James is saying, you're going through something right now, but you need to be more committed to Jesus purpose than you are in getting out of your pain.

James is saying, you're going through something right now, but you need to be more committed to Jesus purpose than you are in getting out of your pain.

You're listening to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford Jr, senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm Steve Hillard. Glad you're with us today as we continue our message from James chapter one, seeing purpose in your problems and pain. And as we began to look at in yesterday's broadcast, we all go through pain and we all go through problems. And as we're walking through that, it can be hard to grow spiritually. It can be hard to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus because I get it. We want the easy way out. We want the pain to stop. We want the problem solved immediately. But sometimes in doing that, we shortcut what God is wanting to do in our lives. Very often he may be trying to teach us something by allowing us to be in that problem or in that pain for a season. And when we shortcut that, we're not growing like he wants us to grow. So I think it can be helpful, as we're in a season like that, to not only be looking for the way out, but to keep in mind that our goal really ought to be honoring Jesus in the midst of that pain. And as we do so, we're bound to grow in spiritual maturity. We're going to continue to look at that today from James chapter one. So if you can open your Bible and join us there as we continue the message seeing purpose in your problems and pain. Here is Pastor Ford.

You're listening to Treasure Truth with pastor and author James Ford Jr, senior pastor of the Christ Bible Church in Chicago. I'm Steve Hillard. Glad you're with us today as we continue our message from James chapter one, seeing purpose in your problems and pain. And as we began to look at in yesterday's broadcast, we all go through pain and we all go through problems. And as we're walking through that, it can be hard to grow spiritually. It can be hard to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus because I get it. We want the easy way out. We want the pain to stop. We want the problem solved immediately. But sometimes in doing that, we shortcut what God is wanting to do in our lives. Very often he may be trying to teach us something by allowing us to be in that problem or in that pain for a season. And when we shortcut that, we're not growing like he wants us to grow. So I think it can be helpful, as we're in a season like that, to not only be looking for the way out, but to keep in mind that our goal really ought to be honoring Jesus in the midst of that pain. And as we do so, we're bound to grow in spiritual maturity. We're going to continue to look at that today from James chapter one. So if you can open your Bible and join us there as we continue the message seeing purpose in your problems and pain. Here is Pastor Ford.

