God's Process of Maturity, p.1

Limitless grabber Bibles go back to the book of James.

All right book of James chapter 1 I like Ephesians didn't plan on staying here that long, but I'm so glad I'm so glad I'm looking at this again because God is just unfolding things to me. I have quite a few expositions that I did during my Reformation and say my Reformation.

You know what the Protestant Reformation is. Or maybe you know little about it. How God raised up some very gifted in scholarly men like John Calvin or Martin Luther, John Wycliffe or John Hus are some bad disconsolate John Bunyan asked Leon Dr. Gill and some others but anyway men who are literally broke off of the state churches that were course Catholic churches Colson course in old Europe view had to belong to the Catholic Church because your country embrace that that religion course later, the English broke off because they had a king that want to marry another woman in This would lead him so he started his own religion called Anglicanism in the Episcopalian church came out of that he was a sister to strict fact. But Tom anyway that the state churches whether was the Anglican Church of England are Roman Catholicism that covered most. The rest of Europe and these men of God started studying their Bibles and said man the the Roman church in Anglican system has lost the faith and they begin the verse by verse exegete in the Bible and without question the greatest conservative biblical scholarship came out of that error and I'm convinced the reason it came out of that era because they had their laughs were on the line.

Literally. And so, as they're interpreting the Bible, and teaching people to leave the established church there. There good.

They're putting themselves up for execution by the government, which is one with the church that the church had all authority because it is part of the government in the course, the military and police with it and so they did such an amazing exegesis and I'm always studying the Puritan fathers and those guys because there there there study is just unparalleled to any of the generation. I guess ours would to have our life on the line. I mean their point was we better know this is biblical portal.for now, I call it my Reformation. Because when we were in our earlier years of process as pastor and people changing a lot of things to be more biblically sound.

We received our person received lots of condemnation and criticism and scoffing and derision for leading you in the direction I was leading from within my own heart questions and wanderings and then from outside our own community. Our own area. There you. You may not remember it well.

If you're around that you do. But Tom there was just a horde of criticisms about Tom you're going the wrong direction.

This in right of the Sinbad district, one of whatever argument they would make an and the men in literally the highest positions of Protestant influence in the country I would call by name and talk about how messed up we were or we're going to to the end that today all the leaders of all the Baptist graduate schools would embrace and affirm. 98% of everything we stand for and so God's vindicated us, but here I'll say something to get that matter if all the hot brilliant monkey did not flock us or not. If were right, but it is encouraging.

When time changes in your your firm and what you're doing but anyway there are number books that I preach through those early years where I was really under a lot of pressure and I'll be honest, I think I did some of our best studying I've ever done in my life that we were just under such, I would call it oppression, and that I thought what if were going to change our church and change the way we view things and post things I better know were right and as I told you a million times. First of all, had to know that biblically it was a substantial clear teaching. I'm not going to ask you to change something that some sideline issue just found in a verse or two, had to be a substantial systematically taught issue. And secondly, I had to be able to find it gone strongly in church history. We are the most arrogant of fools if we think we found the truth in the Bible. Nobody spell for €2000 scholarship. I guarantee that's been for so is not studied Baptist history in particular and Protestant evangelical history in general I found the things what I was teaching and encouraging were thoroughly believed and practiced by our forefathers and I'd say roughly a generation are rather century and back soap saying all that to say as I restudied some of these books that I studied earlier is just been super rich and encouraging the go back to their let's talk about today. Ron James chapter 1 verses two through 12 and I'll not get through all of it. I get all get through part of it, but I probably still in the verse five of this this evening.

In verse two of James chapter 1 he says consider it all joy brethren, when you encounter various trials. Some Bible say temptations but is much better trials.

