Standing Up Under Trials

Now, the one great purpose and object of my
message today is to comfort believers and encourage
the people of God who are subjected to heavy trials and burdens. When trials and sorrows and burdens
and sicknesses come our way, being flesh, we are tempted,
number one, to doubt the love of God for us, don't we? We're
tempted to wonder why God is pleased to
deal with us in this manner. and we doubt his great love. And secondly, there is a temptation
to question his providence, to maybe find fault with his purpose
and his providence and the way that he is acting and the things
that he's doing and bringing to pass in us and about us. And we feel like maybe There's
a better way to do it. Our way, perhaps. And then thirdly,
there's a temptation even to quit. To just let him have it
himself. Resign. And go somewhere else
and do something else. There's a great temptation to
just, just quit it. Tired of it anyway. That's right. You ever feel those things? If
you don't, you're not human. Also, when these times of burdens
and trials are heavy upon us like David of old, and David
is a good example, we wonder why God sends this our way. He
did when we're faithful to the gospel, and few are, and faithful
to his church, and few are, and faithful to his work. and generous
and we give while others despise the gospel, compromise the gospel,
are not faithful to the house of God, do not support His ministers
nor ministry nor missionaries, are troublesome and stumbling
blocks in the way of His people, and we're doing everything our
very beings can do. to honor his name, preach his
gospel. And then he sends these trials
our way. If you look at Psalm 73 with
me for a moment, you'll see David struggle desperately with this.
In Psalm 73, verse 3, he says this, I was envious at the foolish
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. the prosperity of unbelievers. Verse 4, there are no bands in
their death, their strength is firm. They're not in trouble
like other men, neither are they plagued like other men, like
your people. Therefore pride compasseth them
about as a chain, violence covereth them as a garment, their eyes
stand out with fatness, they have more than heart can wish.
Right now, they're on the creek bank. They're not worshiping
God. They could care less. They spend
all their time and their effort and their money and everything
they've got on pacifying and gratifying this flesh. They take
no stand for the gospel. They're compromisers in every
way, but they're prosperous and healthy and wealthy and have
no troubles. And influential. David said,
I don't understand this. And they're full of pride. And
their eyes stand out with fatness. They have everything they want
and could wish for. Verse 8, and they're corrupt.
And they speak wickedly concerning oppression. They speak loftily,
proud, arrogant. They set their mouths against
heaven. Their tongues walked through the earth. But verse
10, your people, God's people, who love Him, love His Word,
return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them,
a full cup of sorrow and suffering and trial and heaviness and heartache. And they say, does God know this?
Does God know? Is there knowledge with God?
Does he see this? Does God see this imbalance,
this miscarriage of justice and right? Does God see this? Does God know about this? Behold,
these are the ungodly who prosper, this thing's backwards, and increase
in riches. Hey, have I cleansed my heart
in vain? Have I washed my hands in innocency? All day long I've been plagued,
just constantly, chastened every morning. And then he catches
himself. Hold it, David, hold it. If I
say, if I speak thus, I'm going to offend against the generation
of thy children. I'm going to offend your people.
I'm going to offend the generations of those who suffered and died,
the martyrs who were put to death by these people, who were wounded
and harassed and persecuted by these people, who gave their
lives and their blood for the glory of Christ, who suffered
for Christ. If I talk like this, I'm going
to offend their memory. I'm going to offend generations
of thy people and those about me. But when I thought to know
this, it's too much for me, it's labor in my eyes, it's too hard
for me to figure out, until, until I went to the sanctuary,
I went to the house of God, I went to where the Word was preached,
I went to where the truth was preached. I went to where God
speaks. God speaks where his people are
together. That's when God speaks. That's when God speaks. Where
two or three are met together in my name, I'll be in the midst
of them. I'll speak to them. I went to the sanctuary. Then
I understood something I hadn't thought about. The end. The results. After this life,
I understood that the best is reserved for us who have Him. They're having their best now
and throughout eternities, pain and misery. The glory is reserved
for us. Inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled,
that fadeth not away, crown of life is reserved What they have
here is all they have, and all they'll ever have. And it'll
pass away. And I understood that. Because
you've set them, I understood therein, verse 18, surely you've
set them in slippery places, slippery places. Their foot'll
slide in due time. I don't rejoice in this. And
David didn't either. But he's facing the fact of it.