Don't ever write anybody off because you don't know what God can do when he gets Ahold of somebody. Look at me, look at me. Folk wrote me off. People would be out witnessing and wouldn't give me a track because I was pushing drugs. But look at me now. I'm preaching Christ. I went from pushing drugs to preaching Christ. I went from LSD. Try to get a PhD. I mean, you know, God is doing the thing. Somebody would say, look at him, poor little welfare boy. Family of ten. You know, mama went third grade education. Well, I earned all my degrees except the one I was given. Yeah. Don't ever write anybody off. She was fired from her job. Uh, and, uh, she was told you are unfit for television. So the first job she had, uh, as a TV announcer, she was fired. Now she owns her own. And she is the richest African-American in America, worth over $3 billion. What's her name? Everybody. Same time Oprah. Now, I don't agree with her philosophy, but I sure wouldn't mind having some of her money. I. Will say I would too. And so what's going on here? Listen, he's saying listen, let me tell you about my identification. Uh, my name is James. But then look at his dedication. There are seven words in the New Testament translated servant or minister. And this is the one. Dulas. Dulas. Guess where it fits. Come on, holler out a number from 1 to 7. Holler out a number from 1 to 7. Seven. It's the worst term. It's the most abject term that one could use for slavery. And that's what he uses. Now you say wait wait wait wait wait. See? He's saying, look, am I suffering? I submit to the regal sovereignty of God. He could have said, God, my brother. He could have said, James, if I'd have wrote it. So you think he would have said James, a servant of Jesus Christ? James, half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what I'm saying? Ate at the same table with him. You know what I'm saying? In the same crib. You know what I'm saying? I am somebody. But he doesn't say that. He puts none of the relationship. He says, let me tell you who I am. A slave to Jesus Christ. That's why he could do anything he wants. Because I'm a slave to Jesus Christ, man. He's saying, listen, this word is really powerful. You know what it means? It means absolute conformity, abject humility and undivided loyalty. Let me say it again. It means absolute conformity. It means abject humility. And it means undivided loyalty. When you wanted to be a dulos and you were set free, guess what you have to do. You had to get in all h.w.l. I spell it because I can't pronounce it real well. And you had to put it through your ear so everybody would see the whole and know that you voluntarily became a slave even though you were free. And so Christ set us free from the slave market of sin. And he wants us to volunteer to become his slave. Here's what he's saying. Your will is all that matters. Not my wants. Not my pain. Not my problems. Not my trials. Not my tests. No no no no, I'm not saying that you don't feel the pain. I'm not saying that. And he won't say that. I'm not saying that you have to like it. No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that you submit to what God has either authorized or allowed to happen in your life. In other words, he's saying your will is all that matters to me. James is saying, I'm not going to tip on Jesus because I'm telling you, there's a lot of Christians, man. We're the bride of Christ. We're married to Jesus. But the devil is our side piece. We're here with Jesus on Sunday and we shacking with the devil on Monday. And I already told you, you can't cast out a devil you sleeping with. We say devil, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. He say, shut up and go and get in this bed. Mm mm mm. Yeah. You say, well, what did he say? He's saying, listen, I need you to understand this, that I submit in my person to the regal sovereignty of God. Listen, listen, I'm. I'm working on a message. I don't know if I'm going to get to it, because, you know, I have been all over the place here lately, you know, but, uh, I'm working on some messages, And one of the things I'm going to do is talk about what is the biblical basis, everything that we're going in. When I listen to the news, here's what I hear. I hear fruit, I hear, shoot, I hear nothing about fruit. Yeah, the problem is not with the world. The problem is with the church. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'll go on record as saying. Why? Because. Thank you, Tony Evans. Because when you look at a football game, two teams on the field, they're both trying to make goals. But the most powerful people on the field are not part of the teams, the most powerful guys. There's five of them that's on the field. They're called the referees. Guess what? They don't have equipment on and they never pumped any iron. Most of them. And they never shot any steroids, but they got more power than everybody on that field. And their job is to make sure that what happens on that field is the instructions from the manual that came from New York. See, the NFL headquarters sent down a manual and said this is how the game ought to be played. And so the referees have the most power, because if that £350, uh, offensive tackle, uh, does something that's not in this book, he can throw that yellow flag and throw him out of the game. God has called us as the Church of Jesus Christ because we have a manual, and it didn't come from this world. It came from heaven. He gave us this manual, and we are the referees on this earth. And when the earth decides they're not going to listen to the manual, we throw out the flag of salvation, put them in check, and say, this is what thus saith the Lord. That's what we need to do. Amen. And it's time that the church be the church. So anyway, so what's happening? In other words, James is saying you're going through something right now, but you need to be more committed to Jesus purpose than you are in getting out of your pain. Amen. That's a hard message. Alexander the Great. He conquered the whole known world by the time he was 33. Same age as Jesus. But he died at 33, in an alcoholic stupor. Because a man who could control all those troops and all those nations all over the world couldn't control his own nature. Know anybody like that? So he wants the wealth of this city. He brings his troop. But the city is on a mountain. They made this city on a mountain, and it only has one way to approach it. And it has a wall that they built around. So if you could scale the mountain, you still have to scale the wall, which is about 30ft high. Alexander marched his troops up. Supposed to be true story marched his troops up and said to the king, who was on the wall, open the gates, open the gates, and let me in, and no one will lose their life. King said, you can't get up in here. You can't get all your men on on this narrow way, and you can't scale these walls. We have about three years worth of provisions, so go ahead and siege us because you ain't getting up in here. He said. Let me show you why you need to let me in. He called a division of his troops lined up in four, just like our military, and he said, forward. March 4x4 they came to the edge of the cliff, and without hesitation they kept marching. So four went over on down the mountain. Four more, four more, four more, four more, until the whole division marched off to their death off of that mountain. He looked up at that king. He said, you better have them open the gates. And the king said, open the gates, because there's no way we're going to be able to defeat a king who has followers who obey him like that. And that's what the world needs to know. People come in here now, pastor, pray for me. Pray for me. I need a job. Oh, God. I need a job. Then he come in. I don't care if you ain't having a testimony time. You gotta have a testimony time. I gotta tell this, Saints Friday I got my last unemployment check, but.

