Category: Roy Porter

Roy Porter, Services

The Tried

| LMCI

The subject of today’s message is: THE TRIED.
Our Scripture reading is found in Psalm 66. We will start with verse 8.

How can anyone who has not been tried speak of such a thing?
Well, no one who has not been tried can even understand this message until they have had this experience.
Being tried is not the easiest part of being a child of God.
We are tried by the use of family, friends, Church members, and by enemies to the Gospel.
We are tried by our own imaginations going wild.
We are tried by our reactions to situations.
We are always on the battlefield as we serve the Lord. But all we have to remember is, 1 Samuel 17:47b —-the battle is the Lord’s.
We don’t have to fight our battles.

Trials come, my friend; they come, but we should remember trials are like a tunnel. They have a beginning and an end. We can see light at the end of a tunnel. When we are going through them, we see nothing but darkness, but we as Christians, still have the sense that we are still moving: we are in place, moving forward.
It’s like the times when we are in the middle of being tried, that we realize how powerful the grace of God really is: how He is in charge, because we have no strength on our own, our trust cannot be in the flesh.
Flesh won’t help, it has to be God who is carrying us through.

Look at Psalm 66:8-12 —-O bless our God, ye His people, and make the voice of His praise be heard:
which holdeth our soul in life (which implies a previous condition of great danger), and suffereth not our feet to be moved.
For Thou, O God, hast proved (or tested) us; hast tried us as silver is tried.
Silver, according to ancient methods, required a prolonged process of refining before it could be pronounced pure, so you could say it this way, “You, through a long process, have purified us with fire.”
Verse 11,12 —-Thou broughtest us into the net (or into a dungeon or stronghold); Thou laidest affliction upon our loins (The meaning is, You crushed us down under a heavy weight of oppression, or laid great burdens on our backs).
Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through the fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
Men came against us to harm us, but in the end, You brought us out into wealth and great abundance, a place of refreshment, a place of liberty.

Look at verse 16-20 —- Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what He hath done for my soul.
I cried unto Him with my mouth, and He was extolled (or celebrated) with my tongue.
In all these verses, it seems the Psalmist has been through a terrible trial. He began to praise God with His mouth and tell others how God brought him out but. But God did more than just bring him out of this trial, He moved Him into a place of refreshment, a place of liberty, a place of blessing. He was elevated into another level with God by the passing of this great trial.
I have been told when we are tried, and don’t pass the test of endurance, and trust God to fight our battle: by this, I mean, we take it into our own hands —- we will at some point in life, have to take this same test over again.
It is much better for us to go ahead and watch God move on our behalf, and wait it out, and let God get the victory for us, than to have to face this again.
You who have never been through a trial, don’t know what I’m talking about, but you will face one at some point and time as you serve the Lord.

2 Corinthians 8:2 —- How that in a great trial of affliction (or in a time of much trouble) the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto their riches of their great liberality.
Paul is writing a letter to the Corinthians to inform them of how the Macedonian Churches who were going through a time of great trouble, were still filled with joy that they could be in an overflow of giving to the Churches in Jerusalem.
Many of us who are going through a great trial, whether it be physical or financial, whatever it is, could learn from these Macedonians. They were only acting on the principles of the promises of God.
They didn’t allow Satan to steal their joy, and they were sowing an offering against their own poverty to minister to the needs of the saints.
What a wonderful example to us.
If we are being tried, we should first praise God through it, and then trust Him for the outcome. Also we should ask Him, “Lord, what can I learn through this?”
I promise, He will show you, and bring you to a greater understanding of how He works.
Let’s go to James 1:2-4 —-My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (or various trials):
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh (or develops) patience.
But let patience have her perfect (or complete) work, that ye may be perfect (or mature) and entire (or finished), wanting nothing (or lacking nothing).
There is a difference in going through trials that develops patience, and being tempted to do evil. Being tempted to do evil, is being drawn and enticed by your own lust. God does not tempt man to do evil (James 1:13-18), but look at Verse 12 —-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 tells us to count it all joy when we fall into trials (Verse 2), but he is not talking about falling into sin, He is talking about discovering that we can find strength to overcome temptation and endure trials, through the love of God and His power. Without the power of God in the life of a believer, trials can cause him to become bitter and critical and lose the crown of life.
Verse 12 reads, …for when he is tried… This should tell us something, we will be tried at some point in our lives.

