http://hereistandblog.org My goal for this blog is to study the Bible as deeply and as thoroughly as possible a couple verses at a time and to stand firm for Biblical truth on every issue I find within the verses of the Bible itself. I want to help Christians understand more about God and the Bible and to follow Jesus Christ. This podcast is updated weekly. Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:25:00 +0000 http://snappages.com en http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/04/06/profiting-from-trials http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/04/06/profiting-from-trials Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:30:00 +0000 Keith Frank Jr http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/04/06/profiting-from-trials MP3

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Scripture says:

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8 NKJV


Believers make a conscious choice to face everything with joy. These trials that James speaks of come from God as tests to strengthen our faith in Him.
These verses show us that Christians around the world are suffering and that it shouldn’t come as a shock when we are persecuted too, Jesus told us we would be. “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” John 15:20
But we can take comfort that Jesus also said, “Blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Matthew 5:10
If we are not faithful though, these trials can quickly turn into temptations from the devil; call on Jesus to give you strength to endure “For He is like a refiner’s fire” Malachi 3:2 and God is using these trials as such.
These trials and temptations can come in many ways, and most likely will come in the form of some of our greatest weaknesses. We need to be prepared by having the whole armor of God on; (Ephesians 6:10-18) only with this defense can we ever hope to succeed.
Good and Godly men don’t go looking for trouble, they don’t seek their own ruin or the ruin of others. But even when we are trying to live a good life for God in appreciation of the free gift of salvation, we can still fall into trials, but it is for God’s glory and our benefit. “Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects;” Job 5:17
We as Christians should be joyful at all times, under any circumstance. People should be able to see it on our faces and hear it in our voices. Think what we have been saved from and where we are destined for and then try to think of any reason why we shouldn’t be joyful at all times!
When non-believers see us joyful even in the toughest of hardships, they won’t understand how this can be. Christians being joyful when times are tough can be a great witnessing tool.

"The testing of your faith” Meaning to prove that our faith is real.
Trials produce patience or endurance, the will to continue to resist the trials and temptations because when we have given our life completely to God He gives us the strength to endure.
Christians grow when they encounter trials, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Romans 5:3-4 So by going through these trials that God brings into our lives we can have a greater hope because of them.

“That you may be perfect and complete” Not to be perfect meaning without sin, but to grow in Christ at all times so as to show appreciation for the gifts He has given to us.
When we trust in Christ in all things we grow deeper in that trust as we encounter trials and with Christ at our side we bear them by His strength which can only cause us to trust Him more. When we trust in God more we grow in character and are better able to be used by Him to do His work.
To be “complete, lacking nothing.” To be whole in Christ. When we accept Jesus as our savior, He comes into our life and wants to live through us. He saves us from hell but His desire also is to use us so that He can save others through our witnessing.
Patience has its perfect work when even though one trial after another after another come upon us, we bear them with patience and joy so that God may be glorified through us and how we react to them.
Hebrews 10:36 tells us that, “You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” What is the will of God? For us to fully trust in Christ and live our life to demonstrate that trust. What is the promise? Salvation.
The more trials we face and triumph over in our life the more rewards we will have in Heaven.

“If any of you lacks wisdom” Wisdom is what is necessary to live our life in a God honoring way to give Him glory through our life and the choices that we make.
This wisdom is not the kind we get from the world, but the kind we get from His Word.
This wisdom from God allows believers to “Count it all joy”. When we have the wisdom of God “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 When “we know that all things work together for good”, we know that God is in control and knowing that will give us the peace to “Count it all joy”!
“Let him ask of God,” This is a part of what our prayer life should be. If we know wisdom is something that we need more of, we should ask God to give us wisdom. Pray and ask Him for it, seek Him continually. God will answer.
God wants us to draw near to Him because of the trials we are facing in life. He is infinitely wise and will give us wisdom if we but ask Him. He is using these trials in our life to help us be more dependent upon Him.
We should not pray to be delivered from the trials of life, for these are the very things that make us trust God more. Rather let us pray for wisdom so as to use these trials for God’s glory and the benefit of us and the world around us.
Compared to our infinitely wise God we are the greatest of fools. We should beg God daily for the wisdom that only He can supply.
And more so, we deserve all the foolishness we have if we don’t ask God, for the Bible says, “Let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” If we ask God for wisdom He will generously give it to us without rebuke. The Bible says He will. So ask Him. Ask in the morning, the evening, at night, at meals, while you’re falling asleep, when you’re facing trials, when you’re being tempted. We can never ask too much and He will always give it to us.

