James 1:1-18

1-1
You may remember last years discovery of the James Ossuary
- James was a half brother of Jesus (Mark 6:3)
- James didn’t believe in Jesus at first (John 7:5)
- James saw the resurrected Christ (1 Cor. 15:7)
- James did believe in Jesus after the resurrection (Acts 1:14)
- James became a leader in the Jerusalem church (1 Cor. 15:13-21)
- James was well known in the early church (Jude 1:1)
- James was executed about 30 years later (Josephus-stoned by Ananus)
- James wrote a letter to Jewish converts 10-15 years before his death (James 1:1)

2-4
Pure Joy????
WHEN you face trials, not if
You have to pass a test to move onto the next grade
The goal of all this is maturity

5-8
God understands why we ask why, He’ll help us understand
Ask in anger? Ask in humility? Ask in doubt? Ask in trust?

I Asked For
I asked for strength, and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom, and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity, and God gave me brawn and brain to work.
I asked for courage, and God gave me dangers to overcome.
I asked for patience, and God placed me in situations where I was forced to wait.
I asked for love, and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors, and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted; I received everything I needed.
My prayer has been answered.

9-11
If you are a poor Christian, rejoice in your spiritual richness
If you are a rich Christian, rejoice that you have been shown the emptiness of riches

12-15
Passing a spiritual test brings spiritual rewards
Tough Questions from verse 13
1. If God never tempts, why does it say He tempted Abraham (Gen 22:1)
2. If James says ‘count it all joy’ when Jesus says ‘lead us not into temptation’
3. If God can’t be tempted, how come it says Jesus was tempted?
-The translation tempted/tested/trial are based on the same Greek words
- God allows, Satan desires, Sin causes (JOB)

TEMPTATION:
Works like fishing (God put us in a beautiful lake, sin polluted the lake, Satan offers us what we need with a catch, sin is us wants to go after his bait, we get hooked (literally and figuratively), we die.

16-18
So don’t think of God sending bad things into your life, He is a good God. He will provide for you. He gives good and perfect gifts. He wants to produce in us spiritual life.