125 I like numbers, not people." 448 00:20:23,167 --> 00:20:24,500 We're all different. 449 00:20:24,583 --> 00:20:26,417 We get various kinds of trials. 450 00:20:26,500 --> 00:20:29,792 And God doesn't cause evil to come upon us, 451 00:20:29,833 --> 00:20:33,875 but he'll use evil for our good and his glory. 452 00:20:33,958 --> 00:20:36,208 And sometimes God allows a trial to come in 453 00:20:36,292 --> 00:20:38,500 in our area of weakness. 454 00:20:38,583 --> 00:20:41,917 And so what's hard for you is easy for someone else, 455 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,417 and the same is true conversely. 456 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:46,500 So, he's telling us that trials will come. 457 00:20:46,542 --> 00:20:49,667 We need to know that they are a test and that we shouldn't 458 00:20:49,708 --> 00:20:53,542 compare our trials to others. 459 00:20:53,625 --> 00:20:56,250 And ultimately if we'll avail ourselves to them, 460 00:20:56,333 --> 00:21:01,917 it could produce two things: steadfastness and maturity. 461 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,708 Steadfastness is this perseverance, this fortitude. 462 00:21:05,792 --> 00:21:09,833 The Bible uses the language elsewhere of, "Stand firm." 463 00:21:09,875 --> 00:21:13,667 It's like a command to a soldier, "Hold your post." 464 00:21:13,750 --> 00:21:16,333 Steadfastness. 465 00:21:16,375 --> 00:21:19,708 You endure, you persevere, you weather the storm, 466 00:21:19,792 --> 00:21:23,625 you make it through, you don't give up, you don't give in. 467 00:21:23,667 --> 00:21:26,417 And he says, "If you will receive it as a trial, 468 00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:29,083 "and a test, and an opportunity, and produce steadfastness, 469 00:21:29,167 --> 00:21:31,583 then it'll result in maturity." 470 00:21:31,667 --> 00:21:33,875 What this means is you'll become more godly, 471 00:21:33,958 --> 00:21:35,333 you'll become more like Jesus. 472 00:21:35,375 --> 00:21:38,625 The trial will be used to transform you. 473 00:21:38,667 --> 00:21:43,833 OK, how many of you want to be more like Jesus? 474 00:21:43,875 --> 00:21:46,917 How many of you want a trial? 475 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:48,667 OK? 476 00:21:48,750 --> 00:21:52,667 Just so you know, they're the same question. 477 00:21:52,750 --> 00:21:58,583 Right, it's like, "I want to be buff without working out. 478 00:21:58,667 --> 00:22:02,375 I want to learn a lot without reading books." 479 00:22:02,458 --> 00:22:04,875 It doesn't work that way. 480 00:22:04,958 --> 00:22:09,667 Cause, effect; reap, sow. Steadfastness produces maturity. 481 00:22:09,708 --> 00:22:12,667 The reason why some of you are immature is because you have 482 00:22:12,708 --> 00:22:15,000 no steadfast--you have no steadfastness. 483 00:22:15,042 --> 00:22:17,042 So, relationship can--relationship-- 484 00:22:17,125 --> 00:22:23,833 I'm so excited I'm speaking faster than my mouth. 485 00:22:23,917 --> 00:22:28,167 And for me, that's quite a thing. 486 00:22:28,250 --> 00:22:30,375 But I really love you, and I'm really excited, 487 00:22:30,458 --> 00:22:33,583 and I really want to help you, and I really think this is 488 00:22:33,667 --> 00:22:35,000 God's word to you today. 489 00:22:35,042 --> 00:22:36,500 In fact, I'm sure of it. 490 00:22:36,542 --> 00:22:39,042 But if you have a hard relationship and quit, 491 00:22:39,125 --> 00:22:40,833 and have another hard relationship and quit, 492 00:22:40,917 --> 00:22:43,833 and have a hard job and quit, and have another hard job 493 00:22:43,917 --> 00:22:47,042 and quit, and go to a church and have a conflict and quit, 494 00:22:47,125 --> 00:22:49,708 and go to another church and have a conflict and quit, 495 00:22:49,792 --> 00:22:51,208 you know what you don't do? 496 00:22:51,292 --> 00:22:53,208 Mature, because you don't have steadfastness. 497 00:22:53,292 --> 00:22:57,375 Paul says it this way: "Perseverance produces"--what? 498 00:22:57,458 --> 00:22:58,792 Character. 499 00:22:58,833 --> 00:23:00,375 James is saying the same thing. 500 00:23:00,458 --> 00:23:03,792 Steadfastness produces maturity. Same thing. 501 00:23:03,833 --> 00:23:06,167 Same thing. 502 00:23:06,250 --> 00:23:10,083 What that means is your godliness is not in spite 503 00:23:10,167 --> 00:23:11,875 of your problem or around your problem, 504 00:23:11,958 --> 00:23:14,083 it's what God will do in and through you 505 00:23:14,167 --> 00:23:15,667 through your problem. 506 00:23:15,750 --> 00:23:18,875 And he says, "I need you to know this so that when you're 507 00:23:18,958 --> 00:23:22,167 "in the middle of it, you receive it as an opportunity 508 00:23:22,250 --> 00:23:27,500 from God and not an obstacle." 509 00:23:27,542 --> 00:23:29,583 And he says, "If all of this happens, 510 00:23:29,667 --> 00:23:34,458 you can count it all joy." 511 00:23:34,500 --> 00:23:36,333 When religious people say this word, 512 00:23:36,417 --> 00:23:41,083 I want to extend the right hand of fellowship in an ungodly way 513 00:23:41,167 --> 00:23:43,250 to religious people when they use this verse. 514 00:23:43,333 --> 00:23:46,375 This is like religious people's favorite verse, 515 00:23:46,458 --> 00:23:47,875 and they use it wrong. 516 00:23:47,958 --> 00:23:49,708 "Count it all joy." 517 00:23:49,792 --> 00:23:53,875 Just the way they say it. 518 00:23:53,958 --> 00:23:56,500 And what they make it sound like is, 519 00:23:56,583 --> 00:23:58,333 "Every Christian's a cheerleader. 520 00:23:58,375 --> 00:23:59,833 Yay, count it all joy!" 521 00:23:59,875 --> 00:24:02,875 I'm not going to cheer for you because I'm not that flexible 522 00:24:02,958 --> 00:24:05,875 or encouraging, but you get the big idea. 523 00:24:05,958 --> 00:24:07,458 "Count it all--" right? 524 00:24:07,500 --> 00:24:09,458 Like, "Oh, you meet Jesus, get pom poms. 525 00:24:09,500 --> 00:24:11,667 "Just, count it all joy. Count it all joy. 526 00:24:11,708 --> 00:24:14,667 "I get hit by a car, at least it wasn't a bus. 527 00:24:14,708 --> 00:24:16,667 Count it all joy, count it all joy." 528 00:24:16,708 --> 00:24:18,333 Right? 529 00:24:19,708 --> 00:24:22,583 Religious people quote verses in ways that make you want to do 530 00:24:22,667 --> 00:24:26,500 violence against them, OK? 531 00:24:26,542 --> 00:24:29,875 All right, what does it mean to count it all joy? 532 00:24:29,958 --> 00:24:32,667 Christians will tell you there's a difference between joy 533 00:24:32,750 --> 00:24:35,042 and happiness, and I agree with this. 534 00:24:35,125 --> 00:24:37,167 And they'll say, "Oh, well, you know, 535 00:24:37,250 --> 00:24:39,292 happiness... Joy." 536 00:24:39,333 --> 00:24:41,042 No, look, let me start with happiness. 537 00:24:41,125 --> 00:24:43,167 Yay, happiness, right? 538 00:24:43,250 --> 00:24:45,958 If we're voting, I am pro happiness. 539 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,917 Happiness is because of your circumstances, OK? 540 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,917 So, let's say you go into work tomorrow. 541 00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:54,333 Your boss is like, "I'm giving you a raise." 542 00:24:54,375 --> 00:24:56,333 "Yay, happy," right? 543 00:24:56,375 --> 00:24:57,708 You go in tomorrow. 544 00:24:57,792 --> 00:24:59,125 Your boss says, "I'm quitting." 545 00:24:59,167 --> 00:25:00,583 You're like, "Yay, happy," OK? 546 00:25:00,667 --> 00:25:04,333 Happy is connected to circumstances. 547 00:25:04,417 --> 00:25:05,792 I'm not against happy. 548 00:25:05,833 --> 00:25:07,167 I'm for happy. 549 00:25:07,250 --> 00:25:08,875 Get happy, that's great, praise God. 550 00:25:08,958 --> 00:25:10,875 Like, if Grace, tonight, comes up to me--Sweetheart, 551 00:25:10,958 --> 00:25:13,375 just put a little thought in your mind--and says, 552 00:25:13,458 --> 00:25:15,000 "Here's a bowl of ice cream. 553 00:25:15,042 --> 00:25:16,458 I want to rub your neck." 554 00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:18,375 Yay, yay, yay! 555 00:25:18,458 --> 00:25:20,000 Just something to pray about, Sweetheart. 556 00:25:20,042 --> 00:25:25,833 So, I'm, at that moment, happy, happy. 557 00:25:25,917 --> 00:25:27,292 You know why? 558 00:25:27,333 --> 00:25:30,250 Wonderful things have come together at the same time. 559 00:25:30,333 --> 00:25:32,250 Are we against happy? 560 00:25:32,333 --> 00:25:33,667 No. Shake your head. 561 00:25:33,750 --> 00:25:35,083 Say it like this, "No." 562 00:25:35,167 --> 00:25:37,792 But what happens when you don't get happy? 563 00:25:37,833 --> 00:25:40,667 What happens when the doctor doesn't say, "You're better"; 564 00:25:40,750 --> 00:25:42,167 he says, "You're sick"? 