Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Pastor/Teacher - Jim RickardPastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Thursday, February 4, 2010Thursday, February 4, 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 6Part 6

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 SpiritualF. Suffering and Spiritual Adulthood. Adulthood.

G. Providential G. Providential Preventative SufferingPreventative Suffering

SSE + PPS = SSE + PPS = SA + MT = SA + MT = SM + ET =SM + ET =

Glorification of GodGlorification of GodJohn 15:2-8John 15:2-8

Four Warm Up TestsFour Warm Up Tests2 Cor 12:102 Cor 12:10

1) People testing, 1) People testing, 2) Thought testing, 2) Thought testing, 3) System testing, 3) System testing, 4) Disaster testing.4) Disaster testing.

1) 1) People TestingPeople Testing - “insults”: - “insults”: HUBRIS = “insolence, HUBRIS = “insolence, mental injury, insult or mental injury, insult or

mistreatment.” mistreatment.”

1) 1) People TestingPeople Testing - “insults”: - “insults”: HUBRIS = “insolence, HUBRIS = “insolence, mental injury, insult or mental injury, insult or

mistreatment.” mistreatment.” “All the more serious injuries “All the more serious injuries

done to the person”, done to the person”, cf. Acts 27:10 (damage).cf. Acts 27:10 (damage).

2) 2) Thought TestingThought Testing - - “distresses”: ANAGKE = “distresses”: ANAGKE = “compulsion, constraint, “compulsion, constraint,

distress. A state of distress distress. A state of distress or trouble, calamity or or trouble, calamity or

pressure.” pressure.”

““Of necessity as a result of Of necessity as a result of calamity, distress or calamity, distress or

persecutions. The mental persecutions. The mental anguish that is brought on anguish that is brought on

by outward troubles.”by outward troubles.”2 Cor 6:4-5; 1 Thes 3:7; 2 Cor 6:4-5; 1 Thes 3:7;

Philemon 1:14Philemon 1:14

3) 3) System TestingSystem Testing – – “persecutions”: DIOGMOS.“persecutions”: DIOGMOS.

“A program or process “A program or process designed to harass and designed to harass and

oppress someone.”oppress someone.”2 Thes 1:4; 2 Tim 3:10-112 Thes 1:4; 2 Tim 3:10-11

4) 4) Disaster TestingDisaster Testing - - “difficulties”:“difficulties”:

STENOCHORIA = STENOCHORIA = “narrowness of space”, “narrowness of space”,

figuratively “difficulties or figuratively “difficulties or distresses, dire calamity or distresses, dire calamity or

extreme affliction.” extreme affliction.”

““A set of stressful A set of stressful circumstances, anguish or circumstances, anguish or trouble.” Compare with trouble.” Compare with

Rom 8:35-39; 2 Cor 6:4-5Rom 8:35-39; 2 Cor 6:4-5

Rom 8:35, Rom 8:35, “Who will separate us from “Who will separate us from

the love of Christ? Will the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or persecution, or famine, or

nakedness, or peril, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”sword?”

Rom 8:37, Rom 8:37, “But in all these things we “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved through Him who loved

us.”us.”

3. PPS is the provision of 3. PPS is the provision of the sovereignty of God in the sovereignty of God in

compatibility with His compatibility with His grace to provide the power grace to provide the power

for advancement to SM.for advancement to SM.

4. PPS propels you to SA 4. PPS propels you to SA which is SSE with muscle which is SSE with muscle

minus arrogance. minus arrogance. Therefore, PPS provides Therefore, PPS provides

both muscle and humility.both muscle and humility.

5. SSE can only function 5. SSE can only function on humility which includes on humility which includes

authority orientation. To authority orientation. To the extent that you reject the extent that you reject any authority in life, your any authority in life, your

SSE is parlayed into a SSE is parlayed into a system of arrogance. system of arrogance.

6. It prevents, restrains, 6. It prevents, restrains, intercepts, and insulates intercepts, and insulates

against sin and evil in life against sin and evil in life while challenging your SSE to while challenging your SSE to suffer for blessing and profit. suffer for blessing and profit.

Prov 19:8; Phil 1:29; Prov 19:8; Phil 1:29; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8 James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8

Prov 19:8, Prov 19:8, “He who gets wisdom “He who gets wisdom

((metabolized doctrinemetabolized doctrine) loves ) loves his own soul (his own soul (SSESSE). He who ). He who cherishes understanding (cherishes understanding (SASA) )

prospers.”prospers.”

Phil 1:29, Phil 1:29, “For to you it has been “For to you it has been

granted for Christ’s sake, granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His but also to suffer for His

sake.”sake.”

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, February 4, 2010

Tape # 10-014

Suffering for Blessing, Pt 6Providential Preventative Suffering, Pt 2

Upper Room Discourse, Part 333

John 15:2-8; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010