[0:00] We're in 1 Peter chapter number 1. I guess if I get a third chance, three strikes and you're out, right? So I'm going to do one more time. 1 Peter chapter number 1.
[0:11] I'm very grateful for the Sam Wilson and kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it? We sure seem like we, a lot of times, and it'll mean this disrespectful, but we fuss and whine about a whole lot of things.
[0:24] And then we hear about people who have enough food just for the week. And boy, doesn't it bring into perspective, Lord, forgive me for my fussing, you know, just for some little thing, maybe a phone problem or, you know, sometimes we walk to the refrigerator and say, there's nothing to eat.
[0:39] I mean, the fridge is like packed full of stuff, you know. There's just not the dove chocolate that you're looking for at the time. Can I get an amen? But there's not exactly what you're looking for. And we just, we complain about so many things.
[0:50] And boy, there are people that are truly in need, right? Book of 1 Peter. And we're going to run through the entire book. And if you've got a pen, you want to underline a couple of different things. The book of 1 Peter, one of the two books written by the Apostle Peter.
[1:04] There's three different, out of the 12 apostles, there were three different ones that wrote books that the Lord used to write books. Of course, Peter, and of course, Matthew, and of course, John, right? And we know, and Peter was mentioned probably more than anybody else in the New Testament.
[1:19] In fact, they say over 210 times Peter was mentioned. Paul was only mentioned about 162 times. All the others kind of together about 142 times. Peter was just mentioned a lot. But Peter, it was almost like Peter had a, Peter had a problem.
[1:34] He had a shoe-shaped mouth. Every time he opened it, buddy, I mean, he just insert foot. You know, here it comes. I think sometimes I've got that, that issue that I have inherited from Uncle Peter myself.
[1:45] You know, like sometimes someone will ask and my wife looks over like, oh, I am so nervous what you're about to say right now. I said, oh, hold on, baby, we're just surfs up. I'm about to go out on the sea, you know, and just say about anything and everything.
[1:56] Well, Peter, I mean, he was always saying something silly. You know, I mean, they're going to build something. Here comes the voice of God from heaven and say, this is my beloved son. Peter says, hey, how about we build a couple shacks right up here?
[2:06] And everybody's looking like, Peter, shut up. You know, like, what are you doing? He's always saying something silly. He's always putting his foot in his mouth. So when he comes to this book, he writes maybe in the style, the Holy Spirit working through him, but still using his personnel, using his style.
[2:22] And he mentions a couple different things. And throughout this book, he talks a lot about hope and a lot about trials. Well, I want to take this through something that God has taught me. And, you know, all of us, as we read through, I have a specific Bible verse that, which I cling upon, that which I hold.
[2:38] It's almost like a rope when I get into rough moments in my life. And that's Philippians 1, 6, being confident in this very thing, that he, God, which hath begun a good work in you, salvation, he'll perform it, perfect it, mature it, all the way until the day of Jesus Christ.
[2:51] And many times I get through maybe a rough patch, or what it seemed to me, or like, Lord, I just lost. And it's almost like the Lord knocks on me and says, hey, remember, I'm the one who started in you.
[3:02] You didn't start yourself. And when I started it, I promised that I'll get you through all the way until I come and take you out of this place. And God is good, and we have to remind ourselves, well, when I was going through a moment in life, I was reading through 1 Peter, and it's just like it jumped out at the pages.
[3:17] You know, not every day that you read your Bible that maybe you feel like God's speaking to you directly. Many times we just, we read through it because that's what we need to do. And it's certainly like, you know, maybe food.
[3:28] You don't remember what you ate last Saturday afternoon, but at least it got you until today, didn't it? You know, so it was good that you did eat. But some of those meals, they're just good meals. Yesterday afternoon or evening, we had a steak, an inch and a half steak.
[3:43] Oh, just praise the name of the Lord, you know. Felt like I was back in Argentina again. What a wonderful thing. Well, you know, sometimes when you read the Bible, you just get a wonderful, juicy steak, you know. You just get a great thing there.
[3:54] As I was reading through 1 Peter, and this was written probably in the time of the Roman Emperor Nero. Nero was that Roman Emperor that was just mean. I mean, he burnt some of the city, blamed it on the Christians, and then set many of the Christians on poles, and he just torched them.
[4:10] What a wicked man. But during this time, the Apostle Peter, in the inspiration of God, he talks through a theme throughout 1 Peter. We're going to see every chapter very quickly. Don't get nervous now.
[4:21] But we'll look through every chapter, and we'll see what he says about trials. And tonight, I want to talk to you about this. Truths about trials. What does God say about your trials? What are some benefits from those trials?
