God's School of Faith — Jim Cymbala

How many books are in the Bible? 66 Divided by what Old and New Testament this book here Has different kinds of literature in it. There's poetry. There's Proverbs in it. There's symbolic prophetic books like Revelation and some others where You have to try to figure out.

What is that a symbol of the dragon and this and that? There are Letters of teaching that Paul wrote let's say or Peter in the New Testament but a good part of the Bible. Like the Gospels and Acts in the New Testament and a good portion of the Old Testament is history.

It's historical narrative, it's telling a story in the Old Testament the story is basically about God's chosen people the nation of Israel and Israel began. Who was the forefather and grandfather of? The Jewish people anyone know his name Abraham.

God came to Abraham spoke and then from his Ancestors we see this chosen seed that God settled eventually into the land of Canaan. We're still Fighting is going on just like it was thousands of years ago.

God's Purposes Often Work Through Unexpected Hardship

In the history of Israel, there's a strange thing that happens. Which I'd like to point out to you you might not have ever thought of it. I never thought of it until I saw this some years ago and in that strange thing that happened.

There is a tremendous lesson for your life and mine in fact. What I'm about to tell you here and show you is the secret behind every great man or woman in Sports in art in music in anything, but more important to us.

All the great men and women spiritually who have made become a blessing to other people. You know some people just think give me give me and I want to make it through. Other people get a little bit more mature and they start thinking God Work in my life so that I can be a blessing to others.

But how God shapes our lives and how God works in our lives is very mysterious. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. And if you will listen here for the next 15 minutes. It might explain exactly what you're going through today.

Or what you went through last year, or if you're not going through it today It will explain something that might happen later this year. But sooner or later this will happen because it's the way God works in our lives in the book of Joshua.

Joshua's Recap of Israel's History

At the end of the book of Joshua. They've gone into the land. Moses is dead. Joshua's the leader and Joshua is giving the only like prophecy that is connected to his name. He's speaking to all the people before he dies and he is now Recalling to their memory the history of the of the chosen people of God.

Abraham and Isaac and Jacob have lived hundreds of years before but now Joshua is reminding the people in this little sermon. Which is very I'm only reading four or five verses to you. There's one sentence that's going to make us all scratch our heads.

But it's going to explain a lot about God and about stuff that we go through in life look at it here in Joshua. Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem and he summoned the elders the leaders the judges and the officials of Israel and they presented themselves before God and Joshua said to all the people.

This is this is one of the rare prophecies where he's going to say this is what the Lord says. This is what the Lord the God of Israel says long ago your forefathers including Tara the father of Abraham and Nahor Lived beyond the river and worshipped other gods so now he's going way back and he's saying the name of Abraham's father which was Tara and They lived in a way east of where Israel is now.

They lived in what we would now call Iran Iraq Iran area. And he said now remember way way back. Let's let's look at our history and find out where we came from people and let's remember God called Abraham from the way he where he was living and He lived beyond the river and whenever the Bible says the river with that capital are it's speaking of the Euphrates River which is way east of the land of Israel into that area of Iraq and Iran and They worshipped other gods in other words.

They weren't serving God. God by his grace Interrupted Abraham's life and said don't live that way anymore. I've got something better for you, and he spoke into his life. Let's read on. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the river the Euphrates and I led him throughout Canaan.

That's the land of Israel, and I gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. Okay, let's stop there so God is saying now remember the history of your people. He says Abraham was the one I called and then Abraham and his wife couldn't have children.

What was Abraham's wife's name? Sarah and they couldn't have children and they were all but what did God do he blessed him with a child who was that son? That's special son Isaac now Isaac's wife couldn't have children.

But then finally she became pregnant and she had twins and what were those twins name? Jacob and Esau now one of them Was chosen by God to do great things. Who is that gonna be? Jacob the other one didn't have a heart for God didn't have a heart for spiritual things.

What was his name? Esau. Esau was the one who sold his birthright special privileges for what bowl of soup lentil soup it was good, but it wasn't worth the birthright and He was the one who didn't have a heart for the the things of God.

But Jacob did although Jacob had some very crafty Characteristics in his personality. Okay so far so good. Abraham the God who Isaac. Isaac had two children Jacob and Esau. But the chosen one was Jacob right and now from that seed is gonna come all the people of Israel.

