In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being rooted and established in love and having the power of God within us. He refers to the passage in 2 Corinthians 4:7, where Paul talks about having the treasure of God's power in fragile human vessels. The preacher highlights the trials and challenges that believers face but assures that they will not be crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed because of the power of God within them. He encourages the congregation to strive to be true disciples of Christ, living and looking like their teacher, and to have an atmosphere of God's presence for instruction, strengthening, and encouragement.

Let's pray together. Father, by your grace, and your long-suffering, and your mercy, and your persistence, and your ability, you enable us to learn. You teach us your ways. You grant us the spirit of wisdom and revelation, and the knowledge of you. I just ask, I ask not only for the grace, or I acknowledge, Father, the grace that receiving anything from you has been wrought by. But I ask for more grace today, the same amount of grace, to communicate in your spirit, and by your spirit, your truth. So that the ministry of your Holy Spirit can produce what you long for in us. Your life, and your righteousness. We know that human instruction, and the best minds, and organizing thoughts are empty, and vain, and powerless. But because you desire to strengthen the inner man through your spirit within us, so that we can be as a people rooted and established in love. We can have power from you. Power to grasp how wide, and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ. So that we can be filled to the measure that you desire to fill us to. So that the world out here, so Frederictown out here, can see a people full of your Holy Spirit. They can see true disciples of Christ. Disciples that look like, and live like their teacher. And you can have in this community sons that have been conformed to your image. A group of people where your name is honored. Where the unity of your spirit, and the bond of peace, and the love which is the bond of perfection is evident. That love among us by your spirit, and that oneness of your spirit demarcates us from the world, and indicates that we are truly your disciples. And that would enable the world to believe that you were sent by the you sent your son. Grant us Father that your ability which you can by your ability ears to hear. Open the eyes of our heart. Help us understand the riches so we can know what the riches of your glorious inheritance in the saints are. Give us your understanding and grant us an atmosphere Father. Grant us your presence. A presence. Your presence here. For wholesome, effectual instruction. And strengthening. And encouragement. Cause your light to shine into our hearts. Give us the light of the knowledge of your glory. These things I ask in Jesus name. Amen. You know there are times when we don't understand something. We can say like the psalmist said in Psalm 73. For my foot had almost slipped. Because why? I envied the wicked. If we're not careful it can seem like their lives are carefree. It sounds like the psalmist at the time his own life was not exactly carefree. But difficult. And he said I tried to understand all this and it was oppressive to me. You ever felt that way? You try to understand what's going on and why things are so difficult and why they're just not working out the way it would seem to be if God loved you. And if things were right in your life you try to understand it and there's just this oppression. This oppression from failing to understand and says but he went on to say until I entered the sanctuary then I understood. And if God grants us that this morning together not that this building or even our assembly is a sanctuary. You know what a sanctuary is? It's where God is. And if he will grant us his presence this morning I believe he would explain to us and teach us his ways so that we will not be oppressed by lack of understanding of some things. Let's start in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 verse 13 I guess we'll let's look at verse 12 since it flows into this passage. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold or silver precious stones, wood, hay or straw each one's work will become clear for the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one's work of what sort it is. The word here for test is the Greek word dokimion meaning it will prove it it will prove it what it is and what's the means in this verse of the proving? Fire and the Greek word here is pyrosmon or pyro y'all heard that before? A pyromaniac we use it even in our language it's a person fascinated or crazy about fire so there is a process of testing which is a firing to reveal whether something is approved now what's the nature what quality is being looked for how do we know in these verses if we've read them all the way maybe we haven't read that verse yet but look in verses 13 and 14 and answer this question what quality is being looked for what determines whether it will be approved if it remains if it abides isn't that what Jesus said you've not chosen me but I've chosen you to go and bear fruit and he qualifies it fruit that will remain now we don't normally use the word remain comes from the Greek word minnow we don't say let's see if it remains what do we say in English let's see if it lasts let's see if it lasts there is another way let's see how durable it is can it endure what's its duration does it have durability because if it doesn't have durability it will not be approved now this is spoken of this durability as a part of a test look in James chapter 1 if we understand that God is looking to produce a durable quality within us James then exhorts us with this understanding in James chapter 1 verse 2 my brethren count it all joy whenever you fall into various trials fires same word testings because knowing that the testing of your faith produces what guess what guess what it produces it produces durability here the word minnow is added with the prefix minnow God is testing what is he testing faith to see its durability is your faith durable