565 00:25:42,250 --> 00:25:44,167 Your boss doesn't say, "You get a raise." 566 00:25:44,250 --> 00:25:45,583 "You're fired." 567 00:25:45,667 --> 00:25:47,083 Your boyfriend or girlfriend doesn't say, 568 00:25:47,167 --> 00:25:48,833 "I want to get married," they say, 569 00:25:48,875 --> 00:25:50,833 "I want to get married to somebody else." 570 00:25:50,875 --> 00:25:52,500 All right, what do you do then? 571 00:25:52,583 --> 00:25:55,375 That's where joy comes in, OK? 572 00:25:55,458 --> 00:25:57,125 Christians and non-Christians can have happiness. 573 00:25:57,167 --> 00:26:02,750 Joy--well, that's the domain of God's people. 574 00:26:02,833 --> 00:26:05,875 Joy is not because of your circumstance; 575 00:26:05,958 --> 00:26:08,875 it's in spite of it. 576 00:26:08,958 --> 00:26:11,542 The Bible says this-- the Holy Spirit just brought 577 00:26:11,625 --> 00:26:13,792 this verse to mind in Hebrews: "For the joy 578 00:26:13,833 --> 00:26:18,167 set before him, Jesus endured the cross." 579 00:26:18,250 --> 00:26:22,167 I can't think of anything less joyful than crucifixion, 580 00:26:22,250 --> 00:26:26,375 and Jesus counted it, considered it, reckoned it joy. 581 00:26:26,458 --> 00:26:28,042 Well, that ain't happiness, because in 582 00:26:28,125 --> 00:26:30,500 the Garden of Gethsemane, before he goes to the cross, 583 00:26:30,542 --> 00:26:33,500 he is so distraught that he is literally sweating 584 00:26:33,542 --> 00:26:34,958 drops of blood. 585 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,500 He's not happy. 586 00:26:36,542 --> 00:26:40,500 It's not cheerleader, pom pom, yay Jesus. 587 00:26:40,542 --> 00:26:43,083 He's emotionally present, he's hurting, he's suffering, 588 00:26:43,167 --> 00:26:48,000 he's grieving, he's bleeding, he's preparing to be dying, 589 00:26:48,042 --> 00:26:50,333 and the Bible says he had joy. 590 00:26:50,375 --> 00:26:53,292 Happiness is because of your circumstance. 591 00:26:53,333 --> 00:26:56,292 Joy is in spite of your circumstances. 592 00:26:56,333 --> 00:26:59,292 It's that peace that surpasses understanding. 593 00:26:59,333 --> 00:27:00,750 It's crazy joy. 594 00:27:00,833 --> 00:27:02,583 It doesn't make sense. 595 00:27:02,667 --> 00:27:05,583 And James says, "That can be yours, as it was my brother." 596 00:27:05,667 --> 00:27:07,792 And he learned this looking at his brother, 597 00:27:07,833 --> 00:27:10,583 following his brother, seeing his brother. 598 00:27:10,667 --> 00:27:15,583 Jesus had joy--Jesus had joy even when he didn't 599 00:27:15,667 --> 00:27:17,375 have happiness. 600 00:27:17,458 --> 00:27:19,583 And James learned this watching his big brother, 601 00:27:19,667 --> 00:27:22,250 and he wants you and I to share in that joy. 602 00:27:22,333 --> 00:27:24,500 And he says, "Well, here's the key: 603 00:27:24,542 --> 00:27:27,167 "Tests and trials will come. 604 00:27:27,208 --> 00:27:29,750 Know that they are opportunities for you to grow." 605 00:27:29,833 --> 00:27:32,583 You can become more steadfast and mature. 606 00:27:32,667 --> 00:27:35,042 You can rejoice, not in the circumstance 607 00:27:35,125 --> 00:27:38,458 but in the Lord, who will change you through the circumstance 608 00:27:38,500 --> 00:27:41,292 to become more like Jesus. 609 00:27:41,333 --> 00:27:44,042 Do you get that? 610 00:27:44,125 --> 00:27:46,375 For those of you hurting, and suffering, and struggling, 611 00:27:46,458 --> 00:27:49,417 I need you to trust that, OK? 612 00:27:49,500 --> 00:27:52,833 And I don't want to get into all of my life and gossip about 613 00:27:52,875 --> 00:27:55,667 others, but would you just trust that, occasionally, 614 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:57,917 I get a trial? 615 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:00,583 Somebody criticizes me, or I do something wrong, 616 00:28:00,667 --> 00:28:03,042 or I make a mistake, or something happens 617 00:28:03,125 --> 00:28:05,792 that I don't understand. 618 00:28:05,833 --> 00:28:07,792 I had one recently. 619 00:28:07,833 --> 00:28:10,000 It was a couple weeks ago studying for this. 620 00:28:10,042 --> 00:28:12,792 And I'm studying it, and then a whole bunch of things 621 00:28:12,833 --> 00:28:14,167 happened, all right? 622 00:28:14,250 --> 00:28:15,583 Like... 623 00:28:15,667 --> 00:28:20,375 And I was so anxious, I looked down and my hand was trembling, 624 00:28:20,458 --> 00:28:23,500 I knew it was my hand because it was so furry. 625 00:28:23,542 --> 00:28:28,958 And I'm...this is a man's hand. 626 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:34,458 This is a shaking, trembling man's hand. 627 00:28:34,500 --> 00:28:37,375 Trials. 628 00:28:37,458 --> 00:28:39,958 You've got to know it's a test. 629 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:42,667 That test is an opportunity. 630 00:28:42,708 --> 00:28:45,875 You need to learn to be steadfast. 631 00:28:45,958 --> 00:28:49,125 Let Jesus do a work in you. 632 00:28:49,167 --> 00:28:53,875 And if you'll respond that way, there's joy for you 633 00:28:53,958 --> 00:28:56,333 because God loves you. 634 00:28:56,375 --> 00:29:00,583 And maybe what's happening to you isn't good, but God is. 635 00:29:00,667 --> 00:29:02,375 That's his next point. 636 00:29:02,458 --> 00:29:06,500 So, his first point is that life is sometimes hard. 637 00:29:06,542 --> 00:29:11,667 And then he says, "But God is always good." 638 00:29:11,750 --> 00:29:14,458 And this is bedrock. 639 00:29:14,500 --> 00:29:17,750 James 1:5-8, "If any of you lacks wisdom." 640 00:29:17,833 --> 00:29:20,375 OK, let's just stop right there. 641 00:29:20,458 --> 00:29:22,292 OK, just stop right there. 642 00:29:22,333 --> 00:29:25,750 Raise your hand if you lack wisdom, OK? 643 00:29:25,833 --> 00:29:30,583 Anyone who didn't raise their hand really lacks wisdom, OK. 644 00:29:30,667 --> 00:29:33,542 All right, God's asking, "Does anybody need help?" 645 00:29:33,625 --> 00:29:35,667 You're like, "Uh, yep, I know a guy. 646 00:29:35,750 --> 00:29:38,458 I know a guy who needs a lot of help." 647 00:29:38,500 --> 00:29:40,000 "Let him"--what? 648 00:29:40,042 --> 00:29:42,000 Freak out? 649 00:29:42,042 --> 00:29:45,042 Pick up the phone? 650 00:29:47,750 --> 00:29:52,417 "Ask God, who gives generously to all." 651 00:29:52,500 --> 00:29:53,833 That includes you and me. 652 00:29:53,875 --> 00:29:57,333 It doesn't matter what we've done. 653 00:29:57,375 --> 00:30:01,292 "Without reproach, and it will be given to him." 654 00:30:01,333 --> 00:30:04,292 There's a promise. 655 00:30:04,333 --> 00:30:05,667 Tether your joy to that. 656 00:30:05,750 --> 00:30:10,000 "But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, 657 00:30:10,083 --> 00:30:13,667 "for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven 658 00:30:13,750 --> 00:30:15,083 "and tossed by the wind. 659 00:30:15,167 --> 00:30:17,583 "For that person must not suppose that he will receive 660 00:30:17,667 --> 00:30:20,333 "anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, 661 00:30:20,375 --> 00:30:22,708 unstable in all his ways." 662 00:30:22,792 --> 00:30:29,417 He says, "OK, when a trial comes, it's like a storm." 663 00:30:29,500 --> 00:30:33,167 And so all of a sudden, he wants our imagination to be set sail 664 00:30:33,250 --> 00:30:35,167 out on the sea. 665 00:30:35,250 --> 00:30:38,625 He says, "OK, now think of a storm, 666 00:30:38,667 --> 00:30:41,125 "like the one that Jesus and his disciples were in 667 00:30:41,167 --> 00:30:44,500 out on the lake." 668 00:30:44,583 --> 00:30:48,500 What happens in a storm is the clouds roll in, 669 00:30:48,583 --> 00:30:50,833 it gets dark, you can't see land. 670 00:30:50,875 --> 00:30:54,750 You don't know where safety is because it's not near. 671 00:30:54,833 --> 00:30:58,042 And all of a sudden, everything becomes very volatile 672 00:30:58,125 --> 00:30:59,750 and violent. 673 00:30:59,833 --> 00:31:03,417 All of a sudden, things become unstable and uncertain, 674 00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:05,833 and you feel unsafe. 675 00:31:05,875 --> 00:31:10,417 And now it feels like forces that are far beyond your control 676 00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:14,333 are in control of you, which means you feel out of control. 677 00:31:14,375 --> 00:31:17,833 Do you know what that feels like? 678 00:31:17,875 --> 00:31:24,708 It's anxious; it's stressful. 679 00:31:24,792 --> 00:31:26,917 He says, "When those storms come"-- 680 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,625 how many of you are in a storm? 681 00:31:29,667 --> 00:31:35,208 Right, not just normal life stuff, storm. 