And in fact who else is gonna come from that seed Jesus. Jesus was Jewish from that seed. Okay, so here's the verse here's the sentence. I assigned the hill country of seer to Esau. But Jacob and his sons and by the way Jacob's 12 sons were the 12 tribes of Israel.

Right all those Reuben Judah those are the sons of Jacob whose later name became Israel. Esau got the hill country, but Jacob and his sons went down to. Well that makes no sense that makes absolutely no sense.

Something must be wrong with the Bible. Are you sure that's from the Bible? That's right right it's from the Bible, but does that make any sense. So let me get this straight. Esau is the one who doesn't want God.

He's not the chosen seed that the the line is going to run through. He gets Mount Seir or the land of Seir so if this is Israel. If this is Israel if you're looking now here at Israel right north south west and east Mount Seir is down over here.

It became known as the land of Edom in fact Esau is the father of the Edomites and They become enemies of God's people many times in the rest of the Old Testament. So God says I'm gonna give Esau Edom Mount Seir now what was that like it was not pretty country Rocky but what it was very good is you could defend yourself because once you settled in the heights.

Back in those days the high position meant everything in warfare if you had like in the Civil War most battles in the Civil War of our own country were lost. By the people who had the low ground because they would have to charge up and they would get massacred.

So Edom was not very pretty, but he gave them that land to Esau and his descendants. But Jacob. The one that I favor I'm sending him to Egypt. No, but I I know about Egypt. You know about Egypt. Don't you who was the son of Jacob?

Who was the son of Jacob who became known as Israel? Who was the one that was rejected by the brothers and sold into thing and ended up in Egypt? Who was that? Joseph and then the famine came and then all them came down and then things were they were in fat city for a while, right?

Because what happened Pharaoh gave him the best land because he loved Joseph and they were living in the land of Goshen. But then a Pharaoh came who for didn't know who Joseph was and then what happened to Israel?

What happened to the Jews? Slavery. There's something wrong here if you have a favorite you give him the best land and You make things easy. If you have a one that doesn't want God you send him into slavery.

Let him get beat down. You don't send your favorite the one you're gonna bless you send him down to Egypt. Yeah, you let him have plenty and you bless him for a while. But now he's in slavery for hundreds of years and When Moses was called they were trying to kill all the male children.

You know that story the beginning of Exodus. They're trying to kill all the male children and God finally speaks to Moses In the backside of the desert from a burning bush and says I've heard the cry of my people Israel.

I've heard the cry of my children and I'm sending you to go to Pharaoh and tell Pharaoh Pharaoh let my people go. Well that makes no sense to me. I Never said this publicly my mom probably he won't feel that good about it, but it's it's true.

My dad had three children my brother me and my sister. His favorite was my sister when he died they discovered his will and He left more to my sister than he did my brother and I. Why'd he do that? I don't care.

That was. I mean, I don't care personally neither. That's my brother, but Was it kind of a little dirty trick he did pull on us why'd he do that because he loved my sister. He always wanted a girl, you know, how fathers are with their daughters and mothers are with their sons so he gave my my daughter more of a percentage of whatever the inheritance will end up being right and Someone once heard of that and said that's not right.

That's not fair. But he did it because you usually give the best to the ones you favor. You know, it's not good for parents to have favorite children, that's a way to get in a lot of trouble. That's how Joseph got messed up because Jacob favored him and the brothers didn't like it.

Were any of you the favorite child of your parents? Anybody here your mom and dad's pet raise your hand so we can all just. We don't like you and we want you to know that right now. Anybody here the black sheep of the family you didn't fit in with the rest.

Yeah, that's me. All right. Let's try to understand this. God Almighty God Has Jacob and Esau? He's gonna bless Jacob not Esau. So he lets Esau have the land of Mount Seir. But he sends Jacob and his descendants down to Egypt that explains a lot about your life.

Hardship as God's School of Character

You see what you have to understand brothers and sisters. You got to really focus in on this. When God Chooses someone and favors them and blesses them and brings them into his family. He's into character development and He wants to make you and I into somebody that he can trust and someone that will bless other people and one of the tools that he uses.

