I don't we just prayed but why don't we just for a brief
moment. Ask the Lord, as we open the
word to help us, shall we? What we thank you for your word,
we are humbled. We're grateful for the Chance in
This time of History, to be gathered in a room with no fear
of any attack, any persecution any hostility and Lord, you
know, the hearts of all men that is your prerogative.
And we asked, oh God, that by the power of the Holy Spirit,
the word may be honored. And that it would come in full
conviction. It would come in the Holy Spirit
would come with power load. We we need you.
Thank you for the testimonies from the years before this
meeting lines. Have been changed on a Friday
night. We pray that the same would
happen today with no manipulation, no coercion of the
flesh by the compelling work of the Holy Spirit.
Help us Lord save us from deception, rescue us from our
hearts own lies, and bring us into the light that sets us
free. We ask these things in Jesus
name. Amen.
When it comes to discussing the dangers of deception.
Usually, in the mind, the general idea around that
discussion, is that there are great misconceptions.
About the Holiness and the justice of God that is usually
what is threatened. When we talk about the deception
about the nature, about the character of God and let me tell
you that it is no. Doubt.
It shouldn't be a doubt that there is a great delusion that
is plaguing Our Generation concerning, not just the
kindness of God, but as the Apostle Paul says this severity
of God, the severity of God that's in Romans 11. but at the
same time, The Perils of deception.
The Jeopardy, that comes with a false view of God are not
limited to a skewed or Twisted view of his righteousness.
It goes beyond that you can have people and it's equally
possible. For some to actually be misled
about their understanding concerning, the Supreme goodness
of God, and you can even have followers of Jesus Christ who
have a diluted understanding of the depth of the compassion
tenderness kindness. And the love of their Heavenly
Father. So, what I want to present to
you today is that the word of God, actually, cautions
Christians, to be aware of of having a blurred perception, not
about what we heard today, merely his Holiness, his
righteousness, his call for repentance, but even the depth
of his heart concerning, his personal love, and affection
toward you as an individual. That is precisely what James was
concerned about. When he wrote to his readers in
chapter one of his letter and that is where I'm asking you to
meet me in your Bibles and James chapter 1, James by the spirit
was concerned that his readers who were steeped in various
trials dispersed across the known world of being misled by
their circumstances, concerning the goodness of God.
And more importantly, it's the Holy Spirit through James who
anticipated that there would be people even today, who would
fall into the same trap of not being able to understand who God
is. And his goodness and that is the
main focus of our time together. Tonight, I want you to realize
that as we are speaking about deception this weekend at there
is the threat about owing about being deceived concerning.
God being the source of every good and perfect.
Given your life, James 1 verse 16, we read a familiar phrase,
do not be deceived Christians, do not Be deceived my beloved
Brothers, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
coming down from the Father of Lights with whom.
There is no variation or Shadow due to change.
Some wonder if verse 16 the the charge not to be deceived is
connected to the thoughts presented before verse 16, or is
a way for James to introduce his argument after verse 16.
And if you if you really look at it in the wisdom of the spirit,
you will understand. And I'm under the persuasion
that verse 16 is actually a hinge between both thoughts.
And so he is saying, do not be deceived about what I just said
and don't be deceived what I'm about to say.
Because the the section is dealing with the same idea, and
here's the idea that we even as Believers in the Lord, Jesus,
Can fail to interpret the dealings of God in our
day-to-day lives. and what's incredible is, we don't have
time, but if you go to verse 13 down to verse 15, it's the -
understanding meaning James clarifies who God is Not God is
not my beloved Brothers the source of your Temptation.
God is not a sadistic God who takes pleasure in your pain and
so he drags you along through some trials with the intent of
seeing you fail. God is not the source of your
Temptation and then you go to verse 17 onwards and you see the
positive aspect of this. So James wants to clarify who
God truly is and who God truly Is is the source of all good?
He is the stream in which everything.
Perfect and everything that you would identify as a blessing and
even failed to identify as a blessing, he is the Wellspring
of every good and perfect gift and oh how we are often deceived
about this. And let me tell you a subtle
way, we are to see the about this.
You have many people of their honest with themselves though.
They wouldn't confess it though, they speak fluent christianese
God is good all the time. God is good all the time and you
know what they're saying? Because in their minds, if you
really investigate, what you will see is that many Believers
believe God is good, but for some things, he is responsible
for some of the good. But when I look around and I
look at myself, I realize that there are other vessels.
