JEWELS FROM JAMES #1 "The Sweet Fruit of Bitter Times!"

Donuts, Donuts, Donuts! I really developed a love of them when I lived in Texas, where there seemed to be a donut shop on every corner. Oh my, what temptations! My wife and I would stop at "Grand Donuts" every Sunday after church for a "fix". We would drive miles to enjoy "Round Rock Donuts", and there was "Dunk'in Donuts" right next door to "Starbucks" so opportunity for a double "fix". And, I really can't give all the attention to Texas, without mentioning those delicious Tim Horton's donuts that we stop to enjoy in numerous towns on our way north to visit family in Canada! Those are some of our favorite places to "overdose" on those scrumptious goodies. Though I relish the taste, I was not aware of the grueling process those little pieces of dough are put thru until I encountered an article about it. Let me tell you about it, and while you may feel "sad" for them, remember . . . without the process, there would be no taste; in fact no donuts!

First, those little balls of dough are shot through with a piercing blast of air to create the center hole. Then they go into the "proof box" where they ride up and down an "elevator" in an atmosphere of heat and humidity. This causes the dough to rise. After this, they are dropped into boiling oil until done. After surviving this ordeal, the donuts pass through a cascading waterfall of icing. Then and only then are they ready for you and I to ENJOY.

I am willing to "bet" that we have all felt at times that life has treated us like a donut; like there's been a "hole" blasted into our inner being, or like we've been dropped into the "hot oil" of adversity, or we are riding that "elevator" of emotions. Well, remember that for a donut, these experiences precede the sweet delight that follows! None of us look forward to trials, adversities, problems, hurts or pain! None of us enjoy hardships. But without them, we will not enjoy the sweet fruit of personal maturity and growth! As Rev. Billy Graham once accurately said, "Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys."

With this blog, I'm beginning a series from The Book of James. I would also be willing to "bet" you have never heard anyone start a discussion of James talking about DONUTS! Well, there is a first time for everything, "they" say. We'll take a close look at the teachings in this book, which is one of the most practical in the entire Bible. It's the handbook for effective Christian living and is totally relevant for the days and times we live in, even in the culture we are exposed to every day! Are you ready to dive in with me today as we consider the "SWEET FRUIT OF BITTER TIMES"? Let's remember as we start . . . Bitter Times Produce Sweetness!

So, today our focus is the first four verses of James, Chapter One. Here is how they read:

"James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to all the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad; Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing." James wrote this letter between A.D. 44 & 49, about 11 to 16 years after the death and resurrection of his half-brother Jesus. At first, James along with his other brothers, did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah and doubted His authenticity. But upon the death and resurrection he came to believe and was literally inwardly transformed by his half-brother and His teachings! James introduces himself by saying he is a "bond-servant" to God and to Jesus the Christ! This term literally means "SLAVE". James is a slave, not by compulsion, but by choice! It is remarkable that he identifies himself as a slave to Jesus; what a profound and true perspective of Discipleship! The late Rev. John MacArthur preached the truth that many confess to "knowing" Christ as having "received Him", but have NOT come to be a willing SLAVE to Jesus. Rev. MacArthur would teach us that without slavery to Jesus, there is NO right relationship to Christ and no true discipleship!

James' writing has much in common with the teaching of Jesus that we know as His Sermon On The Mount (Matthew, Chapters 5-7), dealing with the tongue (what we say), being peacemakers, having faith, exercising humility, the importance of interpersonal relationships, taking oaths, etc.

James reminds his audience that followers of Jesus must maintain A PROPER ATTITUDE AND PERSPECTIVE REGARDING TRIALS! The term "trials" means the afflictions, adversities, problems, challenges, all kinds of difficult circumstances we encounter in day-to-day life. They are of various kinds, such as financial reverses, illness, terminal disease diagnosis, job loss, unfaithful spouse, separation and divorce, losing our independence as senior citizens, facing life in a nursing home, just to name a few. We all know trials come in different shapes and sizes, ranging from minor to complex. But whatever they are, James said "Consider it pure joy" when we do encounter them (James 1:2). Not part joy, but PURE 100% JOY! That seems quite unnatural, doesn't it? IT IS UNNATURAL! Actually, it will take the SUPERNATURAL WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT within our minds and hearts to have this attitude and perspective in the midst of adversities. James gave us a categorical COMMAND to think of the trial as joyful because of the end result it will bring about!

Now, we must be careful to understand what James is saying to US and what he calls us to do. He is NOT suggesting some kind of masochistic happiness in the hurts and losses that life brings. He does NOT intimate that we are to enjoy sickness, the death of a loved one, getting laid off from our job, having an unfaithful spouse or experiencing divorce, etc. This is NOT some weird kind of denial that life often hurts and is devastating. James does NOT suggest that we manufacture some sort of other-worldly, phony sense of happiness about our troubles. But here IS what James DOES ENCOURAGE us to realize! There is a REASON TO BE JOYFUL IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE! Because God's purpose is to show us what joy in trouble and trials actually produces! It is enjoying THE SWEET FRUIT PRODUCED ONLY BY BITTER TIMES!