It's something that's come upon you that you're not responsible for, then verse three knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. He continues all but if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. Now these are believers who are literally scattered all over the known world. In acts chapter 8 verse four the Bible says all those who who were scattered went about preaching the word. So these are Christians who've left house home location. Family members just literally running for their lives because of one simple thing that had embraced Jesus Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ. So these guys are facing a trial that's been cast upon them. They didn't cause this trial. They didn't do something wrong. It came upon them for their profession in Jesus Christ. Again, I'll say to you. Like I said many times before. We live in an ever degrading culture that is going to continually consider folks that believe what you and I believe as the problem in society and were going to face some trials. As the generations go on a list or some sort of great supernatural revival in our country will face trials just for believing biblical doctrine. Things will happen to is gonna be a great dividing line. You can see a lot of people you thought were Christians capitulate and compromise to save their necks.

That's going to come will that's that's part of the trial.

These folks are facing there really scattered about enduring a lot of persecution they're looking for shelter.

Many of them they've been robbed of their possessions. Many of them to them are simply hungry looking for an up close to put on the backs of themselves and their children, and in that context. James the pastor of the local church of the members that are now scattered rights. This consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, so I I call required trials to the title would be God's process of maturity. God's process of maturity. That's the title and I required trials. I don't know if I would be that bold. Would you be that bold of somebodies literally suffering looking for a place to live and lay their head looking for another food to live, eat on the thing you sediments will consider the joy will that's what God had inspired Pastor James here to write to his people were considered here in verse two is that of the imperative mood which means he commands them to declarant such once and for all. These are limited just just decide right now.

Declarant joy when these various trials that your enduring come upon you. The word various has the idea of him multifaceted. It wouldn't just one thing.

Most of these people were struggling from under various sickness, hunger, destitute clothing, you name it, so that they have various aspects and he says to consider once in all imperative mood. That's a command to settle in your mind. I'm going to consider this a joy that he didn't say feel like it's a joy you don't function by your feelings as a child of God you function by truth as a child of God know you decide to dictate to your emotions. God's truth.

So you decide is an act of the will to consider it a joy that these trials are coming of the word joy here. He literally means consider it all joy made which means a whole joy I and unmixed joys, not just some joy with some grief. He says no it's all joy that he says consider it all joy when you encounter as the idea of when you come across when you fall upon the words.

Again, these are trials that you didn't cause this is come upon you, and then various trials again and again. It's not a temptation here. That's not a good translation of the Greek word here. It means that thing that's come upon you in its multifaceted, he should understand that it's God's plan that these trials are here for your good and for his glory and he says understand that it may be even better for you when you have various trials, maybe right now in your life. Their circumstances and there's this and this and this and this and it's just kind of overwhelming at times limits.the second have you as a strong, forceful, active very well said. I'm going to claim it as a trial. My Lord has sent for his purposes in my good.

You know what I find is folks don't do that, they kinda sorta think about it could be when a kinda good basic none of James is considerate all joy to unmixed full joy when various afflictions and trials come your way hi folks, only child of God can do this and try to preach this to church for lost people when I don't get it and I don't like it, they will hate you for this is only for God's elect. This is only for those who are truly God's considered all joy when this comes upon you know most people consider it a joy when they get through a Chuck a trial with her some truth to that. But God says we should consider a joy when we see the trial coming. You make a faith decision when you see it coming and you'd make a fake decision to consider it all joy. Look, I don't think James is saying. I don't think the Bible is teaching that you're supposed to be some obnoxious praise freak when when something difficult comes. Sometimes joy is so deep and so real, you're just quiet. Are you hearing me sometimes and in situations that others may not can understand your walking through some deep waters but God is with you and there's a deep joy in their that you just don't go around talking about too much.

Does that make sense to you not get don't get me wrong. Some personalities are different.

Sometimes it's good to express it out and understand that don't feel like that if you're not just jumping up and down on the top of their hands in the air shouting hallelujah that somehow you're not spiritual. Sometimes there's a deep deep joy but for the elect of God. Every trial is God designed for our good and his glory. Folks listen to me if every trial is not designed by our God. He's not sovereign. If he is not sovereign he's not God see the one where the other difficulty frustration.

The heart ache in your life was not designed by God and God's not solve if you not sovereign, then he's not God. Romans 828 reminds us that all things, how many things it on the screen all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purposes. Not not everything is good.

