1. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
Patience and Endurance
Count the Cost of Your Christian Walk
Luke 14:33 (NKJV) 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
1. James opens in this passage with the word “patient.” James was writing to Christians who were suffering. It wasn’t just all ease and comfortable roads. Sometimes we have a misconception of our salvation. Salvation in Christ does not guarantee not problems in life. We can see many examples of people in the bible that suffered because of their faith not because of the lack of it.
2. In fact most of the apostles died a martyrs death defending the faith, standing on their belief in Christ. The bible tells us that we should count the cost of serving God. As Jesus was giving the example of being His disciple, He was instructing that we need to be able to forsake everything for Him. The Question is, are you willing to do that?
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Luke 14:33 (NKJV) 33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
3. Suffering is part of the Christian walk, it’s part of life, no one escapes it. James writes to those who are suffering trying to spur them on in the midst of it. Being patient knowing that God’s will is being worked out. James also counseled that same thing at the beginning of his letter:

2. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
James 1:2-5 (NIV) 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
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3. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
Hope –
Titus 2:13 (NIV) 13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
Acts 14:22 (NIV) 22 … "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.
Troubles
John 16:33 (NIV) 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
4. All the wrongs in the world will not be justified until the coming of Christ, until He returns so we as believers have to wait patiently, endure life’s trials, totally relying on God.
Three times in this passage James reminds us of the coming of the Lord. This blessed hope is the hope we find in Titus 2:13:
But we can’t expect to have comfortable cushy lives just because we are Christians. We will face all kinds of trials and tribulations:
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7. Paul tells us that we will have to go through much trouble in Acts 14:22:

4. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
The Farmer (vv. 7-8)
The Prophets (v. 10)
Job (vv )
So we must endure hardships, trials, and problems, but we are to do so with patience and perseverance until Jesus returns. Don’t loose heart, don’t give up, strengthen yourselves in Christ, in God’s word. No the assurance hope the Christ brings and know that you will not suffer forever.
Patience means “to stay put and steadfast even when you want to run away.” Stay earnestly seeking the Lord. It’s easy to say, hard to do. So the question is, how can we as Christians live a live that is patient with endurance while there are so many problems as we wait for the return of the Messiah? We have three examples of this given to us by James;
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5. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
The Farmer (vv. 7-8)
Luke 8:11 (NIV) 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
The Farmer (vv. 7-8)
If you are impatient, don’t become a farmer. A farmer has to exercise much patients. There is a time to plant, time to water, a time to harvest. Plant too early and it may not grow, plant to late and risk missing the harvest season. Then there is the watering. A farmer, especially around here, has to wait for the right amount of rain. If it rains too much it can cause the crop to rot, too little rain and it burns up, an early frost can kill the crop. How patient the farmer must have to be.
The crop takes time to plant, time to grow, and time to harvest. With the proper patients and care for the crop, in due season the farmer will reap a wonderful harvest. The Farmer waits because the crop is precious and properly taken care if it produces much.
James compares the farmer here to a spiritual harvest. He tells us in verse 8 to be patient, to establish your heart, and gives us the promise of the return of the Lord. Look at it this way, our heart is the soil and the seed is the word of God:
Luke 8:11 (NIV) 11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
In our spiritual life there are seasons, both ups and downs, good and bad but it is for a reason. Sometimes our heart gets hard, soiled, and maybe even become cold. So what do you think God will do with that? He going to have t plow the soil in your life. He is going to take the plow to your heart and till it up so He can plant His seed. Many people come to God because they have a moment of crisis in their life. It is usually at that time we call out to God. God sends the sunshine and the rains for His goodness, for our good, for His purpose for our good.
So what is the secret to our endurance then using this illustration?
Know that God is producing a harvest in your life, Understand that trials and troubles are for our good and meant to produce a good harvest In your trouble and trials do what you can to see the good and not just the bad
Face your trials with patience and endurance knowing the God has a purpose and trust in Him like you say you know how to

6. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
The Prophets (v. 10)
James 5:10-11 (NIV) 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
The Prophets (v. 10)
Another lustration that We are given by James are the prophets.
James 5:10-11 (NIV) 10 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
On his sermon on the mount Jesus used the prophets as an example the those working in the will of God will suffer.
Matthew 5:10 (NIV) 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
So how are we encouraged by the prophets?
Jeremiah was arrested as a traitor and went through many great trials and sufferings. He was thrown into an abandoned well to die, yet God cared for Him. God fed him and nurtured him throughout the siege of Jerusalem.
We have heard the stories over and over again about Daniel and the trials he went through. But we also see How God protected him and took care of Him.
We can see how God protected Ezekiel and delivered him and helped him.
And then Elijah who announced to King Ahab that there would be a drought in the land and for three years we would suffer but how God provided for Him
You know we find encouragement in these stories and perhaps even get energized by hearing how the persevered, endured, and waited upon God. A testament of their faith and how God took care of them. But what happens in that when the trial in our life becomes a reality we don’t like it. It’s almost like its ok if it happens to someone else just not me.
Do you ever feel like this? Instead of shying back from your troubles, look at the examples of the prophets and draw on the same source they drew on for strength, the Lord!
We must never think the obedience to the Lord removes all troubles in this life, sometimes and many times we suffer because of our faithfulness to Him. But we are not to give up, draw strength on God. Look at these examples.

7. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
Job (v. 11)
Then There is Job (v. 11)
James gives the example of Job. Job was tested in every area possible, the loss of everything he had with three companions that were convinced that Job had sin in his life that needed to be confessed. His friends didn’t know what was going on behind the scene and neither did Job.
At the Loss of his family, his wealth, his health, and his wife condemning him and telling him to curse God and die, Job endured. He stayed steadfast and wouldn’t give Satan victory in his life.
As hard as life can be, there can be no victories without battles, no peaks without valleys, and no blessings without trials. In your walk in life, you have to be prepared to walk boldly, trusting in God for everything. You have to learn to carry the burden and realize that God will balance our privileges with responsibilities, blessings amidst burdens, if He doesn’t then we become spoiled children.
Verse 12 seems to be out of place here doesn’t it. Why does he put this here among patience? Because in the heat of the moment we might be challenged and make promises that we can’t or don’t intend to keep. Have you ever made a New years resolution? Have you ever broken one? Have you ever made a promise to God in the midst of a trial and when you came out on the other end ok break that promise?
Esau in the came back from a hunting trip, famished it says and hungry Esau swore by and oath to Give Jacob his birthright. In the midst of his trouble he made an oath one he would later regret.
We should never make a promise, take and oath, or vow anything if we don’t intend to keep it. We also need to be very careful that in the midst of a trial, we don’t make an oath to God with no intention of keeping it.

8. Patient Endurance James 5:7-12
Then There is Job (v. 11)
James gives the example of Job. Job was tested in every area possible, the loss of everything he had with three companions that were convinced that Job had sin in his life that needed to be confessed. His friends didn’t know what was going on behind the scene and neither did Job.
At the Loss of his family, his wealth, his health, and his wife condemning him and telling him to curse God and die, Job endured. He stayed steadfast and wouldn’t give Satan victory in his life.
As hard as life can be, there can be no victories without battles, no peaks without valleys, and no blessings without trials. In your walk in life, you have to be prepared to walk boldly, trusting in God for everything. You have to learn to carry the burden and realize that God will balance our privileges with responsibilities, blessings amidst burdens, if He doesn’t then we become spoiled children.
Verse 12 seems to be out of place here doesn’t it. Why does he put this here among patience? Because in the heat of the moment we might be challenged and make promises that we can’t or don’t intend to keep. Have you ever made a New years resolution? Have you ever broken one? Have you ever made a promise to God in the midst of a trial and when you came out on the other end ok break that promise?
Esau in the came back from a hunting trip, famished it says and hungry Esau swore by and oath to Give Jacob his birthright. In the midst of his trouble he made an oath one he would later regret.
We should never make a promise, take and oath, or vow anything if we don’t intend to keep it. We also need to be very careful that in the midst of a trial, we don’t make an oath to God with no intention of keeping it.