In the same way, many people are confused about the realities of the Christian faith. What they believe is based on what they think they learned at Sunday School, or what they think the Bible says, or what they've been told that God is like, or what they've heard that we're supposed to believe — but their view of spiritual things is as inconsistent and ill-informed as the idea that network TV reflects real life.

The Bible tells what the Christian life is about. It tells us what God is like, what he expects of us, how we are to live, what we are to do, and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We see this all throughout scripture, but it is seen most profoundly in the book of James. If you want an example of the Christian life in a nutshell, read James.

James begins with a reality check for believers. There are two ways we can look at the world. One is through the eyes of unbelief — that the world is a random, meaningless, chaotic mess. The other is through the eyes of faith, that God is in control and that he has the power to work things out for his good.

The first view might seem to be true, it may appear to be real, but that's not the way the world actually is. We live in a world that was created by a loving God. In spite of our rebellion, it was redeemed by a loving God. Ultimately it will completely restored by a loving God. God is in control.

James wanted to make sure his audience understood this, because they were going through some tough times. This letter was written to the Jewish Christians who had been scattered throughout the Mediterranean world because of persecution. Many Christians were suffering mistreatment at the hands of governmental and religious leaders, and James begins by helping them put their situation into the proper perspective.

There are three "reality checks" in the first half of chapter one that I want us to pay attention to today. These are things that the first century Christians needed to be aware of, and we need to keep them in mind as well. Here are they are. Reality Check Number One.

1. Remember that problems can work to your benefit.

James begins by making a statement that may not be easily understood. He said...

(v. 2) Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

An opportunity for joy? What does that mean? He isn't talking about adopting a Polyanna attitude or pretending nothing is bothering you. He's talking about having a realistic, practical, down-to-earth, bottom-line perspective of your problems. Why? Because your problems really can work in your favor. How? He says...

(v. 3-4) For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

He's saying that when you go through problems, you become better, you become stronger, you become more capable of doing everything that God has called you do. The New King James says that you'll be "perfect and complete, lacking nothing." This is what problems will do for you—they make your life better in the long run, if you're willing to tough them out.

I do ministry in Brasil, in a poor community in Rio de Janeiro. When we first began our work there almost 2 years ago, some people in the community made it clear we weren't welcome. Others were skeptical of us, since, unfortunately, Americans have reputation in some places of coming in, making promises, and leaving before anything gets done. We started our work — at first just an English class — with one student and one teacher in a borrowed room. And we kept plugging away. We've been there only two years, so we have a long way to go, but we've begun to prove something to ourselves and to others: we're here to stay. We're new, but we've already had plenty of opportunities to leave: There have been threats and setbacks and disappointments and financial struggles and unexpected expenses and red tape delays and outbreaks of violence — but we've kept on. Our endurance has worked for us two ways. One, the blessing and anointing of God on our work is greater than ever before. Two, the people in our community have witnessed our resolve and they're taking us seriously. Our endurance has made us "strong in character and ready for anything." The longer we stay, the stronger we become.

There's one view of reality that says problems are bad and should be avoided at all costs. But James gives us a reality check. He says that problems can work for you. They can benefit your life if you're willing to tough em out. The key principle here is endurance, an attitude that says, "I will not quit no matter how tough things get."

Every person in this room has problems, and you have three ways of dealing with them. You can run and hide from them, you can whine and grumble about them, or you can stand up tall and work your way your way through them. It's your choice. If you choose option three, your problems will prove to work to your benefit. That's the reality of it. The second reality check...

2. Remember that you're not in this by yourself.

There's one view of the world that says, "You have to fight your own fights. You have to solve your own problems. You have to make your own decisions. You have to take care of yourself."

The Christian view is different. It reminds us that even though we have responsibilities to fulfill, we're not on our own, and we're not all alone. James said...

(v. 5) If you need wisdom — if you want to know what God wants you to do — ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking.

Of the eight hundred or so precious promises in Scripture, this ranks high up the chart among my favorites. What an incredible promise. If you need wisdom, God will give it you. When you think about it, you see that wisdom is the solution to just about all of our problems. Wisdom will not only get you out of a jam, it will prevent you from getting into a jam in the first place.

Do you remember the Denver Broncos in the 1980's? They were, at the same time, extremely fun and extremely frustrating to watch. Fun, because John Elway pulled off all those 4th quarter comebacks. Frustrating, because coach Dan Reeves kept putting them in a position to need to make a last minute comeback. They would flounder with a mediocre game plan for 55 minutes, and then Reeves would tell Elway to do whatever he could to save the game. Elway would have to find a way to put together two scoring drives in the final minutes of the game. I always thought, "If you would have used this strategy in the first quarter, you could be out there taking a knee right now." With all due respect to Mr. Reeves, it appears he lacked the wisdom to put together a strategy for winning that would get his team through the Super Bowl. Not long after Reeves left, Mike Shanahan came in and the Broncos won two championships. The difference is wisdom, knowing how to make the right choices at the right time.

