#2 Seasons of Testing
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
This is part #2 of pondering about being tested.
TEXT:
James 1:12, blessed is the man that endures tests, for when he is tried, he shall obtain the crown of life.
Hebrews 12:11 is very clear-- No chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that exercise it.
Ponder, why are we tested?
What is the purpose of a test?
Are test always bad?
Can I avoid test?
This is part two, of a five part series.
If you do not have part, just ask from Kyfingers@aol.com.
14. THE FARTHER AWAY FROM GOD YOU ARE THE MORE YOU ARE TEMPTED, THE CLOSER TO GOD THE MORE YOU ARE PERSECUTED.
To really appreciate life and find real joy, one must not live slip shod.
We must apply effort and be firm in our resolve and do our best. When we do our best, we can trust God with the rest!
James 1:12, blessed is the man that endures tests, for when he is tried, he shall obtain the crown of life.
The test of any person is not just their words, but their actions.
You cannot stop birds from flying over head, but you can refuse to provide a space for birds to build their nest and hatch out more!
15. THE MORE YOU FEED IMPROPER ATTITUDES DURING SEASONS OF TESTING, THE LONGER THE DURATION OF TESTING.
We have two dogs living inside each individual, a good dog and a bad dog.
Which dog rules?
The dog you feed will be the strongest and beat up the other dog. Feed depression?
The more you feed the bad dog, the stronger and harder the battle.
That is why the Bible says: Neither give place to anger. GIVE NO GROUND.
You can cry all day because of the thorn on a rose, or you can praise God for the rose among thorns, attitude!
16. WHEN YOU TRY TO FLY AWAY FROM TESTS AND TEMPTATIONS YOU ALMOST ALWAYS LEAVE A FORWARDING ADDRESS.
Most of our problems are battles within the heart.
The problem of the heart is the heart of the problem.
40 days, twice a day, Goliath defiled God and God’s people.
After hearing 80 negative messages, God’s people spent the night in their tents crying.
David comes a long, he has not been saturated by the negative messages.
David ran toward Goliath, he refused to "run away."
We must not develop a "run away spirit." GOD CAN -- LET HIM! Don’t run from test.
17. DAVID FACED A LION, BUT IT WAS PREPARATIONAL TO UP COMING EVENTS.
As Samson first faced a lion, the roar birthed concern in his spirit, but Samson learned how to overcome.
The next time Samson faced a lion there was sweet honey to nourish him and his family.
Had Samson ran from the lion, he and his family might have starved to death later.
How would David had known about TRUSTING God to do battle with Goliath, had he not first faced a bear and a lion? God is teaching and leading us, trust Him.
18. GOOD DISCIPLINE HELPS OVERCOME THE SEASONS OF TESTING.
A horse has little value until it is broken and harnessed.
The great horse learns discipline, the greater the discipline the greater the value to it’s master.
Steam is just vapor, unless it has been confined, there is power, if it is confined.
Niagara Falls is beautiful, but it gives no light or power unless it is tunneled to a turbine.
Faith and life grows very little until there is focus, and discipline.
Discipline is a dirty word today.
Few hunger for correction and rebuke.
Discipline is not just punishment, this is a very narrow view point. Discipline is training that corrects, molds, perfects our minds and the spirit man.
We must learn to control our emotions, we gain control by reinforced behavior.
There are penalties and judgment and chastisement as well as rewards in life.
Do you control your emotions, lusts, and desires or do they control you? Good disciplined behavior can over come many obstacles. We restrain the flesh.
Hebrews 12:11 is very clear--
No chastening for the present seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that exercise it.
We pay money to watch people that have exercised discipline.
Often, someone will say, I would pay a thousand dollars to play the guitar like you.
I usually make them mad with my answer:
It does not cost money, it cost effort, sore fingers, hundreds of hours of practice.
Music is a discipline.
Bible reading and prayer is a discipline. Faithfulness to church is a discipline.
19. SITUATION ETHICS, WHY DOES NOT GOD EXEMPT HIS CHILDREN FROM CERTAIN SITUATIONS, TESTS?
I ponder, could God have kept the situation of the lion’s den away from Daniel?
Why Daniel did you HAVE TO face the lion’s den?
God knew Daniel’s situation and provided a way of escape!
Why do we know the three Hebrew children by name?
Could it be because they faced the fiery furnace?
They never did any thing great?
Yes, they never allowed the situation in which they found themselves to dictate to their spirit!
Peter was in jail, what a miracle jail break?
Paul and Silas were in jail, what a miracle?
John the Baptist ... was his situation a miracle?
God knows our situation and he knows HOW TO DELIVER!
John was delivered, so Stephen was delivered.
Recall this during all tests.. .
God can keep us out of hard places, but that was not His Promise.
God promised He would BE WITH US.
Our faith must learn trust, patience, and that tears turn to joy "in the morning."
No matter the test, recall,
Joshua 1:9 Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be dismayed: for the lord thy God IS WITH YOU WHERE EVER YOU GO.
Quit acting like a lonely helpless orphan
20. COMPROMISE BECOMES A BIG TEST. FIRE WILL TEST GOLD AND SILVER! ADVERSITY WILL TEST MEN!
The real test of religion might be how you behave during a fuss or a quarrel.
Moses declared let my people go.
After some test Pharaoh offers Moses to let the men go in the desert, just leave the kids.. this could have been a dangerous compromise.
Later Pharaoh offers, go to the desert you can take your families, but leave your material things.. this would have been dangerous.
When we compromise faithfulness and the truth, the cost can become more than we are willing to pay.
21. ONE OF OUR FINAL TEST WILL BE WHAT WILL WE LEAVE BEHIND?
You can never be a success without training a successor.
We need a COA, a course of action, a plan.
Often terrible test come when we drift too far from God.
Drifting is a gradual, ever so slow process.
I ponder, who will sing for me?
When my life is but a story, and I rest in my grave, have I passed the torch into better hands than mine?
My dad taught me the guitar, I owe my dad to teach others for the kingdoms sake. I taught my son, he owes me to teach my grandson.
We have the potential of the dinasaurs, we are one generation away from extinction.
I must teach my sons to thrive in adversity!
Is what we preach the truth? Yes, then stand in the midst of the test!
His student,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingerss@aol.com
Please, Enlarge my hands, pass this on to others?
This is part two of a five part series.
