Trials & Tribulations (07/23/2017)

Hello, I'm Lee Michaels and I want to welcome you to our Park Meadows Church services with guest speaker Myron Golden.

Trials and the Call to Joy in James 1

I Like what a good friend of mine pastor in Savannah say he said three three points in a poem about Trials. You got point number three. Everybody's got point number four our poem Adam so everybody has trials and.

What we're gonna do is we're just gonna look at how We should go through those trials as we are as we are going through our life. And we face difficulty because we all face difficulty. And when we do we want to make sure we do that according to the principles of Scripture.

So let's look first James chapter 1 we're gonna read the first eight verses. Just follow along with me silently as I read out loud. It says James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.

Greeted my brethren counted all joy when he fall into diverse temptations. Knowing this that the trying of your faith work of patience. But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire wanting nothing.

If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and with great anonymity shall be given him. But let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Now let's look at Daniel chapter 3. Daniel chapter 3 beginning with verse number 14, and this is the story of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and how Nebuchadnezzar had made an idol of himself and commanded that all nations and people bow down and worship this idol and There were probably there were at least tens of thousands of people who bow down and worship maybe hundreds of thousands and there were three people that were still standing Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and They reported to the king that they didn't bow and here's where it picks up Nebuchadnezzar talking to them.

Nebuchadnezzar speak unto them. Is it true? Shadrach Meshach and Abednego do you not serve my gods a little G you don't worship the golden image. Now if you be ready that at what time. You hear the sound of the corn of the flute the sack of the psaltery the bell summer and all kinds of music you fall Down and worship the image, which I have made well but if not, but but.

But if you worship not you shall be cast the same hour Into the mint of the burning fire a firmament and who is that God? That shall deliver you out of my hands and Shadrach Meshach and Abednego answered and said unto the king.

Oh Nebuchadnezzar. We are not careful to answer me in this manner. If it be so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us. Out of that hand no king, but if not be it known unto thee.

Okay, we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury in the form of his visage was chained against Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and Therefore he spake and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was want to be heated and he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and Cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

These men were bound in their coats and their hoses and their hats and their garments and were cast into the midst of the burning fire furnace. Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent and the furnace exceeding hot the flame of the fire Slew those men that took up Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and these three men Shadrach Meshach and Abednego fell down bowed in the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

Father, thank you for your word. Thank you that it's truth. We pray that you open our eyes and help us to behold Wonderful things out of your word. Help us to be able to be an example to other believers.

Help us to be a light in a dark world as we go through our trials with joyfulness. And we thank you for the work you will do in us the work you desire to do through us in the name of Yahshua. All right.

Unique Identity, Grace, and a Joyful Perspective on Trials

So I want to speak to you this morning on this subject all joy for all trials all Joy for all trials. It seems it seems like a very very challenging command. My brethren count it all joy when you go through diverse temptations.

First thing we notice here is who's writing this letter James who was both the brother of Christ the half-brother of Christ and He was the pastor of the Church of Jerusalem during this time. The Church of Jerusalem was being persecuted.

There were being there were being people who were believers of Christ they were they were being arrested they were being tortured. They were being killed. They were being they were being thrown into the arena.

Sewn up in lambskins and goatskins and being eaten by lions and James writes this letter now. We've got some problems and some challenges and some trials, but we haven't had them at this magnitude. Can I get with us?

And and James writes a letter it says my brother. This is James a servant of God the Lord Jesus Christ. I love the fact that that's where he starts. He didn't say James Senior pastor most righteous Reverend doctor of the Church of Jerusalem.

He didn't say James the brother of the Lord. He said James a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. If James the brother of Christ James the senior pastor at the Church of Jerusalem in his mind his most important identifying Factor is the fact that he is a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can learn something from that. Amen. More important than our title more important than our position more important than our background. More important than our ethnicity more important than our gender.

More important than our political party the thing that we should be most Representing is the fact that we are servants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. And then he says to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad Greetings, I want you to understand that when she when James wrote this letter to the Christian Church.