We're established on a rock. Our feet shall not be moved. We're not in slippery places.
We're on the rock of Christ Jesus. These are on slippery places. They'll full slide in due time.
They'll slide in slippery places. "...thou castest them down to
destruction. How are they brought into desolation? In a moment, in a quickling of
an hour, they are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when
one waketh, so, O Lord, when thou wakest. This is not, God's
not asleep. What He's saying is when you
are roused up. God is patient. David said, is
God clean gone? No, He's not gone. He's not gone. He orders all things. And one
day He'll rouse up. One day His long-suffering and
forbearance and patience. He talks about God waketh. at
their rebellion. Does God wink at sin? No, God
suffers it, permits it, puts up with it. But when the cup's
full, I've had it, he said, I've had it. When the cup's full,
their foot will slide. Because judgment against an evil
work is not executed speedily, men's hearts are set to do evil. It's like our day. A fella commit a crime and he
doesn't come to trial for two or three years, and then it's
two or three years of appeal, and then it's two or three years,
and after a while he doesn't go anywhere. If when a man committed
a crime, execute him immediately. It'd be a deterrent to crime.
A deterrent to crime. And that's what the Bible says,
because judgment against an evil work is not executed speedily. Then the hearts of men are set
to do evil. That's exactly right. They say,
well, I'm not going to have to pay for it. I'm not going to
have to suffer for it, so keep on going. When God arouses, when
God awakens, He'll despise their image. And verse 21, Thus my
heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish
was I, just a fool. even to doubt his love, and to
question his providence, and question his purpose, and to
find fault with what he does, as ignorant, as like a beast,
acted like a dumb dog before God. Isn't this confession so
beautiful, isn't it? Honest confession. That's what
this is. Why, he said, verse 23, I'm continually
with thee, you've holden my right hand, you'll guide me with your
counsel, and you'll receive me up into glory. I know that. Whom
have I in heaven but thee? And there's none upon earth that
I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth,
but my God's my strength, my portion. These that are far from
you will perish. You've destroyed all of them
that go a-whoring from thee after the things of this world, but
it's good for me to draw near to God." But listen, good for me to draw near to God.
I put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all His works.
So what I'm saying is this, if you and I experience these things. I don't need this. I don't deserve this. I don't understand this. What purpose
can this possibly serve? When you think like that, the
man after God's own heart thought the same way. Didn't he? He thought the same
way. But he got corrected. And that's what we're here for.
He said, I was stupid to think that way. I was just dumb. I
was like a beast. Why those thoughts ever entered
my mind? Why I ever envied that bunch of rebels? Why I ever felt
like you were singling me out for some special adversity and
affliction and infirmity when friends of mine who don't give
a tinker's damn for God or anything else prosper in this world? Why
I ever let my mind think like that? Why did I do it? Because I don't want anybody
but you anyhow, in earth or heaven. Isn't that right? So look at James now, and he
talks about this. He says in verse 1 of James,
he says, James, a servant of God, learned this. Let's learn
this, a servant of God. James never claimed any special
distinction. He could have said brother of
the Lord, he could have said apostle of God, he could have
said all these things, but he said, I'm just a servant. He claims no special distinction
except that which every believer has, a servant of God. And we
never want to rise above that. Seekest thou great things for
thyself? Forget them. Bore my ear, make me a servant.
That's the highest calling that anybody can have. Ron, Greg,
and Cecil taking care of this building and grounds to have
a nice place for people to worship, servants of God. That's as high
a calling as a man can have. High a calling as a man can have. Servant of God. I'd rather be
a doorkeeper in God's house than to dwell where a lot of folks
dwell. James, a servant of God and of
the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes which are scattered
abroad. Who is that? I know natural,
national Israel was referred to as the Twelve Tribes, and
they were named for the sons of Jacob. But James didn't have
those rebellious Jews in mind here, nor even the remnant of
the Jews. He had spiritual Israel in mind,
all Israel. Every believer is a member of
the Twelve Tribes. That's right, that's who he's
talking to. He's talking to those who Peter called them strangers,
elects. Born again, heirs of God. That's who he's talking to. A
general official is not to anyone in particular, it's to every
believer. Verse 2, he says, My brethren,
my brethren, count it, watch this now, hold on, count it all
joy when you fall under different trials. Now listen to me. Listen
to three things. Can you, do you have any question
about who he's talking to? This is not for the world. My
brethren, see, my brethren, my sisters, my family. It's not
for the whole world. Everybody can't understand this.
