Thursday, January 10, 2008

Proper Behavior In A Fiery Trial

I Peter 1:7 "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 honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

Every believer who lives godly will suffer persecution. II Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." I think this verse is easily understood.

In the text verse Peter is speaking of more than your average trial. None of us probably know much about fiery trials. We experience difficult trials but have we really experienced fiery trials? I Peter 4:12 "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:" These trials are the most difficult kind of trials but they are special trials.

We should not only survive fiery trials but we should thrive as a result of them. Each trial we go through (no matter how trying it is) is to try us and strengthen us...not destroy us. It is to drive us to the end of ourselves so we have nowhere else to turn but to the Lord.

Proverbs 27:21 "As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a man to his praise." God is trying to get those things out of us that keep us from being like His Son. Religious people are not tried...but righteous people are. Once the trial is over we can look back and praise Him for not only bringing us through that trial but also what He taught us as we went through it.

The trials don't stop coming either. The absence of Satan's opposition should seem strange to the Christian. If you're not being troubled or tried...check up and make sure you are in the faith. If you are a child of God....you should be going into...be in the midst of...or just coming out of a trial.

I Peter 4:13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy." We should rejoice in it. We should rejoice that we have fellowship with Christ. I don't know what I'd do in the midst of my trials without the Lord to turn to for strength and help.

I Peter 4:14 "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." We should be happy in the midst of that trial. If you're being troubled and bothered by Satan...you can know you're doing something right for the Lord. It's when he is leaving you alone that you need to be concerned.

I Peter 4:19 "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator." If we are going through a trial according to God's will then we can know that He will help us through that trial. God will not allow us to go through anything that He can't help us to get through.

So if you're going through a trial right now...and it seems to be a fiery one...trust Him!! Lean on Him!! And most importantly don't forsake Him!! He has not forsaken you if you are one of His. Hebrews 13:5 "...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." We have His promise!!

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is to drive us to the end of ourselves so we have nowhere else to turn but to the Lord.

Amen Sis Julie great post.

☆*´Sarah`*☆

Jimena said...

Thank you Sis.Julie...

Really good to read this. I'm just about the enter a little trail and it is so good to hear my husband say that God can help us through, that experts can say one thing and then there is GOD. :)

I really enjoyed this post. Thank you.

Mimi said...

Thanks for this post sis Julie!
so many times when we are going through trials we tend to think that God has forgotten us (because he doesn't answer us by taking us out of the situation)
but we can know that He will never leave us nor forsake us... but remain right by our side to make us stronger as we go through the trials...
Blessings,
Mimi

Anonymous said...

This was excellent Sis! I really needed to read this today!! God knows! :-)

Sis. Julie said...

sis. sarah....Amen!!

Sis. Julie said...

sis. jimena....Praise the Lord it helped you. I am praying for you often and will pray about this trial you entering. I'll be emailing you soon!! I've missed you!

Sis. Julie said...

sis. mimi...we need to remember that He loves us and would never hurt us. God does not lie and His promises are true!!

Sis. Julie said...

maranatha777p....Yes...He sure does know!! Praying for you!

Anonymous said...

MRs Julie great post.

Bro Tim

~~Deby said...

Oh Julie,
This is so true...and sometimes I am ashamed at my lack of faith when in the depths....and yet on the other side of it...I can see growth...this is a excellant post my friend....Thankful for you.
Deby

Sis. Julie said...

sis. deby...Amen!! I'm thankful for you too!!

Ashley said...

Oh Mrs. Julie! Thank you so much for writing this post! This spoke directly to my current situation. I haven't been commenting a lot lately due to limited time, but I certainly have been reading. I know you don't post awards on your site, but your blog has meant so much to me that I nominated you anyway. Feel free to stop by my blog to read what I wrote! :)

Sis. Julie said...

ashley....You are SO sweet!! I appreciate the Lord giving me this post. It sure helped me in something that I'm going through right now. I will come over to your blog right now. Thank you for your sweet and encouraging words.

Diane Cardot said...

I wanted to say that I really like the Good person test link that you have on your site. It is a really neat way to share the gospel with someone that thinks they are a good person.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. diane...thank you!! I thought it was neat when I saw it on someone else's blog. Thanks for coming by and leaving me a comment! I pray for y'all often!!

Diane Cardot said...

Thanks for your prayers. I will be praying for you and your family as your are beginning a new work for the Lord as missionaries.

Sis. Julie said...

sis. diane....Thank you!! We sure can use those prayers!

VERY IMPORTANT!

Are you a good person? Take this test and find out.

Swidget 1.0 6

Audioministries.org