and i've been thinking a lot about the topic of faith
and like faith is such a
you know faith is a topic which is like easily the milk of god's word but it's
also the meat of god's word
because our life ought to be living by faith to faith every single day
doesn't matter if you're newly saved or if you've been a seasoned believer for
some twenty, thirty, forty years
we still need to operate by faith
and what i picked up here in James 1, look at verse number 3, it says
knowing this
that the trying of your faith
worketh patience, the trying of your faith
the title for our sermon this morning is the trying of our faith, the trying
of our faith, now verse number 3 is you know continued from verse number 2
have a look at verse number 2 quickly, it says my brethren
count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations
knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience
and so i was thinking about this fact that you know
we go through many temptations
you know whether it's temptations
that we face where we need to make a decision whether we're going to sin
or whether we're going to give in to that temptation and sin against the lord
or whether we're going to live a righteous and holy life and live
you know walk according to the spirit
those everyday temptations that we face
temptations also has the idea of trials
difficulties, challenges
and when i talk to the average person, the average family, the average
we've all got trials and difficulties and challenges
that we're trying to overcome in our life
constantly and there's never, they're like
even though you know in many ways i look at my life and i feel like i've
never experienced any major problems like major turmoils
that other people may face
there are still challenges, there are still problems, you know i feel like life you're constantly
putting out fires, little fires everywhere
sometimes the fires are bigger, sometimes they're smaller
but there's always some challenge, some always
some difficulty that we've gotta
face and
you know i feel like you know i'm going through some type of
temptation, some type of trial, some type of trial of my faith even
this very morning
and sometimes i wonder yeah but lord you know
i've really gone through these trials, i've really gone
through these struggles, i've really
you know with your help we've already
overcome this, we've already learnt the lesson
because you know when you're going through trials and challenges it's not comfortable
right you're trying to find solutions and
sometimes it's difficult and requires you to step out of your comfort zone
and sometimes it makes you wonder you know think of you know uh... lord what's the
answer, what's the solution, i don't know how to get out
get out of this situation, i don't know how to
you know bring the solution and lord it just seems like you're not helping me
sometimes in this
but the lord always is helping us, he's always guiding us and
when i think about this
why is it that we never get to a point where okay
because when i look back at my life there's been many trials of my faith
like just planting new life out of this church was a big trial
was a big temptation, was a big challenge right
uh... to bring my family across from you know another state which is not a
small family and making sure
you know do we have the provisions we need to
uh... you know make new life possible
and all these things like just the different thoughts
am i up to the challenge just as a man, as a pastor, i don't know
these are trials, these are questions that you ask
and you think well you know you pass a test sometimes and you're like
yeah but lord why are you putting me through another test
and then you pass that test and you're like okay lord but
another one, why can't we, like it's enough
i think we're okay now lord
have you ever wondered that, why do we
seems like we sought one issue out okay
i can breathe, i can relax and there was another issue
it's like well
you know is there ever a time where we just sort of relax and take it easy in the
christian life
and it's never really like that you know if you've lived long enough as a believer
you realize it's never really like that there's always
a trying of our faith, always, whatever it is
and uh...