Don't ever write anybody off because you don't know what God can do when he gets Ahold of somebody. Look at me, look at me. Folk wrote me off. People would be out witnessing and wouldn't give me a track because I was pushing drugs. But look at me now. I'm preaching Christ. I went from pushing drugs to preaching Christ. I went from LSD. Try to get a PhD. I mean, you know, God is doing the thing. Somebody would say, look at him, poor little welfare boy. Family of ten. You know, mama went third grade education. Well, I earned all my degrees except the one I was given. Yeah. Don't ever write anybody off. She was fired from her job. Uh, and, uh, she was told you are unfit for television. So the first job she had, uh, as a TV announcer, she was fired. Now she owns her own. And she is the richest African-American in America, worth over $3 billion. What's her name? Everybody. Same time Oprah. Now, I don't agree with her philosophy, but I sure wouldn't mind having some of her money. I. Will say I would too. And so what's going on here? Listen, he's saying listen, let me tell you about my identification. Uh, my name is James. But then look at his dedication. There are seven words in the New Testament translated servant or minister. And this is the one. Dulas. Dulas. Guess where it fits. Come on, holler out a number from 1 to 7. Holler out a number from 1 to 7. Seven. It's the worst term. It's the most abject term that one could use for slavery. And that's what he uses. Now you say wait wait wait wait wait. See? He's saying, look, am I suffering? I submit to the regal sovereignty of God. He could have said, God, my brother. He could have said, James, if I'd have wrote it. So you think he would have said James, a servant of Jesus Christ? James, half brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. You know what I'm saying? Ate at the same table with him. You know what I'm saying? In the same crib. You know what I'm saying? I am somebody. But he doesn't say that. He puts none of the relationship. He says, let me tell you who I am. A slave to Jesus Christ. That's why he could do anything he wants. Because I'm a slave to Jesus Christ, man. He's saying, listen, this word is really powerful. You know what it means? It means absolute conformity, abject humility and undivided loyalty. Let me say it again. It means absolute conformity. It means abject humility. And it means undivided loyalty. When you wanted to be a dulos and you were set free, guess what you have to do. You had to get in all h.w.l. I spell it because I can't pronounce it real well. And you had to put it through your ear so everybody would see the whole and know that you voluntarily became a slave even though you were free. And so Christ set us free from the slave market of sin. And he wants us to volunteer to become his slave. Here's what he's saying. Your will is all that matters. Not my wants. Not my pain. Not my problems. Not my trials. Not my tests. No no no no, I'm not saying that you don't feel the pain. I'm not saying that. And he won't say that. I'm not saying that you have to like it. No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that you submit to what God has either authorized or allowed to happen in your life. In other words, he's saying your will is all that matters to me. James is saying, I'm not going to tip on Jesus because I'm telling you, there's a lot of Christians, man. We're the bride of Christ. We're married to Jesus. But the devil is our side piece. We're here with Jesus on Sunday and we shacking with the devil on Monday. And I already told you, you can't cast out a devil you sleeping with. We say devil, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. He say, shut up and go and get in this bed. Mm mm mm. Yeah. You say, well, what did he say? He's saying, listen, I need you to understand this, that I submit in my person to the regal sovereignty of God. Listen, listen, I'm. I'm working on a message. I don't know if I'm going to get to it, because, you know, I have been all over the place here lately, you know, but, uh, I'm working on some messages, And one of the things I'm going to do is talk about what is the biblical basis, everything that we're going in. When I listen to the news, here's what I hear. I hear fruit, I hear, shoot, I hear nothing about fruit. Yeah, the problem is not with the world. The problem is with the church. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I'll go on record as saying. Why? Because. Thank you, Tony Evans. Because when you look at a football game, two teams on the field, they're both trying to make goals. But the most powerful people on the field are not part of the teams, the most powerful guys. There's five of them that's on the field. They're called the referees. Guess what? They don't have equipment on and they never pumped any iron. Most of them. And they never shot any steroids, but they got more power than everybody on that field. And their job is to make sure that what happens on that field is the instructions from the manual that came from New York. See, the NFL headquarters sent down a manual and said this is how the game ought to be played. And so the referees have the most power, because if that £350, uh, offensive tackle, uh, does something that's not in this book, he can throw that yellow flag and throw him out of the game. God has called us as the Church of Jesus Christ because we have a manual, and it didn't come from this world. It came from heaven. He gave us this manual, and we are the referees on this earth. And when the earth decides they're not going to listen to the manual, we throw out the flag of salvation, put them in check, and say, this is what thus saith the Lord. That's what we need to do. Amen. And it's time that the church be the church. So anyway, so what's happening? In other words, James is saying you're going through something right now, but you need to be more committed to Jesus purpose than you are in getting out of your pain. Amen. That's a hard message. Alexander the Great. He conquered the whole known world by the time he was 33. Same age as Jesus. But he died at 33, in an alcoholic stupor. Because a man who could control all those troops and all those nations all over the world couldn't control his own nature. Know anybody like that? So he wants the wealth of this city. He brings his troop. But the city is on a mountain. They made this city on a mountain, and it only has one way to approach it. And it has a wall that they built around. So if you could scale the mountain, you still have to scale the wall, which is about 30ft high. Alexander marched his troops up. Supposed to be true story marched his troops up and said to the king, who was on the wall, open the gates, open the gates, and let me in, and no one will lose their life. King said, you can't get up in here. You can't get all your men on on this narrow way, and you can't scale these walls. We have about three years worth of provisions, so go ahead and siege us because you ain't getting up in here. He said. Let me show you why you need to let me in. He called a division of his troops lined up in four, just like our military, and he said, forward. March 4x4 they came to the edge of the cliff, and without hesitation they kept marching. So four went over on down the mountain. Four more, four more, four more, four more, until the whole division marched off to their death off of that mountain. He looked up at that king. He said, you better have them open the gates. And the king said, open the gates, because there's no way we're going to be able to defeat a king who has followers who obey him like that. And that's what the world needs to know. People come in here now, pastor, pray for me. Pray for me. I need a job. Oh, God. I need a job. Then he come in. I don't care if you ain't having a testimony time. You gotta have a testimony time. I gotta tell this, Saints Friday I got my last unemployment check, but.