[4:31] What are some things that God wants to teach you through those hard moments in your life? You know, they don't have to be in vain when something happens to us. God's got a lesson for us. When I was young, I went through the fourth grade three different times.
[4:43] I used to think it was because the teachers had a crush on me. I don't think so, but you know, that's what I'm excuse anyway, you know? Well, I found out you don't get through until the next grade until you actually do your homework.
[4:54] Go figure, you know? And finally, I did. I was ready to graduate. Listen to this. And you know what? Many times we get through rough portions and patches in our life, and we don't get to the next step because we don't learn what God has for us there.
[5:06] So may we learn what God has for us some truths through the trials. We'll start in 1 Peter chapter 1, beginning of verse number 3. We'll go all the way down to verse number 7. By the way, verse number 7 is the key passage, the key verse to this whole book right here.
[5:19] But we'll start in verse number 3. The Bible said, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy, He hath begotten us again unto a lively hope.
[5:31] What a beautiful word. It's not a dead hope. It's not something that we don't know. He's getting us to a lively hope. Brother, you know that if heaven is your home, you know that nothing here in this world, it really doesn't compare to what God has prepared for you.
[5:45] It's a lively hope that He has for us. By the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, verse number 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away.
[5:57] Reserved in heaven for you. Put your name there. That's for you. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Verse number 6.
[6:08] Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations. That word is a synonym for the word trial.
[6:20] It says in verse number 7 that the trial, that same word there, the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that 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.
[6:38] Well, grab a pen. Let's find out some truths that God has for us when it comes to this area of trials in our life. Verse number 6. We'll start right here. Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now underline these next three words.
[6:49] For a, what does it say? For a what? Season. For a season. First thing that we learn about trials, that trials are for a season.
[7:00] Now what's a season? A season is what we're living in, right? Now it seems like winter has been so long. I am so ready for summer to come. At my house, we got the, you know, the trees are about the bud and everything's looking pretty.
[7:14] I thank the Lord. Yesterday was a warm day. And I'm sure you took advantage of the day and walked outside. I went down to feed my chickens. And that's what I call chicken therapy. It's very, it's actually very cheap.
[7:26] My chickens don't complain and they give me eggs. So take that one, my brother. You know, like, I love my chicken therapy. So I went down and saw my girls and they clucked at me a little bit, gave me the eggs. And I went by. I was just enjoying my time.
[7:38] Man, it was such a beautiful, you know what? This seems like it's such a long winter, but it's only a season. It'll go by. And then here comes spring. And then here comes fall. And then here comes winter. You know that.
[7:48] There's spring. There's different seasons in life. And this is what the Bible says. You know, you went through a hard time. Whatever it may be in your life. You know, whatever area. It might have been a long time ago. It might be something you're going through. And whatever it is.
[7:59] But this is what the Bible says. Here's a promise about the trials. It is only for a season. You remember the season of life when the kids were little. Or maybe the season of life when you're brand new married.
[8:11] Or the season of life when you were having a rough time finding a job. Or whatever it was. That season of life. And this is what it says about our trials. He says, it's only for a season.
[8:21] But I want you to know something else here in verse number six. He says, Look at this next one. The next three words. If need be. So trials, they're only a season.
[8:33] But secondly, trials, they might be needed. It says, If need be. It might just be needed that God sends you through something to teach you a specific lesson.
[8:48] Now, how do we usually go through life? You know, we usually go through life with our heads down looking at the ground. Or maybe even pulling the phone up. Right? And our heads still down. We got this crick in our neck. Because we're always looking down. You know? And we might look.
[8:59] Even look over at others. Or whatever it may be. But sometimes God knows that it's needed in our life. To catch our attention. So that we stop looking down. We stop looking around. We start looking up.
[9:10] You remember the book of Exodus? The children of Israel. They were getting ready. Man, they just got out of Egypt. And as they got out of Egypt. God said, You know what? You can go that way. But nope. Let's not do that.
[9:20] Let's go this way. And God led them by the way of the Red Sea. Remember what happened? They went that way. And as they're going that way. All of a sudden they get to the Red Sea. And here's the border. So he's standing right there.
[9:30] And here's all the Red Sea. And all of a sudden they look back. And here comes all the Egyptians. Buddy, they're coming furiously. Man, I mean, they got the chariots. And they got the big old stallions.
[9:41] Those horses are flying down there. And they've got all the spears. And boy, they're yelling. And probably snarling. And everything else. And saying, We should have kept those fellas as our slaves. What in the world were we thinking? And sure enough, here they come.