But my brethren can, my sisters. He's talking to believers, beloved. Not even the beloved are exempt
from trouble. In this world, Christ said, you're
going to have trouble. Trouble. Not even the believer.
All right, secondly. Count it all joy. Now hold on
here. I looked at this a long time,
for me and for you. All joy. The highest joy. Count it the highest joy when
you're trying. When you fall into different
trials, count it the highest joy. And I talked to Doris a little
bit yesterday morning about how to explain a statement like this. How in the world do I explain
a statement? Count it when you fall under
different trials and troubles. Count it, consider it. The Amplified
Version says, consider it to be the highest joy when you are
enveloped in trials. Well, I submit five things. in explaining a statement like
this. Number one, it's sure evident that God loves you. It's sure evident that God loves
you and that you're His child. That's what Hebrews said. Look
back just two pages. Hebrews 12. Listen to this. Hebrews 12. Let's look at verse
5. Have you forgotten The exhortation
which speaketh to you is unto children. My son, my son, my
daughter, my child, despise not the correction, the chastening,
the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked of
him or troubled of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he
chasteneth, scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. And if you
endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. But what
son is he whom the father chastened?" No. You mothers and dad. You look at neighborhood children
and you think, oh, they're so rebellious and they need correction,
but you don't do it, do you? You don't do it. You don't dare
do it. You correct yours. You discipline yours. You deal
with yours to make them what you want them to be. You pass
by the others. God does too. And if you be without
chastening, verse 8, if you be without chastisement, if you
be without trial, well, all of God's people are partakers. You're
a bastard. You're not sons. That's what
James is saying here. So you can't enjoy when God singles
you out for some deep water and some difficulty in trial. You
just give thanks. Well, I know you love me. I know
you love me. I know I'm yours. That's evident. Secondly, this is God's way of
using us, and we don't understand how. We don't understand when. But this is God's way of using
us to bring His elect to Him. That's right. Paul was sitting
down there in prison and writing to Timothy, and he said, I'm
in bonds, I'm in chains, I'm in feathers, but the Word of
God's not bound. But I endure these things, I
endure these afflictions for the elect's sake, that they may
learn the gospel and come to Christ. In other words, it may
be that God will afflict me, or you, and put us in a certain
place to witness to one of his own. I'll give you an example. Ted Thompson here was in the
hospital with a heart, severe heart problem years ago, up in
VA hospital. They brought in a young man with
an appendectomy attack, appendicitis, severe. He thought he was going
to die, so he made a, he made a profession of faith down there
in the emergency room. He got, he got saved. I hate
that term. I got saved. But anyway, some
preacher fixed him up when he was about to die. His appendix
was about to burst. They brought him up, got him
straightened out, put a tube in him, brought him up and put
him in Ted's room. Right next to Ted. Otherwise
Ted would have never met him. Isn't that right? He was up in
East Kentucky. And when he got able to talk,
he told Ted about his profession of faith and said, I got saved.
Ted said, you're not saved. He said, you just got religion,
got scared and got religion. He said, you need to listen to
some of my tapes here. The fella told me this. Ted didn't
tell me this. This fella told me this. He said,
you need to listen to some of my tapes. He gave him some tapes
and a tape player. He put the tapes in. That voice
came on, he said, that's that old man I heard on television.
This is a true story. That's that old man I heard on
television. Well, I talked to this man just the other night.
He's faithful down at Zebulon Baptist Church. Loves the gospel.
His daughter's a schoolteacher. She was baptized a few weeks
ago. His wife, his little son, his little daughter, they're
all there rejoicing in the gospel. And incidentally, Ted, this man's
going into heart surgery. Wednesday, this coming Wednesday,
y'all pray for him. He's just 40 some odd years old,
45. What I'm saying is that it's
God's way. I'm sure Brother Ted didn't want
to be in the hospital, but God brought him to cross the path
of one of his elect. That's so, that's just what God
sends our way. Brother Barnard told me one time,
he said, Henry, don't ask God to use you. He might use you. Unless you're dead serious. Dead
serious. Use me. Use me. All right. The way he uses men
is his way, not yours. The servant doesn't pick his
field. He doesn't pick his place. He doesn't pick his time. God
picks it. And He just might put you in
a wheelchair so you can minister to the handicapped. He may put
you in a leper colony to minister to the lepers. He might put you
in jail to minister to the prisoners. He might put you on an island
somewhere to minister to His people. But ask Him to use you,
get ready. Get ready. All right. Thirdly, why should I rejoice in trials?
