Grace Fellowship Church Pastor / Teacher James H. Rickard Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Memory Verse 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Upper Room Discourse John 13-16; John 13:17, Sharing the Happiness of God

Principles of Sharing the Happiness of God: The Beatitudes Mat 5:3-12

Three main sections a) God's Plan of Salvation and the new believer, b) Advancing in the Christian way of life, c) Undeserved suffering of the mature believer.

Suffering for Blessing a. Providential Preventative Suffering (PPS). b. Momentum Testing (MT). c. Evidence Testing (ET).

Suffering and Spiritual Adulthood PPS - Spiritual Self Esteem, MT - Spiritual Autonomy, ET - Spiritual Maturity.

a. Providential Preventative Suffering: Prov 16:18; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Phil 1:29; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8

PPS begins when the believer reaches Spiritual Self Esteem (SSE)

SSE - the believer lives by their own thinking, from Bible doctrine resident in their soul, and applying it under all circumstances in life.

The believer's self- confidence is not derived from self but from the confidence that he has a unique relationship with God.

PPS insulates the SSE believer against the arrogance complex of sins.

It prevents, restrains, intercepts, and insulates against sin and evil in the life while challenging your SSE to suffer for blessing and profit.

Prov 19:8, “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul (SSE); he who cherishes understanding prospers (SA).”

Four categories of PPS: 1) People testing 2) System testing 3) Thought testing 4) Disaster testing

PPS is the provision of the sovereignty of God in compatibility with His grace policy to provide the power for SSE to advance to SM; i.e., the power to advance through the valley of momentum testing.

b. Momentum Testing: Rom 12:2-3; Phil 4:11-13; Col 3:12 - 4:1, 12; 1 John 2:15-17

MT begins when the believer reaches Spiritual Autonomy (SA).

SA is a continuation of mental contentment or +H (Sharing the Happiness of God).

At this stage there is a stronger and increased contentment, capacity for life, and capacity for happiness as a result of combining SSE with PPS.

This contentment is based on impersonal love for all because others' imperfections and mistakes will not be a source of unhappiness to you.

SA is having doctrinal and grace orientation, with the absence of arrogance, resulting in mental toughness and divine viewpoint, that is used in pressure situations as well as normal situations.

MT has the same four categories of testing as PPS, but intensified, with the addition of Prosperity Testing.

Two categories of Prosperity Testing (PT).

1) Individual, in which some form of success challenges the top priority of Bible doctrine in your life.

2) Collective in which a city, state, nation, or group becomes very prosperous and the believer becomes distracted away from doctrine, lured away from the Plan of God.

Prosperity is the most subtle testing, because it is preoccupation with the blessings given to you by God.

Grace Fellowship Church Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Tape # Sharing the Happiness of God, Pt 4 Suffering for Blessing, Pt 2 Upper Room Discourse, Pt 184 John 13:17; Mat 5:3-12; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Phil 4:11-13 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008