682 00:31:35,292 --> 00:31:38,375 How many of you came through one not too long ago? 683 00:31:38,458 --> 00:31:40,875 How many of you are fearful because you see one 684 00:31:40,958 --> 00:31:43,833 on the horizon? 685 00:31:43,875 --> 00:31:47,167 He says, "When that happens, you need wisdom." 686 00:31:47,250 --> 00:31:49,833 And I want you to know there's a difference between wisdom 687 00:31:49,875 --> 00:31:51,208 and knowledge. 688 00:31:51,292 --> 00:31:57,375 Knowledge is not bad, but knowledge is not enough. 689 00:31:57,458 --> 00:31:59,125 Knowledge is knowing the truth, 690 00:31:59,167 --> 00:32:02,458 wisdom is knowing what to do with it. 691 00:32:02,500 --> 00:32:06,375 Knowledge is theoretical, wisdom is practical. 692 00:32:06,458 --> 00:32:10,667 Knowledge fills your mind; wisdom guides your life. 693 00:32:10,750 --> 00:32:14,750 Knowledge is truthful; wisdom is useful. 694 00:32:14,833 --> 00:32:21,083 Knowledge provides information, wisdom provides transformation. 695 00:32:21,167 --> 00:32:23,167 Knowledge tells you what to believe, 696 00:32:23,208 --> 00:32:26,667 and wisdom tells you how to behave. 697 00:32:26,708 --> 00:32:29,583 You can have knowledge without wisdom, 698 00:32:29,667 --> 00:32:33,375 but you can't have wisdom without knowledge. 699 00:32:33,458 --> 00:32:39,042 That's why wisdom has very little to do with your IQ. 700 00:32:39,125 --> 00:32:44,083 There are smart people who make dumb decisions. 701 00:32:44,167 --> 00:32:49,208 At the beginning, I told you that Jesus grew in wisdom by 702 00:32:49,292 --> 00:32:52,208 the power of the Holy Spirit. 703 00:32:52,292 --> 00:32:54,333 What James, Jesus' little brother, 704 00:32:54,375 --> 00:32:58,667 wants us to do here is to grow in wisdom by the power 705 00:32:58,750 --> 00:33:00,167 of the Holy Spirit. 706 00:33:00,208 --> 00:33:02,250 You think of all that Jesus faced, 707 00:33:02,333 --> 00:33:04,000 all the storms that came against him. 708 00:33:04,042 --> 00:33:07,750 Satan tempts him, family doubts him, friends betray him, 709 00:33:07,833 --> 00:33:13,083 critics oppose him, everything is against him. 710 00:33:13,167 --> 00:33:17,167 Perfect life, sinless life, an emotional, passionate, 711 00:33:17,250 --> 00:33:22,333 present, not disconnected, detached, disoriented life. 712 00:33:22,417 --> 00:33:25,833 How did he do it? By wisdom. 713 00:33:25,917 --> 00:33:27,667 By wisdom. 714 00:33:27,750 --> 00:33:30,083 And James is saying, "When the storm comes, 715 00:33:30,167 --> 00:33:32,750 you need to get wisdom." 716 00:33:32,833 --> 00:33:35,292 This is how you get your sea legs. 717 00:33:35,333 --> 00:33:39,042 How many of you have ever been sea sick? 718 00:33:39,125 --> 00:33:41,000 You ever been seasick? 719 00:33:41,042 --> 00:33:43,292 It's horrible, isn't it? 720 00:33:43,333 --> 00:33:45,333 You feel unstable. 721 00:33:45,417 --> 00:33:46,875 That's his language. 722 00:33:46,958 --> 00:33:48,875 He told us, "Steadfastness, steadfastness." 723 00:33:48,958 --> 00:33:52,917 Here, he's going to juxtapose that with "unstable." 724 00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:54,708 What happens when you're out at sea, 725 00:33:54,792 --> 00:33:57,417 and you don't have your sea legs, and you're sea sick, 726 00:33:57,500 --> 00:34:00,500 and you're out of your element, you're unstable in all you do. 727 00:34:00,542 --> 00:34:05,458 You're disoriented, you're not clear, you're not planted, 728 00:34:05,500 --> 00:34:08,167 you're not rooted, you're not grounded. 729 00:34:08,250 --> 00:34:12,083 Some of you, your life is like that. 730 00:34:12,167 --> 00:34:15,500 And I'll give you an analogy--or an illustration, I should say, 731 00:34:15,542 --> 00:34:18,583 from my own life. 732 00:34:18,667 --> 00:34:22,583 Some years ago--many years ago, I went and taught on a cruise. 733 00:34:22,667 --> 00:34:25,083 They said, "Do you want to teach on a cruise?" 734 00:34:25,167 --> 00:34:28,292 "I don't want to teach, but I want to be on a cruise, 735 00:34:28,333 --> 00:34:30,000 so if that's the deal, I'm in." 736 00:34:30,042 --> 00:34:32,500 So, I got on this cruise and we set sail, 737 00:34:32,542 --> 00:34:36,000 and we hit--in the middle of the night, we hit a huge storm. 738 00:34:36,042 --> 00:34:39,000 So, they sent us all back to our room to throw up. 739 00:34:39,042 --> 00:34:41,750 So, we all went back to our room to throw up. 740 00:34:41,833 --> 00:34:43,958 And this cruise ship, it's--I mean, you look out, 741 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:48,500 it's just dark, and clouds, and storm, and dangerous, 742 00:34:48,583 --> 00:34:51,667 and stuff's falling of the shelf, and just overwhelming. 743 00:34:51,750 --> 00:34:55,667 And it's out--it feels out of your control, which for me, 744 00:34:55,750 --> 00:34:57,792 I don't like that. 745 00:34:57,833 --> 00:35:02,042 Finally, the cruise was over. 746 00:35:02,125 --> 00:35:04,792 Very glad about that. 747 00:35:04,833 --> 00:35:10,792 I've never done a cruise since then, and it's not by accident. 748 00:35:10,833 --> 00:35:14,833 So, I got off the cruise and I was-- 749 00:35:16,708 --> 00:35:20,750 no drinking, but you couldn't tell, right? 750 00:35:20,833 --> 00:35:22,375 Whoa! 751 00:35:22,458 --> 00:35:24,000 I literally--Grace'll tell you, 752 00:35:24,042 --> 00:35:28,292 this was me for about a year, OK? 753 00:35:28,333 --> 00:35:29,792 What the heck? 754 00:35:29,833 --> 00:35:31,375 Unstable. 755 00:35:31,458 --> 00:35:34,167 I was disoriented. Never got my sea legs. 756 00:35:34,208 --> 00:35:36,875 It was so bad; I would drive, and my depth perception 757 00:35:36,958 --> 00:35:39,583 was off--I'm just-- 758 00:35:39,667 --> 00:35:42,000 I go out to play catch with my son. 759 00:35:42,042 --> 00:35:45,500 He throws me the ball...and then I put my glove up. 760 00:35:45,542 --> 00:35:51,208 Like, my instincts are off, OK? 761 00:35:51,292 --> 00:35:55,083 I went to a video store--let me explain this for you kids. 762 00:35:55,167 --> 00:35:58,417 It's where we used to go when we wanted to watch a movie. 763 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:01,583 We would ride our pet dinosaur to this place called 764 00:36:01,667 --> 00:36:05,083 the "video store," and we'd rent a video. 765 00:36:05,167 --> 00:36:08,083 So, I went to the video store, and I kid you not, 766 00:36:08,167 --> 00:36:10,292 I'm sitting at, I think it was Hollywood Video. 767 00:36:10,333 --> 00:36:12,958 I'm looking at the movies, and then there was a movie, 768 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:14,458 like, down on the bottom shelf. 769 00:36:14,500 --> 00:36:17,083 So I looked at it, and I fell over. 770 00:36:17,167 --> 00:36:22,292 I'm laying in the aisle at Hollywood Video. 771 00:36:22,333 --> 00:36:28,917 And I got up, I'm like, "You know, I think something's wrong. 772 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:32,375 My spidey senses are tingling. There's something wrong." 773 00:36:32,458 --> 00:36:34,583 I'm laying--I'm like, I can't--so, 774 00:36:34,667 --> 00:36:36,583 I go to a bunch of doctors, specialists. 775 00:36:36,667 --> 00:36:38,083 I'm like, "What's wrong, what's wrong?" 776 00:36:38,167 --> 00:36:40,000 They finally, a bunch of tests, diagnosed me. 777 00:36:40,083 --> 00:36:43,000 Something called Mal de Debarquement Syndrome, 778 00:36:43,083 --> 00:36:44,417 OK? 779 00:36:44,500 --> 00:36:46,958 And I asked the guy, I'm like, "Well, OK, doc. 780 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,333 What is that?" 781 00:36:48,417 --> 00:36:49,750 He said, "You're dizzy." 782 00:36:49,833 --> 00:36:53,042 I'm like, "Yeah, and I'm obviously not alone. 783 00:36:53,125 --> 00:36:58,708 Right, like, OK, so, what is this thing?" 784 00:36:58,792 --> 00:37:01,417 He said, "Well, it's very unusual." 785 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:05,375 I said, "OK, is it going to get better?" 786 00:37:05,458 --> 00:37:07,625 He said, "Yeah, I think eventually it will." 787 00:37:07,667 --> 00:37:10,125 I said, "Well, what causes it?" 788 00:37:10,167 --> 00:37:12,000 He said, "Well, it's very unusual." 789 00:37:12,083 --> 00:37:14,083 He wouldn't really give me an answer. 790 00:37:14,167 --> 00:37:17,375 Finally, he said, "It usually only happens with 791 00:37:17,458 --> 00:37:23,042 middle-aged menopausal women after a cruise." 792 00:37:29,583 --> 00:37:34,125 I was like, "No, that can't be it. 793 00:37:34,167 --> 00:37:39,833 I think I have too much testosterone." 794 00:37:39,917 --> 00:37:42,458 He was like, "No." 795 00:37:42,500 --> 00:37:47,625 I said, "Well, I know it's not menopause. I'm sure of that." 796 00:37:47,667 --> 00:37:54,500 The least exciting diagnosis that I could have gotten. 