Hallelujah. Oh, thank you, thank you. Monday I got my job. Wow.

Hallelujah. Oh, thank you, thank you. Monday I got my job. Wow.

Two years later, y'all pray for me. I need to get another job. Because them people on that job, they ain't right. That boss. He ain't right. I'm the only Christian on. Why do you think God put you there in the first place? Yeah, you're taking the salt out and God got you the job. So you can show people that everybody that people who love the Lord aren't like everybody else. They don't do Facebook on company time. They don't take pens and paper. And what else do people steal from the job? Toilet tissue. Paper clips. Ink pens. Taking long lunches and stuff like that. A man so God can say. I have some people who don't talk about the boss because they realize ultimately he's just an agent. God is the source. I work for God. That's why I don't take extra breaks. Won't lift your head up. So I don't know. I'm talking to you. Got your head all down every time I say something. Stole something from the job. Taking extra breaks. Pretty soon you're going to be on the floor, I better stop.

Two years later, y'all pray for me. I need to get another job. Because them people on that job, they ain't right. That boss. He ain't right. I'm the only Christian on. Why do you think God put you there in the first place? Yeah, you're taking the salt out and God got you the job. So you can show people that everybody that people who love the Lord aren't like everybody else. They don't do Facebook on company time. They don't take pens and paper. And what else do people steal from the job? Toilet tissue. Paper clips. Ink pens. Taking long lunches and stuff like that. A man so God can say. I have some people who don't talk about the boss because they realize ultimately he's just an agent. God is the source. I work for God. That's why I don't take extra breaks. Won't lift your head up. So I don't know. I'm talking to you. Got your head all down every time I say something. Stole something from the job. Taking extra breaks. Pretty soon you're going to be on the floor, I better stop.