but then i got thinking about it, of course it makes logical sense that there
should be more trying of our faith
because when you think about
uh... like think about what the major test, when we think about just our society, our world
the major examination or test that people often talk about every year at least in the
media is the HSE, Higher School Certificate
and making sure that you get sufficient score, whatever they call it
i think it was called the UAI when i was there or TER, i can't remember, i don't know what it's called anymore
but you know it's the idea of you know if you get a sufficient score and it's so important
because that's going to allow you to enter into university or certain courses and
you know uh... whatever it is and that's what everyone seems to talk about
you know children that go to high school, year twelve, they're often stressed about their HSE
scores and
it almost seems like, i remember when i was a teenager i remember thinking, oh man this is like
you either succeed in life or you're faithful based on your score
and it's not true or so ever
but you feel like this is, if i don't do well, yeah that's it, my life is
is destroyed
and uh... but then you kind of think, okay that's a big test that people often talk about
but would it be
realistic to say well
there's no need for the HSE because i really passed
an English test when i was in the second grade
you'd say, hold on, just because you passed some English test in the second grade
doesn't mean you know the HSE is irrelevant or anything like that
just because you passed the second grade doesn't mean you can't be tested for the third grade
or just because you graduated from primary school doesn't mean you need
you should not be tested in high school
or just because you got tested in high school doesn't mean you don't need to be
tested or challenged
in tertiary studies or whatever it is right
i mean like logically of course the more you learn the more you grow
then you need to be tested and tried
whether you've gained those skills whether you've gained that knowledge
it really came to help me understand what it means to
be trying, you know, the trial of our faith
why is it that we're constantly being tried
why are we constantly being tested Lord
it's because he wants you to grow, he wants you to
learn, he wants to make sure that you've learned the lessons
or you know use that examination
to teach you the lesson
uh... in order for you to be someone greater, something more so you can continue not just
being a babe in Christ
but you're growing up to the fullness
of the measure of Christ
and this is the whole point of being
tested or being challenged and
you know the only way that you can overcome a trial or a test
is to pass it
because if you don't pass
you're going to be tested once again on the same issue
or the other way you get passed like you know you overcome that
you pass and then God will say okay you've passed the test
you've passed the trial
now you're ready for a bigger trial
and when you pass that trial you're
ready for the bigger trial
and look there's always a positive end result
to the testing and the trying
of our faith
so as I said the title for this one is the trial of our faith, I want you to understand
why you're being tested right now whatever trial you're going through why is it
seems like Lord I learned that lesson five years ago this might be a bigger trial for you
or maybe you didn't pass the trial five years ago
and so you're being tested once again
on the same issue
but I want you to notice and this is always the hardest thing when you're going through
difficulties or trials or challenges
is to remind ourselves what it says in verse number two so there are many
things that we want to learn there are four points that I want to
leave with you this morning and the first point is in verse number two it
says my brethren count it all joy when you fall into
diverse temptations
you know and I think this is one of the hardest things for me anyway and
maybe it's the hardest thing and yet this is this is clearly laid out in the
scriptures when we're being challenged when we feel like our
faith is being tested God says count it all joy
so rejoice is what God's asking you you know
do we rejoice oh another trial I don't like it that's actually the
wrong approach the right approach is another
trial now testing let's see how I go let's see if I
can pass the test you know if the Lord's given me this
trial he must believe that I'm ready and with his help
we're going to be able to overcome this trial this test
I mean that is how it ought to be but how many of us are truly like that
another trial bring it on Lord not many of us would
take that approach I don't think I don't think that's my first
response I don't think like maybe down the track once I oh another
oh yeah that's right kind of joy you know when I hear a sermon or
something like that I'm reminded by the scriptures
I'm supposed to be happy about this can you keep your finger there in
James and come with me to first peter chapter four
first peter chapter four first peter chapter four please
because you know when times are going good
and I would argue if you live in Australia times are always going good
compared to most people like anyway but you know we're selfish people
you know we've grown up in this western world that's greatly blessed
and uh but anyway when times are going good that's when it's easy to
rejoice that's when it's easy to have fun in life to just be to be
happy and be thankful to God for everything that he's given us and
and even then like I said even then when things are going good just as
you know selfish Australians we often just complain anyway because Australian
down the road has got his life better than us and yeah we
don't realize that your life is better than literally billions of people
on the earth just by the nature of living here
okay and living on a sunny coast you've got it better than most people just in
general Australia I mean we are truly blessed here at
