S1: Sometimes the solution to your problem is in your problem.
S1: That is, your deficiency may be the provision for your sufficiency.
S2: Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford,
S2: junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago.
S2: We're going to continue our study of James chapter one
S2: today with a message called Seeing Purpose in Your Problems
S2: and Pain. And as Pastor Ford pointed out, sometimes it's
S2: in the midst of our problem, in the midst of
S2: our pain, that we see the sufficiency of God show up.
S2: I think sometimes God allows us to get to the
S2: end of our rope. Maybe we've been struggling to solve
S2: this problem by ourselves for some time, but we're just
S2: making matters worse. Maybe we've been in pain for so long.
S2: You've finally come to the point where you've just given
S2: up and said, God, I need you now. And it's
S2: very often in those times of life where we finally
S2: totally yielded and surrendered to God that he says, okay,
S2: now that I've got your attention, now that you know
S2: it's going to be me. Look what I'm going to do.
S2: And he will meet us where we are. And very
S2: often provide for us more than we would imagine. And
S2: he may use that to grow us, to mature us
S2: so that our faith is stronger, and so that he
S2: may continue to conform us more into the image and
S2: the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. Well, that's part
S2: of what we're going to be looking at in today's broadcast.
S2: So if you can join us in James chapter one,
S2: as we continue the message seeing purpose in your problems
S2: and pain. Here is Pastor Ford.
S1: In southern Louisiana. There was an infestation of mosquitoes. Uh, now,
S1: this was before West Nile, of course, but, uh, it
S1: was serious nonetheless. Uh, I mean, uh, there was such
S1: a proliferation of mosquitoes. Uh, it was kind of like, uh,
S1: your relatives, when they find out that you came into
S1: some big money. Or if you never had that happen,
S1: just just come and do some big money. They come
S1: out of the woodwork. Well, uh, these mosquitoes were everywhere. Uh, now,
S1: to add injury to insult, uh, there was a threat
S1: of a hurricane. Uh, a small one in comparison to most, uh,
S1: not like Matthew category five, but, uh, this one was
S1: a category one. And so here you got one problem
S1: going into another problem. And I'm sure the residents, uh, were,
S1: you know, in a quandary, wondering, how are we going
S1: to survive this? Well, the hurricane hit didn't do a
S1: whole lot of damage. Uh, but when the hurricane was gone,
S1: the mosquitoes were gone. You know what that means. Say,
S1: what does it mean? It means that sometimes the solution
S1: to your problem is in your problem. You ain't going
S1: to pray with me. That is, your deficiency may be
S1: the provision for your sufficiency. In other words, it may
S1: look like a detriment, but actually be an instrument for
S1: being a supplement for your benefit. I'm working hard. Uh,
S1: look at Second Kings chapter six. Uh, remember in chapter six,
S1: there was a famine. And, uh, you know, famine is bad.
S1: That means no food. Now, for a lot of us,
S1: that's a crisis. Alright. Amen. And it says in chapter
S1: six that 80 shekels Is what it costs for a
S1: donkey's head and five shekels for a bowl of greens. Now, see,
S1: we we we don't understand, uh, the terminology. So what
S1: we'll do is we'll say what is the shekel? And
S1: then somebody will tell us, well, it's about six worth
S1: 60 $0.01 in our currency. But you can't look at
S1: it that way. Here's how you have to look at it.
S1: If you look back at that time, what did that
S1: mean for them? Well, the average person, it took them
S1: four months to make 30 shekels. Now, if you put
S1: that in our currency, that means it takes you approximately
S1: four days to make one shekel. Everybody still with me?
S1: I know. Okay, good. So it takes you about four
S1: days to make one shekel. That means five shekels was
S1: 20 days pay. So you had to pay 20 days
S1: pay for a bowl of greens. Now, wait a minute,
S1: wait a minute. So let's take minimum wage and figure
S1: this thing out. If you make $10 an hour, this
S1: costs you $1,600. I have it on sale today. But
S1: you get it. And that's serious, isn't it? That you
S1: pay $1,600 for something like this? That's what the famine
S1: had done. Uh, so they're they're they're having a problem, man.
S1: They they're in a they're in a bad situation. And
S1: so what happens? You know what happens? Uh, you got
S1: these four lepers. We study them already, and what they
S1: were doing was waiting for the food to come over
S1: the wall because they weren't allowed to be in the, uh,
S1: in the city. And so they were waiting for the scraps,
S1: and then the the scraps stopped. Now, wait a minute.
S1: You got a famine? You're a leper. You got problems.
