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the Lord has blessed us today with the uh with the lesson uh from Jerry Bridges book uh trusting God this will be chapter 12 you as I did last time uh all scripture I have quote quotes from the nasb he used apparently another Bible I don’t remember which U so we’ll start but uh before we start I’ll just ask the Lord to to to be with us in this endeavor my Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for this morning that you’ve given us we thank you for the health that you have given us to enable us to be here with you and and celebrate you and worship you and glorify you with through our our meeting here with the Brethren I thank you Lord for this lesson from uh from Jerry Bridges I thank you Lord for the opportunity you’ve given me to to expound on his message here I pray Lord that it is that it all is done for your glory and that your name would be glorified and magnified um so just thank you Lord for this time now in this word I pray it it also edifies your people and gives you glory and I pray this in the holy and precious name of Jesus Christ amen amen all right well uh we’ll start off quoting from James 1 veres 2-4 consider it all joy my brethren when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing so as I said the uh the title of this today’s lesson is uh growing through adversity and as I was reading this particular chapter and working on it uh particular a scene from a movie uh the Fiddler on the Roof came to mind you know and I have to say that one of the most heart-wrenching scenes in that movie was as the the authorities were ransacking and destroying T’s the wedding of t daughter and son-in-law you have the one scene where near the end he’s standing with all this destruction going on around him and his arms raised up his hands raised up and he’s just looking up into the heaven a God you know you see him saying why and you know who’s not stood in teva’s place when we’re when we’re in adversity when we’re in in a trial and particularly severe ones you know who’s not looked up to him and asked that question why why is this happening you know why did I lose my job why did you give me a disabled child to raise why haven’t I found a wife or a husband yet so this chapter attempts to answer give us answers for that like how we would answer tavier how we would answer ourselves and more importantly how do we respond to this trial in which we find ourselves how do we respond to it in a Christ honoring way I mean we don’t want to do it as the world does just throws up its hands or gets angry or whatever you know we want to practice God’s command from this from this version verse we just read you know we want to consider it all joy that’s a tough that’s a tough call you know we have to accept adversity and trials in this life uh they are the means god uses to develop christlikeness in us to conform us to the image of his son the Lord Jesus Christ and pardon me for a second I have to uh put my phone in airplane mode one of the uh distractions of having your phone go through your ear your hearing aids I hear every bleep yeah so so to get back to this so you know we obviously how do we practice God’s command as I said to consider all adversities all trials Joy joyful you know and let’s face it we’ll have to accept adversity in this life it’s just the way it happens you know and we learn from Jerry Bridges that adversities are the means god uses to develop christlikeness in us to conform us to the image of his son the Lord Jesus Christ we have to remember that even the Lord himself while he was on this Earth he faced adversity and trials even before the cross I mean obviously the cross was a was a huge Tri immeasurable in its it’s an intensity you know especially for him you know when he had to be he he he was subjected to that as we find out later on in Hebrews you know just because he had to be perfected in his sunship so we’ll read there Hebrews 2 chap chapter 2:1 for it was fitting for him for whom are all things and through whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to perfect the author of this salvation through suffering so as the father perfected his son through suffering so too he will do with us for his glory and for our benefit now face it Brethren I hate to tell you we signed up for this when he gave us new life he drafted you into his army now that’s okay because uh for me I’d rather have it no other way you know I let’s face it I served in in my country in the Air Force so now I’m serving the lord and I’d rather be doing that all day long even in the midst of Trials and adversities because we know the end result of that eventually you know I betrayed all my honor all my glory you know that I attained apart from God and I’ll suffer whatever trials and adversities he calls me to and I’m sure we all wish to do the same but you know we do need to encourage one another in that all the time so the question though remains what does he wish to accomplish in us with these trials so I guess I should so let’s uh we’ll go on to Galatians Chapter 5 Verse 22 but the fruit of the spirit is love joy peace patience kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control against such things there is no law now these can only be developed and matured by the workings of adversities and trials no one likes adversity we shrink from it we try to mitigate its effects on our life I let’s face it even our lord Jesus in his hour hour of severe trial in in the garden he asked the father could not this cup pass from me now fortunately for us he accepted it without question but and the other so we learn from Galatians that that there’s a a goal for these trials a reason for them and is to produce the spiritual fruit that we just read you know there’s about eight fruits there that are listed and of course there’s there’s going to there’s others but Paul and a chose to to talk about those and so we need adversity to bring these out they’re not going to come naturally to us especially if they’re