WEBVTT - The Inner-Me Enemy, Part 6 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:03.920 Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:06.720 and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in 0:00:06.720 --> 0:00:09.960 the light of his glory and grace. Show me folk 0:00:10.160 --> 0:00:14.000 who had the right response to worship, and I'll show 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:18.000 you folk whose sinfulness dealt with itself. 0:00:24.880 --> 0:00:28.040 You're listening to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford, 0:00:28.040 --> 0:00:30.960 junior senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:33.239 I'm Steve Hiller, and glad you're with us. As today 0:00:33.520 --> 0:00:36.520 we continue our message from James chapter one. It's called 0:00:36.520 --> 0:00:40.720 the Inner Me enemy and pastor. As you point out, 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:45.360 once we really understand that we are sinners who have 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.760 been saved by grace. Sounds like you're saying the natural 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:52.760 outcome of that is for us to worship God. 0:00:53.159 --> 0:00:59.120 Oh, yes. And, uh, when we're worshiping, uh, we allow God, 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:02.960 the Holy Spirit, uh, to put his finger on some things. 0:01:03.280 --> 0:01:07.640 And I just find in worship we have a tendency 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:10.600 to want to be clean because we're in the presence 0:01:10.600 --> 0:01:14.120 of a holy God. I mean, that's Isaiah six, really. 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:18.760 You know, the bottom line is what happened. Isaiah sees God. 0:01:18.760 --> 0:01:21.959 And remember, uh, he says, in the year that King 0:01:22.120 --> 0:01:27.160 Uzziah died, I also saw the Lord. Most modern translations 0:01:27.160 --> 0:01:30.080 remove the word also. It's in the Hebrew text. And 0:01:30.080 --> 0:01:32.520 the reason I like it is because it shows us 0:01:32.520 --> 0:01:38.600 that simultaneously Uzziah dying caused him to see the Lord. 0:01:38.640 --> 0:01:41.240 He had preached for five chapters. You ought to be 0:01:41.280 --> 0:01:44.920 able to see him. But no, it was Uzziah's death 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:49.160 that brought about a clear vision, and that prompts me 0:01:49.160 --> 0:01:52.560 to say, I hope no one in our listening audience 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:57.640 has a Uzziah that's keeping them or obscuring their vision 0:01:57.640 --> 0:02:00.840 of God. But then remember, he sees God high and 0:02:00.920 --> 0:02:03.880 lifted up his train. Just the back part of his 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:08.800 robe fills the earth and the seraphim and the cherubim. Holy, holy, holy. 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:13.560 That's a worship scene. And then what's his response? 0:02:13.560 --> 0:02:14.720 He's on his face. 0:02:14.720 --> 0:02:16.040 He's on his face. I'm a man of. 0:02:16.040 --> 0:02:16.840 Unclean lips. 0:02:16.880 --> 0:02:22.079 That he confesses his sin. Nobody asked him. But in 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:25.720 the context of worship, as the fullness and beauty and 0:02:25.720 --> 0:02:30.200 glory of God is revealed, what is there left to do? 0:02:30.240 --> 0:02:31.880 Hmm. Get right with him. 0:02:31.880 --> 0:02:34.720 That's right. Yeah. And that's what he does. Yeah. Yeah. 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:36.320 And then he volunteers. 