06AM November 5 James 1 2_4 and Romans 5 1_5
November 5, 2006—Morning Worship
Growing More Godly Every Day – Part 6
Getting Tougher Than Your Times
Four Approaches God Uses for Spiritual Growth
James 1:2-4; Romans 5:1-5
Intro: Have you ever wondered, “God, what are You doing?” Have the circumstances of your life ever caused you to question God’s activity in your life? Have things gotten so bad that you have begun to believe that God is punishing you for some sin which you can’t even name or remember?
Sometimes, God does punish us for our sinfulness b/c the sin of disobedience always carries consequences. But sometimes, when you face difficult days, it’s not sin at all that has brought about your tough times. Sometimes, the most significant spiritual growth happens in times of crisis & difficulty. Sometimes, God is growing you & strengthening you for your good & His glory. & so, we need to learn how to get tougher than the times we face.
Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” IOW, yes there is suffering in the world, but you don’t have to be overwhelmed or overtaken by the situation that causes suffering.
Benjamin Franklin said, “Those things that hurt—instruct.” [Removing a rubber gasket from a fitting in the dye house]
The world around us is a tough place. The times in which we live are tough times. But God wants to make us tougher than our times. He wants to implant in us great spiritual strength. He wants to impart to us great spiritual growth that will both honor Him & establish us as spiritual leaders in a world system that is devoid of spiritual life!
& so today, as we look into the Scriptures, we want to see 4 approaches God uses for our spiritual growth that will lead you toward this goal of getting tougher than your times.
Let’s begin by reading James 1:2-4
James describes a process in these vv. which is known Biblically as sanctification. This is God’s work to bring you from where you are to the place He would have you to be. This is God building in you the depth of faith & abundance of grace that leads to your spiritual development.
Notice 1st of all that…
1. God refines our character (vv. 2-4).
This v. tells us that character refining is accomplished…
A. Among His Believers (v. 2a “My brethren”).
1. When God graciously saves anyone, He does so w/a purpose
2. He never intends for us to remain stagnant or immovable from our sinful self
3. God will use every situation that we encounter to mold us & shape us
4. In fact, God brings those situations across our path for His purposes – which are for our good & His glory
5. God tells us in His word that He is always working in the lives of believers to bring them to sanctification
6. So when you face tough times remember that it’s God’s sign over your life which reads “Under Construction”
7. You can be encouraged that God knows you & is working in you b/c He loves you & wants you to be tougher than your times
Not only does James say that God refines our character among those who believe but also…
B. For their Benefit (READ v. 2b).
1. The word “count” means “to lead, to go before, to rule or command, to have authority over”
2. IOW when tough times threaten to tear you limb from limb, you are not to give into the temptation to give up
3. You are to take command of the situation; you are to have authority over the situation; you are to lead your emotions & not have them lead you
4. Where are you to lead your emotions during tough times? The v. says to joy!
5. The word “joy” comes from a root word that means “to rejoice exceedingly”
6. IOW you are to rejoice exceedingly over the truth that God is working in you!
7. The Bible does not teach that you are to be joyful over bad things or times
8. The fact is there are bad things & difficult situations that happen to God’s people
9. The truth is that when those things happen, God is at work in you & therefore you can rejoice!
B/c God also refines our character…
C. To give Balance (READ vv. 3-4).
[A child does not begin to walk until it has grown & matured to a certain degree. & unless that child learns to balance in the upright position, the child will never learn to walk.]
1. So James says that God refines our character to give balance to our lives
2. That balance is achieved by (READ v. 3)
3. The word “knowing” means “to learn to know; to come to know”
4. & the word “patience” means “in the NT, the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose & his loyalty to faith by even the greatest trials & sufferings”
5. IOW as James says, “You know hard times are coming, but you also know that God is greater than anything that comes against you. God is working through those times to give you the ability to stay balanced even in the fiercest of storms!”
6. That’s why he says that if we work w/God as He works in us, we will “be perfect & complete, lacking nothing” meaning we will have grown spiritually to maturity
7. READ Isaiah 48:10
[When silver is refined, it is placed either in a furnace or over the fire & heated until it melts. As it melts all the impurities rise to top & the refiner skims off the “dross.” He keeps doing that until the silver is pure & all the dross has been removed.
But God does not refine us that way b/c we could not stand it. God refines us a little at a time. In His mercy & grace God works to remove some of our dross & then allows us to cool. & then He does it again. That is God’s furnace of affliction. The adversities He brings into our lives to refine our character for His glory!]
Another approach God uses for spiritual growth in our lives is that…
2. God disciplines our spirit (READ v. 4a)
v. 3 tells us that the testing of our faith produces patience. Since that is true, we can understand that during that testing…
A. God Requires our cooperation (“let“).
1. The word “let” means “to be closely joined to a person or thing”
2. & so as God works in us to refine us & discipline our spirit, if we resist His work, we cannot grow spiritually & will remain childish & selfish in our actions
3. But the word of God requires our cooperation b/c the wording of this v. is a command – we are to let patience work in us to produce in us the character of God!
4. Patience is so much more than not getting angry when someone delays you
5. Patience is practicing the determination that NOTHING will keep you from displaying the character of Jesus Christ in your life!