Whether we like it or not is hardship. Difficult moments make for strength when you lift weights or you do Isometrics the whole thing that the pain of the lifting or doing bicep curls. The whole thing is the weight is working against you and gravity so that when you lift it you're working against resistance.

But that's what builds the muscle. Muscles aren't built in the air going like this. No, you got to have something working against you. That's how you get muscles and God in our lives. Permits hardship.

Even Jesus his own son. The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience by the things he suffered. Paul told the early Christians nobody who lives a godly life will escape persecution and trouble. Paul says to the church in another part.

These are the things you won't hear so much from Christian television the televangelist who are right not rightly dividing the Word of God. It says that through much hardship. We must go through much hardship to enter the kingdom of heaven.

All the great Christians in the Bible that you read about. Not one of them had an easy sledding. Not Moses not Joseph not one. Everyone had difficulties. Jeremiah the Prophet was arrested and thrown into a prison.

Joseph think of what he went through. All the great people in the Old Testament went through difficult moments. Why. Because Jacob the one I favor. I'm sending him to Egypt in the New Testament. Jesus our leader our example.

He went through Gethsemane and the cross. He was rejected by men. He came to his own, but his own received him not. He was applauded against he was slandered. He was lied about. They plotted his death when he was healing people and bringing Blessing and love to the to the population of the land he ended up dying on a cross between two thieves.

The people who succeeded him went and suffered persecution. The Apostle Paul was in prison got beat up in 2nd Corinthians. He gives a list of all the stuff He went through. And to the American dream and to the people who are into the false concept of faith and prosperity.

They don't want you to notice those verses. But it's true if you live a godly life, and you love the Lord Jesus Christ sometimes. You'll be in a heap of trouble. In other words that formula of serve God and nothing will ever go wrong.

That is a lie that is a lie. That's not reality. That's not the Bible. That's selling Christianity. Preaching godliness is gained from such turn away the Bible says. So Christianity is not about gloom and being depressed.

That's the other extreme. Christianity is not we're just waltzing through the tulips and everything is always fine and Christianity is not being depressed and the more unhappy you are and the more depressed you are the more holy you are.

That's wrong. Too in the middle is the Christianity of the Bible. Which is this that when you serve God there are wonderful moments of peace and joy and blessing. But you sometimes have to walk through the valley and in the valley he restores your soul.

Come on. Let's put our hands together. Say amen To Jacob. I will send him down to Egypt. So what happened in Egypt that God wants to talk to us about today in your Egypt and my Egypt. You know I'm I'm the pastor here along with other pastors who helped me.

We work together and I counsel people if you only knew. What some of the people sitting. I just noticed the face of a couple a couple faces that I know who I know a lot. About their life if you only knew what people have gone through in their walk with the Lord.

You can't even imagine what some folks have gone through. How about the man? I just met over in Bangladesh last week while I was ministering to these pastors in Bangladesh this young minister. Being persecuted by the Muslim population.

Somebody came with a gun because someone got converted in their family. He didn't like it. I think that's the story and he shot him in the mouth, and it didn't kill him. But it messed up their scars on his face now but there he was happy praising the Lord gonna preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with a bullet in his jaw and We think we have a problem when the transmission is slipping in our car.

Come on and that the truth. But you got a flush America out of your system. And you got to step back and look at this spiritually. What was it that happened in Egypt that was so important that God said no.

Jacob's descendants are the chosen ones they got to go through a couple things that are important in the formation of their lives. What is it that you and I are going to go through or are going through or have gone through or will go through again?

And This is important because you might say to me pessimist I didn't come here on Sunday afternoon to hear about that. I might go through difficult times. Well. That's denial. It's like going to a doctor and the doctor says you better sit down.

I want to tell you about your blood pressure and your cholesterol is hey doc doc I didn't spend my good money to have you give me bad news. I'll find another doctor who will tell me something else and the doctor would say look I'm not here to tell you good news or bad news.

I want to tell you the truth if we don't understand this when we go through these moments. This is how people lose their faith. Remember the seed that was planted Jesus said in shallow rocky ground. Sure, it sprung up it had life.

And what was the seed. The seed was the Word of God, but when the Sun came and things got difficult. It said it died. Why did it die it had no root? And there are all kinds of people who are all for praise God all the time.