going to be born of God I mean we all have to some degree a measure of that you know we are born created in the image of God so we have some of those but they again they need to be developed you know and both James and Paul in the in the Book of Romans tells us to rejoice in our sufferings so like I said earlier I mean when you hear this you know I’m sure for many of us it was for me the first time you read that you’re like come on you got to be kidding me that’s like telling me to to you know punch myself in the face repeatedly because I feels so good after I stop you know but nevertheless in the face of that he does tell us we’re going to suffer and to suffer to count of Joy now what does he mean by that though why would we obey his command to joyfully endure a trial now because he’s not asking us to enjoy the actual trial itself you know the loss of a job a loved one broken bone whatever you know we’re not to say oh that feels so good because you know he didn’t make us to be masochists but we embrace the trial because of the goal that we have in mind for that trial how what’s it going to do for us what’s it going to do but primarily to what’s it going to do for him and how is his glory going to be further shown in us through the trial when we do get through it and you know again we have to look to Jesus for the prime example I mean we we read in Hebrews that you know he he suffered gladly because he faced he saw what was going to happen in the future you know and we read then from Hebrews 12 verse two fixing our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of Faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God so our Lord endured the shame humiliation and agony not of the Cross and also of the horror and the infinite suffering he faced when he bore the Wrath of the father against our sin Collective sin too for all of his people it wasn’t just for one person obviously it was for for his whole church that he’s called out the billions and billions of people he’s called across the span of time and space and he did that because again he was looking past the pain past the suffering because he to accomplish the goal and it was a goal he felt was a good one and a worthy one to do and this is how we’re to face adversities and trials and calamities in our life and again we have him as our example you know it’s one thing I I personally had to learn you know you know we can sit back and say you know how can this happen to me you know I shouldn’t be doing this it shouldn’t happen but wait a minute it happened to our lord Jesus so guess what folks again you know we signed on WE drafted and he’s our exam you know all of us have you know we like it when a when a boss is willing to go through the same thing we’re going through you know like a general on a field you know one of the famous things about General Patton is he was there in the field you know he didn’t just sit back way back from the uh the action you know hiding somewhere he was there you know and men and women in battle will more willingly die even for such a commander so again this is how we are to face the adversities because we our commanderin-chief willingly did this and as in everything in life he’s the template we follow he’s our great example and like I said I I had to learn this lesson in a very personal way with the with my wife Susan you know I’ve even you know one of the scriptures that’s always been in my mind with my wife is said I have to love her as Christ loves the church and look how he did it I mean he was always there for for his people and anybody for the most part we we always read how he traveled everywhere and he was always healing you know he was always just doing things for people always no matter what time of day I mean he frequently went to bed I’m sure exhausted from that and he even did menial them he washed the feet of his disciples I mean I don’t even know if I want to do that for my wife to be honest but but he did and so you know as a husband I have to sacrificially do things for for Susan you know it’s no matter what it is you know her needs her desires her wants have to come ahead of mine and I confess that that’s going to be very hard sometimes you know and I there’s been times I quite frankly have exploded because I just get you know you get tired of having to do it but you know I just I I Repent hopefully many times and uh and keep going so maybe I’ll stop here for a moment U any thoughts comments questions to move forward yeah it doesn’t sound like it’s on yeah just speak it’s pretty quiet I forgot what I was going to say no but if you’re born again in realize that even you know the very breaths that we’re breathing right now are given from God and that we don’t even deserve that so if we endure suffering we rejoice in him always because he could have just condemned us forever and we’re still grateful that you chose to give us life and better than that offer us the best in his son so um and then the Bible obviously teaches us in terms of what these sufferings can do in terms of building our building our patience building our experience so that we can Comfort others as they go through these trials yeah that’s good Mike we need to remember just yeah that God is the one who created us for all these things and to give him thanks for that so okay I’m moving on so uh so I was going to read Hebrews 12:11 all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful but sorrowful yet to those who have been trained by it afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness so you know adversities of course by their very nature they spoil our peace and they sorely try up patients especially when you say how often you you how often do you think oh great I’ve arrived I finally got this nailed and then someone cuts you up in traffic you know I I I drive you know since they brought us back to work again you know I put about 100 miles a day on my car and so I have plenty of opportunities on 78 287 to try to learn to practice patience uh it’s not working folks I’ll