797 00:37:54,583 --> 00:37:56,208 Very humbling. 798 00:37:56,292 --> 00:37:59,000 I don't put it on my résumé. 799 00:37:59,083 --> 00:38:03,083 But what it was, was him explaining, 800 00:38:03,167 --> 00:38:07,042 "Your body got disoriented, and it doesn't know what normal is, 801 00:38:07,125 --> 00:38:09,375 "and it doesn't know how to find its equilibrium, 802 00:38:09,458 --> 00:38:11,583 or its balance, or its center." 803 00:38:11,667 --> 00:38:14,250 The same thing that happened to me physically can happen 804 00:38:14,333 --> 00:38:16,292 to any of us spiritually. 805 00:38:16,333 --> 00:38:22,500 We became or become unstable in the middle of the storm. 806 00:38:22,542 --> 00:38:24,167 You get it? 807 00:38:24,250 --> 00:38:27,667 So, what do we do? 808 00:38:27,750 --> 00:38:30,333 What do we do when the storm comes? 809 00:38:30,417 --> 00:38:32,667 It doesn't say "if." 810 00:38:32,708 --> 00:38:38,083 What do we do when we're feeling unstable? Because we will. 811 00:38:38,167 --> 00:38:41,000 And don't let the religious people come up and give you 812 00:38:41,083 --> 00:38:43,708 the verse, "Count it all joy." 813 00:38:43,792 --> 00:38:50,375 No, count it all joy that you can do this, you can get wisdom. 814 00:38:50,458 --> 00:38:52,708 And wisdom will explain, OK, here's how it happened. 815 00:38:52,792 --> 00:38:54,125 Here's what's going on. 816 00:38:54,167 --> 00:38:55,625 Here's what you're supposed to learn. 817 00:38:55,667 --> 00:38:57,625 Here's how you can get your sea legs. 818 00:38:57,667 --> 00:38:59,333 Here's how you're going to feel. 819 00:38:59,375 --> 00:39:00,875 Here's how you find your equilibrium. 820 00:39:00,958 --> 00:39:02,875 Here's how you're going to persevere through this. 821 00:39:02,958 --> 00:39:05,083 Here's how you're going to become more like Jesus. 822 00:39:05,167 --> 00:39:06,583 Here's how he went through it. 823 00:39:06,667 --> 00:39:08,792 Here's what the Holy Spirit can do in you. 824 00:39:08,833 --> 00:39:10,500 OK, now I count it all joy. 825 00:39:10,542 --> 00:39:13,292 Not the storm, but the goodness of God 826 00:39:13,333 --> 00:39:16,667 in the midst of the storm. 827 00:39:16,750 --> 00:39:18,250 So he says to do something. 828 00:39:18,333 --> 00:39:21,250 He says to ask God. 829 00:39:21,333 --> 00:39:23,750 And I love this, friends, because it really comes down 830 00:39:23,833 --> 00:39:27,542 to two options: self-help or God help. 831 00:39:27,625 --> 00:39:29,083 Our life is filled with self-help. 832 00:39:29,167 --> 00:39:32,583 You go to the bookstore, self-help, a whole section. 833 00:39:32,667 --> 00:39:36,458 Let me just say, I don't find that encouraging. 834 00:39:36,500 --> 00:39:40,917 I created a lot of problems, and I am here to fix them. 835 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:43,375 Didn't I--wasn't I the one that created the problems? 836 00:39:43,458 --> 00:39:50,208 Anyways, you need more than self-help, right? 837 00:39:50,292 --> 00:39:53,167 You need God help. 838 00:39:54,167 --> 00:39:55,583 You need God help. 839 00:39:55,667 --> 00:39:57,917 This is where the teaching of the Scriptures here-- 840 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:02,000 it's unique. 841 00:40:02,083 --> 00:40:04,417 It's different than other religions, and philosophies, 842 00:40:04,500 --> 00:40:06,292 and psychologies, and sociologies, 843 00:40:06,333 --> 00:40:08,667 and anthropologies, and histories. 844 00:40:08,750 --> 00:40:11,625 It's theology. 845 00:40:11,667 --> 00:40:13,625 You need help. 846 00:40:13,667 --> 00:40:17,500 You need help from God. 847 00:40:17,542 --> 00:40:21,125 And so what God says is, "Ask me for help." 848 00:40:21,167 --> 00:40:23,208 Don't you love that? 849 00:40:23,292 --> 00:40:24,917 God says, "Ask me for help." 850 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:27,417 Here's what he says: "If any of you lacks wisdom"-- 851 00:40:27,500 --> 00:40:29,625 I'll raise my hand for that--"let him ask God." 852 00:40:29,667 --> 00:40:31,333 God says, "Hey, come ask me." 853 00:40:31,375 --> 00:40:32,833 "Who gives"--what? 854 00:40:32,875 --> 00:40:34,208 "Generously." 855 00:40:34,292 --> 00:40:36,000 God's like, "I'll give you wisdom. 856 00:40:36,042 --> 00:40:38,125 "That's fine. Not a problem for me, right? 857 00:40:38,167 --> 00:40:39,625 "Hey, not a problem for me. 858 00:40:39,667 --> 00:40:41,833 "You come ask me, I'll give it to you. 859 00:40:41,875 --> 00:40:43,208 It's not a thing." 860 00:40:43,292 --> 00:40:44,625 "Without reproach." 861 00:40:44,667 --> 00:40:47,333 God's not going to look at you and say, "You're stupid. 862 00:40:47,417 --> 00:40:48,750 "You failed. 863 00:40:48,833 --> 00:40:51,750 You made your mess; you pick it up." 864 00:40:51,833 --> 00:40:54,042 God's not going to look at you and say, 865 00:40:54,125 --> 00:40:56,958 "I told you that a while ago. You didn't listen to me. 866 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,667 "See, I told you so. Figure it out the hard way. 867 00:40:59,708 --> 00:41:01,333 Do it yourself." 868 00:41:01,375 --> 00:41:03,333 God's not like that. 869 00:41:03,375 --> 00:41:06,000 See, some of you, you don't bring your requests to God 870 00:41:06,042 --> 00:41:08,208 because you don't understand the Father heart of God. 871 00:41:08,292 --> 00:41:09,708 God's a Dad who loves you. 872 00:41:09,792 --> 00:41:12,208 You come to him and say, "Dad, I need help." 873 00:41:12,292 --> 00:41:15,000 He's like, "I know. I see it. 874 00:41:15,042 --> 00:41:16,708 "Thanks for asking. 875 00:41:16,792 --> 00:41:18,417 "Now it means you're humble and teachable. 876 00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:20,792 I'd love to help you." 877 00:41:20,833 --> 00:41:22,875 God's a Dad like that. 878 00:41:22,958 --> 00:41:24,333 He's not going to shame you. 879 00:41:24,375 --> 00:41:30,792 He's not going to discourage or dissuade in any way. 880 00:41:30,833 --> 00:41:34,917 OK, know that. 881 00:41:35,000 --> 00:41:37,417 I say, "A storm is coming." 882 00:41:37,500 --> 00:41:39,333 Ask God. He loves you. 883 00:41:39,375 --> 00:41:41,208 He's there to help. 884 00:41:41,292 --> 00:41:46,125 OK, there's joy in that. 885 00:41:46,167 --> 00:41:49,000 "And it will be given to him." 886 00:41:49,083 --> 00:41:52,500 This section of Scripture I pray more than any section 887 00:41:52,583 --> 00:41:53,917 of Scripture. 888 00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:55,417 I pray this all the time. 889 00:41:55,500 --> 00:41:57,125 I have my entire ministry career. 890 00:41:57,167 --> 00:42:00,167 In a counseling meeting, I'm like, "I don't know what to say. 891 00:42:00,208 --> 00:42:01,667 "I don't know what to do. 892 00:42:01,708 --> 00:42:03,125 "Let's pray. Let's do James 1. 893 00:42:03,167 --> 00:42:07,750 God, we need wisdom. We don't know what to do here." 894 00:42:09,708 --> 00:42:12,292 Going to make a decision for my family, or the church, 895 00:42:12,333 --> 00:42:13,667 or whatever. 896 00:42:13,750 --> 00:42:16,167 "OK God, I don't know here. I've never been here. 897 00:42:16,250 --> 00:42:18,375 "This is all new to me. I need help. 898 00:42:18,458 --> 00:42:20,875 God, give me, give us wisdom." 899 00:42:20,958 --> 00:42:23,083 See, in the Old Testament, there's whole books called 900 00:42:23,167 --> 00:42:24,583 "The Wisdom Literature." 901 00:42:24,667 --> 00:42:27,875 Job is about suffering, and Proverbs is about 902 00:42:27,958 --> 00:42:34,542 wise versus foolish living, Song of Solomon's about love, 903 00:42:34,625 --> 00:42:37,458 Ecclesiastes is about the meaning of life. 904 00:42:37,500 --> 00:42:41,792 James is the wisdom book of the New Testament. 905 00:42:41,833 --> 00:42:45,167 It's what to do when a storm comes. 906 00:42:45,250 --> 00:42:46,667 It's really practical. 907 00:42:46,750 --> 00:42:49,167 And sometimes the theologians will look at it and say, 908 00:42:49,250 --> 00:42:50,667 "Well, it's not very systematized. 909 00:42:50,750 --> 00:42:52,167 It doesn't organize itself very well." 910 00:42:52,250 --> 00:42:54,833 Because it's about life. 911 00:42:54,875 --> 00:42:59,125 How many of you have found that life does not put itself into 912 00:42:59,167 --> 00:43:01,667 an organized chart very well? 913 00:43:01,750 --> 00:43:03,375 You're like, "It's kind of a mess, 914 00:43:03,458 --> 00:43:06,583 "and two things collide at once, and I don't know what this is, 915 00:43:06,667 --> 00:43:08,000 and it's a little complicated." 916 00:43:08,042 --> 00:43:09,375 Life is like that. 917 00:43:09,458 --> 00:43:11,500 Life is not a syllogism, right? 918 00:43:11,542 --> 00:43:13,500 Life is not an outline. 919 00:43:13,542 --> 00:43:16,083 Step one, step two, step three. 