S1: You got issues. Man, this thing is a test. You're
S1: testing in your health. Now you're tested for your physical well-being,
S1: your food, and then the food stops because everybody in
S1: there is hungry and they're eating their own scraps. Some
S1: of us know what that means. Somebody said, what you
S1: do with your leftovers. And my family, there never were
S1: any leftovers. Amen. And so now, I mean, don't miss
S1: the lesson because I think God stopped the scraps, uh,
S1: because they would have stayed there. And so the test
S1: was designed, uh, to move them because they were immobilized.
S1: And so what do they say? We're going to go
S1: to the enemy because we stay here. Uh, we could starve. Uh,
S1: if we go there, they could kill us. Either way,
S1: we're dead. So let's at least move toward where we
S1: know we might be able to get something. And so,
S1: I mean, you start walking and God starts working. Let
S1: me say it again. You start walking and God starts working.
S1: You know you ain't walking. Maybe that's why God ain't working. Yeah.
S1: And so what happens now? Uh, they get there and, uh, their,
S1: their effort. Remember, we studied this. Their effort was amplified
S1: by God because at least they made an effort to
S1: do something. So as they were walking for lepers, the Syrians, uh,
S1: thought they heard an army because God amplified their efforts.
S1: And so you don't always have to have everything you need.
S1: All you got to do is walk to where God
S1: tells you to walk, and God will amplify your efforts. Yeah.
S1: And so here, now they get there. And what happens,
S1: you know, the rest of the story. Uh, they get there.
S1: The Syrians thought they were army. They left. Now, when
S1: the Syrians heard that they had a famine, here's what
S1: they said, man. They're down. This is a good time
S1: to step on them, because there's a whole lot of people.
S1: They wait until you're down before they step on you. Oh, man,
S1: I thought I was in a praying church. anyway. I'm
S1: just going to let it go. Go on. Preach. Okay,
S1: I will, I will. And so what happens? What happens
S1: to him? They they say, okay, we're going to siege them.
S1: How long does a siege last? How many people know that?
S1: Two years. That's the average. So what does that mean?
S1: The Syrians came, and that means they had to bring
S1: two years worth of food. Wow. Man, it's hard getting through, y'all.
S1: And so they had to bring two years worth of food.
S1: So what happened? The Syrians became the Israelites food pantry.
S1: All I came to tell somebody is I tried to
S1: finish this thing, is that you need to understand that
S1: the Syrians became the solution to their problem. Which means then,
S1: as I said earlier, that the solution to your problem
S1: often is in your problem, that the solution to your
S1: problem often comes with your problem. And so that's exactly what, uh,
S1: happened to them. They went from insufficiency to sufficiency because
S1: of God's all sufficiency, because the storehouses are storehouse shelves
S1: of God are never empty. Psalm 8110 I am the
S1: Lord your God, who brought you up out of the
S1: land of Egypt. Open your mouth and I will fill it. Yeah.
S1: Psalm 84 one for the Lord is a sun and
S1: a shield. The Lord bestows favor and honor. No good
S1: thing will he withhold from them that walk upright. Or
S1: our favorite Philippians 419. Can you say it with me?
S1: Come on. That way I can get you to say something.
S1: But my God shall supply all my needs according to
S1: his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Amen. And so
S1: here it is. Here's here's what I came to tell you.
S1: James wants us to know. Sometimes your answer comes disguised
S1: as your problem. Yeah, that's why the songwriter said I
S1: have many tears and sorrows. I've had questions for tomorrow.
S1: There's been times I didn't know right from wrong, but
S1: in every situation God gave blessed consolation that my trials
S1: were only to make me strong. Through it all. Through
S1: it all, I've learned to trust in Jesus. I've learned
S1: to depend upon His word. So I thank God for
S1: the mountains. And I thank him for the valleys. And
S1: I thank him for the storms he brought me through.
S1: For if I never had a problem, I never know
S1: that God could solve them. I wouldn't know what faith
S1: in God could do. See, praise is what you do
S1: when you remember what God has done. Let me say
S1: that again. Praise is what you do when you remember
S1: what God has done. Has God done anything for me
S1: in the midst of all of your problems, in the
S1: midst of all of your trials, has God come through
S1: for you? Hallelujah. Yeah. And so James sang this song
S1: before Andre wrote it. He tells us, see purpose in
S1: your problems and your pain. And then he talked about
S1: five ways a mature believer sees purpose in their problems
S1: and pain. What we already did. I'm not even going
S1: to review. Uh, we saw, first of all, verse one
S1: that you submit to the regal prerogative of God. James
S1: is identification. Uh, servant. Uh, that's his dedication, uh, of
S1: Jesus of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's his affirmation. And
S1: so he said, listen, I submit to the regal prerogative
S1: of God. God is sovereign. Then we saw, uh, verse two,
S1: have the right perspective in your problems and pains. And
S1: so how you see the problem is the problem most
S1: of the time. And he says, you've got to count
S1: it all joy. Uh, then we saw that. He said, listen,
S1: you have to understand the refining process Cess in your
S1: problems and God is doing something in your life now.
