If you want to know about somebody you go to their family.

James is the little brother of Jesus. There is a lot of wisdom in James. Did you know that It is considered the Proverbs of the New Testament? Did you also know AA was created from James? Just a fun fact to get us postured around the wisdom of James.

James 1:1 MSG I, James, am a slave of God and the Master Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered to Kingdom Come: Hello!

This book is for all Christians, but it was written specifically for the Jewish Christians in dispersion. With the Jewish Christians in dispersion the Jewish elite thought the church was done, but God had other ideas.

It is important to know that James called Jesus Lord. The little brother called his older brother Lord. There was an understanding of who Jesus was and the reverence His character commanded that even a little brother could not deny. When Jesus started His ministry His family did not believe Him. This is because, sometimes the people we are closest to have the hardest time understanding who we have become.

The reason we believe is because of the transformation we see in the disciples and even James. James lived his life for Jesus. He was called James the just and camel knees, because he spent so much time on his knees in prayer. James knew Jesus best. So, he led the way in how we are to respond to Him.

James 1:2-4 MSG Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

James 1:2-4 NIV Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

What do we do when we are in the middle of hard times? There is always something in the midst of our hard times because there are things for us to learn. The problem we have with this verse is to consider it a sheer gift when tests and challenges come our way.

And while we can’t control all our emotions, i.e. having joy in the middle of our trials and struggles, we can manage our attitude. Joy is a mindset that is centered on our present seeking of God and on a future trust that God will provide for us. We have joy by understanding how big He is.

Romans 8:28 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

If you walk with God, He will take what you’re walking through and turn it into something good. Walking with God in the trial brings us closer to Him. He is a good father who wants nothing more than to comfort us and be near us when we are in tough times.

Colossians 3:1-4 MSG So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective. Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

We need a heaven mindset not a world mindset. When you realize the end is near our response is not to worry about it but to live as a representation of His goodness. Faith is actionable trust. Remember God has a perfect record when it comes to keeping His promises.

That’s where joy comes from. Knowing how big our God is. Trials expose our true self. Trials also point out what our God is to us. God is unshakeable.

In this way our trials also expose the people around us. Trials remind us that the world is broken and the only one who can fix it is God. Often we come up with coping mechanisms, like avoiding, fixing, worrying and blaming. Running away from God never accomplishes anything. Running to Him accomplishes everything.

Avoiding, fixing, worrying and blaming never helps anything. Recognizing that our God is bigger than the problem and everything we are facing is what helps. When we stop enduring we stop maturing.

Think about addiction. When we find ourselves in addiction our emotional maturity stops. We hurt ourselves with the numbing effects of addiction. Here again is another coping mechanism, to be numb. But when we seek God He gives us joy in the middle of it. He also gives us a way through it.
James 1:5-8 MSG If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

We need His wisdom. We must also know that wisdom and knowledge are different.

Knowledge is knowing the truth. Wisdom is knowing what to do with it.
Knowledge finds the problem. Wisdom finds a solution.
Knowledge gives information. Wisdom leads to transformation.

The change happens from within. What are you pursuing, knowledge or wisdom?

Wisdom helps us make the right step. Our source of wisdom is the Holy Spirit. He dwells within.

How to tap into the Holy Spirit:
Spend time in prayer
Read His word
Be in community with those who refresh us and hold us accountable

The Bible holds power when we open it and apply it. Remember, how we go through trials is how our kids will. We can only keep walking with Him when we have joy in it. As we walk with Him, He gives us wisdom.