08
Jun '20
Just Make the Best of It
08
Jun '20
James 1:2-4
“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
Introduction: Have you ever said, “Just make the best of it?” Do you need a turnaround today? Is something bothering you? The old saying is true, “It’s not what we are eating that’s bothering us, but rather, what’s eating us!” Only the Lord God can give us grace and help us to “MAKE the BEST of it!” He does this through the pen of James with (3) responses to difficult situations:
1. TAKE the GOOD! (James 1:2)
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”
“Brethren” means CHRISTians. “WHEN” you “fall” not “IF” you “fall”… it’s going to happen! Do you know how to spell JOY?
- Jesus
- Others
- You
2. Take the GOOD, with the BAD! (James 1:2-3)
“Fall into divers temptations.”
The word “fall” means in the middle, totally surrounded. The word “divers” pictures the different colors of a rainbow. The word “temptations” is the word pirasmos, which means trials, adversity, trouble, affliction.
- When – not if
- Why – sent by God to prove one’s CHARACTER
3. Take the GOOD with the BAD, and MAKE the BEST! (James 1:3-4)
“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
- “Knowing” (ginoskow) means experiential
- “Trying” (dokimae) means testing, proving (produces, works out, accomplishes)
- “Faith” means trust in God
- “Patience” (hupomene) means endurance
- “Perfect” (telios) means complete, finished, full-grown
Conclusion: Troubles and trials come knocking on our door. Some things that happen are not GOOD. How can good come out of BAD? Make the BEST?…. but how? When Jesus was whipped, beaten, and ultimately crucified, it did not look good! But then, He resurrected from the dead, conquering death, hell, sin and the grave. That was GREAT! Why? Because He gives us both abundant life and eternal life! So He gives us His OVERCOMING life in order to TAKE the GOOD with the BAD and MAKE the BEST!
Love y’all,
Dr. Randy Reese