God is good all the time, and I'm serving Jesus and the minute things get tough and difficult they throw Jesus Under the bus and they're like no where's God when I need him, so this is important. How many are with me so far say amen?

Faith Is Developed Through Adversity

This is important so we understand this so that we can hug this and grasp it. God sent Jacob's seed to Egypt because he wanted to teach them to have faith and You only develop faith when things are difficult.

Do you get it am I right or wrong? When the Sun is shining and everything is going your way, where is faith in that? But when things are difficult and the promises of God don't seem to be coming true.

That's where you got to dig down real deep and say no I Will not give up. I know in whom I have believed it. I'm persuaded that he's able to do what he said he would do in other words. I'm trusting God.

I'm I'm putting my confidence in God even though it doesn't look the way I want it to look. That's the only way faith is developed. Faith is never developed when the wind is at your back. Faith is only developed when the wind is blowing in your face.

That's the way you develop endurance for tribulation works endurance. It's when we go through hard times. Be honest how many of you are Christians here and since you've been a Christian. You've gone through some really difficult time.

Just hold up your hand right. Well God permit that if God's got the whole world in his hand and he can control anything. Why would he let you and I go through difficult moments? Because he's after something more than your comfort zone or my comfort zone.

He wants to put faith in me but how am I going to develop faith to help other people. The world has people by the Billions who are giving up and feeling sorry for themselves. How in the world are we going to lift them up and help them if we haven't been through our own trouble so we can Say to them no don't give up.

I'm gonna pick you up by the hand. Oh, no. You don't know what I'm going through. I do know what you're going through. I was there, but God brought me through and because he brought me through I know he can bring you through come on.

Let's say amen to that. That's how faith is developed. A Lot of us are very self-indulgent, and we're we're babies and We love to feel sorry for ourselves, and we're focused on how we're feeling and and all of that.

We're not seeing the bigger picture. This is all through the Bible. Look at the rejection Moses went through. Look at the trials Joseph went through this was all Putting that iron in their soul of faith.

You only learn to have faith when things are against you and all you have is the promise of God. You're not in the land, but God promised you the land. They're whipping you and making you make bricks.

Without straw and you're still holding on and saying I know God can do this. So faith remember the thing that God's most interested is not how Jim Simbala feels. It's I got to develop faith for the Bible says without faith.

It's impossible to please God. God wants you and I to trust him at all times and the best way to develop that is. In difficult moments, I wish there was another way that God did it, but I got to tell you the truth.

God develops faith at difficult times, and if you're going through something today. Don't throw up your hands and think God forgot you. See this is what happens to a lot of people if you don't have faith you give up a lot of folks instead of faith.

They throw up their hands. They feel sorry for themselves, and they live as a victim the rest of their life. I got relatives like that my wife has relatives like that. They're victims instead of trusting God and saying yeah, that didn't work out the way I thought it would but I know God is still on the throne and he's gonna work in my life.

No, what they do is they throw up their hands they get bitter they get angry. They have that little edge when you talk to them. They got an edge in their spirit. They get cynical instead of blessing anybody.

No no they're there you have to put them on the sideline. They can't be used because instead of developing faith. They got angry at life. Don't be angry at life. Don't give up on God. God hasn't given up on you.

He's got a plan, but pastor. I'm in Egypt. Yeah. Well Jacob was in Egypt. We've all been in Egypt. How many have been in Egypt for a few days in your life. We've been there. It didn't it didn't feel good.

It wasn't nice. But boy it was working out things for us. That's where you get strong. You know when you're young you don't understand these things. I had a high school basketball coach named Bernie Kersner.

He coached Erasmus Hall High School great coach. And I had skipped a grade so I was younger than everybody else and here the senior year I became the point guard and played and oh Man was he on me. He was on me.

Yelling at me, and he's the one who changed my name to Symbola. My name is Symbola, but he started screaming at me in the practices. Why don't you throw that ball the other way Symbola, and I would go it's Symbola.

He said yeah, shut up Symbola throw the ball the right way. And for the rest of my life my mother would tell you till I was out of college I only was called Jimmy Symbola. Jim Symbola. That was my only name and it all started basket by Jim Symbola whatever I played wherever I went I stopped.