I was talking to a businessman a while back who was facing a financial crunch. He kept trying to borrow money but couldn't do it. He was desperate, to the point of having to let his employees go, and he began asking God for guidance. One day, all of a sudden, 1 - 2 - 3 : the answer came to him. He thought of a place where he could sell off some overstock, he consolidated his office so he could sublet a couple of rooms, and he put together a fast promotion for his best clients. He thought he needed money, but what he needed was wisdom in handling his financial crisis. This is what got him through the storm.

God says he'll give you wisdom. He'll tell you what you need to know when you need to know it, in order for you to move through life successfully. You need wisdom more than anything else. There will be times when you think you need more money, or more time, or more resources, or more people, or more talent — but what you really need is wisdom to maximize your current situation. Where do you get this? Not from your own brilliance—it's a gift from God.

James writes...

(v. 9) Christians who are poor should be glad, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should be glad, for God has humbled them. They will fade away like a flower in the field. The hot sun rises and dries up in the grass; the flower withers, and it's beauty fades away. So also, wealthy people will fade away with all of their achievements.

Do you know what James is saying here? Don't put stock in your own resources. If you are poor — don't look at that. Look to God, because he will provide for you. If you are rich — don't be too impressed with yourself. Your money means nothing in light of eternity. He's saying whether they're a little or a lot, you don't live by your own resources. You live by God's resources.

You're not in this by yourself. You don't have to get through life on the strength of your own wisdom, your own wit, and your own charm. If you need wisdom, God will give it to you. All you have to do is ask.

(v. 6) But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

This is the principle of dependence. You don't rely on yourself, you rely on God. You don't live by your own resources, you live by God's resources. That means you put all your faith, hope and trust in him. This is what he wants you to do, because it is foundational to living the Christian life. Remember that you're not in this by yourself. God is with you. Reality check number three...

3. Remember that God isn't out to get you.

James pointed this out because he wanted Christians to understand that God wasn't trying to trip them up. They were going through persecution, trials, financial hardship, homelessness — and in addition to that they were, like all Christians, struggling with temptation to sin. James said...

(v. 13) And remember, no one who wants to do wrong should ever say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else either.

Temptation is a fact of life; we all go through it. But we need to understand that God is not the one orchestrating it. He's not trying to set you up for a fall. He wants what's best for you. He's on your side.

Do you know who isn't on your side? There's someone out there who isn't working toward what is best in your life; this person is working toward what is, ultimately, worst for you. Who is it? It's you. The bane of mankind is that we are our own worst enemy. We seek what we most want, but not what we most need. Therefore, we are foolish and self-destructive. James wrote...

(v. 14) Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death.

God's not the cause of the sin in your life. You are. It's your wrong desires that you fertilize and feed, and they give birth to sin. God's not trying to trip you up. He's not testing you and tempting you. He's not waiting for you to fall; he's waiting for you to follow through. Listen to this...

(v. 12) God blesses the people who patiently endure testing.

Let's stop for a minute. The words "testing" and "temptation" are the same Greek word. This Greek word is also sometimes translated "trials." Trials and temptations and tests — they're all similar in some ways; they have common characteristics. One, they're not from God. God doesn't give you trials or problems or difficulties just to see how much you can bear. Trials, problems and difficulties are inevitable, just like death and taxes. God doesn't send these your way, they're just part of the human experience. In fact, the Bible says that God's involvement in this process is that he prevents them from becoming too strong. "He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it." (1 Corinthians 10:13) So, you can't blame God for your problems and temptations; you can thank him they're not worse than they are. James continues...

(v. 12) God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

He's not waiting for you to fall, he's waiting for you to follow through. He's waiting for you to endure, to hang in there, to tough it out. Trials and tests and temptations all have one thing in common: they're temporary. You can outlast them. And when you do, there's a reward waiting for you. Please understand: God isn't out to get you, he's out to bless you.

You're going to have all kinds of problems and trials and tests and temptations in your life, and your tendency might be to say, "God, why are you doing this to me?" He's not doing it to you. These things are a fact of life. Don't blame him for making you human. Instead, use this situation to receive his blessing. This is the principle of favor: even though we live in a difficult world, God is eager to bless us with good things.

Whatever is good and perfect comes to us from God above, who created all heaven's lights...In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession.

Reality check number three: God isn't out to get you. He's out to bless you.

CONCLUSION

Even though life is hard, temptation is strong, and problems are many, God wants you to know the reality of his presence in your life.

There are some principles all Christians disciples must live by. One is the principle of endurance: we hang in there because we know that our problems work to our benefit. A second is the principle of dependence: we live by God's resources and not our own, because we know that he will give us what we most need. A third is the principle of favor: we can outlast trials and temptations because we know that God's abundant blessing waits for us on the other side.

When problems come your way, they may distort your perception of reality. As often as is necessary, give yourself a reality check. Remind yourself that you belong to God and God is in control.

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Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references in this message are from The New Living Translation.

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