Because God loves me. Because the Lord's using me to
bless His elect, bring them to Him. It's His way of equipping
us, thirdly, to comfort other people. And to be of help to other believers,
to comfort them. I know where you are. I know where you are. Let me
show you that in 2 Corinthians 1. 2 Corinthians 1, listen to
this. 2 Corinthians 1, 3. You need to mark this heavily
in your Bible. Read it often. Blessed be God,
even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies,
the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in our troubles, trials. Why? That we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ
abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And
whether we be afflicted, it's for your comfort and salvation,
which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which
we also suffer. But whether we be comforted,
it's for your comfort and consolation and salvation. So that's why
I rejoice, count it the highest privilege. Fourthly, I want you
to turn to 1 Peter 4. You've got to see this. 1 Peter
4, verse 12. It's Peter 4, 12. Now listen. Why count it the highest joy
when you have and I have troubles? Verse 12, I Peter 4, Beloved, precious ones, beloved, think
it not strange concerning the fiery trials which is to try
you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering. Stop right
there a minute. Our Lord was a man of sorrows. He was a man acquainted with
grief. He wasn't a giddy, silly fool as most religionists in
1994. He was a man of sorrows, a broken
heart, serious, acquainted with grief. He wasn't entertaining
sinners on their road to hell. A man of suffering. Our Lord
learned obedience for the things He suffered. Our Lord was hated
without a cause. Now here, Peter says, you rejoice
that you're chosen of God to be identified with Him in His
pain and suffering and sorrows and heartache. That's what, you
know what it says? Verse 13, rejoice in as much
as you are a partaker of Christ's suffering. What were his sufferings? He bore our sins and sorrows. He bore our heartaches. He bore
our trouble. He didn't have any of his own.
He bore others. He was burdened and broken under
their troubles and sorrows. That finished the verse. Now,
when his glory shall be revealed, you may be mighty glad with exceeding
joy. you're going to be mighty glad.
If he does use me or use you, you're going to be mighty glad,
regardless of what it cost, regardless of how difficult it was, regardless
of how painful it was. And then fifthly, we have to
be taught and reminded that we're flesh. The fashion of this world
fadeth away. We've got to be taught that.
This is not... Turn to 2 Corinthians 12. This is what the Lord told
Paul. 2 Corinthians 12. This flesh has just got to be
mortified, it's got to be brought down, it's got to be humbled.
It's so easy for us to get proud, self-centered, self-sufficient,
self-righteous. in our little, draw a little
circle around ourselves, and this is where I live and dwell,
and this is where I move and labor. This is me, me and mine. I don't care about what's going
on in God's body or temple or anywhere else. I'm interested
in me, exalted. Listen to II Corinthians 12,
verse 7, "...lest I should be exalted above measure through
the abundance of the revelations that were given to me." God made
him somebody and something, didn't he? But God gave him something
else. He gave me a thorn in the flesh,
a messenger of Satan to buffet me. Why? Lest I be exalted above
measure. Lest I'm rich and increased with
goods and I really don't need anything. Lest I leave my first love. For this thing I besought the
Lord three times, Lord, take it away, let it depart from me.
Take this away. And he said, My grace is sufficient.
My grace is sufficient for thee, and my strength is made perfect
in your weakness. So most gladly, therefore, will
I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ might rest
upon me." Be worth it, wouldn't it, to have him? to have him count it the highest
joy. Does that help? He loves me. My troubles and trials are evident. It's his way of using me to bring
his elect to him. It's his way of equipping me
to be a useful servant, a comforting servant, an encouraging servant,
to sympathize with others. It's a partaker of my Lord's
affliction. Man of sorrow is acquainted with
grief. You count it joy that you're
counted worthy to suffer for His sake. Because when He's exalted,
you'll be mighty glad. We suffer with Him, we reign
with Him. And then, you and I need to be brought down. We need to remember this, it's
not here, it's not here. Everything's so rosy and good,
I know, but it's marked for burning. You stamp this world, put a stamp
on everything in this world, marked for burning, marked for
destruction, everything. And why you want to accumulate
it? Why you want to get upset over it? It's marked for destruction.