The other contributors to the goodness that I have in my life.
And so you have these people who have categories of where and
what and who, and so God is good, and he is a source of good
and saving my soul. He sent his son to die on the
cross for my sins. So glad I have this ticket to
eternal life and I can escape the fury of God's Wrath, but but
there's some goodness here and there's some goodness there.
And my wife is good, my children are good, my job is good, my
puppy is good and my yacht is good.
And and so they create these, these false categories and their
minds and what James is trying to get across is no, no, you
don't realize God isn't just the source of the gift of Salvation.
He's a source of every gift. Every good every blessing and
despite the means by, which those blessings come from,
whether they seem to come from your abilities or whether they
seem to come from your spouse or whether they seem to come from
your children, or even your pastors behind all of it, God is
the originator. He authorizes it.
He signs off on it. And he has you in mind when he
provides it. This is something that we have
to understand, listen behind all the basic services that you
engage with day-to-day that seem to make your life a little more
easier. All the way to the events.
That orchestrate our history as mankind.
God is the one in a very deep way.
We should be crowned as the source of all good.
He's the one who steers everything, even when those
vehicles are very unlikely to be related to God.
And I want you to understand that and different examples by
want you to see this in a very profound way, God spoke to his
people, the people of Israel. One point they were in Exile
they were in Exile and it seemed hopeless.
There's sin brought them to Babylon and here they are not
knowing really when they're going to go back though.
Some of the righteous. You stood that there was a set
time when they're going to go back and God gives a prophecy
through the prophet Isaiah and he Comforts his people for them
to see something that they could not see on the surface that they
would not be able to interpret at face value.
Because what God says in a particular prophecy which is one
of the greatest apologetics for the supernatural origin of the
word of God. God actually gives a prophecy
about a ruler many years before his time by name, by the way, by
name and his name was Cyrus and this ruler would be raised up by
God though. You had no Covenant.
With God though, he had no adherence to his Commandments.
God would handpick a man. Who did not even believe in him,
raise him up and threw him released, the people to go back
into the promised land. And I want you to see the goal
behind God, doing that. I want you to see the motivation
and the Heart of God and doing something so Grand.
And spectacular you can turn there if not the still be on the
screen and Isaiah 45 verse 4 to 6.
God speaks through his Prophet, to comfort the nation of Israel
that were in bondage. Judge by of foreign Foe and he
says, in Isaiah, 45 verse 4. Hey, listen again, if you want
to really Evangelize and you want to defend the faith?
I can't think of a greater tax. They're a great tax but this one
is astounding as a prophecy, Isaiah prophesied someone.
Hundreds of years, maybe they say between 180 220 years before
his time by name and we read here in Isaiah, 45 verse 4 and
6, for the sake of my servant. Jacob and Israel, My Chosen I
call you by your name. I name you though.
You do not know me speaking. The Cyrus.
I am the lord, and there is no other besides me.
There is no God. I equip you though.
You do not know me. That people may know from the
rising of the Sun. And from the West, that there is
none besides me. I am the lord and there is no
other Notice the goal. It's right there in the first
part for the sake of my servant. Jacob.
Listen, this history shifting event that took place for Cyrus
to become a world. Dominating power would surely be
interpreted differently by the nation's who are watching this,
but in God's book, it is clear that all of this took place to
prepare his people. To reposition His People Israel
and he's telling them ahead of time.
So that when it happens they can say, there's no one like you.
There's no one like you. What I'm trying to communicate
through this is that in this prophecy.
The Holy Spirit explains in one way.
The mindfulness of God that he was the factor behind a secular
Pagan King being raised up, who had no Covenant with God, for
the sole purpose of his people being liberated and then him
receiving glory for it. So, how much more Comfort do you
need than that in these times where we're seeing nation's rage
and politicians becoming tyrannical, and lost shifting
and dishonesty and all these conspiracies in these rumors of
what's to come? How much more can we be
comforted to know that God is Sovereign over at all?
And not only is he Sovereign, but the same God, who had his
chosen people at the time Israel as a priority in the purposes of
his orchestration and Over the Nature's, is he no different for
his bride. I look at everything and you can
watch whatever station you watch and you know what I see behind
it all there is a God on his throne and he has his people and
they're good, they're purification their
sanctification in mind as the primary goal of all this and he
will receive the glory for it. May God open our eyes to see
beyond what may seem irrelevant. What may seem disconnected to
our faith. Cyrus had no relationship to
Israel. Cyrus name and relationship to
God and yet God says he doesn't even know me.