0:02:36.639 --> 0:02:41.480 Yeah. And, uh, I think it's so encouraging for us 0:02:41.480 --> 0:02:45.000 to recognize the fact that here is this incredible prophet 0:02:45.000 --> 0:02:49.960 that God used who still had to when he saw 0:02:49.960 --> 0:02:56.079 his sinfulness confess, get before God, worship him. And for 0:02:56.080 --> 0:02:58.560 me at least, it reminds me of the fact that, yeah, 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:01.470 I am a very flawed person. And if Isaiah needed 0:03:01.470 --> 0:03:04.350 to do that, then absolutely every single one of us 0:03:04.350 --> 0:03:05.149 will need to do that. 0:03:05.190 --> 0:03:08.910 Oh most definitely man. You know, on a consistent basis, 0:03:08.910 --> 0:03:12.910 I like what D.L. Moody said. He said they asked him, 0:03:12.910 --> 0:03:16.030 why do we have to be continually filled with the spirit? 0:03:16.030 --> 0:03:18.829 And D.L. Moody said, it's because we leak. 0:03:19.030 --> 0:03:22.990 Yeah, absolutely. Well, today we're going to be in James 0:03:22.990 --> 0:03:25.870 chapter one, so I hope you'll grab your Bible. Join 0:03:25.870 --> 0:03:30.430 us there as we continue a message entitled The Enemy, enemy. 0:03:30.470 --> 0:03:31.790 Here is Pastor Ford. 0:03:32.790 --> 0:03:34.550 So you look to God. Why do you look to God? 0:03:34.550 --> 0:03:36.990 You look ahead to see the conclusion, why he's talking 0:03:36.990 --> 0:03:40.790 about the judgment of God. Uh, he says, don't err. 0:03:40.950 --> 0:03:45.230 My beloved brethren. Don't get it twisted. Don't get it wrong. Hey, hey, you. 0:03:45.230 --> 0:03:48.790 You have to give an account to God. But then 0:03:48.790 --> 0:03:53.190 he says, look around. Verse 18. See the consistency? God 0:03:53.190 --> 0:03:53.910 is good. 0:03:55.630 --> 0:03:58.510 Focus on the goodness of God rather than your own 0:03:58.510 --> 0:04:03.830 faults and failures. And then he says, look inside. Verse 18, 0:04:03.870 --> 0:04:06.510 see the conversion. Now we've dealt with the gifts of God. 0:04:06.510 --> 0:04:08.510 Let me fill it in for those who are not here. Uh, 0:04:08.510 --> 0:04:11.790 Roman numeral one. He says, look, here's how you overcome it. 0:04:11.790 --> 0:04:14.150 The first aspect of God that helps you to overcome 0:04:14.150 --> 0:04:17.510 your sinful tendencies is the gifts of God. He talks 0:04:17.510 --> 0:04:20.470 about in verse 17, every good and every perfect gift 0:04:20.470 --> 0:04:23.470 is from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, 0:04:23.470 --> 0:04:26.630 with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. So 0:04:26.630 --> 0:04:28.830 he says three things about the gifts I can only 0:04:28.830 --> 0:04:30.590 give them to you. We already talked about them. He 0:04:30.589 --> 0:04:34.270 talks about the measure of the gifts. He talks about 0:04:34.270 --> 0:04:37.470 the motive of the gifts, and he talks about the 0:04:37.470 --> 0:04:41.510 manner of the gifts. So the measure, the motive and 0:04:41.510 --> 0:04:44.830 the manner. Let's move on. Let's finish it. The second 0:04:45.350 --> 0:04:48.710 focus we ought to have on God the Father is 0:04:48.710 --> 0:04:53.109 the glory of God, the glory of God. Listen to 0:04:53.110 --> 0:04:55.590 what he says, that every good and perfect gift is 0:04:55.589 --> 0:04:59.349 from above, and cometh down from the father of lights, 0:04:59.350 --> 0:05:05.070 with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Paul, 0:05:05.070 --> 0:05:09.070 what are you trying to tell us here? He's saying listen, listen, listen. 0:05:09.070 --> 0:05:12.430 Here's what you need to do. God wants us to 0:05:12.470 --> 0:05:16.909 worship him based on who he is. And so when 0:05:16.910 --> 0:05:22.109 we understand who he is, we understand what we need 0:05:22.110 --> 0:05:24.110 to do in response to who he is, because that's 0:05:24.110 --> 0:05:25.950 what worship is. Let me see if I can get 0:05:25.950 --> 0:05:28.550 you with me. He says two things here. You can 0:05:28.550 --> 0:05:31.870 write them down. The glory of God in His creation, 0:05:32.029 --> 0:05:34.870 the glory of God in his character. I submit to 0:05:34.870 --> 0:05:37.750 you that why he wants us to. In the words 0:05:37.750 --> 0:05:40.390 of the song, anybody remember it? It came out of 0:05:40.430 --> 0:05:43.870 hymn books. Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in 0:05:43.870 --> 0:05:46.750 his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow 0:05:46.750 --> 0:05:50.270 strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Hey, 0:05:50.430 --> 0:05:55.950 show me folk who had the right response to worship, 0:05:55.950 --> 0:06:01.230 and I'll show you folk whose sinfulness dealt with itself. Okay. 0:06:01.270 --> 0:06:04.430 Let me give you a couple examples. Isaiah chapter six. 0:06:05.029 --> 0:06:07.710 In the year that King Uzziah died, I also saw 0:06:07.710 --> 0:06:10.710 the Lord high and lifted up, and his train filled 0:06:10.710 --> 0:06:15.230 the earth. And the cherubim and seraphim hollered, Holy, holy, holy. 0:06:15.270 --> 0:06:19.270 He sees a worship scene. And what does he do? 0:06:19.310 --> 0:06:26.070 Immediately he falls on his face and he worships. Now 0:06:26.230 --> 0:06:30.510 he's got the right perspective of God. When he gets 0:06:30.510 --> 0:06:35.390 the right perspective of God, he then gets the right 0:06:35.390 --> 0:06:41.429 comprehension about himself. It falls in line. In other words, 0:06:41.430 --> 0:06:45.870 the closer we come to him, he's called the father 0:06:46.070 --> 0:06:51.070 of lights. Okay, I've done this so many times. I 0:06:51.070 --> 0:06:53.390 think I've told you a couple of times, too. Uh, 0:06:53.390 --> 0:06:58.109 but this is embarrassing. Uh, I, uh, you know, dressed 0:06:58.110 --> 0:07:00.670 to the nines. I'm getting ready to head down. Moody. 0:07:01.230 --> 0:07:05.350 And I don't like to be late. I know. But anyway, 0:07:05.950 --> 0:07:09.990 I'm on my way down there and somebody cuts me 0:07:09.990 --> 0:07:15.390 off on Dan Ryan. And, you know, I think something. 0:07:15.390 --> 0:07:20.870 I don't say it. I hit the brake. Whoo! Then 0:07:20.870 --> 0:07:25.350 I looked down. I got a dark brown shoe and 0:07:25.350 --> 0:07:28.910 a black shoe because I wear Stacey's. And so I 0:07:28.910 --> 0:07:34.910 have blue, black and brown all the same style I 0:07:34.950 --> 0:07:39.070 had on a dark brown shoe and a black shoe. 0:07:39.630 --> 0:07:41.350 I had to be late because I had to turn 0:07:41.350 --> 0:07:46.710 around because I wasn't going there with it. Now here's 0:07:46.710 --> 0:07:50.030 here's the. When I was in the house getting ready 0:07:50.030 --> 0:07:54.030 to go. It was dark when I went to the garage. 0:07:54.550 --> 0:07:56.950 There was a little bit of light, uh, but not 0:07:56.950 --> 0:07:59.830 enough to make a contrast. But when I stepped out 0:07:59.950 --> 0:08:06.190 into the brightness of day. Then I saw what was 0:08:06.190 --> 0:08:10.550 wrong with me. You get it? Yeah. When we have 0:08:10.550 --> 0:08:13.670 an encounter with the true and the living God, when 0:08:13.670 --> 0:08:16.150 we see his glory, that's what he's doing. He calls 0:08:16.150 --> 0:08:19.470 him the Father of Lights. So what's he talking about? 0:08:19.470 --> 0:08:23.470 The glory of God in his creation and in his character. 