“But let him ask in faith” If we will ask of God, we must ask in faith. If we ask God for wisdom but at the same time don’t believe that He will give it to us, or worse yet, don’t even believe in the God we are asking, we can trust in the fact that we won’t receive anything.
God gives to those that trust Him, and until we trust Him solely with no doubting we can be sure that He won't give us what we ask for.
“He who doubts is like a wave of the sea” always going back and forth. Sometimes you trust, sometimes you don’t. God wants all of you, all of the time. Not some of you, some of the time.
If we believe that God can make the simple wise He will give us wisdom when we ask.
Don’t be like a wave that goes up and down and down and up. Steadfastly seek God. Read the Bible, pray, worship, witness. If we are actively and constantly seeking after God and asking him for wisdom He will give it to us. If you are inconsistent though, sometimes trusting, other times doubting, you ask Him but don’t believe He will make good on His promises. If you aren’t following God with all of your heart, all of the time, than there can be little doubt why when you don’t receive the things you ask for, even if what you are asking for is in His will!

Receiving a gift from God is the greatest thing that could possibly happen to us in this world. Therefore if we aren’t asking in faith how can we possibly expect to receive anything since God knows we won’t treasure His gifts even if He did give them?

“A double minded man” A hypocrite. Someone who looks to God and then the world, back forth, all the time. This person is not saved, they can’t take their eyes off the world long enough to even be amazing by God, let alone adore and worship Him!
“Unstable in all his ways” Anyone who isn’t trusting in God is unstable, but those who have tricked themselves into thinking that they have surrendered their lives to God are the worst of all. For they can’t serve God properly because they aren't His children, they are Satan’s; and they cannot even live their life in this world the way they would like to, being the corrupt, disgusting sinful beings that they are, because they always have to pretend that they are Christians.
A Christian cannot be unstable because his life is based on the solid Rock of Jesus Christ and therefore will solidly and steadily follow God.


So in conclusion. The Father allows trials to come into our lives so that we can grow in Him. The Spirit gives us the strength to overcome the trials that the Father allows into our life. The Son, Jesus Christ is by whose name we get the strength from the Spirit to overcome these trials which the Father allows into our lives.
If you are not receiving wisdom that you ask for you may need to consider that there may be a serious break in the relationship between you and God. Remember that He has promised to give us wisdom. God doesn’t break promises, so it must be on your end.
Think of the trials that come into your life as blessings, because by overcoming these trials we gain patience, wisdom and rewards.
Read your Bible daily, study it, pray, and then go out and tell others about our great Lord Jesus Christ so that they can come to know Him as their Savior too!]]> http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/16/james-an-overview http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/16/james-an-overview Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:30:00 +0000 Keith Frank Jr http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/16/james-an-overview Listen: MP3

Scripture: James 1:1

"James, a bondservent of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings." James 1:1

Hi, this Keith with Here I Stand Blog.
For probably the next 15 posts I’ll be speaking on the book of James, taking it section by section and doing my best to search for what God is saying through these verses.
Today I want to start with the first verse and give an overview of some facts that will hopefully be helpful to us as we study the rest of this book.
This book was written by James the brother Jesus. We as Christians can learn a great deal from his godly example. Firstly, even though he was the flesh and blood brother of Jesus, he refers to himself as a “Bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”. We would do well to remember that no matter how many good things we think we’re doing, and no matter how high the position we attain, it should always be done as a servant to God and the Son Jesus Christ. As John 5:23 says, “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father”. For we can not truly honor the Father, unless we are in a good and right relationship with the Son first. Secondly he is writing to encourage fellow believers that are probably depressed and disheartened. Just imagine if Christians would follow James’ example instead of discouraging each other with rumors, lies and insults. When you see a brother or sister in Christ that is depressed, do you try to encourage them? When you see a fellow Christian who seems lonely, do you talk to them and comfort them?
We also need to remember that God allowed this persecution that forced these Christians to flee and be scattered. He allowed it in order to spread the Gospel to other parts of the world that desperately needed to hear the news of the only way to be saved from Hell.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think and I’ll see you next time as I talk about gaining rewards through difficulties.

]]> http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/09/here-i-stand-blog-introduction http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/09/here-i-stand-blog-introduction Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:30:00 +0000 Keith Frank Jr http://hereistandblog.org/blog/2012/03/09/here-i-stand-blog-introduction Listen: MP3

Hi, my name is Keith Frank Jr.
I came up with the idea for this blog after listening to Martin Luther's speech, "Here I Stand". Martin Luther stood for Biblical truth even when threatened with exile.
My goal for this blog is to study the Bible as deeply and as thoroughly as possible and to stand firm for Biblical truth on every issue I find within the verses of the Bible itself.
My method will be to deeply study a small amount of verses each and every week and post one blog a week standing on the truths found therein.
I want to be able to help others understanding of the Bible grow so that in every area of their lives they can follow Christ and His Word.
Check back often and subscribe to the Here I Stand Blog podcast on iTunes.
Thank you.

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