S1: Verse three and four. He says, you need to understand
S1: the resultant purposes for your problems and your pain.
S2: Now we're going to pause right there, but we'll get
S2: back to this message. Seeing purpose in your problems and
S2: pain in just one moment. You know, maybe as you've
S2: been listening to this broadcast, there's been a question that's
S2: come to mind about a Bible passage or about how
S2: we apply this teaching in our own lives. Well, you
S2: can always ask Pastor Ford your questions. Just come to
S2: our website and click on the contact link. Fill out
S2: that note there, give us your feedback and ask any
S2: question you may have. Our website address is Treasure Truth
S2: Radio org. And while you're there, go ahead and click
S2: on the about link. There you can find out more
S2: about Pastor Ford and Christ's Bible Church where he serves
S2: as Senior Pastor. We'll link you to all that when
S2: you come to treasure Truth Radio. Back to the message.
S2: Here's Pastor Ford. Forward.
S1: Now I need to clarify something from the outset. You
S1: know what he's trying to tell us? When you're going
S1: through problems and when you're going through pain, don't pull
S1: out your hair. Pull out your Bible. Yeah, because God
S1: wants to reveal to us what? Listen what he says.
S1: He says knowing this, that the trying of your faith
S1: works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that
S1: you may be complete and entire, lacking nothing. He's saying,
S1: can I tell you something? Remember last week? Just just.
S1: I just gotta say it again. I just like to
S1: say it, that's all. It sounds good to me. Verse
S1: one God sent. Uh, verse two. Uh, God. Scene. Verse three. Uh,
S1: God shaped. Uh. Verse four. God supply. Uh, that's what's
S1: going on. He's saying, listen, here's how you look at
S1: your problem and your pain that God sent it. But,
S1: but but it has to be God seen. You can't
S1: look at it from a human perspective. You got to
S1: look at it from the divine perspective. Why? So that
S1: you won't look at it as adversity. You'll look at
S1: it as a university that you will realize God has
S1: me in school. And remember when the students taking a test,
S1: the teacher is silent. That's why God ain't saying anything.
S1: Whoever been in the taking a test in school and
S1: the teacher is talking while you taking a test. So
S1: God is shaping you. What's that? Capacity. Say capacity. And
S1: then verse four. God supplies. Get it, get it. Look
S1: at it. It's so well rounded. I sent this to you.
S1: You gotta see it the way I see it. Because
S1: I'm shaping you to fill you with something that's going
S1: to prepare you for where I'm taking you. If you
S1: don't go through this, you will not be prepared for
S1: what I prepared for you. So it's already there and
S1: it's waiting on you. I just have to give you
S1: capacity in order to deal with it. And God, every
S1: time he shapes something, he fills it. Let me borrow
S1: from a preacher I heard on TV. I ain't going
S1: to call his name. He said. God created the earth
S1: with capacity. And then he filled it. Uh, God created
S1: the seas with capacity. Then he filled it. God created
S1: the sky with capacity. Then he filled it. God created
S1: man with capacity. Then he blew into him the breath
S1: of life. That was good stuff. I shout about that.
S1: I said, that's good stuff. And so what God's doing
S1: right now? Come on. Say he's shaping me. Yeah, so
S1: he can fill me so he can use me because
S1: I'm going somewhere, and God's going to do something in
S1: my life. Amen. Amen. Yeah. That's what he's doing. Yeah.
S1: And so when you look at what's going on here,
S1: he wants us to know. Now, let me give all
S1: of it. Then I'll come back and just kind of
S1: review it for you. He says four things in verse three,
S1: B and four. He says, here's what God is doing.
S1: He says, he says this resultant Purposes in your problems
S1: and pain. Let me clarify them for you. First of all,
S1: God is testing our faith. What's he doing? Yeah, he says.
S1: Second of all, he's teaching us endurance. What's he doing?
S1: He said, third of all, he's taking us to maturity.
S1: What's he doing? He said, last of all, he's transporting
S1: us to our future or to our destiny. What's he doing? Yeah.
S1: So every time we look at it like God looks
S1: at it, we ought to be saying, okay, I don't
S1: like it. I don't understand what's going on, but bring
S1: it on, bring it on, because I know it's not
S1: going to make me better. It's going to make me better.
S1: I know that. Hey, hey, all things are going to
S1: work together for good to those who love the Lord
S1: and those who are the called according to it. I'm
S1: just happy, that's all. Because we go through some stuff
S1: all the time, don't we, babe? Mm. You know, in
S1: order to have a testimony. Amoni you gotta have a
S1: test because the first four words in testimony is test.