It would be good that these people were being persecuted and put under these trials, but God is going to calls it all the work together for the good in and I have a little principle of what I call, throw yourself into parade zombie counsel someone to tell me what the going food and and first of all, weep with them and integrate with them and have compassion for them, but also, I salute you just got throw yourself in the price of the old preacher said one time he can't pray your way through you. Praise your way through as it ever been's head.

He just couldn't pray with and just start praising God, knowing that he has a purpose, knowing that he knows what he's doing. Knowing that nothing could come to you. That does not filter through his sovereign, omnipotent, loving hand considered all joy when you encounter various trials and it could be child of God that the reason why the trial had lit up is because you had gotten enjoyed yet you might did show the Lord that you can trust him and believe he sovereign and cast a little joy toward that think and then God may lift the trial considered all joy there that another word to foregoing a mature like we need to. There's going to require trials coming and I live them. I was counseling with pastor recently and man. He's doing a good job and he's been about 7 to 8 years now to church and they changed a lot of things and they're just getting ready to really put some things in place as far as being a biblically healthy and biblically functioning church and right as he was about to do that. A leader in the church was exposed as embezzling money and on one hand, he was grieved about it, but I rejoiced with him. I sit and it's exactly what I expected God to do God's cleaning up Mr. he's exposing the stuff that's in the way of God's blessing and these trials is what was going to build you and your church in faith.

You know why I was able to do that because I've been through those contracts. I've seen those kind of things I've experienced that kind of Arctic difficulty.

I know what God I know at the backside of that looks like it's a good thing, not the thing itself, but what God's accomplishment accomplishing through exposing it and getting it removed and now the way wealth required trials. Notice II revealed faith. Notice the wording here revealed faith.

Verse three pulses were considered all the were back at the verse two is considered all joy when you can.

Of these various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. This idea of testing it in the first all the word knowing here means believing in understanding something you're going to believe and understand that this testing experience, not a purifying experience of this case it's a testing in the sense that it's revealing what is actually already there.

A. T.

Robertson, the imminent Greek scholar said it means the genuine element in your faith peace of knowing here's what you need to know about these trials it's about to bring forth this about to reveal and make manifest the genuineness of your faith, not necessarily an amount of faith, but the quality of the faith, not an increase in faith, but the but what faith really is is about to come out. In other words, the trial serves to squeeze out of you.

The faith that God placed their conversion.

Did you hear that the trial squeezes out of you. The faith that God placed in you at conversion is a very real sense in which faith doesn't grow and faith doesn't mature faith is just faith but you mature in grasping yet walking in it and showing it. And that's kinda what he saying here. Romans 12 three. The Bible says God has allotted to each man a measure of faith there is on the screen.

God is allotted to each man a measure of thing now the trial manifested and activated. This already residing get to this point on, manifested and unactivated faith. First Peter 17 is a good cross reference here. First Peter 17 so that the proof the genuineness that another words you got this true genuine saving faith being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ know what's the context of a first Peter 17 Wilbur six is in this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you been distressed by various trials that it may prove your faith. In other words, God has ordained that you go through these trials to the end that the big the faith that you really have listed that you didn't create that you don't work up that you don't manifest God put in there and he calls it to be manifested to show forth your file.

The way you go through trials manifest much about what's inside of you as God regenerated your heart has God put a and at a measure of faith in your heart. Then he goes on he said this is.

This produces endurance.

Now back in original text. James chapter 1 verse three knowing that the testing your faith produces endurance literally means it results in endurance trial comes at the required trial starts revealing faith and as it goes on and on. You begin to get on this plane of faith and it enters a steadfastness are in endurance.

There's a new level of faith thing it in this difficulty not like to say that time we get up to this new level and we never dip that back down again but it's quite normal for us to dip that back down when you get in the flesh again and whine and complain again and etc. etc. I think the truth is we don't stay in the deep.

We will get to that place will win during in and for the most part work or functioning in a and a steadfastness and an enduring of the apostle Paul was a great example of this. First Corinthians 49 through three. I think it would be on your screen.

