THE
TREASURE OF THE TRIAL
BREAD
2 Consider
it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its
work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
6 In
this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to
suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that your faith--of greater worth
than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine
and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)
And
we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also
rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; 4 perseverance,
character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has
poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:2-5 (NIV)
10 And
the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you
have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,
firm and steadfast. 11 To
him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:10-11 (NIV)
16 Therefore
we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for
us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what
is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is
unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
BUTTER
“On Him
then reckon, to Him look, on Him depend:
and be assured that if you walk with Him, look to Him and expect help
from Him, He will never fail you. An
older brother, who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this,
says for your encouragement that He has never failed him. In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest
trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but
because I was enabled by His grace to trust in Him, He has always appeared for
my help. I delight in speaking well of
His Name.” George Mueller
“We
should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which He
leads us all end in glory and immortality.
It is true they may not be smooth paths – they may be covered with sharp
flinty trials, but they lead to the ‘city with foundations, whose architect and
builder is God.’ ‘All the ways of the
Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His
covenant.’ Let’s put full trust in our
Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health,
popularity or contempt, His purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall
be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy…..His dear love will make us far
more blessed than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world’s
fire.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“Jesus, draw me ever nearer as I labor through the storm. You have called me to this passage and I'll follow, though I'm worn. May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith. And at the end of my hearts testing with Your likeness let me wake. Jesus, guide me through the tempest keep my spirit stayed and sure. When the midnight meets the morning let me love You even more. May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith. And at the end of my hearts testing with Your likeness let me wake. Let the treasures of the trial form within me as I go. And at the end of this long passage let me leave them at your throne. May this journey bring a blessing, may I rise on wings of faith. And at the end of my hearts testing with Your likeness let me wake.” Keith and Kristyn Getty – Lyrics to Jesus, Draw Me Ever Nearer
HEART SAVOR
·
Jesus loves
me as He did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
He is right there in the fire with me during all my trials just as He
was with them. He knows the temperature
of the fire. Not a hair on my head can
be singed apart from His allowance.
- · God is more concerned with my holiness than my immediate happiness. He knows that as righteousness is achieved in His children it brings with it extraordinary blessing which far outweighs a bauble of happy today. I can trust His wisdom over my life. That is the treasure of the trial. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11 (NIV)
·
I delight
of speaking highly of my Jesus.
