REVEAL YOUR TRUE COLORS? PASS THE FAITH TEST! (Several part lesson)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Please watch YouTube: Wade Hughes)
TO SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS DATES BACK TO THE 1700s. Ships were required to fly flags at sea. These flags would identify where the ship was from and the type of cargo. PIRATES OFTEN HID THEIR REAL IDENTY BY FLYING FALSE FLAGS. By doing doing this the PIRATES WOULD DECEIVE OTHER SHIPS TO NOT RAISE SUSPICION.
THE IDIOM: SHOW YOUR TRUE COLORS: to show what you really are, to reveal not what you say --- but your real nature.
IS THERE A REAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR OUTSIDE AND INSIDE? THE TEST IS A WAY OF PROVING WHAT YOU REALLY ARE INSIDE?
James 1:3 (NLT2) For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
James 1:3 (MSG) You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.
WHAT FLAG DID ADAM AND EVE FLY? WHAT WAS ADAM AND EVES TEST?
Adam and Eve had only one restriction. THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL ---
Genesis 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
THE TEST WAS THE ENEMY CATCHING EVE ISOLATED… THEN THE ENEMY STARTED A CONVERSATION WITH EVE. NOW THE TEST HAS STARTED… THE TREE WAS PLEASANT TO THE EYES AND VERY DESIRABLE.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
THE FLAG FLIES FEAR, GUILT AND HIDING SIN BEGINS.
THE TESTING PROCESS WILL REVEAL THE TRUE COLORS YOU FLY! CAN YOU IMAGE A DOCTOR THAT NEVER TOOK A MEDICAL TEST? WOULD YOU HIRE A LAWYER THAT NEVER FINISHED MIDDLE SCHOOL?
TEST: a set of problems or questions to see how you handle it; examination, evaluation, trial, to prove or disprove, procedure intended to establish performance, reliability or quality;
THE TEST CAN COME TO US IN SEVERAL WAYS.
1. PHYSICAL SUFFERING. 2. MENTAL SUFFERING. 3. THE SPIRIT OF TIREDNESS/EXHAUSTION. 4. EMOTIONAL. 5. FAILURE/ HUMILIATION. 6. IN THE FAMILY OF CHURCH. 7. AGONY-DEATH, THE END OF HOPE. 8. WORRY, STRESS.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TEST… EXTERNAL TEST AND INTERNAL TEST…
WHAT FLAG FLIES IN NOAH ‘S TEST OF FAITH? REMEMBER NO ONE ON EARTH HAD EVER SEEN RAIN. IT SEEMED A CRAZY MAN SAYS “IT IS GOING TO RAIN. TRUST ME WATER IS GOING TO FALL OUT OF THE SKY! GOD CALLS NOAH TO TAKE ON A HUGE TASK… NO POWER SAWS, NO LOWES OR 84 LUMBER STORES. GET READY! HEAR THE WARNING?
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
THE ARK IN KENTUCKY COST $100 MILLION DOLLARS TO BUILD. THE TEST IS HUGE, 510 FEET LONG, 5 STORIES HIGH, 3 DECKS. GOD HOW WE GET THE ANIMALS TO COME? IS NOAH A FAILURE IN MINISTRY? ONLY 8 PEOPLE SAVED?
MY FLAG MIGHT HAVE A CHICKEN ON IT? WELL YOU WANT TO TEST MY FAITH? THE ENEMY HAS 135,000 TRAINED SOLDIERS… GIDEON HAD 32,000 SOLDIERS FOR BATTLE. GOD SAYS: YOU HAVE TOO MANY SOLDIERS… GIDEON WAS ALREADY GOING INTO A BATTLE AGAINST TERRIBLE ODDS.
I AM THE SMALLEST OF THE SMALLEST? GOD YOU GOT TH WRONG MAN! FIGHT BY FAITH! Tell everyone that is still on their honey moon, or just build a new house, 22,000 pick up their duffel bags and go home. Wait a minute: GOD SAYS THERE ARE STILL TOO MANY. 10,000 AGAINST 132,000 --- COME ON. YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. Let’s all go down to the river to get a drink. 10,000? 9,700 soldiers fail the test. NO WHAT? 300?
Judges 7:7 (MSG) GOD said to Gideon: "I'll use the three hundred men who lapped at the stream to save you and give Midian into your hands. All the rest may go home."
In verse 12 there wee so many enemies they “LOOKED LIKE GRASSHOPPER.” Now God we need bombers, tanks, machine guns, gernades to name a few of the weapons we want to order?
