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Just wanted to share my Sunday School Lesson from a few weeks back. Enjoy!

PRESSURE POINTS

Pressure. It's everywhere

-Coaches and players are under pressure: "Win or else!"
-Business leaders face the pressure to make a profit
-Teenagers feel the pressure to follow their peers
-Couples endure the pressure of raising children, balancing budgets, and trying to hold their marriages together.
-Doctors prescribe medication like never before to help stressed people deal with the pressure of life.

Pressure is nothing new. James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote to Jewish Christians in the first century who faced intense pressure. They had been dispersed because of persecution, and they faced increasing pressure to let faith live only in their heads instead of being lived out in their lives. They faced pressure to wilt in times of trial and the pressure to compromise when facing temptation. They faced the pressure to cave in to prejudicial preference when welcoming people in their gatherings and to let their tongues wag out of control. They faced pressure to retaliate when mistreated and done wrong.

James beckoned these first believers to let the pressure push them deeper in their journey with Jesus. And James invites you to open your life to the truth of God's Word and learn how to deal positively with the pressure points of life. Pressure doesn't have to dismantle your faith. Let pressure lead you to experience the presence and power of God like never before.

SESSION ONE: THE PRESSURE OF TRIALS
THE POINT: JOYFUL TRUST IN GOD WILL GET YOU THROUGH ANY TRIAL

[I skipped the intro passage and jumped straight to the lesson]

JAMES 1:1-2
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

KEY WORDS: The humble title SERVANT (v.1) signifies ownership by, absolute obligation to, and readiness to obey a master. The words DIVERS TEMPTATIONS (v. 2) describe various difficulties and afflictions that can strengthen our faith and prove its genuineness.

When they come from the outside, we usually call them trials; when they come from the inside, we usually call them temptations. Both English words translate the Greek term. In this session we'll focus more on the outside trials; next session we'll focus on the inner temptations.

FOUR PROBLEMS WITH ENCOUNTERING TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS ARE:

1. You aren't expecting them.
2. You fall into a situation or circumstance that was unforseen and it surrounds you.
3. Temptations are trials are inevitable. It's not IF you encounter them, it's WHEN you encounter them; it's just a matter of time.
4. Trials and temptations are varied. They come in all shapes a sizes:
-TEMPTATION- An enticement to sin, whether it's a click on a computer screen, a mean word, or a harbored hatred.
-SICKNESS- Sometimes it's not your sickness, but the sickness of another person.
-PERSECUTION- Suffering for Christ is to be expected for a believer.
-TROUBLE-Any adversity, affliction, or circumstances sent by God- or allowed by Him--to test or prove your faith, holiness or character. Such troubles can be financial hardship, bad news, difficult people, hard circumstances, troubled relationships, broken down cars, layoffs, or loud dogs living next door.

No matter what shape or form they take, you can triumph over your trials and "temptations". You don't have to tank into depression or fall apart in anger or distress. God says you can overcome. So how do you do that? ALL JOY is actually the first phrase in the Greek of verse 2. This is the desired outcome God wants for you. "Joy" may not be your first attitude. When you rung aground or fall into a pit unexpectedly, your instinct is to react emotionally. You are hurt, startled, mad, in pain. Joy may not be your INITIAL REACTION, but it is to be your ULTIMATE ATTITUDE.
The question is: How does joy become your ultimate attitude> The biblical answer is to count it so. The word COUNT is an imperative, which means it is a command. Don't rely on your inner feelings or emotions; instead choose to follow God. Weigh the facts, not the feelings.--This is a careful and deliberate decision. the word COUNT comes from a root that means to lead, to bring, or to carry. COUNT means to evaluate and then lead your life in ways that please God.

JAMES 1:3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

How do I consider it joy in the middle of a trial? By knowing what God will do as a result of the trial or temptation. The "trying of your faith worketh patience". The concept is that you are tested for the purpose of being accepted, received, and welcomed.

