Faith no 4

The Trial of our Faith

May 24, 2017

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

1 Peter 1: 3-7 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5  Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

now notice verse 5, the WUEST translation says, "You who are constantly being kept guarded by the power of God through Faith, for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in a last season which is epochal and strategic in it's significance. " Again notice verse 6 & 7, the trials will produce in you a crop that is in the image of the Life of the Original seed.

7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Notice at the appearing which is at the revelation of Jesus Christ the elect of God are to be found in a certain condition, but that condition will come only via the trial of your faith.

Therefore, God has trials that He places upon us concerning His promise which are used by God to ensure that His Word will produce in us the very image of His that is revealed to us at the appearing or revelation of Jesus Christ which is thie Message, this Shout that God came down with.

Notice that the trial of your faith will take you through a progression from Praise, to honot and then finally you will end up in glory.

And we all ought to know by now what this word "glory" was translated from, it was from the Greek word "Doxa". and we know that is the oneness with the Father that Jesus had as prayed to His Father in John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22  And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24  Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

And so we see that this is the condition of oneness with God that God has ordained for us to manifest as His Sons right before the adoption of sons, but Peter tells us that this condition of Glory, which is reflecting in our life the doxa of God, which is the very opinions, values, and judgments of God is what makes us one with God and this Petyer tells us comes as a result of the trial of our faith. So we see that the trial of our faith is very important because it is a process of becoming all sons must go through to become mature and fully equipped as sons.

And notice what the trials are to produce, first of all he says, "praise" as we see in

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

So we begin by saying amen to every Divine promise of God. We echo what God says, that is the first stage we come through as we go through the Trial of our Faith. By saying what He said, we begin our journey to fully manifested sons.

Then we move next from saying the same thing to doing the same thing.

1 John 5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12  He that echoes the Son echoes life; and he that echoes not the Son of God echoes not life. 13  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye echo eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

This brings us as Peter said into a place of honor. From praise or giving back the word through echoing what he said, we move into living what he said, and thus brings the elect into the place of Honor.

1 Peter 1:7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

Notice this second phase is honor and is translated as honor from the Greek word time' pronounced teem-ay. It speaks of esteem as a result of a high value, and so we see that when we speak or echo the word, then next phase is to reflect in our life what we speak and thus to value what God values, and as such our lives become the very manifestation of the values of God. And this living that life brings us to the place of glory which is the doxa of God, where in the opinions, values and judgments of God are reflected in our lives and thus manifest to the world the very sons of God as Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 1:10.

2 Thessalonians 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

This word glorified in His saints is the Greek word endoxazo which means to the doxa of God will be magnified in the saints.

11  Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we see this is the result of what Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:21 and John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

Therefore tonight I would like to examine the trial of your faith as the Apostle Peter speaks of in 1 Peter 1:7 and as the apostle James also speaks of in the book of James.

James 1:2-8. My brethren, count it all (that means pure with no admixture to it) joy when you fall into divers temptations. 

Notice he said, "Count it all joy", therefore, there is nothing can be added, and nothing taken away, because he is speaking of a "pure" sweet Holy Ghost joy which can only come from the presence of the Lord.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his parousia?

So we should be the most joy filled people in all the world to know God Himself has come down with a Shout and His presence is here leading us to the millennium. I wish we could just come to the place where we could see his Presence is here and that you are a part of this great story that is unfolding because he has come down to gather us together to be with him forever.

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.

Now, James tells us there is a trying or trial of our faith and that trial is to produce a patience in us.

And then we find the Apostle Paul tell us in Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, (past tense) we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 

You see our hope and joy is coming into the very doxa, the very glory of God, and becoming one with him through receiving his opinions, values, and judgments.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: (This word glory is not from Doxa, but from a Greek word which means to boast, or rejoice) knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  4 And patience, character; and character, hope:  5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The "Weymouth" translation puts it this way: 2 We exult in hope of seeing God's glory.  3 And not only so, we exult in such afflictions as is ours; knowing as we do, afflictions produce endurance;  4 Endurance, ripeness of character, and ripeness of character, hope: 5 And this hope never disappoints because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost.

The "Moffatt" translation:  1 Through him we have access into this grace wherein we have our standing,  2 And we triumph in the hope of the glory of God;  3 Not only so but we triumph even in our troubles, knowing that troubles produce endurance,  4 And endurance character, and character produces hope,  5 A hope which never disappoints, since God's love floods our hearts through the Holy Ghost given to us.