tell you right now but you know it’s every day is a new a new day to learn so as we learned though adversity in God’s train is in God’s training to develop our spiritual biceps to strengthen our faith and our walk with our Lord Jesus Christ I mean he uses adversities to reveal where we need to grow you know and let’s as we know we’re all going to need to grow here the and it’s it never stops unfortunately you know like I said we don’t come to the end and each and that’s it you know I mean I know there are some groups that that think you can attain to perfect Holiness in this life and I would really love to see those passages where they can claim that but for the time being you know we must train ourselves to fixate on the prize in any adversity rather than the present pain you know just like athletes you know we know how they train you know you watch a guy playing football he didn’t just wake up in the morning and and just get on the field you know he’s he’s on that field from from years of training every day and so he needs and they endure the pain and the exhaustion because they there’s a prize they have in mind you know we even SE it in one of the scriptures he talks about the runner running his race and that’s what this is for us folks and the race is ended when we have our final breath so and again always look to the prime example we have who is our lord Jesus himself again who looked while he was on that cross even with all the agony he was going through he was able to endure that suffering because he knew what was coming and he knew it because of course he was God but he also had faith in the father to follow through on whatever plan they had worked out you know in eternity passed so we’ll do the questions uh what areas if anybody wants to answer you know of your life you feel you need to patiently endure to allow the trial in which you find yourself to have its perfect outcome if anyone okay uh Glenda I think wait wait hold on okay I think about adversity why do we go adversity you know as I love Gard a lot and um every year I look at my RO bushes and I them because the reason why prun the Roose push andge he spoke about that pruning in the book why we prun the Roose because in the spring we really want beautiful roses so God has put us through every win I would prone them and then in the spring when I look such beautiful roses so take that and put it to what God put us through when we go to the trials and everything is over how we enjoy the trial what is coming out in our lives in the trial so we have to really go to adversity because if he went to adversity we as his children would yep thank you Glenda yes as you said you know when you prune rose wishes to to produce better better flowers and that’s what God is doing with us and for you know again for our benefit and also for his glory well here’s another question how can we learn to trust God in our trials because that’s also another ultimate question for us Jody don’t mayap it’s not there it is oh is it okay that God is enough and I’m reading them sitting here in America as a younger person just going but when people like that when we have these great Cloud witnesses that have gone before and have gone through these trials I’m thinking if he was enough during those atrocities and he doesn’t prepare you ahead of time except when you’re in it it comes upon you his grace and so sometimes um The Joy again is not you don’t get it instantly it’s something it’s the joy of knowing you’re in this Valley but you do have something greater you have the Lord and you know we we have we know people have had suicides and in those situations you have to um really not be like job’s friend and let them come through with God and God’s Grace and they read about lament and they read about his mercy and it’s just knowing you have the Lord and they know they couldn’t get through it without the Lord so sometimes I really do like to read other people’s testimonies and stories and not that it’s you know just thinking I haven’t suffered to the point of death or shedding my blood or like the Lord has done yet because it just kind of just brings me up a little bit like just count you know he’s in it whether I feel it or not he’s in it and he’s there with me and um so I I I just really appreciate reading other testimonies on how they get through things that was good point that Jody about that we have to remember he is there in our trials and it’s because of our flesh we can’t always feel that or accept it you know because let’s face it if we even if somebody’s there in front of you you know I I confess I’m not a big uh proponent of you know misery loves company quite frankly when I’m in misery I don’t want company and I don’t because you know the only thing I want is for the misery to go away but you know that’s a good point and that’s something we have to train ourselves too to remember he is there because we have to look with the eye of Faith to see that and that’s what’s being developed in in the trial whatever atrocity even is being perpetrated upon us so thank you for that okay so and you know I used Jerry Bridges U subheadings I figured it was a easier way to do things uh more especially you know it follows the book so people who have read you know you can hopefully I’m I’m doing this the right way so you can follow so he uh subing God works through adversity uh for those in the book it’s Pages 175 to 177 uh reading from psalm 94:12 blessed is the man whom you chasen oh Lord and whom you teach out of your law so got to remember this God does not ask us how to or when where to be grown he’s the master teacher he’ll train us when and how he deems best it’s just the way it is folks and as branches in Vine we do require nourishment and pruning you know like the rose bush that Glenda mentioned and the word is our nourishment so we need to be in that but then on when we’re in that then adversity the pruning tool is going to come along and do its work you know again it’s just a necessary part of who we are and the fact that