You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford, and he is going to stop for just a moment. But he'll be back in less than a minute as we continue the message. Seeing purpose in your problems and pain. You know, I know we can't always be listening to the radio for each and every broadcast, but you don't have to miss Pastor Ford's teaching a couple different ways that you can get that when you're on the. Go first, go ahead and subscribe to this podcast. And if you happen to use iTunes. For your podcasting, would you rate that? That will help us be found by even more people. You can also get the Moody Radio app. It's free and it's available for Apple products. And Android products. And it really makes it convenient for you to listen on the go as it fits your schedule. And not only can you listen to this program, but other Bible teaching programs produced by Moody Radio, you'll find the app at your favorite app store. Just look for Moody Radio. Well, let's get back to the message. Once again. Here's Pastor Ford.

You're listening to Treasure Truth with Pastor Ford, and he is going to stop for just a moment. But he'll be back in less than a minute as we continue the message. Seeing purpose in your problems and pain. You know, I know we can't always be listening to the radio for each and every broadcast, but you don't have to miss Pastor Ford's teaching a couple different ways that you can get that when you're on the. Go first, go ahead and subscribe to this podcast. And if you happen to use iTunes. For your podcasting, would you rate that? That will help us be found by even more people. You can also get the Moody Radio app. It's free and it's available for Apple products. And Android products. And it really makes it convenient for you to listen on the go as it fits your schedule. And not only can you listen to this program, but other Bible teaching programs produced by Moody Radio, you'll find the app at your favorite app store. Just look for Moody Radio. Well, let's get back to the message. Once again. Here's Pastor Ford.

And so what is it? It is, it is. We understand that we are like the old children's game. Remember it, Simon says. Anybody old enough, old school like me, we used to play Simon Says, bunch of us. And we say, we say, Simon says, oh, run and you run. Simon says, stop, run! And you ran. Simon didn't say it. You out. Jesus said tithe. Jesus said witness. Jesus said serve. Jesus said, worship. Jesus said, be good stewards. Jesus said, love one another. Honor one another. Serve one.

And so what is it? It is, it is. We understand that we are like the old children's game. Remember it, Simon says. Anybody old enough, old school like me, we used to play Simon Says, bunch of us. And we say, we say, Simon says, oh, run and you run. Simon says, stop, run! And you ran. Simon didn't say it. You out. Jesus said tithe. Jesus said witness. Jesus said serve. Jesus said, worship. Jesus said, be good stewards. Jesus said, love one another. Honor one another. Serve one.

Another. Bear one another's.

Another. Bear one another's.

