I Am A Perpetual Optimist! - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith. What you see what God does.

He said I can even tempt someone evil bad I can't even do that but I can tell you every terrible trial of your life in God's own and you want test testing my faith is testing my faith with everything a terrible happens and the test is simply this, you trust me or not she do trust that's the test for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana when Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our work. Nothing ever separate me from the love of God. That's what it means. That means my feet. Yours is written in stone and it has to be you chose me before the foundation of the world.

In fact, he will use everything in my life and yours to work for the good. What yet is it everything that happened in your life. I'll turn it for the good that's hard for us to see, but look what he says in Romans 828 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good for who to those who love God, to those called according to his purpose is to take every single bad experience. Turning for good. Now I will say this, the timing of that is something we often never know sometimes we see the good in something that we thought was bad. Soon, sometimes much later. Sometimes I don't think we see that with the Lord say when he said I will turn everything that you have. It's bad for good. That's what I'll do for you.

He said there be nothing there fall outside of that is an amazing thing.

Now he does give us a hint, though how he does that now and show some goodness in our difficult experiences. Go with me to James chapter 1 James chapter 1 and verse two James one verse two says this, consider it all joy, my brother. When your life stinks 27th.

So when you encounter various trials, and by the way, you will encounter various trials, you will find pain-and-suffering part of living and you know why your center.

Everyone you know is a center and a planet is cursed.

Okay you know what that means. Horrible things happen they happen since the gardener going to happen until he comes back there going to happen. Horrible, terrible things are going to happen because of trials. You see, that's what's going to happen, so expect that he said us is the way it's going to be. But notice, consider all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith. What got to see what God does. He said I can even tempt someone evil, or to bad I can even do that but I can tell you every terrible trial comes in your life from God's point of view is what test what you testing my faith is testing my faith everything is terrible happens. You see in the test is simply this, you trust me or not. Should you trust me or not. That's the test and see often. We need to be tested. Not so that God knows where we are spiritually. But so we know where we are spiritually and so when you go to really hard things. It's so easy to fail the test maker just see how difficult this would be for us. Even people close the site was right on the lake right big storm comes up and what they do, they wake Jesus up, say don't you care that were perishing enough. You see, and what he say he still you men of little faith, said total going to the other shore. That means were going on God and you started panicking because you saw the wind and the waves you can trust me see what happens us all the time it in the test hasn't a profound effect on us.

Watch, knowing that the testing your faith produces endurance.

By way what you need to live as a sinner in a cursed world endurance.

That's what you need only need from just how about this what you need to be a good parent. Yeah, relentless endurance. That's what it takes, and he says it'll create endurance and met endurance have its perfect result that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing that were complete telling us means chore.

So what happens in trials. If I trust the Lord. What happens to me. I mature and become more conformed to the image of Christ.

You see, when everything's going great my life and perfectly healthy. We have all the money when everybody is doing so well, even nonbelievers. Happy for sure, but if you have that kind of joy in the midst of trials. You're starting to be a little bit like the Lord member. The writer of Hebrews said in chapter 12. Why did Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before wasn't agonizing. Yes, beyond belief, but he said there's a joy for me. See, that's the example so he says if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God. So he says even if you need help through this, just ask me.

I watch who gives to all generously without reproach, it will be given to you. Here's the but. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. I can ask him doubting most of us were begging the Lord help us or doubting that's were doing were doubting the whole idea is just in one of the local bad. This is Lord, you have to understand this is a terrible situation is the terrible diagnosis. This is a terrible economic situation is a bad relationship and I'm having now is destroying my life.

That's what we talk about.

We doubt that we don't get the wisdom she that's the way this works can work any other way. Yes member early on, the book of Job. How does life go at trial that he have one. It's unimaginable that any of us. I think Job suffered more in this life and all. Everyone in this room combined together 10 children dead ever.

I mean everything.

A happy and what he say even if he slays me. I will trust him. He said you see that's what faith does why all things work together for my good. I can do all things human strength is me why when I say that we drove same to act as like a freak of nature that guy so weird.

How could anyone do that because you trust the Lord. You see, that was a test.

