Testing your Faith
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· 718 viewsThe reason God tests your faith is because he wants to strengthen you and bring you closer to him!
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I’m very excited about the message this evening. I hope It is a blessing for you and I believe it will you just need ot be looking for it and God will bless you.
This is the message I preached for our church today in Mexico and well Im just excited to share it with you. This is a new message that not even my wife has heard yet!
So without further ado lets look at James chapter 1 and verses 1-8 this evening.
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Lets Pray
In Limestone County, Alabama, Christopher James Shock, 32, was arrested for counterfeiting after a garbage collector spotted bags filled with bills in Shock's trash cans and called police. A clue that the money was funny is that one of the $50 notes was printed on a the back of a receipt from Alabama Pardons and Paroles.
The title of my message today is “Testing your faith.”
Big Idea:
The reason God tests your faith is because he wants to strengthen you and bring you closer to him!
Sermon:
Have you ever seen a counterfeit item? Counterfeiting is a serious problem in the world today. Anything valuable now days people try to counterfeit it and sell it off as legitimate. Money, credit cards, jewelry, art, and many other things are forged and sold to deceive people every day.
This is also tru for the most valuable commodity of all- saving faith. A right relationship with the almighty God is priceless and those who think they have salvation should carefully examine it to determine if it’s real or not. This is one thing you want to be sure your not being fool about.
To be deceived by counterfeit money or art would only result in a temporal loss while being deceived about your eternity would result in eternal tragedy!
The master counterfeiter of saving faith is Satan an he disguises himself as an “angle of light” as seen in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. He along with his minions deceive many through false systems of religion, even false forms of Christianity.
Thinking they are on the narrow path that leads to heaven, those who are trapped in counterfeit religion, or who simply trust in their personal concept of salvation, are actually on the way to eternal damnation.
However, this still extends into biblical Christianity who are deluded about their salvation. To be deceived about one’s salvation is the most dangerous and frightening delusion possible!
At then end of the sermon on the mount Christ graphically explains this tragedy.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Because this is such a serious matter the word of God continually calls for professed salvation to be tested for validity.
Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night;
Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing;
I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
In this verse David declared the results of God testing his faith. He also said in
Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity:
I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide.
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me;
Try my reins and my heart.
Also in
Search me, O God, and know my heart:
Try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there be any wicked way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.
After the destruction of Jerusalem, Jeremiah cried out to the Israelites
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.
Through Ezekiel, the Lord says of the genuinely repentant man
Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Also through the prophet Haggai, the Lord exhorts his people to “Consider your ways.” In Haggai 1:5,7.
The New Testament as well stresses the need of testing ones faith. John the Baptist challenged the religious leaders of his day to “Bring forth therefore fruit meet for repentance.” And of course there are several other examples in the New Testament we just do not have time to dive into all of them.
The direct result of saving faith is a life of good works, and it is for this reason Christ redeemed the church. After declaring that salvation is by grace alone, Paul reminds believers that
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
He also wrote to Titus
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
The writer of Hebrews also warned his readers
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
The fearful possibility of missing out on true salvation calls for a through self-examination of our salvation. When the writer of Hebrews illustrated the essence of saving faith, he described the courageous obedience of Old Testament believers who demonstrated their salvation in live of loyalty and faithfulness to God. We have this recorded for us in Hebrews 11.
The first epistle of John mentions many marks of genuine faith. It must go beyond just verbal profession and must include obedience to God. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not preaching works for salvation but rather works because of salvation. I just want to make that clear. Those of us who are redeemed are marked by four things
By not loving the world
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
What do you love? where is your priorities? Do you love the Word of God? If you do when was the last time you read it? When was the Last time you studied it? Do you love the church? Christ Loves the church! so do you love what God loves? How faithful are you to the house of God?
Let’s move on before I get into trouble.
2. By living a righteous life
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
Are you living a righteous life? If i were to ask your spouse or your children would them tell me that you display the fruits of the Spirit?
3. By forsaking and avoiding sin
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
Now we know we still sin because we are still flesh but praise God one day we will have our glorified bodies and we wont have to worry about sin any longer!!