Burdens. Mm. Now notice with me. Notice with me. So then, not just the regal prerogative of God over your lives. Notice the regal prerogative of God in your problem. Say, where do you see that pastor? Right there. To the 12 tribes which are scattered. He's he's writing to Jewish Christians. They are saved. But the Jews and he says they're scattered. Who remembers the word from from our Bible study. Uh, Wednesday Bible study. You remember it? Yeah. Diaspora or diaspora? Dia is a preposition. Spora means seed. So here's what it literally means. Seed sown. It's the word picture of a farmer who has weeded up where he's going to plant and then cultivated it, furrowed it, and then fertilized it, then dropped the seed in and put the soil on it. Here's what he said. God is sovereign in your problems. Why? Because like a farmer, he's strategically placed you where you are. And what he did was cover you with dirt. Now, what he wants you to do is when the sunshine of his promises and the water of his word hits you, he wants you to begin to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that whatever time he has you, he hasn't buried you. He just planted you. You are in incubation mode so so that once you begin to break free from the dirt that's on you, you will begin in your growth to lift your hands toward heaven. And you'll look down on what used to be over you, and you'll look up and blossom and give God some glory. I'm telling you, that's what it is. It's not an accident. It's providence. God, where am I? Right where I placed you. God, why am I still here? Because this is where I left you. Adelaide Pollard. Anybody ever heard her name? Okay, I bet you you sang her song because Adelaide Pollard wanted to go to Africa as a missionary. This was back in the time when women weren't doing that. And, uh, she knew God had called her to do this, so she tried to raise support from the church. Uh huh. Uh, you heard what I said. That's right. She tried to raise support from the church. Didn't get it. Here's what she said, and I quote, I went through a crisis of soul. What does she mean by that? I went through a crisis of soul. God, you called me to this, but you haven't provided for it. You called me to this. But there's an issue or a problem. Now you call me to this and I'm in pain because I don't see this happening the way you said it ought to be. So she went to a prayer meeting that night, and one of the teenagers, she said, that's a senior citizen. One of the teenagers just prayed a one line prayer. And she said, God minister to her in that one line prayer. She went home that night. And this is the song she wrote. Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Thou art the potter. I am the clay. Make me and mold me after your will. While I'm waiting. Yielded and still have your own way. Lord, have your own way. Wow, man. That's it. When are we going to realize that the Christian boat is a rowboat, not a motor boat? Because in a motor boat, you got all that power and you can see where you're going. But if you're in a rowboat, you can't see where you're going. It's the old coxwain. Remember that? That thing in the Olympics, the coxwain. They got the longboat with all the guys in it. They say stroke, stroke, stroke. This guy. Tell him to stroke. He ain't doing nothing. He's standing up there. He controlling the way they go. Stroke and the speed and everything. And you know what? That's Jesus. We rowing, supplying what's necessary to get things done. And what happens? Jesus is saying row row row row row. Notice secondly with me notice secondly with me the regal prerogative of God. You gotta be committed to it to have strength in your struggle. But then notice secondly, and this is where I'll stop. You got to have the right perspective about your struggle. Look at what it says, my brethren. Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptation. I want you to see something here, because what he's going to tell us two things he's going to say. There's an attitude towards suffering that demonstrates you have the right perspective. Here's what he said. When we go into trouble, let me just speak for myself, because I know ain't nobody going to relate to it. Going through something. Why? Why me? Why now? Why this? And James is saying that's not the right perspective. It's not the right question. Not why? What? See, God must work in you before he works for you so he can work through you. Let me say that again that God must work in you before he works for you, so he can work through you. The idea is he wants to work through you. So whenever you begin to think about it, we talked about this before. Some of you may remember there on the boat and the boats doing the Nae Nae. I don't know how to do it, but, you know. Stanky leg. Stanky leg. The boat. The boat. The boat is doing it, all right. It's doing it. And they're. They're afraid. Fishermen who fished on the Sea of Galilee all their life as little boys, as teens, as adolescents, as adults. And there's a storm that they ain't never seen before. And they say, man, Jesus, this storm. What you going to do? And Jesus says, don't be afraid. And then he says, storm, shut up. Now here's the question. Some of you may remember. Why did he tell them, don't be afraid before he stopped the storm. Because in my way of thinking, if he stopped the storm, they stopped. Be afraid. No. Jesus knew he must steal the storm on the inside before he steals the storm on the outside. Because often when he steals the storm on the outside, the storm is still raging on the inside. You don't believe it? Okay, then why are you still struggling with something that happened ten years ago? Why are you still struggling with. Why are you still tore up from the floor up about some stuff that was done to you that you ain't got over yet? Cuz you got a storm inside. And Jesus had to steal that storm. Why? Why not me? Why not now? Why not? This attitude determines action. That's what he's trying to get us to see. And he says, count it all joy. Now I'm talking about counting many. But wait a minute. What do you mean, joy? I'm glad he didn't say happiness. Wanna know why? Because happiness depends on what happens. But joy is independent of circumstances. So we know two things. Because he used the word joy. Number one, we know it's the fruit of the spirit. Number two, we know that it is joy that's independent of circumstances. That's what we know.