What is being tested is your "faith". This isn't a test of your personal strength or wisdom,, but is a test of your faith in the strength and wisdom of God to see you through. Faith is a muscle that must be exercised in order to gain strength. The less you use faith, the easier it is to lose faith.
The "trying" results in something. God never arbitrarily gives you (or allows you to experience) a test for no reason. the "trying of your faith" always prepares and works effectively to accomplish something very specific. God's goal in testing is "patience" or endurance; he is developing in you staying power. The word PATIENCE means to remain under. We sometimes call it endurance, faithfulness, perseverance, or steadfastness, but it is God's work of developing your spiritual muscle and resolve to stand firm. you become unswerving from His deliberate purpose and your loyalty to faith even in the midst of the greatest trials and temptations.

Remember the story Jesus told about the sower in Luke 8:5-15? A lot of people hear the Word, some even with great emotional reaction. But in the end, the only seed that was fruitful was the seed that endured in the soil. If you are ever going to bear fruit in your Christian life, then "patience", endurance, perseverance, and staying power are not optional.

IF YOU ARE BEING TESTED IT MEANS:
1. You are a child of God and you have faith that can be tested;
2. You have a faith worth developing and refining in God's eyes;
3. God has a plan to strengthen you, prepare you and ultimately to welcome you.
4. You have the assurance of the presence of God, because when He refines us, He never abandons us.

JAMES 1:4
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

We are to let "patience" do its "work" in our lives. The Greek verb translated HAVE may sound passive but in reality it is a present active imperative, a command that is to be heeded in an outgoing and constant basis. When you submit to the process of having patient endurance and allow the shaping and strengthening of your faith, you ultimately reach the goal: completeness, perfection in its entirety.
-I have to let patient endurance shape and mold my faith until its work is complete, "perfect and entire, wanting nothing"
- I can resist the work of patient endurance in my life and fight against it. I can run from it and try to escape it in favor of a trial free, temptation free life.
- I can embrace the work of patient endurance in my life and become open, pliable, humble, and teachable.

Which of these approaches is the least painful? Although all paths can be painful, only resisting brings about pointless pain and wasted grief. You go from God-inflicted pain that has a purpose to self-inflicted pain that amounts to heartache. But the pain endured through trials is both positive and progressive, moving you towards a happy and rewarding end.

-You can avoid the path of study, but in so doing you also avoid passing the test.
-You can avoid the pain of working, but in so doing you miss out on being able to eat.
-You can avoid the pain of lifting weights in athletic training, but in so doing you miss out on becoming a winning athlete.

The purpose of surrender to God's trials and temptations and the effect He is working to produce is that you might become "perfect," "entire", and "wanting nothing."
-"Perfect"- having reached its end, complete, mature.
-"Entire"- Fully developed, running at full capacity with nothing unused.
-"Wanting Nothing"- Nothing left out or left behind. Nothing inferior, you are fully equipped and prepared.

God is working around your life so that He can work something in your life. His desire is that you be 100 percent complete in Him.


LIVE IT OUT
When life hands us lemons we have a choice; we can become sour or we can make lemonade. Let's choose the better option.

God doesn't want to leave you half finished. He isn't satisfied until you are complete.
-God took 100 years to prepare Abraham to be the father of faith
-God trained Moses 80 years to be ready to lead
-God allowed Joseph 13 years of tragedy before he was ready to be in charge.
-God gave the disciples three years of intense training before giving them the reins of directing His work.

And God is working in you. He is working in every circumstance-good or bad-to bring about the development of His character and power in you so that you may be perfect and complete and useful for his glory.

So what does God want you to do when trials come your way?
-I can choose to have a joyful attitude-despite circumstances.
-I can trust God's loving heart-always, forever.
-I can surrender to God's sovereign plan-even when I don't understand it completely

THE END

Hope this helps. Until next time,

Ohana

Thank you for posting this smile