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Count It All Joy
by
Mark Baker
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various
trials, 3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4. But
let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
Have you ever really stopped and considered that God’s Word is telling
us to count it all joy when we are in a test? We have been told to
count it all joy, or we would most likely certainly not count it all joy
would we? Many or most Christians would not. There is a reason we should
be so joyful in extreme circumstances. When our faith is tried,
patience is perfected. James explains this in vs. 4. But let patience have its
perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
W.E. Vines says perfect signifies "having reached its end" (telos),
"finished, complete, perfect." Also referring to the complete revelation
of God's will and ways, whether in the completed Scriptures or in the
hereafter); Jas. 1:4 (of the work of patience)
This is the same word used in 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but
perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who
fears has not been made perfect in love.
So who would like to be perfected? James is telling us right here how
we become that way.
Basically, we have to grow up in the things of God. In order to do this
we have to be tested. If you are not tested you will never develop
patience, and if you never develop patience you will never be lacking
nothing. I know that is a mouthful, but that is the short and long of it. If
you want to grow up in the things of God you have to go through some
tests. This is the way we are perfected. Faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God, but that faith has to be used or it is of no use
to anybody, not to you, not to your family, not to your brothers and
sister in Christ, and not to God. Know this, without faith it is
impossible to please Him.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he
who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of
those who diligently seek Him.
Patience is another way of saying endurance, meaning the ability to
stand and keep on standing when all are falling around you.
Without this kind of patience we will not continue to stand in faith,
and if that happens we will definitely be found wanting. That is a very
serious thing to consider, especially in these times.
That is not what God wants for His children. He wants us to be perfect
and entire or complete, lacking nothing or He would not be telling us
these things. That is what we should want as well. However getting there
is not always fun. We need patience to get there, and getting there
should be of primary focus in our lives. Our patience should be developed
so that our faith will not fail in the day of adversity.
The Apostle Peter said this…
1 Peter 1:5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. In this you greatly
rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by
various trials, 7. that the genuineness of your faith, being much more
precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be
found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8.
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet
believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9. receiving
the end of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Peter said our faith is much more precious than gold that perishes.
Think about why the Word is calling your faith precious. It is precious
for a reason, and he says here that though it is tested by fire, that it
may be found to praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus
Christ. That is something precious to God. He went to tremendous lengths
to get us redeemed. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for our
redemption, there could be no greater price paid than was paid by Jesus.
However having said that, it will do us no good if we won’t receive it and
take advantage of the exceeding great and precious promises that God
has given to us through Christ. That’s why our faith is so important. God
wants us to receive these promises and the only way you can do that is
through faith.
This is the way God operates; we may not like it but that is the way it
is, so we better start to deal with this as adults. He is no respecter
of persons. We all at times go through periods of testing whether we
want to or not. It is the only way to be found perfect in Him. Some
people think the Christian life is a cop out or some kind of a crutch. They
can call it what they want but it takes true determination and a level
of endurance to walk this kind of walk. I want to say that the rewards
are great. Don’t get discouraged in a test but be joyful through every
bit of it. Peter said a similar thing, he said to greatly rejoice.
I think of David, he was a man after God’s own heart. He messed up many
times yet he stood up like a man admitted his mistakes and glorified
God through it all. This truly pleases the heart of the Father.
David said in Psalms 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and
Your staff, they comfort me.
You notice that he didn’t say that he was walking in the valley of
death, but in the valley of the shadow of death. Circumstances around us
can be terrible, it may seem like the walls are caving in on top of us,
but just say like David this is just the shadow of death its not taking
me down. God is there with me. His Word declares that He will never
leave us or forsake us. Glory to His name. Start rejoicing in these times
of testing as Peter says.
Think about what an awesome God we serve, and get your mind off of the
negative circumstances. Dwelling on the circumstances is not going to
help you anyway, it will
only build up your confidence in destruction.
David knew that regardless of the circumstances that life dealt him,
God would be with him continually comforting him and in the end seeing
him through to the finish. At the end of the psalm he said…
Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of
my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
What confidence and joyful expectation he had in God.
James goes on to say more about this process and why it is necessary
for us to have it.
James 1:5. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to
all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is
like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the
Lord;
8. he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
We must be patient in the process and not faint. James tells us that we
can ask for wisdom and God will give us wisdom liberally and without
reproach. Simply meaning, He is not going to chide us and belittle us for
not having the answers. He already knows when we don’t have the answer,
however we are being told to ask for wisdom and understanding and to
receive it by faith. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t just leave us hanging,
but will give us the wisdom to stand in unwavering faith and walk
directly through the valley of the shadow of death. I am!!! Glory to His
name. He has never let me down, and He never will.
We have to get to the place where we start to understand that God has
called us to be mature, seasoned, and strong children capable of going
the distance. Yet in order to get to be that way we have to learn to
trust in Him in the midst of the circumstances. It makes it a lot easier
to know that this is for our good, and in knowing you will come through
victorious with faith that has been refined like gold.
The purpose of a test is to see what you know, and to give you the
confidence to stand strong and endure. We will never gain confidence if we
don’t stand will we, and we won’t stand if we have no patience, and we
won’t have patience if we never are given the opportunity to put our
faith to the test. This is just the way it works.
There are no short cuts in growing up. We all have to go through these
things, as
God is not a respecter of anyone’s person. He doesn’t play favorites.
He promotes those who have gone the distance and were able to stand
glorifying Him through it all. So let patience have her perfect work in you
so that you may have your faith fulfilled. Don’t loose heart in the
trial but know that God is faithful to see you through. He most certainly
will!
Just be joyful in the refining process knowing that the rewards are
great.
Glory to God. Amen.
About The Author:
I was raised Catholic, and was born again at the age of
17. I received God's call into ministry at the age of 19 and began to
prepare for ministry. I graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in
1979. The Lord has called me to teach. My desire is to help others come
to a knowledge of the truth and I have started a web site for the
purpose of teaching and discipleship called The Olive Branch;
Mark Baker
http://www.olivebranchministries.us
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