New Life Baptist Church but it's still easy to complain
it's easy to whine and and uh God wants to teach us that even in
trials and challenges when it's not comfortable that he still wants us to
rejoice you know God wants us to be people of
joy and in first Peter chapter 4 verse number 12
it says beloved think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened
now this is a fiery trial fiery trial I guess is
like this is more than just a regular trial more than regular test this is
something that's that hurts because it's fire
you know it it's it's pressure you know it it feels like you know
your your life is being turned upside down but God is
saying even when you're going for this trial this
fiery trial it says don't think it's strange this is
normal God is telling us okay it says in verse number 13
but rejoice what like this is a this is consistent in the
bible but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers
of Christ's suffering that when his glory shall be revealed
ye may be glad also look with exceeding joy
you see the trials we go through the bible is telling us it's just a little
taste of the sufferings of Christ and if
Christ suffered and is going to be glorified
well as we suffer in life and we pass the test
we're also going to be glorified at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
you know the greater we've been refined by God the greater tests and
trials we go through in life the greater our resurrection and glory
will be when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back
to take us to heaven I mean I don't fully understand that I
don't fully grasp that but I know it's a blessing I know it's something that
I want you know I want God to look down
thou good and faithful servant that's what I want I want those words
to be said of myself and of every member at New Life Baptist
Church and to be glorified by Jesus say hey
you did well hey you passed the trials you didn't give up
you know you stayed running the race you you you kept your eyes
on on me the Lord Jesus Christ you know
that's what I would want our Lord God to say about us
but you see we can rejoice now but there's going to be exceeding joy
at the coming of Christ and if we don't have the trials we're not going
to be able to experience that exceeding joy
it continues in verse number 14 if ye be reproached for the name of Christ
rap be ye if people hate you because you're a Christian
God says be happy that you ought to be happy about that
for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you
on their part he is evil spoken of but on your part
he is glorified you know it gives God glory
when you're being hated for the name of Christ
okay and so I just want to show you brethren is that
trials challenges temptations they're there and our first response is is
should be joy the first point that I have is you know the trial of faith is
to help us understand joy that joy isn't just when
things are going well I mean I'm glad you have joy when
things are going well but is that the real joy is that the true joy is
that the fullness of joy the fullness of joy comes even when
things aren't going so well even when there's some trial before
you're like I just God I don't want to face it like I've really
dealt with enough challenges I don't want to face this one as well
but the right approach and I think I still have an area to grow in this and
maybe all of us do is that we ought to respond with joy
Lord thank you thank you for the challenge
thank you for the test you know thank you for this this
trial and Lord you're going to refine me you're going to make
something great out of me I'm going to have greater joy when I
succeed at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ
can you come with me to another passage in Psalm 94
Psalm 94 verse number 17 Psalm 94 verse number 17
the trying of our faith I don't know I don't think I've ever
said these words to God but I have thought it in my heart
Lord enough
you know it's I yeah you know I've never said it to God because I want to
be careful what I say to God but even if I said it I know Jesus
Christ you know he lived like a man he had you know he was
you know he was tempted like like we were in many points in life and
and our Lord God knows our frailties and our weaknesses but so I was like
Lord I just enough Lord I've been tested
enough I think I'm okay I think I'm you know
I'm satisfied where I am but the Lord no no I want you to be more I want
you to be something else I want you to learn I want you to mature I want you to grow
because the truth is even if we get to the point where we're satisfied where
we are we're still far away from the level of Jesus Christ
and there's a lot to that's that's going to be for the rest of your life
and that's not going to be accomplished until the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ but in Psalm 94 verse number 17
it says unless the Lord had been my help
my soul had almost dwelt in silence you know the sign is saying when he's
going through difficulties if it's not for the Lord he would have
passed away he would have he would have given up by now
okay then he says for when I said my foot slippeth
thy mercy oh Lord held me up in the multitude of my thoughts within
me thy comforts delight my soul
you know like I said the first point is to understand joy
thy comforts delight my soul do you want to delight but
notice that in order for us to delight in order for us to have that real joy
we need to be comforted by our God but how can we be comforted by our
God if we don't have some comforting to go through
some challenge some difficulty where we need a comforter
and I say Lord I don't know what the solution is right now
I don't know what you're trying to put me through right now Lord
but I need your comfort in the midst of this trial
and when the Lord comes and he comforts you and you know the Lord
loves you and he's guiding you and he's leading you and you know that you
don't have the answer but God has the answer
and you don't know how this is going to turn out good but God knows how
