# growing in your weak areas

Category: Suffering, Trials & Burdens
Key Passage: James 1
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: October 20, 2024

James chapter number one, if you would please. James chapter number one. We have been focusing on this subject on Sunday mornings in the month of October: growing. That first Sunday morning we talked about growing in wisdom from Proverbs chapter number one. Remember we talked about the fool and the scorner and the simple, and growing in wisdom.

Last week we talked about growing in peace. I love that. Right in the middle of the storm, Jesus got a pillow and went to the back of the boat and went to sleep. He would like for me to be like that. It is tough to do, seeing the water coming in the boat, but through Christ we can do that and have peace in the midst of storms.

And then this morning, just for a bit—we will not be too long this morning—we are growing in your weak areas. I do not know about you, but I do not like to really focus or work on my weak areas. A chain is only as strong as it is—what is it? Help me out. It is… Sometimes God wants to grow us in that weak area. Over there in 2nd Corinthians chapter number 2, do not turn there, but you remember that His strength is made perfect in weakness. That is weakness that God had allowed something in his life to make him weak there. That is a little different. This is more James talking about, “I am just underdeveloped in a certain area of my life, and I lack in that area of my life.” A little different there. So, for just a bit, God wants to grow us in our weak areas.

Now, before we read this passage, I want you to think, kind of get the context a little bit. James is the man that God used to pen this. We think James was the pastor, if you will, of the church at Jerusalem. He led that Jerusalem council; he was a leader of that, so we think he was a pastor of it. In the early part, it was mostly Jews. Remember that on the day of Pentecost, 3,000 were saved and baptized?

Remember, he listed those 16 different languages because all those Jewish people were coming back for the festival there, the religious holiday there. So that church at Jerusalem had all these Jewish people—thousands, thousands. Some say up to like 100,000 in the church of Jerusalem, depending on what you read, but thousands were there.

God had told them, “I want you to preach the gospel to every creature.” But they really kind of liked being together; they were a little haven there, and they really were not following that. So God allowed that persecution to come to that Jerusalem church, and then they scattered all over. Actually, God used that for good because they spread the gospel all over. But this persecution was real.

Many of them—of course, Nero was a Roman ruler a little bit into it—he was just killing Christians left and right. They say at some point Nero would light his gardens of his palace with burning Christians. Can you imagine that? They say at some point, some of the roads leading to Rome—you know, we have mile markers—I know our exit right here is exit 70, coming off of I-24, Amaville Road, that is exit 70. So I am in Chattanooga or whatnot, and I want to figure out how many more miles do we get here? Well, if it is 130, you know, I have got 60 miles, you know, there. If it gets too high, I run out of fingers. Amen, I cannot count too high. But the mile markers—and they say some of the mile markers of the roads leading to Rome—actually, on these stakes, these poles, they would have the heads, decapitated heads of Christians.

So when I say this persecution, you know, you kind of just pass over that lightly, but it was not light to these people. These Jewish people were scattered all over. They were persecuted people. Often they could not get a real good job, you know, because you are a Christian. In the Roman Empire, you are not going to get a good job if you are one of those fanatical Christians. They did not mind—and I am getting off subject—but they did not mind many, many religions. But those Christians said, “No, Jesus is the only way to get to heaven.” That is what made them stand out. They did not like that. By the way, there is the only one way to heaven; that is Jesus. That is the Bible way, the only way.

But they got a severe persecution. So here is the thing—this is James. I want you to get this. This is James writing to many of the former members of the church he pastored, that he loved and he cared for, and they are scattered all over going through major persecution. So you kind of get the feel for the book of James. Of course, God, the Holy Spirit, is leading him, but I want you to kind of picture this as we read what is going on in our text.

Would you stand if you are able as we read God’s Word together? We are going to read the first seven verses. We are just going to read it down through. We are going to go back and just kind of dissect this thing. It will only take us four hours. That is all, I promise you. That is it this morning. Start in verse number one right there: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.”

“My brother”—not just Jewish people, my brother, and they say, my brethren—“count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations. Knowing this, let the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have a perfect work that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraith not; and it 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.”

Let us go back through it. Verse number one, really, he is just kind of greeting. He has kind of introduced himself, saying hello to them. Now look in verse number two. Verse number two, he says, “My brethren, count it all…” What is the next word? Joy, when you fall into divers, or different kind, divers temptations and trials.