Burdens. Mm. Now notice with me. Notice with me. So then, not just the regal prerogative of God over your lives. Notice the regal prerogative of God in your problem. Say, where do you see that pastor? Right there. To the 12 tribes which are scattered. He's he's writing to Jewish Christians. They are saved. But the Jews and he says they're scattered. Who remembers the word from from our Bible study. Uh, Wednesday Bible study. You remember it? Yeah. Diaspora or diaspora? Dia is a preposition. Spora means seed. So here's what it literally means. Seed sown. It's the word picture of a farmer who has weeded up where he's going to plant and then cultivated it, furrowed it, and then fertilized it, then dropped the seed in and put the soil on it. Here's what he said. God is sovereign in your problems. Why? Because like a farmer, he's strategically placed you where you are. And what he did was cover you with dirt. Now, what he wants you to do is when the sunshine of his promises and the water of his word hits you, he wants you to begin to grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that whatever time he has you, he hasn't buried you. He just planted you. You are in incubation mode so so that once you begin to break free from the dirt that's on you, you will begin in your growth to lift your hands toward heaven. And you'll look down on what used to be over you, and you'll look up and blossom and give God some glory. I'm telling you, that's what it is. It's not an accident. It's providence. God, where am I? Right where I placed you. God, why am I still here? Because this is where I left you. Adelaide Pollard. Anybody ever heard her name? Okay, I bet you you sang her song because Adelaide Pollard wanted to go to Africa as a missionary. This was back in the time when women weren't doing that. And, uh, she knew God had called her to do this, so she tried to raise support from the church. Uh huh. Uh, you heard what I said. That's right. She tried to raise support from the church. Didn't get it. Here's what she said, and I quote, I went through a crisis of soul. What does she mean by that? I went through a crisis of soul. God, you called me to this, but you haven't provided for it. You called me to this. But there's an issue or a problem. Now you call me to this and I'm in pain because I don't see this happening the way you said it ought to be. So she went to a prayer meeting that night, and one of the teenagers, she said, that's a senior citizen. One of the teenagers just prayed a one line prayer. And she said, God minister to her in that one line prayer. She went home that night. And this is the song she wrote. Have thine own way, Lord. Have thine own way. Thou art the potter. I am the clay. Make me and mold me after your will. While I'm waiting. Yielded and still have your own way. Lord, have your own way. Wow, man. That's it. When are we going to realize that the Christian boat is a rowboat, not a motor boat? Because in a motor boat, you got all that power and you can see where you're going. But if you're in a rowboat, you can't see where you're going. It's the old coxwain. Remember that? That thing in the Olympics, the coxwain. They got the longboat with all the guys in it. They say stroke, stroke, stroke. This guy. Tell him to stroke. He ain't doing nothing. He's standing up there. He controlling the way they go. Stroke and the speed and everything. And you know what? That's Jesus. We rowing, supplying what's necessary to get things done. And what happens? Jesus is saying row row row row row. Notice secondly with me notice secondly with me the regal prerogative of God. You gotta be committed to it to have strength in your struggle. But then notice secondly, and this is where I'll stop. You got to have the right perspective about your struggle. Look at what it says, my brethren. Count it all joy when you fall into divers temptation. I want you to see something here, because what he's going to tell us two things he's going to say. There's an attitude towards suffering that demonstrates you have the right perspective. Here's what he said. When we go into trouble, let me just speak for myself, because I know ain't nobody going to relate to it. Going through something. Why? Why me? Why now? Why this? And James is saying that's not the right perspective. It's not the right question. Not why? What? See, God must work in you before he works for you so he can work through you. Let me say that again that God must work in you before he works for you, so he can work through you. The idea is he wants to work through you. So whenever you begin to think about it, we talked about this before. Some of you may remember there on the boat and the boats doing the Nae Nae. I don't know how to do it, but, you know. Stanky leg. Stanky leg. The boat. The boat. The boat is doing it, all right. It's doing it. And they're. They're afraid. Fishermen who fished on the Sea of Galilee all their life as little boys, as teens, as adolescents, as adults. And there's a storm that they ain't never seen before. And they say, man, Jesus, this storm. What you going to do? And Jesus says, don't be afraid. And then he says, storm, shut up. Now here's the question. Some of you may remember. Why did he tell them, don't be afraid before he stopped the storm. Because in my way of thinking, if he stopped the storm, they stopped. Be afraid. No. Jesus knew he must steal the storm on the inside before he steals the storm on the outside. Because often when he steals the storm on the outside, the storm is still raging on the inside. You don't believe it? Okay, then why are you still struggling with something that happened ten years ago? Why are you still struggling with. Why are you still tore up from the floor up about some stuff that was done to you that you ain't got over yet? Cuz you got a storm inside. And Jesus had to steal that storm. Why? Why not me? Why not now? Why not? This attitude determines action. That's what he's trying to get us to see. And he says, count it all joy. Now I'm talking about counting many. But wait a minute. What do you mean, joy? I'm glad he didn't say happiness. Wanna know why? Because happiness depends on what happens. But joy is independent of circumstances. So we know two things. Because he used the word joy. Number one, we know it's the fruit of the spirit. Number two, we know that it is joy that's independent of circumstances. That's what we know.