it's going to turn out good that gives a lot of comfort delights and
you feel like the Lord is close to me
but we need the only way we experience that is to be
discomforted right in order to need the comfort of the world we need to be
discomforted and that comes with the trying of our faith the
challenges the difficulties that we go through life
and it's going to delight your soul the joy
that the God of the universe cares for me
that he loves me that he's you know utilizing me that he's using me that
he's guiding me that he's directing me
he wants me to be something more he wants me to learn some lesson
he wants me to pass the test so I can be ready for the bigger test to calm
down the track
first point that I have for you brethren on the trying of our faith is
to understand joy and I don't think you fully
understand joy until the trials come and you are
rejoiced like when you're like pastor the trials come and I'm just so
happy about it then I feel like okay you've
learned the lesson you've learned that one
I'm still trying to learn it like I get it I get the lesson but I'm still
trying to get to the point where when the trial my faith comes my
first response is woohoo because the bible is so clear that
ought to be the right response you know when the trials come the
try now of our faith comes come back with me to James back to James
chapter one James chapter one verse number three please
and I do feel in general I'm a happy person like in general
even though my face people say to think I'm angry I'm not angry it's just I
don't know if my face is like that I'm sorry I'm actually quite a happy
person like honestly I really love my life
I'm in general you know but again when the trials come
it's not automatically joy it's sometimes
for a bit frustration sometimes it's like Lord why another one
why do we need another one right now Lord and I need to be reminded you
know I'm preaching this to myself just as much as I'm preaching it to you
but in James chapter one verse number three
it says knowing this that the trying of your faith
work of patience there's the next one right it work of patience and then
verse number four why it's so important for some four
but let patience have her perfect work that you may be perfect
an entire wanting nothing the way we would say wanting nothing
today is like lacking nothing being content being
satisfied we're in the position that we're in today
you know the world we live in is is like constantly throwing down our
throats why we should not be content the whole reason there's advertisements
and billboards you know and sales people is to tell us
that we're lacking things and you need to purchase this thing and that's
going to fulfill your life you know and so we we constantly have
you know we live in a society where you know you need to have the latest
whatever it is you know when I look at phones I feel
like they haven't really changed for the last 10 years in general
at least maybe even 15 years but you know advertisement you know market
will tell you you need the latest phone every single
year like that's the that's what's been you know pushed down you know our
minds and our thoughts and uh you know uh talk of
you know there's a lot of talk about the housing market and how it's
unaffordable and and it's true well it's true but the whole idea of the
media pumping that is so to make you feel like I need that I
I'm lacking that why does that some people do have and some people don't
have and I you know like this world is like
just constantly pumping at you that you know you're lacking things
and God is reminding us that when he puts us for a trial
it's to work patience and when we have patience like we think of patience like
I'm patient I'm not going to get frustrated when something happens okay
there's a part of that but it's to get to the points
that you go with your patience I'm okay where I am right now
I'm doing okay right I have the Lord God
he's all sufficient for me you know even if I've lost my material
wealth like like job even if I've lost family
even if my friends have turned against me even if the devil has destroyed my
physical body I'm fine boy
I want a level to get to I'm not there yet are you there I don't think
I'm there yet I don't think I'd be there like I
think if I lost everything like job lost
I don't know I don't know I don't know because I've not experienced it
but part of me thinks I'm gonna be a disaster part of me thinks I'm gonna
be very cast down and I'm gonna be cast down for a long time
and somehow job is able to go this is okay
I was born naked oh if I die naked so be it
it's not like I can take any of this with me to heaven anyway
that's like job is it's amazing that was a man who had patience
I don't have that level of patience just yet maybe that's why I need the
trials right maybe that's why you need trials
wanting you know that you may be perfect an entire whole
wanting nothing lacking nothing I just did a
dictionary definition for the word patient we know what patience is but
just wanted to get a bit of more of a
dictionary definition it says the quality of being patient or
obviously but the quality of being patient as the
bearing of provocation annoyance
misfortune or pain without complaints loss of temper
irritation or the like so when you're going through
provocation people provoking you when people are annoying you
when misfortune comes upon you when you have pains
that you don't turn around and complain you don't lose your temper
you don't get irritated that is patience from the dictionary's
definition and again is that us I don't think so I don't think that's
me completely maybe part me partly maybe I'm developing all of that but
there's still part of me that boy when things don't go according to my
plan I get frustrated the patience is without the
frustration this is okay let's see how the Lord comes
through and deals with this and yet you know so many times in my
life I'm like and you know because you've gone through
