You are listening to Radical with David Platt , a weekly podcast with sermons and messages from pastor , author and teacher David Platt . Now the book of James in the Bible , a book about the beauty of faith , and we're going to use that phrase very intentionally , because the book of James is about authentic , true faith as opposed to artificial , fake faith . So the book of James is going to make clear that it is possible for any one of us to think that we have true , saving faith in Christ when we don't . Which means we could approach this book by just asking the question do you have true faith or not ? And we will hear that question from God as we walk through James . But our hope and our prayer is that , more than just asking that question about our faith , we will find ourselves allured by the beauty of true faith in such a way that we will find ourselves saying I want that , I want more of that , even in such a way that people around us in the world would say I want that . I don't want some fake , surface level , cultural version of faith in God that doesn't really affect my life . I want the real thing in ways that revolutionize my life . And I want us to start today by looking at the beauty of faith in the midst of trials , so the beauty of faith in the middle of the hardest , even darkest moments in life . So let's hear from God . James , chapter 1 , verse 1 , is where we'll start . We'll go through verse 12 . If you don't have a Bible , the verses will be on the screen . James , a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ , to the 12 tribes in the dispersion Greetings , count it all , join my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds , for you know , the testing of your faith produces steadfastness . And let steadfastness have its full effect , that you may be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing . If any of you lacks wisdom , let him ask God , who gives generously to all , without reproach , and it will be given heaven , but let him ask in faith , with no doubting , for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind , for that person must not suppose that he or receive anything from the Lord . He is a double-minded man , unstable in all his ways . But the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the ridge in his humiliation , because , like a flower of the grass , he will pass away , for the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers , the grass , its flower falls and its beauty perishes . So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits . Blast is the man who remains steadfast under trial , for when he has stood the test , he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love . Alright , so let's see the context for what we just read and really the whole book of James . So the author clearly is James , but we're not sure exactly which James this might be . Most people believe this is James , the half-brother of Jesus , who was a leader some say the primary leader of the church in Jerusalem . And that's important because when Stephen , who was the first Christian martyr , was stoned in Jerusalem , the church in Jerusalem was scattered into all different parts of Judea and Samaria and beyond . So James writes this letter to the twelve tribes . That's a symbolic picture of God . So you go from the Old Testament now applied to the New Testament as the church that was dispersed from Jerusalem and scattered as refugees away from their homes because of persecution . So just that context helps us understand why the first words out of the chute to these people who have been scattered as refugees is James saying count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds . And it's interesting . You look at the verses we just read . Verse two and twelve serve as kind of bookends on this passage . Trials are mentioned here , and then you look back at verse twelve bless as the man who remains steadfast under trial . So this is clearly a passage about how to walk through trials . That was applicable to those men and women who had been dispersed from Jerusalem , but that's applicable to men and women in all times and all places . Maybe we all know what it's like to meet trials of various kinds . I read something once entitled Life is a Trial . It's Kyle Long , but I think it's worth reading . So here goes . A high school senior lives in tension . He is at long last King of the Hill , the privileged one , and yet classes are long and boring , homework is baneful . At home he faces curfews and chores . He looks around and asks is this what I've been waiting for all my life ? There must be more . I'm tired of school , tired of books , tired of teachers . I'm tired of my room , my parents , my activities . I can't wait to get out of my own to do a thousand new things when graduation comes . Then my trials will be over . So our young man goes to college . He is free , but he's a chemistry major , perpetually in the lab and working part time to cover his expenses . By his senior year he has a serious girlfriend . They begin to think about marriage , but having been together long enough to be sure , when he gets a job in Dallas , 800 miles away from his sweetheart , he will be teaching third grade . Absence makes their hearts grow fonder . They work harder than ever to master their new professions , but they're lonely and tired of being apart . They decide to marry . Gazing into each other's eyes , they say we will be together forever . Soon our trials will be over . The honeymoon comes and goes . They set up house in a small apartment . On his first day of work he showers and starts to shave , but he can hardly see himself because the stockings draped over the mirror are blocking his view and how she spends money . And she still expects him to demonstrate his love with flowers and dates . He thinks what do you mean ? You want tokens of love ? I married you . Why do you need tokens ? Of course he causes a few trials too . At the table he eats as if he were back at the fraternity . When he sleeps , he thrashes about their bed as if he is reenacting an Olympic decathlon . Eventually they sort things out . That trial is over , now they want a baby . But one year , then two years go by without success and then , just as they prepare to meet the physicians , she conceives . They say now our trials are over . I will not recount the trials of pregnancy , the nausea and mood swings . Let's travel forward eight months . They have a healthy girl . Mother and daughter leave the hospital and spend their first night at home . There , the baby is in bed and the parents lie down saying our marriage is strong , our baby is home , and they drift off to sleep , thinking our trials are over . At an instant they're awake . The baby is crying why ? And she's dry and she's not hungry . She's crying for no reason whatsoever . So the trials of parenthood begin At every stage of a child's life . Parents tell themselves the next phase will be easier when we can sleep through the night , when the baby can understand us and we can understand her , when we're done with diapers , then it will be easier . When they're old enough to go to school , when they become more independent , when they can drive , so we no longer spend endless hours show-foring them to soccer games and clear it out lessons . Yes , when they can drive , then our trials will be over . When they go to college and stop fussing about curfews and we stop wondering where they are , they may never come in , but at least we won't know Then our trials will be over . Work is no different . Trials never end . Things never settle down . If the economy is thriving , the company is growing and our work is respected , but there's too much to do , the trials are overwork and exhaustion . Or if the economy is cool or there's not enough business , then income is down and the job is in jeopardy . And then trials continue . After retirement we miss the camaraderie , the respect , the friendships at work . We have too much time on our hands . Health issues surface . We wonder if we lay decided enough money to fund our remaining years From our childhood home to the retirement home . What's constant is that our trials are not over . Now here's the thing . What I just read covers some of the most basic everyday trials , just didn't mention tragedies or a lot of other really heavy trials that come along the way . This didn't talk about when you have a desire to be married but singleness continues , or when you get married and marriage does not work out like you planned . It doesn't mention when you have that desire for children but it doesn't happen , or your baby doesn't come home to health , or when your relationships with your kids or your parents are marked by pain and heart aid . It doesn't mention mental health challenges , emotional health challenges . It doesn't mention days , months , years where you're not sure you even want to go on . There's no mention of physical sickness or disease and it doesn't even mention the trials that come specifically because of following Jesus , which is the whole context here . In James , many , if not most , of these recipients getting this letter were scattered from their homes as refugees . They were poor because they were Christians . Many of them were losing their jobs because of their faith . They were being taken to court by those who opposed them . They were being oppressed , all because they were following Jesus . All this , to say trials of various kinds , is a loaded phrase with which we are all familiar . Just think today , what trials are you bringing into this gathering In this room , other locations , those who are watching online . It's really overwhelming just to look out the sea in different places and think about all the trials that are represented in just this gathering right now .
So what are we to do with this command from God In James ? It's one of 59 commands in the book . There's only five chapters . That's over 10 commands on average a chapter . So the whole book starts with a command to count it all joy . My brothers , when you meet trials of various kinds , count it all joy . That's the command . Is this some fantasy world Sounds impossible when you think about trials in our lives . It may even come across as cold or offensive , but it's not . I want to show you that this command , starting in verse 2 of James , is a powerful picture of the kindness of God . I want to show you that it is possible , that it is supernaturally possible to have joy , real , true joy , when you meet trials of all kinds . And if that's true , when you want that and trials reveal a beauty in faith , don't