I've Got Issues - God's got a way out!

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." James 1:2-3

I've Got Issues - James 1:1-18

We all have issues (trials/burdens/temptations/difficulties) that we face every day. How thankful I am that the book of James has some answers - helps us understand how to deal with our issues.

There are 4 main issues:

Trials

Lack of Wisdom

Humble Circumstances

Temptation

How does James tell us to deal with our issues?
Trials - consider them pure joy because trials lead to maturity.
Lack of Wisdom - ask for it, becasue God wants to give it to us.
Humble Circumstances - take pride in the circumstance because riches and the rich pass away like wildflowers.
Temptation - Don't blame God for it! Good things come from God. Temptation comes from Satan and our own evil desires.

We must look at the source of our temptation. We can't spend time justifying our sin. Justifying the sin makes us disobedient and disobedience out of an act of evil desires becomes sin.

How then can we combat our temptation, once we remember that it doesn't come from God?

Pray and be ready - Matthew 26:41

Guard our heart - Proverbs 4:23, Phil 4:8-9

Hide God's word in your heart - Psalm 119:9-11, Romans 1:2, James 4:7

God is faithful and will always provide a way out of our temptions, trials, or issues. 1 Cor. 10:13

God does not want us to fail!

This is my lesson tonight for the 4-6 grade students. God really used it to speak to me today, thought maybe I could share and He could speak to someone else who might need to hear it.