this you go through a situation okay how's the Lord going to deal with
this I don't know and then he does somehow okay cool and
you feel like okay I've learned the lesson I don't need to go for that
again and then hold on now I've got the next issue
I got the next trial Lord how are you going to come through I don't know
and then he does come through and he makes it better than you've thought
before and then you go for another one it's like Lord
again that idea Lord enough
and when the trials and the temptations get greater it doesn't
mean you're getting weaker it's that the Lord is saying to you you're
stronger you can deal with more you can deal
with greater suffering of Christ than you dealt
that we before and so your glory and your rejoicing
is going to be even greater at the coming of Jesus Christ
we need to grow as believers and with growing there's growing pains
and that's really what the trial of your faith is it's growing pains
but God is saying you're ready to grow when he puts you through that trial
don't give up because when you give up you're giving up on God God I mean
God's the one that's going to get you through that
right don't give up because if you give up that trial is going to come again
until you learn and then come again the same one again and again and again
until you learn I saw something maybe I don't want to
learn Lord because then the next one's going to be even more difficult
but the Lord knows that that's what you can achieve that's what you can
accomplish you know and I want patience you know
maybe that trial a few while you know years ago gave you some level of
patience and the next one gives you more patience more patience
to the point where you say I'm fine this is all right bring it on
and I'm going to rejoice like I saw earlier but the second point I have
is to develop patience can you come with me to Psalm 37
again keep a finger in James Psalm 37 please
Psalm 37
patience gives us self-control
you know people always like because I fly so often to Sydney you
know they always have the um the safety instructions and the whole
point of the safety instructions is that people would not panic on a plane
if something happens something wrong happens the likelihood of something
happening is so insignificant but they know how much damage
panic can cause you know like even if you're not the
strongest swimmer and if you're struggling in
like in the in the pool or the ocean they recommend hey just put your hand up
you know and hopefully lord willing the lifeguard will see you or someone will
see you but you know when you start to panic
is when you go down faster and if you're on a plane and people start to
panic then there's going to be more loss of
life if a situation develops because you need to stay cool calm and
collected as they say and that's part of the patience
developing that God wants in you right when
something doesn't go well God does not want you to panic and
give up and it's all lost no no learn and
and grow it and have self-constraint have some self-control
but in Psalm 37 verse number seven
it's so hard but like Simon's like this all the time rest in the Lord
rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him God wants us to be
patient with him yeah patient with our trial okay Lord
trial what's the answer what's the solution
God I need it I'm gonna be patient I'm gonna rest
Bible says rest in you be patient with you Lord
be patient with you I'm glad my wife is patient with me
because there are projects that I've started and I won't mention what they
are but there's one thing since
Christmas that I've not finished and my wife leaves me alone
I'm glad I'm glad not being nagged week in week out
like sometimes we nag God that's just patient with me
it'll get done honey don't worry but patience
right be uh rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him look at
Brett's not thyself that's like don't panic
but don't lose control Brett not thyself because of him
who prospered in his way because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to
pass cease from anger and forsake
wrath fret not thyself in any wise to do evil
okay sometimes that might happen when you've been trialled in tried in your
faith you might get that wrath at anger
another issue another struggle why sorry cease from anger forsake wrath
just rest in God say God you gave me this
trial you knew you knew it was coming you knew it was coming before I knew
and Lord whether you've allowed it I mean you've always allowed it because
if it's happening God's allowed it right you've allowed it
Lord help me to just rest in you Lord I'm gonna
wait patiently I'm gonna go to you God you know the answer you know it's
coming you know the solution you know when this trial is over you
know when this testing is done it says in verse number nine for
evildoers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord
they shall inherit the earth that's amazing I know look all of us
are going to inherit the earth because we're going to rule the reign of Christ
but we also know that in the millennial reign of Christ there are
different positions different levels of authority
the more we've done for the Lord the greater our positions and rewards
will be during that time but something I take away from this it seems like
even being patient and waiting for the
Lord elevates our status in the world to
come because they shall inherit the earth
we'll inherit the earth you know the you know the frustrations
that happen on this earth that upset us like get us upset
you know um well that's all going to go away
we're going to be here inheriting the new heavens new earth or the
millennial crisis put it that way and uh those that wait upon the Lord
we're going to wait for him you know patience requires us to
to wait on the Lord that means our full
dependence is on him like if we're resting in him
just like salvation I mean you know you're going to heaven I'm so
at rest about that I'm I'm never doubting I'm going to
heaven when I die why because you're a good person not