I have said this before here, but I say it again: when I would read that for years, I would be like, “How in the world?” Someone was just telling me about a week ago they just got their vehicle paid off. What happens after you get your vehicle paid off? It breaks down. We were talking about, man, those designers seem like they got kind of a pattern going there. If it does not break down, you wreck it right after you get it paid off. It is really hard to say, “Man, I love it. My car broke down.” “Wonderful morning! My car won’t crank.” Hey, that is exciting. I want to know what you drank before you did that.

Now, I want you to notice this about this passage. He says this: He says, “Count it all joy.” It is not like it is just natural: “Woo-hoo! Hey, it is a great day! Great day! Me and my wife had a knock-down, drag-out. It is wonderful.” Maybe if you won, you might say that. But you heard—and I hope I get this right—you heard about the couple that just got married. They went through premarital counsel with the pastor, and they have been married for a little bit. Finally, the wife calls the pastor, says, “Pastor, I tell you what, we had our first fight. It was bad. It was ugly. Oh, it was horrible, awful, awful.” And the pastor, he leaned back in his chair, popped his feet up on the desk, he is on the phone. He said, “It is all right. Remember, we told you in premarital [counseling].” “Okay, this is going to happen. It is all right. Just take it easy. We will work through it.” And she said, “I know it is all right, but what do I do with his body now?”

Someone look for it. Look for him. He does not say, “Hey, it is going to be wonderful,” but he says, “Count it.” I want you to consider it. I want you to work at it. It is all right; you are not going to like it, but accept it, if you will. Now, it is hard for me to get that until I realize the next verse. Let us keep going here. How in the world can I count it all joy when my car just broke down?

Verse number three, he said, “Knowing,” notice that. You do not have to worry about it. You do not have to doubt what is going on. Knowing this. Confidence in knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Now, here is the thing: When you go through those hard times—and you will go through those hard times—when you go through them, know, without a doubt, God has a reason for allowing that in your life. It is not just a random, “Well, this is happening.” No, God is trying to do something, knowing this, that God is trying to do something in your life. We will get to more of this in a minute here, but it is so important. The only way you can count it all joy is if you know God is doing something here. God is allowing it in your life. He has a reason for this going on in your life. In order to count it all joy, you must know that God is doing something here. He is allowing this thing for a reason. God is not a psychotic God up there that just loves to see his children suffer. God is not like that.

Picture God like a mom that has a sick child, and she brings that child into the doctor. The doctor said, “I’ve got a shot that can make him better.” You ever see it? It just breaks up Mom’s heart. Some of your moms will identify with this. You know, “It’s all right, hold that baby, try to calm him down.” And then that doctor, that nurse, everybody just pokes that needle in that little baby, and that baby screams and looks at Mom like, “Mom, how in the world could you let them do that to me?” And it breaks your heart. But I hate that, but I’m allowing this to make you better. And God allows these trials in your life. He is trying to make you better for the Lord. But if I am going to count it all joy, I must know God is doing something there. God has a plan. God is allowing this for a reason.

All right. Now, let us jump just a little bit down. Jump down to verse number five because you know what is going to happen. You are like, “What in the world is going on?” Well, what is he saying? Verse number five in this context here: If any of you lack wisdom—God, why are you allowing this sickness in my life? Why are you allowing this burden? Why are you allowing this relationship problem? Why are you allowing them people to say this about me? Why are you allowing all this? During that time, go to God. “God, give me some wisdom on this thing.” Did any of you lack wisdom? Let him ask of God. Notice that: ask. You know what you are going to be prone to do? “God, why?” “No, I’m so mad at you.” No, just hang on there. Ask God. Give me some wisdom here. What is going on here, Lord? Nothing can come into my life unless this came across your desk. I have learned that from the book of Job. God, why are you allowing this? Give me some wisdom in this thing here.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. You are going through hard times. You go to God. God says, “I am not just allowing you to get the shot to cause pain; I have a reason for it.” God will help you through this thing. I like this part. It says, “giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.” God won’t say, “Well, you big dummy, you should know better than that.” He does not upbraid you. He does not say, “Well, I’ve been trying to teach you this lesson for 40 years; you still haven’t got it. That’s why I’m taking you through it again.” He does not upbraid you. He is a loving heavenly Father. And he says, “Hey, come on, I give to all men liberally, and I do not upbraid.” And what is the last part of verse number five there? “And it shall…” Yes, “shall be given.” That is pretty clear from God. God says, “I will give you some wisdom.”