that's what's being tested you follow see the finished work of this testing is so that we it says in verse 4 to allow durability or endurance is a little greek word endurance to have its perfect work so that you might be mature and complete wanting nothing nothing missing nothing lacking completion and it's not surprising then if this if your faith being tested is proven durable and it endures then you can understand what our Lord Jesus said he who endures to the end the same shall be saved the person with durable faith and this is what Peter also said if you're still in James turn to 1 Peter just the next book 1 Peter chapter 1 and let's look at verses 6 and 7 I'll read verse 5 just to kind of go with this 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 5 6 and 7 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you have been grieved by various trials that the genuineness of your faith being more precious than gold that perishes though it's tested by fire may be found to the praise honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ so what again is being tested the quality of your faith is it durable will it will it last will it endure testing now do you realize that that faith that is durable is what receives glory honor and praise at the revelation of Jesus Christ this is what Paul said if you want to turn there's 2 Timothy chapter 4 2 Timothy chapter 4 I'll read verses 7 and 8 2 Timothy chapter 4 verses 7 and 8 here's what Paul said I have fought the good fight I have finished the race and I've done what I have kept the faith finally there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only but also to all who have loved his appearing Paul fought the good fight Paul finished the race he kept the faith and he received he anticipated receiving glory and honor and praise from the Father he fully expected to hear well done thou good and faithful servant he endured to the end and he fully expected the reward to be praise glory and honor he lasted now it's interesting these trials by fire you know Jesus spoke of that didn't he trial by fire John said of Jesus he who comes after me the thongs of which the sandals which the thongs I'm not even worthy to untie he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire fire you mean Jesus is going to baptize us in testing hmm you want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit I'd like to see that preached and invite people to come up and be baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire you want to sign up for that one but that's a baptism Jesus had to undergo himself in Romans five it says that this testing this trial by fire not only is strengthened or proven by by that is the approval this durability is not only found out by the testing it's actually produced by the testing the testing is part of what accomplishes the durability look in Romans chapter five verses one through four Romans chapter five verses one through four Romans five one therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ to whom also we have access by faith into this grace with in which we stand and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God but not only that we also rejoice in what well there various verses in the Greek it's philipsis so you can rejoice in your philipsis or you can rejoice in tribulations call it tribulations call it difficulties call it troubles call it sufferings call it hardships but you rejoice in them why knowing that this tribulation produces what endurance it produces durability it not only reveals whether faith is durable it's a part of the process of making faith durable it's part of the way you realize it's a part of the way it's actually designed Jesus didn't he say in Matthew look in Matthew chapter seven it's the way the same word here philipsis trouble hardship difficulty suffering here in Matthew chapter seven verses thirteen and fourteen Jesus tells us enter by the narrow gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction you know what the thing philipsis has this idea of being pressed and squeezed notice something about the broad way no trouble there freedom hey you guys want freedom not me I don't want that kind of freedom I want to be restricted I want the tribulated way because he goes on to say small is the gate that leads to life and tribulated is the way tribulated it's a way of tribulation do you realize that when you follow Christ you are following the way of tribulation that's the way that's the way that leads to life tribulation leads to life you realize that's what even James says in James one twelve he says we consider him who endures to be blessed blessed is the man who endures tribulation for he will receive the crown of life enduring tribulation is the way to receive the crown of life you want a crown of life you want it without a tribulation there does not exist a way there is no way outside of the way of tribulation for faith to be proven it's the way but did you notice there was a new word in Romans chapter five verse three tribulation we talked about being approved we talked about the way of testing tribulation is introduced there we talked about now Jesus has said it do you realize that this tribulation it doesn't only strengthen and result in this durable quality of faith do you realize it has the opposite effect at times look at Matthew thirteen and see what Jesus warned about Matthew chapter thirteen verses twenty and twenty one twenty and twenty one Matthew thirteen twenty and twenty one says this but he who received the seed on stony places this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy yet he has no root in himself but his duration he endures his duration is only for a while when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word he immediately does what he stumbles he falls away so receiving the word with joy but lacking root in oneself results in being a seasonal believer a fair weather saint whenever tribulation or persecution comes because of the word you know what happens immediately what fall away now I'd like to say something here that didn't say anything about being permanent falling away I believe this is a cycle many of us live in