God knows men’s ways
In Job 23:10, Job is talking —- but He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
Job is saying He knows every detail of what is happening to me, and when He hath tried me: when He has examined me, I will come forth as gold: He will pronounce me completely innocent.
God does reprove Job and humble him through this trial, but Job comes out the better for it.
Look at Job 42:12a —-So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: and Verse 10 says …the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…Which brings us back to Psalm 66:12 again —- Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place. And Verse 10 —-For Thou, O God, hast proved us: Thou hast tried us as silver is tried.

The trying of our faith is of great value to us in our relationship with God. It brings us to a place of humility and trust that we as humans can’t seem to learn and grow without.
We will finish this message with Revelation 3:18 —-Jesus is talking here—-I counsel thee (or advise you) to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
What is He talking about here? Is he telling us to buy something material from Him? No. He is telling us we are to learn as much as we can through the trials we go through in life, and consider them as gold for our growth in righteousness.
Jesus tells us that those He dearly and tenderly loves, He tells them their faults and convicts and convinces and reproves and chastens them. He disciplines and instructs them. So we are to be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent: changing our minds and attitudes (From Verse 19).
We can learn by living every thing the Word tells us, or we will have to learn by experience through trials by fire.
Which-ever way we choose, we still have to learn one way or the other. It seems to me most people have to learn the hard way.
Then we can call ourselves, THE TRIED.

Pray this prayer with me:
Lord, forgive me for doing it my way. Help me to learn what Your Word says and do it, so I won’t have to learn everything through being tried. Show me what you want me to learn from the trials I have already been through and the one I’m in now. I submit to you and humble myself before You. I repent of self-dependence. I now depend on You.
Use me and help me grow so I can be what You intended me to be in Your kingdom. Thank You, Father.

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Roy Porter, Services

As They Were Able To Hear It

| Jeanette

…AS THEY WERE ABLE TO HEAR IT.

 

Do you struggle with the question: What is my role in God’s kingdom?
“I desire to be the best I can be in every area of my life, But where are those older women who are supposed to teach me? I want to please God. I want to be a godly example in my home, Help me!
Well, this program was birthed by God, to do this very thing.
I will try to answer your questions.

Mark 4:33
And with many such parables spake He the Word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

After reading this verse of Scripture, I kept meditating on the last portion …as they were able to hear it (Or, as much as they were ready to understand).
You know how sometimes you are reading and all of a sudden a verse just jumps out at you?
Well, this is what happened.
So, I decided to do some homework.
I was impressed to search the Scriptures and commentaries for it’s fullest meaning.

The Bereans are called more noble than those in Thessalonica, because they received the Word and searched the Scriptures daily. (Acts 17:11).

Have you noticed How our the Holy Spirit teaches us things as we are ready to receive them? We are all on different levels with Him.
Some are not ready to receive some things from God yet, while others are like the Disciples in verse 34b …and when they were alone, He expounded all things to His Disciples.

The disciples were on another level with Him; and out of those twelve, there were three who seemed to be on a higher level than the others.
(Matthew 26:36,37 -Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder.And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy (downhearted).
Now, look at Matthew 17:1,2 – And after six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John his brother up into a high mountain apart,
And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.
John 13:23 – Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus Loved.This is referring to John, to whom God gave the Revelation of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1a). We will also remember at His crucifixion, he put His mother into John’s care (John19:26,27).

