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The Purpose of a Trial

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1 Peter 4:12-14

[12] Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
[13] But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
[14] If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

A Christian’s life begins with a spiritual birth (John 3:3-5)

[3] Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
[4] Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
[5] Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

  • God’s plan is birth, growth and maturity
  • God uses the bible, the church and other believers to bring growth
  • God uses trials bring us into maturity (spiritual perfection)

So why do we as Christians have trials? (v. 12)

“Think it not strange”

  • Christians have trials because we live in a sinful world
  • We live in a world of turmoil and natural disasters
  • We live in a world of crime, sickness and death
  • We are a part of a straying generation (Romans 3:10-18)

[10] As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
[11] There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
[12] They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
[13] Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
[14] Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
[15] Their feet are swift to shed blood:
[16] Destruction and misery are in their ways:
[17] And the way of peace have they not known:
[18] There is no fear of God before their eyes.

Christians have trials because of the power of Satan

  • Satan is our adversary
  • Consider his attack on Job
  • He is as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8)

[8] Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Christians are on a collision course with the world

  • Jesus warned us of this conflict (John 15:18-20)

[18] If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
[19] If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
[20] Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

  • Many have suffered and died for Christ (Hebrews 11:36-40)

[36] And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
[37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
[38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
[39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
[40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

What makes our trials different? Why would they be worth making it through? (v. 13)

  • We do not suffer alone (Hebrews 13:5-6)

[5] Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
[6] So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

  • We become partakers of Christ’s sufferings (v. 13)
  • We can even find joy in jeopardy (Acts 16:25-32)

[25] And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
[26] And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
[27] And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
[28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
[29] Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
[30] And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
[31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
[32] And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

  • There is a design in our difficulties (Romans 8:28-29)

[28] And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
[29] For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

  • And after it is all said and done our trials will come to glory (Romans 8:17-18)

[17] And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
[18] For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

God Knows The Breaking Point

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Deuteronomy 33:24-29

[24] And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
[25] Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
[26] There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
[27] The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
[28] Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
[29] Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

The Children of Israel through the leadership of God and obedience of Moses were delivered by blood through the Passover and were led safely through the Red Sea. Now we find the last words of Moses to his people, giving Asher assurance for all of his days.

God knows all of our days. We will have difficult days ahead with toils, trials, temptations and tears. God knows the future from the foundation of the world. God knows the limits of our strength, for God must know this so we can be equipped each day. God knows our breaking point. He knows the day s when we feel at the end of ourselves. Best of all, God cares!

You see, God compensates for our weakness with His strength. He shall strengthen our hearts and renew our strength. His strength (grace) will be sufficient for all of the things we face.

Looking Back Over The Year 2013

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What a year it has been for Heart of Grace Ministries this year. We have all went through so many new experiences, with some of them good and a few of them difficult. Through all of the trials and temptations we have found God with us in it all. We are truly blessed and could never honor God enough for the things we have gotten to share together!

We have lost some very dear people this year. Some of them were pillars of the churches we have attended and visited over the years. For the dozens of families that shared the honor of allowing us to honor their loved ones in song: we thank you for the opportunity to obey God and be of help to you. We pray as you enter a new year that you will find the comfort of God’s spirit through the difficult times. I hope that you will (through the grieving process) begin to find life with joy once again. We offer an extended acknowledgement to the families of Effie Miller, Albert White, and Laura Sharp. Your loved ones have had an impact to all of us and it was a privilege to have known them. The impact that all of these lives have had upon us will never forgotten.

We have also went through a lot as a family. From near-death accidents to critical surgeries we have experienced the emotional roller coasters and unexpected situations that life will be guaranteed to deliver. Through the grace of God and His blessings those around us came through their experiences and now have a greater testimony as a result. I can definitely say that these things have brought us closer together and has helped us to realize in a greater way what is most important: having a relationship Jesus Christ. Without Jesus with us we would have surely found many times to be without hope and nothing to help our troubled hearts.

Through all of the circumstances we have walked through we have still pushed to obey God in our ministry. The nursing home ministry has never been better and we love the privilege to be with our special friends every month. They love Rebekah’s children and light up at the sight of new life that comes to visit. It is wonderful to hear them sing songs and teach us a thing or two about being a good soldier. The radio broadcast is going strong and is reaching more than ever. We appreciate all who spread the word about our broadcast and encourage you to continue and do so. It is another avenue that may reach those who will not go inside of a church. The cd and internet ministry is growing faster than we can meet the demand. Thank you for passing on your discs to others and sharing posts through texts/social media. We are so thankful to be a part of spreading the word of God no matter where it may be played. Every time we hear a testimony of how it has helped you it gives us strength and motivation to keep on doing the work of sending out what God speaks in our ministry to the hedges and highways. Our book ministry has finally broken ground and is beginning to grow. Continue to pray that we will follow through with the vision God gave us in this calling!