because I rest in Jesus Jesus did all the work
I'm just the same same thing rest in Jesus you done it
Jesus you did all the work so when I rest on my Lord
through the trial that I'm being tested for him he's got to do the
work as well that's what it means to rest on him
to wait on him
and also patience requires you to faithfully accept
that the Lord knows what you need
I know we think we know what we need like okay I need to pay the bill
yeah I need to whatever like you know we need to do this we need to do that
I need to uh run church services need to um
be there for blessed hope sometimes or whatever whatever whatever you know put
your life needs in place and what you what
needs to accomplish but the Lord knows more like if we're
resting in him we're waiting okay Lord
you know you know the answer you know the solution
I'm just going to rest I'm going to take it easy in you Lord
and I find that mate another hard aspect to develop patience
in the midst of a trial because my brain starts to
create all these solutions here's plan A here's plan B
here's plan C here's plan D here's plan E
you know instead of going all right here's plan A
rest in the Lord
I'm usually doing it I'm trying to do God's work when I'm going for the
trial and like what are we supposed to do
though like when you say rest we're not just saying okay just
don't do anything I mean just do what we need to do do
everyday life that we need to do according to God's word
according to instructions all right if there's an area in our life that is not
measuring up so that we know that the Lord needs
we'll need to fix that all right but you know we're doing what God wants
from us and the rest of it God's going to take
care of that trial he's going to let us get through
that experience and he knows the end result of that
so point number two brevity is it's to develop patience
to develop patience that we can say it's okay
I'm lacking nothing I've got everything I need it's all
in the hands of the Lord if you've got a finger back in James come back
for me to James chapter one and verse number five James the one
verse number five
you know how I just told you that when I'm going for a trial I'm thinking of
solution a b c d e well verse number five actually has
the right solution here James 1 5 says if any of you lack
wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and
upright if not and it shall be given him that's a promise Lord I'm going through
trial I don't know I'm pretty confident
you're all honest people and when you're teenagers and you
went to school whatever it was you never cheated on your test
did anyone cheat on the test ever did anyone ever write answers on their
arm like I did did anyone ever look at their students
oh
when that happens we're lacking wisdom so when we lack wisdom we have the
ultimate cheat code and it's okay it's a righteous cheating
God what's the answer
right God what is the answer and he says here
that he giveth to all men liberally God will give you the answer
and upright if not he's not going to get upset with you because you looked
at the his examination papers like God wants us to look at his word
what's the answer here it is the answer it's in my word ah
yeah I've got the answer now okay and it shall be given him but let
him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavering
is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed
you see another reason why God gives us these trials
or the trying of our faith is that we will gain wisdom
that we would not be tossed like the sea you know and uh
you know the waves are blowing this way or the wind's blowing that way the
waves are taking me that way and we just you know we just don't
know where to stand it's wisdom at the end that's the
whole point right the whole point of a test
when you're doing an actual test is to see how much
knowledge have you gained you know have you
maintained the knowledge that you had during your studies or during your
whatever your education what wisdom do you have at the end of
that test that's the same point it's like when
you get through it you know the idea here is that you
ought to be a little wiser I I see now
I feel I am a little wiser I don't think I'm that wise though
I do think over the years I'm a little wiser than I was when I was 20
years old a little wiser than when I was 25 a
little wiser than when I was 30 a little wiser than I was 35 and 40 and
43 now praise God for that but still hey when I if Lord willing allows me to
live 80 that's I'm getting much wiser when I'm 80 than I am today
so I still have a lot wisdom to learn but that wisdom
is not man-made we saw that wisdom say God I need
your wisdom Lord I need to cheat on the test
can you give me the answer can you give me the solution
I'll wait on you I'm gonna wait on you I'm gonna rest in you
but I know you have the solution for me the third point Brevin is to to gain
wisdom and um if you can come with me to
Acts chapter 7 come with me to Acts chapter 7 and
while you're turning to Acts 7 I'm going to read to you from the book of
wisdom the book of Proverbs Proverbs chapter 2 you go to Acts 7
Proverbs 2 verse 3 remember where to pray where to ask God for wisdom
well in Proverbs 2 verse 3 it says yay
if thou cryest after knowledge and lifteth up thy voice for understanding
if thou seekest her as silver and searchest
for her for as hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of
the Lord and find the knowledge of God wow
find the knowledge of God but it comes with the
fear of the Lord in verse number six it says for the Lord
giveth wisdom out of his mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding he layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous
he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly
for the Lord giveth wisdom so I'm going through a trial of my
faith right now the Lord's ready to give you
wisdom he wants you to pass the test and be wiser more knowledgeable
a greater understanding than you had before
I mean our Lord God is good he wants to give us
