Be Mature By Warren W. Wiersbe Turning Trials into Triumphs Chapter 2

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Be MatureBy Warren W. WiersbeTurning Trials
into TriumphsChapter 2
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• Four Imperatives for Trials into Triumphs
• Count (12) a joyful attitude
• Know (13) an understanding mind
• Let (14 9-11) a surrendered will
• Ask (15-8)
• Count a joyful attitude (12)
• Expect trials
• Outlook determines outcomes
• Attitude determines actions
• Trials because we are
• Human
• Sickness, accidents, disappointments, tragedies
• Christians
• Fall into encounter
• Divers various and varicolored

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• Dont look at the wrong side, for example, the
  rug being weaved underneath
• Count, financial term, means to evaluate
• He lives for things that matters most
• Heb 122 - who for the joy that was set before
  him endured the cross,
• Job 2310 But he knoweth the way that I take
  when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as
  gold.
• Give thanks to God for the trials
• To end with joy, begin with joy.
• How?
• Know an understanding mind (13)
• Benefits
• Faith is always tested to
• Increase faith
• Bring out the best

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• Testing work for us, not against us
• Trying can be translated as approval
• I Peter 17 - That the trial of your faith,
  being much more precious than of gold that
  perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be
  found unto praise and honor and glory at the
  appearing of Jesus Christ
• Romans 828 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.
• II Corinthians 417 For our light afflictions,
  which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
  more exceeding and eternal weight of glory
• Trials rightly used help us to mature.
• What God want to produce in our lives?
• Patience, endurance, and ability to keep going
  when the things are tough.

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• Patience not a passive acceptance of
  circumstances, but a courageous perseverance in
  the face of suffering difficulty
• Impatience unbelief go together
• Faith patience (Heb. 612 That you be not
  slothful, but followers of them who through faith
  and patience inherit the promises.
• Patient is the key to every other blessing
• Impatience examples Abraham Hagar (Gen. 6),
  Moses murder ( Ex. 211 ff)
• How to get patience not reading a book,
  sermons, or prayers, but trials
• Let a surrendered will (14 9-11)
• Building a character requires our cooperation or
  chastisement to submission
• Perfect work (complete)
• Sheltered Christians never grow up

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• Three works for complete Christian life (Eph.
  28-10)
• God does the work for us salvation (Christs
  complete work) Eph. 28
• God does the work in us sanctification
• For we are his workmanship Eph. 210
• Purpose conformed to the image of Christ
  Rom. 829
• God works through us service
• Created in Christ Jesus unto good works Eph
  210
• God builds character before He calls
• Examples Abraham for 25 years before he received
  a promised son
• Joseph for 13 years before he became a right hand
  man to Pharaoh
• Moses for 80 years for next 40 years of service
• Disciples for 3 years before service

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• God cannot work without our permission
• Mature Christians dont argue with Gods will
• Doing the will of Gods from the heart Eph 66
• No surrendered will causes immature Christians
  like Jonah
• Weaning a step toward maturity and freedom
• God weaned His children from childishness
  immature attitudes
• 2 kinds of Christians
• Rich poor
• Trials to level us
• Reliance on spiritual resources, not physical
  resources to go through trials
• Ask a believing heart (15-8)
• Ask God for wisdom
• Knowledge is the ability to take things apart
  while wisdom is the ability to put things
  together

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• Wisdom is the right use of the knowledge
• Wisdom helps us to understand how to use these
  circumstances for our good and Gods glory
• How to ask in faith
• Greatest enemy to answered prayer is unbelief
• Doubting believers like waves of the sea
• Peter sank in the sea after walking on the water
• Double-minded believer
• Doubting as evidence of immaturity
• Ephesians 414 That we henceforth be no more
  children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
  with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of
  men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
  wait to deceive,
• Instability immaturity go together

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• 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. James 112
• He is rewarded by enduring temptations
• How is he rewarded?
• Growth in Christian character
• Bringing glory to God
• Being granted a crown of life when Jesus Christ
  returns
• Cross gt Crown
• Suffering gt Glory
• Trials
• Satan uses them to tear us down while God uses
  them to build us up.
• Love, not trust or obedience, is the spiritual
  motivation behind every imperative (count, know,
  let, ask)

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• Love keeps us faithful to the Lord unlike
  unfaithful lover who loves both God world
• Purify your hearts, ye double-minded (James 48)
• Example of weaning
• Secure in His love
• Example Lot
• Gods purpose in trials maturity
• But let patience have her perfect work, that ye
  may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing
• Charles B. Williams translation But you must
  let your endurance come to its perfect product so
  that you may be fully developed and perfectly
  equipped.