Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship Church

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

Pastor/Teacher - Jim RickardPastor/Teacher - Jim Rickard Tuesday, February 23, 2010Tuesday, February 23, 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 14Part 14

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 Spiritual Adulthood.F. Suffering and Spiritual Adulthood.G. Providential Preventative G. Providential Preventative Suffering. Suffering.H. Prayer and Suffering.H. Prayer and Suffering.

I. Momentum Testing.I. Momentum Testing.5 Categories5 Categories::

Disaster Testing, Disaster Testing, People Testing, People Testing, System Testing,System Testing,

Thought Testing, Thought Testing, Prosperity Testing. Prosperity Testing.

5. 5. Thought TestingThought Testing. . (continued)(continued)

2 Cor 10:3-7a 2 Cor 10:3-7a

T.T. attacks the command T.T. attacks the command post of your soul, by post of your soul, by

challenging the mentality challenging the mentality of your soul where you of your soul where you apply God’s Word to all apply God’s Word to all

situations in life. situations in life.

Isa 55:7-9, “Let the wicked forsake his way Isa 55:7-9, “Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the LORD, and He will let him return to the LORD, and He will

have compassion on him, and to our God, have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “For My for He will abundantly pardon. “For My

thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For asas the heavens are higher than the earth, so the heavens are higher than the earth, so

are My ways higher than your ways and are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”My thoughts than your thoughts.”

h. You can't borrow the h. You can't borrow the thoughts of others; you have to thoughts of others; you have to

do your own thinking, make do your own thinking, make your own decisions, and your own decisions, and

handle your own problems handle your own problems from a position of strength – from a position of strength – God’s Word in your soul. God’s Word in your soul.

i. The most subtle test is i. The most subtle test is thought distraction in the thought distraction in the

form of preoccupation with form of preoccupation with self to the exclusion of self to the exclusion of

Bible Doctrine. Bible Doctrine.

j. Thought distraction is also j. Thought distraction is also the result of one's prejudice, the result of one's prejudice, inflexibility, unteachability, inflexibility, unteachability,

and inability to take and inability to take objective criticism from objective criticism from

others, especially from the others, especially from the Word of God. Word of God.

1 Tim 5:21,1 Tim 5:21,“I solemnly charge you in the “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ presence of God and of Christ

Jesus and of Jesus and of HisHis chosen angels, chosen angels, to maintain these to maintain these principlesprinciples

without bias, doing nothing in without bias, doing nothing in a a spirit ofspirit of partiality.” partiality.”

k. Doubts in T.T. result from k. Doubts in T.T. result from neglect of the systematic neglect of the systematic

teaching of Bible Doctrine, teaching of Bible Doctrine, setting up wrong priorities in setting up wrong priorities in

your life, and lack of your life, and lack of consistent living in God’s consistent living in God’s

Plan. Plan.

l. Believers also try to l. Believers also try to reconcile their favorite reconcile their favorite

academic subject or academic subject or personal opinions with the personal opinions with the content of Bible Doctrine. content of Bible Doctrine.

m. Thought distraction m. Thought distraction occurs when the believer is occurs when the believer is not interested in the variety not interested in the variety

of subjects found in the of subjects found in the Word as taught by their Word as taught by their

Pastor. Pastor.

n. The Bible is not your n. The Bible is not your servant but your master. servant but your master. All portions and subjects All portions and subjects

from the Bible are from the Bible are important to the believer. important to the believer.

1 Tim 4:6-8 1 Tim 4:6-8

o. Your ability to cope with o. Your ability to cope with life, happiness and life, happiness and

attractiveness in life is based attractiveness in life is based upon what you think. upon what you think.

Therefore, inner beauty is a Therefore, inner beauty is a mental attitude. mental attitude.

1 Tim 2:9-10, 15b1 Tim 2:9-10, 15b

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchTuesday, February 23, 2010

Tape # 10-022

Suffering for Blessing, Pt 14Momentum Testing, Pt 7

Upper Room Discourse, Part 341

John 15:2-8; 2 Cor 10:3-7; Isa 55:7-9; 1 Tim 2:9-10 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010