The whole book is a test for Job was a hard form. Unbelievably, so any member's only weakness was I just like to have an audience before the Lord and ask why this happened. That was his weakness. So God came out of the whirlwind and never told him why, but just blistered.

Where were you when I created the world Job, but I don't remember you there. Who are you to question me what Job do. He repented in sackcloth and ashes. I was wrong. He said I was completely a great book to understand that fact. But the point of it is is that you see this the way this thing works. If it works to grow our faith. That's just the way this whole thing works. He also in the sense of Romans. After he had done this, you see the kind of thing that was able to do. Paul says this, Romans 818 for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is revealed to me, to us is Paul suffering disowned by all mysteries friends and family beaten with rods stoned enough or dead snake bit shipwrecked just unbelievable and the fact that a 67-year-old man walked three or 4000 miles in 10 difficult it would be bad enough.

From my point of view is the example how do you do a lot suffering.

I compare it to what's mine.

I'll be fine.

That's what faith in him and inevitably does the seven thing is this. He promised me that even my death would be a good thing. I wish we all understood.

Even my death will be a good thing why we sing this on the last days of my life will be the last in my life will be the best in my opinion. What we sing is true whether you believe it or not, stroke. You see, that's the way there's number Psalm 23 David Psalm Lord is my shepherd, and he says I go through the valley of the shadow of death. What I will be afraid why you're with me, myself, David wasn't afraid to die. David would say to you, I would be afraid to really dive in a month.

I I just got through the valley of the shadow of death, not death.

You see, one of the things you read in Scripture over and over again every time a believer every single time you have a believer who dies. What's the Bible say about he sleeps. See why you won't die. You can die. I can't Paul said to the Corinthians. I'll be absent in the body and what home with the Lord present with the Lord. That's what happens when I die, and by the way, enters no middle ground that there is no purgatory for me or for you.

That's a man invention just put fear in people's hearts.

I believe, but the point of it is what Jesus said to the thief in the cross this day. What you be with me in paradise. You notice what he didn't say 10,000 years from now, with enough money. Given Campbell's Barton prayers you might get out. That's ridiculous is just utterly ridiculous. Is this day also maps in the body and present with the Lord because that's who I am now this tent you see this tent of mine is a tenant of my flesh.

It has a residual problem but it won't enter the eternal state. You see, it won't enter the eternal state. Why it's of sin go with me now to first Corinthians 15 first Corinthians 15 no notice but Paul writes the Corinthians 51 verse 51 behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but will all be changed. Now this is talking about the second coming of the rapture. We might obviously body but were all in a change if the rapture occurs right now I'm to be with the Lord so you my body mopey at this point this place got be changed. He then goes on in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. The last trumpet, the temple sound and the dead will be raised imperishable, and will be changed for this perishable must put on the imperishable. This mortal must put on immortality. But when the perishable will put on the imperishable, and this mortal will put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written is swallowed up in victory over death, where is your victory over death, where is your sting. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ is no sting in my death only victory that's the way it is. You see, Jesus goes out of his way to let us know that there's nothing to fear here want to think of the eternal state. Are any of our bodies going to be an eternal state. No person is this world going to be in the eternal state. No new heaven and new earth. Why is world cursed so this world and these bodies will never make it to the eternal state. But you and I will make it not be a new heaven and new earth. He says I got this I'm going to do this for you even your death will be a good thing then number eight. He's prepared a forever place for me to member John 14 let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many dwelling places. If it were not so I would've told you I'm gonna go and I'm gonna prepare a place for you, so that where I am, you will be also.

And then I will come and receive you to myself what that means.

I got reservations. I don't have to worry about my room.

The room is prepared using for you and me about this. Once again I got this I got a place for you, and I've made it for you.

I will go make a place for you. Amazing thought that is you and I have our own place in heaven because the Lord is the one who's going to make it go with me to first Peter chapter 1 for number nine and Peter writes this beginning in verse three Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to according to his great mercy has caused us to be born again, he said to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable on the file, it will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time got an inheritance and I get an inheritance thrust. The Scripture says what we inherit everything Jesus owns, how much is he on everything is to get that your inheritance and notice what he says. He says it will not fade away, it's reserved in heaven for you and you are protected by the power of God through faith for salvation is a promise of God inherit every single thing that you can and then the last one go with me to Revelation chapter 19.