Somebody say amen!
4. and By loving fellow believers
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
Christian, do you live in unity with the saints? or do you bicker and fight every chance you get?
Out of all the scripture we looked at and didn’t look at there is none that more clearly presents the test of true and living faith than the sermon on the mount. In this sermon Christ puts out an extensive series of tests aimed at showing the self-righteous Jews (aka the proud, boastful, self-satisfying scribes and pharisees.)(Sound like anyone you know? check your heart before you point any fingers!) This showed them how short of genuine salvation they fell. By doing this he showed their false religion, hypocrisy, and counterfeit salvation.
The first part of this sermon on the mount begins with the beatitudes. These are the attitudes that are too accompany genuine salvation. Things like meekness, mercy, joy in persecution, humility, a sense of sinfulness, and a deep longing for righteousness.
The next section of the sermon on the mount reveals the outworking of these virtues in the lives of the redeemed, who are the “salt and light” in the evil, dark, fallen world.
True salvation will be marked by these 5 things:
By a genuine commitment to the Word of God (Matthew 5:17-20)
I love my bible! I love the Word of God. when I miss a day of reading I feel like i have failed and something is missing in my life. for the past two years I have been keeping track of my bible reading and for the past two years there has not been a day I have missed reading my bible.
Now, there has been days where I haven’t read as much as others. But I have made sure to make it a priority in my life! not because I’m special or anything but its because I love God and his Word and I want, I have a desire, I know God more.
Do you have a genuine commitment to the Word of God?
2. By external righteous behavior that stems from internal righteousness of the heart (Matthew 5:21-48)
Friends, The only way we can live a righteous life is through the grace of God. But we will never know how to life that shining gospel centered life God wants us to live if we are rarely in the book!
3. By proper worship (Matthew 6:1-18)
I’m thankful for your pastor and his genuine desire to worship God not only biblically but also out of a pure heart.
Young people listen to me. I honestly believe one of the reasons God called me to be a missionary and for the reason God is using me to reach people for him is because when I was a child and young man I listened to the Preacher and listened to the songs that were sung and made them personal.
I never thought “Wow, so and so could use that message or they need to listen to that song.” No I always said “Wow, I need that message and I need that song.” I tried to apply what I heard and read to my life rather that others. I wanted to worship God alone.
Friends, hows your worship? I’m not talking about your worship here in the church house but I’m talking about when your alone or at home or on the job. Are you worshiping and honoring the King?
4. By a correct view of money and material possessions (Matthew 6:19-43)
God has entrusted us with money and material things. We need to be asking God how he wants us to handle those things. We know we should give our tithes but we should be asking how much do we give to missions, the building fund, ect.
God has blessed us with things and are we using them to bring honor and glory to his name? The woman in the old testament that made a room for the prophet Elijah to stay when he was passing through used what she had and God blessed her for it.
What can you do to bring honor to God?
5. and By right personal relationships (Matthew 7:1-12)
We need to have right relationships with the lost so we can point them to Christ. However we must also have a right relationship with other saints as well. Because if the world sees us fighting all the time they are not going to want what we have!
Jesus concludes the sermon on the mount by describing two paths: The broad path that leads to destruction and the narrow that leads to life, which he exhorted his hearers to follow.
Studying James its clear that he was greatly influenced by the sermon on the mount. I’m sure these were truths he either heard in this message or on many other occasions by Jesus and his followers. Many of its themes have parallels in his epistle. In fact the book of James is even sometimes referred to some as a practical commentary on the sermon on the mount. Like the Lord himself, James gives a series of tests by which genuine salvation can be determined.
So if you have never studied the book of James I would highly recommend you take some time and if at the very least read through the book. However, I highly recommend studying it in depth.
If you will notice in verse 2 James tells us to consider it joy when we go through trials. Now, I don’t know about you but tests and trials are not something I find joyful to go through. I, and I’m sure I’m not alone, don’t like going through the fire. It’s not fun.
I’d much rather stay on the hill top and enjoy the victory without the battle the proceeds it. But unfortunately that’s not how things work. Before there is victory there has to be a battle, before there is a sword it has to go through the fire, and before we become what God wants us to be there has to be testing and trials we go through to make us stronger!