Now, here is the amazing thing about it. When you are going through the hard time, this is what we are prone to do: “Lord, get me out of this fix. I can’t take it any longer.” Anybody ever been there? “No, I’m battle fatigue. I can’t take it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” That is what we are prone to do, not understanding. He does not upbraid you, but go to say, “Lord, what am I supposed to learn?” Preacher years gone by, A. J. Gore, and he said when he was going through tough times, he would pray, “Lord, be thorough with me.” I am not always there, to be honest with you. For you, that is pretty awesome. “What am I supposed to learn? Give me some wisdom in this. What is going on in my life?” That is amazing.

Now, here is interesting. Look up in verse number three. Verse number three right there, back up there. How do you count it all joy? Well, you have got to know this: What are those next—what is it, one, two, three—what are the next four words? Knowing this, that the… what? The bottom line of every trial is trying your faith. Now keep that in mind. You have that in mind. Now look down verse number six. Verse number six, he says, “But let him ask in…”

Now that is where the battle is right there. See? I am supposed to go to him: “God, give me some wisdom, what is going on here?” But I have to have the faith that God is allowing this for a reason. If I lose that, this trying of my faith—every battle, really the bottom line of it, this sickness of your child or all these things going on in the world—it is trying your faith. But in the midst of that, I have got to ask for wisdom, not, “Well, I don’t make any sense. God can’t bring anything out of that.” No, no. I have got to have the faith God is doing something here. If I lose that faith that God is trying to grow me, give me wisdom—man, folks, what is the rest of the verse? Pretty amazing what he says there. He says in verse number six, “But let him ask you in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind, and tossed.” Verse number seven, wow, “For let not that man think that he should receive anything of the Lord.”

Now here is the bad thing about going through all kinds of trials and I never receive any wisdom or I never grow going through the trial: That is a sad thing. What happens typically if you fail a test? What typically happens? You have to… yeah, you repeat it. So when I am in the midst of this saying, I have got to keep my faith: God is doing something. He is allowing this for a reason. He has a plan. I do not understand it. You might not understand why or how He is trying to grow you until years down the road, but you have got to have faith. God is allowing it; He is doing all this for a reason in your life.

Now, he really gives us the end result of why He is allowing this in your life. It does not give you all the details, but he tells us the end result in verse number four.

Let us go on down here. Let us find out the end result of God allowing these trials in your life. Imagine all these Jewish people all over severe persecution. God speaking to this pastor: “Hey, this is what God is trying to do in your life.” That is what he is telling me here. It is really the bottom line in verse number four. All right, on verse number four, look right there: James 1, verse number four. You there? Amen.

It is very important right here. He said, “But let patience have her perfect work that ye may be…” What? Now, typically when the Bible says perfect, he is not talking about without any sin. He is talking about mature, complete, full grown. Watch this, look at it: “that ye may be perfect and…” What? And what? Entire. Here is really what is after. What are the last two words there of that verse? You are not lacking in any area.

You are complete in every area. You are mature in every area. I remember we were talking about growing in our weak areas. The end result, God says, “I want you where you are not lacking in any certain area.” You are mature, you are perfect, you are complete, and you are entire. Folks, I am not an entire man anymore. Amen, I am missing some fingers over here. I am joking. You can laugh at me. I do not mind if you have been. Honestly, it is a pretty good illustration. Come on now. Give me credit for that. I am not entire. And if someone is lacking in certain areas of the Christian life, they are not entire. And God says, “I am allowing these things in your life, and my end result is I want you to be a well-rounded, full-grown Christian in every area.” Sometimes we are real strong in this area here, but we are real weak in this area over here. And then somehow, you know, we are real weak—that is their strength—and vice versa. That is often why we battle it out sometimes. But God says, “I am trying to get you where you are a well-rounded, you are a balanced Christian in all the different areas.” And can I just say this, friend: You will not get there without trials, because all of us are prone to have weak areas in certain parts.