continually we do fine as long as there is no tribulation and tribulation comes and immediately what do we do we fall away immediately we fall away we murmur and complain we woe is me no thanksgiving no rejoicing no steadfastness and we recover we repent we come back to we're going to stand again until tribulation comes again and it happens there's no indication here in the original text that this is a one time permanent falling away he's describing what happens to a faith that's not durable that's what happens if you fall away when tribulation your faith is not durable now Luke says something Luke 8 adds something to the same parable if you want to turn to Luke chapter 8 verse 13 Luke chapter 8 verse 13 same parable but the ones on the rock are those when they hear they receive the word with joy these have no root who believe for a while and in the time of temptation they fall away but this is where the original language is clearer than your English because Luke uses a different word in Matthew and Mark they both use the word scandal to stumble to fall away but Luke uses the word afistantai afistantai which is the word apa away from and istame to stand together and it's a middle voice meaning they literally stand themselves away or you know how we would say it they apostatize themselves when tribulation comes and someone has a faith that's not durable in the situation they apostatize themselves they stand away from the father instead of drawing near him and Peter Peter tried to warn the saints he was writing to about this tendency and we don't I don't think we recognize it look with me in first Peter chapter 4 verse 12 this standing away first Peter 4 verse 12 you know why many of us apostatize in these moments while we stand away from the father well it's because we think it's strange we think something strange is happening to us why should it be strange that tribulation is happening to us if tribulation is the way if that's the way that leads to life what's strange about tribulation but if you think it's strange you know what's going to happen you're going to become estranged what does it mean to be estranged how do we use the term two people who were close but now they are estranged and in other words they are no longer familiar what's the root of familiar family god doesn't seem like your father anymore because a father wouldn't send me tribulation the father is all about love and comfort he's all about making my life easy to remove the difficulty when the difficulty comes it's not daddy this feels strange and you find yourself standing away because if the father sent the tribulation and you're getting away from the tribulation who are you leaving you're resisting the father himself and I don't think we understand this this is what Noah Webster described estranged this is his definition of estranged to keep at a distance distance to stand away to withdraw to cease to be frequent you're no longer on the same frequency now look at what do you do what are you supposed to do when you're in these situations and the tribulation is happening the father has sent it but it seems estranged to you the biblical writers who knew our father and knew our lord gave us an answer for this this is what we are to do when this begins to happen look with me in Hebrews chapter 12 Hebrews chapter 12 verses 3 through 7 I want to read the whole passage that 3 through 7 Hebrews chapter 12 3 through 7 for consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls you've not resisted to the point of shedding blood or in other words you've not resisted you're still alive aren't you you're not a martyr you've not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin and you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as sons my son do not despise thee chastening of the lord nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by him for whom the lord loves he chastens and he scourges every son whom he receives if you endure chastening God deals with you as with sons for what son is there whom a father does not chasten now this verse 7 particularly is can be translated one of two ways in verse 7 some of your bibles say if right but some of yours say something different what does it say verse 7 yeah there's no if there why is that because there is two greek letters epsilon and iota and if they stand by themselves it means if but if you add one letter a sigma to epsilon iota sigma you have the greek preposition ice and it's a preposition meaning unto unto and i think that those manuscripts with the sigma and have it right because the word chastening is in the accusative and ice the preposition can receive its object in the accusative don't you understand amen it may not mean much to you but it's glorious to the holy spirit chose these things but here's the practical bread and butter for us in that it is unto chastening god is dealing with us as sons he's dealing with us as sons it's unto chastening that's the way the father trains his children to be sons when god is chastening you when he sends tribulation he is training you to become a son that's what he's doing now why does it i said why turn here now let's go back and see verse 3 what are we told to do when we're confused when the tribulation seems strange and it doesn't seem like daddy has sent it what is the first thing it says to do in verse 3 consider him why him what's it say about him brian the next word how does the holy spirit inspire the writer to mark him he's the one who no endured he's the one that has perfect duration he endured every temptation he's the most durable thing in the universe the heavens will be rolled up like a scroll and he'll remain the same he is durable he endured and it's a perfect passive participle in the greek consider the one who perfectly endured and is still enduring that's why you're to look at him because guess what how was he made perfect oh yeah lord make us like jesus you know it says in hebrews 2 8 that it was fitting that god through whom all things exist should make the author of our salvation perfect through suffering that's how jesus christ was made perfect because it says although he was a son what did he do he learned