The disciples were a chosen dozen, of whom Jesus chose out of His followers to a new level of communion with Himself. They stayed close to Him to stay in His presence, to grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding about His kingdom, and He explained the parables to them privately. – Of course we know one of these betrayed Him. He knew the crowd wasn’t ready for it, and some of them were just following His teachings for the loaves and fishes; they really didn’t want to know Him or even understand the mysteries of the parables.
Some were even there to catch Him in something so they could have Him killed. Sounds like some of those today who feel like their calling is to police the true ministers of God.

I tell you, I have seen a lot of this!

How can we grow-in-the-Lord if we are always questioning the content of the messages of true men and women of God?
I am not talking about those who are in error, I am talking about what I call spiritual jealousy, where one is trying to prove how right they are and how wrong the other brother is.

Acts 5:38,39 – And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men and let them alone: for if this counsel (or message) be of men, it will come to naught (nothing): But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
It’s like a war of Words; assassination in the ministry, when they don’t even know about the level the other man is on with God.
You could be wrong, you know.
You could be coming against the work of God.
Our battle is with the devil and demons, not with flesh and blood.
Trouble not the Father, with these emotional outbursts: you will damage your own ministry, and keep the flow between God and you hindered.

In John 16:12 Jesus told His disciples …I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear (or grasp) them now.

Even the disciples had more to learn. Jesus knew they couldn’t grasp them at this time, but He would send the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth.

I was growing in the Lord before I received the precious experience of the Holy Spirit Baptism.
I was so hungry and thirsty for all of God I could get.
I still am.
I didn’t really know what was to take place, because my teaching did not include this wonderful experience.

After I was filled, There was a greater understanding of the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit, and His gifts.
This is what some who have not yet experienced Him, call “hype;” and other things that I will not repeat.
Believe me, He is real and will lead us into all truth.
Why should we settle for just a portion of God and not experience His fullness.

God began to open-up the Scriptures more and more to me and move me up to another level with Hi. And deliverances began to come into my life.
I had power to witness , like never before.

Believe me, there is a great difference in your understanding of the things of God when the Holy Spirit fills your life.
Growing is a process, and experiencing God is also a process of levels. We move from one level to another.
After we are free, there is no stopping us. We are so in love with Jesus and so hungry for God, we could eat the red print off the Bible.

Ask Jesus to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. He will. You will experience more of God.
This is not a devil as some say.
I’ve never seen a devil that could make me love Jesus more.
All the devils had to leave.

We are all instructed to do something for God. We are saved for more than just a fire escape, or hell prevention. We are saved with a purpose for our lives.
As we grow in-the-Lord, He will reveal to us things in our lives that need to be gotten rid-of.
I can imagine it like a creek or stream of water, in which a whirlpool is circling in the midst. Have you seen what I’m talking about?
During my tom-boy years, I would go down to the creek behind my house and swing across it by holding on to a vine. You know, -like Tarzan.
One day I noticed a big swirl in the water and I kept watching as trash and debree began to surface.
This is how the Holy Spirit begins to work with us to get impurities out of our lives. He causes us to see and recognize in ourselves, as we are able to bear it: those thing that are not pleasing to Him.
If we don’ know they are there, how can we confess them?
We confess them and repent. And He, with His mighty power, reaches down and scoops them out of our lives.
Again and again, as we allow Him to do this, He brings us up to a new level with Him.
Ask Him to fill you with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Search out the Scriptures in the book of Acts with an open mind.
Ask Him, and He will fill you.
This gift is for the believer only. It is free.

Pray this prayer with me:
“Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. I ask You, if there is anything in my life that is not pleasing to You, please take it out. Expose it to me now. I confess it to You, and ask You to remove from my life any hindrances, any sins that keep me from by best with You. Forgive me, and fill me with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. My desire is to go to the highest level with You that can be reached. Amen.”

We can stay free, if we stay out of things the Word of God shows us to leave alone. We also need to keep that personal relationship with God alive, by spending time with Him in that “secret place”.

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