S1: Somebody came in and they're tore up from the floor up.
S1: They don't know what to do. I'm going through all
S1: of this. God sent you here so I can tell
S1: you today. Don't you dare waste your sorrows. God is
S1: up to something.
S2: Welcome to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford,
S2: junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago.
S2: I'm Steve Hillard. Glad you're with us. Is today we're
S2: beginning a message called Seeing Purpose in Your Problems and Pain.
S2: And that is so true. Very often in the midst
S2: of our pain and our problems, we can't see the
S2: purpose that God has for us. But as Pastor Ford
S2: has pointed out a moment ago, if you're in a
S2: season like that right now, don't waste that now. I
S2: know you hear those words. Don't waste that. And you think, yeah, okay,
S2: I'd like to not, but I can hardly see my
S2: way out of what I'm going through right now. How
S2: do I not waste that? Well, that's what we're going
S2: to be talking about in this series, how we can,
S2: in the midst of the pain and in the midst
S2: of the problems, how we can grow, how we can
S2: learn to lean into the strength that God provides for us,
S2: how we can receive his peace, how we can actually
S2: mature through that pain. You know, one of the themes
S2: of the book of James actually is maturity. And so
S2: that's what we're going to be looking at as we
S2: begin the message today. If you can open your Bible
S2: to James chapter one, as we begin to look at
S2: the first 12 verses and begin the message seeing purpose
S2: in your problems and pain. Here is Pastor Ford.
S1: When we were in the Iraq war, uh, the story
S1: is told. It's supposed to be a true story, uh, about, uh,
S1: one of the attacks upon the the city that they
S1: were going to make. Uh, they were out by the desert. And, uh,
S1: the desert is right before you get to the city.
S1: And they wanted to attack, but it was raining. A
S1: group of Christian soldiers got together and said, okay, what
S1: we'll do is we will pray that God will stop
S1: the rain so that we can go in and get
S1: this deal done. And so they prayed, but nothing happened.
S1: It rained the next day. And it's unusual for rain
S1: in that region. And it rained the next day. And
S1: so those group of Christian soldiers got together and they
S1: prayed that the Lord would stop the rain. But it
S1: didn't happen. Third day they got together and they prayed
S1: that the rain would stop, but it didn't happen. Can
S1: anybody relate to what they went through? Have you ever
S1: called on God only to feel like he let it
S1: go to voicemail? Uh, you ever felt like God got
S1: caller ID and he knew it was you? So he
S1: just didn't pick up. Oh, yeah. You all. Y'all are holy.
S1: He always answers all your prayers. Yes. Okay. But anyway.
S1: And so they got together and and they prayed, but
S1: nothing happened. Fourth day, as they were preparing, the rain
S1: had stopped. The sun was shining. They were preparing for
S1: the attack. Uh, as they looked over that desert, there
S1: were thousands of shiny objects exposed all over the desert.
S1: They were landmines that if God would have answered those
S1: Christian soldiers prayers, many of them would have never come home.
S1: Much of the equipment that they had would have been destroyed. Uh,
S1: that they realized that God doesn't always give you what
S1: you want, but he'll always give you what you need. Okay.
S1: Don't shout me down. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hey, can I
S1: ask you a question? Say, ask us a question. Aren't
S1: you glad that there are some prayers that God didn't answer?
S1: I mean, when you look back and you think about
S1: him or her back, then God said no. And you
S1: look at them right now and you're glad that God
S1: said no back then? Okay, you ain't going to pray
S1: with me. I know why some of y'all some of
S1: y'all ain't responding because you ain't listening to God and
S1: you married them. I mean, you know, you're crying out, oh, God,
S1: I gotta have her because she's my dream. And God says, no,
S1: you can't have her because I know she's your nightmare. Oh, Lord, oh, Lord,
S1: send me my boo. I want him for my boo.
S1: And God says, no, he ain't your boo. He's your
S1: boo hoo. And I know how many of y'all are
S1: waiting on your Boaz. Come on. Yeah, he's waiting on
S1: your Boaz. And God said, God said, I ain't giving
S1: you him because he is not your Boaz. He's just
S1: a bozo. And so there are times when we are
S1: glad that God answers the prayer. No, see, these soldiers
S1: found out what I trust that we will find out today.
S1: And that is this there is purpose in your problem
S1: and in your pain. I know you don't believe it,
S1: but I hope by the time we leave here, I
S1: can convince you through the writings of James, that there
S1: is purpose in your problems and in your pain. Somebody
S1: came in and there tore up from the floor up.
S1: They don't know what to do. I'm going through all
S1: of this. God sent you here so I can tell
S1: you today. Don't. Don't you dare waste your sorrows. God
S1: is up to something. Amen. And so they found out
S1: there's purpose in our problems. There's significance in our suffering.