obedience from the things he suffered and once made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation when it doesn't seem right to you when the tribulation seem strange you're to do something now the greek word for consider is an interesting term it means the greek word itself is analogues this day and it comes from the word analogues we get an english word from it analog or analogy here's what you need to do when tribulation is coming you need to look steadily at jesus christ looking away unto jesus and make an analogy and here's the analogy you need to make god the father perfected his son by suffering and he overcame for the joy set before him what did he do he endured and you're to look at the one who endured perfectly and realize nothing strange is happening god is treating you just like he treated his son don't think it strange and this quotation here is it verses five and six of the quotation and you've forgotten that exhortation which speaks to you as sons my son did not despise the chasing of the lord nor be discouraged when you're rebuked by him for whom the lord loves he chastens and discourages every son whom he receives where did that quote come from what proverb so who wrote proverbs three Solomon you think Solomon is the one who realized this god revealed it to Solomon or do you think is it possible that there was another servant of god who knew this and Solomon learned it from him I love these things the servant that Solomon learned this from was the meekest man on the face of the earth he learned it from Moses you want to see where this verse is first quoted I don't know why our bibles put it in proverbs because it's an exact quotation of proverbs there like Steve said but turn to Deuteronomy chapter eight and see see the person that god chose to reveal this to Moses was no ordinary prophet because god didn't speak to Moses in dreams and other ways god spoke to Moses as a man speaks to his friend face to face and Moses is here going to explain in this Deuteronomy chapter eight he's going to explain the purpose of a place called the wilderness you know what happens in the wilderness you know when we get in the wilderness many of us become bewildered I mean really do I mean it's a play on I love words you become bewildered because it doesn't seem like god the father your father would be treating you this way but I want you to look at the revelation that god had given Moses about the way god dealt in this Deuteronomy chapter eight I'm going to start right at the beginning of chapter eight it's probably all through there but I'm going to start anyway at verse one okay now notice what he says be careful to follow every command that I'm giving you today so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the lord your god promised on oath to your fathers and then he tells them to remember what remember what's the first word your god no I say that I'm guilty of doing this this is in communication my bible puts it this way the first word after remember in the NIV is remember how and that's critical how did god do it remember how god led you and there's another word there all the way here's the key god chose to do it a certain way and Moses is reminding the people to remember how god chose to do it and by the way every step of the way all of it was god it wasn't Moses misleading the people up wrong turn god fixed it but god wouldn't have led us out here into the desert there's no water there's no sun god wouldn't let us this way there's no food god would let us this way we're trapped the seas in front of us the egyptians are in the back of us yes all of it all of it was god god did it and more than that you're about I hope your ears can handle this you're about to see how god chooses to treat sons read with me very difficult things remember how the lord your god led you all the way in the desert these 40 years to do what first thing to humble you now that is I put this in my note humble here is a translator's way of trying to soften a pretty rough word because in the hebrew it has the idea of brow beat to afflict to oppress to put down that's bad enough in the hebrew the greek is even even stronger the septuagint has this word in it it is the greek word noun kakos means bad or evil it's the verb form kakao god chose to do you bad he chose to put the hurt on you he chose to put you down this is how god chose to lead them that's hard to hear isn't it you know in the wilderness god and you say how does that make sense here's how it makes sense in the wilderness god does things that we think are bad you see how it's from our perspective isn't it is it bad but it doesn't it seem bad to us god does no evil and he does no wrong but he will do things that seem bad for you or that seem hard to you and you need to understand that you need so you don't become discouraged so you don't become estranged because you don't think daddy would be doing this you know paul told timothy he uses the same word in the greek kakao bad or evil he says that the servant of the lord must bear evil you must learn you must learn to bear evil it's a part of the way now he said there's a question arises why would god do things to us that seem bad to us to put us down to put the hurt to us to seem like to harm us why it says so why does he do this to test you I like what the greek word here the greek word is to trial by fire or to trial by russell but it adds the preposition act out of you know what I get out of it why he does it he wanted to try you out he's going to try you out how are you going to do what's he trying out he's trying out your faith he's going to find out what's in what the next verse says to know what was in their heart isn't that what god he led you in this desert to put you down to humble you in order to try you out to know what was in your heart now the greek the hebrew word for know means so he can ascertain by seeing literally god wanted to see how they would respond I like the greek better though because the greek is this word he wanted to diagnose they you got it you realize thousands of years later and it's almost the same sounding word yes god wanted to diagnose them so you know what he did he