Rick Warren - The Laws of Sowing and Reaping—Part Two

God's goal is conforming us to Christ and he will

not be satisfied till you get there.

Dr. Tony Evans says even painful circumstances can serve God's

purpose in shaping us.

He's saying it is to remind you of your humanity

and you can do nothing without me.

This is the Alternative Broadcast featuring the timeless biblical teachings

from the archives of Dr.

Tony Evans.

Are the tough times in your life going to take

you apart? or put you back together better than ever.

Join Dr. Evans in James chapter one, verse five, as

he explains why the difference is up to you.

Now there are three kinds of people who will hear

this message today.

Those who are in a trial.

You, as you sit under the sound of my voice,

are going through difficult trouble in life. A second group,

are those who are exiting a trial. You've broken free

and finally you've gotten to breathe a sigh of relief.

The third group are those who are about to enter

into a trial, you just don't know it yet. So

there is a word for everyone here because it applies

either you're in it, on your way out of it,

or heading towards it. Some are or will be or

have come out of physical trials. Something is wrong with

the body and it won't go away. You feel bad,

it affects your functioning at work, you've become more short-tempered

with people because of how you feel, you're aggravated by

the inconvenience or by the pain, or if it's a

physical dilemma bad enough, you're afraid because of the trouble

of physical debilitations. Trials can come in the color called emotional.

where something plagues the mind and you cannot get rid

of the trouble, something that happens that you cannot forget,

something that goes on that is discouraging and it occupies

your mind and it is traumatic.

Some can come by circumstances.

A loved one who dies an untimely death, a child

who creates havoc in any number of circumstances.

Could be, along that line, familial, family.

A wife who doesn't understand, a husband who is an

evil person, a disappointment with efforts put forth to do

the best you.

Can at home.

In any case, it is a trial because it is

a circumstance that is causing you pain. Jesus said in

John 16, 33, in this life, you will have tribulation.

Bank on it.

James says, when you encounter various trials. So the issue

is not if, but when. Please notice, however, his clarification

in verse 2. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when

you encounter various trials. Please don't misread this. Consider it

all joy, my brethren, when you create various trials. Trials

created of the temptation he begins to speak of in

verse 13, when a man is tempted to do evil.

He is talking now about trials you encounter. You just

run into them because you're living. So if you're going

through a tough time, don't be surprised. If life is

crashing in on you at this moment, don't be shocked.

It comes with this thing called life. That leads to

a second point that is critical. the reason for trials.

He gives the reality of trials. You can't avoid them.

But now he wants to discuss the reason for them, beginning.

In verse 3. Knowing.

The Greek word knowing is from the word gnosko, and

that carries the concept of knowledge via experience.

Knowing. Knowing. Why is this critical?

Because if you face a trial and don't know, if

you can't connect the right set of data with the

experience that you're going through, the trial will control you

rather than you controlling the trial. The problem is not

that many people in this room are undergoing trials. That's

not the problem because everybody undergoes trials. The problem is

that many who undergo trials don't know. They do not

know how to connect spiritual knowledge.

With unavoidable circumstances in life. Trials.

Are the launching pad for your next level of spiritual growth.

Trials are the launching pad for your next level of

spiritual growth. He says three things about the reason for trials.

Number one, you are to know that your faith is

being tested. He says in verse three, knowing that the

testing of your faith. Whenever you are going through a

circumstance God is putting your faith on the witness stand

to testify.

Let me say that again.

Whenever you go through a trial, because remember, God could

have stopped that trial from.

Getting to you.

He could have blocked it like he blocks a lot

of trials we won't even know we even had till

we get to heaven. If God let everything that could

come at us, come at us, we would.

Be screaming 24 hours a day.

Because Satan has always got something he wants to do

to disrupt our lives. So if God let it through,

he let it through with a purpose. If he let

it slip through his fingers, so to speak, nothing slips through.

But if he let it get by, he knew something

that he wants you to know. And that is he

wants to put your.

Faith on a witness stand.

A trial is designed to go beyond saying amen. A

trial is designed to go beyond saying that was a

good sermon, pastor.