In other words We exult in the hope of something higher yet---the glory of God's presence. in other words he says, 3 I will further say that we actually exult in such afflictions 4 Knowing as we do that afflictions develop unflinching endurance, and endurance develops tested strength, and tested strength the habit of hope.  5 This hope is no delusive one, as proved by the fact that the brimming river of God's love has already over-flowed into our hearts, on-driven by the Holy Ghost.

Now, this is Gods way of producing in His children a reflection of His own God Life. And all sons must come this way, for it is God's way of developing His own character in us.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Hebrews 5:7-9 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared (He was not heard because he cried and sobbed and fasted---he feared);  8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect,

How was He made perfect? Through suffering. Notice our character like the character of Christ is built through suffering, because we come to the place of patience and patients lead to character. 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation...  So even Jesus Christ had to suffer to develop character.

But just as all sons must be tried and tested God tests all for he said in Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9  Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10  For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11  Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Now Jesus speaks of this time of testing in the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Notice it is always after the word is given Jesus tells us, that there will be trial set in and you will either become a better person for it, building up the character of Christ and reinforcing that character in your flesh, or you will fall away. That is what the trials are to produce.

We read in Hebrews 6:16 For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife  17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:  18 That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation (comfort), who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope (earnest expectation) set before us:  19 Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the (our) soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil.

This tells us that no matter what the trials that may come, the promise of God is an anchor within our soul and this anchoring is a result of our truly believing what he said and that He is not a man that He can lie.

Then we find in Hebrews 11:17-19, examples of this time tested faith. By faith, Abraham, when he was tried... By faith, (So what is being tried here? His Faith) Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Notice Abraham was tried by God after he had received the promise. Not before.

We also read in Psalms 105:19 Until the time that his Word came: the Word of the Lord tried him (Now, this is speaking of Joseph here).  God said to Joseph: "Sun, moon, stars, bow down! Sheaves bow down!"  He came and told his people, and they said, "You really think so?"  He said, "I am sure it is."  They said, "We'll find out."

In Hebrews 6:15 speaking of Abraham it says 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

And again in Hebrews 10:32-39 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated...  Now this word illuminated speaks of the understanding we receive from the Word of God.

We see this used in Psalm 119:130a where we read, "The entrance of thy word giveth light.". And again in Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

And Peter uses this analogy in 2 Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Hebrews 10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

So that is not only you but those who you walk in the light with. Paul tells us, let me paraphrase; "when you are afflicted we are also afflicted with you, for we bare one anothers burdens."

Hebrews 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

2 Thessalonians 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Hebrews 10:35 A better and enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward." (cast not away your confidence in what? The Word) 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 

So when do you receive the promise? After you are tried to prove that you believe it and have endured the trial of your faith.

James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers testing;  3 Knowing 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. 

Deuteronomy 8:2 "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee."  Notice It says 'way'; not 'ways', but 'way'. There is one way that God leads: 'way' not 'ways'; and there is only one end to it.

2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee (through) these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only... 

And we know God does not deviate from his Way. In Ecclesiastes 3:14-15: we read, "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.  15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."

God tells us in Malachi 3:6 "I am the Lord and I change not". God doesn't change his ways, If he did something in the old testament he is obligated to do the same in the New and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 tells us He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

In Deuteronomy 8:15-16 we read, "Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, in order that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good..." He doesn't try you to punish you, he tries you to prove you.

Peter said, "that the trial of your faith may produce Praise honor and glory."

Let me read this from the Wuest translation so you can understand that the purpose and intent behind the trial is to produce something in you.

1 Peter 1: 6-9 Wuest In which last season you are to be constantly rejoicing with a joy that expresses itself in a triumphant exubernace, although for a little while at the present time if perchance there is a need for it, you have been made sorrowful in the midst of many different kinds of testings in order for the approval of your faith, which faith was examined by testing for the peupose of being approved. that approval being much more precious than the approval of gold which perishes, even though the gold be approved by fire testing, may be discovered after scrutiny to result in praise and honor and glory at the time of the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom gaving not seen, you love because of His preciousness, in whom now not seeing yet believing you are to be rejoicing with an inexpressible and glorified joy upon the occasion of your receiving the promised consummation of your faith which is the salvation of your souls.