designed his own stress test isn't that what doctors do they want to know how will this heart respond under strain under pressure god always tests the things he wants he wants only the best he's not taking junk to heaven those who overcome will inherit all this those who endure to the end shall be saved we don't even keep things that don't last aren't durable so how in verse 3 now how did god design his stress test let's look at that how did he design his stress test here's the same word again for humbled he cacaoed them he put them down he hurt them he did what seemed to them bad he put the hurt on them not only that he he what causing them to hunger hunger in the uses the word which means famine he famished them the word developed over time through latin and english and the european language into a word limit you know what god will do many times to us severely limit us make us hunger for something we don't have in ourselves it's a way he deals with people in the time of testing in the way of the wilderness and then it says feeding them with manna which neither you nor your father said no and he did this to teach them something what did he teach them in this hmm how about that have you heard that somewhere before he literally calls them to become so hungry and then he fed them with manna so that they would learn that man does not live by bread alone but so that we could sing this cute little song verse 2 seek ye first the kingdom of god no where have you heard this before when did did jesus say this by the way oh he was in the wilderness oh after what 40 days of fasting and during the whole time what was he being done he was being tempted tested and at the end it says he was famished he was hungry and he was weak and satan came to him and said you're the son of god make these stones bread and jesus understands the way the father deals with sons and he said no no i'm not out here to get that food this has happened that i might live by every word that comes from the mouth of god and my father hasn't told me to make these stones bread just like your father will never tell you to murmur or complain your father will never tell you to speak back the father will never tell you to strike when the enemy comes and says you're a child of god you don't have to take this answer him no no the father is sending you tribulation the father is breaking us we don't respond that way now turn with me to first corinthians chapter 10 first corinthians chapter 10 in verse 11 first corinthians 10 verse 11 all of these things happen to them as examples is does someone have a different word for that in their translation in first corinthians 10 11 hmm is warning well just the first part all of these things happen to them as examples they were written down for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come examples in the greek is a tupoi we get the english word type from it all of these things happen to them as types meaning you can anticipate that these things will be typical it is typical what god did in deuteronomy when he took the people through the wilderness its typical you see for us there is a wilderness of testing between the grace of god delivering us from egypt and inheriting the promised land there is a wilderness its called the world and jesus said in the world you shall have tribulation its typical its to be expected anticipated its part of the way and they were written down for us as it says warnings what is another word for warnings in your translations there admonition instruction that is the word i am looking for listen to this word please and hear me instruction instruction what is in the middle what do you get from that what english word framework structure these things were written down so that you can build a structure a framework in your mind so that you can lay these thoughts in there a structure so when tribulation happens to you you have a framework to be able to deal with them properly that is why they are written there so if you know that god does this with his sons he trains his children into sons typically by suffering by tribulation by difficulty then you will not think it strange and you will not become estranged from him in the process you wont fall away ok a review of what we have talked about so far when you are in the fire when the tribulation is happening when you have the hurt on you when you are famished when you are down when it does not seem like this is what god would be doing because it sure seems like this man over here is doing to me or this woman over here is doing to me or that brother is doing it or my boss is or these circumstances are but really who is over all of those god so when you are having a difficult time accepting the fact that the father is the one who is actually doing it to you here is what you need to do you need to make the right analogy you need to look away and look to Jesus the one who is perfectly durable and you need to understand that proven quality the proven quality of faith is only revealed and can only be developed by testing fiery trials and that fiery trials are composed of tribulations which by the way for the righteous are many the same word philips says many are the afflictions of the righteous that's psalms 34 19 tribulations are the way god trains his children to become sons small is the gate and narrow is the and tribulated is the way that leads to life and how many find it few these tribulations come to test that which is the most precious thing that which Jesus said when he comes again will he find it on the earth faith the only thing that is in god's eyes more precious than gold that perishes even though refined by fire here's something to consider we will either stumble and apostatize in unbelief during our tribulations or we will endure to the end through them and overcome the world where we're going to have tribulations and how will we overcome the world by enduring faith one of two things is going to happen in our wilderness please hear this one of two things is going to happen in the wilderness either unbelief will die in you or you will die in unbelief but unbelief is not going into Canaan one of two things is going to happen in the