0:08:23.470 --> 0:08:27.510 So he is the father of light, in whom is 0:08:27.510 --> 0:08:31.270 no variableness. Or here's what he's saying. He is incandescent 0:08:32.390 --> 0:08:37.750 and he is immutable. That is John 812. Jesus said, 0:08:37.750 --> 0:08:42.630 I'm the light of the world. So guess what? If 0:08:42.670 --> 0:08:46.030 you go into the light, you will see there is 0:08:46.030 --> 0:08:49.750 no darkness. And if you're in the darkness, you will 0:08:49.750 --> 0:08:57.630 see there is no light. Ain't that profound? It's very obvious. So. 0:08:57.630 --> 0:09:01.540 So here, now, let me show you something A lot 0:09:01.540 --> 0:09:07.340 of our worship is get oriented, not God oriented. When 0:09:07.340 --> 0:09:12.540 the praises go up, the blessings come down. Show that 0:09:12.540 --> 0:09:16.340 to me. I've been looking for it. I've been looking 0:09:16.340 --> 0:09:18.780 for it. Show it to me. You know now it 0:09:18.780 --> 0:09:20.620 may be in there because there's a whole lot in there. 0:09:20.620 --> 0:09:23.780 I don't know, but I've been looking for it because 0:09:23.780 --> 0:09:26.580 the praises ought to go up, even if the blessings 0:09:26.580 --> 0:09:29.179 don't come down. So you mean the only time you're 0:09:29.179 --> 0:09:31.020 going to praise him? The only time you're going to 0:09:31.059 --> 0:09:35.939 worship him is when the blessings come down? No. In 0:09:35.940 --> 0:09:38.300 everything give thanks. For this is the will of God 0:09:38.300 --> 0:09:42.980 in Christ Jesus concerning you. So then we ought to always, uh, 0:09:43.140 --> 0:09:46.859 praise him, give him worship. I will bless the Lord 0:09:46.860 --> 0:09:50.460 at all times, and his praise shall continually be in 0:09:50.460 --> 0:09:56.820 my mouth. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let's 0:09:57.300 --> 0:10:00.660 exalt his name together. So here's what James is doing. 0:10:00.700 --> 0:10:04.339 Let me put you in the brilliance of a God 0:10:04.740 --> 0:10:09.340 who has given you everything you need and has glory. 0:10:09.380 --> 0:10:15.340 He calls him the Father of lights. First John one five. 0:10:15.500 --> 0:10:18.620 If we walk in the light as he is in 0:10:18.620 --> 0:10:22.100 the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and 0:10:22.100 --> 0:10:25.780 the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, cleanses us from 0:10:25.780 --> 0:10:28.020 all sin. Did you get that? Wait a minute. I 0:10:28.020 --> 0:10:32.620 gotta say it slow. If we walk in the light 0:10:33.140 --> 0:10:37.620 as he is in the light, then logical connector to 0:10:37.620 --> 0:10:40.380 show sequence. All I have to do is this. And 0:10:40.380 --> 0:10:44.940 what happens then? We have fellowship one with another. Who's 0:10:44.940 --> 0:10:47.500 the one another? He's not talking about us. He's talking 0:10:47.500 --> 0:10:51.780 about with God the Father. So then. So then what happens? Then? 0:10:51.780 --> 0:10:53.260 We walk in the light as he is in the light. 0:10:53.260 --> 0:10:56.540 Then we have fellowship one with another. Why? Because the 0:10:56.540 --> 0:11:00.780 blood of Jesus Christ, his son, is cleansing us, its 0:11:00.780 --> 0:11:04.740 present tense. As I'm walking in the light, it cleanses me. 0:11:06.260 --> 0:11:08.980 So then what happens? I'm in the light. I see 0:11:08.980 --> 0:11:12.620 all my spots. I see all the blemishes. Oh, God. 0:11:12.780 --> 0:11:15.620 I've been trying to do something about this, but it's 0:11:15.620 --> 0:11:21.540 not working. Now you do it. Anybody ever go to 0:11:21.580 --> 0:11:26.060 a matinee at the show? You go in and your 0:11:26.059 --> 0:11:31.460 eyes have to adjust because there's no light. But when 0:11:31.460 --> 0:11:35.219 you come out, it blinds you because you've been in 0:11:35.220 --> 0:11:39.740 the dark so much. Maybe that's why a lot of people, 0:11:39.740 --> 0:11:42.179 when they get born again, say they saw the light. 0:11:44.500 --> 0:11:47.660 This is treasure truth with Pastor Ford. A message called 0:11:47.660 --> 0:11:50.500 the Inner Me enemy. And we're going to get back 0:11:50.500 --> 0:11:53.940 to this teaching in just one moment. If we've never 0:11:53.940 --> 0:11:56.820 connected on social media, I hope you'll take a moment 0:11:56.820 --> 0:12:00.340 today and like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. 