First Corinthians 4 beginning in verse nods it up together you go pulses for. I think God has exhibited us apostles. Last of all, as men condemned to death is pretty tough place to be is it I live my life as a condemned man just because I'm apostle Jesus Christ. Because we become a spectacle to the world about the Angels and the men we are fools for Christ sake, but you are prudent in Christ we are weak, mature, strong your distinguished but were without honor this very hour notice Paul's trial here. He said we are both hungry and thirsty were poorly clothed, we are roughly treated and were homeless.

We told we work with our own hands were reviled, we bless back were persecuted, we endure. There is, we are slandered, we try to conciliate. We have become the scums of the world.

The dregs of all things, even until now, but he said was that key phrase, but we endure. We've learned all of these things are happening that we have the faith to know God's orchestrating this piece he's given us this capacity of faith that we can walk in and live out in the week we have reached a a level of endurance.

Never forget reading Charles Haddon Spurgeon FT been pastor. The Metropolitan Tabernacle for many years and my did he have vicious enemies that the Armenians on one side hated him in the hopper cabinets. On the other side hated him in the secularist despise the fact that he had such popularity and so many people to hear the gospel under his preaching and that the demeaning and unbelievable things they said about him. At one point, Spurgeon said well they can't hurt me anymore. Everything that you could say about somebody they've Artie said it now it's just all been said so whatever I say it the second time offered. So he said I'm done I think was Virgil say I've reached a level where it just didn't bother me so I know God's and controllable, well resulting maturity will gotta go quick here will come back together. I'm going to go back over some this is been a little more time. Look at verse four first but he said it requires trials then in those trials the faith you put in your conversion is reboot revealed. And then it results in in your maturity, your faith, that mature you mature, trusting the faith you put in you. Verse four and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The word let means keep on having let it let this process keep on bringing you to this mature spiritual place and the perfect result, he reversed refers to rather than verse four is the proper end you're coming to this place of maturity to be perfect here that mean sinless perfection at major, mature, and your viewpoint of this thing now you're maturing your grasp of what God is about and letting the trial, in your life.

He says you'll be lacking in nothing. At verse four. This is the negative of the other side of being perfect or mature.

In other words, faith has not been purified and you faith has not been matured and you faith was just revealed in the trial and then it purifies your mind and your emotions, getting them and line with the ways and purposes of God.

You're beginning to understand these are the ways of God. Trials are the purposes of God. God is up to something God is doing something fantastic in my life I maturing my motions now respond to the fact that God is behind all this accomplishing something. My mind is beginning to grasp that and that's the maturity God wanted me to get to all along. Faith hadn't changed. I changed to embrace faith. Faith always believed God.

Faith always knew God was on his throne.

Faith always knew God was doing this for my good and his own glory.

I'm just now getting myself in agreement with the faith he put in me when he say folks listen to me you understand the faith in you is not of you the faith in you is not of you. God gave you that is a gift. It's a supernatural gift. Ephesians 289 for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves. What's not of yourself includes the faith. It's the gift of God not the result of works, lest any man boast. There is a faith capacity listen to many of your elect of God in your born-again of God.

Faith has been put in you a sick sense. You will function in the trials according to your five senses.

You function according to the sixth sense since the faith begins to rise up and show itself. It manifests itself when the trial comes and you begin to come to that level of endurance where the square is a pattern that habit of your life you're viewing this that God's up to something. God's doing something. I know he's purchasing this for my good and for his glory and I'm seeing that this is now the process the way of God, not just in my life, but in all of our lives. So our minds and our emotions get in line harmonize with and support the purposes and ways of God. How you doing in your trial is faith being manifested and are you coming to a place where not saying there's never any dips, but you're coming to place where you are finding I have a capacity given to me. When God saved me to see that God's hands in all of this so I can.

It doesn't all feel like joy, but I can consider it all joy when I encounter various trials, knowing that the testing my faith is producing a new steadfastness and then I come to embrace my emotions get to be happy that Satan can throw the worst things he has at me everything Satan throws at me come through the sovereign hand of a loving God, the devil is the God's devil can't hurt me everything he thinks he's doing hurt me. He can only help