you want a kind of faith that is able to turn trials into joy ? So what does that mean ? Well , let's start by understanding what that does not mean . That does not mean when you meet trials of various kinds , put a smile on your face and pretend like everything is awesome and based on all the Bible . James 1-2 does not mean that when the trials of life come thrashing down on a fellow Christian , your first words to them should be pure joy , brother . Consider it joy , sister . I think about when Jesus was approached by Martha and Mary after their brother Lazarus had died , even though he knew God had a good and awesome purpose in this that they were about to see just moments later . What did he do ? He wept with death . Our church's Bible reading last week we were in 2 Corinthians 1 . I'm about the father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforts us in our affliction so we might comfort others in their affliction . The Bible exhorts us to comfort one another , to weep with one another , to bear each other's burdens , and as we do these things , so James says count it joy . And he tells us why . Verse 3 , for you know , so we're just going to walk through , just hear what the Holy Spirit is saying in this text . So , in order to experience joy in trials , there's something you need to know about the testing of your faith , which is another way of referring to trials . Trials are tests of our faiths . We say that we believe God is good and God is great and God is worthy of all of our trust and all of our worship , which is easy to say when things are going great . But what about when life is not going well and our faith is tested . The Bible says you can count trials joy because you know that these tests of your faith are producing something . You see that it's really important . It's not that we have joy over a trial in and of itself . Instead , our joy is found in knowing what trials produce . And look at what they produce . They produce steadfastness , endurance , perseverance , and it's interesting , we see that same word later in verse 12 . Also Remember blesses the man who remains steadfast under trial when he has stood the test . Same language . You see , the book ends here and this passes . So when we go through tests in our faith , we hold on to faith . There's an otherworldly endurance that's developed . Now to be clear , there's an adversary in this world who does not want your faith to endure through trial . There's an adversary who wants to use trials in this world to destroy your faith . And amidst all the trials you're bringing into this gallery right now , he hasn't aimed to use those trials to destroy your faith . He wants to use hard days to leave you , to lose hope , to lead you to let go of your faith , leave God behind or even just loosen some of your grasp on God If you let the adversary have a foothold in your faith in the middle of trial , he will take you to dark places . You will not benefit from letting go of God and giving in to the adversary in the middle of trial . But if you hold fast , trials will produce an enduring faith that is beautiful beyond explanation . This is 1 Peter . He turned just a couple pages over to the right in your Bible You'll see 1 Peter , chapter 1 . We've studied this before . Look at this language . It's almost identical . 1 Peter 1 , 6 , and 7 . Peter also writing the suffering of persecuted Christians . He says and this you rejoice , though now for a little while , if necessary , you have been grieved by various trials . So the tested genuineness of your faith , more precious than gold . It perishes , though it's tested by fire , maybe found a result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ . Did you see that language ? End this you rejoice . Count it all joy , even as you are grieved by various trials . When you meet trials of various kinds , as the genuineness of your faith is tested , and this testing , when you hold on to faith , you don't give into the adversary , this kind of testing , these trials will produce a faith that is more precious than gold . See the beauty here . There is a worth and a beauty to a kind of faith that holds on when it's tested through trials . Grieved becomes more precious than gold , in a way that yields surprising joy . So how do trials produce this kind of faith , this kind of joy in our lives ? Well , let me show you back here in James . So if you're taking notes , I would encourage you to write this down . Number one trials lead us to grow in the likeness of God . Trials lead us to grow in the likeness of God , and I want to show you how . This is not just the first purpose of trials in this passage . It's actually the ultimate purpose of our entire lives , according to the Bible , the whole of it , not just the book of James . You've got to see this , watch it here in James . This testing of your faith produces steadfastest endurance . We talked about that , but that's not where it ends . Let steadfastness have its full effect . So what's the effect of a steadfast faith ? You will be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing . Well , that seems like a good goal and that is the ultimate goal of our lives . So let's zoom out for a minute . Whole Bible in the very beginning of the Bible , genesis , chapter one , man and woman are created in