The Christian Church was made up of a lot of Jewish believers. And I think if there's one thing that well, there are many things but there but if I think there's one thing that really hinders the average modern-day Christian believer in Adhering to so many of the doctrines of the scripture to live a fulfilled life.

It's the fact that we we get up so much influence within the modern-day Christianity from the Catholic Church and we don't get nearly enough from the culture of the Hebrews from the Jewish people and The Catholic Church was greatly influenced by Greek mythology and so.

Unfortunately, a lot of modern-day Christians see the Bible more as a magical book than a practical book. But the Bible is a book to be practiced not a book of magic. It's a book of practice. Things we are supposed to do and the Apostle James is right.

He said I want you to go do these things. He said my brother Counted all joy when he fallen. Diversification. The first thing I want you to understand about all joy For all trials is that we this is written to a unique group of people.

We are a unique group of people. We are the only group of people followers of Yeshua followers of Christ we are the only people on earth who have the ability and The assignment to live in a state of perpetual joy.

Nobody else can do that. How do I know I can have joy because God never gives a command without first giving the capacity to fulfill the command. He never gives an assignment without first giving us the ability to fulfill the assignment.

So when God tells me to do something I already know I can do it because I'm not under the law. But under grace now a lot of people misunderstand what that means when it says we're not under the law. But we're under grace.

See when I was under the law I didn't have the power to do the things that were contained in the law. Can I get a witness? So you gotta understand Brother Ron's hand is a sinner and he is under the law.

And the law says do the right thing. It doesn't matter how much the law tells the sinner to do the right thing it's only letting the sinner know he can't do the right thing. Amen. You better get right.

If you don't do the right thing you're gonna pay. And then grace is above the law. Grace is not under the law, grace is above the law. How do we know that grace is above the law? Because when Jesus came he said he had heard that had been said by them of all time that thou shalt not.

What? Commit adultery. What do you say? But I say unto you who so looketh on a woman of lust after her has committed adultery already within her heart. So grace didn't go down here and say well, it's okay to commit adultery now.

He said don't even look at somebody like you want to commit adultery with. That's higher than the law. Grace is not lower than the law. Grace is higher than the law and guess what? When when when Jesus saves the sinner when he receives Christ as Savior when that sinner receives Christ as Savior grace comes down here and Rescues him from the curse of the law and puts him here and now he's no longer longer under the law.

He's under grace and now for the first time in his life He has the power to do the things contained in the law. How do I know that? Because Philippians chapter 2 verse 13 says for it is God that worketh in us Both to will, that's the desire.

When he was down here he had no desire to do the right thing. And to do, that's the dynamic. The things that please God. So it says when I was under the law, I didn't have the desire I didn't have the dynamic.

I didn't have the power, I didn't have the passion to do the things contained in the law. But guess what? When I receive Christ, I'm no longer under the law I'm under grace and now I have both the power and the passion the desire and the dynamic to do the things that God has told me to do.

Hallelujah. Thank you. Give it up for Bill Miller. So he's talking to a unique group of people that we have an ability and here's what we do. We excuse ourselves out of the ability, the ability by saying, well, this is just the way I am.

Well, I understand it says that but you know, it's easy for you to say you're not going through my trial. No, no, no. Here's what I want you to understand. If God says count it all joy When you fall into divers temptations, you better hurry up and know you can count it all joy.

Hallelujah. Count it all joy. We're a unique people because we have a unique ability to be joyful in the midst of a trial. Not only are we unique people, here's why we're unique people. Because we have a unique perspective.

I want you to understand he said count it all joy. The word count is a perspective word. It means to assign a value to. It means look at it from this perspective. It means look at it from another angle.

And when the scripture says count it all joy. What he said is said, I want you to look at your trial and see your trial from the same perspective that God sees your trial from. I want you to see your trial from the same perspective that Jesus sees your trial from.

I want you to look at your trial, the difficulty that you're going through, the illness you're going through, the loss of a loved one, the pain, the loss of a job. Whatever it is, the financial struggle, whatever it is you're going through, I want you to look at it from a different perspective.

