In fact, James talks about a faith without works, as demonic faith. He says even the demons believe and shudder (Jas 2:19). We must develop an eternal view in order to have joy in the midst of our trials. In two Old Testament books - perhaps more than most of the others - we are told, over and over, about the glory of God: Isaiah and Psalms. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. I have no doubt that God did this so that we could apply it to any trial we experience, whether sickness, depression or demonic persecutions. Its also about the role we will play once we are there. Many of them are in the middle of adversity and calamity. Many of us have lost our joy because we have sinned by losing the right focus. One of the things I love about 1 Peter is his focus on the gospel and having joy in our salvation. Are you facing battles in your life? The victory they enjoyed - was victory God granted to them. Maybe we have been in a bad marriage or dealing with a difficult boss or some type of persecution. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. This person inevitably falls away from Christ and never returns. Trials help us evaluate our faith. Praise the Lord!Praise God in his sanctuary;praise him in his mighty heavens!Praise him for his mighty deeds;praise him according to his excellent greatness!Praise him with trumpet sound;praise him with lute and harp!Praise him with tambourine and dance;praise him with strings and pipe!Praise him with sounding cymbals;praise him with loud clashing cymbals!Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!Praise the Lord! He means that God is in control of our trials and they do not happen by accident. For what son is not disciplined by his father (Heb 12:7)? Yep, praising God in the midst of trouble is a powerful tool. In fact, one of the things that I respect about the reformed tradition (Presbyterians, Reformed Baptist, Reformed Church of America, etc.) Listen to what David said about his experience with discipline: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word (Ps 119:67). In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fadekept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by Gods power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time (emphasis mine).1 Peter 1:35. David's Prayer 10 David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, LORD, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Colossians 2:12 says -- "having been buried with him in baptism, and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead." Gold is one of the most precious metals because it is one of the most imperishable. "And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. God has complete independence in the exercise of His authority. God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. (Matthew 5:16, NIV). Focus on eternity; trials are brief in comparison to eternity. This is something we can rejoice in even in the midst of trials. Therefore, we can have joy. Its only the broken whom he can pour his precious grace through to minister to others. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. His Word has reached our hearts and had the intended influence. THINGS HAPPEN THAT WE TAKE NO PLEASURE IN. In the midst of his anguish, the psalmist (Ethan) begins his prayer with praise and worship. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. How do you respond to trials? These have come so that your faithof greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by firemay be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (emphasis mine).1 Peter 1:7. The contrast is that true faith is more precious than gold in that it never perishes. It tells your eyes that despite what you may see - you have a Creator. He teaches you how to be able to feel others heartaches. Although David did often declare his misery to God, he managed to end his words to God in praise and . Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 118:15). This reservoir allows you to go deeper than you have before. But thats not it. A good example of this is Peter and Judas. When it says the trials have come so that our faith may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed, this seems to be referring to the reality that God will praise you, glorify you, and honor you for your faithfulness in going through trials. I feel like Peter is doing that herehe brings us back to the gospel; he brings us back to our salvation. Application Question: What things keep you from developing this eternal view point in the midst of your trials? Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in meput it into practice. Likewise - in our study of the Bible, we are called upon to really exert ourselves; there is debate and analysis and argument. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. If you have lost your first love, you cannot have joy in the midst of trials or in the midst of your service for Christ. Christ said, I will never leave you nor forsake you (Matt 28:20). No, this is about being so impressed by the character of God, so influenced by His marvelous attributes, we have to say something; we are compelled by the sheer power and majesty of the Lord to bless Him, or praise His name. When we speak of God - His rule, His authority and supremacy, HE ENJOYS AND EXERCISES AUTHORITY INDEPENDENT OF ANYBODY ELSE !! "And into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fadekept in heaven for you" ( 1 Pet 1:4 ). Through godly behavior, we light the way for others. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible. It is simple - praise to God reminds you that you are not alone. Trials can create a tremendous intimacy. 