Divers Temptations-Chapter 1 vv. 2-4

2"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

*Divers Temptations*

1. The Receiver of Temptation-vs. 2
A. The Unsaved
-the devil does throw temptation into the path of the unsaved man, trying to get him to stumble more and keep him farther from God and salvation
B. The Saved
-James is writing specifically to the believer, and here is challenging children of God to watch for temptation. Once we are saved, we cannot lose our salvation. Even though the devil has lost our soul, he will still fight for our life, and do everything in his power to try to tempt us out of God's perfect will for us and lead us down a path of destruction.

2. The Reason for Temptation-vs. 3
A. Satan's Reason
-Satan tempts us for one reason, and one reason alone, and that is to steer us away from God, ultimately leading us to ruin. 1 Peter 5:8 says that the devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Satan knows that he can never claim our soul for hell, but he can recruit us into his service, which may offer fun and freedom for a time, but sin is only fun for a season.
B. God's Reason
-Don't be deceived, God does not tempt! As we will see later in this chapter, God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man! However, He does allow Satan to tempt us. Whatever the exact temptation, or reason, God wants to get glory from our life, including difficult circumstances and times of temptations!
-Temptations, when we react as God would have us to, try our faith and bring patience. Temptations are a trial, but they bring godly attributes and qualities out. They help to grow us closer to God, and stronger in our Christian walks, in our Christian characteristics.

3. The Right Reaction to Temptation-vs. 2,4a
-Let's recap, God's reason for us to go through temptations is for His glory, and for the trying of our faith to work patience within us. Similiar to that, the right reaction to tempting, is to let patience have her perfect work.
-When going through times of tempting and trials, rely on God. Be joyful in Christ, and find things to thank Him and praise Him for, giving Him the glory. When you focus on how good God is, it makes the situation a lighter load. And, and it allows God to be glorified, which is our purpose on earth.
-According to verse 2, divers temptations are to be counted a joy! Not because they are fun, and we are to enjoy having attacks thrown at us by the lion, Satan. They are a joy, because it gives us the opportunity to grow as Christians, and closer to our Father. When we look at it as a joy, it is easier to endure the situation. Giving thanks to God and having godly joy is part of our commanded reaction.
-If nothing good comes of the situation, if God gains no glory, if we do not grow closer to God and stronger as a person and in our Christian walk, then the hard times we've gone through are all in vain. No matter how much we've endured, if we do not react as God tells us to, then the hard time was worth nothing, it was wasted. If you endure hardship, don't you want it to be worth something??? Don't you want it to have a positive result? Make the hard times worth-while!

4. The Rewards of Temptation-vs. 4b
-"that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing". We all, unfortunetly, have a human nature. Even the sweetest, most angelic and well-behaved baby is born with a sin nature. It is because of that sin, that we can never make it to heaven on our own, we need Jesus Christ to save our souls. And, because of that sin nature, even the saved man can never be, truly perfect. But, we are still commanded by God to live godly, and holy, and to reflect Christ as best we can in our lives.
-When we stand through temptation, and endure against the devils attacks, it gives God glory. But it is so much greater for God, and life-impacting for us when we let God work in us through the struggle. It is just as when a refiner is purifying gold. The fire must be very hot, and the gold must be melted, and continually purged and skimmed and strained and purified. The refiner knows his gold is clean when he looks down and sees his own reflection in the pool of melted gold. When we go through trials, God is placing us in the fire. The heat from the fire brings the filth in our lives to the surface, and temptations and struggles, are the times that God uses to scrape off the unpurities off the top, with the goal of one day seeing His reflection in our life.