Real Christianity Part 1: Christian Strategies for Handling Troubles!

James 1:1 (GW)

From James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. To God’s faithful people who have been scattered. Greetings.

 

 

 

 

Matthew 13:55 (NIV)

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

  

 

 

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

 

 

 

 

Troubles Strategy #1 –  all kinds of troubles!

 

 

 

 

James 1:2 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, 

 

 

 

 

John 16:33 (NIV)

In this world you will have trouble …

 

 

 

 

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NCV)
We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles.

 

 

 

 

Troubles Strategy #2 – Consider God’s positive for troubles!

 

 

 

 

James 1:2-4 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles 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.

 

 

 

 

God uses troubles as tests to build endurance and us!

 

 

 

 

Verse 3 – For you know (not feel) that when your faith is tested, your endurance (stick-to-itiveness) has a chance to grow.

 

 

 

 

God uses troubles as tests to develop and  us!

 

 

 

 

Verse 4 – “…when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect (grown up/mature) and complete, needing nothing.”

 

 

 

 

Troubles Strategy #3 –  Rightly to troubles!

 

 

 

 

When experiencing trouble, ask God for !

 

 

 

 

James 1:5 (GW)
If any of you needs wisdom to know what you should do (when facing troubles), you should ask God, and he will give it to you. God is generous to everyone and doesn’t find fault with them.

 

 

 

 

James 1:6-7 (NLT)

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

 

 

 

 

When experiencing trouble, choose a godly !

 

 

 

 

James 1:9-10 (TLB)
A Christian who doesn’t amount to much in this world should be glad, for he is great in the Lord’s sight. 10 But a rich person should be glad that their riches mean nothing to the Lord, for they will soon be gone, like a flower that has lost its beauty and fades away,

 

 

 

 

When experiencing trouble, keep focusing on the promised !

 

 

 

 

James 1:12 (NLT)

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.