0:12:00.460 --> 0:12:03.140 You can access our Facebook page and leave us your comments. 0:12:03.140 --> 0:12:06.220 That way, you can also listen to today's program directly 0:12:06.220 --> 0:12:08.660 on the Facebook page. And if you do like us, 0:12:08.660 --> 0:12:12.340 we can send updates to your newsfeed. Now to connect 0:12:12.340 --> 0:12:15.300 with us on social media like Facebook and Twitter and 0:12:15.300 --> 0:12:18.540 other ways. Simply come to the website Treasure Truth Radio 0:12:18.540 --> 0:12:22.620 org and look for the Stay Connected bar on our homepage. 0:12:22.860 --> 0:12:25.939 There you're going to find the Facebook page, the Twitter feed, 0:12:26.100 --> 0:12:28.260 and a link that will allow you to download the 0:12:28.260 --> 0:12:32.180 Moody Radio app. Again, simply come to Treasure Truth Radio 0:12:32.179 --> 0:12:36.380 org and look for that link that says Stay Connected. Hey, 0:12:36.380 --> 0:12:38.540 just briefly want to remind you that this is a 0:12:38.540 --> 0:12:41.579 listener supported ministry and you can give your gift and 0:12:41.580 --> 0:12:45.820 support treasure Truth by coming to the website Treasure Truth radio.com. 0:12:46.620 --> 0:12:49.260 But right now, back to the message. Here's Pastor Ford. 0:12:49.860 --> 0:12:51.940 Turn to Psalm 19. Let me show you something real quick. 0:12:51.980 --> 0:12:58.420 Psalm 19. Psalm 19 gives us a threefold witness about 0:12:58.420 --> 0:13:02.660 the glory of God. So the heavens declare the glory 0:13:02.660 --> 0:13:05.860 of God. The earth shows forth his handiwork. Day unto day, 0:13:05.900 --> 0:13:09.380 utter speech, not in the night just proclaims the glory 0:13:09.380 --> 0:13:12.780 of God. This this Psalm 19 is very powerful. Let 0:13:12.780 --> 0:13:14.980 me just break it down for you, okay? Watch this 0:13:15.020 --> 0:13:19.980 in these verses. In verses one through six, he's talking 0:13:19.980 --> 0:13:26.740 about the witness in the skies in Psalm 19, verse 0:13:26.740 --> 0:13:31.420 7 to 11. He's talking about the witness in the scriptures. 0:13:32.620 --> 0:13:37.660 In Psalm 1912 through 14, he's talking about the witness 0:13:37.660 --> 0:13:41.140 in the soul. Now get this, get this. So he says, 0:13:41.140 --> 0:13:44.540 there's a witness in the sky. It declares the glory 0:13:44.540 --> 0:13:50.860 of God. All of creation says God is grand and glorious. 0:13:50.860 --> 0:13:53.740 But then the the, the witness in the Scripture talks 0:13:53.740 --> 0:13:59.179 about the greatness of God, that God is great and 0:13:59.179 --> 0:14:02.420 then the witness and the soul talks about the grace 0:14:02.420 --> 0:14:06.860 of God. Man, this stuff is powerful. So then the 0:14:06.860 --> 0:14:08.980 witness in the sky, verses one through six. The glory 0:14:08.980 --> 0:14:13.580 of God, his infinite worlds. Then the witness in the 0:14:13.580 --> 0:14:17.819 Scripture seven through 11, the greatness of God, his infallible word. 0:14:18.220 --> 0:14:21.500 Then verses 12 through 14, witnessing the soul, the grace 0:14:21.500 --> 0:14:25.140 of God, his inexhaustible wealth. Wait a minute. That ought 0:14:25.140 --> 0:14:27.620 to do something for us. That ought to give us 0:14:27.620 --> 0:14:29.860 a motivation, that ought to give us an impetus. I 0:14:29.860 --> 0:14:32.260 want to walk with him. I want to talk with him. 0:14:32.260 --> 0:14:36.620 I want to be with him. Why? Because everything I 0:14:36.620 --> 0:14:41.020 need to overcome. Why, why, why does my flesh draw 0:14:41.060 --> 0:14:45.260 me to stuff? Because I feel that I need it. Well, 0:14:45.260 --> 0:14:52.260 when I'm with God, what do I need? App solutely nothing. 0:14:52.460 --> 0:14:56.420 In him we live and move and have our being. 