the image or the likeness of God , and man and woman have a perfect relationship with God . They lack nothing . The problem is just three chapters into the Bible it's where we were in our family worship last night man and woman decide not to trust God anymore and they sin against God and the image or the likeness of God is marred in them and their relationship with God is broken . And whereas they used to lack no good thing , now they lack many things . And this is where not just sin entered the world , but suffering and eventually death and trials of every kind . There were no trials before sin . Now they're trials In a world where every man and woman so this is where we come into the story every one of us sins against God and the image or likeness of God is marred in every one of us . Our relationships with God are broken and we lack many things and we experience various trials that are inevitable in this fallen , broken world . Yet this is where we landed through . Look at Genesis three last night . Yet the Bible is a story from the very beginning about how God loves us and God pursues us . He doesn't leave us alone in this brokenness . Ultimately , god comes to us himself in the person of Jesus . And Jesus lives a sinless life , unlike us . And then , even though he has no sin to die for , he chooses to die on a cross to pay the price for our sins . And then three days later , he rises from the grave and victory over sin , satan's suffering and death itself , so that anyone , anywhere , no matter what sin is looked like in your life , if you will trust in Jesus and God's love for you , then God will forgive you of all your sin and restore you to relationship with him forever . And here's how this relationship plays out . This is the Christian life where , day by day , you grow closer and closer and closer to God . You're being remade , conformed , transformed into his image , into his likeness , until one day , that transformation will be totally complete . This is where the Bible ends . One day , all who trust in Jesus will be fully restored to God , free from all sin , all suffering and death , free to enjoy God and each other forever , in perfect , complete harmony , lacking in nothing . That's where the story ends , and that , then , is the ultimate goal of our lives to be restored to God and his likeness . Here's how the Bible talks about this . I'll just list a bunch of verses on the screen flying through them Psalm 17 , 15 . As for me , I shall behold your face in righteousness . I shall see you when I awake . I shall be satisfied with your likeness . That's the day I'm looking forward to . I will be with you , transformed into your likeness . So this is why we read what we read . A couple of weeks ago , we studied Romans , chapter eight . We know that , for those who love God , all things work together for good for those who are called according to his purpose , for those who will be foreknew . He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son In order that he might be the first foreman of many brothers , those who will be predestined . He also called those who will be called . He also justified those who justified . He also glorified . See it , god is working all things , including trials , together for good , for his purpose . And what is his purpose ? That we might be conformed into his image and ultimately be glorified with him . That's where all things are working together for ultimate goal . This is the daily Christian life . 2 Corinthians 3
, 18 . We all , with unfilled face , behold in the glory of the Lord , are being transformed into his image from one degree of glory to another , as this is happening in our lives . We're becoming more and more like Jesus , growing closer and closer to God . We are waiting . Philippians 3 20 says we're awaiting our Savior , the Lord Jesus Christ , who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body . Colossians 3 10 talks about how we put on a new self , which is being renewed every day , and knowledge after the image of our Creator . First , john 3 sums it up behold , we are God's children now , and what we will be has not yet appeared . But we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is . We're gonna be with God . See God , and we will be perfectly transformed into his image . The way we're made to be lacking in nothing , see it . The ultimate goal of our lives is to be perfect and complete , lacking in nothing , the way James 1 2 describes it here . And John and James is saying if trials are leading us to this goal being perfectly complete , lacking nothing then you can count them as joy , because this goal is really good , it's the greatest goal . Now , here's the deal . My mind goes in two different directions here . So first , for those of you who maybe you're visiting today , maybe you're not a Christian , you're here with a friend or family or maybe you're exploring Christianity . I hope you are seeing the good news here that this world , with all its trials , is not all there is . The trials in this world are not ultimate , that they're not the end of the story . I hope you are seeing that trials in this world reveal to us that things are not as they should be , they're not right and , whether you realize it or not , god has put inside of you a longing for another world where everything