S1: It's amazing to me how many Christians want to be
S1: overcomers and ain't never overcame anything. Yeah. And so here
S1: it is. He says, listen, this is just a test.
S1: Now I need to get you to Bible class. So
S1: since you won't come meet me, uh, once again, I'm
S1: going to meet you. And there are five sources of tests.
S1: Let me give em to you real quick. I'm drop.
S1: I'm not going to push them. There's the satanic source.
S1: The devil. Oh, yeah. He will tempt us. He will
S1: test us. He's on us like white on rice. Like
S1: a duck on a June bug. Like stink on a hog. Uh,
S1: like grits on Al Green. Uh, like drugs on al heard. Yeah, uh,
S1: like a body shirt on a bishop. He's on us tight.
S1: I always like saying that every now and then. Yeah.
S1: And so he's on us and and somebody said he's
S1: not bothering me. That's probably because you ain't bothering him.
S1: Because if you don't meet the devil as you walk
S1: this Christian walk, it probably means both of you are
S1: are going in the same direction. First Peter five eight says,
S1: be sober. Be vigilant for your adversary. The devil walketh
S1: about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
S1: Oh yeah, he's looking for us, and he wants us
S1: to make God look bad. Then there's the secular source.
S1: That's the world. Uh, now there are three words translated
S1: world in in the Greek New Testament. Uh, this one
S1: is cosmos. Say, cosmos. We get the word cosmetics from it. Now,
S1: what is the world? Get this. Every woman ought to
S1: have this definition down. Because what do you do in
S1: the morning? You put on your bass, right? It ain't
S1: called bass foundation. Okay. Put on your foundation. Then what
S1: you put on next, baby. Well, you is looking so
S1: good and you're all dolled up. I thought maybe you'd
S1: help a brother out this morning, but you know what
S1: I mean. It's like you went in the mirror. You
S1: begin to look, you know, and you straighten out the weave.
S1: If you have one, or you put the wig on
S1: your head, you know, and you you made sure everything
S1: was arranged so that you could get those compliments. You
S1: look good this morning. What is the world? It is
S1: the arranged system that leaves God out. That's it. Of course,
S1: I don't have to make any comments about that because
S1: we know we're living in it. Third one, third one.
S1: The self source. That's the flesh. Remember, the enemy is
S1: the enemy, the old sin nature. That's why Paul, remember
S1: in Romans six said, who shall free me from this
S1: body of death? And remember that the the word picture,
S1: how many remember the word picture? Let me see your hands.
S1: I wasn't going to call on you. I just want
S1: to see if you remember the word picture. Okay. The
S1: word picture was if you committed premeditated murder and you
S1: murdered somebody, they would strap that person on your back
S1: and you would have to carry that person until the
S1: putrification from their body went into yours. And and you
S1: became diseased and died. That was your punishment. And he says,
S1: the flesh is like that. Who shall free me from
S1: this body of death? So, so, so so the spirit says,
S1: we're going to Bible study Wednesday night. And the flesh said, Uh-Uh,
S1: Empire coming on. We going to prayer. Uh, uh, scandal
S1: coming on. Yeah. So the flesh here. Here's the fourth one.
S1: Here's the fourth one. The situational or circumstantial source? Natural
S1: cause and effect. Galatians says it this way. Whatsoever a
S1: man soweth, uh, God is not mocked whatsoever a man soweth,
S1: that shall he reap. In other words, there are natural
S1: consequences that are situational or circumstantial that happen. It just
S1: happened because. Stuff happens. But here's the one he's talking
S1: about here, the sovereign source, that God will test our
S1: faith so we can know exactly how much faith we have. See,
S1: salvation will get us into heaven, but the test is
S1: to get heaven into us.
S2: You know God has a purpose in everything that we
S2: go through. I hope that you're able to see that
S2: with even more clarity after today's message. You're listening to
S2: Treasure Truth with Pastor James Ford Jr. You know, there's
S2: a lot of talk about the reliability of the Bible
S2: or about the inerrancy or trustworthiness of God's Word, but
S2: so often it's academic. You know, the question is simple
S2: can we believe the Bible? But sometimes the answers from
S2: trained theologians and professors are filled with jargon. That's kind
S2: of difficult to understand. Well, Pastor John MacArthur recognized this
S2: problem and decided to provide a solution. The result is
S2: a compelling and easy to read book called Why Believe
S2: the Bible? Now, this book provides biblical answers to common
S2: questions about God's Word, and then shows how to get
S2: the most out of the Bible into your own life.
S2: You know, this is a book that every Christian should
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S2: I'm Steve Hiller. Our producer is Amy Rios. Be listening.
S2: On Wednesday for the eighth part in the series called
S2: Seeing Purpose in Your Problems and Pain. Treasure truth is
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