I'm going to equip him. He doesn't even know me.
I'm going to raise him up and through that.
I'm going to bless my people. So just do that.
I mean, how much do we fail to see?
Concerning the goodness of God behind what we see in major
events and in small micro events in our lives.
How much do we actually fail to see.
James wants to reinforce this truth believe that God is the
source of all good. Even if you can't interpret the
goodness yet, even though it's something that is difficult to
understand in the moment, and I want you to understand that
Satan seeks to deceive the people of God, in this, for many
reasons. And here's here's a, here's an
umbrella. Reason, you ready for this?
If we fail, To see God as the source of every good and perfect
gift, then we will fail to give him glory in everything.
If we cannot attribut and we cannot crown him as the one who
is the Wellspring of all that. We enjoy and drink fun.
Then it's going to be very difficult to do what the Bible
tells us throughout the scripture and that's glorify him
and everything. And I want you to see a perfect
example, we've been talking about David, a lot, we're
talking about him again more year, I want you to see an
example of what is unlocked when this conviction as simple as it
may be not just in theory, but when it is really, really fixed
as a foundation in your heart, what it will unleash, what kind
of blossoming will come out of it and you're like, the
fragrance that will come about when we really, really believe
this. I mean, when you really look at
everything and all C is God's autograph on it.
David gives us a perfect example when he dedicates the temple, he
had it on his heart. I want to build God, a house.
My house is, more is more beautiful and he's living in a
tent. This can't be.
So he has this desire to build God house.
God says, there's too much blood on your hands.
You're a man of war. Men of War cannot build my
house. I want a man of Peace, so his
son would do it. But but David does what he can
to prepare the resources for this Temple to be made when he
would pass on into glory. And there's this wonderful
prayer. Dedication and I would really
encourage you to turn those pages to First Chronicles 29.
And verse 12 2. Verse 14.
What am I trying to communicate you?
When I'm trying to explain what is unlocked?
When we step into the place of really believing that God is the
source of every good and perfect gift.
And here's what we see in David's life.
First Chronicles, 29. Verse 12.
I'll wait for you to get the. I remember when I went to one of
my first conferences, I didn't had zero, knowledge of the
Bible. So the preacher went up there
and he says, turn to the book of Hebrews and non-hebrews Jews has
to be in the Old Testament. I was looking at the Old
Testament, somebody beside me say the other side has like turn
it to the other side. I always remember that.
God is so patient. Here's what David says, both
riches and honor come from you. And you rule over all in.
Your hand are power and might and in your hand, is to make
great and to give strength to all and now we thank you, our
God, and praise your glorious name.
But, who am I and what is my people that we should be able to
thus offer willingly for all things come from you and of your
own have we given you for all things come from you?
This is what King David believe. Wholeheartedly and he expresses
it joyfully as he comes near the end of his life.
Listen by declaring all things come from you.
What he is saying, is every material, every ounce that we've
been able to retrieve was ultimately prepared and provided
by God, but it's not limited to that because when he says all
things, he really means all things.
Things beyond the event that he is celebrating now, when he
means all things, he means my kingship, he means my babies my
children. My friends, my loyal soldiers,
all the evasions of the enemy trying to take my life, my
physical mobility. And if you read the Psalms even
the soundness of my sleep comes from the one who sustains me.
While I sleep, all things come from you. and because of this,
we see, That David was able to recognize God's intentional and
personal provision and listen in the same passage.
You see the fruit of this conviction visit, this actually
might solve a lot of the reason why you feel like you cannot be
a praise full person. Notice in verse 13, when this
conviction is truly set in your soul, it will produce genuine
unashamed heartfelt, worship worship, and now we thank you.
Our God and praise your glorious name.
This is a praise that is particular and it is connected
to the realization that from the hand of God comes power, might
and strength and here's the principle that an accurate
acknowledgement of God stirs. The appropriate adoration for
God, the accurate acknowledgement of God, stirs
the appropriate adoration for God, this may sound like it will
judge but it's okay. We should judge righteously.
I have a hunch that maybe one of the reasons why there are some
Cannot get themselves to praise whether it's privately or
corporately is because they don't firmly believe that their
successes and its various forms has been enabled by Heavens
Authority. That has to be one of the
reasons why? Because you are compelled, there
is a rumbling in your heart when you have the Revelation ever.