[9:53] Man, the smoke is a burling. It's going up. And here comes all the Israelites. They're looking right in front of them at the Red Sea. And they say, What in the world are we supposed to do? Now they can run right or they can run left. But geographically, if you study that portion, the Bible says that right where they're at.
[10:06] Look at the map. Right where they're at. There's a mountain range on the right side. And there's a mountain range on the left side. So those fellas, those Israelites, they're looking.
[10:17] And all of a sudden they're right there in front of the Red Sea. And they say, Oh, God, what are we going to do? Now, if God would have left it plain valley opened up, they could have taken off running to the right. They could have taken off running to the left.
[10:27] But God just happened to put that, not by accident. There's no coincidence with the Lord. But he just had to put those mountain ranges right there. And behind them are the enemies. And in front of them is the Red Sea. And all of a sudden God says, What are y'all fussing for?
[10:41] Boom! Raise that. And boy, Moses raised that staff. And Red Sea opens up. And buddy, those guys, come on. I can just imagine as they're walking through there, you know, looking at the fish that are going through there. I don't know what happens.
[10:52] You know, that's my version of it anyway, you know. And man, I mean, they're walking on through there. Man, they get to the other side. And all of a sudden God collapses it. All the chariots and everything else. They all end up dying. What a miracle. But you know what?
[11:02] They would have never seen that miracle if they weren't exactly where God wanted them. God didn't let them. And so many times I say, Lord, get me out of here.
[11:12] Like the psalmist says, Lord, as a dove, just get me on wings and fly me out of here. And the Lord says, oh, no. If you could run to the right, if the money could fix it and your friends could fix it and you could outsmart it, you get out of this trial that you're in.
[11:26] But with the enemies behind, the mountains on both sides, and the river in front of you, all you can do is look up and say, oh, God, help me. He said, that's exactly where I want you.
[11:37] Could it be that it's just needed? That God brings something into your life so that you look up at him? In the book of Psalms 119, and allow me just to read a couple. You could turn over there if you'd like.
[11:48] We're going right back to 1 Peter in chapter 1. But in Psalm 119, the psalmist says it this way. In verse number 67, he says, before I was afflicted. Psalm 119, verse number 67. Before I was afflicted, before I had all these trials and these hard times and tribulations in my life.
[12:03] Before I was afflicted, I went astray. I went my own way. Look at this. It says, but now, after the affliction, after the trial, after tribulation, after the rough patch in my life. But now have I kept thy word.
[12:16] Boy, I was just going my own way. All of a sudden, something happened in my life and just brought my attention. And I looked up to God. Verse number 71, the Bible says this. Same Psalm 119, verse number 71. It said, it is good for me.
[12:29] Now he's already said, he's already learned his lesson. Now verse number 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. Look, that I might learn thy statutes.
[12:40] Now Psalm 119, every verse, except for maybe just a handful of them, uses another word for the word of God. It says his commandments and his statutes and his judgments and his precepts.
[12:50] But he says, now God, thank you, God. I've learned what you wanted me to learn because you let me go through this time. Your trials, dear friend, your trials are just a season.
[13:02] You say, I can't wait until that season ends. Good. But second of all, they might just be needed because God wants to teach you something. You know, many times I'm walking through life on my own.
[13:13] And many of the, in fact, they say that, what are some of the best moments that you've learned the most in your life or had? Many times those biggest victories are closest to those biggest failures. You know, when I, man, I remember when I had absolutely nothing and I said, God, I've got to have help.
[13:28] And it was all of a sudden like, God, help me right there. Many times it was when I didn't know what to do and God gave me the, you know, when those biggest failures, here comes those biggest victories. And many times God has to get us as low as we can so we look straight up.
[13:40] Because if we're, you know, if the hole's not that deep, we can look over and we can get out that way, climb over or whatever it may be. But when the hole's deep, what else can you do but to look up and say, oh Lord, where are you? And we say, oh Lord, where are you?
[13:52] He says, well, I've been waiting for you to look up here, buddy. Remember what Hebrews chapter 12 says? He disciplines those who he loves. It's not out of anger. It's not out of pain. Maybe it's out of things that God wants to teach us in our lives.
[14:06] In chapter number three, 1 Peter chapter number three, look over for one second. 1 Peter chapter number three. I said, we'll touch every chapter here. I want you to see chapter number three for a second. Look in chapter number three, if you would.
[14:17] 1 Peter chapter number three, verse number, let's see, verse number 17. Here it is. Verse number 17. For it is better, look at this comma, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for well-doing, than for evil doing.