S1: There's treasure in our trials. Joseph found it out. You remember?
S1: We talk about him all the time. He was in
S1: the pit. He was forsaken by his family in Potiphar's.
S1: He was falsely accused by a foe in the prison.
S1: He was forgotten by a friend. Look at what Joseph
S1: went through. Abused, accused and abandoned. Wow. Yeah. Accused. Abused
S1: and abandoned. And you know what? Joseph did what many
S1: of us can testify to. Joseph succeeded on his back, right? Yeah.
S1: When you look at what he did, he is a
S1: mature believer. How do you know he's a mature believer?
S1: Because the scripture tell us that. But guess what? Uh,
S1: he's a mature believer. Look at what it says in
S1: Genesis 41 when he named his two children. How many
S1: children did he have? Oh. That's good. You've been reading
S1: your Bible. Now tell me their names. Manasseh and Ephraim.
S1: Who said that? Who said that? Raise your hand. Okay, alright, alright.
S1: See the smart people sit up front, huh? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Manasseh.
S1: What does it mean? Forgetting Ephraim twice. Blessed. Get this. Hey, Joseph.
S1: You went through the pit. The Potiphar's the prison. Come on,
S1: tell us. What about your experience? Come on, take out your.
S1: Take out your violin and have a pity party. Invite
S1: your three friends. Me, myself and I. Because you went
S1: through it, man. You know, abused by your family, man. Oh, yeah.
S1: Accused by a foe. Oh, yeah. Man a forgotten by
S1: a friend. Come on man, you can play. You deserve
S1: to play the violin and have a pity party all
S1: by yourself. And he says, no, I'm not. Have a
S1: pity party, because you need to understand that that was
S1: in my past. So I forget the things that are behind.
S1: I press toward the mark of the upward call of
S1: God in Christ Jesus. Uh, yeah, I was in the pit,
S1: but guess what? I forgot that because he twice blessed me.
S1: I was in Potiphar's, but I forgot that. Why? Because
S1: he twice blessed me. I was in the prison, but
S1: I forgot that. Why? Because he twice blessed me, Manasseh
S1: and Ephraim. So every time he calls him. Come here, Manasseh.
S1: Come here. Ephraim. He's reminding himself that he's a mature
S1: believer who understands that God has a purpose, and that
S1: my pain is not as great as what God's purpose is.
S1: It should always be subservient to what God wants to do. Amen. Lights.
S1: And so here we look at him. He's a mature believer.
S1: Now there are immature believers because, see, immature believers go
S1: through their problems. Mature believers grow through their problems. Yeah.
S1: Ask your neighbor, are you going through or are you
S1: going through? Come on, ask him. Go and help me
S1: preach this. Look at him, because you ain't going to
S1: say much else to me. Look at him and say, neighbor,
S1: is your Christianity a lifestyle or is it just a hobby? Yeah. Yeah.
S1: Because some people aren't being the church. They're just playing church.
S1: Some people aren't being the church. They just come to church.
S1: And so here we need to know that a lot
S1: of people are perpetrating they are generic and not genuine.
S1: Don't look around because we don't want you accusing anybody.
S1: They learn the lingo, but they don't live the life.
S1: They're shouting in the aisles on Sunday and they're living
S1: in the gutter on Monday. See, too many churches are
S1: playpens for babies rather than workshops for adults. In other words,
S1: they're growing old in the faith, but they're not growing
S1: up in the faith. And so a mature believer learns
S1: the language, lives the life. How do you know that?
S1: James says it. Let me tell you the context before
S1: I give you the content, because this whole book can
S1: be summarized in this way. Uh, what's his theme? Maturity.
S1: Let me identify for you a mature Christian. What does
S1: a mature Christian look like? Because we don't know. Here's
S1: what James says. Chapter one. You know, a a mature
S1: Christian by how that person thinks. Chapter two you know,
S1: a mature Christian by what that person does or how
S1: they act. Chapter three you know, a mature Christian by
S1: what they say. Chapter four you know, a mature Christian
S1: by how they feel. Chapter five just look at their checkbook,
S1: how they give. Just look at how they treat other believers,
S1: how they give. So he says, here's a picture right here.
S1: I'm going to give you the full picture. And remember,
S1: there's no conflict between Paul and James. It's just a
S1: contrast because Paul is looking from the divine perspective, and
S1: he says that salvation is by faith alone in Jesus
S1: Christ alone. And so Paul is looking down and saying,
S1: from the divine perspective, it is by faith and faith alone.
S1: But James is saying, listen, remember what my son preached. Uh,
S1: your faith works. If your work works, he's not looking
S1: at justification like Paul. He's looking at sanctification. That if
S1: you say, uh, that you've been a Christian for 20
S1: years and your life ain't changed, you still clubbing, you
S1: still making it rain, dropping it like it's hot, backing
S1: it up. You better check your salvation. Check yourself before
S1: you wreck yourself. If you're still down in a court
S1: of goose every night, you better check yourself before you
S1: wreck yourself.