Before you that everything that I know everything that I enjoy,
every success that I have experience comes from the hand
of God. That was personally extended to
me. And if you don't really believe
that it will prove itself in one way and that is Unable to
praise. Unable to praise spontaneous.
Praise unable to praise when you have gifted musicians before you
unable to praise when you experience something sweet.
Unable to praise when you were celebrating some event in your
life. Unable to praise, I can tell you
one thing about people, it goes beyond personality.
I'm sorry. I can't buy it.
It goes beyond. Well, this is just the way I'm
wired. It goes beyond that.
You have to dig deep and realize that have you really believed
Thank God, has poured out everything upon your life that
you consider good and perfect. The temptation to forget God's
authorship behind all of our compliment apart accomplishments
was so great, listen to this, God understands our nature to
the degree that in the old Covenant.
He actually had to set a day in the law apart so that we would
mute and silence all activity in order to have undivided
meditation and recognition for the very same thing.
That David is saying here was called the Sabbath And you read
an exodus 31 very clearly that the reason why God gave this
sabbath to, the nation of Israel was so that they would remember.
Once a week, it is the Lord who sanctifies me.
It's the Lord who has set apart me as a special person, as a
special people, and all the blessings that we enjoy.
It is the Lord, and listen, this was so serious in the eyes of
God, that to disobey that command was punishable by Death.
Why? Because it has direct
relationship between nurturing worship.
As you meditate on the fact that he is the author of everything.
And to neglect that would actually feed into the itch of
idolatry. So to neglect, that would
actually be a major contribution to so much of the mishaps and
the mistakes and the intentional deviations from God.
That's even if you look at why they went into Exile, God
measured their punishment based on the Sabbath that they have
missed. Because you did not honor the
Sabbath, you're going into Exile, you want to worship false
gods, then go to the nation, that worships false gods and
until you make up for the time that you missed the Sabbath
until then, can you come back? What does that tell you?
Tells you this that their neglect of a day that was
designated to say, let's just pause and everything and reflect
on the fact that God is the one behind all of our business
success, our family success. All that we know is from him
because of that. There was something there in
terms of their idolatry being Alive and well.
Another message would would be helpful in understanding the
Sabbath principle for us. Christians today.
But you know what? That tells me that God's
non-negotiable command to that degree teaches us that we by
default. Listen are going to sway in the
direction of failing to see God as a source of everything that
is good. That is your default frame of
mind. We need to be trained and we
need to intentionally renew our minds and rehearse over
ourselves that this is the sanctifying post that I must
abide by He is the source of everything that constant
conscious awareness of God is absolutely crucial to our
sanctification. I hope you're convinced of that
but it goes further than just appropriate worship.
Look at this in verse 14 of the same passage notice in the first
few words of David how his awareness of God's provisional
mercies humbles and but who am I Who am I?
Who am I to deserve? And be a recipient of everything
here. This man was unable to praise
himself. This man was refusing to be
praised by others because of this great offering that he was
making for the the house of God. You know why?
Because he really believed all, I'm really doing all.
This is recycling, God's resources?
You read end of verse 14, says, here of your own.
We have given you Giving is not very difficult.
When all you're doing is giving God back.
What he gave you. Here's the thing.
Do we really believe that? Do you see how it affects?
So many aspects of our life? David was so convincing that
look, all I'm doing is returning.
What you gave to me, I'm just recycling your resources.
It's very difficult to be. Puffed up very difficult, even
in your righteous and your sacrificial Deeds, when you
know, that you are simply a channel.
By which God's gifts flow. So, you know, when James says,
do not be deceived, my, beloved Brothers, every good and perfect
gift comes from above. He's not just speaking about the
gifts that come to you. He's speaking about the gifts
that flow through you. Even those gifts and this
incredible because that's A Mighty Fortress against Pride.
The Revelation not only puts God in his place that puts you and I
in our rightful place as well. David was there he was right
there. He had no concern about being
Smitten by God like Herod was because it's very difficult to
be self. Exalted when you have something
so powerful in your thinking that's W away.
Every single idea that wants to float in your head that says she
wore something you are something and seeks to eclipse the glory.
That is due unto God with this truth.
Does it shoots those thoughts down?
And no, wonder Satan wants us to be deceived in this.
Because to fail to see God in every area of our success is to
position us to be tempted to believe that we have some
contribution in it and ultimately to take glory for it.
This is the key to humility. You want to know how you can
remain humble, believe what James is saying?
Don't be deceived. Don't be tricked.
Learn how to bounce everything. Back to the Lord.