[14:32] It goes on here, but it says, if it so be the will of God. Now, hold on. How in the world would God want that one from me? That's, yeah, that's anti, that's what, that's against what God does.
[14:45] No, sometimes God just lets you suffer a little bit. You know, we like to say, you know, if you serve God, you'll be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Well, I mean, I may have Ben Franklin believed that, but not Jesus, you know, like that just doesn't happen like that.
[15:00] And they didn't go to early bed and early to rise either, beloved, you know. But anyway, but you know, I mean, sometimes we think that, and we have this concept in our head. But God says, oh no, it might just be my will that I let you go through there.
[15:12] And God wants to mold us, and God wants to make us, and he wants to chip off those different things, and correct us and fix us, and put us exactly where he wants to be. Let me read this that I wrote down here. A young boy carried the cocoon of the moth into his house to watch the fascinating events that would take place when the moth emerged.
[15:30] When the moth finally started to break out of his cocoon, the boy noticed how very hard that the moth had to struggle. The process was very slow. In an effort to help, the boy reached down, he widened and opening the cocoon.
[15:44] Soon the moth was out of his prison. But as the boy watched, the wings remained shriveled. Something was wrong. But the boy had not realized that the struggle to get out of the cocoon was essential for the moth's muscle system to develop in a misguided effort to relieve a struggle.
[16:02] The boy had crippled the future of this creature. Could it be that sometimes God just says, you know what, I'm going to let you go through that so that you learn to depend on me. How many times do I think I can do it myself?
[16:13] God, I got this one. He says, oh really? Well, my son's not in here, so I can tell you that sometimes we'll go down there to feed the chickens. And I usually get the 50-pound bags or the laying pellets. And I'll put it on my shoulder and we'll walk down and say, buddy, you get the chicken bucket.
[16:26] And by the way, for, you know, if you're not as civilized to know what a chicken bucket is, that's what you put the scraps in. You take it down, you dump them there. And that's what you put the eggs in to bring back up. Just kidding.
[16:36] Anyway, that's my version of the chicken bucket. So anyway, I'll say, you get the chicken bucket and get the water in. And, you know, he'll get the gallon jugs, the water, and I'll put the, you know, the bag and the pellets and we'll walk down the hill. And sometimes he'll say, I'll get the bag, Dad.
[16:49] You know, we'll have to put it. I'll say, buddy, I'll get it. Don't worry about it. And so he'll pick it up. And I mean, it's 50 pounds. It's bigger than he is. And I mean, good night. His dad, it's not like his dad is six foot three.
[16:59] You know what I'm saying? But anyway, he picks that thing up. And I mean, he might get it like two inches off the ground. He goes, I mean, he does the penguin waddle. You know what I'm saying? I mean, he goes like this. And he stops right there. Buddy, you need help? No, no, Dad.
[17:09] I got this. And I'm like, good night. You're that young. And the male eagle is already eating you up. You're like, come on, buddy. Like, let's get over this, you know. And we got this, you know. And comes, I don't know, with birth or whatever.
[17:20] But anyway, he goes a little bit more. And finally, you know, bag tips over. He says, buddy, you need help? No, no, no. And he'll pick it back up. You know, it takes a bunch just to pick it back up. And he'll get it. And he'll go like this. And he'll wait, you know, because he doesn't want to totally.
[17:32] I try to leave some, you know. I don't want to take everything away from something. Buddy, how about we switch? Because this is a little bit heavy. You know, you don't want to just, oh, you can't handle it now? You know, I want to leave him some dignity.
[17:44] So how about, buddy, you switch? Would you take this water for me? So I'll get that. And I'll throw it up there. And I'll go on down. And, man, he can't get that. It's so hard. But, man, I want him to try. And how many times do we carry things on our back saying, I got this, God?
[17:56] And the Lord says, fine. Go ahead and take it. And it's not until we finally look up and say, okay, God, I need your help. And he says, good. You know what chapter number 5, verse number 7 says? Casting all your care upon God.
[18:09] For he cares for you. How many times do we go through life, man, we lose sleep on our stress, don't we? I mean, we mull over it, you know, just like we're chewing that cut over and over. Man, I can't believe it.
[18:20] Oh, next time I see them, I can't. Oh, man. I mean, we just get worked up, don't we? And you say, I would never do that. Oh, whatever. You wouldn't do that. You know, I mean, but we get all worked up. And the Lord says, quit you carrying that thing around.
[18:32] It might just needs be that I put that thing in there so that you would look up and stop trying to carry it yourself, right? Well, we see here that back in chapter number 1, we see that trials are only a season. Thank the Lord for that.