will be made right . You are not created to experience pain , heartache , loss , depression , cancer , aging , a body breaking down , the sorrow of family members or friends suffering or dying , and all the feelings and the emotions and the hurt and the hearted you experience in trials are coming from a heart that longs for more , that was made for more , where everything is made right with the one who made you , and trials will only be joy when they draw us toward that ultimate goal . I hope you are seeing today that God loves you so much . God wants to be with you and for you to be with him To help you in the middle of trials here and ultimately to lead you into perfect and complete harmony with him forever in heaven , where you will lack in nothing . I hope you are seeing that Jesus endured the ultimate trial and died on a cross in love for you , to make all of this possible for you , and that you will put your faith in him , which then leads to those of us who are Christians , who put our faith in Jesus Because here's the challenge . So this is the other direction , even for many of us as Christians , we forget that this is the ultimate goal of our lives Closest to God , likeness to God and if we're not careful , we can start to live just like everybody else in the world , where the goal of our lives is to be successful in the world , to be comfortable in this world , to be liked by others in this world . I want to be smart , talented , I want a nice job , nice family that look us a certain way , with kids or parents who act a certain way . If we're not careful , our goals will be focused on experiencing this or that and this world whatever it may be , and when that's the case , when trials come , we will never count them joy because they'll keep us from our goals , which means to follow this . This means that if we're going to be able to count trials as joy . We have to reorient our lives around an altogether different goal . Trials are only joy when God is our ultimate goal .
I want to say that one more time . This goes back to what we saw a couple weeks ago , when we were talking about waiting . Trials are only joy when God is our ultimate goal . If our goal is ease or comfort or success or certain circumstances in our lives , our families or school or work , then we will experience no joy in trials . Instead , we will experience constant anxiety , worry , fear , frustration , depression , despair , instability , insecurity . As long as our goal is getting our circumstances the way we want them , then we will go up and down throughout our lives amidst the waves of trials in this world . But listen to this if your ultimate goal is not to fix your circumstances , but your ultimate goal is to know and grow closer to God , then you can rejoice Because , no matter what your circumstances are , you will achieve your goal and you will always , always , always , be secure and you will have strength , no matter how weak you get . You will have a supernatural peace that surpasses understanding . You will have a hope that conquers all despair . You will have a love that casts out all fear . Why ? Because you will have God himself More and more every day , and one day perfectly and completely , and in him you will lack no good thing . That's a good goal . God is a good goal and trials will be joy when God is your goal . So you see how James 1 3 requires this kind of faith , requires a radically God centered perspective of life , totally different in the perspective of life this world around us has , and we need to move on . But let me just say one more thing , as I was just this morning meditating on this , all the more is , this text doesn't describe all the specifics of how trials like how the trials , lead us to become more close to God and the likeness of God . We often wonder God why this trial doesn't seem to make any sense . How and anyway , is this trial producing anything good ? But that's what's so interesting about this passage , because this is we don't always know the answer to that question . Why this , why that ? That's the point of faith and it's the point of this text , because we do know that in trials we will experience this right here . They will put a steadfastness , will lead us to become perfectly lacking in nothing . We will experience growth in godliness , in trials like we could never experience any way . And so we trust God . If that's where this is going , then I'm gonna trust you to lead me there . That's as faith . It's the beauty of faith . Superficial , cultural Christianity doesn't get there . But that kind of picture of trust actually leads us to the second effect of trials that James highlights here . Trials teach us the trust and the wisdom of God . It's so interesting , isn't it ? Like , how he ends verse four saying okay , one day we're gonna be lacking in nothing . That's the goal when we're perfectly with God . But now , particularly in the middle of trials , here we are lacking . And what does he say in verse five that we're lacking now ? If any of you lacks , he uses the same word wisdom . Fine . And you think that when we walk through trials we can think of all kinds of things we lack . Why is wisdom at the top of the list here ? Why is wisdom the one thing we are commanded ? So this is the second command in James Let him ask , ask for