S2: That is such an important truth to understand that if
S2: we truly are saved, our lives will change. And it
S2: doesn't happen only because of an act of will. Now
S2: there is a will that's involved in that, but it's
S2: because we desire to have this close relationship with Christ.
S2: It's part of spiritual maturity. What we're looking at in
S2: today's broadcast, seeing purpose in your problems and pain. If
S2: you ever miss a portion of this series or this broadcast,
S2: you can always come to our website and listen to
S2: each and every program online. Just stop by Treasure Truth
S2: Radio org. There you can stream the program, you can
S2: download MP3's, or you can order copies of this broadcast
S2: on CD. Again, just stop by treasure truth radio org.
S2: Back to the message. Here's Pastor Ford.
S1: So his question then on the floor. How is a
S1: mature Christian strengthen in their problem and in their pain? Here,
S1: let's talk about it. I've got five of them. I
S1: only got time for two today. Here's the first one.
S1: I want you to notice verse one, that you must
S1: submit to the regal prerogative of God in your suffering.
S1: That's verse one. Let let's look at it. James, a
S1: servant of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, to the
S1: 12 tribes scattered abroad. This is more than just a greeting.
S1: It's so packed full of powerful principles to help you
S1: and I. That's the principle. What James is saying is this. Listen,
S1: everything you're going through now, you need to submit it
S1: to the sovereignty of God. He has regal prerogative as
S1: the king. He can do with us what he will
S1: because he purchased us from the slave market of sin.
S1: We are not our own. We've been bought with a price.
S1: Therefore glorify God in your body, which is his. Anyway.
S1: You and I don't own a thing. We are stewards
S1: of everything that we have. The earth is the Lord's,
S1: the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.
S1: He bought us on Calvary. He owns us lock, stock
S1: and barrel, and therefore we exist. Oh, I know you're
S1: not going to believe this, especially if you've been watching TV. V.
S1: We exist for his glory. He doesn't exist for our glory.
S1: And so James wants us to know it. Now watch
S1: what he does. He says two things here in this
S1: text about this regal prerogative. He says God has the
S1: regal prerogative over our person, and God has regal prerogative
S1: over our problems. Watch where he says it, because here's
S1: what he does. James, the servant of God and the
S1: Lord Jesus Christ. He's talking about his person. And what
S1: does he do? I'm going to drop him. I'm not
S1: going to push him. First thing he does is give
S1: us his identification. James. Then he gives us his dedication.
S1: The servant. Then he gives us his affirmation, Lord Jesus Christ.
S1: So then James is saying, listen, uh, who was this James,
S1: half brother of Jesus Christ? And he wasn't even a
S1: believer when Jesus was ministering. He didn't get saved until
S1: after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And then, being not
S1: even knowing Christ as Savior, then became the head of
S1: the Jerusalem Church. In other words, he became the mega
S1: pastor over the Jerusalem Church, which is about 5000 members.
S1: About the time of the Jerusalem Council, acts 15. So
S1: he's got the first mega church, 5000 members and their
S1: disciples there who walk with him, see how he superseded them.
S1: As a matter of fact, he was also nicknamed Camel Knees.
S1: Ask me why? Because he prayed so much that the
S1: skin on his knees literally turned black and was like
S1: hide rawhide because he prayed so much. And that made
S1: me think, if somebody would label your knees by your
S1: acts of prayer, could they call you camel knees? Or
S1: would they say, never on your knees? Now. Now here,
S1: here it is. His identification, who he is. Here's what
S1: gets me. Here's what gets me. What a lesson. You
S1: know what it tells me? Say what? Don't ever write
S1: anybody off. Don't ever write. And we do it all
S1: the time. Don't. We ain't gonna never going to be nothing.
S1: Your daddy wasn't nothing here. You ain't going to be nothing.
S1: How do you know? Because maybe you take nothing to identify. Nothing.
S1: Don't ever write anybody off. Oh, let me give you
S1: some examples. Uh, this person was told. Why don't you
S1: stop wasting people's time? He went on his first audition
S1: for a movie. They said, why don't you stop wasting
S1: people's time and go out and be a dishwasher or something?
S1: That's what they told Sidney Poitier. And of course, you know,
S1: he's the second African American to win an Oscar, and
S1: he's the first African American man to win an Oscar.
S1: Don't ever, don't ever write anybody off. Uh, this person
S1: was told you lack creativity. You don't have any good ideas.
S1: So he was fired by a newspaper editor. Uh, his
S1: name is Walt Disney. You don't have any good ideas?
