Yesterday in our reading in James the endurance of Job was mentioned and I believe that we caught a glimpse of the purpose of the LORD in suffering. Do you remember the overarching summary statement of the Bible that I borrowed from Ken Easley and have used throughout the year? "The Lord God through his Christ is graciously building a kingdom of redeemed people for their joy and for his own glory." I believe that when everything is said and done and the kingdom of the redeemed gather around the throne of grace you will have those that were tested through the fire of persecution, others by the fire of losing their health, others by losing their prosperity and others by being prosperous. It is interesting to note that in our culture that almost all Christians believe that it is a blessing of God to be rich in the things of this world. Be careful, be careful if you think that way. Do you recall James 2:5? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? I believe that God's economy is radically different than ours...remember the widows mite?
1 Peter 1:7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Ps 66:10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.
Pr 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.
Is 48:10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.
Zec 13:9 And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Mal 3:3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
In 1 Peter 4:13 we are commanded to "rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed." What did Paul teach us about suffering in Romans 8:17? Speaking of our adoption Paul writes that, "if [we are] children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. "
1 Peter 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
If you are a child of God, if you have been twice born, born from above, if HE has caused you to be born again to a living hope TO AN INHERITANCE THAT IS IMPERISHABLE, UNDEFLIED, UNFADING! The stock market may completely collapse, the dollar and the euro may fail, all global marks may come to ruin but your inheritance that you have because of God's great mercy, causing you to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ IS SAFE...you and your inheritance are safe "who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
LORD I believe...help my unbelief!
love,
m