He's not saying just just pretend that you don't have trials. He's not even saying he's not even saying pretend that you love trials. What he's saying is look at your trial from a different angle. Don't look at your trial as an end in itself.

He said, my brethren, count it all joy. Here's what I know. I can count it all joy. When the car breaks down, I can count it all joy. If I lose my job, I can count it all joy. If I lose my business, I can count it all joy.

If you lose a loved one, if I lose a loved one, I can count it all joy. If I go through, if the doctor gives me bad news, I can count it all joy. I know I can count it all joy because he told me to count it all joy.

Even the very first command that God gave in Genesis chapter one. He gave the ability before he gave the assignment. You go back and read Genesis chapter 1 verse 28. Here's what it says. It says well first tells God made man in his own image and image of God made he him male and female.

Created he then and God blessed them watch this now. He blessed them and then he said unto them be fruitful and multiply. He replenished the earth and said do it and have dominion over the work of my hand.

God didn't tell the man to be, do, and have until after he had blessed him to be, do, and have. You know what I know? I know anything God tells me to do. I know I can't do it just based on the fact that God told me to do it.

Amen. 1st Corinthians tells us the same thing. 1st Corinthians. 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse number 13. Here's what it says. There's no temptation taken such as common man. But God is faithful. Who will not suffer or allow you to what be tempted above that ye.

You will never go through a trial you can't handle. See, see, God only gives you your trials. Don't you love the Bible that is so complete and so full? There are no isolated doctrines in Scripture. Y 'all do understand that right?

There's no isolated doctrine. Every scrip, every doctrine in Scripture is supported by every other doctrine in Scripture. And we see this over and over and over and over and over and over again. You know, we live in an age where where preachers love talking about the anointing, an anointing on your life.

But I want you to understand an anointing is not an empty thing. Whenever someone in Scripture received an anointing. An anointing is when God revealed a person's purpose to them and the people around them.

So when God sent Samuel to anoint David He was revealing to David and to David's family and to those around David. This man's going to be the next king. So understand that whenever there is an anointing, that anointing is for an appointing.

There is no such thing as an anointing without an appointing. So when I get an anointing I know it's for what? An appointing. But here's the problem. The mistake we make is we are. We love as human beings rushing the washing machine.

We like to skip cycles. We like we like we like to leapfrog. The training camp, the boot camp. We like to leapfrog the difficult. Even though, here's what you have to understand, even though. Every anointing is for an appointing.

Between the season of anointing and the season of appointing, there's this preparation season. It's called the season of disappointment and God, you won't find in Scripture a person who receives an anointing.

For an appointing who doesn't go through a season of disappointment. It doesn't matter if it's Joseph. Joseph has a dream. Joseph's dream came true. But not before his nightmare came true. David spent over a decade, maybe almost two decades, 13 -17 years, running from King Saul after he was anointed.

We have a unique perspective. We can assign Joyfulness to difficulty regardless of the difficulty. Assigning joyfulness, there's so many places in Scripture I'm gonna say something. It is our natural human sinful tendency to want to be miserable.

Amen. You ask somebody how you doing? Try it today at the gas station. Such a great day. Oh, yeah, but it's so hot. And if it was cold, guess what? But yeah, but it's so cold. If it hadn't rained in a while, they'd say, yeah, but we need the rain.

If it's raining, yeah, but it's so wet out there. To create some misery to follow. But as followers of Yeshua, we are commanded over and over and over and over again In Scripture to live in a state of perpetual joyfulness, which means we can.

Here's what it says, one of my favorite verses. I call this the most rejoicing verse. Philippians chapter 4 verse 4. It says rejoice in the Lord always. The Lord until Always. Now here's what's really interesting.

The prefix re means to do again. If you say to your child, I want you to go re-wash those dishes. That doesn't mean they didn't wash them. That means you want them to wash them again. When Jesus, when the Apostle Paul said rejoice.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit Rejoice in the Lord, he said again have joy in the Lord. And then he says, and again I say rejoice. Or in other words, again have joy in the Lord. And again, I say, have joy.