0:14:56.420 --> 0:14:59.020 And apart from him we can do nothing. It just 0:14:59.060 --> 0:15:03.410 reminds me of, uh, my oldest grandson when he was 0:15:03.410 --> 0:15:05.690 a shorty, and and we were out, you know, I 0:15:05.690 --> 0:15:08.890 started dating my grandkids like, I was dating my kids. 0:15:08.890 --> 0:15:12.890 I dated my boys, and I took him out, and, uh, 0:15:12.930 --> 0:15:16.010 I said, uh, uh, where we want to go, man. 0:15:16.010 --> 0:15:17.930 He said, uh, he told me where he wanted to go. 0:15:17.930 --> 0:15:20.610 I said, how much money you have for that? He said, well, 0:15:20.610 --> 0:15:22.770 I don't have any money. I said, oh, yeah, well, 0:15:22.770 --> 0:15:23.970 where do you want to eat? And he told me 0:15:24.010 --> 0:15:25.730 where he wanted to eat. I said, how much money 0:15:25.730 --> 0:15:28.810 you have for that? He said, I don't have any money. 0:15:28.810 --> 0:15:30.570 He said, what do you want to do after that? 0:15:30.610 --> 0:15:32.370 We'll go to the show. You got any money for 0:15:32.370 --> 0:15:34.370 the show? No, I ain't got any money for the show. 0:15:34.370 --> 0:15:35.810 So how are we going to do all this? Oh, 0:15:35.810 --> 0:15:41.410 come on, Papa, quit playing. You know you got it. 0:15:42.090 --> 0:15:48.210 And if you got it, I got it. Show you right? Yeah. 0:15:48.410 --> 0:15:51.090 And so he does what he says. Listen. So, so, 0:15:51.090 --> 0:15:52.810 so remember the last time we talked about this? What 0:15:52.810 --> 0:15:57.330 did he say? See, don't forget these things. Don't forget 0:15:57.330 --> 0:16:01.010 about the goodness of God. Don't forget about the glory 0:16:01.010 --> 0:16:04.370 of God. Don't forget about the grace of God. Because 0:16:04.370 --> 0:16:08.930 if we do, it leads us to our sinful tendencies. 0:16:08.930 --> 0:16:11.210 So I share with you the passages. We didn't go 0:16:11.210 --> 0:16:14.770 over them, but Israel was our example. He kept telling Israel, 0:16:14.770 --> 0:16:16.770 when you go in the land, don't forget you're living 0:16:16.770 --> 0:16:19.330 in houses that you didn't build. Don't forget that you're 0:16:19.330 --> 0:16:22.130 eating from fruit trees that you didn't plant. Don't forget 0:16:22.130 --> 0:16:25.770 that everything you have I gave you even the victory. 0:16:25.770 --> 0:16:29.130 The battle was mine. And so what does it mean 0:16:29.130 --> 0:16:32.770 when I allow my sinful proclivities to lead me to sin? 0:16:32.770 --> 0:16:36.970 I have forgotten these three things. I've forgotten the goodness 0:16:36.970 --> 0:16:39.770 of God. I've forgotten the glory of God, and I've 0:16:39.770 --> 0:16:45.410 forgotten the grace of God. And so here now, secondly, 0:16:45.410 --> 0:16:49.450 not just in his creation, but in his character. What's 0:16:49.450 --> 0:16:54.410 he talking about? Immutability. That God is not only incandescent 0:16:54.690 --> 0:16:58.370 in his character, he is immutable in his character. What 0:16:58.370 --> 0:17:02.530 does it mean? Malachi three six. I am Yahweh, I 0:17:02.570 --> 0:17:08.610 change not. He didn't change. Now what ought that to do? See, 0:17:08.609 --> 0:17:12.290 you got to connect stuff. If he's talking about sinful 0:17:12.290 --> 0:17:14.970 tendencies and he's saying, listen, all you got to do 0:17:14.970 --> 0:17:18.170 is you gotta focus on the goodness, the glory and 0:17:18.170 --> 0:17:21.570 the grace of God. And then he says, God's immutable. 0:17:21.609 --> 0:17:30.210 He doesn't change. You can have confidence that no matter 0:17:30.210 --> 0:17:35.490 what you're going through, no matter what is drawing you 0:17:35.490 --> 0:17:40.850 to it, you can depend upon the goodness, the glory, 0:17:41.170 --> 0:17:44.010 and the grace of God. He's never going to let 0:17:44.010 --> 0:17:46.210 you down. Okay, let me jump back to chapter one 0:17:46.210 --> 0:17:50.530 real quick. Watch this. When he's talking about trials now remember, 0:17:50.530 --> 0:17:55.010 now we switch right. One through 12 talks about trials 0:17:55.010 --> 0:17:59.970 on the outside. 