Amen.

A trial is designed to.

Go beyond feeling good on Sunday morning. It is time

to testify. And what he does is he puts what

you believe to the test by allowing a circumstance to

get through the line of scrimmage to your life. Or

as David says in Psalm 17, 3, trials are designed

to test the heart so that it can be revealed

what is there.

God, through trial, will.

Identify weaknesses in order to develop faith and make it stronger.

To remove impurities, trials are designed to bring you to

the point where your faith stands the test.

No matter how hot the fire. Look with me.

Just turn over a couple of pages to 1 Peter

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1.

Where he says a similar thing.

He says in verse 6, in this you greatly rejoice,

even though now for a little while, if necessary, you

will be distressed by various trials.

Same concept.

The proof of your faith being more precious than gold,

which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be

found to result in praise and glory and honor at

the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The proving of your faith.

The test will not end till the faith has been

proven until you exercise your faith. That means apply what

you know about God as revealed in his word to

the trial that you are going through. God is after

developing you through testing you. And that is why Job

says in Job 13, 15, Though he slay me, yet

will I trust him. As his faith was being tested,

his faith came through as fire. He didn't walk out

on God, blame God. Trials hurt, but trials hurt as

part of a test.

Okay?

The second reason is, is to expand your endurance. Notice

verse three, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

This word endurance is from two Greek words. That means

remain under, to remain under. It means to be able

to endure or handle the trial until its purpose has

been complete. Now I got this firsthand here since I

came back on vacation and I decided I'm gonna start

getting up early in the morning and going to the gym.

Well, I started my weightlifting program.

And I started and I started with the curls and

I started with the presses, you know, and I started

with all this.

24 hours later, I was in a trial.

I couldn't walk. My wife had to button my shirts.

So I was in a mess and I was in

agonizing pain.

Why?

Because I had pressed upon me weights that I had

not been used to.

And guess what?

And the weights which were designed to help me were

causing me more pain. But through the encouragement of the

one working with me, I went back and I.

Had to lift more weight. And I struggled as I

felt the pain. And then he told me, he said,

keep pressing on. Endure. Because as you work your way

through it, This.

Pain will subside and the process of physical development will occur.

But if you quit, whenever you decide to start again,

you got to go through this whole routine one more time.

In the trials of life, God puts weights on you.

And he says, don't quit, keep pumping. But when you

pump the weights, it may produce more pain. But keep

on pumping and don't quit because if you do, you're

going to see muscle where flab had been. You're going

to see spiritual development where weakness had occurred.

He says keep going. Let your faith keep going. Trust him.

It doesn't look like trusting him makes sense. Stay with

him when you want to quit. He says it's like weight.

It produces resistance, but it's designed for growth. like a

kite that soars high. It only does so on a

windy day. God allows the wind to blow in the

spiritual lives of his children that they might soar higher

in their spiritual lives, that they might grow to the

next level of spiritual growth.

When Dr. Evans returns, he'll give us three practical responses

that can help us keep growing when we're going through

a trial. Well, as we've been learning, sometimes the problems

we encounter aren't just problems. They're spiritual issues that can't

be resolved without supernatural help. To help you get that,

we're featuring a great resource right now, Dr. Evans' 30-Day Devotional,

Trusting God in Turbulent Times. Through scripture, encouraging insights, and

practical challenges, Tony helps you find comfort and strength in

God's faithfulness. even when life feels uncertain or overwhelming. We

want you to have a copy of this powerful devotional

book as our thank you gift when you make a

contribution to support our work here on the air and

around the world. Along with it, we'll also send you

all 16 full-length lessons in Tony's current two-volume series, James,

Time to Grow Up, available on CD, USB flash drive,

or instantly downloadable MP3s. Visit TonyEvans.org to take advantage of

this offer or call us at 1-800-800-3222 where resource team

members are ready to help with your request. Again, that's TonyEvans.org

or by phone 1-800-800-3222. We'll get back to today's message

right after this.

Life moves fast and sometimes the most important thing you

can do is slow down. You're invited to join Dr.