That is Pastor James Ford junior, teaching us to have joy in the spirit despite our circumstances. You're listening to Treasured Truth and a message Pastor Ford calls seeing purpose in your problems and pain. Now, as Christians, God wants us to be people of the word. I mean, that's how we grow in our understanding and discover truths like we're hearing today about having joy in our suffering, but were surrounded by a worldly and secular system in which all truth we're told is relative and there are no absolutes. You know, the Bible isn't as openly attacked as much as it's generally undermined. And the result is that it's not just unbelievers who then begin to question God's Word. Many Christians are beginning to have doubts as well. To help you answer the pressing questions of our times, like how did God inspire the Bible? And what did Jesus think of God's Word? We'd like you to have a book by Doctor John MacArthur called Why Believe the Bible? Now, this helpful book provides timeless answers to timely questions, and you can request a copy when you give a gift of any amount to treasure truth, just call us at 888644 7660 or go online to Treasure Truth Radio.com. And you know, there's another way to support this ministry, and that's by becoming a monthly partner. While we're grateful for every gift we receive, when you partner with us, it sustains our ability to broadcast God's Word every weekday on this station and 24 over seven on our internet podcast. Become a monthly partner when you call us at eight, 88644 7660 or go online to Treasure Truth Radio.com. I'm Steve Hiller, our producer is Amy Rios. Join us Wednesday as we continue this message on seeing purpose in your problems and pain. That's here on Treasure Truth. A production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

That is Pastor James Ford junior, teaching us to have joy in the spirit despite our circumstances. You're listening to Treasured Truth and a message Pastor Ford calls seeing purpose in your problems and pain. Now, as Christians, God wants us to be people of the word. I mean, that's how we grow in our understanding and discover truths like we're hearing today about having joy in our suffering, but were surrounded by a worldly and secular system in which all truth we're told is relative and there are no absolutes. You know, the Bible isn't as openly attacked as much as it's generally undermined. And the result is that it's not just unbelievers who then begin to question God's Word. Many Christians are beginning to have doubts as well. To help you answer the pressing questions of our times, like how did God inspire the Bible? And what did Jesus think of God's Word? We'd like you to have a book by Doctor John MacArthur called Why Believe the Bible? Now, this helpful book provides timeless answers to timely questions, and you can request a copy when you give a gift of any amount to treasure truth, just call us at 888644 7660 or go online to Treasure Truth Radio.com. And you know, there's another way to support this ministry, and that's by becoming a monthly partner. While we're grateful for every gift we receive, when you partner with us, it sustains our ability to broadcast God's Word every weekday on this station and 24 over seven on our internet podcast. Become a monthly partner when you call us at eight, 88644 7660 or go online to Treasure Truth Radio.com. I'm Steve Hiller, our producer is Amy Rios. Join us Wednesday as we continue this message on seeing purpose in your problems and pain. That's here on Treasure Truth. A production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.