13 through 18 trials on the inside. 0:18:00.570 --> 0:18:06.010 So then one through 12 is talking about circumstances, 13 0:18:06.050 --> 0:18:09.730 through 18 is talking about cravings. You know when you're 0:18:09.770 --> 0:18:14.010 wanting and wanting and wanting and want. Now watch this. 0:18:15.490 --> 0:18:18.409 He's talking about trials and tribulations. My brethren, count it 0:18:18.410 --> 0:18:20.570 all joy when you fall into divers temptations, knowing this, 0:18:20.570 --> 0:18:22.770 that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let 0:18:22.770 --> 0:18:25.490 patience have her perfect work, that ye may be complete 0:18:25.490 --> 0:18:28.890 and entire, lacking nothing. What are trials to do? Teach us, 0:18:30.010 --> 0:18:35.770 teach us. What else? Train us. What else? Take us 0:18:35.770 --> 0:18:40.930 to maturity. On and on it goes. Then he says 0:18:40.930 --> 0:18:44.730 in verse five, if any man, woman, boy, a girl 0:18:44.730 --> 0:18:48.250 is anthropos any man, woman, boy, a girl lack wisdom. 0:18:48.490 --> 0:18:52.890 Let him ask of God who gives to all men 0:18:52.890 --> 0:18:57.770 liberally and upbraideth not. I know that's King James. Anybody 0:18:57.770 --> 0:19:01.850 have NIV anybody have NIV nearly inspired version. Anybody got 0:19:01.850 --> 0:19:04.570 that version? No. No. Okay. All right. Check this out. 0:19:05.770 --> 0:19:11.210 Here's what it means. That God is not going to 0:19:11.250 --> 0:19:15.850 say I'm not giving you any more wisdom because you 0:19:15.850 --> 0:19:19.850 didn't use the wisdom that I gave you before. Now 0:19:19.850 --> 0:19:22.570 that shouts me. I got goosebumps because there's a lot 0:19:22.609 --> 0:19:26.850 of things that God has granted to me. Gifted to me. 0:19:26.850 --> 0:19:30.410 Grace to me. Glory to me. And I didn't take 0:19:30.410 --> 0:19:34.010 advantage of it. Yet I can still go to him 0:19:34.010 --> 0:19:40.010 and say, you know what? I need wisdom in this situation. 0:19:40.450 --> 0:19:43.690 And he's not going to say, I'm not giving you 0:19:43.730 --> 0:19:47.930 wisdom because you didn't use the wisdom I gave you 0:19:47.930 --> 0:19:50.290 the last time. That's what he's trying to get us 0:19:50.290 --> 0:19:52.929 to see. When he says that he does not change 0:19:52.930 --> 0:19:57.129 that God. God does not change. There's no shadow of 0:19:57.130 --> 0:20:01.729 turning with him. and so he uses it. He uses 0:20:01.730 --> 0:20:05.730 the sun because the sun doesn't change. And since he 0:20:05.730 --> 0:20:09.730 cannot change, we should never doubt his love. So verse 16, 0:20:09.730 --> 0:20:11.449 let me say it again. Look ahead and see the 0:20:11.490 --> 0:20:14.450 judgment of sin. Verse 17, look around and see how 0:20:14.450 --> 0:20:18.570 good God's been. Now verse 18, look inside and see 0:20:18.570 --> 0:20:23.610 how you've been born from above and possess the divine nature. 0:20:24.450 --> 0:20:26.609 So here it is. Here's the last one. He says, 0:20:26.609 --> 0:20:30.690 the third aspect of God is not just the gifts 0:20:30.690 --> 0:20:33.850 of God, the glory of God. He says in verse 18, 0:20:34.050 --> 0:20:37.649 the grace of God. I like the way he does it. 0:20:37.650 --> 0:20:40.850 So remember he said, look ahead, see the conclusion. Remember, 0:20:40.850 --> 0:20:44.210 a temptation is an opportunity to do a good thing 0:20:44.210 --> 0:20:48.410 in a bad way. It's the devil's perversion of God's good. 0:20:48.450 --> 0:20:51.449 He's not original. He can only pervert what God has 0:20:51.450 --> 0:20:55.169 created because he can't create anything. So God