Have joy always in the Lord. And again, I say again have joy. Didn't leave much space in there for misery, did he? Say, but Brother Myron, you don't know what's going on in my life. It doesn't matter.

When God inspired the Apostle Paul to write that He knew what was going on in your life. See, what's a moving picture to us is a snapshot to God. He didn't say I am the. He didn't say I am the I was. He didn't say I am the I will be.

He said I am the I am that I am. In perspective, it gives us the ability to have all joy in all trials. I understand that you're going through something. But my objective of this message is not to make you feel bad.

For feeling bad while you're going through your trial. My objective of this message is to help you understand. That you don't have to feel bad while you're going through your trial. You can have joy. How do we know?

It's a unique perspective. Here's what he said. He said, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptation. I want you to understand now. He didn't say if you fall into diverse temptation.

He didn't say, well just in case. One day you might happen to fall into a trial. He didn't say that, did he? He said, my brethren, count it all joy when. Here's what that means. Trials are coming. Amen.

So you might as well go ahead. And prepare yourself for the trial that's coming. I'm glad you asked that question. But before I answer it, let me read this to you. 1 Peter 4, here's what it says. 1 Peter 4, verse 12.

Beloved, think it not strange. Concerning the fiery trial. Which is to try me. As though it were some strange thing. But rejoice. The Bible doesn't just say something one place. It says it over and over and over again.

He said, but rejoice inasmuch that ye are partakers of Christ's suffering. That when his glory shall be revealed Ye shall be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you.

For the spirit of the glory of God resteth upon you. On their part, he is evil spoken of. But on your part, he is glorified. Glorified when you go through trials. You gotta understand. Remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace?

Do you remember? The king was so mad. I love that you talked about tolerance. You know, when I think about the word tolerance, brother Mark The first thing that comes to my mind is the word tolerance.

Is an intolerant word. When they say tolerance Well, you're just not tolerant. What they mean is, you have to tolerate me. But I don't have to tolerate you. That's what the word tolerance means. Tolerance is an intolerant word.

It's like you're building. You're building a set of rules for somebody else to play by. Anyway Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace. How many times Did gold Have to go into the furnace In the finding pot before it was pure gold?

Seven is the number of completion. You know, there's seven days in a week. There's seven colors in the rainbow. There's seven notes on a musical scale. And the gold, when it was being refined Had to go into the finding pot Into the furnace seven times.

If you don't understand the significance of that Let me help you. Here's what would happen. The refiner would take the gold Which has value. And it's precious. But it's still got some draws in it. It's still got some imperfections in it.

He would put it in this metal refining pot. And he would put that finding pot In the oven. The oven was hot enough to melt the gold But not hot enough to melt the finding pot. So the gold would become molten.

And when it became molten It would boil all the draws. All the imperfections would rise to the top. He'd take it out, he'd set it aside for a few minutes. He would take a sharp instrument. He would scrape One thin layer at a time Of that draws Off of the top of that.

The first time, he'd put it back in the oven again. He'd heat it up Takes it out, sets it aside One thin layer. He'd scrape those thin layers of draws off the top. He'd throw all the draws away. And then he would look at it.

Do you understand when you go into a trial. One of the reasons you can count all joy Is because you understand That he's removing draws From your life. That's one of the reasons. That's not the only reason He's making you More like him.

It says Perspective. And then he said You've got a unique perspective. I want you to look at this like I look at this. Remember the anointing and the disappointing Even Jesus himself After his anointing.

Y 'all remember what happened in Matthew chapter 3. Jesus was baptized. Came up out of the water. Remember what happened there. The spirit descends on him like a dove. The voice from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.

That's his anointing. Scripture says. Then was Jesus led of the spirit Into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted Forty days and forty nights He was afterwards. So he said We have a unique perspective Count all joy knowing this.

He said the only way you can count Like you're supposed to count Is if you know what you're supposed to know. See when folk go through trials. And they don't count it all joy. The reason they don't count it all joy Is because they don't know how to count it all joy.

And the reason they don't know how to count it all joy Is because they don't understand the purpose for the trial. But God's telling us the purpose for the trial. Here's the purpose for the trial. Here's what it says Knowing this.