[18:43] You know, the Old Testament, I love how the Old Testament says, and it came to pass. Thank God it didn't come to stay. Amen. It came to pass. It was there and it was gone. And you said, you know what? Trials are only for a season.
[18:53] But secondly, they might just be need. It might even be God's will. God might just send you something because God wants to strengthen you. God wants to give you and perfect you and mature you just like he wants it.
[19:05] But I want you to look down in verse number 7, would you? 1 Peter chapter 1, verse number 7. It says that the trial of your faith being, underline these next four or five words, more precious than of gold.
[19:18] More precious than of gold. So trials, they're a season. Trials, they might just be needed, but now trials, they are worth more than gold.
[19:29] You know, it doesn't seem like at the moment they leave a good flavor and taste in your mouth, does it? It doesn't seem like it's very good at all. But it's under these hot pressures in the oven that God places you that he can get out exactly what he wants from you.
[19:46] In Job chapter 23, verse number 10, he says, when I come forth, I may come forth as gold. You know, sometimes those fires turn up and they don't feel good at all. And sometimes we reach out and we fuss at one or fuss at the other or get mad and, you know, become bitter.
[20:01] You don't have to become bitter. You can become better. God wants to actually use these things. You know, that sandpaper that you have, I have different sandpaper and you can use it to wipe off. You get too thick of sandpaper.
[20:12] I mean, you could just rip something off. But, you know, you get the thin sandpaper and you'll get it ready, you know, for my daughter's macrame, you know. Daddy's old cleaning it up and getting that ready. Use the right sandpaper.
[20:22] You know what God does? Sometimes he uses sandpaper through maybe someone else's sandpaper for your life. Maybe a situation's sandpaper. But God will use that sandpaper, not because he wants to hurt you, because he wants to cleanse and help and strengthen you, to bring you forth as gold.
[20:38] You can come forth stronger. Just let God. Verse number seven, it says this, more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire. Look at this next part. Might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
[20:53] Let's put that, found, it says found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of our Jesus Christ. So those trials, oh yeah, they're first season. They might be needed and they even bring you in and help you bring forth this gold.
[21:06] But they also, these trials here, it says they can help you become the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. In chapter number two, very quickly, just the next book, next chapter over, chapter number two and verse number 20.
[21:20] Look what it says here. Chapter number two and verse number 20. For what glory is it if when you be buffeted, when you suffer, when you have tribulation, when you're afflicted, when you're buffeted for your own fault, you should take it patiently.
[21:33] In other words, you're saying, seriously? I mean, you think that you're really suffering. It's your fault. That's why you're suffering, you knucklehead. You know, I mean, man, I was running down the road and you know, man, I was going 93 and a 25 and the police called me.
[21:47] I'm really suffering. The Lord says, no, you're not suffering for my sake. You're suffering because you got a lead foot. Let off there, big boy. You know, like sometimes our suffering, we want to blame the guy.
[21:58] I said, no, no, no. What in the world do you think that's oh so good for you when you suffer for your own problem? But look what it says here, verse number 20. But if when you do well and you suffer for it and you take it patiently, this is, what does it say?
[22:14] This is what? Acceptable. What does it say? Acceptable for or acceptable with God. Now, I am accepted according to Ephesians chapter 1.
[22:24] I am accepted in the beloved, but my actions are not always acceptable to my Lord. But I want my actions to be acceptable to the Lord. When you do right and you suffer for it, he says, you know what?
[22:36] This is for my praise and my honor and my glory. So many times we get into troubles because of our own faults, don't we? Many times we go out there. I remember when I was a younger man way back years ago, I remember, man, I'd go outside and I grew up in the Midwest and it would get winter.
[22:52] And so, man, I'd walk out there and my dad would say, now, son, you need to put your coat on. And I'd say, dad, I don't need to worry about this. So I'd walk out and I'd go, and I'd breathe that in. Man, I was a man's man. No shoes and no t-shirt.
[23:04] And I walked back in and I was suffering for about three days for being a man's man out in that cold. What a dummy I was. My dad didn't look at me and say, well, son, I'm really sorry this happened. And he said, my dad was more old school.
[23:16] He would just say, well, that's your fault. Really, really good move there, wasn't it? I'm like, come on, dad, where's the compassion? You know, I need mom to come over and say, I'm sorry, son, you're so dumb. You know, like my dad would be like, oh, you're dumb. It's your own fault.
[23:26] You know, like, man, come on. And this is what the Lord said. You know what? Sometimes you suffer. It's your own fault. But when you do it and you're doing it for me, it's my praise and my honor and my glory.
