James 1 • Count trials as all joy, because they produce persevering faith (2-4) • Ask in faith for wisdom (5-8) • Comfort for the poor (knowing God is greater) (9) • Warning to the rich (riches fade) (10-11)

James 1:12-15 v. 12 – God rewards those who endure trials “The glory will be greater than the suffering.”

v. 13. God tests or proves his people to strengthen their faith. He never induces them to sin or destroy their faith. God’s purpose is to test our faith that it will be strengthened.

v. 14. Our own sinful desires drag us away. Sin begins as an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on it and allow it to become action. “You cannot keep birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair.” – Martin Luther

Temptation comes from evil desires inside us, not from God. We like to deflect and blame others. Eve blamed the serpent. Adam blamed Eve. We need to own our sin and confess it to God and ask for his forgiveness.

v. 15. Sinful desire -> gives birth to sin -> full-grown to death. Cf. Whoever finds me (wisdom) finds life and obtains favor from the Lord (Pr 8:35)

James 1:16-18 – Good giving and good gifts come from God. God is the source of wisdom (v. 5). He is the source of all good gifts. He does not change. Our circumstances change. We wonder what happened? But God does not change. We can count on his goodness, his kindness.

He brought us forth by his own word (must be a reference to our new creation, not first) – so we can be his first fruits.

James 1:19-21 v. 19. “Hear” – “listen” we are often quick to speak and we may hear, but never listen. Listen to understand, not to respond. Often people don’t say all that they mean. You have to pay attention.

Is anger always sin? No, there is righteous anger. We should be anger at injustice, violence, the weak being taken advantage of. But we usually aren’t angry about those things. We are usually angry if we don’t get what we want. “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

v. 21 The word of God in the believer The word of God is implanted in us (James 1:21a) The word of God is at work in us (1 Thes 2:13) The word of God abides in us (1 Jn 2:14) The word of God saves us (James 1:21b)

We must receive the word of God, like oxygen, like bread. We must receive it meekly, recognizing that God’s word comes with his authority.