So if you know this I wonder what this is. I wonder what he's going to say next. He says My brethren count it all joy. Knowing this. That the trying Of your faith Worketh patience. Patience is Persistent Consistent Endurance.

Patience is. Patience is not A little bit of endurance every now and then. Patience is not A little bit of endurance from time to time. Patience is persistent Consistent Endurance. Here's what it means.

It means the trying of your faith Gives you the Ability to endure The trying of your faith Persistent. We need persistence. We gotta have persistence. Here's why we have a requirement in our life for persistence.

Our assignment is hard. Your assignment is hard. My assignment is hard. Which means if I'm weak I will not be able to fulfill my assignment. So what does God do? God has ordained trials for our life To get us ready for what he already Has ready for us.

God has trials for our life To prepare us for what he already Has prepared for us. So when I'm Counting it all joy when I fall In a diverse temptation I'm not. Oh God just send me some more trials. Hallelujah.

That's not what I'm saying. I'm not rejoicing because I love trials. I'm rejoicing because the God of the universe Who set the whole universe In motion who holds all Things by the word of his power. That same God is preparing me For something that he has for me to do.

The God of the universe has a desire To use me. The God of the universe has a desire in which he uses me. And he's getting me ready For the thing that he already has ready for me. Thank you God for using me.

I can count it all joy Because God Is using me. And if he's not using me right now He's getting me ready so he can use me. When I'm going through a trial that must mean I'm not strong enough for the work That he has for me.

I'm not prepared enough For what he has prepared for me. So when I go through this trial I can have joy. Myron why are you so joyful When all this stuff is happening to you. Because I know he's getting me ready For what he already has ready for me.

We are a unique people Because we have the ability to count it all joy. We have a unique perspective. We're called to perpetual joyfulness. That is your calling. If you are a follower of Yeshua Messiah, Jesus the Christ Then you are called To perpetual joyfulness.

I'm gonna go back here but I gotta go right here. Remember the verse in Philippians chapter 4 Where it says Rejoice in the Lord all the way. And again I say rejoice. How am I supposed to do that. Well it's amazing.

It tells us a lot. When I was a teenager and I read this verse I thought why did he say that right there. The next verse says Rejoice in the Lord all the way. And again I say rejoice. Moderation means self-control.

What does self-control have to do with joyfulness. I mean was anybody else ever confused by that verse. Or was it just me. Two of us. Alright so Where's Mark. We're just done. I'm a remedial reader. I get so much out of myself.

I read so slow I'm bound to pick something up eventually. Okay. It says. It says Joy. Self-control. Moderation. What does reminding myself that the Lord is present In my trial have to do with joyfulness Only everything.

Why. Because the scripture says in his presence Is fullness of Joy. And what that means Is when I'm going through a trial. If I'm more aware of the presence of the Lord Than I am of the trial I am going to be joyful because I'm in his presence.

So you understand The Lord is always present. But you are not always aware. And I'll say that too fast. He's always present. I understand That the car broke down And it's hot in Texas. But the Lord Is present.

If you're standing in the unemployment line The Lord is present. If you're alive in a hospital bed The Lord is present. If you're going through difficulty at work The Lord is present. If you're standing beside a casket The Lord is present.

If you're aware of a situation Or more aware Of the presence of the Lord You want to use your discipline for something. Use your discipline to remind yourself That the Lord is present. Don't use your discipline to make yourself do something.

Use your discipline. You ain't in this by yourself. You ain't in this by yourself. Jesus is here. And by the way Works under the most challenging of circumstances. Let me go back and read it to you. In case y 'all missed it when I read it At the beginning.

Daniel chapter 3. I'm glad God gives us Old Testament illustrations. For the New Testament. Daniel chapter 3 verse number 14. It says Is it true O Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego That you do not serve my gods nor worship the golden image which I have set up.

He said I like y 'all so much I'm gonna give you another chance. If you bow down this time Everything will be alright. Now if you'd be ready At that one time When you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the sacred The psaltery, the bells in all kinds of music.