S1: No creativity. Don't ever write anybody off. He was cut
S1: from the high school basketball team in the first cut.
S1: Don't even bother to come back. You're never going to
S1: make the team. That's what they told Michael Jordan, the
S1: greatest basketball player of all time. His first comedy set.
S1: He botched it. He was booed and they booed him
S1: off the stage. He cried. Now Jerry Seinfeld is worth
S1: over $600 million. Mm. They said you're too stupid to
S1: learn anything. And he was fired from his first two
S1: jobs for not being productive enough. His name is Thomas
S1: Alva Edison. The reason why you can see me in here.
S1: This morning. Amen. This man was an engineer, and so
S1: he went to Toyota and he said, listen, I'm an engineer.
S1: I want to work for you so bad. Help you
S1: create concept cars and all of that. I'll be a
S1: benefit and a blessing to to the Toyota motor company.
S1: And they turn down. Uh saturo. They turned him down.
S1: And so Jiro Soichiro said, well, what am I going
S1: to do? And for years he was without a job
S1: with an engineer degree. Finally somebody said, Saturo, listen. You
S1: are creative and an engineer. Make your own stuff. So
S1: he began to make motor cars in his home. Oh,
S1: what's his last name? His name is Saturo Honda. What's
S1: my point? Don't ever write anybody off. Yeah, because you
S1: don't know what God can do when he gets Ahold
S1: to somebody. Look at me, look at me. Folk wrote
S1: me off. People would be out witnessing and wouldn't give
S1: me a track because I was pushing drugs. But look
S1: at me now. I'm preaching Christ. I went from pushing
S1: drugs to preaching Christ. I went from LSD. Try to
S1: get a PhD. I mean, you know, God is doing
S1: the thing and somebody will say, look at him, poor
S1: little welfare boy. Family of ten. You know, mama went
S1: third grade education. Well, I earned all my degrees except
S1: the one I was given. Yeah. Don't ever write anybody off.
S1: She was fired from her job, and she was told
S1: you are unfit for television. So the first job she
S1: had as a TV announcer, she was fired. Now she
S1: owns her own. And she is the richest African American
S1: in America. Worth over $3 billion. What's her name? Everybody.
S1: Same time Oprah. Now, I don't agree with her philosophy,
S1: but I sure wouldn't mind having some of her money. I.
S1: Will say I would too. And so what's going on here? Listen,
S1: he's saying listen, let me tell you about my identification.
S1: My name is James. But then look at his dedication.
S1: There are seven words in the New Testament translated servant
S1: or minister. And this is the one. Doulos. Doulos. Guess
S1: where it fits. Come on, holler out a number from
S1: 1 to 7. Holler out a number from 1 to 7. Seven.
S1: It's the worst term. It's the most abject term that
S1: one could use for slavery. And that's what he uses.
S1: Now you say wait wait wait wait wait. See? He's saying, look,
S1: am I suffering? I submit to the regal sovereignty of God.
S1: He could have said, God, my brother. He could have
S1: said James, if I'd have wrote it. You think he
S1: would have said James, the servant of Jesus Christ? James,
S1: half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what
S1: I'm saying? Ate at the same table with him. You
S1: know what I'm saying? In the same crib. You know
S1: what I'm saying? I am somebody. But he doesn't say that.
S1: He puts none of the relationship. He says, let me
S1: tell you, I am a slave to Jesus Christ. That's
S1: why he can do anything he wants. Because I'm a
S1: slave to Jesus Christ.
S2: You know, submitting to God in our suffering may seem
S2: like a challenge, but when we learn to trust him,
S2: then we find that there is a reason and a
S2: purpose for everything we go through. It's really an encouraging
S2: message today from Pastor Ford. It's called seeing purpose in
S2: your problems and pain. Well, with so many competing truth
S2: claims out there, why do you trust the Bible? Well,
S2: chances are you've encountered a question like this from friends
S2: or maybe coworkers who are skeptical about Christianity. In the
S2: book Why Believe the Bible? Doctor John MacArthur provides some
S2: satisfying answers to these questions and shows how to get
S2: the most from God's Word by trusting it as a
S2: source of truth and freedom. So contact us today with
S2: the gift of any amount, and we'll send you this
S2: book called Why Believe the Bible? Our phone number is
S2: 888 644 7660 or go online to Treasure Truth Radio.com.
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S2: but also as a trusted resource to give to a
S2: friend or a loved one who has questions about God
S2: or the Bible. So give a donation and support this
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S2: Our phone number is 888644 7660 or go online to
S2: Treasure Truth Radio.com. And thanks for helping to keep this
S2: teaching ministry on the air. I'm Steve Hiller. Our producer
S2: is Amy Rios. Join us again tomorrow as we continue
S2: the study on seeing purpose in your problems and pain
S2: here on Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford. A production of
S2: Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.