"The Trial of Your Faith" Part One

(The following is Part One of a message I ministered @ MWC Nov. 25 in the AM service...a message that deals with the fact that no matter what your position may be in Christ, you are still going to face trials.  No one, absolutely, no one is immune.  The good news is...we will be better off when we come out of the trial than we were when we went into it.  God never allows us to face ANYTHING that will not eventually become beneficial for us.  It may not seem like it at the time...but hold on it will be revealed.  Possibly when you are facing another battle.  I pray you are blessed by this message and that it will speak to encourage you.  Remember, " If God be for us who can be against us.")

I want to preface the message today with a statement that many, if not all, here will be able to relate to....we are in war.  Not a game...not make-believe strategies that you can lay down the game control and walk away from...it is a war.  A war that is effecting every family in here whether directly or indirectly.  The Apostle Paul defined it this way....Ephesians 6:10, 12 NLT,  "A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  For we  are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."

The object of the evil rulers...the authorities...the Devil is to destroy our faith in God.  To do this he will work untiringly and methodically to destroy our faith in four basic areas; Faith in Yourself, faith in One Another (division), faith in The Church, and faith in The Word.     When failure in either on of these areas is experienced the ultimate outcome will be to lose our faith in God.

Warning:   The enemy is a relentless enemy.  His work is subtle.  Paul in II Cor. 11:1-4 some words concerning the church at Corinth that sheds light upon this.   "  WOULD to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtility (not obvious; cleverly indirect and ingenious), so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. "

The Trial of Your Faith:  To better understand what the trial of your faith is and it’s results note James 1:1-8:  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³knowing that the testing/trying of your faith produces patience. ⁴But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” NKJ    

The product of the trial: v.  When you go through something God always makes sure that  

 something good comes from it.  You may not see it immediately but in time it will show up.  

     

       Note some of the by-products of a trial....

      1. Endurance: the ability or power to bear prolonged exertion, pain, or hardship; an act or  

          example of toleration of prolonged suffering or hardship; the survival or persistence of 

          something despite the ravages of time.

      2. Steadfastness: receive strength; make strong; to turn resolutely to certain direction;  to     

          confirm.

      3. Patience: the ability to endure waiting or delay without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties the ability to tolerate being hurt, provoked, or annoyed without complaint or loss of temper.

           The product of these are: v. 4 “…perfectly and fully developed (with no defects), lacking in nothing.”

           The cause of the devil's pursuit in this warfare is found in v. 5-8:  (Read)  

           *He knows that when we begin to operate in faith that what we ask will be given! V. 5 

           *Failure to operate in faith produces just the opposite.  V. 6-8

(To be continued....)

Next week I "The Battleground" of our faith.  We will note four areas the enemy is fighting to destroy your faith.

"Committed To A Purpose"

Intro.  Throughout the Word we can find times that had it not been for a small core-group of people  who refused to bow to the fear of the hour, the church would have faltered.

So it is today!  Within every church there is a certain number of people who have purposed to make themselves available to God for kingdom purposes.  With the establishment of this purpose has came a determination to succeed.   I call this core-group a “ purpose driven people".  It  matters not  who or what may  get in the way they are devoted to fulfill the purpose God has birthed them for!

Gideon’s 300:  In Judges 7  were these type of men!  Note:  Gideon started out with 32,000; then there were 10,000; and then there were 300.  Out of 32000, 300 passed the test!!  With these 300 men Israel won the war though a greater number was against them!

The 7000 Prophets:  In I Kings 19:18 were these type of men.  Though Elijah, the prophet, was running scared, God had a group that refused to be intimidated by the threats of Jezebel!

What was it that set these a part?  I believe it was because  “  A commitment  had been made to a purpose, not a program; to a purpose, not a person; to a purpose, not a promotion. “  This commitment was one of choice, a free choice if you please.

The church today needs to see the visibility of that core group.

With  a committed few, we can take our families, our city, our county, our state, our nation for God!!

Fact:  To be honest with you, commitment is becoming a lost commodity within the church.    For what ever the reason, people are finding it ever easy to put church and it’s ministries at the end of the list of what is important in their lives.   Whether it is jobs, vacation, sports, etc. they all hold a higher place in the priority list of most people.    

What needs to be remembered are the Words of Christ in  Matt. 16:26 “ For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul “.  For our benefit and the benefit of our families, things cannot and must not be placed before God, His will, or His kingdom!   

John Wesley said,  “  Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen:  such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the Kingdom of heaven on earth.  God does nothing but in answer to prayer  “.

Note: I am not advocating elitism.  I am not doing  the choosing.  You must make the commitment by choice.  I agree will Paul Cho who said, “ God has no favorite children".  What works for one will work for anyone who applies the Godly principles He has given us in His word and by the examples of those who have gone be√fore us.