you know we’re we’re Fallen fallible human beings with a sin nature that still exists in us you know you know we have the to the the Dual nature that is always going to be our our blessing and curse until uh until we’re received up in glory and he BR he brings up Philippians 1:6 I’m confident of this very thing that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus so you know we’re blessed by adversity brought on by God it is a blessing hard to say that when you’re in the middle of it but it is and one of the you know let’s it’s it’s a blessing because first of all we know who’s bringing it on us and it’s it’s the Lord himself it’s not blind chance you know so we because of who he is we know that there’s being this going to be worked out for our good and again that’s where the the trials and adversities come in is to refine that so you know we know to do to look for that we also know that his purpose for the adversity will come to pass because he he cannot fail we can rest secure that he will grant us relief from The Trial once its work has been completed and his work is to conform us to the image of his son and that will be completed unfortunately again for us it’s not just a one shot job it will be a life time and that’s a that is something marvelous to think about that you know we’re being formed to the image of his son I can think of No Greater honor than to be told I’m like I look like Jesus I mean if you remember you know I think it’s in the book of Acts when the uh when Peter and and and John were facing this and hedin and they looked and they knew that he had been with Jesus I mean I hope that I’m like that like for instance at my work and I I think I am I remember one time when a bunch of us were coming back from a sales conference out in California a bunch of sales guys sitting around in the airport waiting and they started you know talking and the language was getting a bit runchy and suddenly one guy said wait a minut we got to stop this you know rich is here and I’m not known for preaching the gospel at work so but I guess somehow my my the way I conduct myself that it it’s apparent and I you know I’m hoping that it and I’m sure with many of us we’ve experienced that too you know that you don’t just because you’re not always sitting up there on your Pulpit so to speak it at work or whatever social organization you’re part of you know if in our daily Walk we’re going to be different from the world but it just can’t and they’ll pick they’ll notice they’ll pick it up immediately you know that hey he doesn’t talk the way I do you know you know so and and in Philippians no I read that already I’m sorry no it didn’t I’m rid getting it in myself so we go to Philippians we told that he’s confident of this very thing he began a good work and you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus so then we’ll move on to Lamentations I I did go through I’m sorry sometimes I lose things folks so every adversity that comes into our lives with the large or small it’s intended to help us grow in some way if it’s not beneficial God would not allow us send it and we see this from the book of Lamentations 3: 31-33 for the Lord will not reject forever for if he causes grief then he will have compassion according to His abundant loving kindness for he does not afflict willingly or grieve the sons of men now remember God doesn’t Delight in our sufferings also he’s only allowing the be the the adversities the trials that will benefit us and glorify him and it won’t continue forever it will just it will continue until his purpose purpose is accomplished I mean he’s he’s a loving father who disciplines his children in a loving manner it’s one of things I’m grateful for you know because um he’s not a tyrant you know you get people obviously you know sick Psychopaths that Delight in torturing people you know unfortunately all too often in human history there’s been leaders of Nations that are like that you know and even in human when humans create Gods you know since the gods are created basically in human’s image you know those Gods can be very Petty and mindful you know I’ll just visit you know this person here with the whatever you know some kind of Calamity you know why it’s just because that’s the God’s pleasure Our God isn’t like that and we have to remember that you know we you know he he our lord Jesus died on the cross for us so therefore we know that he loves us to the uttermost those of us who are his people he’s not a vengeful sick sick twisted creature I’m glad he’s not because you know with a God who was all powerful that would be a I couldn’t even comprehend that I don’t want to comprehend something like that that would be horrible because you couldn’t even commit you couldn’t there’s no way you can get away from such a God so I’m so grateful he’s not like that but any now remember this too since God cannot fail and he will accomplish whatever he intends if we fail in the trial God hasn’t fa failed plus fact sometimes failure is a used to grow humility in us which means if that was God’s intention that means the trial had its intended effect you let’s face it you know I’m sure all of us have it self have a degree of a of inflated ego you know I’m I know I can get that way and it’s one of my Prime fears I don’t want to become inflated so much that I’m not useful at all uh and so God you knocked me down many times that’s okay again because I’m being conformed to the image of his son I and I know the end goal when I remember it okay this is for my good this is for your glory Lord I’ll just keep moving on you know I let’s face it you know if I have to go back to my days in basic training you know you know there’s a goal in mind even through all the uh through everything you go through in something like that God knows us better better than we know ourselves he knows what is what are our greatest needs and he’s the great and wise pruner and that’s one of the things we have to remember so you know and I wanted Jerry mentioned uh Horatio Bonar he was