wisdom . Out of all the things we could ask for and I should add , based on the rest of the Bible , there are many things we can and should ask for in trials . It's good to ask God for healing , for reconciliation , for resolution , for changes in our circumstances . It's right to ask for these things . But why , above all , these things ? Why ask for wisdom ? We'll see what the Bible is saying here . There is a God who knows all things and sees all things and who's working , as we've seen , all things together for the good of those who are trusting in him . In other words , the God who is all wise is working all things together for good . And not only is he all wise , but check this out he does not keep his wisdom to himself . He gives it generously . You could take this word out generously , it would still have the same meaning . He gives it all without , but the Holy Spirit adds this word generously to all Anybody who asks without reproach . What a great phrase . Nobody has to be afraid or ashamed or embarrassed to ask God for wisdom . Just ask God , the author of all wisdom , to give you wisdom and it will be given to you . That's a promise . It will . When you're walking through trials and you can't see straight , this is amazing . God says I'll help you see , just ask me . When you're walking through trials and you don't know what to do next , god says I will lead you every step of the way . Just ask me . I'm not stinging you with my wisdom . I give it generously . Many of you have heard me talk about my dad before , one of the wisest man I've ever known . I would give it anything to have just one more conversation , and it'd be a really long one because I've got so much to learn . I would just love to sit there and pepper him with questions about life and parenting Well , a lot of things and just sit back and listen . But , brothers and sisters , I have something infinitely better . God , the ruler of the world and the creator of wisdom , is my father and he's made infinite wisdom available to me anytime I need it and anything , and not just to me . He's made available to you , to anybody who asks . He says I've got storehouses of it for you . Just ask me and trust . Let him ask and fake trust that I'll give it . No doubting , don't doubt . You doubt it would be like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind . That person should not suppose that he'll see anything from the Lord To elbow minded man or woman , unstable all his ways . You see the contrast there , how faith in the middle trial brings stability , while lack of faith brings instability . And , to be clear . It's not that when we ask for wisdom , all of a sudden we become omniscient like God . Instantly we see and understand everything completely . No , we're not God , but God is saying very clearly here I will give you the wisdom you need In the moment you're walking through . I will give it generously . Just ask me and trust me and as you do , as you trust my wisdom , god says I will personally lead you through Jesus . Don't doubt that . Even when it's not easy , it doesn't make sense to believe that God , the author and giver of wisdom , is with you and for you . So you know what it's like to share life with somebody for a while and you go through hard times with them , and in those hard times that person makes decisions that in the moment you weren't sure about . But in the end you realize we're wise and you grow to trust that person more the next time something happens . This is God's design . He is perfectly wise and utterly generous with his wisdom , and the more we walk through trials with him , the more those trials will teach us to trust his wisdom . So we can count it joy , because these trials are leading us to the likeness of God . They're teaching us to trust in the wisdom of God . Trials remind us to rely on the resources of God . I'm totally running out of time . I'll start drawing these two clothes , but don't miss what God sang here verses 9 through 11 . James starts talking about the lowly , or the poor , and the rich , and how the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits , and the point seems pretty clear and we need to hear it . We're going to see this language all over James contrasting the rich and the poor . We need to hear it , especially coming from a place and time in the world where we are some of the wealthiest people to ever walk planet Earth . James is clearly saying here . The Bible is clearly teaching us , god is clearly telling us right now the riches of this world cannot sustain you through trials . Two times James mentions how the rich will pass away , fade away in the midst of his pursuits . These verses are reminding us , god shouting to us do not trust in your riches , don't trust in the resources of this world , do not look to them for safety , for security , for stability and this world . They will not last . They're passing , fading away . They will leave you empty . Specifically in regard to trials , money cannot solve your problems . Possessions . No matter how much you try to pacify your hurts with them , they cannot heal your hurts . The things of this world cannot provide what only the God over this world can provide . And trials lead us to joy when they remind us of the wealth of resources we have in God . As the resources of this