So, James clarifies THE POWERFUL OUTCOME OF TRIALS (James 1:3-4). He said, "Consider it all joy" . . . because you KNOW:

1) The testing of our faith produces perseverance/endurance. Trials are the testing grounds for our faith. It appears that without adversity, our faith does not grow or mature. Trials are not designed by God so He can find out if we actually have any faith, but His purpose is to Strengthen and Mature the faith we have! The Apostle Peter added to this fact: ". . .you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof (test) of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation (appearance) of Jesus Christ. . . ." (I Peter 1:6-7).

In the Greek (original language of The New Testament, including James) the word "test" is used to describe the PROCESS of refining silver or gold. The metal is put into the flames (of adversity) to burn off the impurities and strengthen the quality of the precious metal. Let's learn this important lesson - God does not test us to destroy us or our faith, but to purify and strengthen us and our faith. Also, testing does lead to endurance. The Greek term "hupomone" means "to abide under." It refers to our ability to bear up or hold up under a burden or heavy load. It is like we have a heavy load on our shoulders or back that may cause us to bend over a bit as we carry that load. But we bear or hold up underneath that load and are not crushed or put to our knees because of it, This is THE STAYING POWER of the Christian life!

2) As James said, "ENDURANCE PRODUCES MATURITY (James 1:4)! The Greek term is teleion. It speaks of something that has reached its intended end! Here in this message of James it refers to the maturity that endurance produces. James said even more: this maturity is further described as "not lacking anything." The original language speaks of something which has ALL ITS NECESSARY PARTS! So, trials produce the type of endurance that results in maturity having ALL its necessary parts.

Let me illustrate James' message by quoting THE LEGEND OF THE TEA CUP!

There was a couple who frequently traveled to England to shop in its beautiful stores. They both liked antiques and pottery, especially vintage and lovely tea cups. One trip was taken to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. On a visit to a very lovely shop they discovered the most beautiful tea cup they had ever seen. They asked the proprietor, "May we see that tea cup? We've never seen one quite so exquisite."

As the sales lady handed the cup to them, the tea cup began to speak. . ."You don't understand," it said. "I haven't always been a tea cup. There was a time when I was a dull clump of clay. My master took and rolled me and patted me over and over, and I yelled out. 'Let me alone,' but he only smiled and said, 'Not Yet!'

"Then I was placed on a spinning wheel," the cup continued, "and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop It! I am getting dizzy and sick!' I screamed. But the master only nodded and said, 'Not Yet!'

"Then he put me in the oven. I never felt such heat!" the tea cup said. "I wondered WHY he wanted to burn me: I yelled and knocked on the door of the oven. I could see him through the glass on the door, and I could read his lips as he shook his head, 'Not Yet!'

"Finally the door opened, and he put me on a shelf; I began to cool down. 'There, that's better' I said. Then he brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I felt like I was going to gag! "Stop it!, Stop it!" I cried. He only nodded and said, 'Not Yet!'

"Then suddenly he put me back into the oven; it was worse than the first one; it was twice as hot! I feared I would suffocate. I begged, I pleaded, I screamed, I cried. All the time I could see him through the glass door, nodding his head saying, 'Not Yet!'

"I felt there was no hope. I would never make it. I was ready to give up completely. But then the door opened, and he took me out and placed me on another shelf.

"One hour later he held me up to a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.' And I did! I said, 'That's not me, that can't be me. It's so beautiful. . .I'm beautiful!"

"I want you to remember this," he said. "I know it hurts to be rolled and patted, but if I had left you alone, you would have dried up into hard clay.

"I know it made you dizzy and sick to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I knew it hurt and was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you would have never hardened; you would not have had any color or beauty in your life,

"And if I hadn't put you into the hotter second oven, you would not have survived for very long because the hardness would not have held up. Now, you are a finished product! You are exactly what I had in mind when I first began the process with you!"

Some of you may feel like that tea cup! You are under trials and burdens; sometimes seemingly unbearable. It hurts. It is very unpleasant and even frightening at times. Sometimes we despair; sometimes we cry. Sometimes we may even be angry at the burden itself. But we must always take heart and listen to the master who loves us and knows what is best for us. He knows exactly what He had in mind when you and I were created by Him. We choose to have a deep inner sense of joy. Why? Because the burden/trial is producing endurance and yes, endurance is producing maturity! Neither of these virtues so prized by God would ever be ours without the trial!

Therefore, let us ENJOY THE SWEET FRUIT OF BITTER TIMES!