2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,(A) 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.
-James 1:2-4 (HCSB)
Yesterday, we looked at how our faith is more precious than even pure gold. We looked at how our faith is tried by fire. Today, we are going to look at endurance. If we are going to have a strong faith in God, we must have strong endurance.
A marathon runner must prepare, and be ready to run a marathon race. They have trained their bodies, and they have the endurance to make it to the end. A properly trained marathon runner will not give up and quit before the finish line. Neither should a Christian. To grow our faith strong, we must have endurance. We gain endurance through trials.
James writes in verse 2, "Consider it great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials," We should be joyful when our faith gets tried. Really? Yes. Here is why. Verse 3 says, "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." The endurance you need to continue living the Christian life is found through the testing of your faith. When you learn to trust and lean on God in today's trial, it will make it easier to trust and lean on God in tomorrow's trial. See where I'm going. That is endurance, and if you want to live the successful Christian life, you must have endurance to continue-in spite of the trials you're going through. Verse 4 says, "But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing." Endurance must complete it's work, so that we may be complete. A metal that is not completely refined will never live up to what it was created for. The same is true for the Christian that has no endurance.
How do you respond when trials come your way? With joy? With worry? Think About It.
Showing posts with label fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fire. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Refiner's Fire
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:
-First Peter 1:7 (KJV)
None of us like to have our faith tried. Yet, there is benefits to it. That's what I want to look at for the next couple of days.
Peter writes in verse 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 honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." First off, look at what Peter says about the importance of our faith. He says that faith is "much more precious than of gold that perisheth," Our faith is more precious than gold. Gold is selling at almost $1600 an ounce today. Our faith is worth much, much more. Why? Because gold perishes. Gold will, one day, be burnt up, it will be destroyed. You can't take gold with you into eternity. Our faith is worth more than gold.
Secondly, Peter teaches that our faith is tried by fire. I remember a praise song, I'll put a video of it at the end, that was called "Refiner's Fire." Gold, silver and other metals are made stronger through the fire of the refinery. Without the fire, the metals will be weak and unable to stand up to what it was created for. Our faith is the same way. Unless your faith gets used, it will be weak and unable to stand up the the trials of life. The "Refiner's Fire" makes your faith strong. And there is a reason for it.
The reason for our need of a strong faith is: "might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." One day, we'll see Jesus face to face. Will our faith carry us to the end of our lives here on earth? Will our faith bring praise, honor and glory to Jesus? Can your faith stand the test of time? Think About It.
-First Peter 1:7 (KJV)
None of us like to have our faith tried. Yet, there is benefits to it. That's what I want to look at for the next couple of days.
Peter writes in verse 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 honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." First off, look at what Peter says about the importance of our faith. He says that faith is "much more precious than of gold that perisheth," Our faith is more precious than gold. Gold is selling at almost $1600 an ounce today. Our faith is worth much, much more. Why? Because gold perishes. Gold will, one day, be burnt up, it will be destroyed. You can't take gold with you into eternity. Our faith is worth more than gold.
Secondly, Peter teaches that our faith is tried by fire. I remember a praise song, I'll put a video of it at the end, that was called "Refiner's Fire." Gold, silver and other metals are made stronger through the fire of the refinery. Without the fire, the metals will be weak and unable to stand up to what it was created for. Our faith is the same way. Unless your faith gets used, it will be weak and unable to stand up the the trials of life. The "Refiner's Fire" makes your faith strong. And there is a reason for it.
The reason for our need of a strong faith is: "might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." One day, we'll see Jesus face to face. Will our faith carry us to the end of our lives here on earth? Will our faith bring praise, honor and glory to Jesus? Can your faith stand the test of time? Think About It.
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