world are stripped away from us , which all leads to this one , trials drive us to live for the reward of God . James writes Blessed is the man In that language we're going to see different times in the book of James he's referring , alluding to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trials , for when he has stood the test , he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him . Now , when you hear this so we've talked about trials , standing the test he will receive the crown . When you hear that word crown , don't picture some Jim's studded headpiece worn by a king or a queen . Most original readers of this letter would have heard this word and immediately thought about a wreath that would be put on an athlete's head at the end of a race that he or she has worn . That's the imagery here running a hard race and giving to the end as a victor , ready to receive a crown . And what is the crown ? It's the crown of the world's lights . Let's hear what God is saying to us is coming at the end of trials in this world . Life in the world , life with God , like we saw the ultimate girl , eternal life with God that he has promised . He's promised it to those who love what , those who love ease , those who love comfort , to those who love success in this world , to those who love being liked in this world , those who love the things of this world . No , to those who love him , those who keep their eyes and their hearts and their minds fixed on him . This is the foundation of your joy , a love relationship with God himself and , in the end , for all who love him . You can rejoice in trials because you know what's coming at the end of this race . You know that these trials will not have the last word in your life . You can rejoice in trials because you know that your old fast , your faith in the race . One day you are going to stand before God himself . God himself is going to take a crown of life . He's going to put it on you , he's going to wipe every tear from your eye and he's going to say , for the first time ever in your life all your trials are now over , they're over , they're all over . All the pain is over , all the suffering is over , all the sorrow is over . There's no more tears here . There's no more heartache here . There's no more brokenness in this place , there's no more conflict , there's no more hard days , there's no more sleepless nights , there's no more loneliness , there's no more discouragement , no more broken chains , no more depression , no more cancer , no more disease and no more death , no more despair . Here there's just joy . There's just everlasting , never-ending , eternal joy in this place . That's what's coming for all to remain step-fast . So when you know that's coming , then , brothers and sisters , when you face trials in this world , hold fast , because the God , who loves you , will lead these trials to grow in his likeness , will lead these trials to teach trust in his wisdom . He will supply you with every resource you need in the middle of them . One day , his reward will be put on your body . So you buy your heads with me all across this room and other places . I justmaybe just a fundamental question from the end of that verse Do you love him ? I coulddo you have a love relationship with God . That's the ultimate question . Do you have a love relationship with God through faith in Jesus , only possible Through Jesus' death on the cross for your sin , and trusting in him to save you and to be the Lord of your life ? I reconcile you to God . Do you have a love relationship with God ? You have that kind of faith ? Not asking if you've gone to church , I'm not askingyou do a million kind of Christian things Like did you have a love relationship with God through Jesus ?
And if the answer to that question is not a resounding yes in your heart , I just invite you , I urge you right now , in this holy moment , just to pray and say God , I want to be reconciled to you , I want you , I need you , I need you to save me from my sin , I need you to be my hope and my joy in my life . Just to say to him I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin . I believe that he rose from the dead . I trust in you to save me from my sin by your love , not based on what I do , based on what you have done for me . I say yes , I want a love relationship with you as my God forever . You ask God for that . He gives that to all who ask . He'll give that to you now , as you ask Then for all who , whether you're beginning that love relationship with them or you say , yes , I know God , I know God . I want to give you just a moment Just to lay your trials before him in a fresh way . Today , trials are walking through right now , maybe even trials you've walked through in the past that there's still a lot of hurt from , so lay those before God . Or maybe it's trials that are coming that you don't even know are coming . Just to say God , I'll lay these things before you . I pray that you would use them to lead me closer to you . You'll help me to trust in your wisdom . You'll supply all these things that I need , your resources that I need , and you're helping to keep my eyes fixed on the reward . Just spend a moment between you and God . I miss the trials in your life and then I , here , and other pastors at other locations will lead us in prayer .