I gave up on Symbola. This coach was so. Like I thought he picked on me. He picked on me. He would yell at me and one day we were playing on TV the first year they ever had high school games on television.

Those of you guys that follow basketball, you know the name coach Bobby Knight. The coach who's known for his temper and whatnot. So we were playing Wingate High School and one of the greatest players that ever came out of New York a guy named Roger Brown.

And we were playing and he got upset because I threw the ball away and not knowing the camera was on the huddle. He slapped me across the face. Feel bad for me. I was in Egypt for a little while there and the calls came in to the school.

There was a big furor but back in those days you could get away with a lot more than you get today. Anyway, he slapped me and and and then when the year was over and he had made me into a much better player.

I was getting these scholarship offers and I played a Madison Square Garden on the all-city basketball team and I went to coach Kersner and I said to him. You know coach I really didn't like you this year.

Because you were so nasty to me and he said don't you get it Jim Jimmy? He called me Jimmy. I saw something in you. But there was a lot of other junk in you and you're in your style of play. So I had to bring out the best in you that if I didn't care about you.

I never would have screamed at you. I Said well, that's a funny way to show that you really care about me. But when God puts his hand on you he doesn't baby you. He puts you in the furnace to get rid of the impurities to get rid of the junk that's in our life the selfishness.

Prayer Learned in Times of Trouble

So faith is only developed When there's opposition and difficulty and trouble. No one great in faith in the Bible ever had it easy not one and not one through church history ever had it easy. Secondly that's the first time in the Bible we ever find them praying collectively.

All through the book of Genesis you never find the Jews praying. Abraham walked with God, but you never find Jacob's Children praying. No, they're doing nasty things. But in when they're in trouble they learn to cry out to God.

In fact God when he comes to Moses says Moses. It's time because their cry has come to my ear. I have heard their prayer in other words. It's hard moments that teach us to pray. You never learn to pray when things are easy.

We should pray all the time men ought always to pray and never give up. But how many have found when when your back is against the wall, and you have nowhere to go. Oh my goodness through the prayer start flying out of us.

Don't they so God is Developing faith, which is so important because the just shall live by. And he's developing prayer, but the prayer only comes to heartache and trouble. I'll be honest with you I got scars in my heart and my wife and I have been through things and I've been through things as a pastor and faced Difficulties and mountains.

I've learned to pray not from some book. I confess this I've prayed my best prayers when my back was against the wall. How about you anybody like me here, and see that's precious to God. He keeps the prayers of the Saints in a bowl in heaven that's how precious they are and How many I found in your own life when you get sloppy and you stop praying and you stop trusting God and you start getting?

Overly absorbed with the things around you. God has a way of just shaking your little boat. How many have ever had that happen. He rocks your boat just a little bit and suddenly your help me Jesus help me Jesus, right?

Come on have we had that happen to us. Put your hands together if you know what I'm talking about all right. When things are difficult remember Esau he can have eat them, but my chosen one and his seed Jacob.

They're gonna go down to Egypt first season this first season. Then I'm gonna bring them out and that leads me to my last point. They learn to trust. They learn to pray and here's the best one. Please take this home with you.

Testimony Comes Through Deliverance

Remember in Egypt and coming out of it. They got a testimony. Not many people have a testimony. See God wants you and I to be a blessing to the world. But one of the strongest things we can tell people is our testimony.

What's our testimony? I was down and out didn't know where to go things did not work out the way I wanted. I had all kinds of opposition didn't know where to turn bottom fell out people against me. But I turned to God and somehow he helped me to trust him.

And then I cried out to him and he delivered me and he brought me out and look what he did and I give you The specifics and the people say God did that for you. Oh, man I want to trust in a God that can do that for me because I need that in other words you get a testimony.

But you can't get a testimony unless you be in Egypt. You can't be talking about the Red Sea opening until you're in Egypt. You can't talk about the the pillar of fire and the and the manna and all the blessings of God until you're in the bad Spot so God can bring you out.

That's the way his name is glorified. God is glorified by us getting pulled out of situations that are difficult. His name is praise and then we're able to minister to other people. Come on. Let's say amen to that.

Amen. You take your scars you take your problems and don't feel sorry don't live like that. I know that's a tendency in all of us. Sometimes I feel this terrible Terrible in my life. Sometimes I feel this ugly.

