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Pastor/Teacher - Jim RickardPastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Thursday, February 11, 2010Thursday, February 11, 2010

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

John 15:13, John 15:13, “Greater love has no one “Greater love has no one

than this, that one lay down than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”his life for his friends.”

John 15:2John 15:2

Suffering for BlessingSuffering for BlessingPart 9Part 9

A. Introduction: Suffering acts as a A. Introduction: Suffering acts as a guardian or parent in life. guardian or parent in life.B. Suffering is used as a measure-B. Suffering is used as a measure- ment of life. ment of life.C. Suffering for Blessing C. Suffering for Blessing Rationale.Rationale.D. Five categories of suffering in D. Five categories of suffering in the spiritual life. the spiritual life.

E. Definition of the three stages of E. Definition of the three stages of Spiritual Adulthood and Spiritual Adulthood and accompanying Suffering for accompanying Suffering for Blessing. Blessing.F. Suffering and Spiritual Adulthood.F. Suffering and Spiritual Adulthood.G. Providential Preventative G. Providential Preventative Suffering. Suffering.H. Prayer and Suffering.H. Prayer and Suffering.

I. Momentum TestingI. Momentum Testing5 Categories5 Categories::

Disaster Testing Disaster Testing People Testing People Testing

Thought Testing Thought Testing System TestingSystem Testing

Prosperity Testing Prosperity Testing

2. Disaster Testing2. Disaster Testing

2 Categories2 Categories::1) Personal 1) Personal 2) Historical2) Historical

c. c. Six CharacteristicsSix Characteristics::

1) Physical or mental pain and anguish.1) Physical or mental pain and anguish.2) Crime where you are the victim.2) Crime where you are the victim.3) Persecution.3) Persecution.4) Privation; hunger, thirst, exposure,4) Privation; hunger, thirst, exposure, fatigue, etc. fatigue, etc.5) Loss of loved ones, property, success, 5) Loss of loved ones, property, success,

job, money, etc. job, money, etc.6) Disease and handicaps.6) Disease and handicaps.

d. Four characteristics of d. Four characteristics of national disaster: national disaster:

d. Four characteristics of d. Four characteristics of national disaster: national disaster:

1) Violence, crime, 1) Violence, crime, terrorism, murder, rampant terrorism, murder, rampant drug and alcohol addiction.drug and alcohol addiction.

d. Four characteristics of d. Four characteristics of national disaster: national disaster:

1) Violence, crime, 1) Violence, crime, terrorism, murder, rampant terrorism, murder, rampant drug and alcohol addiction.drug and alcohol addiction.

2) Warfare.2) Warfare.

3) Weather, including heat, 3) Weather, including heat, cold, storms, blizzards, cold, storms, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes.hurricanes, tornadoes.

3) Weather, including heat, 3) Weather, including heat, cold, storms, blizzards, cold, storms, blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes.hurricanes, tornadoes.

4) Cycles of discipline, 4) Cycles of discipline, Lev 26.Lev 26.

e. Disaster Testing always e. Disaster Testing always tests your emotions.tests your emotions.

1) A form of this tempts 1) A form of this tempts you to take the easy route, you to take the easy route, i.e., money, security, fame, i.e., money, security, fame, etc., and lose forever your etc., and lose forever your

escrow blessing. escrow blessing.

2) The only wealth worth 2) The only wealth worth having is the wealth that having is the wealth that God provides in escrow God provides in escrow

blessing, Rev 3:18.blessing, Rev 3:18.

Rev 3:18, Rev 3:18, “I advise you to buy from Me “I advise you to buy from Me gold gold

refined by firerefined by fire so that you may so that you may become rich, and white garments so become rich, and white garments so

that you may clothe yourself, and that you may clothe yourself, and thatthat the shame of your nakedness will not the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint be revealed; and eye salve to anoint

your eyes so that you may see.”your eyes so that you may see.”

f. There must be maximum f. There must be maximum faith and maximum SSE faith and maximum SSE and maximum SA if you and maximum SA if you are going to have your are going to have your

escrow blessings and pass escrow blessings and pass Disaster Testing.Disaster Testing.

3. 3. People TestingPeople Testing

a. Problems with human a. Problems with human relationships where SA is relationships where SA is

necessary for Biblical necessary for Biblical solutions.solutions.

b. Two Categories.b. Two Categories.

1) Personal love 1) Personal love relationships where the relationships where the

object of your love controls object of your love controls your life or tempts you to your life or tempts you to

be unhappy.be unhappy.

In wanting to please the In wanting to please the object of your love, you object of your love, you

become a different person, become a different person, not following your normal not following your normal

function.function.

2) In personal hatred or 2) In personal hatred or animosity, the object of animosity, the object of

your antagonism or your antagonism or irritation has control of irritation has control of your life or happiness.your life or happiness.

c. God designed His Plan c. God designed His Plan so that your happiness will so that your happiness will

always reside in you, so always reside in you, so that you do not depend on that you do not depend on people or things for your people or things for your

happiness.happiness.

Psa 5:11,Psa 5:11,“But let all who take “But let all who take

refuge in You be glad, Let refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; and them ever sing for joy; and may You shelter them, that may You shelter them, that those who love Your name those who love Your name

may exult in You.”may exult in You.”

Psa 16:11,Psa 16:11,“You will make known to “You will make known to

me the path of life; in Your me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; presence is fullness of joy;

in Your right hand there in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”are pleasures forever.”

1) As a function of your 1) As a function of your Royal Priesthood, love and Royal Priesthood, love and

happiness comes from happiness comes from within.within.

2) You are supposed to 2) You are supposed to have control of your life have control of your life

through the application of through the application of God’s Word, a Personal God’s Word, a Personal Sense of Destiny, and Sense of Destiny, and Self‑Confidence from Self‑Confidence from metabolized doctrine. metabolized doctrine.

3) Therefore, you have poise 3) Therefore, you have poise and command of self. As a and command of self. As a

result, you bring your result, you bring your happiness to others, but you happiness to others, but you

do not lean on others or do not lean on others or circumstances for your circumstances for your

happiness.happiness.

Gal 5:22-23, Gal 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, faithfulness, 2323gentleness, gentleness, self-control; against such self-control; against such things there is no law.”things there is no law.”

1 Thes 1:6, 1 Thes 1:6, “You also became imitators “You also became imitators

of us and of the Lord, having of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much received the word in much tribulation with the joy of tribulation with the joy of

the Holy Spirit, …the Holy Spirit, …

… … 77so that you became an so that you became an example to all the example to all the

believers... believers... 88For the word of For the word of the Lord has sounded forth the Lord has sounded forth

from you, …, in every place from you, …, in every place your faith toward God has your faith toward God has

gone forth...”gone forth...”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, February 11, 2010

Tape # 10-017

Suffering for Blessing, Pt 9Momentum Testing, Pt 2

Upper Room Discourse, Part 336

John 15:2-8

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010