Tony Evans and special guests Priscilla Shire and Anthony Evans

on a seven-day Caribbean cruise of rest and renewal. Beginning

February 28th, set sail from Fort Lauderdale to visit stunning

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and with others. You'll experience life-changing teachings, uplifting worship, and

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What should your response be to trials?

Let me give you three things you should do if

you're going through a trial or when you go through one.

Here are the three things you should do with regard

to trials. I'm telling you, this is the quickest way

to get out is to do these three things. Number one,

verse two, count it all joy. Instead of bickering, complaining, whining, crying,

seeking revenge, getting back, Because now you know that God

is up to something, count it all joy.

Now, don't misinterpret that.

He does not mean to feel good about the pain

of your problem. That's not what it means. He says, count,

not feel. Evaluate your trials from the standpoint of joy.

Now, what does that mean?

That means say to yourself, self, God is up.

To something here.

God, I do not know what you're up to, but

you let this trial come into my life, so you

are obviously up to something. So I'm going to praise

your name, not for the trial, but for what you're

up to. That's what it means to count it all joy.

Because you know that God is up to something, your

first response should be, To count it all joy. Your

outlook determines your outcome. Your attitude will determine your action.

It is not about feeling, it's about counting. A decision

of the will. Now what happens when you don't count

it all joy? You lose the provision of grace. And

grace is God's supply to take you through anything he

gives you. He giveth more grace. So you nullify grace

when you don't count it as joy. So if you're

going through a trial, then you can make a decision,

no matter how you feel to say, I decide to

be joyful about what God is doing. Second thing you

must do, go to God and ask him for wisdom.

Ask for help. What are you asking him? To get

you out?

Uh-uh, because perseverance doesn't mean it's necessarily time to get out.

You're asking him, here's the key, for wisdom. If any

man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God.

What is wisdom?

You're going through a trial and yet you're supposed to

count it joy.

That's a paradox. That's a contradiction.

How can I count joy what I'm going through? Make

sense of this for me. Make sense of this for me.

It doesn't mean it's going to take you out. It

doesn't mean you're even going to know why you're going

through it. But show me how I am to respond

to get the most out of what you're doing right now.

That's your prayer.

Show me how to respond to get the most out

of what you're doing for me right now.

The Bible says in 2 Peter 2, 9, God is

bigger than your trials.

Listen, 1 Corinthians 10, 13 says that no temptation has

overtaken you, but such as is common to man. So

anything that you face, you're not the only one that's

ever faced it. You're not the only one that will

face it. And that's why fellowship is so important because

you hook up with other people who have faced it

and seeing God bring them through so that you know

there's hope for you too. That's why you can't be

a lone ranger Christian. There is commonality. You haven't been

singled out. God is not picking on you. Why is

this happening to me? Well, this happened to a bunch

of other people that God had to teach the same

thing with that he's teaching you too.

So pray for wisdom. But how do you pray? Listen closely.

He says, God will give it to you freely. He

just would love to tell you what he wants you

to learn. But let him ask in faith without doubting.

For the one who doubts is like the surf of

the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For let

not that man think he will receive.

Anything from the Lord. Okay?

He talks about the double-minded person. This is the split

personality Christian. This Christian is unstable and perplexed. See, faith

says yes, unbelief says no, doubt says yes and no.

This is a Christian who wants to go two ways

at one time. They want to do it their way

and still want God to do it his way. They

want some of God and some of them. They want

to see what God wants, but then they want to

see what they want. They have a split personality, and

God says, I'm not going to compromise what I'm going

to do in your life. I got to have the

whole thing, so give me the.

Whole ball of wax.

Turn it all over to me. God, you must show

me what you're up to in my life. It's all

in your hands. Give it all to me. If you're

going to come to me, then bring it all to me.

You only do what I tell you to do, what

you're supposed to do, what I reveal to you to do,

but you bring it all to me and stop half-stepping

with this stuff. Many times believers come for counsel and

talk about pray for me. And after you pray for

them and tell them what God wants them to do,

they still go out and do what they want to do.

God says, you will not receive anything from me, and

that's why you're not getting any answers to prayers.