I begin verse six when an image. This is this is the end of the tribulation.

In verse six.

Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty pills of thunder. This is Niagara Falls in the midst of a big thunderstorm with a lot of lightning and thunder that's allowed that's what he means. This is so loud he said that's all I can hear is this noise. Notice what the noises saying hallelujah for the Lord our God, the Almighty reigns. Could you imagine hundreds of millions of people singing atop the lungs. Hallelujah, the Lord God Almighty reigns. He said let us rejoice and be glad and give glory to him for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.

My 10th one I am part of Jesus forever bride sorrier much is the believer looking at thy Lord Jesus Christ, I was bride and the two shall become one with his pride not just by the way, Abraham is not part of the bright Dave is not part of the bride. Moses is not part of the product they're called Friends of the groom their Old Testament saints. But the church we are the bride of Christ forever. His bride one with him. So from that point of view just simply listen as I read He chose me before there was a physical creation, he was involved with me when I came into this world and created me to be wonderfully unique. He loved me so much because of my sanity send his son to die so he could be with me he saved me completely by his grace not on any works. I did not have anything. I brought nothing to the table. He promised me that nothing could stop him from loving me nothing whatever stop this.

In fact, he'll use everything in my life to work out for the good everything he has promised me that even my death will turn out to be a really good thing he has prepared a forever place for me.

I will spend eternity in heaven, and he will make me his bride forever and you know you know I'm a perpetual optimist.

My question to you is why when you be why when you is what God said. How would you not be a perpetual optimist like this.

How could that, but whatever rob you from that. When I read that book was written brilliant men and they came away that life is meaningless, purposeless, there's no point in any of it is tragic. It's just tragic. You put all that thought power into it and really what you see behind it, especially with philosophers that I've read a medical expert on astrophysicist, but the whole idea behind the philosophy is they don't want to have anything to do with God at all, and they will say and do anything to try to create a system that there is no God I don't answer to him there's nothing God were just dust. You see, I don't know about you but if I thought this is what life is your an accident in the universe to have a place called earth.

Just an accident. Your an accident just a biological accident. You could as easily been a raccoon you see it when you made any difference at all because it doesn't make any difference. You're just an accident. There's no point in anything. Nothing you ever do. A man ever does whatever last. You see there's no point to life with all why would one want to believe the only thing I can think of is because the alternative relationship with God is the one thing they don't want and know say anything to do, so I'm grateful that I read the book, not for all the science that was good, but I'm grateful that I've just got to see that pessimism of life without God, but for those of you who know the Lord from eternity past to eternity future.

God has promised you all these wonderful truths in your life. There should not ever be a Christian is a pessimist. We just that it's an oxymoron.

We just should never feel that way. We are the one group of people on earth. It should be. You see a perpetual optimist, that's my prayer for you that you begin to let your heart open to that idea.

Spring father. It seems so sad to me that even your children sometimes become so preoccupied with the circumstances of their life if they don't see you and they can trust you and so they end up with fear and worry and anxiety and eventually becomes part of their nature they become pessimistic about everything. How sad that is.

You have given us such great promises of your love for us from eternity past to eternity future to all the highs in our life and all the lows you are fully engaged.

Father I pray that we would meditated on these truths, change of heart, because when our heart changes to optimism.

It will be for our good and it would be for you. We pray this in Jesus pastoral give our on the radio ministry of fellowship in the world. If you ever miss one of our broadcast or maybe you dislike listen to the message one more time. Remember that you can go to a great website called in one place.com that's one place.com and you can listen to Fellowship in the Word online at that website you will find on with today's broadcast but also many of our previous audio programs as Fellowship in the Word.

We are thankful for those who financially support our ministry and make this broadcast possible. We ask all of our listeners to prayerfully consider how you might help his radio ministry continuous broadcast on this radio station by supporting a monthly with just a one-time gift support for ministry can be sent to Fellowship in the Word. 4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and oh LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastoral sermon you can browse through our sermon archives to find the sermon series are looking for. You can search by title. Once you find the method you're looking for.

You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon and listen at your own.

And remember, you can do all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org for pastoral Gebhardt and Jason Gebhart. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order