wilderness either in the wilderness unbelief will die in you and you will enter the rest by faith or you will die in unbelief in the wilderness because god is not taking unbelievers into heaven now one of the most beautiful passages that speak to this and this is where believe it or not right here is where this thought began for me this week and that's why I hope I haven't lost anybody because this what I'm about to go to now is the burden on my heart and I wrestled and labored before the lord to try how to get there and it's interesting how he brings you to here but he must take you back and show you and all of this all that I've talked about is for this what I'm about to say see this 2nd Corinthians Paul understood this 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 start in verse 7 2nd Corinthians 4 7 but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of god and not of us we are hard pressed on every side and yet not crushed who do you think is doing the pressing? we are perplexed but not despair we are persecuted but not forsaken struck down but not destroyed always carrying about in the body the dying of the lord jesus that the life of jesus also may be manifested in our body for we who live are always delivered to death for jesus sake that the life of jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh so then death is at work in us but life in you and since we have the same spirit of faith according to that which is written I believed and therefore I spoke we also believe and therefore speak knowing that he who raised up the lord jesus will also raise us up with jesus and will present us with you for all things are for your sakes that grace having spread through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of god therefore we do not lose heart even though our outward man is perishing yet the inward man is being renewed day by day for our light and momentary affliction is working for us a far exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we do not look at the things which are seen but that the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporary but the things which are not seen are eternal the fully appreciate the depth of what paul is seeing in this passage you need to understand what he was saying in verse 13 look at it again and since we have the same spirit of faith as that which was written I believe therefore have I spoken we believe therefore speak how can you understand what he's talking about what's the same spirit of faith if you don't know where it's written look where is it written where is written I believe therefore I have spoken where if you don't know what he's talking about how can you make sure you have the same spirit of faith where was it written I believe therefore I have spoken look in your reference psalm 116 turn there psalm 116 lets read right from the beginning I love the lord for he heard my voice he heard my cry for mercy because he turned his ear to me I will call on him as long as I live the cords of death entangled me the anguish of the grave came upon me I was overcome by trouble and sorrow I'm going to back up and read those two verses again in the king james I love the way it's put there the sorrows of death compassed me the pains of hell gat hold upon me I found guess what guess what he found guess what word it is tribulation in the septuagint it's thellipsis what did he find he found tribulation and deep sorrow and then what did he do he spoke he spoke and what did he speak lord save me that's the same spirit of faith you and I need brothers when tribulation is happening when the pains of hell have gotten hold upon you and you find tribulation and sorrow speak with the spirit of faith lord save me that's what he did that's the spirit that's the true spirit of faith the lord is gracious and righteous our god is full of compassion he protects us simple hearted when I was in great need he saved me be at rest once more oh my soul for the lord has been good to you you know the lord was good when the pains of hell had gotten upon him the lord was good when he found tribulation the lord was good because the lord is not interested in just making you happy yes yes it sure is there is something god is more interested in making you than happy because it says no discipline or no chastening seems pleasant at the time but painful but it says that we had earthly fathers who disciplined for us for a season as they thought best god disciplines us he chastens us so that we may share in his holiness our being set apart unto him is far more important to him than our happiness and if you see by the eyes of faith then you realize something that god uses tribulation to conform us to train us as children into mature sons that's the way he did it with jesus that's the way he did it with the people of israel he took them through the wilderness to prove their hearts and all the unbelievers died in the wilderness and a new generation of believers entered canaan because without faith it's impossible to please god we in our fellowship in our lives you and i we need this same spirit of faith that was what was on my heart don't become discouraged don't become estranged do not think it strange whenever you face these fiery trials the father is training you to be his son you think we'll have any regrets when we stand before him see faith is the evidence of things hope for if things not seen the substance of things hope for if you realize what future glory awaits us if the father poured it on it's only for 70 years or so isn't that right so didn't jesus himself say it's better to enter life maimed than go to hell hole so if god in his kindness he's wanting to prove your heart he's designed a stress test to find out what's in your heart cause god is very good and god wants to deliver us from all unbelief he wants every bit of it to surface and he knows how to turn the fire up to get it out of us and if we only understood that he's being kind to us may seem bad to us that may be what it looks like but his ways are not our ways his thoughts are not our thoughts he's after something far more precious to us to him and really to us than our comfort make it easy for us