That's not why you're getting any solutions.

Did you know that that mate that you want to

leave may be God's test in your life to take

you to the next spiritual level, and you just think,

I don't want.

To be married anymore. Did you know that?

That that may be God's purpose for you, and he

will keep you miserable, and every other mate you find

will be as messed up as the mate you left

because you never passed the test of what he was

trying to teach you in the first place. See, because

if God is against you, you can't find the right person.

And then he says, praise. But let the brother of

humble circumstance glory in his high position, and let the

rich man glory in his humiliation, because like flowering glass

he will pass away. For the sun rises, and it's

a scorching wind, and withers the grass. and flower falls

off the beauty of its appearance is destroyed so to

the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will

fade away very quickly he says give glory to God

in the midst of your trial he gives two trials

a poor man that doesn't have money got some of

them here and the rich man who's running to something

money can't get him out of we got some of

them here Poor people who don't have money, he says,

glory in your position in Christ. Rich people, you get

sick and money can't buy that cancer out of you.

Money can't buy that wayward child back home. Money can't

buy that. So glory in your humiliations. If you run

out of money, give glory to God. Lord, right now

I've run out of money, but I want to thank you.

I have my health.

I want to thank you that you've taken care of me.

I want to thank you that you've supplied my needs.

I want to thank you there's food on my table.

I want to thank you there's clothes on my back.

In my poverty, I want to praise you. And then

if you have a little money, but you got some

money you can't buy.

Lord, I want to glorify you. I want to.

Glorify you that money can't buy me out of this

so that I won't pull out MasterCard, Visa, or American Express.

I'm going to run to Jesus Christ and ask him

to do it. In other words, whether you're poor or rich,

when life crashes in, give glory to God because God

allows trials to force us back to him. Because when

you get money, then you pay cash, you don't pray.

That's what he's saying. He's saying it is to remind

you of your humanity and you can do nothing without me.

He closes with this verse, verse 12. Blessed, oh this

is a good verse.

Is a man who perseveres under trial for once he

has been approved he will receive the crown of life

which the Lord has promised to those who love him.

This is the reward of trials. He says the reward

of trials when the trial has been finished and the

lesson has been learned, then approval will be given.

Passed.

And when you pass, you can graduate. When you graduate, what?

You go across the stage, you get a diploma, and

there's a cap on your head. He calls the cap

in verse 12 the crown of life. God puts a cap,

a graduation cap. He passed elementary school. He graduates to

junior high.

Yeah, more tests. He passed junior high. He graduates to high.

Yeah, but more tests. He graduates from high. He goes

to college.

More tests. He graduates from college. He goes to the workplace.

More tests.

But he will graduate you from that trial. It took

Abraham 25 years to graduate, to become the father of

all nations when.

He offered up Isaac.

It took Moses 85 years to graduate, to lead the

children of Israel. I don't know how long it's going

to take you. You have a lot to say about

that by how you take the test.

I do know this.

When you graduate, he will say pass, and your fondest

dreams will come true, your greatest desires. Some of you

single ladies are looking for a husband. God is waiting

for you to pass the test. When you pass, then

he's going to show up. Long as you fussing and

fighting and complaining, you'll be alone. Many of you want

a career move. God is saying, I'm going to keep

letting them skip you until you pass my test. Then

I'll let you pass their test. God will continue to

do it until you pass the test.

Dr. Tony Evans, talking about the upside of the downturns

we face in life. part of his current series called James,

Time to Grow Up. This two-volume, 16-lesson collection offers practical,

clear direction for making wise, God-honoring decisions when things get confusing.

And as I mentioned earlier, it's yours, along with a

bonus of Dr. Evans' 30-day devotional, Trusting God in Turbulent Times,

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Or get some in-person help by requesting it through our

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That's TonyEvans.org or by phone at 1-800-800-3222. Trials and temptations

are a part of life, but the choices we make

in those moments can have lasting consequences. Next time, Dr.

Evans looks at the price of temptation and shows how

we can stand strong when facing the opportunity to give in.

Be sure to join us.

Thank you.