4. We must develop an eternal perspective. I pray youll be encouraged and take hope in Gods power, even as the battles seem to close in around you. However, those who are not trained by it often develop strongholds. Listen to what John said about those who were in the church but left the church of Ephesus to follow the Gnostic cults. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!For the Lord is a great God,and a great King above all gods. Lean on the words of others until you find your own. Trials to our faith, are like fire to a precious metalthe fire tests the genuineness of it. I will extol theLordat all times;his praise will always be on my lips.I will gloryin theLord;let the afflicted hear and rejoice.Glorify theLordwith me;let us exalthis name together.I sought theLord,and he answered me;he deliveredme from all my fears. He has served over eighteen years in pastoral ministry, and currently serves as a chaplain and professor at Handong G More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. Only with great difficulty are we able to try and wrap our minds around this concept of ETERNITY. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. Psalm 34 is a typical psalm of praise: I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. It does not say Paul was prideful, but God was saving him from the sin of pride through this humbling experience. GOD! BUT NOW - at the end of all this analysis and argument and affirmation -- THERE IS ADORATION! In the Parable of the Minas, listen again to what the master told the servant who used his minas well: The first one came and said, Sir, your mina has earned ten more. Well done, my good servant! his master replied. Peter saw them as little in comparison to the glories of eternity, and so must we. We rejoice in our undefiled inheritance. King David prayed, "Wealth and honor come from you We give you thanks, and praise your glorious name Everything comes from you" (1 Chronicles 29:12-14, NIV). Eph 1:11; Rom 8:28). Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (emphasis mine).Matthew 5:1112. Peter says that trials are used to prove the genuiness of ones faith. Let praise bring you up above what you see in the world right now. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. The writer uses the word hardship to refer to any kind of trial we go through. Let us remember, how Jesus responded to those who professed salvation in Matt 7:23; he says, I never knew you. They were not saved and lost it. If faith is genuine, it will last until the revelation of Christ when he comes, and it will result in praise, glory, and honor from God (v. 7). Power. God is the one who gives you faith (Ephesians 2:89), and he is the one who keeps it. All rights reserved. Peter says it is possible for these believers to have both great joy and grief in the midst of their trials. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. We can rejoice in trials because they have purpose. Peter says there is more. But I will sing of your strength;I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.For you have been to me a fortressand a refuge in the day of my distress.O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,for you, O God, are my fortress,the God who shows me steadfast love. Paul in fact lived it. When I am vulnerable, you are my refuge. Here I am! The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Praise God that He shows us how prevention is always better and less stressful than a curative measure. How can this bring joy? . My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Psalm 18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. He says if they were saved, they would have remained.. Though this was originally given in the context of church discipline, we can be sure that this is true whenever Gods people gather together for religious purposes.1 Christ is present wherever his people gather for the purpose of worshiping, honoring, and serving the Lord. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. There was a time when we were dead to God, but now we are alive to him. To be people of praise, we must come to the end of ourselves. - God says in Psalm 50:23. I dont necessarily have to experience exactly what they have gone through to comfort them. It is harder for them to love, harder for them to forgive, or harder for them to have peace. We are trained by persevering through the trial and seeking the Lord and his Word in the midst of it. He extols the virtue of fearing the Lord and remembering His goodness. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. A Mikhtam of David, when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him. ). As a father, he only allows us to go through things that are necessary for us. It seems to be the same argument used by Peter, since he has just talked about our heavenly inheritance. That is the context in the previous verses (1 Pet 3-5). With this new birth, we receive an inheritance in heaven (v. 4). These praises are not always after victory. But look at Christianitywe honor and worship a man who died on a cross. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. The child may cry and complain, and it is not that the father is immune to the childs tears, but it is because he knows whats best. James said the same thing: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life (emphasis mine) that God has promised to those who love him (Jas 1:12). The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. Paul did. He encourages the Lord's people to respect God and offers wisdom leading to a long and blessed life. It melted at a lower temperature. Maybe they realized following Christ would mean being different, or as with the people in Asia Minor, it meant being persecuted for their faith. Psalm 73:26. God honors him in Scripture and, no doubt, in heaven. Paul said he had learned that God comforted him in the midst of trouble so he could comfort those in any trouble. I thirst for you, Jesus said, For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them (Matt 18:20). "The highpoints of the history of God's people are stories not of fleeing conflict, but moving toward it." Trials only last for a little while in comparison to our eternal salvation. "David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting." This is really happening. It is a mystery, but God brings comfort through the broken. 3 who forgives all your sins. When this person eventually encounters trouble or persecution, they fall away from God and never return. Let me suggest four ways we praise God: 1. Hi, I'm Kathryn! Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.1 Peter 1:69. 6. Judas denied Christ and never returned. The drama intensifies. His faith was not real, and the trial was meant to demonstrate that. If Satan, who was originally an angel without a sin nature, fell into pridehow much more likely a human who was exalted to write near half of the New Testament? Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. What I say next is absolute. David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. When you read Psalms, you can find so many verses about God's children singing praise even in the midst of hard times. We praise God in song. They will be memorialized even as Job was. In the situation of the Corinthians, this included weakness, sickness, and even death. These have come so that your faithof greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by firemay be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14 Dressed only in a linen ephod, he began to dance before the LORD with great enthusiasm. Romans 11:33-36 is such an excellent statement of God's sovereignty. (2) We must regain our focus on Christ and the inheritance that he is bringing at his revelation. This chapter relates how largely and liberally David, besides what he had before done, and his princes, offered towards defraying the expenses of building the temple, 1Ch 29:1-8 and the joy and thankfulness that he and his people expressed on that account, attended with prayers for Solomon, and offering sacrifices unto the Lord, 1Ch 29:9-21 and the chapter is closed, and so the book, with an account of the second unction of Solomon, the placing him on the throne, and the submission of all ranks of men unto him, and of the death of David, 1Ch 29:22-30. And the God of peace will be with you.Philippians 4:89. In verse 8, he refers to himself as a sinner. of It brings memories of past miracles and reminds you of the goodness from God. We can focus on our inheritance and security in heaven. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. It is not just about getting to heaven. Step by step he has shown how God has devised and revealed a way of putting sinners right with himself; how Christ died for our sins, and was raised for our justification; how we are united with Christ in His death and resurrection; how the Christian life is lived by walking in the Spirit not the flesh. 2. I probably read through the Bible fifteen times in close to a year and a half. Singing isn't just about music; vocal music, in this case, is just the medium. This life is not just about our future career, marriage, or retirement. When it seems like my world is crumbling around me and I am thrown around by the storms of my life, take away my fear. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life (emphasis mine).Revelation 2:10. But that's not it. Look at what Paul said about his trials in 2 Corinthians 6:10: Sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything (emphasis mine). The promise of Romans 8:28 is only true if our salvation and inheritance are secure; only then can all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. A lot of times we dont talk about false faith in church, but it is a reality. Now this is something that only those who understand the reality that God is keeping the salvation of every believer can truly rejoice in. It is very possible for Christians to lose the joy of their salvation. 2. For those who are trained by going through hardship, it produces a harvest of righteousness. Was it a voice of complaint? God chose Psalm 63 for us to focus on at this time. Scripture reveals that after David's first child with Bathsheba died, he . If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer (emphasis mine).2 Corinthians 1:46. Praise God in the storms, through the battles, and when life gets hard. Psalm 77:2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be . Related Topics: Christian Life, Suffering, Trials, Persecution, Greg Brown earned his MA in religion and MA in teaching from Trinity International University, a MRE from Liberty University, and a PhD in theology from Louisiana Baptist University. Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? Paul said he was at the same time sorrowful and still rejoicing. To have joy in trials is not to deny pain. Whats the secret for a Christian to have joy while suffering through bankruptcy, cancer or even a lost child? Listen to what Hebrews says: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. In Psalms, statements like this: The LORD is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens. 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