920 00:43:16,167 --> 00:43:19,333 Some days it's like, step infinity. 921 00:43:19,417 --> 00:43:21,500 You know, it's complicated. 922 00:43:21,542 --> 00:43:25,083 And so the Wisdom Literature is talking about the complexity of 923 00:43:25,167 --> 00:43:28,667 life with practical solutions: who God is, what he's done, 924 00:43:28,750 --> 00:43:31,667 and now what we're supposed to do to follow in his path 925 00:43:31,750 --> 00:43:33,167 and plan for us. 926 00:43:33,250 --> 00:43:35,667 And here, it begins with, "Ask God for wisdom." 927 00:43:35,750 --> 00:43:38,167 If you don't know what to do--and here's the truth, 928 00:43:38,250 --> 00:43:40,208 we don't know what to do. 929 00:43:40,292 --> 00:43:42,500 So, you need to be humble here, not arrogant. 930 00:43:42,583 --> 00:43:44,708 You can't say, "Oh, I know what to do." 931 00:43:44,792 --> 00:43:47,125 Oh, you need to pray twice, OK? 932 00:43:47,167 --> 00:43:50,292 First for humility, and then for wisdom. 933 00:43:50,333 --> 00:43:56,167 We all need God's wisdom, amen? 934 00:43:56,250 --> 00:43:58,917 "But let him ask in faith." 935 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:01,500 You've got to believe that God's going to hear that. 936 00:44:01,542 --> 00:44:04,000 You've got to believe that God's going to answer that. 937 00:44:04,042 --> 00:44:06,667 You've got to believe that God is--if I could use 938 00:44:06,750 --> 00:44:09,667 an analogy--he's like a Dad, sitting on the edge of his seat, 939 00:44:09,750 --> 00:44:12,292 leaning forward with his ear outstretched towards you, like, 940 00:44:12,333 --> 00:44:16,500 "Please ask," all right? 941 00:44:16,542 --> 00:44:21,000 He's not ears covered, eyes closed, leaning back, 942 00:44:21,042 --> 00:44:22,833 "Don't bother me." 943 00:44:22,917 --> 00:44:25,667 Not like that. 944 00:44:25,708 --> 00:44:28,750 "With no doubting, for the one who doubts is like the wave 945 00:44:28,833 --> 00:44:32,167 of the sea, double-minded, unstable." 946 00:44:32,208 --> 00:44:34,167 "God, help me. I'm not sure you exist. 947 00:44:34,208 --> 00:44:37,333 "God, tell me your will. I'm not sure I want to do it. 948 00:44:37,417 --> 00:44:40,500 "God, I know what you say, but I read this book by somebody 949 00:44:40,583 --> 00:44:41,917 "who doesn't know you. 950 00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:44,417 "God, I know that you think I should do this, 951 00:44:44,500 --> 00:44:46,417 "and the godly person said to do it, 952 00:44:46,500 --> 00:44:47,917 "but I have this non-Christian friend, 953 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:50,500 and they made a really good point." 954 00:44:50,542 --> 00:44:55,208 Any of you feel like this? 955 00:44:55,292 --> 00:44:59,167 The problem's with you. 956 00:44:59,250 --> 00:45:01,167 You lack faith. 957 00:45:01,208 --> 00:45:03,375 When a storm comes, you can have fight, 958 00:45:03,458 --> 00:45:05,333 "I'm going to get tough;" 959 00:45:05,417 --> 00:45:07,875 flight, "I'm going to run for my life;" 960 00:45:07,958 --> 00:45:10,875 fright, "I'm going to freak out;" 961 00:45:10,958 --> 00:45:15,375 or faith, "I'm going to trust God." 962 00:45:15,458 --> 00:45:18,000 And James is saying that what that does, 963 00:45:18,042 --> 00:45:20,292 that puts both feet on the ground. 964 00:45:20,333 --> 00:45:24,083 OK, what do I need to do? 965 00:45:24,167 --> 00:45:28,583 How do I need to be steadfast? 966 00:45:28,667 --> 00:45:33,583 What is Jesus trying to change in me? 967 00:45:33,667 --> 00:45:38,833 How can I count this all joy if I pass this test? 968 00:45:38,875 --> 00:45:40,917 Do you get it? 969 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:45,875 It doesn't mean it's easy; it means it's wonderful. 970 00:45:45,958 --> 00:45:48,375 And sometimes the hardest things are the best things. 971 00:45:48,458 --> 00:45:51,125 And you don't feel that way in the midst of it, 972 00:45:51,167 --> 00:45:54,792 but you do on the other side of it by the grace of God. 973 00:45:54,833 --> 00:45:56,625 That's what he's saying. 974 00:45:56,667 --> 00:46:00,458 Some of you are very unstable. 975 00:46:00,500 --> 00:46:02,167 You're emotional, you're volatile, 976 00:46:02,208 --> 00:46:07,875 you keep changing your mind, you keep altering your life. 977 00:46:07,958 --> 00:46:10,375 You get wise counsel and foolish counsel, 978 00:46:10,458 --> 00:46:13,250 and you try to integrate both. 979 00:46:13,333 --> 00:46:15,500 Our world is not lacking in information; 980 00:46:15,542 --> 00:46:19,792 it's lacking in wisdom. 981 00:46:19,833 --> 00:46:24,792 So the question is, if you pray and if you ask God for wisdom, 982 00:46:24,833 --> 00:46:27,667 and you trust that he's going to give it, 983 00:46:27,708 --> 00:46:29,375 here's what I want you to do. 984 00:46:29,458 --> 00:46:35,542 I want you to ask, trust, seek, and write, OK? 985 00:46:35,625 --> 00:46:40,333 Ask God for wisdom, trust that he's going to give it, 986 00:46:40,375 --> 00:46:42,208 seek the wisdom he gives, 987 00:46:42,292 --> 00:46:45,500 and write it down so you don't forget it. 988 00:46:45,542 --> 00:46:48,500 That's what James does. 989 00:46:48,542 --> 00:46:51,125 Any wisdom he's received from his big brother, 990 00:46:51,167 --> 00:46:53,333 and the Holy Spirit, and the study of Scripture, 991 00:46:53,375 --> 00:46:57,833 and his life experience, he's captured it and collected it 992 00:46:57,875 --> 00:47:00,250 so that he can revisit it and share it. 993 00:47:00,333 --> 00:47:02,042 This is what we need to do. 994 00:47:02,125 --> 00:47:04,250 This is where the church, as we learn wisdom, 995 00:47:04,333 --> 00:47:06,000 we could share it with each other. 996 00:47:06,042 --> 00:47:08,000 So here's what I want you to do: 997 00:47:08,042 --> 00:47:10,667 I want you to know that when God gives you wisdom, 998 00:47:10,708 --> 00:47:13,250 it's so that you can make a plan. 999 00:47:13,333 --> 00:47:16,250 OK, faith is not opposite of planning. 1000 00:47:16,333 --> 00:47:18,250 Faith gives you wisdom to make the plan. 1001 00:47:18,333 --> 00:47:21,250 And some of you, you live in a life where it's like, 1002 00:47:21,333 --> 00:47:23,458 "I don't need a plan; I trust the Lord." 1003 00:47:23,500 --> 00:47:26,167 Well, even trusting the Lord is a plan, 1004 00:47:26,208 --> 00:47:28,167 I hate to break it to you. 1005 00:47:28,208 --> 00:47:30,083 I plan to trust the Lord. 1006 00:47:30,167 --> 00:47:33,333 God gives you wisdom to make a plan. 1007 00:47:33,417 --> 00:47:36,375 So, faith is trusting that God will give you wisdom, 1008 00:47:36,458 --> 00:47:39,708 then receiving that wisdom to make a plan, 1009 00:47:39,792 --> 00:47:43,208 because wisdom is about what you do. 1010 00:47:43,292 --> 00:47:45,667 You get that? 1011 00:47:45,750 --> 00:47:49,125 It's no good to read a book on nutrition if you don't 1012 00:47:49,167 --> 00:47:50,625 change your diet. 1013 00:47:50,667 --> 00:47:53,083 It's no good to read a book on financial planning 1014 00:47:53,167 --> 00:47:54,833 if you don't change your budget. 1015 00:47:54,875 --> 00:47:58,500 It's no good to read a book on parenting if you don't invest 1016 00:47:58,542 --> 00:48:00,583 in your kids. 1017 00:48:00,667 --> 00:48:02,458 It's collecting this information, 1018 00:48:02,500 --> 00:48:06,458 making a plan so that you can obey God practically and daily. 1019 00:48:06,500 --> 00:48:08,667 And so that's what I want you to do. 1020 00:48:08,708 --> 00:48:11,167 And this is why in Proverbs and the Wisdom Literature, 1021 00:48:11,208 --> 00:48:14,875 it oftentimes talks about wisdom and a plan. 1022 00:48:14,958 --> 00:48:18,167 So, where is wisdom to be found? 1023 00:48:18,250 --> 00:48:20,792 When God gives wisdom, where should you be seeking it, 1024 00:48:20,833 --> 00:48:22,375 looking for it. 1025 00:48:22,458 --> 00:48:24,167 You say, "OK God, I trust you. 1026 00:48:24,250 --> 00:48:26,583 "I need wisdom. I'm in a storm. 1027 00:48:26,667 --> 00:48:28,083 "I need wisdom. Give me wisdom. 1028 00:48:28,167 --> 00:48:29,958 I trust you to give me wisdom." 1029 00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:31,667 Then open your eyes and start looking. 1030 00:48:31,750 --> 00:48:33,083 "OK God, where is it? 1031 00:48:33,167 --> 00:48:36,083 I believe that it's there. Where is it?" 1032 00:48:36,167 --> 00:48:40,208 And go seeking it, and looking for it, and expecting it. 1033 00:48:40,292 --> 00:48:42,417 And I will share with you--there are more categories, 1034 00:48:42,500 --> 00:48:44,833 but here are some that I would share with you. 1035 00:48:44,875 --> 00:48:47,833 Wisdom is found in Scripture, amen? 1036 00:48:47,875 --> 00:48:49,667 You say, "I need to learn, God." 1037 00:48:49,750 --> 00:48:51,208 Open the Scriptures, open the Scriptures, 1038 00:48:51,292 --> 00:48:53,417 open the Scriptures, open the Scriptures. 