In closing I want to personally thank every single church that has welcomed us to obey God in their sanctuary. We realize that your church is your home and we love the chance to share the pleasure of worshipping God and fellowshipping with all of you. We hope to continue and receive the invitations to return! A special thanks to all the singers and musicians we have sung and played with over this year. It was always fun to jump in and jam together! I want to also thank my home church (13th Street Church of God) for the chance to operate in the gift of delivering the word of God and the love and support that comes with it. Even as God begins to shift our ministry to a new home base in the future I pray that God will move us all forward in our callings and that we will continue to have a great fellowship through the legacies that we are paving for the upcoming generations to come.

We hope to be at your church in the upcoming year and to hear about the wonderful things that God is working for your good. We wish you a blessed New Year and a favored season in your life.

~ Jared M.

The Difference

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1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

[13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

What makes you different? What separates you from others? What breaks the mold of the world? Some are going to go to Heaven when they die and some will not. Some will be ready for Christ’s return and some will not. To better know who you are that makes you unique in this world you have to realize the difference that lives inside of you. Jesus Christ has made the difference in all of our lives.

Philippians 1:21-23

[21] For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
[22] But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
[23] For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

We recognize that there are two different perspectives between the flesh that wants to work in this world for gain and the spirit that desires to depart this world and to be with Jesus. So we know that if we know Jesus then we are going to have a better place to go and not have to stay in this world.

II Corinthians 5:8-10

[8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
[9] Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
[10] For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

We also know that when we go to appear before Christ that the things that were once our hindrances will no longer hold us. We will appear so that we may be accepted. So what makes you different?

“If we believe that Jesus died and rose again”

The key to this is faith. We must believe by faith. To believe is to trust.

Acts 16:31

[31] And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

As we believe we are saved. We believe and are then made sure by our confidence of Heaven. When people do not believe they do not possess that hope of Heaven; lost forever. To grow in God and be a witness for others you must learn to see and recognize the difference that has been made in you by God.

Faith Breaks The Walls Down

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Joshua 3:9-17

[9] And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God.
[10] And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
[11] Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan.
[12] Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man.
[13] And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
[14] And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people;
[15] And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
[16] That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
[17] And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

They crossed the Jordan River and were reminded of the Red Sea. This was a confirmation moment for Joshua to realize his authority in God and the favor he was given to lead the children of Israel.

Joshua 6:1-2

[1] Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
[2] And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

It was humanly clear: scale the walls, beat down the gates, and tunnel in at night. At least for our human perspective the only way to take things are by our own devised cunning strategy and force of will.

Joshua 5:13-15

[13] And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
[14] And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
[15] And the captain of the LORD’s host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Encounters with God empower faith.

Joshua 6:3-14

[3] And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
[4] And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
[5] And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
[6] And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD.
[7] And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
[8] And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
[9] And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
[10] And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
[11] So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
[12] And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.
[13] And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
[14] And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.

All of God’s blessings come by faith.

Faith requires our obedience.

Faith without the works of obedience is dead.

We will reach our blessings by abiding in faith!

Just think of how foolish that it must have appeared to look to those that were residing in Jericho. God’s plan takes that appearance to the world, but if we will abide in His will and plan we will overcome!

Walk By Faith With Faith As Your Defense

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Matthew 18:18-20

[18] Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
[19] Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
[20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

There is an unimaginable power that is present to us on an individual level, yet there is a mystery to understand if we as a people will be empowered by unity. We know that we have the power to bind yet find ourselves without the ability to have a perfect love. For it is this love that causes us to do one of the hardest things a human being must do.

Forgive! To forgive others allows Gods greatest gift to be shown unto others. To forgive ourselves let us move on from our past. To be forgiven by God, however, will cast all of your sins away to be forgotten and makes us a new creature. Forgiven!

Matthew 18:21-22

[21] Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
[22] Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Peter with this question becomes the voice of the modern day Christian. We want power but want to still begrudge. We want to bind but will not forgive others from the hurt upon us. Ultimately without the ability to walk together we are only so effective and limited to what we will not let go.

Matthew 18:23-34

[23] Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
[24] And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
[25] But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
[26] The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
[27] Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
[28] But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
[29] And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
[30] And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
[31] So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
[32] Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
[33] Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
[34] And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

When we cannot move forward with a forgiving spirit for ourselves and others we will find the unity to be scarce or absent. Gifts and talents cannot produce unity; compassion and forgiveness bring unity. We then become unified as made new creatures!

Matthew 18:35

[35] So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

If we are to come together as a body of believers and to be true workers for the cause we must let go of the weights that easily beset us.