said, sex 0:20:55.170 --> 0:20:58.210 within marriage is good. And the devil said had premarital 0:20:58.210 --> 0:21:03.280 and extramarital Enjoy yourself outside of the will of God. 0:21:03.760 --> 0:21:07.000 Food is good. But he says, no, don't. Don't buffet 0:21:07.000 --> 0:21:13.840 your body. Buffet your body. Yeah, sleep is good. But 0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:19.040 he says, yeah, be lazy, sleep all day. So on 0:21:19.040 --> 0:21:25.200 and on. Money is good. He says love it. So 0:21:25.200 --> 0:21:28.960 he perverts what God has done. But notice what he says. 0:21:28.960 --> 0:21:31.440 Now here it is. I gotta drop these real quick. 0:21:31.680 --> 0:21:36.520 Notice in verse 18 of his own will begot he us. 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:44.800 That is God's plan. Notice with the word of truth. 0:21:45.040 --> 0:21:49.840 That's God's power, that we should be a kind of 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:55.159 firstfruits of his creature. That's God's purpose. Grace has a plan. 0:21:55.480 --> 0:21:59.760 Grace has a power. Grace has a purpose. 0:22:02.560 --> 0:22:05.919 You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford and a 0:22:05.920 --> 0:22:09.440 message called The Enemy. Enemy. I hope that you've been 0:22:09.440 --> 0:22:12.639 benefiting from this teaching from Pastor Ford. And if so, 0:22:12.680 --> 0:22:14.879 we'd love to hear about that. Where do you listen? 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:16.879 Why do you listen? And what difference does it make 0:22:16.880 --> 0:22:18.959 in your life? You can always give us your feedback 0:22:18.960 --> 0:22:22.919 by coming to our website. It's Treasure Truth Radio and 0:22:22.920 --> 0:22:25.919 click on the contact link. We recently heard from a 0:22:25.920 --> 0:22:29.679 listener in Florida who writes, Dear Pastor Ford, I'm truly 0:22:29.680 --> 0:22:33.320 enjoying and learning from the series. Until when do we part? 0:22:33.760 --> 0:22:36.760 You covered a lot of areas that I've lived through personally. 0:22:36.880 --> 0:22:39.480 I'm learning so much because God is talking to me 0:22:39.520 --> 0:22:44.400 through this ministry, and my understanding concerning biblical marriage has increased. 0:22:44.720 --> 0:22:47.399 You are the real deal, sir, and I thank you 0:22:47.400 --> 0:22:51.800 for your openness and your honesty to this listener in Miami. 0:22:51.800 --> 0:22:55.280 Thank you for writing, for letting us know that this 0:22:55.280 --> 0:22:57.920 program is making a difference in your life and in 0:22:57.920 --> 0:23:02.160 your walk with Christ and in your understanding of God's Word. 0:23:02.560 --> 0:23:05.840 What about you? If God is using this teaching ministry 0:23:05.840 --> 0:23:08.480 in your life, give us your feedback. Let us know 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:11.920 what difference it's making. Come to our website. It's Treasure 0:23:11.960 --> 0:23:16.359 Truth radio.org and click on the contact link. Well, today's 0:23:16.359 --> 0:23:19.960 message was called the Enemy enemy. It's taken from James 0:23:19.960 --> 0:23:23.360 chapter one. And if you've missed any of the previous 0:23:23.359 --> 0:23:25.840 messages in this series, you can always come to our 0:23:25.840 --> 0:23:30.080 website and listen online. Simply come to Treasure Truth Radio org. 0:23:30.400 --> 0:23:34.240 There you can stream programs, download mp3's, or order copies 0:23:34.240 --> 0:23:40.200 of this broadcast on CD. Again, come to treasure Truth Radio. Well, 0:23:40.200 --> 0:23:42.840 thanks for listening today. Thanks also to our producers, Amy 0:23:42.840 --> 0:23:46.159 Rios and Ryan McConaughey. I'm Steve Hiller. Treasure truth is 0:23:46.160 --> 0:23:50.320 a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.