his knowledge and wisdom and understanding the knowledge of God
he lay up sound wisdom he's a buckler to them that woke up right
a buckler is like a shield wisdom is like a shield
so when you get lies and you know brainwashing thrown at you
you know the greater you grow the more trinal your faith you've developed
you develop a bit of a shield from the garbage the world keeps saying to
you sometimes all the garbage even here
Christians say it becomes a bit of a buckler like I need to hear that
rubbish give me the wisdom of the Lord
a bit wiser a bit stronger a bit more ready for the battle
you're there in act seven verse number nine
I want to think about joseph here it says in and the patriarchs
moved with envy
sold joseph into egypt but God was with him could you imagine
don't be being a slave like that's a horrible life being a slave
or taken to another country egypt and the people that
made your slave or your own brothers that you're supposed to love your family
your family betrayed you sell you to egypt like what kind of that's a trial
have you gone through that like kind of trial I mean maybe maybe you've
experienced rejection from your family
but have they sold you into slavery I mean I mean it happens
but that's horrible like joseph is a real human being he
lived in history it's not just some story reading a book
he went through this but the bible tells us even though he went through
this but God was with him
that's amazing so when he's thrown in the pit
God was with him in the pit when he's taken to the slavers
and he's been carried away into egypt God's with him on the journey all the
way what a beautiful thing to be saved
like to have our God with us no matter how bad how many trials we go
through and universal my tenant says because God was
with him it says and delivered him out of all his afflictions
and gave him favor and wisdom we saw that already the wisdom
in the sights of pharaoh king of egypt
and he made him governor over egypt and all his house
you know there came a dearth over all the land of egypt and
canan and great affliction and our fathers found no substance so I
keep reading we know the story but joseph became second in command
over the most powerful nation of the earth but how how did you
how did he do that he went through a great shrine of his faith
i get sad but God was with him it tells me that hey when when when
joseph was able to understand God's with me and he's able to see the hand
of God that joseph would have been joyful
joseph would have been patient
not only we're still here joseph gained wisdom
in his trials say what purpose so you can be the second most powerful
man in egypt and then when the famine comes and affects your whole
family affects entire peoples and nations
you've got the wisdom you've prepared you know what's going
through going through the hard times and you're able to give a solution to
everyone else going through a hard time
how do we apply that today when you see brother so and so or sister so and
so going for a trial that's similar to
yours you say brother i tell you now
God is with you i had a similar situation
not to boast of myself but God saw me through
i saw the hand of God i wanted to give up
i got frustrated but i've seen God come through and i know God's going to come
through for you as well joseph was able to help others because
of his trying of his faith you know at the end
of day that's what God wants from us he wants us to support
build each other up edify one another when we see that we're going through
different and look all of us are going through some trying of our faith
all of us smaller larger you know and this is where we need to come
alongside and pray and encourage and remind each other
that God is there because sometimes we forget at least i
forget sometimes ah issue problem came up why maybe God
wasn't there no he's always there he's just given me that trial to make
myself something more something greater to learn the wisdom to
learn to understand joy to develop patience
if you can come with me to um come with me to Romans
Romans chapter 12
and while your turn to Romans 12 i'm going to quickly read you from
Colossians 1 Colossians 1 9 because as i was preparing this sermon
i think i tried like faith i'm trying our faith and i developed this okay from
from what i could have seen james it's to understand joy joy to develop
patience to gain wisdom but then when i was
kind of going through the through the new testament and trying to see other
passages i realized that formula gets repeated
in other passages so one passage is colossians 1 9 i'll just read it to
you it says for this cause we also
since the day we heard it do not cease to pray for you
and to and to desire that ye might be filled
with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding that ye might walk
worthy to the lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and
increasing with the knowledge of god strengthened with all might
according to his glorious power unto all
patience and long suffering with joyfulness
just in that passage there in which colossians 1 you can see that he's
praying that the church would have all wisdom
spiritual understanding that they would be uh unto
have unto all patience and long suffering with
joyfulness like all those elements came into play when i was looking at
passage in colossians 1 line and so what that tells me is that
colossian church obviously must have been going
through some trying of their faith you're there in romans 12
look at romans 12 12 rejoicing in hope there's a rejoice
patient in tribulation there's the patience
continuing instant in prayer or continuing instant prayer whenever
where when we need knowledge we need wisdom we go and seek that from the
lord we go and pray to our lord god and ask for his
answer for his solution to our trial and our
difficulty i just started to see uh maybe there are other passages i just
you know when you start to look at a topic
you start to see different patterns in the bible that are similar