1039 00:48:53,500 --> 00:48:55,708 Right, the fool closes this book. 1040 00:48:55,792 --> 00:48:58,500 The one who wants to grow in wisdom keeps it open. 1041 00:48:58,583 --> 00:49:01,292 Spurgeon used to say that the Bible that is falling apart 1042 00:49:01,333 --> 00:49:05,292 usually belongs to the person whose life is not. 1043 00:49:05,333 --> 00:49:07,667 Some of you are like, "God, give me wisdom." 1044 00:49:07,750 --> 00:49:09,750 He's like, "I wrote a whole Book." 1045 00:49:09,833 --> 00:49:13,042 Please open the Book, read the Book, study the Book, 1046 00:49:13,125 --> 00:49:15,000 memorize the Book, get into Community Group, 1047 00:49:15,042 --> 00:49:16,792 talk about the Book. 1048 00:49:16,833 --> 00:49:19,500 There's so much wisdom here, and sometimes we're looking for 1049 00:49:19,542 --> 00:49:23,042 individual revelation rather than the Scriptures that God 1050 00:49:23,125 --> 00:49:24,667 has already given. 1051 00:49:24,750 --> 00:49:26,667 Number two, it comes through prayer. 1052 00:49:26,708 --> 00:49:28,667 And when he says, "Ask God," that's prayer. 1053 00:49:28,708 --> 00:49:31,333 "Lord, I need wisdom. I don't know what I'm doing. 1054 00:49:31,417 --> 00:49:33,333 "I've never been here. I've got no experience. 1055 00:49:33,417 --> 00:49:35,875 I need your help. I need your help." 1056 00:49:35,958 --> 00:49:39,917 Sometimes a good, faithful, biblical prayer is this: "Help!" 1057 00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,708 God's like, "I know what you're talking about. 1058 00:49:42,792 --> 00:49:45,417 Answered." 1059 00:49:45,500 --> 00:49:48,417 Some of you, you only want to bring your wins to God, 1060 00:49:48,500 --> 00:49:49,833 not your losses. 1061 00:49:49,875 --> 00:49:52,000 You only want to bring your solutions to God, 1062 00:49:52,083 --> 00:49:53,417 not your problems. 1063 00:49:53,500 --> 00:49:55,417 God can handle it all. He loves you. 1064 00:49:55,500 --> 00:49:56,833 You've got a great Dad. 1065 00:49:56,875 --> 00:49:58,583 You're not a burden; you're a blessing. 1066 00:49:58,667 --> 00:50:00,583 You're not a burden; you're a blessing. 1067 00:50:00,667 --> 00:50:02,000 Ask your Dad. 1068 00:50:02,042 --> 00:50:03,708 Number three, the Holy Spirit. 1069 00:50:03,792 --> 00:50:05,917 We saw that Jesus, Luke 2:40, grew in wisdom, 1070 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:08,583 and he did so by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1071 00:50:08,667 --> 00:50:11,583 You can grow in wisdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1072 00:50:11,667 --> 00:50:13,583 In fact, when Paul writes to the Corinthians, 1073 00:50:13,667 --> 00:50:15,792 he calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of Wisdom. 1074 00:50:15,833 --> 00:50:18,667 Saying, "Holy Spirit, you gave wisdom to Jesus. 1075 00:50:18,750 --> 00:50:24,500 "Bring me wisdom. I don't know what to do. 1076 00:50:24,583 --> 00:50:29,000 "I need you to teach me how to live a life that is pleasing 1077 00:50:29,083 --> 00:50:33,333 to Jesus and patterned after his." 1078 00:50:33,375 --> 00:50:36,333 And the Holy Spirit always answers, "Yes." 1079 00:50:36,375 --> 00:50:38,000 Always answers yes. 1080 00:50:38,083 --> 00:50:39,458 He's happy to help. 1081 00:50:39,500 --> 00:50:42,125 He's happy to serve. 1082 00:50:42,167 --> 00:50:43,958 Number four, general revelation. 1083 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:46,667 Special revelation is the Bible. 1084 00:50:46,708 --> 00:50:49,333 It's perfect, but there's also general revelation 1085 00:50:49,375 --> 00:50:51,542 where common grace allows people 1086 00:50:51,625 --> 00:50:53,167 who are perhaps not even Christians 1087 00:50:53,208 --> 00:50:56,000 to have some knowledge of things and some wisdom regarding 1088 00:50:56,083 --> 00:50:58,667 how things work, that can be insightful and helpful 1089 00:50:58,708 --> 00:51:00,208 to the Christian. 1090 00:51:00,292 --> 00:51:01,667 You say, "My health is struggling." 1091 00:51:01,750 --> 00:51:03,875 Go find a good doctor. 1092 00:51:03,958 --> 00:51:05,583 You know, "I don't feel well." 1093 00:51:05,667 --> 00:51:07,583 Go find a good nutritionist. 1094 00:51:07,667 --> 00:51:09,792 "I don't know how to get myself in shape." 1095 00:51:09,833 --> 00:51:11,292 Go find a good personal trainer. 1096 00:51:11,333 --> 00:51:13,292 "I don't know how to balance my checkbook." 1097 00:51:13,333 --> 00:51:15,500 Go find a good accountant or financial planner. 1098 00:51:15,542 --> 00:51:20,208 There are people that, because of general revelation, 1099 00:51:20,292 --> 00:51:23,875 they know some stuff that could be really helpful to you. 1100 00:51:23,958 --> 00:51:26,125 And we put everything under the authority of Scripture, 1101 00:51:26,167 --> 00:51:28,833 and this is the Supreme Court, and we're talking here about 1102 00:51:28,875 --> 00:51:31,292 lower, lesser courts, but if they don't conflict with 1103 00:51:31,333 --> 00:51:33,292 the highest court, then consider it as part 1104 00:51:33,333 --> 00:51:36,292 of God's wisdom gift to you. 1105 00:51:36,333 --> 00:51:39,500 Part of God's wisdom gift to you to help you live the life 1106 00:51:39,542 --> 00:51:42,792 that God intends for you because he loves you. 1107 00:51:42,833 --> 00:51:46,083 Number five, obviously wisdom comes through teachers. 1108 00:51:46,167 --> 00:51:49,083 The Holy Spirit gifts some people to be teachers. 1109 00:51:49,167 --> 00:51:51,125 This might be a class you could take, 1110 00:51:51,167 --> 00:51:54,208 podcast you could listen to, it might be a curriculum you go 1111 00:51:54,292 --> 00:51:56,417 through, it might be a book that you read. 1112 00:51:56,500 --> 00:52:00,583 Whatever the case may be, somebody has some wisdom 1113 00:52:00,667 --> 00:52:02,875 that they can impart to you. 1114 00:52:02,958 --> 00:52:05,667 And let me say this: beware of what I will call 1115 00:52:05,750 --> 00:52:07,667 "The Mentor Myth." 1116 00:52:07,750 --> 00:52:10,167 The mentor myth is this: there's one person, 1117 00:52:10,250 --> 00:52:11,833 and if you listen to them, 1118 00:52:11,917 --> 00:52:13,583 you'll learn everything you need to know. 1119 00:52:13,667 --> 00:52:15,000 Not true. 1120 00:52:15,042 --> 00:52:17,750 That's why we have more than one author in the Bible. 1121 00:52:17,833 --> 00:52:21,250 Not one person could teach you all the wisdom 1122 00:52:21,333 --> 00:52:23,750 that you need to know. 1123 00:52:23,833 --> 00:52:25,875 You're going to need teachers. 1124 00:52:25,958 --> 00:52:29,083 Not just a mentor that you anticipate will give you 1125 00:52:29,167 --> 00:52:31,542 all the wisdom you need for your life, but teachers. 1126 00:52:31,625 --> 00:52:33,542 Oh, well, this person's got a great marriage, 1127 00:52:33,625 --> 00:52:35,042 and they're good with their health, 1128 00:52:35,125 --> 00:52:36,542 and they're good with their finances, 1129 00:52:36,625 --> 00:52:38,292 and this person really knows the Bible, 1130 00:52:38,333 --> 00:52:39,792 and this person raised great kids, 1131 00:52:39,833 --> 00:52:42,000 and this person really made an impact in ministry, 1132 00:52:42,042 --> 00:52:43,708 and this person's built a great company. 1133 00:52:43,792 --> 00:52:45,708 Great, they've got wisdom. 1134 00:52:45,792 --> 00:52:49,000 And avail yourself to teachers and wisdom wherever 1135 00:52:49,042 --> 00:52:51,708 you can find it. 1136 00:52:51,792 --> 00:52:54,417 Number six, experience. 1137 00:52:54,500 --> 00:52:58,667 You can look back on your life and ask, 1138 00:52:58,750 --> 00:53:00,333 "What did I learn there? 1139 00:53:00,417 --> 00:53:01,958 What did God teach me there?" 1140 00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:04,458 And this is where I would submit to you that 1141 00:53:04,500 --> 00:53:06,667 the spiritual discipline of journaling is very helpful. 1142 00:53:06,708 --> 00:53:08,792 It's very, very helpful. 1143 00:53:08,833 --> 00:53:13,583 Many years ago, a very wise man that I've learned a lot from, 1144 00:53:13,667 --> 00:53:17,000 he said, "You need to always carry a journal 1145 00:53:17,042 --> 00:53:18,667 and write everything down." 1146 00:53:18,750 --> 00:53:20,250 I said, "Why?" 1147 00:53:20,333 --> 00:53:22,167 He said, "Because you're going to forget." 1148 00:53:22,250 --> 00:53:25,000 He's right. He's right. 1149 00:53:25,042 --> 00:53:26,375 He's absolutely correct. 1150 00:53:26,458 --> 00:53:28,875 And as you go through life and you have experiences, 1151 00:53:28,958 --> 00:53:30,667 you're like, "OK, what am I learning? 