The cares and riches of this world and deceitfulness of those
things do nothing but rob you of your joy. Too busy, too involved
with the things of this world. People and the things of this
world. It may, if he loves you, he'll deal with you on this thing.
He'll take them away from you. If he doesn't, maybe it's a sign
he doesn't love you. And notice this in verse 2, here's
that, my brethren, my family, don't count it the highest joy
when you fall into, when you fall into, see that word? Fall into divers' temptation.
When does a man fall? He falls when he doesn't see
the place. You don't plan a fall. You don't
plan a trial, God sends. You get yourself in some troubles,
and I do too, that you planned and finagled made a bad investment. That's your dumbness and my dumbness.
I did all this myself. And don't call it a trial from
God. You did it. You chose it. You chose it. But this is a fall. When God
sends a trial, you don't know anything about it. It's there
and you didn't know it's there. Mysterious. That's when a man
falls. A man doesn't plan a fall. Walking
through here and trip and fall. I didn't intend to do that. And
that's this trouble if it comes from God. Not planned. These are His trials. These are
not planned by us. Count it by eye's joy when you...
I didn't know that was there. I didn't expect that. He sent
it. Verse 3, I'll move along quickly.
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Let me deal with that just a moment. The trying of your faith. Faith
must be tried. You see, there's so much false
faith, there's so many professions of faith, and claims to faith,
and doctrinal faith, and theological faith, and Calvinistic faith,
and Arminian faith, and all these other, Baptist faith, and Catholic
faith, and all this. There's a lot of false faith.
So God must try faith. The trying of your faith. Got
to try. Why? Trials not only reveal faith. Trials reveal the absence of
it or the presence of it. But trials not only reveal our
faith, but trials strengthen our faith. With each experience, with each
trial, when it's there, unexpected, if you could plan for it, it's
a whole new matter. But when they come scent of God
that hits you suddenly, unexpected, unplanned, unknown, that's when
the true faith is revealed. That's what it is. Anybody can
plan these theological expeditions. I hear people talk about their
faith all the time. Well, I'm just trusting the Lord.
Yeah, that's waiting to see. Let's wait and see when that
wind blows you weren't looking for. Wait and see when God catches
you in the deepest part of your heart, where you live, where
you dwell, where you love, and takes it away from you. Then
you'll find out whether you believe God or not. That's when you find out. When
He brings, when He sets your fields on fire. And you'll run
somewhere, you'll run to Him or run to get some help. And
that's when your faith is revealed. And that strength, the more they
come, the stronger that faith gets. You see, the first, I never
will forget the first storm at sea. And you don't, no land anywhere. And the waves are going to clear
over the top of the ship. Frightening. But after you've been out there
two or three years, and been through a whole lot of them,
they're still up. The first raid, says Cecil. And you never get used to it,
but it gets easier. That's right. It gets your confidence,
your trust built up. And that's the way it is with
these trials that God sends. They strengthen faith. Come into
me and I'll give you rest. Learn of me and you'll find rest. That's right. They're never easy. They're never prepared for them.
They're never, they always shock you. They always, for a moment,
shake you. But then you, you look around,
look up, look here, okay, I'm ready. See what I'm saying? I'm
ready. It's all right. It'll be all
right. But the main point is here, knowing,
listen, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience. Patience. That's a whole lot
more here now, watch it scripturally, there's a whole lot more in this
word than, than than just resigning to something temporarily.