Lord has a reflex to see him as the originator.
And the source there was a time where a man who is very
successful in his ministry was told by one of those who are
blessed by his ministry. Hey, You see what Jesus, and his
men are doing their baptizing more people than you, you know,
who I'm speaking about, right? John the Baptist, he was told
Rabbi he who is with you across the Jordan to whom you bore
witness? Look, he is baptizing and all
are going to him and John Answer something astounding and John 3,
26 and 27. A person cannot receive.
Even one thing unless it is given him from Heaven, a person,
cannot even receive one thing, one thing.
Do you think you can do one thing without God be honest.
Don't give me the Christian, he's answer, be honest.
No brother. God is good.
All the time, all the time. Got ho, ho be honest.
Do you believe That you can do one thing without God.
This is where people get a little offended, like, why are
you speaking to us like Sunday school kids?
John was no Sunday school kid. You struggle with jealousy.
Do you struggle with Envy? When you see God, blessing
someone as we see, somebody's Ministry growing when you see
somebody that's being used by God, do you have difficulty
rejoicing in that? Or are you one of those who in
order to comfort yourself find criticisms and allegations in
your head to try to justify why you perhaps are not being used
in the same way? John did not struggle with
insecurity. And guess what?
He didn't need to do some counseling to go and reach down,
deep inside to see what kind of trauma.
He experienced for him to feel so insecure.
He just had one revelation. God is the one.
God is the one who issues blessing.
God is the one who expands the breadth of Ministries.
And God tells me I'm done here. I'm done here.
Praise God. If God blessed, praise God,
praise God. This is all for God, and God,
does it? It's coming back to him?
It's through him, it's for him. I Rejoice at the voice of the
bridegroom. I Rejoice if God is being
glorified through me or part, for me, I rejoice.
Rats were not convinced. Perhaps, we're not convinced,
it's as simple as this of really, believing what James is
saying to believe in? And I want to tell you that the
Rebellion that we are preserved but from is still tied to this.
Remember we talked earlier about David's sin with Bathsheba,
right? Have you ever wondered what
encouraged him to do such an atrocious thing?
Have you ever wondered what stirred him?
Have you ever wondered what was the deep-rooted reason why he
would even entertain the thought of sleeping with another man's
wife? And in order to cover his sin
killing her husband You know, what's fascinating?
It probably is not what you think right now.
Because God speaks through the prophet Nathan and God exposes
the deep-rooted reason why David did what he did.
And so, Nathan speaks on behalf of the Lord.
And first Samuel 12. And in verse 78, listen
carefully to what is said. Nathan said to David.
You are the man. All that we would have prophets
today. Prophets that look at people
with a bony finger and say you're the man.
You are the man, thus says the Lord the god of Israel.
I anointed You. Look What the Lord is saying to
David. I mean, you read this separate
from the event and you would think that there's a different
scenario going on here. God is addressing David and
revealing the source of his adultery.
I anointed you King over Israel. And I delivered you out of the
hand of Saul and I gave you your Masters house and your Masters
wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel, and of
Judah. And if this were to little, I
would add to you as much more, huh.
I mean if somebody falls into adultery you know what I would
think. I mean hey you let your lust
consume your judgment. You were enveloped by the
passions of the flesh. That's not what God says to
David. He says two things.
The first thing is you were capable of this because you
forgot how good I've been to you.
You did not remember how I was the source of everything that
you were enjoying and everything that you have.
And the Lord was very specific, was he not the Masters house,
your Masters wives, the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
God was specific. So, you know what?
That tells me? I got to be specific with my
Thanksgiving. I got to be specific with my
Thanksgiving if God was specific in listing the very blessings
that he was responsible for then I must be specific in my
Thanksgiving to him in order to know the full power of how
gratitude keeps me and puts a seat belt around me.
So I don't go flying in two directions that I would later
regret. You forgot how good I've been to
you. And here's the second thought
which is, I believe more profound. if this were too
little, even though I gave you all of this, if this were too
little, I would have gladly added more to you.
I would have given more to you. What does this mean?
Why did you have to sin to try to add something to you?
Because everything you need is from me.
And in me, you see what he's saying?
Why did you have to wander off? So at any point when David felt
this dissatisfaction, what he, what he could have done it, what
he should have done is come with that, hollowness in his soul and
be broken before his maker. And say, Lord there's something
in my heart, that's not at rest. I'm smelling the buffet of this
world and I feel my feet shifting, you need to do
something about this and what God is saying is I would have
gladly added exactly what you needed to know so that you can
experience that wholeness that keeps you still.