1152 00:53:30,708 --> 00:53:33,167 "What is God teaching me? What is he showing me? 1153 00:53:33,208 --> 00:53:34,875 "What Scripture is he bringing to mind? 1154 00:53:34,958 --> 00:53:36,875 "What people has he brought in my life? 1155 00:53:36,958 --> 00:53:38,875 What resources has he put at my disposal?" 1156 00:53:38,958 --> 00:53:40,625 And then when you hit another storm, 1157 00:53:40,667 --> 00:53:43,583 you can go back and look at your journal, your note taking, 1158 00:53:43,667 --> 00:53:46,208 whatever that process and system looks like for you, and say, 1159 00:53:46,292 --> 00:53:48,417 "OK, when I went through this last time, boy, 1160 00:53:48,500 --> 00:53:50,792 "I did that wrong. Don't want to do that. 1161 00:53:50,833 --> 00:53:53,792 That actually was really helpful, need to do that again." 1162 00:53:53,833 --> 00:53:56,292 Because we become very forgetful, and sometimes, 1163 00:53:56,333 --> 00:53:58,500 let's be honest, in the middle of the storm, 1164 00:53:58,542 --> 00:54:00,750 we get overwhelmed, we get anxious, we get emotional, 1165 00:54:00,833 --> 00:54:03,250 we freak out, we forget that we've learned some things 1166 00:54:03,333 --> 00:54:05,750 in the past, and we can go back to those, 1167 00:54:05,833 --> 00:54:08,375 and those can be deposits and gifts to us as well. 1168 00:54:08,458 --> 00:54:10,583 I believe, in part, that's what's happening in James. 1169 00:54:10,667 --> 00:54:12,583 He went through his storms and he learned. 1170 00:54:12,667 --> 00:54:15,083 He saw his big brother Jesus go through his storms 1171 00:54:15,167 --> 00:54:16,500 and he learned. 1172 00:54:16,542 --> 00:54:19,250 And he wrote it all down, and now 2,000 years later, 1173 00:54:19,333 --> 00:54:22,458 you and I are being blessed and benefited by the fact that he 1174 00:54:22,500 --> 00:54:23,958 not only applied it to himself, 1175 00:54:24,000 --> 00:54:25,958 but recorded it to share it with others. 1176 00:54:26,000 --> 00:54:28,583 And this is what I want you to do in life, 1177 00:54:28,667 --> 00:54:31,583 and this is what I want you to do in Community Group: 1178 00:54:31,667 --> 00:54:34,583 As God teaches you something, I don't want you to be haughty, 1179 00:54:34,667 --> 00:54:36,000 and arrogant, and religious. 1180 00:54:36,042 --> 00:54:39,000 And when you meet somebody and they're in a storm, you say, 1181 00:54:39,083 --> 00:54:40,708 "Oh, it's a good thing I'm here. 1182 00:54:40,792 --> 00:54:42,208 "I know what to tell you. 1183 00:54:42,292 --> 00:54:44,000 "I've got a whole chart on this. 1184 00:54:44,042 --> 00:54:46,167 I've been there two times and I'm an expert." 1185 00:54:46,250 --> 00:54:47,583 No, no, humbly. 1186 00:54:47,667 --> 00:54:49,333 "You know what, man, I've been there. 1187 00:54:49,375 --> 00:54:51,333 "I was on the boat. I felt sick. 1188 00:54:51,375 --> 00:54:54,000 "I threw up over the side. I know where you're at. 1189 00:54:54,083 --> 00:54:57,000 "Can I share with you some things that God shared with me 1190 00:54:57,083 --> 00:54:59,500 so that he would be glorified and you'd be loved?" 1191 00:54:59,583 --> 00:55:01,000 There's a humility there. 1192 00:55:01,042 --> 00:55:02,500 There's a potential for ministry there. 1193 00:55:02,542 --> 00:55:05,667 A lot of ministry is, "I went through a storm and I learned 1194 00:55:05,750 --> 00:55:08,667 "some things that I want to share with you in your storm 1195 00:55:08,750 --> 00:55:10,083 because I love you." 1196 00:55:10,167 --> 00:55:11,583 And lastly, it comes from experts, 1197 00:55:11,667 --> 00:55:14,083 and people have expertise in different--some of you are great 1198 00:55:14,167 --> 00:55:15,583 with people, you're great with systems, 1199 00:55:15,667 --> 00:55:17,583 you're great with health, you're great with finances, 1200 00:55:17,667 --> 00:55:19,583 you're great with relationships, you're great with marriage, 1201 00:55:19,667 --> 00:55:21,375 great with parenting, great with estate planning. 1202 00:55:21,458 --> 00:55:26,458 Various people have various locations in their life 1203 00:55:26,500 --> 00:55:29,167 and skills of expertise. 1204 00:55:29,250 --> 00:55:30,833 And sometimes it's looking for that, 1205 00:55:30,917 --> 00:55:32,292 "OK, they know what they're doing, 1206 00:55:32,333 --> 00:55:33,875 and they know what they're doing," 1207 00:55:33,958 --> 00:55:35,292 and it's availing yourself. 1208 00:55:35,333 --> 00:55:39,125 But what this takes, friends, you've got to ask in faith 1209 00:55:39,167 --> 00:55:42,000 and then you've got to pursue in faith. 1210 00:55:42,083 --> 00:55:43,417 You've got to be humble. 1211 00:55:43,500 --> 00:55:46,167 You've got to be teachable. 1212 00:55:46,250 --> 00:55:50,125 It's not like you just sit home, lock the door, 1213 00:55:50,167 --> 00:55:53,417 and ignore the universe, and expect the wisdom fairy 1214 00:55:53,500 --> 00:55:57,375 to come knocking. 1215 00:55:57,458 --> 00:56:01,667 All right, Jesus talks a lot about ask and seek. 1216 00:56:01,708 --> 00:56:03,167 That's what we're talking about here. 1217 00:56:03,250 --> 00:56:06,167 Ask and seek. 1218 00:56:06,250 --> 00:56:09,875 So, you're in the middle of your storm, OK? 1219 00:56:09,958 --> 00:56:11,375 Here's my two questions: 1220 00:56:11,458 --> 00:56:14,750 Are you in the middle of a storm? 1221 00:56:14,833 --> 00:56:21,042 And if so, what wisdom do you need so that you can cease being 1222 00:56:21,125 --> 00:56:27,542 unstable, and double-minded, and confused, and conflicted, 1223 00:56:27,625 --> 00:56:30,958 and anxious, and exhausted, 1224 00:56:31,000 --> 00:56:35,792 and become steadfast? 1225 00:56:35,833 --> 00:56:39,708 And in that, there's joy. 1226 00:56:39,792 --> 00:56:43,083 I want this for you because I love you. 1227 00:56:43,167 --> 00:56:46,333 And I would just ask you to trust me that I have failed 1228 00:56:46,375 --> 00:56:48,417 at this. 1229 00:56:48,500 --> 00:56:52,500 And even this week was a week where I feel that James 1230 00:56:52,583 --> 00:56:57,375 was so helpful to me, which is why I'm so excited 1231 00:56:57,458 --> 00:56:59,625 to share James with you. 1232 00:56:59,667 --> 00:57:03,583 Not because I figured it out, but because Jesus has, 1233 00:57:03,667 --> 00:57:07,167 and because James saw Jesus, 1234 00:57:07,250 --> 00:57:10,833 and James wants to see Jesus in us 1235 00:57:10,917 --> 00:57:13,792 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 1236 00:57:13,833 --> 00:57:17,167 And Mars Hill, I love you, and I want you turn from sin, 1237 00:57:17,250 --> 00:57:20,292 and trust in Jesus, and go to heaven when you die, 1238 00:57:20,333 --> 00:57:23,792 but until that day, I want you to live a life patterned 1239 00:57:23,833 --> 00:57:26,958 after wisdom, and the power of the Holy Spirit, 1240 00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:30,292 and the example of the Lord Jesus so that 1241 00:57:30,333 --> 00:57:32,875 you don't just endure this life, 1242 00:57:32,958 --> 00:57:36,875 but that you can actually consider it all joy. 1243 00:57:36,958 --> 00:57:39,125 That being said, this is where we give you 1244 00:57:39,167 --> 00:57:40,792 an opportunity to respond. 1245 00:57:40,833 --> 00:57:43,000 We're going to respond in a moment by partaking 1246 00:57:43,042 --> 00:57:44,583 of Communion. 1247 00:57:44,667 --> 00:57:47,792 This is where we give Jesus our sin. 1248 00:57:47,833 --> 00:57:50,625 We remember that it's his broken body, his shed blood, 1249 00:57:50,667 --> 00:57:53,417 in our place for our sin that provides our forgiveness 1250 00:57:53,500 --> 00:57:56,000 and salvation. 1251 00:57:56,083 --> 00:57:58,500 In addition, we'll collect our tithes and offerings. 1252 00:57:58,583 --> 00:58:01,333 This is where we give Jesus our stuff. 1253 00:58:01,417 --> 00:58:03,292 So, as we're collecting our tithes and offerings, 1254 00:58:03,333 --> 00:58:05,667 let me share really good news with you, OK? 1255 00:58:05,750 --> 00:58:07,375 Last year, you guys were generous. 1256 00:58:07,458 --> 00:58:09,167 You beat budget. You beat budget. 1257 00:58:09,208 --> 00:58:11,667 When's the last time you heard a church say that? 1258 00:58:11,708 --> 00:58:14,333 OK, you beat budget, so yay for that. 1259 00:58:14,417 --> 00:58:15,875 You guys were generous. 1260 00:58:15,958 --> 00:58:18,167 That allowed us to relocate Mars Hill Everett, 1261 00:58:18,208 --> 00:58:20,167 Mars Hill Olympia, Mars Hill Tacoma, 1262 00:58:20,250 --> 00:58:22,500 and Mars Hill Huntington Beach. 1263 00:58:22,542 --> 00:58:24,000 They exploded. 1264 00:58:24,042 --> 00:58:26,000 It allowed us to open Mars Hill Phoenix, 1265 00:58:26,042 --> 00:58:27,375 praise be to God. 1266 00:58:27,458 --> 00:58:31,750 Pastor Bubba in Tacoma had maybe the most explosive growth. 