Sermon or Lesson:  James 1:12 (NIV based)
[Lesson Questions included]

TITLE:  Persevering Under Trial

INTRO:  Are you battered and bruised and downtrodden from the adversities of life?  Does a never-ending parade of troubles come your way every day?  Do you get so overwhelmed at times that you want to just give up completely - check out of life altogether?
     Take heart and hang in there.  There is light at the end of the tunnel, but you will need long-range binoculars to see that good things will come in the end.  In this message, we are going to look through God’s long-range binoculars (so to speak).
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READ: James 1:12

[Lesson Question:  What “trial”?]

SECTION POINT:  “Trials”, that God uses to test us in life, can be anywhere within a wide range or spectrum.

“trial” = Strong’s #3986 “a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity; temptation”

From the Greek definition, “trial” carries a meaning:
- - that includes but goes beyond the meaning of going through a difficult situation;
- - of being tested, of being tempted to do evil, of being solicited to do evil, of being provoked, of exerting self-discipline, or of going through adversity.

“Trials” can be any situation along a spectrum, ranging from:
- - the mild or mundane annoyances to time-consuming troubles to the ongoing struggles to the highly destructive to the disaster;
- - the expected to the unanticipated to the out-of-the-clear-blue-sky to the one-in-a-million;
- - the bothersome to the painful to the excruciating;
- - the immediate to the short-term to the decades-long.

SECTION POINT:  ”Trials” have an intrinsic component of being a “test”.

- - An element in all of the multitude of kinds of trials is the “testing of our faith”.  (vv.12,3)
- - Clearly, God has intentionally designed life so that we would experience these trials, which are all tests.
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[Lesson Question:  What does it mean to “persevere under trial”?]

SECTION POINT:  To “persevere under trial” carries the meaning to stay under or endure the difficult or harmful situation successfully.

“persevere” = Strong’s #5278 “endures; to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; figuratively, to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere”

Successfully persevering under trial involves:
- - to stay under or endure even if or especially when the situation is very difficult or harmful;
- - to respond to the trial in the ways that please God (i.e. successfully), which of course are delineated in Scriptures;
- - to both love God supremely and obey His commands supremely, through no matter what kind of adverse situation;  (cf. Mark 12:30-31)
- - to likewise love one’s neighbor, which also needs to be predominant.  (cf. Mark 12:30-31)

On the flip side, unsuccessfully enduring or persevering under trials can involve:
- - getting angry and flying into a rage; hate;
- - cussing the perpetrator out; verbal and/or physical assault;
- - self-medicating with alcohol or drugs to ease the pain or suffering;
- - avoidance, in which responsibilities go uncompleted;
- - gossiping, bad-mouthing, slander, malice, trying to get even or revenge;
- - excessive anxiety, fear, depression;
- - implementing foolish counter-responses to the adversity.
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[Lesson Question:  What does God promise in this verse to those who successfully pass the tests?]

SECTION POINT:  “Blessings” await those who successfully pass the tests:
- - “blessing” of spiritual growth;  (vv.3-4)
- - “blessing” of having gained the ability to succeed in weathering future storms of life;  (v.12)
- - “blessing” of gaining benefits that accompany living in righteousness;  (v.4)
- - “blessing” of enjoying a healthy relationship with God;  (v.3)
- - “blessing” of “receiving” “the promised” “crown of life” (v.12), which is some kind of attached tangible, physical, visibly conspicuous, highly-regarded reward that will hold its value and prestige eternally.
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BIG IDEA: God promises to bless us both now and in the future when we successfully endure trials in the ways that please Him.

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APPLICATIONS:

- - What trial are you going through currently?
- - How is it going?
- - Has minimal relief been out of your grasp?
- - Has all hope of the trial ever ending been evaporated?
- - What have you been clinging to in order to make it through?
- - Have you been asking, “Where is God?” in the midst of your trial?

- - We are to walk by faith through life (v.3) - not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7), trusting God to keep the promises He makes (v.12), and waiting upon God to make all things right in the end (v.12).

- - Refocus from the near future onto the distant future, and take heart - God has blessings planned for you, if you “persevere under trial” (v.12).
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Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.

“Strong's Greek Dictionary”. The Bible Library CD‑ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Copyright © 2016 Mel W. Coddington, and permission is hereby granted that this document may be used, copied, and distributed non-commercially to non-profit organizations, individuals, churches, ministries, and schools worldwide, provided the copies are distributed at no charge and retain this sources documentation as supplied herein. This document is not for sale, resale, or for use as a gift or premium to be offered in connection with solicitations or contributions.
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File name: James1_12-SermonOrLesson.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV, quoted or referred to in various places within the lesson
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated: July 8, 2016