a Scottish pastor and a hmw writer of the 19th century and Horatio Bonar was he wrote that you know God will accomplish that which he intends through the unlikeliest of circumstances against the most Resolute resistance basically what he’s saying there you remember a movie your arms are too short to box with God you ain’t GNA you’re not going to win folks nobody wins I mean Nebuchadnezzar learned that even you know it’s the mighty power of God at work within us and upon us and his training is no random work it is carried on with exquisite skill he is the master pruner as I’ve said he’s the master surgeon you know a scalpel in his hands will cut and slice exactly where it’s needed and for how long it’s needed so we come to the questions again you think we really want to be molded in shaped by God and then I would even say do our thoughts and actions show we actually trust in God in adversity so any comments questions on that Mark I remember years ago um learning from a Christian leader speaker that I had admired and in one of his radio programs he mentioned that he had never really gone through much in terms of Trials and immediately lost credibility with me and I stopped listening to him because why are you you know there’s just not the depth that I I would want to see you know and I think for us God that’s how the the value of our faith is made known you know H how could it possibly how can strength be compelling if it’s through good circumstances you know so I I think a lot about that I was thinking about um what you mentioned from Hebrews about um he disciplines us for our good that we would share his Holiness and I thought about what what jod said there about those um suffering I remember reading about um Richard warmbrand tortured for Christ and and also a guy named brother Yun who was a Chinese house pastor and they both said something very similar that when they got out of prison and they were back in Freedom they longed to go back because they struggled to maintain the intimacy with God that they had when they were suffering which I think is the whole point of our lives right that we would share his holiness draw close to him and so you know thinking about what Jerry said in the book is our agenda his agenda that we would draw close to him and be like him it’s amazing when you hear that the people suffered horribly for him and they stayed the course too even after that and were willing to do it again and again and again and you know when you hear that somebody says he I wish I can go back to prison for that I mean that that’s such a depth of feeling for for his majesty you know maybe that’s one thing that we have Americans have kind of lost as the idea of a of a ma you know a king a Majesty I mean you know you know let’s we don’t have a king I mean I know one of the rallying cries in the Revolution was no King but Jesus uh but sometimes it’s good to have I got to be careful here represent physical representation in front of us so uh I guess I better start moving on a little here uh we learn from adversity Pages 177 to 181 uh God teaches us through adversity we must seek to learn from it and we we see that from Deuteronomy uh verse chapter 8 veres 2-3 you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years that he might humble you test in you to know what was in your heart whether you that you would keep his Commandments or not he humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manner which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord so one of the things we also learn here is God’s Sovereign work never negates our responsibility and and several things that we have to learn from adversity to further glorify God and to enjoy him one is to submit voluntarily and not reluctantly you know be a good patient not a conquer General I mean let’s face it you know like you know I’m sure we’ve all seen movie clips of the surrender of the Japanese in you know in 1945 on the decks of the Missouri I’m sure they were not happy you know there was no way especially you know they were a proud people and they they had been beaten very thoroughly by an enemy they had considered weak and effeminate and we can’t be like that though in a trial you know we can’t have that attit we have that attitude then then we really have to examine ourselves I think you know not again no yes again you know again as we’re learning this is done well first for his glory you know I always Place God’s glory first and foremost in anything I’m going through that’s my this my own personal thing because yes it’s good that it’s also for my benefit but everything God does is primarily for his glory which is fine I mean he’s he deserves it so as far again so and we have to use we can use all legitimate means though when you’re you know going through a trial you know don’t look for Marty om opportunities you know as we once were taught by by Pastor David a few years ago you know you know we don’t don’t rush into the lion’s den if you don’t you know if you don’t have to I mean yes if you’re presented with it then you then you suffer as will be a lot you always have to respond to a trial in one of two ways there several ways there humble obedience and humble Faith you know you have to remember again remember who’s doing this to you you again we have to remember because it’s so hard to remember that you know who’s doing this you know it’s not blind chance you know we have to stop thinking the way the world does because of course the world but just happens no it doesn’t you know we have a God that has numbered every single hair on a person’s head every single my beard every single hair here he knows it I he knows every all the stars in the universe he knows every single atom that he’s created so you know we just have to walk by faith and not by sight in any trials that we’re facing you also have to bring God’s word to bear on the situation you know what verses he will bring verses from his word into your mind especially that’s one of the reasons you also need to be in the word