[23:38] What a beautiful thing it is. You see, we're going to get through that. Anyone, one man said it this way. You know, your greatest messages that you preach or your greatest messages, us that are moms and dads, the greatest messages that we're teaching to our kids, it's not when they're listening.
[23:52] Sit down. I want to share you something. You know what the great lessons are? When we're going through a hard time in life and we still speak and we don't even know that they're listening. That's when our greatest messages are, right in the valleys of our life.
[24:04] You know what? There was a song when I was a kid and it would say, the God of the mountain is still God in the valley, the God of the valley is still God in the mountain. You know, it's easy to serve God when you're up high and everything's perfect, isn't it?
[24:16] But what about those low times in life? What about when you're in the valley of the shadow of death? You know, that's not too easy, is it? But you know what? Even when things are going rough and against you and not your own way, you can still serve Lord.
[24:28] You can still have the right attitude and it's for his praise and for his honor and for his glory. God will take you sometimes places that you don't necessarily want to go to produce in you something that God does want to produce in you.
[24:40] Let him produce those. We've, uh, you can be like the, uh, uh, like Abraham, Abraham of old in Romans chapter four. He that hoped against hope. God says, I'm going to give you a son.
[24:51] He said, I'm not sure if you realize how old I am. By the way, my wife's not a young whippersnapper either. You know, I'm going to give her a child. Oh, come on. This ain't going to happen. Finally, they have a child. And then one day Lord says, guess what?
[25:02] I'm going to take down. Why don't you offer him up to me? He says, Lord, are you serious? Took me a hundred years to get this little fella. Now you want to offer him up? He says, Lord, I don't understand, but even don't throw those hard times.
[25:14] He said, you know what God? In the Bible says, Romans chapter four, that he hoped against hope. Everything was against him, but he still believed in God. He still kept his focus and his eyes on God. Well, go with me, if you would, to chapter number four very quickly.
[25:26] So what about these trials that happen in our life? What about these hard times that happen in our life? What about these paths and patches of life that we go through and say, oh, Lord, I don't know if I can do this anymore. God, I quit.
[25:37] I'm ready to throw in the towel. You may have never been there. Many times I think, Lord, this is just, this is ridiculous. I can't do this. I'm not made for this. God, I want to throw in the towel, right? I mean, just Lord, I'm going to look for something, you know, else or whatever your attitude may be.
[25:50] And it might not be as bad as mine is. And I say, Lord, I can't do it. He said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let you know right now that this problem that you're going through, it's only a season and it might be needed for your life.
[26:04] I might want to teach you something. And you know what? Let your attitude be for my honor and my glory and my prayer. You can't help what happens to you, but you can help how you react to what happens to you, dear friend. Nobody can rob your joy if you don't let them.
[26:17] Nobody can make you mad. Nobody can put a gun to your head. Nobody can make you do anything. You can still have your eyes focused on our Lord. You don't give up. Look at what it says in chapter number four. We look at chapter number two and chapter number three at different times.
[26:30] In chapter number four, and we'll go in, if we could, in verse number 12 and verse number 13. Look what the Bible says. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
[26:57] Look back up there in verse number 12. It says, Beloved, think it not strange. Would you underline those words? Think it not strange. When we talk about trials, oh, they're foreseasened. Oh, they might be needed, even God's will.
[27:09] Oh, God has some things to teach you. You could have the right attitude during those trials. But look at this. He says, think it not strange. In other words, it's not only you going through trials. Sometimes we think that we're the only ones, don't we?
[27:22] Oh, Lord, I can't believe nobody else has a problem like I do. Nobody else suffers like I do. Lord, nobody else struggles and nobody else. And boy, we play that comparison game, don't we?
[27:33] Lord said, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't you think this is strange? Good night. There's other people all around the world. Your other brothers and sisters and everybody else. They're also having hard times.
[27:46] You remember what the Bible tells us in 1 Timothy chapter number 3, verse number 12. It says, they that they're going to live godly, they shall suffer persecution. Lord, I want to do what's right.
[27:57] And he said, good. Welcome to the club, buddy. It's going to happen. Yeah, I used to love one of my favorite Philippians chapter 3, verse number 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection. I would always stop right there.
[28:07] Because I want to know God. I want to serve God. I want to love him. I want to walk with him intimately. I know God and the power of his resurrection. And then it says this. There's a comment. It says, in the fellowship of his suffering.
[28:18] I'm like, yeah, I don't need that part. I'll just say, that I may know him. You're like, I don't need the other part. And he says, oh, you want to be like me? Oh, you want to grow? Oh, you want to be mature? Oh, you want to be strong? Good. You can know me. My power.
[28:29] And he says, also the fellowship of my suffering. Well, Lord, I didn't ask for that one. Can you give me A without B? He said, nope. It doesn't come like that. And you know what? As a child of God, sometimes we think it's strange.
[28:40] Why in the world? The Lord says, whoa. What do you think? That you're going to go through life unscathed? What do you think? You're going to go through life and, you know, roses, you know, down the path for you?
[28:50] Just a path that's perfect and it's easy? No, dear friends. We will all have struggles. Maybe someone criticizes. Maybe someone condemns. Maybe you have financial, whatever it is, dear friend.
[29:02] But let's not think it's strange. Our God is using this in us to help us. But I want you to see a little bit further. In fact, John chapter number 16, verse number 33. It says, in this world, in this world, you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.
[29:18] I have overcome the world. I'm like, Lord, out of all John 14, John 16, he's given the comforter is coming. And he said, be not troubled. You know, and the Lord begins to tell them, I'm leaving, but I'm going to leave you the comforter.
[29:30] John 14 to John 16. And it comes to the end of chapter number 16 where he says, I'm getting ready to leave. And then he says, hey, guys, one more thing here. By the way, in this world, you're going to have tribulation. I'm like, seriously, that's how you ended it?
[29:41] I mean, you couldn't have said, all right, boys, one, two, three, the victory. It's all yours. Go at it. He says, nope, in this world, you're going to have. I'm like, seriously, Lord? What kind of pep talk you, I mean, Lord, I hate to say it, but you, I mean, you get a bad grade on the pep talking here.
[29:56] I mean, that's just not right. And then he said this, but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world. You keep your focus on me. Don't you worry how you go through a hard time. You keep your focus on me and I'll help you through this situation.
[30:07] Look, if you would, verse number 13, the Bible says, all right, so it said, think not strange, all these fiery trials. And then verse number 13, he says, but, next word it says, but, what does it say? Rejoice.
[30:18] Underline that, but rejoice. So don't think it's strange. You're not the only one going through these fiery. And by the way, that fiery means a hot and uncomfortable and a burn you. You're going to go through those trials.
[30:31] Don't think it's strange. You're not the only one. He says, in fact, let me tell you what you should do. You should rejoice. Rejoice. You know this. I don't have to tell you. I'm just reminding you of things that you already know.
[30:42] But in Philippians chapter 4, verse number 4, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, rejoice. The good and the bad, right? And in James, just a book right prior to this, in James chapter 1 and verse number 2, 3, and 4, the Bible said, My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations and trials and tribulations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith at worketh patience, let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect, entire, wanting or lacking nothing.
[31:07] And then he says, oh, by the way, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth the liberally to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.
[31:18] Praise the Lord, dear friend. You may go through that and you say, Lord, I can't. Listen, we don't rejoice in the problems, but we rejoice that we are partakers of our Savior who also suffered. In chapter number 2 and verse number 21, we stopped in verse number 21.
[31:33] We're talking about trials. But in verse number 21, after he talked about those sufferings, he said, and follow me. I've left my footsteps. He suffered just like we did. He was a human, just like we are.
[31:44] He had these struggles, just like you would. But rejoice. Look one more, if you would, in chapter number 5. In chapter number 5, we'll go to the last one, chapter number 5 here. And look, if it would, verse number 10.
[31:57] We've covered chapter 1 and 2 and 3 and 4. Now look at chapter number 5. The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. Now, let me stop one second. You say, well, I don't know.
[32:10] Sometimes we'll talk about being called of God. You know, we're all called. Listen, we're all called unto salvation. We're all called unto the service of our God. And he says, you know what? You're called. Man, we've got a beautiful inheritance waiting for us, dear friend.
[32:22] We don't serve out of, you know, what is the word? Now I've got Spanish running through my head. We don't serve out of that we have to. We serve out of we get to. We serve out of a wonderful and content heart because he's called us unto him.
[32:33] Now look what it says here in verse number 10. He's called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. After that ye have, look at this, suffered a while. You remember that? It's only for a season. You suffered for a while, Lord.
[32:45] And sometimes we don't have the best attitude when we do suffer, do we? Oh, Lord, why? This is what he says. You suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.
[32:58] So we finally see the end result of the trial of the suffering. We started off the book with chapter number one. And I mean, this is the time of Nero. And buddy, they really were suffering.
[33:08] There really were trials. There really were persecutions and tribulation and rough time. And all of ours might look differently. You know, every child of God, every Bible character that we see, God has touched all of them in a different way.
[33:21] And do you know, everyone that God has ever used, God has allowed to go through a very hard time in their life. And we think about Jacob. And Jacob was there wrestling with the angel, with the Lord.
