BUILT DIFFERENT – WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

BUILT DIFFERENT – WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

James isn’t a book.
It’s not theology.
It’s not motivational .

James is .
James is .
James is .

James doesn’t ask: “What do you ?”

James asks: “Can anyone ?”

THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN TO BELIEVERS WHO WERE:

• Under .
• and .
• spiritually.
• if faith actually .

This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! ² Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³ For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. ⁴ So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:1-4

BIG IDEA: A faith that lasts is formed under not from it.

Or put another way: Strong faith isn’t built in — it’s built in .

HELP ME… IT’S BEEN A HARD WEEK

1. Pressure is not .

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.

James 1:2

don’t mean God is absent, they often mean God is at .

• pressure
• pressure
• pressure
• pressure

QUESTION WE’VE ALL ASKED: God why is this happening?

JAMES HAS AN ANSWER: Because something is being .

         2. Testing what your life is built on.

For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

James 1:3

When pressure hits:

• What you shows up.
• What you becomes obvious.
• What you’ve built gets .

God isn’t trying to break you—He’s trying to build in you.

         3. The way you build determines how .

So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:4

WE OFTEN PRAY: God, the trial.

GOD OFTEN RESPONDS: Let it its work.

God is after , not

“That doesn’t mean God our pain. It means He to waste it.”

         4. A world requires a faith.

… you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:4

STRONGER FAITH:

• Doesn’t under pressure.
• Doesn’t when it’s HARD.
• Doesn’t when prayers take time.

FINAL QUESTIONS:

What is pressing on your life right now?

Are you building your life God’s way?

Pressure doesn’t break what’s God’s .

For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver… we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Psalm 66:10-12

Therefore we do not lose heart… For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

2 Corinthians 4:16-17

So do not fear, for I am with you… I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 62:5-6