and so when i when i looked at that when i looked okay james colossians
romans and maybe other passages i don't know you've got this
trifecta almost the joy the patience the wisdom
all kind of combined in different passages
and i realize how important the trial of our faith is like it's actually
a concept that is going to be found throughout all the bible
and it's something that we're going to face all our lives
so we need to get used to it we need to understand that the trying of our faith
is going to come maybe right now you're coasting along
just fine maybe right now it's all breezy
it's all cool no issues really i think the trying of faith is coming
sooner than you expect because that's what i find when i'm
like oh no issues for all oh there okay there we go
there's the problem there's the trying there's the challenge
come back with me to james one james one there's one more point there's one
more point that i want to draw out of this
back to james one verse number 12
james one drop down to verse number 12
it says blessed is the man that endureth temptation
it's a there's a blessing for this is why for when he's tried
when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life
which the lord have promised to them that love him
the fourth point of the trial of our faith is to win the crown of life
maybe sometimes we fail in the trial of our faith we give up and we lose
and we you know well god gives another trial then god
gives another trial say why lord so you can win the crown
of life right blessed is the man that endureth
temptation for when he is tried he shall receive
the crown of life which the lord have promised to them
that love him so when the trial comes thank you lord
when the trial comes i love you lord thank you for giving me another
opportunity to win the crown of life
look we know once again when christ comes he wants to reward us
and again i don't know how to measure all these things up but some of
these rewards some of these treasures are crowns and one crown that god wants
us to win in life is the crown of life
look that is obviously going to be a precious ornament
in eternity you know if we wear that crown
you know we went through the trials we went for the shrine of our faith
and we passed and we passed the level where we gained we
earned the crown of life can i just show you another passage
you know revelation 2 come with me to revelation 2
because that crown of life gets brought up twice in the bible and the other
reference is in revelation 2 verse number 10 revelation chapter 2
verse number 10
it says fear none of those things this is of course jesus speaking to a
church fear none of those things which thou
shalt suffer behold the devil shall cast some of you
into prison that ye may be tried
sometimes that god allows the devil to give us hardships
lord why the devil so you can be tried
thrown into prison for the name of christ so you can be tried
so you can go through a testing a new challenge
it says here and you shall have tribulation or that's
troubles 10 days and look at this instruction
be thou faithful unto death
that's amazing some believers lose their life have lost their lives
god says be faithful you know what if you're going to lose your life in a
trial that's your timing that's god's timing for you though
that's it your you know god's perfect time in your life
it's time for you to pass away god says look these last 10 days of your
life be faithful even if it's in prison
wow you know count it all joy sometimes we see the apostle paul in
prison we see his rejoicing rejoicing his bonds he says
that's uh i mean to get to that point to get to that level in
christianity wow i feel like again i'm still far off
from that but then he says this at the end of verse number 10
and i will give thee a crown of life
wow what trying of your faith to get to that point
i mean that literally losing your life or being thrown in prison for christ
for doing nothing wrong but being a believer
that's a guaranteed crown of life right there as long as you remain
faithful as long as you remain faithful to the
lord you know you don't give up on the lord
you know you are you know it's working patience you you're rejoicing
you're you're gaining further wisdom from god even if it's coming to the end
of your life you know you're in favor to god in
that trial and he promises you the crown of life
well it doesn't look like we need to get to that point where we need to
you know literally be front in prison to gain the
but you know but the trials that we do have
think about that well god's given me another chance to win the crown of
life what is that kind of life i'm just i'm
telling you if it's the crown of life
it's going to be more valuable than life itself
you know if god is expecting some to lose their life over it
it must be worth much more than even my own life
great rewards great rewards in heaven you guys know this passage
matthew 619 lay not up for yourselves treasured upon earth
where moth and rust off corrupt and where thieves break through and steal
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
where neither moth nor rust off corrupt and where thieves do not break through
nor steal for where your treasure is there will
your heart be also you know god wants in our heart for us
to desire the crown of life a treasure in heaven that no one can
ever steal from me that will have for all eternity
how do i get that crown of life it ought to be a desire of our heart
how do i get it lord here's how you get it
the trying of your faith there you go you know overcome the temptation learn
the lessons find joy have patience gain the wisdom
be faithful and that crown of life will be rewarded to us when we see jesus
christ thank you for patience brethren in
summary just those four points the trying of our faith why does god
allow us we don't like it's uncomfortable being tested is not the
nicest feeling but number one it's to understand
joy number two it's to develop patience number three it's to gain
wisdom and number four it's to win the
crown of life okay let's pray