[33:33] And all of a sudden, the rest of his life, he's limping around. You know, he touched the right side. He's limping around the rest of his life. And every time I imagine that he stepped on that and he was limping, he remembered that God had let him go through that.
[33:46] Oh, Joseph, man, he had an attitude and a half. He said, you know, he woke up one day. He said, had a dream, Daddy. You and Mama and all my brothers, everybody's going to be bowing down to me. Oh, yeah.
[33:58] And his daddy said, oh, son, I love you. Not sure if that's going to happen, but I love you. Take this coat. And his brothers say, oh, wait until we get out into the field. And so they take him out the field. You know what happens.
[34:09] I mean, they put him in this, you know, this hole. And then finally they sell him off. And, man, he goes through there. And all of a sudden, he gets beat up. He's in jail. He's in prison. He's a servant. He's a slave. Man, he just, and all of a sudden, one day, he comes.
[34:21] And now he's in charge. And his brothers come. And they said, oh, Joseph. And he said, whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't you think that you put me here? God put me here because he has a purpose. And you know what?
[34:32] God said, Joseph, I'm going to use you. But, Joseph, I have to bring you down so then I can bring you up. Moses said, you know what? I am the son of the daughter of Pharaoh. I have the best education.
[34:43] I have all the money for all the parties. I got all the friends and all the fame and everything in my favor. Buddy, I'm living the good life. One day I'll be the next Pharaoh. You better not look at me like that because when I'm Pharaoh, I'll throw you in jail just because you got that smirk on your face.
[34:57] I mean, I imagine he walked around pretty cocky, you know. What's up? You're going to be my slave. Oh, how's it going? You're going to be giving me grapes. I mean, he's walking around. Man, he was strutting the stuff. And then all of a sudden one day here comes Pharaoh and said, where's that Moses guy?
[35:10] I'm going to kill him. And he runs out 40 years living in the desert. And he said, I'm away with that life. And all of a sudden, Lord, in that fiery burning bush, Lord says, hey, Moses, I'm going to use you to go back.
[35:20] And he said, oh, no, I'm not going back there. He said, yes, you are. And here goes Moses. The meekest man upon the earth is what the Bible says. Now, he wasn't so meek when he started off. He's a pretty cocky fellow. But God did some things and God brought him down so that God can bring him up.
[35:33] And you know, dear friends, we go through trials in our life. But could it be that God wants to mold you and make you into something special? Sometimes we get bitter of things that are in the past.
[35:44] We say, well, you know, people shouldn't have treated me that way. And that shouldn't have happened to me. And you know what? In my childhood or whatever, don't you become bitter of those things, dear friend? God is molding you and making you into what he wants you to be.
[35:57] And the end result here, he says in verse number 10, he says, I may make you perfect, establish you, strengthen you, not weaken you and settle you, not throw you off course.
[36:08] I want to get you on the right track serving our Savior. G. Campbell Morgan was an old preacher of the past. And he said to a young preacher boy, or he was looking at a young preacher boy. And he said, oh, he's a very good preacher.
[36:20] That's what he said. He's a very good preacher. And when he has suffered a little, he will be a great preacher. You know, sometimes God has to shake us. You know, it never was, dear friend, a smooth sea never made a skillful sailor.
[36:34] Sometimes God lets us go through those seas, doesn't he? We don't understand. I certainly don't. But God, why? You know, my responsibility is not to understand everything.
[36:44] It's to obey our Savior. Let me close with this. When I was a kid, we used to sing this song. It said, God will make this trial a blessing. Though it sends me to my knees.
[36:55] Though my tears flow like a river. Yet in him there's sweet relief. There's no need to get discouraged. There's no need to talk defeat.
[37:06] God will make this trial a blessing. And the whole wide world will see. The first verse says, I was not the first one to come into this place. You see, every child of God, this test you must face.
[37:21] It's here that God will mold you and make you what you ought to be. God will make this trial a blessing. Just be patient and you will see. Can we pray? Father, we love you and thank you. Lord, I don't know exactly why you let things happen in our lives, God.
[37:34] Sometimes we think, Lord, but I'm giving to you. I'm faithful to you. I love you. I'm trying to do what's right. But Lord, you still allow things to happen. Why, God? God, but thank you for the book of 1 Peter that tells us it's only for time.
[37:47] Thank you for 1 Peter that tells us that you have a purpose in that, God. You want to bring us forth as gold. We love you. We need you, precious Father. We want to serve you with all of our hearts and with all of our lives.
[37:58] In Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[38:08] Amen. Amen.