As many of you may know our daughter had some seizure attacks about a year ago and that was a trial I didn’t like or want to go through while it was happening. However I can look back now at it and see how Gos used that experience to make us stronger and more dependent on him! As strange as it may sound I am glade (or joyful) we went through that.
So why should we consider it joy when we go through those testings? Because, it produces patience or endurance in our lives. and as a result of that trial we will become closer to God and more complete in our Christian walk lacking nothing. Whats verse 4 say
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Now the word “perfect” doesn’t mean like we will be in heaven perfect but rather complete. and the words “wanting nothing” simply mean “lacking nothing” so in other words we will be complete and entire lacking nothing. after patience has done its work in our lives.
Come on! what a joy this is! That God loves us enough not only to save us but to mold us into a more complete Christians!
But if your going through the fire and don’t know what to do God gives us something so we can gain the wisdom we need to get through the trial or the next trial to come.
verse 5 says
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
We can simply ask God for wisdom and direction and he gives it to ALL men liberally! notice the part that says “and upbraideth not” thats just an old way of says he gives wisdom “ungrudgingly.” He WANTS to give you the wisdom to face your biggest fears and trials.
The verse says you ask and he gives! What an awesome God we serve!
Somebody say “AMEN”
However, I’m not sure if you noticed this tho, there is a stipulation God puts on us about asking for wisdom. It’s really what makes this whole thing go round. Look with me in verse 6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
We want wisdom, and God wants to give it, but we MUST ask in faith trusting that Gods going to follow through on his end of the bargain. Because if we don’t ask in faith then were not really asking at all were still trusting on our own wisdom to get us through!
The bible says that person who doesn’t ask in faith is like a wave thrown around by the wind. Verse 7 says
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
In other words he’s asking for wisdom but he doesn’t really believe God is gonna give it! and If he doesn’t have the faith that God’s going to do it then he isn’t getting anything.
verse 8 calles hin unstable
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
You see when you say one thing and do another you being double minded. You say you live by faith but you cant trust God enough to give you wisdom to handle you circumstances and try to get through them on your own.
This kind of reminds me of the world. They say “I’m a good person.” but when you ask them how many lies they have told in their life or if they have ever stolen anything they admit to it but still think they are not that bad.
Friends the bible says if you have been angry with someone you are a murderer. If you have look at someone with lust your an adulterer. you have broken Gods law and you have to stand before him on judgment day!
Sinner, do you feel that conviction in your heart about your sin? That’s some wisdom from God telling you to repent of your sins and trust Christ alone to save you from the judgment of Hell! Stop trusting in your self and the things you do to save you! Christ finished the work on the Cross! He payed you debt in full! will you trust him today?
Double minded men are unstable in all their ways. This can apply to Christians as well. Don’t think it can’t. You see you to have the mind of Christ and if your following after what you want instead of what God wants you have a mind of your own. As a Christian thats a dangerous thing!
I’ll be the first to admit. I don’t always have faith in God like I should. I’m human and I don’t have my purified body yet I battle with the flesh on a daily basis.
But let’s be honest I’m not the only one who struggles with this am I? You and I both struggle with our faith from time to time.
This is why God puts tests and trials in our lives. To help our faith become more and more dependent on him.
Want stronger faith? then when you go through the tests and trials count it joy and just ask in faith for wisdom from God and he will give you more than you need!
Lets this week remember these verse when we are temped to trust our our faith and rely on our own wisdom to get us trough the trials. I don’t know about you but I want to be a wise man not double minded man.
And remember this that the reason God tests your faith is because he wants to strengthen you and bring you closer to him!
Lets pray:
Father, thank you for this lesson from the book of James. We are asking in faith for wisdom to help us through this week and that we will remember that the trial that come in our lives is because you love us and want to make us stronger in our walk with you! If there is someone who has heard this message that is feeling God pulling at their heart for salvation I pray they will do that today! We give you all the praise and all the Glory for all you do in our lives. In the name of Jesus, amen.