How many watched at least a little bit of football yesterday? Anybody? I am shocked there was not more. How many at least kept up with the scores a little bit yesterday? How many were happy with the results of yesterday? Y’all are a little quiet. I thought I would be a little bit lighter on that.

Now look, those football teams got together yesterday. I guarantee you, I guarantee that Tennessee had been studying Alabama for weeks, months. And I guarantee Alabama had been studying Tennessee for weeks and months. They had been watching films. They had been watching strengths, and they were watching, what? Weaknesses? And we will just say—we will just say—this is Tennessee on offense. I did not get to watch the game. I was here. I did watch highlights when I got home. But, you know, in Tennessee, they were watching over here, Alabama’s defense, and they said, “We think that cornerback—not quarterback, but cornerback—he is the guy typically guarding the wide receiver over there. We think he is the weak link.” So they would put one of their best wide receivers over there, or they may switch them because they are looking for Alabama’s weakest area in defense. And that is where they are going to attack. Maybe Alabama said, “Man, they are… Their noseguard right here, you know, he is weak. We can drive the ball right down the center of them.” And they are always looking for the weakest link in that other team, and that is where they are going to go to.

Now, friend, Satan, he is a whole lot smarter than them football coaches. He has been around a bit longer. And Satan is watching, and he is looking for that weakness in you and I. And God’s—now look, if I use you much more—Satan is… What is Satan? He is walking about what? “He is a roaring lion walking about seeking whom he may devour.” And he is looking; he has been studying you. And he said, “Man, they got a weakness right there.” And Satan said, “Man, I can get them any time I want to.” And so God says, “I need to grow you in your weak areas so I can use you more.” So God allows those storms, those trials in your life because He is trying to make you perfect and entire, wanting nothing. God is allowing these things in your life. I do not like to work at my weak areas, friends. A chain is only as strong as it is, and it is weak. So look, if I am going to be able to use you more, I have got to grow you in order for you to grow in those areas.

I play pickleball. You know that. I am not the best. I am not the worst. Sometimes I am good. Sometimes I am horrible. The other day, my wife Sarah and I were playing against an older couple, and we were killing them. I cannot remember the score; it was like zero to six or something like that. My wife and I both on our side said, “Man, Dad, she said, ‘Dad, I feel bad. Maybe we ought to take it easy.’” That was a mistake. We slacked up a little bit, and they ended up beating us—those dirty dogs.

You know what you are doing in pickleball? I was playing—oh, I do not know, a month or two ago—I was playing with… and you rotate. If you win a game, you put your paddle in the winning category; if you lose, you get it, and it is just whatever paddle comes up. So you are playing with all different people. I was playing with this lady and girl, and we were playing against this guy. He is known—I will call his name because if he hears it, he will not mind—but his name is Nate, and everybody knows where we play. He is like the best. I had never seen him before until that night. And everybody was like, “Oh no, they call him Nate the Great. Nate the Great is here.” And it is like, “Whoa, man.” He really is. I have never seen him lose yet. And he is out there, Nate the Great, and I have never seen Nate the Great… Some people cannot stand it because he never loses. So I was trying to trip him, walk behind him, just so I could win the next game. Anyway, it just happened that this girl and I were going to play against Nate the Great and somebody else that had ever played against him. This girl was right-handed, so she has her paddle in her right hand. Sometimes people that are really good just kind of see you, and they watch you for about a minute, and they know your weak area. He could tell that her backhand—it is my paddle, you know—her backhand was her weak area. And that dirty dog, every time he got a chance to touch the ball, he would always hit it right over there, where this girl was, that was her weak spot. I do not know her real well. My wife had witnessed to her. She knows him as a pastor, so I do not want to get her mad at me, but I wanted to say, “Scoot over. That is your weak spot. Get over there.” You know, that is where he is hitting it to every time. But I did not say anything, and we lost. But hey, Satan knows your weak area, and he is going to hit every time to your weak spot. See? And that is why God is allowing those trials in there. Because He is trying to make you perfect and entire. Help me out. Would you say these words: Wanting nothing? Here we go. He is trying to make you perfect and entire.