I've never said this publicly. I feel this ugly Undertow wanting to pull me down to just feel sorry for myself you know just you get tired and all the battles you fought and people let you down and you're trying this and Sometimes, you know self-pity is a horrible thing.

It's a horrible thing to live. What was me? I'm a victim. You don't know what happened to me and and all of that stuff. No, no God permitted it for a reason all things work together for them that love God and who are called according to his purpose.

So we're gonna learn to trust them. We're gonna learn to pray. That's what happens in Egypt and Lastly we get a testimony. That we can share with the world. Pastors sent emails to me now you all come here.

So, you know me I'm just a very ordinary full of faults. But people who have read my books or heard how just different things that have happened here. They you know. The guy who was translating for me in Bangladesh said I read your book in in Some Indian tongue the language that had been translated into and my dream was to meet you.

You're my hero and I went. I'm your what? No, you're my hero. And then when they told me You're translating for pastor Simbala in that first session. Oh, I got goosebumps all up and down my back. I'm translating for you.

I said, oh, yeah. Well, let me tell you about it. I'm just like you I'm very ordinary. But what why did you think I'm no and then he started telling me all these things and and you and your wife. Started and there were no people and there was no money and there was this and there was that and then you trusted God.

And is it true that in ten minutes? You got two gifts totaling six million dollars from two people. You didn't know. Is that true? Yeah, it's true. Oh Pastor Simba then I know God can help me. I need $50 ,000 if he gave you six million.

I know come on. Let's put our hands together. Did I get it? How could I be a blessing to the guy unless I went through the deal? See, so when I went through it, I didn't like it. But now that I God brought me through it.

I'm able to bring encouragement to other people. Because I have a testimony and I want more testimony. Let's close our eyes. Oh This is a good word for us today. Anybody here ready to quit. Anybody here ready to give up?

Anybody here? You feel that that that pull. Maybe you're not a Christian. That's the worst pull to destroy your soul. The Jesus came to save your soul he went through a suffering that you can't even imagine.

See death has to come before resurrection and he went through that for us so that we could have life eternal. And if you're not a believer and want to become one today in Christ, I would be honored to pray for you.

But are there any believers here and you say pastor? I've been in I'm making a tour of Egypt right now. It's funny. You should preach about that because I'm going through some Egypt moments. They're not comfortable.

It's not what I wanted. I did not the way I thought it would work out. But God has spoken to me today, I'm not quitting. I'm not giving up. I'm not feeling bad for myself. Because I'm in God's hands the steps of a righteous man or woman are ordered by the Lord and Even though sometimes the road goes to places.

I'd rather not visit. God knows what's best and I want to become a man or woman of faith. I want to be a person of prayer. You come out of your seat like these people have already come before I could ask them to come.

Pastor Symbola, I want to sing. I Want to sing before I leave this building a triumphant song of faith, even if I have to brush away tears. Listen, I've sung all kinds of worship songs brushing away tears out of my eyes.

My heart's been broken and I've come to church and lifted up my hands. That's the praise. That's most precious to God. Anyone can praise God on top of the mountain. It's in the valley that you can praise him.

Oh my goodness. That's when you really learn to praise God. You just come. Every eye closed now join hands with the person next to you. Son, join your mother's hand. She ever needed your prayers. She needs your prayers right now.

A Prayer for Faith, Endurance, and Testimony

Jesus we come to you and We confess that our ways are not your ways. We would not send our favorite one to Egypt. It seems like you cheated Jacob and your favorite Esau, but your ways are not our ways neither are your thoughts our thoughts.

You're not looking for our comfort. You're looking for something much more eternal than that. You're gonna build faith in us and We say yes to that. You're gonna teach us how to pray and we say yes to that and you're gonna give us a testimony of your power of your deliverance of your provision.

So that we can glorify your name and help other people to believe in you. How can we help other people to believe Lord unless we've been there ourself? Thank you for all the lessons. You're teaching us when we go through these difficult moments.

We're gonna come out better and stronger. It was good for me that I was afflicted for then I learned your ways. Oh Lord. Today we rest in your comfort. Everybody pray for the person right now who you hold by the right hand pray for the person on your right everyone.