WHAT GOD? WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS ARE YOU GIVING US? YOU WANT US TO FIGHT WITH 300 TRUMPETS? 300 PITCHERS? 300 LAMPS? GOD IS THIS A JOKE? NO IT IS A TEST OF FAITH. BLOW THE TRUMPETS, BREAK THE PITCHERS AND SCREAM: GOD AND GIDEON…
Judges 7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
MY FLAG IS LEAVE ME ALONE. I LIKE IT HERE! I DON’T WANT TO GO THERE. THIS IS THE TEST OF CHANGE… IT IS FOOLISH TO THINK WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT OUT COME BY CONTINUING TO DO EVERYTHING THE SAME OLD WAY.
King Ahab and Queen Jezebel hat the preacher because they hate his message. Jezebel promise to have the Preacher hide nailed to the wall by sundown. In great fear the Preacher runs for his life. ELIJAH FINDS HIMSELF AT THE BROOK… ELIJAH HAS TO LEARN TO TRUST GOD’S PLAN. Elijah has no choice but to LEARN TO RELY ON GOD. Elijah had to learn to over fear, doubt and negative adversity. Elijah has water, a quiet place to rest and birds keep bringing me food. I am fine right where I am!
1 Kings 17:9 Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
WHAT KIND OF FAITH FLAG WILL YOU FLY ON YOUR U-HAUL TRUCK? GOD HAD A TEST FOR ABRAHAM AND SARAH… RENT A U-HAUL TRUCK AND LEAVE YOUR FAMILY AND GO! WHERE ARE WE GOING? THE TEST: I AM NOT TELLING YOU WHERE, JUST GO…
Genesis 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
LET US REASON PROBABLY THE HARDEST FLAG TO IN THE HISTORY OF FAITH TEST TOOK A 3 DAY JOURNEY.
Genesis 22:1 (MSG) After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, "Abraham!" "Yes?" answered Abraham. "I'm listening." 2 He said, "Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I'll point out to you." 3 Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. 4 On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 Abraham told his two young servants, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we'll come back to you." 6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together. Isaac said to Abraham his father, "Father?" "Yes, my son." "We have flint and wood, but where's the sheep for the burnt offering?" 8 Abraham said, "Son, God will see to it that there's a sheep for the burnt offering." And they kept on walking together. 9 They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. 10 Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.
THE TEST OF THE REAL COLORS WILL REQUIRE THE TEST OF PATIENCE --- DELAYED ANSWERS!
Luke 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luke 21:19 (MSG) Staying with it—that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved.
LOT AND HIS FAMILY PITCHED THEIR TENT TOWARD DANGER. THE COST IS GREAT.
THE WOMAN WITH THE ISSUE OF BLOOD, 12 YEARS.
JOSESH WAS 17, HE WAS 30 WHEN HE WAS ELEVATED.
THE MAN LAY BY THE POOL 38 YEARS.
REVEAL MY COLORS? THE TEST WILL THIS LAST FOREVER? WE FACE SOME WHY TEST? WHY? SOME HOW LONG TEST?
MOSES 40 YEARS IN THE PALACE WHERE HE THOUGHT HE WAS A BIG SHOT! THEN WE FACE MOSES 40 YEARS IN THE BACKSIDE OF THE DESERT WHERE HE LEARNED HE WAS A NOBODY… BUT HIS GREATEST WAS HIS LAST 40 YEARS WHERE MOSES LEARNED GOD HAD A PLAN AND GOD WAS EVERYTHING…
JOB faced some WHY TEST! Some HOW LONG TEST!
THE COLOR TEST WILL ALWAYS TELL. FROM A PERSECUTOR TO BEING PERSECUTED. THE CALL IS NOT WITHOUT GREAT TEST, SUFFERING, PAIN AND NOT UNDERSTANDING BECOME DIFFICULT TEST TO PASS…
THE TEST OF SUFFERING IS A GREAT MYSTERY THAT LEADS US ON A JOURNEY TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST JESUS.
Acts 9:16 (MSG) And now I'm about to show him what he's in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job."
2 Corinthians 11:25 (MSG) I was beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I've been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. 26 In hard traveling year in and year out, I've had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I've been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. 27 I've known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. 28 And that's not the half of it, when you throw in the dailypressures and anxieties of all the churches. 29 When someone gets to the end of his rope, I feel the desperation in my bones. When someone is duped into sin, an angry fire burns in my gut.
QUITTER NEVER WIN, WINNERS NEVER QUIT. REST IF YOU MUST BUT THE TEST OF ENDURANCE, I REFUSE TO QUIT! FRUIT AND THE HARVEST COMES TO THOSE THE PASS THE ENDURANCE TEST.
1 John 2:19 (MSG) They left us, but they were never really with us. If they had been, they would have stuck it out with us, loyal to the end. In leaving, they showed their true colors, showed they never did belong.
CONCLUSION: THE TRUE COLORS WILL BE REVEALED IN THE END.
Matthew 24:13 (MSG) "Staying with it—that's what God requires. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry, and you'll be saved.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (Watch YouTube: Wade Hughes) (Several part lesson)
