#2 Identify And Thrive When Tested!

IDENTIFY THE TESTING PROCESS AND LEARNING TO THRIVE IN THE TEST ---

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

This lesson is printed in two parts, but needs to be done in several sittings. This is part two.

TEXT:

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

I. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS ANY CHRISTIAN WILL KNOW THE TESTING PROCESS. TESTING IS NOT A ONE TIME EVENT, IT IS A PROCESS.

1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

A. WE WILL FACE TEST IN MANY AREAS ---

1. TESTS OF THE MIND

2. TESTS OF YOUR WILL

3. TESTS OF YOUR EMOTIONS AND YOUR CONTROL OF THEM

4. TESTS OF YOUR BODY

5. TESTS OF THE SPIRIT AND TRUSTING GOD’S WORD.

B. WE HAVE DISCUSSED SEVERAL ISSUES IN THE PREVIOUS LESSONS.

We said: Identify tests, expect tests, thrive during testing.

II. GIVING CAN BE A BIG TEST.

YOU CAN GIVE WITHOUT LOVE, BUT YOU CANNOT LOVE WITHOUT GIVING.

A. CAIN AND ABEL FACED A GIVING TEST?

CAIN GAVE OF HIS FRUIT...

ABEL GAVE THE FIRSTLING ...

Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

B. HOW INSANE IS IT TO WANT THINGS TO CHANGE WITHOUT A CHANGE IN GIVING?

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For

with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

C. MANY GIVE ACCIDENTLY, THEY JUST HAPPEN TO HEAR A NEED AND GIVE.

GOD LOVES PLANNED, PURPOSED GIVING

2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

D. THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH, TAKERS AND GIVERS.

WHICH ARE YOU?

WILL YOU PASS THE GIVING TEST?

III. THERE ARE SOME EXTREME TESTS THAT CALL FOR SOME MIGHTY MOVERS FOR GOD... THE THIRD DAY TEST! OR THE TEST OF LAYING DOWN YOUR DREAM BECAUSE GOD ASKED YOU TO DO SO ----

A. IS IT WRONG TO TEST FAITH?

WHY DID GOD TEST ABRAHAM’S FAITH --- DID GOD NOT KNOW?

B. SOME TESTS REQUIRE GREATER THAN FAITH TESTS BUT THEY ALSO INCLUDE

PATIENCE TESTS.

C. THE JEHOVAH-JIREH TEST: GOD IS OUR PROVIDER.

Sometimes FAITH will be put to a severe, difficult testing process.

Isaac is the HEIR of the PROMISE...

Abraham heard the orders from God.

D. Abraham did not hestitate, he headed toward the mountain!

Genesis 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon

one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the

burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you,

6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them

together.

7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the

lamb for a burnt offering?

8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid

him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.