So we are looking at here the purpose behind the trial of your faith is to produce in you the very glory or doxa of God. And therefore without the trial of your faith you could never develop the character of Christ. And this is God's way, and has always been his way to do it.

Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.  9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We read in Job 5:17-27 Behold, happy (Blessed, joyful) is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:  18 For God maketh sore, and God bindeth up: God woundeth, and God's hands make whole.  19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.  20 In famine shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.  21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.  22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.  23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.  24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, (My Presence) and shalt not sin. 25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth. 26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in, in his season. 

So when does a shock "cometh in season?" At harvest time when it is fully mature. It's laid in the presence of the sun to ripen. It is no more green and immature; it's has reached its full character.

Job 5:27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

Why does he say it is "for thy good?" Because that is the only way that God will develop character in us is by suffering.

Psalms 84:4-7 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. 5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are the ways of them. 6 Who passing through the valley of Baca (the valley of tears, and sorrow, and testing, and trials)... make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools. 

Psalms 94:12-13:  Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;  13 That thou mayest give him rest...(How do you get rest? Through your faith in God...the trial of faith. How? By the trial of your faith.) That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.

1 Peter. 5:6-11 Humble thyself therefore under the mighty hand of God. that he may exalt you in due time.  7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are being accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

This way of God is found everywhere in Scripture.

Revelation 3:19 "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent."

But men do not understand this way of God and therefore we read in Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.  2 I have loved you, saith the Lord, yet ye say, wherein hast thou loved us?

Man questioons God's love, but God said " As many as I love I rebuke and chasten...

Notice the purpose of the trial is to build us up in The Faith. David said in Psalms 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress... God used the trials to build up David in his Faith.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

One of my favorite passages in the Church Age Book is from Church Age Book 4 - The Smyrnaean Church Age P:18 brother Branham explains this way of God. He says, " The reason is in Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Unless we suffer with Him we cannot reign with Him. You have to suffer to reign. The reason for this is that character simply is never made without suffering. Character is a VICTORY, not a gift. A man without character can't reign because power apart from character is Satanic. But power with character is fit to rule. And since He wants us to share even His throne on the same basis that He overcame and is set down in His Father's throne, then we have to overcome to sit with Him. And the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when He comes. Oh, what treasures are laid up for those who are willing to enter into His kingdom through much tribulation.

Romans 4 4:17-22: As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who when hope was gone (Abraham continued to walk in hope anyhow, in faith, that he might become what God said he already was.) So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, though he was an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:  20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. 

God's Word will always stagger you, unless you understand the trial of your faith. Notice, Abraham never staggered. He never vacillated back and forth.

Romans 4:21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 

Genesis 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?  He was a friend of God. That's how deep his character had developed.

Notice it says, 17 "He believed God."

Twenty years after the promise came we are told "He was fully persuaded." Now, he was not fully persuaded when God gave him the promise because he listened to his wife concerning Hagar, after receiving the promise, but he walked in it anyway, and learned from his mistake, and so God used the trial of his faith and his holding on to what God said to build his faith to such a level that he became fully persuaded in the promise of God.

Deuteronomy 8:3 I led you this way to see what was in your heart.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. 4  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you. 5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Hebrews 10:35-36: Cast not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. (36) Ye have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Romans 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.

Psalms 106:7-15 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt.  They remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked [him] at the sea, [even] at the Red sea. 8 He rebuked the Red sea also 9, nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake... 9 He rebuked the Red sea also 10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy. 11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left. 12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise. 13 They soon forgot his works; they waited not for his counsel: 15: And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their souls.

Psalm 10:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, but his acts unto the children of Israel.

Where is character today. Men building their own kingdoms here on earth, and deviating from the Word of God in order to do it.

Mark 10:29-30 There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,  30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. 

Psalms 66:8-12: O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard:  9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. 
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. (How does silver get tried? Just like Gold, in the fiery furnace.)  11 Thou broughtest us into the net; (Oh, I thought the devil did it!) thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads.

Always remember, as we read from the Church Age book, Character is a victory, not a gift. never forget that "Fruit-bearing and answered prayer go hand-in-hand. Jesus told us that in John 15:7 "If you abide in me and my Words abide in you, then you can ask what you will, and it shall be done"

2 John 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Hebrews 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

Colossians 3:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

1 Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

Mark 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

Matthew 10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Luke 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Matthew 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Matthew 5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Matthew 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Let us pray...