And James says, every good and perfect.
Gift is from above. You know what?
He's trying to say. If ever you are tempted to try
to find something good outside of God, you're being deceived.
You're being deceived. The moment you begin to sense,
thoughts creeping, and you want, you want to know how, you know,
you have the infancy of deception crawling into your
soul. This is how the moment, you feel
these thoughts whispering to you, suggesting to you.
There's something good out there.
There's something there. I think I need to have an affair
to spice up my my life. I don't feel like I'm in love
anymore with my husband. I don't feel like I'm in love
anymore with my wife. I think I need a just add some.
Some fantasy to my existence. Yeah.
You know, I think I'm just back up for my commitment to church.
I work so much already but I need to work some more.
I want to make some more money because I think what we're
really really make me happy if I just get the new edition of the
car that I already have, I think I think that's what's really
going to help. It's just a website.
Not hurting anybody. Images on a screen by myself,
nobody has to know. I just need to medicate the pain
in my life. And surely, this will be enough
to distract me. It's just another glass of wine.
It's another glass. It's not like I'm driving. just
need a scape. You want to detect whether
something is good, but there's something is from God or not,
here's your gauge. If God said he is the source of
all good. But what you were being tempted
with is something that God is saying is not good.
You're being deceived. Isn't that simple us?
So wonderful. So simple.
But the more we entertain, those thoughts, like, David did the
more we open ourselves up to the seductions of this life, to end
up causing deep, wounds and pain.
Don't be deceived. You will never find anything,
satisfying outside of God himself.
I promise you. but we see here also that the Holy Spirit has
something else in mind, when he wrote about this in James When
we fail to perceive the graciousness of God, there's a
there's a wider context that really, really suggest probably
the greatest time when we are tempted to be like, yeah.
And he died for me, but it's really hard to believe how he is
good with how things are going in my life.
Zoom out of James one and understand the initial thought
and realize how this connects with that first thought, what we
just read do not be deceived my beloved Brothers.
Every good and perfect gift is from above.
Well, what context did he say that all you have to do is read
the first 23 verses to understand what James is dealing
with, with his readers. And this is what he's dealing
with in verse 2. You know it, you've quoted it.
I hope I hope you memorize it. Count it all joy. my brothers,
when you meet Trials of various kinds, He is writing to a burden
group of Christians, he is writing to people who are
experiences various kind of Trials to the point.
Now, they are tempted to actually accuse God of not being
good. And though the trials of life,
there are a variety of them. They all have one thing in
common. You want to know what it is.
Each of them are eager and ready to tempt you.
To believe that God is really not good.
And when we are having our comfort Disturbed, when we are
helplessly watching somebody that we love suffer, it does not
take much time though. You've attended all those Bible
studies, though you've heard sermons do you have podcast that
you listen to on the way to work that are edifying.
It does not take very much time when the sting is severe and the
heat gets hotter for you to come to the point where you hear
things such as how can God really do this to a child of his
And Satan's voice amplifies and all the conversations that you
have 8th, with atheist starts to make a little bit more sense, at
least to the flesh. How this is, what you get to
sign up for Jesus. This is what he offers you.
I don't know. It was it was easier finding a
spouse before I got saved. Right.
It was much easier to cruise on through this life before I was
very vocal about Mike, is this? What I get?
James knew that the Holy Spirit knows that he knows that Satan
the world. This flesh will weaponize your
trials. Well, weaponize your suffering.
Instead of counting it with all joy that you would count it.
And then accuse God because of it.
This is what James would say. Don't be deceived, especially as
you endure, trials. I love what he says here.
He says count it all joy. My brothers when you meet Trials
of various kinds of, didn't say if Huh?
When it's about time, it's inevitable.
Yeah, it might take you by surprise but if you're a
follower of Jesus Christ is just a matter of when not, if I'm
just giving you a heads up. And this is where those.
Who have scars, who are familiar with trials, who may be enduring
something? Now, might be wondering, I get
what you're saying. Preacher.
But can you give me a little bit more to work with to know how I
can actually really believe like believe to the point where I can
sing. About how good God is, when this
this pain is just too powerful. If you're not careful, you start
thinking things and people have said this and it makes me wonder
just how how far deception could take people well because they're
suffering there. Can't be a God.
How can there be a good God if we suffer, how can God let me
suffer like this and and claim to be good?