6. Now for mere human beings that is extremely difficult!
7. But the Bible says that what is impossible for man is possible w/God!
So as God disciplines our spirit, He requires our cooperation &…
B. The Result is sanctification (“perfect work”).
1. I don’t know about your dad – but when my dad “corrected” me, I tended to get the message!
2. I understood every stroke of that belt as clearly as I understood every syllable out of his mouth!
3. According to (READ) Hebrews 12:11
4. So the Bible says that God “takes us to the wood shed” as my day used to say
5. God disciplines us b/c He loves us & He loves us b/c He disciplines us
6. We don’t enjoy the discipline but we enjoy the fruit of the discipline
7. When you’re sick, you don’t enjoy the medicine—but you enjoy the fruit or the affect of the medicine
8. While the discipline may not be (WILL NOT BE) pleasant, remember the process is sanctification of your life for the glory of God
Now for the next 2 approaches God uses for spiritual growth, let’s turn to Romans 5 b/c there we can find that…
3. God positions our ministry (READ vv. 1-5)
The 1st 4 vv. of this passage tell us that we are…
1. Justified by faith
2. Stand in grace
3. Rejoice in hope
4. & are equipped for ministry
So the doctrine of justification by faith means that…
A. Before God I am Pure (v. 1)
1. The context of v. 1 tells us that just as Abraham believed God & it was accounted to him as righteousness, so it is w/all who believe God
2. When we savingly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, all our sins are placed on Jesus who died for those sins on the cross
3. & all the righteousness of God in Jesus is placed in our account & therefore we are pure & spotless before God
4. IOW being justified means God sees me JUST-AS-IF-I’D never sinned
The doctrine of grace means that…
B. Before God I am Pardoned (v. 2a)
1. When you stand before God you don’t want justice—you want grace!
2. Simply defined justice is – “you get what you deserve” – Hell
3. Simply defined mercy is -- “you do not get what you do deserve” – Spared Hell
4. Simply defined grace is – “you do get what you do not deserve” – Eternal life
5. So every believer stands in the pardoning grace of God’s mercy – AMEN!
6. Why does God give us grace? B/c He wants to! & I’m so thankful!
The doctrine of hope means that…
C. Before God I am Persistent (vv. 2b-3)
1. When people are hopeless they give up hope; there is no hope; only despair
2. But b/c of the hope of the glory of God in Jesus Christ, believers are certain of God’s precious promises
3. & even though we go through tough times, we are persistent; we persevere
4. David said, “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”
5. He was in a bad place, surrounded by bad things, but David had a good God
6. We can keep on going when we know—for Whom we are going
7. Never give up; never quit; never give in to temptation or trial; be persistent
& then the doctrine of ministry means that…
D. Before God I am Powerful (v. 4)
1. The word “character” here means “a specimen of tried worth” or “approved character”
2. IOW when trials & tribulations come our way, God, in His providence, uses them to shape us into specimens of tried worth or proven character
3. & since we’re proven, we are declared to be useful tools in the Master’s hand
4. READ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
5. Therefore as we encounter sufferings, it’s during those sufferings that God equips us to be ministers to other people who encounter those same sufferings in life
6. So all that God has done in your life; the purity, the pardon, the persistence & the power—all of that was God positioning you into the place of ministry where He wants to best & most effectively use you!
Now so far, we’ve seen 3 approaches God uses for spiritual growth, but in this last approach we concern ourselves w/today…
4. God allows personal evaluation (READ v. 5)
1. So everything that God has brought us through has been for His purposes
2. But that also allows us to evaluate what is most important in our lives
3. All that God has done in us has brought us to the place of calm assurance
4. He has filled us w/His Spirit & graced us w/His presence & we know His love
5. But the Psalmist, I believe it was King David, who wrote Psalm 119:67, 71
6. Sometimes, the most significant spiritual growth happens in times of crisis & great difficulty
7. So let me give you 7 pieces of practical advice that will lead you toward the spiritual maturity that I believe both you & God desire for your life.
1. Trust God & cling to sound theology—God & His word—the only hope
2. Find someone walking the same journey—you can’t make it alone
3. Don’t forget to laugh—even in toughest times
4. Cry as often as you need to—but never as much as you want to
5. Take all your feelings to God—allow Him to hold you
6. Don’t make too many changes all at once—no one likes change
7. Beware of the enemy’s attack—don’t get caught off guard
Conclusion: What do things happen the way they do in your life? B/c God wants to use them to help you grow more godly every day. Not only has He allowed these situations into your life—but He planned for these situations to be in your life; so that He might refine your character, discipline your spirit, position you for ministry & then allow you to evaluate what’s most important in life.
So what is most important in your life? Your family, your job, a house, a car, a new relationship; or is it how much you resemble your heavenly Father?
Invitation: Are you willing to come today in repentance & place your faith in Jesus Christ alone to save you? There is no other way! John 14:6; Romans 5:8; 6:23
Are you willing to come today & offer yourself before God as His instrument? Romans 12:1-2; James 1:2-4 Will you come & commit to grow for God’s glory?
Hymn 485 Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus