Faith Brand New Series

How can believers find joy and grow in faith when facing life's inevitable trials?

You are called to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus even when circumstances scream that your dream is impossible. When the storm passes, you will not only be stronger but equipped to pull others through their own trials. Trust that the battle is already won and walk in the peace He gives you today.

What is the mission of Real Church for first time guests and new believers?

Welcome to the Real Church podcast. Our mission is for you to know the love of Jesus and live out your God given purpose. Now join us and listen in to the latest message from pastor David John Phillips.

Well, good morning, Real Church. How are you guys doing today? Good. Pretty good? Great.

Yes? Awesome. Well, I'm doing amazing. My name is David John Phillips. I'm the pastor here at Real Church.

And like my wife said, if this is your first time, you are welcome. We pray that you felt loved, you felt welcome, you felt at home, you felt the the "tangible love" of Jesus from the moment that you pulled into the parking lot until you when when you saw our kids team, when you saw our greeters and our cafe and the ushers, and as you're walking down and you see the band playing, and my wife and everybody, we pray that you felt loved from the moment that you walked through the door. We we pray that you felt like you mattered, like you like you're valued. And the reason is for a lot of us for a lot of us, we didn't come to know Jesus. We we we we were lacking, maybe lacking a sense of hope, lacking a sense of peace, maybe things just weren't together in our lives, or maybe things were everything was together.

It was like everything on the outside seemed like it was going right, but on the inside, we knew that there was something more that we needed, and then we saw someone else that was experiencing the love of Jesus in a real way. They were experiencing peace in the midst of storms. They were experiencing, just all kinds of like, it didn't make sense why they were so happy and had so much joy and why they loved us even when we didn't deserve it in that moment, and it drew us into a relationship with Jesus, and now we're experiencing that peace and that joy and that that love and that ability to stand firm in the midst of no matter whatever what trial we're going to, all because we saw Jesus in someone else, and we wanna be that for you. That's why we do what we do. Like the dream team, everything that we do here is for you.

It's for the first time guests. It's for the people that are coming in that maybe you've been out of church for, you know, what would seem like 100 years, for like 5 years or 10 years or or you grew up going to church and and you're like, man, I I I just bad memories of hypocrites and bad memories of of people who don't love people and coming in and feeling condemned. No. We wanna create a church that's a life giving church that when you walk out of these doors, you're like, man, I want to come back because I realize that God loves me, he's not mad at me, he cares about me, and he has an amazing purpose for my life in the future. Like, that's why we exist.

That is why we do what we do. That's why we do all of the details. That's why we we're we're we're shaking your hand and smiling at everything as you come in. Not that we're putting on a face, no, we're loving you with the same love that somebody else showed us that brought us into a relationship with Jesus. That's the whole purpose of everything that we do at this church.

It's it's for that that that maybe, you know, if this is your first time, you will experience the love of Jesus in such a real way that it will change you for *eternity* and you will become that love in every aspect of your life. We are real church. Real love, real change, real church. It's happened for many, many people. And man, I believe I believe if you open up your heart, you open up your life, maybe you've been coming for a while, it will happen for you as well.

So today, we are starting a new series titled *faith*, which I'm very excited about. But I wanna celebrate just for a moment. We just finished a series titled Jesus. We did this series for 4 weeks, the month of April, including Easter. Right?

It just seemed right to do a series titled Jesus, and we did that. And and over the last month, over the month of April, we had 30 people give their life to Jesus. I mean, *God* is moving, and that is amazing. And so I just yeah. I celebrate with you.

It's a it's a big deal. If you are 1 of those people in the last 30 days or in the last few months, or maybe maybe you gave your life to Jesus 10 years ago or 20 years ago. And and just like any, like, professional team, if if things just aren't going right for a professional soccer team or hockey team or that that might be an open wound for some people and apologize about that. I'm sorry, Angie. Where are you?

I love you, Angie, Mike. But anyway, they are hardcore hockey fans as most of Tampa Bay. I love I love the lightning. But back on track. Professional football team, if if things seem to be going wrong, going awry, what do they normally do?

They get back to the basics. Right? Get back to the basics of faith, and that's that's we have a class called foundation. So if you just gave your life to Jesus or you're just like, man, I need to get back to the basics, I encourage you to sign up for our foundations class. It's a 6 weeks class.

It's packed right now. Every time we have 10 people sign up, we'll start a new 1. You can do it online. And then also, before we get into the message today, I want you to know that you can go on your phone, smartphones right there, www.realchurch.us, click on this Sunday, click on view sermon notes, and all of the notes for today will open up on your phone, and you can follow along. You can take notes if you'd like to, or follow along on the Bible app or or whatever.

Okay. So you guys ready? Yeah. *Faith*. So I have a question for you.

How does the pastor define faith and what does James-1 say about trials?

What is *faith*? Like really, what is faith? We hear that word thrown around a lot of times in Christian circles and Christianese and live by faith, walk by faith, all of this faith stuff. But a lot of times we don't ever really get a a good concrete definition. It seems kind of nebulous, kind of far out there.

What exactly is the definition of faith? And I would say that it's pretty important because it says without faith it's impossible to please God. So if there's no faith then God is not pleased. I mean, that's that's pretty crazy. But then it also says by we're saved by grace by getting what we don't deserve through faith.

That means if you're saved, if you've given your life to Jesus, if you're following him, if you're a son or a daughter, then you're experiencing a getting what you don't deserve because of your faith. Right? So then whether or not you feel like you have faith or not, you do have faith. And God then is pleased with you, not based on what you've done, but based on your faith in Jesus. And you probably hear that 10 times a Sunday, every Sunday, as long as you come here, and you will forever because you need to be reminded every Sunday.

I need to be reminded of that. So faith, what is this thing called faith? And all of that that I just said about faith, still didn't define faith. And the Bible defines the Bible itself defines faith, and it defines it very clearly. But I'm going to apologize in advance.

I can't go there today. I wanted to preach that message today because I I've I love this message. I love the analogies and the metaphors and, about what faith is and the really crystal clear definition and and how we get faith and all of those things. And I tried to preach that message today, and God just wouldn't let me. Lord willing, I will preach that message next week.

But I have to preach faith part 2 today because I believe that you guys need it and I need it. And I believe that's why or somebody in here needs it. So that's why I'm preaching faith part 2. It's kind of backwards. So come next week and you'll hear about what faith is and the clear definition.

I know it seems out of order, but today, we're gonna talk about growing in your faith. We're gonna talk about faith being tested. Faith and the test. Let's go to James-1. Verses 2 through 4, and I'm gonna read it in the ESV.

So if you could pull it up in the ESV, that would be amazing. *James-1:2*, and all of these scriptures will be in ESV, by the way. *James-1:2-4*. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. For you know that the testing of your *faith* produces steadfastness, and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Let's pray. Father, I just thank you for who you are. You're amazing and you're wonderful. Lord, thank you that you love us. Lord, I thank you that you lead and you guide us.

I thank you just for everybody that's here, everybody that's under the sound of my voice. Lord God, that that you drew us here together to learn about faith, and to learn about steadfastness, and to learn about the faith and the test. So father, I pray that you would open our our hearts to hear. Lord, that that these words coming out of my mouth, it wouldn't be just words coming out of my mouth, it wouldn't be just me. Because once again, if it's just me, it's not gonna change anyone.

It's not gonna affect anybody, but it's you speaking to people through me. If it's you speaking to people through people, it changes people's lives for eternity. So father, I pray that that that it's your words, Lord God, that impacts my life and it impacts the people hearing this message in a way that has them, it causes an encounter with you. An encounter that shifts our faith, that grows our faith, that grows our steadfastness, that grows our ability to stand through the trial no matter what because we understand, because we have knowledge that's been tested. In Jesus name.

Amen. Alright. So James-1:2. Let's start it out again. Let's let's just read this.

ESV says, **"count it all joy"**. Count it all joy. If you could change that to the ESV, that would be awesome. Count it all joy. All.

Doesn't say count it some count count some things joy. Count it joy if it's something that you think that you can make it through. It doesn't say count only the easy things joy or the things that are going your way. It doesn't say no. It says count it all joy.

It even says count the things that seem impossible. The things that seem to come against you in ways that you're like, what is going on? No. Even those things, count that joy. Count it all joy.

But God, that doesn't make sense. How can I count it all joy? But God, my job, you don't understand my job. You don't understand the people that I deal with, the stresses that are coming against me in the middle of my job. No.

How do Paul and Peter illustrate contentment and joy in difficult situations?

No. Count it all *joy*. But God, I don't have a job. I can count it joy when I get a job, maybe 1 day. I don't No.

No. No. Count it all joy. But God, just lost my job. They don't think that I'm good enough.

They they fired me in the moment. I lost my No. No. Count it all joy. But God, I have a cold.

I have allergies. My nose is constantly runny and and my eyes are puffy and I I just feel like I'm I'm tired all the time because of this. You know, count it all joy. But God, I have a headache. I constantly get these migraines.

What's going on? Count it all joy. But God, have cancer. They just told me I have kick count it all joy. But God, the doctors say I have 5 days to live.

I have a month to live. I have 6 months to live. Like, count it all joy. But God, I lost my dad. But God, I lost my mom.

I lost my grandma. But God, my son died. My daughter died. But God, I can't have kids. But God, my kids are running from you.

Count it all. *Joy*. But *God*, my wife left me. My husband left me. But God, I can't.

But God, I don't have. But God, I don't feel. But God, but God, but God, but God, you don't understand what I'm going through. God says, my name is not but God. My name is God, and count it all joy.

This reminds me of Paul. I think that, you know, James is writing here and you're like, hold on a second. Count it all joy, but I think maybe James and Paul were in kinda cahoots. Maybe that's a Louisiana term. But Paul kinda writes something similar in Philippians-4:12-13, he says, know verse 12.

He says, I know what it is to be in need. I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being *content* in every situation. Like, what would it be like to be content in every single situation? I mean, can you think about that?

Count it all joy, content in every situation. Paul said he learned the secret. Verse 12, I've learned the secret of being content in every situation. Verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. We we quote that verse, and rightly so, we quote that verse when we're pursuing a goal or when we're trying to get past this obstacle.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In context, Paul's writing it about the secret of being *content* in every situation. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Whether I have lack, whether I have plenty, I can do all things. I can be content with nothing.

I can be content with everything. I can be content with in sickness, and I can be content in health. I can be content when hell and high water come at me, and I can be content when it seems like I have everything that I need in the moment. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It just brings to mind Peter.

Like, think about it. He's getting out of the boat. Count it all joy. He's getting out of the boat. And can you imagine like as a little kid, I don't know, some people maybe you imagine this as a kid or or maybe it was just me, but as a little boy, I wanted to run so fast like the flash that that I could run across the top of the water.

You know, this this boyish joy. Can you imagine Peter as he's stepping out of the boat and he's starting to walk on the waves, he's looking at Jesus and this boyish joy that he probably felt as he was walking on top of the water looking at Christ. Can you imagine? He was counting it. I mean, I just imagine this joy that he felt.

How does focusing on Jesus enable joy amidst wind and waves?

No matter to the right and to the left, it says there was tons of wind it was wind and waves and and stuff that was going on. But as long as his focus was, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, it was Christ who was strengthening him to be able to walk on the water. His focus was on Jesus, and he was able to have joy in the midst of the wind and the waves. As soon as he took his eyes off of Jesus, what happened? I like the splash sound scooter.

Let's go back to James-1:2-4. Let's read it again. Count it all. Say it all together. Count it.

All. All joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your *faith* produces *steadfastness*, and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing. Now steadfastness, that word you know, guys, anytime when I'm in scripture or I'm reading or or something, I've just made it a habit. If I if I have a roundabout understanding of what a word is, but I can't really define it like Webster would, I just look it up in Webster's dictionary. Because we don't use steadfastness in in normal life, you know.

Oh, man. You know, that that was some steadfastness. Right? You know, it's just, you know But words have meaning and words have color and they're used for a specific reason. So steadfastness, Webster would define it as something firmly fixed in place, immovable, not subject to change.

Who is it that never changes? *Jesus*. Yeah. Our father in heaven. *God*'s the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. We're to be firmly fixed in place, immovable. Who's the 1 that's immovable? It's God. We were created in God's image to represent him on the earth, and he's molding our character using I specifically use the word using, using the trials of life to produce his character in and through us.

I didn't say causing the trials of life. I said using the trials of life. I'll prove that to you too. So that those who are rocked by trials can look to us to be drawn to Jesus. So that in the midst of the trials, they can test our character, test who we are to be drawn to Jesus, and we're gonna talk about the process, how that happens today.

It makes us look like our heavenly father. Notice the verse again says, the testing of your *faith* produces *steadfastness* or perseverance is what the NIV says. The testing of your faith. The crazy thing is in Romans-5:3, says, suffering produces steadfastness or perseverance, ESV or NIV. So a lot of times, the testing of our faith looks like suffering.

That's interesting. Being able to stand strong in our faith despite the trial and to count it all joy. *James-1:12* says, blessed is the 1 who perseveres under the trial because having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life. So blessed is the 1, literally what it's saying, who sits under the trial in connection until it has its perfect work. Doesn't try to go around it, doesn't try to to, you know, just, you know, skate the trial, run away from it.

No. No. They sit under the trial until it's had its perfect work. What is its perfect work? It's developing the *character* necessary to carry the call.

It is producing a likeness to our father. We are created in his image to bear his image so so that when others see us, they see his image. Who is the perfect image of the heavenly father in physical form? Jesus. In this world, we're like who?

*Jesus. 1 John-4:17*. So those things that are happening around us are developing a character in us to make us look more like Jesus in and through every aspect of our lives. Now there's a process. There's a process.

Every trial, we can count as joy because we now know that we are in process being made to look like our father. That's why we can count it as joy. Because we know that the testing of our faith produces the character and the nature of God in and through us. It proves it, is what it does. And so on the other end, we look more like him.

What is the process of receiving wisdom and knowledge from God?

It's a part. Everything is process. It's a part of the process. So if we know the process, then we know that the things that we go through, God is going to use them as part of the process. all things work together for good for those that love him and are called according to his purpose.

All things work together for good. It didn't say all things are good. It says all things work together for good. Even the bad things work together for good. Even the tough things work together for good.

Even the impossible things that seem like it's going to break us, we can count as joy because we know it's going to work together for good because we can trust him in the moment. Amen? So I want to describe the process. How does this work? What is the process of testing our faith?

So we looked at, you know, *James-1* verses like 2 and 3 and 4, and we looked at James-1 verses like 12, you know, 13, somewhere along in there. And so in context then, if that's the beginning and the end, then the process that James is trying to describe is probably in the middle somewhere. Right? So let's dive in and see what that process is. In verse 5, it says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all "without reproach", and it will be giving given to him.

And what is wisdom? Wisdom is, Webster's would say, the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. So it's it's like an experienced knowledge. It's knowledge with knowing how to use it. That's wisdom.

Now, verse 5, it it it implies that we have relationship. If you if you lack wisdom, what do you do? If you don't know how to approach the situation, if you don't know what to do in your life, if there's something hard or something stressful or something going on and you need some wisdom on what to do next, what do you do? You approach God and you ask him. Now the approaching God and asking him means that you have relationship with him because you have the faith that you can approach him even in your lack of wisdom.

You follow me there? Okay. So so with that then, he says, let him ask God who gives generously. God is going to generously, not begrudgingly give you the wisdom that you're asking for. And he says, to all without reproach.

That's another word that we don't normally use in in day to day language. What is reproach? It's A reproach is to address in such a way as to ex express disapproval or disappointment. So so God gives wisdom generously without expressing disapproval and disappointment. What is disapproval?

Not approved. Without saying that you're not approved for not having that wisdom. He's you're still proven. He's still proud of you based on the fact that you're his son or his daughter. Gaining wisdom is part of the growing process and growing to look more like Jesus.

He's not disappointed without expressing disappointed. He's not not he's not disappointed with you because you're appointed in him because of Jesus. So he will generously give you wisdom when you ask. Okay? So we can ask God, so how do we get wisdom?

What is the process there? When we ask him, *wisdom is knowledge applied. So first, God* has to give us the knowledge. Right? So the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth.

And in *John-15* or 16, it says that he will lead us into all truth. Right? So Holy Spirit will teach us it says, he'll teach us all things. So when we ask, if we don't know something, we don't know wisdom, the Holy Spirit will show us, will give us knowledge. Okay?

How does doubt compare to waves driven by the wind?

And and, what does that look like? Maybe maybe for instance, you you feel like you don't know how to pray. You want to learn how to pray. So you're like, I feel like I'm inexperienced in prayer and I wanna grow I still ask this question. I wanna grow in my understanding of prayer and and how to pray.

So what does the Holy Spirit do? Next thing you know, all of a sudden as you're reading in your daily word, you know, you you take some time to read and and wouldn't you know the next couple of paragraphs you read are about prayer. Or maybe that next day you're around somebody and it's somebody that's strong in prayer, And they pray around you, and they pray in front of you, and you listen to it, and you're you're learning. The Holy Spirit's teaching you through someone else or teaching you through the word. Or maybe just so happens you prayed that and the preacher happens to teach on prayer.

Or somebody, you know does that make so so the Holy Spirit's teaching you in the moment. So he's given you some knowledge that you just prayed and asked for. So then what happens? Well, there's a couple different types of tests. Okay?

So then the the the good type of test, which I guess they're all good, we can count it all joy, but then the Holy Spirit will challenge you to put that knowledge that he just gave you into practice, creating *wisdom*. So then, maybe you'll have the opportunity, he'll wake you up at 11PM at night when you went to bed at 09:30. Hey, why don't you go pray? Wake you up a little earlier than your alarm. Hey, why you get up and go pray?

Or maybe you'll see somebody and you'll have the thought to go pray for them. Now you have the opportunity. It's a test. When a professor teaches you have a season of of of teaching for a professor in school, they teach you some things, and then there's a season of testing. Testing if you know the knowledge or testing if you know how to put that knowledge into practice.

This is called growth. K? So the the Holy Spirit tests you on on what he just taught you, so to to see if he can teach you more, and you grow in your understanding of prayer or what you asked about. Okay? So we follow, we we we be obedient, and we grow.

And as we we grow in that understanding of what he just taught, we're growing in our ability pray, and we're looking more and more like Jesus. That's a good thing. K? So that's 1 type. But then it says in James-1:6-8, but let him ask in faith with no doubting, for the 1 who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and "tossed by the wind".

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. He is double mind he's a "double minded man", unstable in all his ways. Now, there's another type of of testing. And I wanna I wanna show you this, and it's still good. So in James-1, actually, let me explain this first.

So I was talking about a double minded man who's who's like the waves the wind tossing the waves back and forth. Now think about this too. Imagine, John Krueger and I, actually, drummer, he's a good friend of mine. We went a couple of weeks ago and and went surfing. We drove Monday is my day off.

We only we took a Monday and we drove across the state of Florida to the to the East Coast and went surfing. And and if if you spend any amount of time at the beach, then you know that when the wind blows, the waves follow the direction of the wind. It it just happens. So when the wind blows, it's an onshore wind, the waves will get a a bit bigger, and they'll get rougher, and they'll they'll hit the shoreline, and and and it's just like that. When the wind when the wind blows from the north, the waves all push this way, push south because they're following the direction of the wind, and it gets pretty choppy, and there's a current.

You get in the current, and it carries you along. Right? If the wind blows from the south, the waves push the other way in the direction of the wind, and there's a current, and it carries you along. If the the wind's blowing against this, an offshore wind, then everything gets really smooth, and maybe the waves get smaller. The waves follow the wind, the circumstance there.

They're led by circumstance. The outcome of the waves is a result of the circumstances of the wind, and we're not supposed to be that way. We're supposed to be instead like Peter, despite the wind and the waves going around, our focus is on the truth, so we're able to walk stable, immovable, and steadfast, instead of constantly moving by the circumstances around us. Okay? So now, here's what happens in our lives, and this is why we can count it all joy.

We pray and we ask God for wisdom. And God help me to tie this together. We pray and we ask God for wisdom. And the Holy Spirit teaches us a truth, teaches us knowledge, teaches us who we are. He says you're forgiven.

Why does the enemy attack our identity and how do we stand firm?

He says you're healed. He says, you know, you're delivered. He says, you know, you have a he shows you a gift that you you're called to start a business, or you're called to to push forward and and to study and to go to school, or you're called to do these amazing things that seem almost impossible, but it's something that the Holy Spirit had showed you about things that he's gifted in you. Right? Or he's told you about who you are, who Jesus says that you are.

Now, the *enemy* of our souls, Satan, and his horde of demonic of demons, they don't want you to believe what Jesus says about you. They don't want you to believe the truth that the Holy Spirit teaches you. They don't want you to believe this word. They don't want you to believe in who Jesus says that you are. Because they're scared that if you do, everything around you will change, and you're gonna represent Christ in your daily life.

And you're gonna walk out who you're created to be. So then what happens? What does this look like in our daily life? We ask God to teach us give us wisdom in a certain area or to teach us something. The Holy Spirit drops the truth on us.

We're like, wow, that's amazing. And then immediately, Satan comes and said, does God really say that? Is that really from him? And if that doesn't work, do you still believe it? He brings every circumstance he can to to bring to to show you the opposite of what the Holy Spirit just taught you.

Trying to make you like a wave tossed by the wind. He says that you're forgiven. Guess what? You're tempted more than ever before in that area, and you've don't your your mind is going in crazy places. You're like, no.

*Jesus said I'm forgiven, and then you fall. But Jesus still said that I'm forgiven, and then you fall again. But Jesus said my past, present, and future sins are forgiven, and then you fall again because all of these circumstances are coming against you because the enemy* don't want you to believe that you're forgiven because then if you do, you might just walk like you're somebody that's forgiven. Holy Spirit challenges you to start a business. Hey.

You know deep down in your heart you've got this dream that's that's from God to to do this, and then everything that comes around you, circumstances say it's impossible. You could never do it. You're not good enough. You're not you're not called enough. You're not created enough.

There's nothing that you can because the enemy doesn't want you to walk in your calling because if you're walking your calling, then you're changing the world around you. So he's bringing the wind to try to push your life away from where Jesus where God has called you to be looking, which is focused on Jesus, which is him creating causing you to walk out what he's created you to do. There are trials that come, but those trials are producing a steadfastness in your life. As Christians, Christians, people who follow Jesus, we are to be like Peter was initially when we step out on the water because we're following him in faith, and Satan and the enemy in this world tries to bring every circumstance around us to try to get us to look to the right or to look to the left so that we're not following Jesus. We keep our eyes on Jesus because eventually the storm will cease.

Eventually the storm will go away and if our focus is set on Christ, when the storm ceases, guess what? It's producing more Christ in us. So now we look more like Jesus. See, Satan doesn't want you to believe who he says that you are. And Satan himself, he didn't I don't think he believes that you believe who Jesus says that you are.

So he comes against you to try to prove to you that you don't believe it. But if you if you stand the trial, then you're like metal that's been through the crucible. You're like pottery that's been through the kiln. You're tested. You're stronger.

How does enduring trials allow believers to comfort others and maintain focus on Jesus?

And you're able to withstand that same trial when it comes again easier. But not only that, you're able to comfort others that are going through that trial because you've been comforted. You've made it. You can **walk the walk**. You've grown.

You look more like Christ, so you see someone else going through the same trial and they've never been there before. And they look like they're about to look to the right or to the left, and you're like, no. Let's look to Jesus. I've been standing in your shoes. And you're able to comfort them with the same comfort that you received in the middle of your trial that you made it through and you're able to help them to walk through and pass the test this time.

So you grab their hand and you "walk on water" together to Jesus. That's the church. So why can we count it all joy? Because even if it's Satan coming against us, sickness, disease, pestilence, everything that was thrown at Job, death, even if it's, I mean, the worst of the worst, we know that we're gonna stand through the trial because our focus is gonna be on Jesus, and the end is better than the beginning. We're gonna be made to look more like Jesus.

It's a process of of of producing Jesus in and through us. We can stand steadfast, and when we do, as we do, other people see it and are drawn to Christ. How did you go through that trial? Why that would have broken me. I don't understand.

It's Jesus, man. I just have my focus on him. It's him in and through me. You know what? You can experience the same thing.

He loves you so much. That's how we live our lives. That's what it means to be a Christian. I'm not tossed by the wind and the waves. I'm content in every circumstance.

Why? Because my focus is Jesus. And if I'm not, I get around a believer who is so he can remind me of who I am in Christ. So I put my eyes back on Jesus and I pass the test and I grow. Christianity isn't easy, but it's worth it.

Sometimes it seems like a battle Because the enemy wants you to believe that the battle hasn't already been won, but it has. *Jesus* won it 2000 years ago. 2000 years ago, by our stripes we have been healed. But circumstances don't say. It doesn't matter what circumstances say.

I'm putting my faith on what he says despite what circumstances said, and I'm walking this thing out. But I have no peace. No. Yes. You do.

Jesus says, I am your peace. My peace I give to you, "not as the world gives". Don't let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Keep your eyes on me in the of the storm. Trust me, the storm will cease.

We're gonna make it through. And when we do, we're gonna grab everybody else and we're gonna pull them through the storm because that's what we do. We're **good soldiers** trained up to win this world for Christ. And if you're falling right now, lock arms with us. Let's move forward because that's what we do.

When a soldier falls, we run back, we get them, and we pull them on to Jesus.

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Go to realchurch.us and click the give button. Whether you're praying, giving, or serving with Real Church, you are playing a part in every life being changed. Thank you. Until our next podcast, be blessed. We'll see you next

time.