constantly even if it’s just reading it and you know frankly that’s what I’ve had to learn to do I’m not a great one for study you know I I sit there and I okay what are you showing me but I know if I keep reading it and reading it and filling my mind with it going to be there you know somewhere it’ll he’ll be able to pull it out of this big giant black hole I got between my ears that’s what you do you know you got to be in the word and he will bring to mind his word that that’s already been there you know he’s not going to give you fresh Revelation no it’s already there he we know the scriptures are profitable for all sorts of this for training for education and we have to remember that and we have to bring that into the Forefront of our minds in any adversity and trial and we have to remember the adversities and the trials and and the lessons that we learned and don’t just endure them but you know remember these are he’s using this this is his pruning tool to bring growth in you so you know you don’t just I’m going through this again no stop that thought when it happens and it’s it’s tough that’s one of the reasons we need to be in fellowship with one another too because you know you can’t do this on your own it’s impossible sooner or later you will just fall you’ll drop to the ground and that’s it your story is done so we need to be in constant communication with each other and remember we’re always dependent upon God for everything and anything because anything we have that we rely on that’s not him can be taken away in an instant you know rich men you know you think of folks like you know Bloomberg you know Warren I forget his last name now anybody Donald Trump Elon Musk their their wealth could be gone in an instant you know we saw it happen many times in in our countryes you know the Great Depression hundreds of people with thousands were out of work you know you heard stories about you know wealthy men jumping out of buildings because suddenly everything they had was gone we don’t have that if we remember who it is we serve we have everything still even if we have nothing in this world even if we don’t have our health or our wealth or whatever our family we we have him and we got to cling to that rock so it comes to our questions you know what lessons have we have any of us learned from a particular trial and I I’ll jump in here for myself but you know I had to learn that God will provide work for instance I mean I remember you know I’m working uh my job before P Andy as a little company in in Edison New Jersey I was out of work for a year and a half I literally it was December of I think 2013 I was down to my last unemployment check and I was telling Susan and Jessica girls we’re going to have to pack it up because I knew somebody in North Carolina who could give me a job working in his bagel shop and I got I got a call that this company wanted to hire me so January I started new right like I said the LA that was it my unemployment was gone friends I’d been honored a year and a half all the extensions were finished and I was working now I left that job seven months later but one of that was another trial I had to endure uh you know the I was the the epitome of you don’t you don’t run from a job you run from a boss but I learned something there and I’ve been very grateful the 10 years I’m I’m at my president company yeah they’re paining next sometimes where I work but you know what you learn that’s okay I have worked they’ve done well by me and the Lord did well by me and my family with this and so if anyone else uh any trials maybe you want to share that you faced okay we move on oh okay Jan um I don’t want to share the details of the particular trial but years ago I went [Music] through a a a very major trial in my life and um it was like everything had been taken away and what I learned has been invaluable and I I think um this is something that makes adversity and trials in my life bearable because I look back and I remember how God supplied all my needs and how he drew me so close and that intimacy is worth any trial um and I just think it’s a um maybe it’s a blessing of being older um that we have endured um probably many things that maybe younger people have not endured yet but I think um to be able to look back and to see that God was trustworthy and faithful and to be able to even see the growth and the and the how he drew you close is a real blessing and um I think that helps us also to trust him when we’re going through something if we can look back and remember like the Israelites yeah he puts us through these it’s good because again he’s not doing it in a vindictive way there is a purpose and it’s a it’s a good purpose because even for if he’s doing it for his glory it’s still we get the benefit of that too you know so oh Lea thank you um I could go on forever about the ways that God has um come through and uh in Trials um but from the very beginning financially when I was newly born again and and struggling on my own how he came through and provided every time I was in the the the crisis that you were at where you’re finally you know at the end this is this is the last few moments here this is all I’ve got left and as Jay was saying that that each time Builds on the other so that when you’re prepared for the whatever trials God has for the rest of my life I can always rely on what what’s already happened that he’s he’s done it so many times and the giant things like what jod was talking about being imprisoned being raped and prisoned so um from that to I need help getting dressed in the morning I can’t figure out what to wear on my own honestly and I pray to the Lord and he guides me and even when I Stray um what he had directed was better it’s it sounds silly but he cares about every every little detail and um and this is one thing I want to say so two times in my life God sent me a lawyer that didn’t charge me anything so if that’s not that’s not miraculous yeah I I think one of the the biggest trials that I have to do with deal with