And then demand for my rejoicing about his goodness.
So they can't be good. Here's my simple answer.
It's not very deep, it's not very philosophical.
It's very simple. How does that help you?
By canceling, the existence of God, does that make her
suffering better? Does that put more meaning to
your suffering are less meaning to your suffering?
So OK, cancel God from your belief.
Remove God from your acknowledgement.
Now, what? That create more clarity or
create more problems. Thank you.
You're smart enough to see where I'm going with that.
Here's my answer based on the word of God, James says count,
it all joy. Because in verse 34, you know
that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness it
produces something always always, there's something that
is carved in you there's something of a facet that is
sharpened. That could not be discovered.
That could not be realized apart from the pressure of that pain.
Apart from the burning of that fiery trial.
There's something that is realized, there's something that
is known. And if there's anything that
comes out of it, it's the genuineness of your faith.
I was just having this conversation with other people
about job and his suffering. Job is a mysterious book to some
degree philosophers who don't even believe in God and love to
discuss it. Usually teaching in their
indoctrination centers, I don't call them University more. try
to cause people to say what kind of a God is that has Bets with
Satan and And there are many answers to the suffering of Joe,
but one of the things that suffering does is that it
reveals to you the sufferer, the genuineness of your faith.
It shows you, it teaches you, it reveals to you if your faith is
legitimate. And so, what happens to you is
that you see the realization of the work of God by the holy
spirit, in your life. When you, when you still can
cling to Jesus Christ, his word, his righteousness, his commands,
even though it doesn't pay off in the moment.
James says confidently, you can actually count it all joy,
genuine Joy because you have a revelation that this is surely
going to produce something. The psalmist said it this way
I'll read it to you. In Psalm 119 verse 71 it is good
for me that I was afflicted that I might learn your statutes.
It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn
your statutes. Now here's what's amazing.
You read that and he says it in the past tense.
It is good for me that I was afflicted.
And usually, that's when you realize that it was good when
you come out of it, when you go through it and when you see the
polishing power of that Affliction.
And that was actually good, it wasn't in the moment and it feel
like it at least. And now that God has pulled me
through. I can actually say confidently,
it was actually good. But in the New Covenant, we
suck, we have something more powerful because you know what?
James says, count it all joy. My brothers when you meet the
trial, never mind. Go through it when you
confronted in its immediate see when you realized it right now.
When you know man this I'm headed towards the storm.
I can see it that phone call comes in that doctor's report
comes in Things begin to brew and it's out of your control and
you try to you, try to put some kind of safety nets around it
and it's not working. And here's what James is saying,
you don't even have to wait till after the fact you can have such
a faith in God in his goodness. That when you meet it, you can
count it all joy. That's the New Covenant.
That's the power of the truth that we have with the fullness
of the revelation of the word of God.
You know, what the psalmist was working with when he said this
Leviticus Numbers. The things that we can barely
read through. And yet you can say it was good,
that I was afflicted. I learned something in my
affliction. James goes beyond that says, you
can meet it and you can meet it with a smile.
I pray that that would be your experience.
I pray that that would be your testimony.
I'm going to stop here. I want to stop here with a
story. There's a man by the name of
Robert Robinson. Robert Robinson was born in the
mid-1700s. And this young boy, the age of 8
years old. Had his father died.
Difficult. Not growing up with a dad, is
not an easy thing. His mother had great trouble
raising him. He was a little Rebel.
This obedient causing Ruckus has so much.
So that later on in his early teens she shipped them off to
London to a trade school. Whatever her intention was, it
didn't really help because once he went there, all he did was
join a gang. And he was the leader of it.
So now he has these rebels in their teenage years and what
they would do is drink. Gamble.
And cause issues. one day, this man, Robert and his friends
decided to get a fortune teller drunk They just want to mess
around. so, she drinks and a strange series of events during
that time, as they're sitting there, this woman intoxicated
Looks at Robert and says, you will live.
To see your children and your grandchildren.
It's very Simple statement. But with this hardened heart, it
did something to him because he thought to himself.
Well, if that's if that's the case, I can't be living the way
I'm living but he pushed aside the thought and he'd never
considered again until Not too long after that and evangelist
came to town. And there was much, talk about
this evangelist. This evangelist was named George
Whitefield. George Whitefield.
If you haven't heard of him, read about him.
If you're a serious follower of Christ, he will humble you.
