Oakwood Church

“Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family [lit. “those with him”] heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, ‘He is out of his mind.’”
Mark 3:20-21

“So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ For not even his brothers believed in him.”
John 7:3-5

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time… Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-6

A New Perspective:

• Rejoice when you face challenges

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.”
James 1:2

A New Perspective:

• Rejoice when you face challenges

○ Because God is your Owner

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
James 1:1

A New Perspective:

• Rejoice when you face challenges

○ Because testing helps you Grow

“For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
James 1:3

A New Perspective:

• Rejoice when you face challenges

○ Because endurance leads to Maturity

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James 1:4

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
James 1:5

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

○ Because God is Generous and the source of all good things

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
James 1:5

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

○ Because God is Faithful

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:6

“Don’t think about what you have done or have not done. You will not find peace that way. Think about what Jesus has done. Then you will have peace.”
~ Colin Smith
(who learned this from his mentor, Derek Prime)

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

○ Because this world is not your Home

“For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; for he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
James 1:7-8

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

○ Because this world is not your Home

“James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion.”
James 1:1

A New Perspective:

• Rejoice when you face challenges

○ Because God is your Owner

○ Because testing helps you Grow

○ Because endurance leads to Maturity

A Call to Prayer:

• Ask for wisdom

○ Because God is Generous and the source of all good things

○ Because God is Faithful

○ Because this world is not your Home

“To the scribes' and Pharisees' dismay, James boldly testified that ‘Christ himself sitteth in heaven, at the right hand of the Great Power, and shall come on the clouds of heaven.’ The scribes and pharisees then said to themselves, ‘We have not done well in procuring this testimony to Jesus. But let us go up and throw him down, that they may be afraid, and not believe him.’”
~ Hegesippus (church historian, 2nd C.)