1. Commitment Defined    ( Something one is bound to do or forbear ( to deny ones self  something for the sake of an end )

    Purpose Defined:  Something set up or an end to attain.

II.  Our Purpose Is: 

      a. Spiritual Growth:  Defined:  Right relationship with God. Matt. 6:33 “ Seek first    

           ( priority) the kingdom of God ( For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink; 

           but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost , Rom. 14:17 )  and His 

           righteousness (objective) and  these things (desires of your heart) shall be 

           added unto you “.

      

b. Numerical Growth:  Numbers equal people: People equal souls: Souls equal growth.  We must realize and accept that people / souls are the fruit of our labor.   

    Note the words of Jesus in  Jn. 15:7-8,  “ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done ·unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. “

         The Father is glorified in our  bearing  much fruit!

1. The Source:   To determine the true source of growth in each of the areas note the words of Paul. 

    1. 1Co.3:6  I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

    2. 1Co.3:7  So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; 

          but God that giveth the increase.

III. Commitment Of Choice:   I would like to remind each one here that the God ordained Purpose is before us.   All around us men and women are falling.   Each day.....many fall without any hope......peace....or joy.  Our Purpose is to change the direction of those ‡who God puts in our paths each day.  To see this accomplished we must have people that are willing to COMMIT to the PURPOSE God has placed before us.  This commitment must be founded on our love of God and faith in Him.  A love and faith that we know will take us through any trial that comes our way.

     I firmly believe the greatest testimony we as people of purpose can have is for 

     those around us to see that we stand when things are good and we stand secure in 

     our faith when the stormy winds begin to rock our lives.   

This level of commitment is a Commitment of Choice.  

We choose to pursue the purpose.  

We choose to stand in the times of tribulation.   

In the hearts of People of Purpose there is no other course.

The need is before us, “ Will you commit to the purpose today? “

Part II

IV. Accomplishing The Purpose:    We must determine to accomplish the purpose 

      that God has placed us here to accomplish.   A purpose without productivity is 

      but wishful thinking.

      

      The road to that accomplishment is Commitment.  As previously stated it must be a

        “ Commitment of Choice “.  It is up to each of us individually to become a person  

      of commitment.  

        

Note with me some of the commitments that must be made in order to accomplish the purpose God has set before us:

Commitment #1: “ I will forget yesterday “.   There is too much time spent reminiscing on the  failures of the past.  When the past is piled upon the present, it becomes too much to bear.

   

    * So what if you lost your job last year...That doesn’t mean you will this year.

    * So you were sick.....You don’t have to be sick this year.

    * So your children gave you problems last year.....They don’t have too this year.

   

Phil. 3:13-14 “ Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. “

          

 Commitment #2:  “I will not worry about tomorrow “.   A card once read, “ I have had many troubles but most of them never happened. “ How true!  Too often we sit around waiting, watching, expecting something  bad to happen.  It will destroy you!!  Matt. 6:34 “ Take therefore no thought for tomorrow: for tomorrow shall shall take thought for the things itself “.  

Worry is a killer!  Quit worrying about what has happened, is happening, is going to happen, about what has been said, what is being said, or what will be said! If God can’t take care of it, who can?

Commitment # 3: “  I will make today count “.  “ This is the day the Lord hath made. I will rejoice and be glad in it “.

   This is the day you....

    a.Squander or save.

    b. Use wisely or throw away.

Commitment # 4: “  I will keep my heart pure “.  If there has ever been a time the church needs to keep guard over their heart, this is the day.  The enemy is out to fill you full of every evil thing he can.  We must realize the heart is the seat of the inner man, and guard it we must!!

Pro. 23:7  As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.

Matt. 12:34  For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

It is up to you and I to ”acknowledge Him in all our ways“.

Commitment #5:  “ I will act upon my purpose “.   Phil. 4:8  “ Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report: If there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things “. 

This is as far as most people are getting today.  We as children of God, who stand upon the whole Word, must read a little farther and then we will see it is more than just thinking that gets things done.

v. 9 “ Those things which ye have both learned, and received and heard, and seen in me...DO “.

This is a doing way of life!!  If there is no work, there is no eating!!

Eccl. 11:4  “ He who watches the wind will not sow: and he who regardeth the clouds shall not reap “.

It is time to quit sitting around planning and talking about what needs to be done....it is time to go to work.  The purpose lies ahead!!  Failure to do so is to place the souls of hundreds, if not thousands, at jeopardy!!

Conc. If we will each purpose in our hearts to make these  commitments more than words or thoughts we will see fulfilled all that God has place in our hearts!!