This man in his early 20s saw Revival in the thousands and he
was in Roberts town and so Robert looks at his friends he
goes I have an idea. Why don't we go to the meeting?
Let's Heckle the guy. Let's go to the meatless, cause
a Ruckus, this friends agree. This is why I'm not discouraged.
When people come to meetings like this for reasons, apart
from God, you're sitting under God's word, he set you up.
And so Roberts there with the intention.
Of causing trouble. And George Whitefield gets up.
What do you think? George Whitefield.
Preached in that sermon It wasn't everything's going to be
okay. Just, you know, you might have a
good life just add Jesus because, you know, he created
you and just tuck them in somewhere.
Not on, you know what, he preached with somebody in that
crowd, who didn't grow up with a father, who was Hollow, who is
empty, who suffered, who is none, because of sin.
You want to know what he preached, George Whitefield, you
brood of vipers. Who warned you to flee from the
Wrath to come stuff? You don't hear a lot today.
There was this man. Robert steering with his
friends. Shook, I can tell you this, he
didn't Heckle, you didn't cause a ruckus for three years, that
sermon haunted, him, 3 years, So guess what else?
I'm not discouraged by the lack of response to the message the
same night. You preach it.
Because this man didn't answer any altar call.
He didn't come up to George Whitefield to talk.
He didn't look for a preacher. He just went on his way for
another three years. And after three years, he
finally bend the knee and gave his life to the Lord Jesus
Christ. And this young man.
Follow the call of God to become a pastor and he preached the
word of God and he declared the word of God and very shortly
after his conversion. He penned a him.
A him that churches still sing today ahem that doesn't make
sense for somebody who lost their dad at eight years old,
somebody who had every right to look to the heavens and say how
can you a good god? Take my dad away.
How can you inflict suffering as a young child?
How do you expect me to believe in a God?
Who apparently love me enough to die for me but couldn't keep my
dad in my life that man who could have used all the excuses
in the world. Penned Come Thou Fount of Every
Blessing. Tune, my heart to sing thy Grace
streams of Mercy, never ceasing. Call for songs of loudest.
Praise teach me some melodious. Sonnet sung, by flaming tongues
above, praise the mount. I'm fixed upon it.
Mount of God's redeeming love. You have a choice in this life.
What you will do with your suffering.
It will either Harden you to hate God and to go about your
way only to incur more suffering. because you are
turning your back on the one who made you and who has purpose
even behind the pain, or you allow that suffering to bring
you with a soft and heart to say, I may not understand it,
but I realize There is no such thing as innocent people
suffering because none of us are innocent.
None of us are innocent. There is only one person who is
innocent and who suffered in a way, that doesn't make sense,
and that's the Lord Jesus Christ.
What are you going to do with your suffering?
What are you going to do with your upbringing?
What are you gonna do with your trials, where you going to go?
Are you going to go into deception?
Maybe the fish that you're raising to heaven.
Can be Unwound by God and it be turned into a hand that would
sing his praises and right of his glories.
You think this is a fake thing. That Robert was writing about I
was very real is very real. There is a tasting and a seeing
of the Lord. That goes beyond explanation.
There's some things that can be explained and I believe that we
should explain Doctrine and theology, but we have to go
beyond explanation and into the realm of experience.
That is what is available to you.
A my message here is not particular for the person that
doesn't believe in Jesus Christ. My messages to the believer,
tonight, that you'd be built up in your faith.
To make sure that you can go to a deeper level with god with the
simple Revelation that you set before you, he is indeed.
The source of every good and perfect gift.
And I pray that you would come to that realization.
And I trust that the Holy Spirit through this brief message.
I will honor and not because it's the words of man, but the
word. Of God himself.
Lord, we thank you for this meeting.
Help us see what David saw. For all things come from you
though. We pray that tonight, if there
would be anything, it would be the sound of crowns being laid
at your feet. All of our trophies and all of
our prizes would be removed from this, the shelf of self.
And brought before the throne of grace and that in this place,
father inspired by the work of the spirit.
There would be loudest. Praise That we can truly say,
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
Call for songs of loudest, praise.
Lord, we just ask for those who have a complicated case of a
trial that your word would do a deep surgery.
Lord, let the revelation of your word, he'll Hearts tonight and
we pray that tonight, there would be a new level.
A new level of trust, a new level of adoration toward the
one. That provides all that, we love.
And all the things that we fail to see as a blessing, Lord
receive Glory receive maximum Glory and Honor in this place.
And in Jesus name we pray. Amen.