That is God’s goal. And then you are a well-rounded Christian. God said, “Hey, man, we can win some matches now because I have grown you in your weak areas.” That is God’s goal. Now let us go back to verse number four. We kind of skipped over it a little bit here, verse number four. James 1, verse number four. Y’all still out there this morning? Good deal. Pickleball. I got you on board now. Amen. Has anybody else out there played that crazy game, pickleball? Anybody else, please play pickleball? We have got maybe a quarter of the crowd. I do not know. How many think you play with a pickle when you play pickleball? Anybody think that? That is what I thought at first. Yeah, it sounds like that. I mean, come on now. You have to try it out. Anyway, our pickleball court is there.

Verse number four, verse number four. James 1, verse number four. Notice what is here. James 1, verse number four. He says this: He says, “But let patience…” Well, we will go back to verse number three. “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” And let us just for a second mention this word patience. Patience is not an end in itself. You know, you have got patience. Well, that is a good thing. But patience is trying to take you somewhere. Patience is a teacher. Patience is trying to… like, praise the Lord for Brother Bill. He was here all day yesterday and Ubered down to be with us, and he gave out $4,757,000 water bottles yesterday. He Ubered down, and he ordered that up—Uber Share. He is telling him about it, you know, and he got in that vehicle, and it transferred. That is patience is trying to drive you somewhere. Patience is trying to take you somewhere.

Let me read, if you will—do not turn—let me read Romans 5, verses 3 and 4. “Not only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.” Notice it is taking you somewhere. Patience is trying to take you somewhere. Notice the next verse here in James 1. Look in verse number 4. Verse number 4. He said, “Now that trial…” You are afraid. We are going to patience. But what is the next word? Let patience. That is very, very important. Patience will grow you if you let it, but you have to let it.

He could have said, “I want an Uber guy coming.” That Uber guy comes and picks up Brother Bill, and he said, “No, I am not going to ride with you. I do not like you. Your car is not nice enough for me to ride in. It is a '22; it is not a '24. I am not riding in that car.” You know, “I have seen a piece of trash in the back seat. I am not sitting back there.” Whatever, maybe. But you have got to let patience. You know what is sad? I mentioned it already. One of the saddest things is to see someone go through trials and they never learn or grow from it. They are not letting patience have its perfect work. You have got to let it do that. Let us keep going. He says, “But let patience have her perfect work.” Then what he says? He says, “that ye may be perfect and entire.” What are the next two words? That is what he is after. Oh, friend, sometimes those trials will reveal your weak areas, and you kind of get mad. No, no, no, no, no. God has a reason for this. I know. And patience, I know you are all right; it has created a little patience. Patience, I am not going to get mad at you. You know we will not get out of the trial so quickly. It is the sad thing. Some people in the midst of trials, they just quit. “I give up on it all.” And they never let patience make them perfect and entire. They are always changing gears. When you get in the middle of trials, man, you just want to kind of jerk the wheel. No, no, hang on here. Let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Now, just a couple of conclusions. We are out of here. We are out of here. Number one: God is not content with me being underdeveloped in a certain area. By the way, sometimes we think, “Well, I am well-balanced in every area. I am mature in every area.” God knows where I need—so many times I do not even see it. God does. God is allowing these trials. He is not content with me being way underdeveloped in certain areas. No, He is trying to make it where you are wanting nothing. So God allows these trials in for a reason. He has a goal in mind: a complete, well-rounded Christian.

I asked someone just yesterday, I think it was, “What is an area that you think just the average Christian is weak in?” They gave me great answers. The first answer very quickly they said: prayer. Well, that is pretty good. Well, man, let those trials drive you to prayer. Then they said some basic things. They said—and they are right, though—they said reading the Bible, being in their Bible. And then they said witnessing. And then they said sometimes we are just so prone to self-reliance. Well, maybe I do not know if that is the areas you need to grow in or not, but we all have areas, and God is trying to grow us in those areas. It may be dealing with difficult people. You say, “Why is that always coming into my life?” I do not know, but God has a reason for it. He has a reason. He is trying to grow us.