There's a whole lot more in this word. You look up this word in
your Greek lexicon, the back of your commentary, the back
of your concordance. There's a whole lot more than
just temporary quietness under affliction. This is, watch it,
this word means, listen, endurance. The trying of your faith worketh
Endurance, long-suffering, constancy, a waiting for the blessed hope,
a forbearance. All of these tests and trials
and experiences are sent to make us like Christ. That's our goal. That's the endurance. That's
the patience. Patience of hope. That's what
this Word's talking about. It's not talking about a temporary
thing. A today thing, something having
to do with this old flesh, this old life, because it's going
to die anyway. It has to do with holding on to Him, enduring to
the end, continuing in the faith. That's right. That's right. He hath by His blood made peace
with God for us if we continue in the faith. And that's what
this is all about. These trials and troubles and
conflicts and experiences are sent of God for one grand and
glorious end, to make you like Christ and me. For whom He did
foreknow, He did predestinate to be conformed to the image
of His Son. Whom He predestinated, He called. Whom He called, He
justified. Whom He justified, He glorified.
And that's what these things are all about. Joseph in the pit. What God's
doing here is not just giving him a resignation to pit dwelling. When he's in jail, he's just
not giving him comfort in his cell. All of this is working
together to get him to the throne and equip him to be a compassionate
king. That's right. And each thing
that God sends our way is not just to... So we can say, well, whatever
He sends, I'll take. Well, that's fine. That's fine.
And we must do that. But what He's sending, I'll take
because it's going to make me like Him. That's why. The trying of your faith is to
work, working in you. It's God who's working in you
both to will and to do His good pleasure. And it's your father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom. That's what this is all about.
This is not just a stop along the road. This is the road. Look
at this. Let patience have her perfect
work. Let patience have her perfect work. Let the will of God be
done, that I may be like Him. that you may be perfect like
Christ, entire, complete in Him, wanting, needing nothing. He's
made you meet sufficient for His kingdom. All this is necessary. If any man... Now watch this.
You've got to see this. If any of you like wisdom...
Now what we've been taught here... Now look at me and listen a minute.
What we've been taught here is the right way. I've taught you
the truth here. God's way. This is the treasure
to be sought. This is the attitude to be sought.
This is the treasure to be gained. You say, well, preacher, I need submission to this. I need the wisdom to recognize
this. I need the grace to submit. I need the heart to surrender. I need an attitude that's right. Do you? Ask God. If any of you lack wisdom, what
is wisdom? Christ, submission to Christ,
surrender to Christ, love for Christ. You like that? Ask Him. Lord, I'm troubled over
this trial. Talk to Him. Give me help. My
Lord did. He went into the garden and He
said, let this cup pass from me. He struggled. So if you like
wisdom, if you like submission, if you like the right attitude,
let him ask of God, help me, that give it to all, leave out
the word men, all liberally. He'll help. Don't run to the
preacher. He can't give you anything. He
had to get it somewhere. He ain't got anything to spare.
That's what became when they had the oil and the lamps and
the other fellas did. They said, give us your oil. I ain't got
nothing to spare. You'd have to go to Him who gives
oil. Go to Him. He gives liberally and He won't
scold you. I wouldn't want to tell God how
I feel. He knows. He's not going to scold you.
He's not going to upbraid you. Lord, David cried over himself,
I'm like a beast. I'm like a dumb and ignorant.
I found fault with your providence. Forgive me. All right. Ain't
no problem with that. It'll be given to him. But hang
on now, verse 6. Hang on. But before you ask him,
you got to settle one thing. Is this really what you want?
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. Do you want his way
or yours? Saddle that before you come.
Do you want his glory or yours? Saddle that before you come.
Do you want his providence and purpose or my comfort and ease? Saddle it. Do you want prosper
in this world or prosper in God's kingdom? Saddle that. Don't you
dare come to him before that saddle. That's what this is saying. You like understanding? You like
wisdom? You like those things and these
things of God, and the matters of God, and the kingdom of God,
and the relationship with Christ? You ask Him, He'll give it to
you. But you better watch out. Don't you come to Him with a
hypocritical, wavering spirit. He that wavereth is like a wave
of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. And don't let that
person think he's going to get anything from God. Nothing. Nothing. That's what he said. Lord, I want to be yours. Whatever
the cost, whatever the difficulty, whatever the trial, I want your
way, I want your presence, I want to be like Abraham, your friend.
All right, you might have to send Ishmael off. Okay, I'll
do that. Might have to take Isaac up on
the mountain. I'd be fine too. You settle that before you ever
ask him. Don't you ask him. But God's
not giving any help or wisdom or grace to anybody who's got
a divided heart. I'm going to hang on to this,
but I want some of that too.

Standing Up Under Trials

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Standing Up Under Trials

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