1267 00:58:31,833 --> 00:58:34,750 He sent me a T-shirt, so I'm wearing my T-Town T-shirt 1268 00:58:34,833 --> 00:58:36,542 to represent Tacoma today. 1269 00:58:36,625 --> 00:58:39,500 Pastor Bubba is always hustling, trying to get the news out on 1270 00:58:39,583 --> 00:58:42,500 Mars Hill Tacoma, so I have been roped into the grand plan 1271 00:58:42,583 --> 00:58:43,917 and here it is. 1272 00:58:44,000 --> 00:58:46,583 So, we celebrate with all of those four relocations 1273 00:58:46,667 --> 00:58:48,375 and the launch of Phoenix. 1274 00:58:48,458 --> 00:58:52,125 And Mars Hill, we're a family that's like 15 kids. 1275 00:58:52,167 --> 00:58:54,333 And all the kids have family resemblances, 1276 00:58:54,375 --> 00:58:55,875 they have strengths and weaknesses, 1277 00:58:55,958 --> 00:58:58,500 but just like big families do, we love, and help, 1278 00:58:58,583 --> 00:59:00,083 and serve one another. 1279 00:59:00,167 --> 00:59:02,583 And so, hey man, if five kids had something awesome, 1280 00:59:02,667 --> 00:59:04,083 the other ten kids should rejoice, 1281 00:59:04,167 --> 00:59:06,292 and I want to thank you for being generous 1282 00:59:06,333 --> 00:59:07,667 and making that happen. 1283 00:59:07,750 --> 00:59:09,667 So, we give Jesus our sin in Communion, 1284 00:59:09,750 --> 00:59:11,667 we give Jesus our stuff in our offering, 1285 00:59:11,750 --> 00:59:14,458 and we give Jesus our song in our worship. 1286 00:59:14,500 --> 00:59:17,458 And some of you would come in here today and you say, 1287 00:59:17,500 --> 00:59:20,083 "You know what? I am not in a great season. 1288 00:59:20,167 --> 00:59:21,500 "It feels like a storm. 1289 00:59:21,542 --> 00:59:24,250 "It's hard for me to come in, and raise my voice, 1290 00:59:24,333 --> 00:59:25,833 and raise my hands, and rejoice." 1291 00:59:25,917 --> 00:59:28,667 He says to consider or count it all, what? 1292 00:59:28,750 --> 00:59:30,292 Joy. 1293 00:59:30,333 --> 00:59:32,875 This is not to deny your feelings, 1294 00:59:32,958 --> 00:59:37,000 but to submit them to faith in the God who rules over 1295 00:59:37,042 --> 00:59:40,917 all of your storms, and to say, "You know what, Lord Jesus? 1296 00:59:41,000 --> 00:59:42,792 "This is storm. 1297 00:59:42,833 --> 00:59:45,917 "Thanks for letting me say that so I don't have to pretend. 1298 00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:47,375 "'How are you doing?' 1299 00:59:47,458 --> 00:59:48,875 "'Great, I'm doing great.' 1300 00:59:48,958 --> 00:59:50,333 "'No you're not.' 1301 00:59:50,375 --> 00:59:53,167 "I'm not doing great. 1302 00:59:53,250 --> 00:59:57,875 "Thank you, Lord Jesus, that I now know what to do. 1303 00:59:57,958 --> 00:59:59,875 "Seek you, seek wisdom. 1304 00:59:59,958 --> 01:00:03,000 "Thank you that you're going to help me, and I can call out, 1305 01:00:03,083 --> 01:00:04,417 "and you're going to answer. 1306 01:00:04,500 --> 01:00:06,292 "That helps. 1307 01:00:06,333 --> 01:00:08,000 "Because there's people who won't help me, 1308 01:00:08,083 --> 01:00:09,500 "and there's other people who try, 1309 01:00:09,583 --> 01:00:11,500 "and they're not very helpful. 1310 01:00:11,542 --> 01:00:15,000 Thanks, Lord, that you will help and you are helpful." 1311 01:00:15,083 --> 01:00:17,917 Count it all joy. 1312 01:00:18,000 --> 01:00:22,625 And as we sing, it helps us to get centered and steadfast, 1313 01:00:22,667 --> 01:00:27,833 and to welcome God to do his work in us, and through us, 1314 01:00:27,875 --> 01:00:30,708 and sometimes even in spite of us. 1315 01:00:30,792 --> 01:00:33,208 So Lord Jesus, we come now to sing to you. 1316 01:00:33,292 --> 01:00:37,083 It's our way of counting it all joy. 1317 01:00:37,167 --> 01:00:42,333 It's our way of asking for wisdom. 1318 01:00:42,417 --> 01:00:46,208 Holy Spirit, we invite you, we welcome you, we beg you, 1319 01:00:46,292 --> 01:00:50,958 though we don't have to, to be with us, to be in us, 1320 01:00:51,000 --> 01:00:54,333 to be among us, to work through us. 1321 01:00:54,375 --> 01:00:58,958 Holy Spirit, as you imparted wisdom to the Lord Jesus that he 1322 01:00:59,000 --> 01:01:03,417 would grow, impart wisdom to us that we might grow 1323 01:01:03,500 --> 01:01:06,083 to be more like him. 1324 01:01:06,167 --> 01:01:10,792 And God, as we come to give you of our sin, and our stuff, 1325 01:01:10,833 --> 01:01:15,500 and our song, we come to receive wisdom through the Holy Spirit. 1326 01:01:15,542 --> 01:01:18,750 In the good name of Jesus we ask, amen. 1327 01:01:19,833 --> 01:01:21,167 Pastor Sutton here, 1328 01:01:21,250 --> 01:01:24,208 we've just finished our services here in the Bellevue church 1329 01:01:24,292 --> 01:01:30,042 and really excited today to tell the extended family of Mars Hill Global 1330 01:01:30,125 --> 01:01:31,708 about Text to Give. 1331 01:01:31,792 --> 01:01:34,458 Just came out and many of you know my story: 1332 01:01:34,500 --> 01:01:38,625 2007 heard Pastor Mark at a pastor's conference 1333 01:01:38,667 --> 01:01:40,917 went there, started podcasting. 1334 01:01:41,000 --> 01:01:43,833 I still gave my tithe to my local church, 1335 01:01:43,917 --> 01:01:47,250 however, gave a contribution amount to Mars Hill Church. 1336 01:01:47,333 --> 01:01:51,917 So this Text to Give, the video that we have produced for you, 1337 01:01:52,000 --> 01:01:54,167 you're going to love, so check this out. 1338 01:01:56,333 --> 01:01:59,000 Hey Mars Hill, my name is Rene and I work here 1339 01:01:59,083 --> 01:02:01,625 at the Media and Communications team at Mars Hill Church. 1340 01:02:01,667 --> 01:02:03,375 If you're a mobile user like me, 1341 01:02:03,458 --> 01:02:05,542 I've got some exciting news to share with you. 1342 01:02:05,625 --> 01:02:08,000 There's a new way to give at Mars Hill Church 1343 01:02:08,083 --> 01:02:10,292 and it's just as easy as sending a text. 1344 01:02:10,333 --> 01:02:13,042 Now, many of you take advantage of our online giving options, 1345 01:02:13,125 --> 01:02:15,792 which is a great way to set up recurring gifts, 1346 01:02:15,833 --> 01:02:19,000 but until now, we haven't had a way to set up mobile, 1347 01:02:19,083 --> 01:02:21,917 where you can give on the spot during our services. 1348 01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:23,958 If you're like me, you don't carry cash 1349 01:02:24,000 --> 01:02:27,542 you don't carry a checkbook, so Text to Give is the way to go. 1350 01:02:27,625 --> 01:02:32,000 It's fun, it's simple, and best of all, it's secure. 1351 01:02:32,042 --> 01:02:33,958 I want you to do something with me. 1352 01:02:34,000 --> 01:02:35,875 Take out your smart phone right now; 1353 01:02:35,958 --> 01:02:37,708 we're going to do something together. 1354 01:02:37,792 --> 01:02:39,667 Don't worry, you're not obligated to give, 1355 01:02:39,708 --> 01:02:41,667 but try this out. 1356 01:02:41,708 --> 01:02:44,500 Simply send the amount you want to give 1357 01:02:44,583 --> 01:02:50,542 and the word "Mars Hill" at the end to the following number: 45777. 1358 01:02:51,750 --> 01:02:53,417 The first time you give via text, 1359 01:02:53,500 --> 01:02:56,083 you will be asked to fill out a one-time form, 1360 01:02:56,167 --> 01:02:59,167 which will safely link your card to your smart phone. 1361 01:02:59,250 --> 01:03:02,667 Now, this new way of giving doesn't go into your phone bill, 1362 01:03:02,750 --> 01:03:04,583 and in case you make a mistake, 1363 01:03:04,667 --> 01:03:08,333 you can always get a refund for the gift that you've given. 1364 01:03:08,375 --> 01:03:10,333 And that's it; you're done. 1365 01:03:10,417 --> 01:03:12,500 You'll receive a text back confirming your gift 1366 01:03:12,583 --> 01:03:15,042 and from this moment forward, you'll be able to give 1367 01:03:15,125 --> 01:03:17,792 anywhere, anytime with just a single text. 1368 01:03:17,833 --> 01:03:20,542 Don't forget to save the number in your contact list. 1369 01:03:20,625 --> 01:03:23,667 I've saved it as "Mars Hill Text to Give." 1370 01:03:23,750 --> 01:03:25,542 For more information about our giving options 1371 01:03:25,625 --> 01:03:28,833 you can visit marshill.com/give. 1372 01:03:33,333 --> 01:03:36,292 Each year, over 10 million Mars Hill church sermons 1373 01:03:36,333 --> 01:03:39,375 are downloaded worldwide for free. 1374 01:03:39,458 --> 01:03:42,000 This ministry is generously supported 1375 01:03:42,042 --> 01:03:44,625 by Mars Hill church members and listeners like you. 1376 01:03:44,667 --> 01:03:48,167 If you'd like to support our efforts to preach Jesus to the world, 1377 01:03:48,250 --> 01:03:51,167 Please consider making a tax-deductible donation 1378 01:03:51,250 --> 01:03:54,083 by visiting marshill.com/give.