Number one, we said: God is not content with me being underdeveloped in certain areas. Number two, we are going to move on quickly here. Number two: Fertile ground is in the valley. That is where things grow good at. David said this. Look over, if you will, in Psalms chapter 4. We will read it. Psalm chapter 4, and look in verse number 1. Man, I do not like the trials, but that is typically where we grow. That is where God takes us to another level. What is this over here in Psalm 4, verse number 1? He says, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness.” We will go back. I hear all those pages still turning. Psalm chapter 4. Psalms, Proverbs, I ask you. Psalm chapter 4. Look at verse number 1. He says, “Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness. Thou hast enlarged me.” You grew me? Thou hast enlarged me when I was on top side doing wonderful? Is that what it says? When I was in what? Yeah. That is where the fertile ground is.

If God does not allow these things in my life, you know, I am going to be playing to my strengths, and I am never going to get developed in my weak areas. And God said, “I am allowing this.” I was telling my wife here recently about a situation, and I said, “It is a little bit hard to deal with, but God, I think He is trying to grow me in that area.” I do not know what is going on in your life. It is not pleasant when He grows us in our weak areas, but He is trying to make us perfect and entire, wanting nothing. And if I am going to grow in those areas, growth typically comes in the valley. Help me out. That church at Laodicea—He said, “Man, you are not cold or hot. You are lukewarm.” You know what God said to do about that? Can I read for you? I will just read it for you. It is Revelation 3:18. He said, “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire.” Well, as a church that glad to see a need to grow, they are so weak and beggarly. They think they are rich and do not need anything. What do they need? Trials. That is where you grow. And God says, “So you need to grow on your weak areas, and so I am allowing these problems in your life for that.”

I was in Bible college, I think my sophomore year, and Bob Hooker came and preached our men’s retreat. He has been here several times. I remember Brother Hooker, Bob Hooker. Anybody remember him preaching for us? Yeah, Brother Hooker. He went through Bible—the same Bible college I went through. He is much older. Boy, I wonder if he is listening. He is going to get me now. He is much older than I. And I was a sophomore in college. He was already out of college. He was a teacher at the college. And he preached in chapel one day, and he talked about when he was in college: He was married and had six girls. Can you imagine the Mary Kay bill and the makeup bill and all that? The problem I remember him always talking about trying to get into the restroom/bathroom on Sunday morning to get ready for church with six girls—you just cannot get in there.

But anyway, he told story after story about his college days, how God took care of him. I mean, he came to Bible College married and having all these girls. I came to Bible College single. I had it easy. I had a pretty good job at the time. It was a local job. I was a welder, and I was working at a structural steel place, welding there and whatnot, close to the college, and I had a better job than most of the guys because I had a trade and all those things. But Brother Hooker preached that he just told answer after answer to prayer after answer to prayer and all the things God did. And my young heart, I thought, “Man, I do not have that.” Be careful sometimes what you pray for. I said, “Lord, I would like to see you work like that. I would like to have some stories to tell one day.” I cannot remember exactly what day that was, but I remember that week: Tuesday, I wrecked my car. Born in Tennessee, grew up in Florida, and I was up in the snow. I had a rear-wheel drive, and I was fish-tailing out in the fields. And I introduced my car to a telephone pole. They did not like each other. You could still drive it, but it did not do real good. I mean, you still drive it. I drove it for a while, kind of limped it along. But I had a car wrecked Tuesday, my fault. Friday, I got laid off from my job. Man, I just wrecked my car. Insurance does not like to pay for it when you are fish-tailing in the snow when you wrecked your car, you understand? And I got laid off. And, boy, I got in the valley. And well, trials came, but you know what? I have stories to tell. I have seen God work that semester in great ways. We do not have time because somewhere there is fried chicken; we have got to go eat.

That is how God grows you often. He is allowing these. Hey, he said, “Count it all joy.” God has a reason. He is doing something. He is trying to make you perfect and entire, wanting nothing. A couple of thoughts, and we are done. God’s end result is for you to be blessed. That is His end result. Hey, if you are not a born-again Christian going to heaven, His first goal in you is to get you saved. That is His first goal.