If you fall down and worship The image which I have made. Well, but if you worship not Ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. And who is that God That shall deliver you out of my hands.

Their answer They said Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Answered the Son of the King. O Nebuchadnezzar. We are not careful to answer thee in this matter. Isn't it interesting that they use the word careful.

Cause what does the next verse in Philippians say. After it says Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. And be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication.

With thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding Shall keep or guard your hearts and minds By Christ Jesus. They said we're not careful. We're not worried about what you're gonna do to us.

Here's what they said. They said our God. You know what that means. They could rejoice in trials because their God was personal. He didn't say our Father's God. He didn't say the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

He didn't say Joseph's God. He didn't say David's. They said our God whom we serve. One of the things they realized about the God is that he was personal. But not only was he personal. Notice what it says.

He is able. Not only is he personal but he's also powerful. And he will deliver us out of our hair. Not only is he Not only is he personal and powerful But he's also willing. He said he will deliver us out of our hair.

And then here's what they did. They acknowledged the sovereignty of God. They said but if not. Here's what the world could stand to see. Here's what the church could stand to be in 2017. We could stand to have some but if not Christians.

God can deliver me. And he will. But if he doesn't I'm still going to be faithful to God. Who's faithful to me. Amen. I love what the Bible tells us. I think it's in Psalm 115 verse 3. It says but our God he is in the heavens.

He hath done whatsoever he hath willed. Then it says Um. But if not Be it known unto thee But if not be it known unto thee O king that we will not serve thy God. Set up. Verse 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury.

The form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Therefore he spake and commanded One seven times more than was wont to be heeded. And he commanded the most mighty men That were in his army To bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego And cast them into the burning fire of the furnace.

Then because Then these men were bound in their coats And their hats and their other garments Were cast into the burning fire of the furnace. Because the king's command was urgent And the furnace exceeding hot.

The flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach. This was a hot fire. Nebuchadnezzar said I want y 'all to make this fire hotter Seven times hotter than it needs to be. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Y 'all are good now I'm gonna kill y 'all seven times deader than anybody's ever been killed As if As if just a fire by itself is not enough.

Standing for right Will make people who preach tolerance Lose their homage. And all we gotta do. I don't watch the news but if you turn on the news You can see that all over the place. Anyway He said I'll kill you seven times deader.

And the fire was so hot the men that threw them into the fire The fire killed them. And then it says in verse 23 Then these three men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Fell down bound in the midst of the burning fire of the furnace.

There's nothing wrong with falling When you're in your trial. Sometimes trials can be overwhelming. There's nothing wrong. I'm not saying that you should never mourn. I'm not saying that you should never be sad.

That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that your eternal long-term perspective Is one of joyfulness. Because you're not just looking at the little picture that's in front of you. But you're looking at the big picture On the side where you got born.

Then Nebuchadnezzar the king Was astounded and rose up in haste and smite And said unto his counsellors Did not we cast three men down into the midst of the fire. They answered and said unto him Be true, O king.

He answered and said, Lo, I see Four men loose Walking in the midst of the fire. And they have no hurt. And the form of the fourth is like the sun. They practiced The presence of the Lord So clearly That they caused the people Who were watching them To see the Lord While they were going into their trial.

Let your moderation be known unto all men. Why? They didn't make Shadrach. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego didn't make Nebuchadnezzar see how great they were. They were. They lived a life where they were so Focused on practicing the presence Of the Lord That even Nebuchadnezzar, a godless king Saw their God Delivered.

Patience, Wisdom, and Prayerful Surrender to God's Will

Because we have a unique perspective. Here's what it says. I'm going to go back to James now. It says. But let patience Have a perfect work. I love the fact that it says that We have a unique kind of patience too.

It says let patience have a perfect work. Do you know what that means? That means as soon as you get in the trial. You're not supposed to say, Lord get me out of the trial. We spent almost all of our time trying to run out of the firmus.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego Didn't attempt to run out of the firmus at all. They just fell down backwards. Lord, oh Lord, deliver me from this trial. Doing the work the trial was said to do. That's why it says.