today is the loss of my memory when I had my stroke besides um the the other problems that it caused the biggest one was my memory I lost 25 years of memory it was just wiped out and um how I reacted to it in the beginning was I um I forgot how I re I’m only joking wanted to put that in but it is kind of true though but but um how I reacted to it because some of you know that you know I I was a pastor I stepped down from the role of being a pastor because um the the people that knew me the one thing they could tell you about me is they would say wow he really new scripture I could quote Bible verses I could tell you the books of the Bible backwards I could tell you the number of chapters in each book talk about learning from God I was vain believe me you know um I don’t know about some of you but we can take pride in something give God credit for it and not realize that maybe that’s not the way God is looking at it um what saved me from the fact that I had lost so many years of my memory I mean I went to Israel um people talk to me about it it’s like I’m hearing it for the first time and then I forget even what it is they’re telling me but um what I was going to say is is that is that what um what I learned from this trial that I’m going through is that there’s other ways that God can continue to help me with his word I’ve got my phone and and how I use it is that even though I don’t remember I can’t tell you the verses because I have the verse in my head it’s just the the text how it’s numbered I don’t so the scripture comes up in my head I can go on my phone put those words in and immediately it goes right to the verse and um I I see that as as a blessing um in spite of the fact that you know my my memory had been really damaged so um you know I I I thank God for that trial because it really it really brought me down on my knees yeah thank you brother wow that was I’m glad that he’s that you stol in the faith brother that something like that can be a very uh you know people have left on things like that you know like Where’s God in all of my troubles he he deserted me so I’m going to thank you brother it’s grateful to have you here so I see time is uh running away from us so I’m going to have to kind of truncate some some of this so let’s just say there’s a Jerry went on to say there’s a number of thing reasons why uh what What’s Happening I’ll just do some highlights so we have to remember that the adversity is used by God to loosen our grip first of all and false fruit know it’s easy enough for us to grab Arthur was even just relating with maybe his knowledge of of scripture Etc pued him up to the point where you know so maybe that was some of the this false fruit that uh you know that Jerry’s bringing up here God disciplines us through adversity because he also wants to make us holy as he is Holy and by that obviously we’re not going to be like God you know the way he is but we’re going to more more fully emulate his character and one thing we have to remember you know people we I do this constantly too many times we behave like an unrepentant Thief who receives a pardon from the judge you know rather than thank you Lord you know for for building me up you know it’s like Grand it’s done you know like I said we we’ve heard many stories you know thieves you know a criminal comes before a judge and he receives a pardon rather than penalty and that’s it he goes back to doing what he’s doing well we have to remember from the adversity don’t do that it’s a hard lesson to learn for us many times you know and we have to be careful that we don’t rely on ourselves to get us out of whatever trial or adversity he put in our lives I mean it’s there to make us more dep to make us more dependent on him and that that that greats that really you know rubs against the grain you know it’s like when you’re trying to rub sandpaper you just really especially for us as I guess you know as Americans in a way that’s tough because again you know it’s in our national character you know that we did it by our Own Strength you know you know we conquered the Prairies and the west and everything we well you have to remember you know everything that we any good that’s been done in our lives that’s because of God you know I I remember once uh I learned a long time ago to thank him for every little thing and that’s hard because you know especially I remember I was telling that to my father once and unfortunately my father you he’s not a Christian and he’s like that’s stupid you know little of course the things happen just normal coures of events you know that you’ll you a job and you’ll you’ll do well and you get you you know you you’ll prosper and what happens if I get sick you know and my health is a gift from God you know we have to remember to thank him even for the small things because again all that you know Arthur he had a stroke instant gone 20 I mean I had a father-in-law very very accomplished man and yet he had he had a some kind of a a brain bleed and he went downhill from there doesn’t take much you know we’re so pupped up in our own arrogance you know how how how powerful we think we are sometimes you know and we can just be laid low in an instant and we got to remember that and that’s why when Trials come in we have okay accept it learn from it realize you’re not the captain of my soul nor the master of your fate that that’s just uh you know somebody screaming at the dark you know with the with the with the with the Tyrannosaurus rex on on the other side of the wall you know it it doesn’t happen folks you know and we have to learn this lesson and let’s face it even someone like Paul wasn’t immune he despaired for his life on occasions he was given a thorn in his flesh he needed to relearn upon God and not his own intellect you know Jerry mentions in the book that if Paul had not been a become a Christian he might have been recognized as one of the great philosophers of of of antiquity so we have to remember to be content with weakness insults and distresses persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake you know as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians because he said for when I am weak then I’m strong you know we’ve heard that from several people here today that when they relied upon God that’s when they were strong that’s when we’re strong we’re again we’re we’re so foolish many times I’m grateful that God you know brings me and others out of that I mean let’s face it there was even a couple of men who were blighted by God to learn greater dependence upon him first one we mentioned was Paul the other was Moses and Moses 40 years he was a she a Shepherd before God used him and he was 80 years old when God used him then to lead the his people out of bondage 80 years old I mean I don’t know we’ll see if that happens to me I don’t know ah so I guess we’ll just end here I mean it’s already yeah it’s getting late but I got a final question uh just keep it in your minds have you learned yet to depend upon God first that when something comes up you know for instance a money M you don’t whip out the credit card you know that’s one of my failings I have to confess and I I have to learn to reain that in uh you just got to sit and be part of patience and trust in the Lord himself self remember who it is we serve you we don’t serve Zeus we don’t serve Odin and we Ser unfortunately all too often we serve ourselves you know we Elevate ourselves to godhood in that way we have to remember who it is who bought us for the price and well yes he owns us but again he’s not he’s not a harsh Taskmaster you know he’s not only named us as his bond service we’re Sons and Daughters we are we are of royal blood put aside our americanism for a minute let that sink in we our royalty but not in our own right not in our own way but we did it through the Lord Jesus for what he did on the cross and he made us his sons and daughters of the most high I mean not even the angels have that you know we are the Pinnacle of his creation and we have to remember that especially in the world we face today where at best we’re on par with with animals I despise that teaching we’re above the animals and not because I’m saying that as a prideful man into myself but because it takes away Glory from my God and we have to remember that depend on him first I know it’s a hard lesson to learn but we’ll learn it eventually so I’m going to you know I wish I had time to have talked about William car’s sister who persevered in prayer for her brother you know she was she was apparently a bedridden all the time and yet look at the tremendous thing she did with that with her brother so but I’m going to close because like I said we’re running yeah we’re out of time I I’m going to close with a verse like I closed the last time I taught from habach I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to use this first how many situations so habac 3 17-9 though the Fig Tree may not blossom nor fruit be on the vines though the labor of the olive May Fail and the fields yield no food though the flock may be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the Stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the god of my salvation the Lord God is my strength he will make my feet like deer’s feet and he will make me walk on my high hills I am so grateful for that again my strength when I remember it rightly doesn’t come from me I’m a weak guy I’m a stupid and foolish man I I’ve had a past that I cringe from I am so grateful he he yanked me out of all of that and put my feet on on a solid footing and I pray the same for all here and anyone in the sound of my voice however they hear it in this day and age of electronic communication he is a God who is worthy to be served he is a god who’s worthy to be loved and it’s because he loved us first and that’s just he loved us first and we see that even all the way in the Old Testament from habc who was facing the annihilation of his country who was God’s chosen people and yet he could say this in the midst of that he saw it coming thank you Lord I guess we’ll we’ll close in prayer Lord thank you for teaching Us in adversity thank you Lord for the trials you do bring to us because again we know you’re not a vindictive Petty Tyrant who’s doing this just for his own pleasure you’re doing this for your glory and we benefit from that and that’s why you do it too Lord it is for our benefit you’re conforming us with every trial large and small to be further conformed to the image of your blessed son Lord Jesus we thank you that you went to the cross and we thank you for the example you have provided us for Lord you took off your godhood in many ways and dwelt Among Us in flesh you you suffered as we did did the even the daily travails of life you know getting dressed having to find food and shelter and clothing you know you you went through all of that no doubt you were even sick I’m sure there were times you had fever and you suffered through all of that for us and Lord I just have to thank you and as you faced adversity you gave us the be a prime example how to face any adversity and trial Lord give us that faith that we need to do so give us the faith of the people we’ve heard about who have been in prisoned for their faith who left prison and wanted to go back because they they they said they they didn’t have the intimacy with you that they had in prison Lord please help us to with to to to Foster that that attitude and belief so it’s the warp and woof of our very being Lord that any time a trial comes up our first response is thank you and how do I get through this Lord so that you it glorifies you and benefits me thank you Lord for this teaching in this time and I pray Lord Lord that the words you have given me have gone out and and produced fruit for you and I ask for this that you bless all the in hearing of my voice that you would glor that they would glorify you today Lord and that they would benefit from your presence in their lives and I pray this in your holy and precious name amen thank you brethren