Someone in Sunday school this morning told about a tragedy in someone’s life. I think of Ms. Nina, if I remember right, but through that tragedy, that man got saved. I think about a friend of mine. I knew him for 18 years, a good, good man. We got along great. We had a good relationship, good friendship, and I had helped him; he had helped me many times. But when I started witnessing to him, he kind of just shut me down. And then he had a stroke. He could still function, and I had witnessed to him. He let me get a little bit farther, but he would not get saved. And then he had a major stroke. Now, I remember visiting him in the hospital; it was so sad. His whole left side of his body, he could not move. Could not really talk real clear because this side—even his face would not move right. Just very limited. But I showed the gospel in the hospital with him. He was ready to get saved. Man, he was so glad to hear it. He wanted the best. He could talk. He prayed, “Jesus, be my Savior.” Now, I was so sad to see him. He was a Marine before and loved to get out; he had horses and all these things. But it was sad to see him in the hospital bed, but it was worth him going through that in order for him to get saved. By the way, today he has a brand new body in heaven.

So first of all, if God is allowing trials, I am alive, I need to make sure I am saved. If I am not saved, that is His main goal right there: me to get saved. Then look down verse number 12, if you would, please. Verse number 12. Here is something that might be why He is allowing this thing in your life: Verse number 12 right there, James 1, verse number 12. He said, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” Friend, there is a reward for all eternity you get going through trials. And God might be saying, “Hey, you need a little bit more reward. I am allowing this in your life.” His end result is to bless us.

Then one more illustration: Job. Job. You are there already. Look over in James chapter number five. James chapter number five. Look in verse number 11. James 5, verse number 11. When you are there, would you say amen? Amen. He says right there, he says, “Behold, we count them happy which endure.” You have heard of the what? Yeah, remember, it is patience trying to take you somewhere. “The patience of Job, having seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercies.”

Now, wait a second. So God allowed all that to happen in Job’s life. I think the area that he was lacking in was self-righteousness in his life. God allowed all those trials in Job’s life, but Job let patience take him somewhere. He grew in that area of self-righteousness. You can tell it very clearly in Chapter 42 of Job. And then what was the end result? Job had what? Help me out. Double? Twice as much? Twice as much influence for the Lord, twice as much finances. He had 10 more children. He was blessed. God is not allowing you to take that shot just to hurt you. God is trying to grow you in your weak area so in the end He can bless and use you more. He has a reason for it all.

Would you bow your heads and close your eyes, please? Our eyes are closed. Maybe you are there this morning and say, “Preacher, I want to grow even in my weak areas through the trials God has allowed. I know He is allowing this in my life for a reason. I do not want to just skip town. I want to let patience have a perfect work.” Sometimes that represents a lot of time. I am pretty sure I do not want to jump ship and go down the wrong road. I want to stay in there, and I want to let patience have her perfect work, and I want to end up being perfect and entire, wanting nothing. God spoke to my heart about that this morning. If that is you this morning, slip your hand up to the preacher: “That is me. I want to learn what I am supposed to learn. I want to get that wisdom.” God bless you. Many, many hands. Many hands. His perfect purpose, excuse me, is that should be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. That is His purpose in it all.

You said, “Preacher, I need to ask for wisdom in the middle of this.” I just want to get through it. I do not want to just get through it; I want to learn. I am going to be going to God: “God, give me wisdom.” Let him ask of God, “Give me wisdom. I am going through it. Give me wisdom.” I am going to ask for that wisdom. I am going to ask for that wisdom this morning. That is you this morning. That is you this morning. Good, good. God bless you. Many, many hands. Many, many hands. Thank you so much. You can put your hands down.

Maybe you are here this morning and you said, “Preacher, I need to settle my salvation. I need to make sure when I leave this world, I am on the way to heaven.” I mean, I go through trials, and the honest, simple truth is I need to deal with the most basic thing: I am going to heaven or hell. I need to settle that. I need to make sure I am on the way to heaven. I need to settle that. I am not sure Heaven is my home. I need to settle that thing right there. God is working in my heart. I need to settle it and make sure I am on the way to heaven. If that is you this morning, heads bowed and eyes closed, just slip your hand up. “I need to settle that right there. I need to make sure I am on the way to heaven.” Anybody like that? Just slip your hand up. “I need to settle that.” Anybody like it? Most important thing in all the world right there: going to heaven. God loves you. Jesus shed His blood on the cross. He loved to give that to you. It is a gift.

Hey, child of God, count it all joy. That is tough to do, but knowing He has a reason. He is trying to make you where you are wanting, lacking nothing, nothing at all.

Original File: Pastor Paul Chisgar ＂Growing in your weak areas＂ - Sunday AM 10⧸20⧸2024 [bRqa2rAeEYg]