1 Peter 1:6, 7 - Problems Prepare You for Eternity.
1 Peter 1:6, 7 (NLT) So be truly glad! There
is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is
necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7
These trials are only to test your faith, to show
that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as
fire tests and purifies gold - and your faith is
far more precious to God than mere gold. So if
your faith remains strong after being tried by
fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and
glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is
revealed to the whole world.
COMMENTARY PEARL
Expect a Test
No doubt Jesus could see there were a lot
of hungry people in the massive crowd that had
gathered to hear Him speak. It was lunch time, and
they were still sitting there. So, He turned to
Philip and said, Where can we buy bread to feed
all these people? (John 6:5 NLT).
Was Jesus really asking Philip for help,
as if He didnt know what to do? Clearly not.
In fact, the next verse tells us, He was
testing Philip, for he already knew what he was
going to do (verse 6 NLT).
Philip basically said it would require a
small fortune to feed all those people. There was
no way they could do it. Then Andrew said,
Theres a young boy here with five barley loaves and
two fish. But what good is that with this huge
crowd? (verse 9 NLT).
This was a test. Could they trust God?
Jesus already had performed miracles. They knew
what He was capable of. But could they trust Him
to provide food for a lot of hungry people?
Apparently not because Andrew didnt
know what to do, and Philip didnt know what to
do. But Jesus multiplied those five barley
loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 people, with
twelve baskets of food left over (see verses
10"13).
We might say His disciples didnt pass
that test. Yet havent we been in times of
testing as well? A big financial issue comes up, and
we wonder how were going to pay that
unexpected bill. We wonder how were going to make
ends meet.
I can tell you that after walking with
the Lord since the age of 17, God always has
come through for me. And I believe that He will
come through for you (see Philippians 4:19). But
He will test us. God allows us to go through
times of trial to make sure we are learning and
growing. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
Matured by Trials
Adverse circumstances are designed to
help us develop spiritually. Every time we face a
trial we have an opportunity to move to another
level of spiritual growth. James 1:12 pronounces
persevering through a trial as a blessing. To be blessed
is to be spiritually satisfied with the results
of something. A blessed man does not quit or
throw in the towel during a tough time; rather he
perseveres because he knows one day he will receive the
crown of life.
Temptations are circumstances designed to
defeat you while trials are circumstances designed
to develop you. [Alternative View with Dr. Tony
Evans;
https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/alternative-view-with-dr-tony-evans/ re 1 Peter 1:6-7]
Comfort For A Troubled Mind
There are two things we need to
acknowledge about suffering - namely, that it does exist
and it does hurt. Affliction is a reality in
everyone's life at one time or another. Such affliction
takes on many forms, not the least of which is
mental suffering.
When writing to fellow believers about
suffering, Peter recognized that there are many and
various ways in which we can be grieved. The
specific sorrow that Peter's first readers were
burdened by was the mental anguish that comes from
enduring hardship - but Peter was fully aware that
there are all kinds of trials that buffet our
minds and crush our spirits.
Because of the gospel, Peter doesn't have
to end on a note of hopelessness and despair.
Instead, he gives us promises to which we can cling.
First of all, Peter reminds us that our
trials last only "a little while." Now, "a little
while" needs to be understood in the light of
eternity; even a lifetime is "a little while" compared
to forever! Thus, a long period of suffering in
this life is still, in God's economy and in the
framework of His plan and purpose for His children, "a
little while." That is not to say that such
suffering will feel brief - especially when we are in
the midst of it. For many, suffering means that
a minute can seem like a day, a day can seem
like a year, and a year can seem as if it's never
going to end. But we can and must cling to this
promise: our current misery is not our eternal end.
Suffering may fill your life today, but one day, "in
the last time," salvation will.
Secondly, we are able to say with
confidence that in every moment of suffering, God is
present. In the account of Saul of Tarsus's
conversion we find Jesus intimately identifying with
His people's suffering: he says, "Saul, Saul,
why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4, emphasis
added). How could Jesus say "me" when He was in
heaven? It was because, through the Spirit, Christ
was present with His people. He stood in
solidarity with them. His Spirit was with them,
guarding them as they walked through valleys toward
their day of final salvation. He does the same for
us.
You have in the Lord Jesus a Great High
Priest who is perfectly able to sympathize with
your sufferings (Hebrews 4:15). When you're
tempted to believe the lies that God has abandoned
you or that no one else understands where you've
been or what you're going through, you can be
confident in this: there's "no throb nor throe that
our hearts can know, but He feels it above." And
you can be confident in this, too: one day the
sorrow will be behind, and only glory will he
ahead. That is a truth in which you can rejoice
today, whatever today may hold. [Truth for Life by
Alistair Begg re 1 Peter 1:5-6]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY
1 Peter 1:6, 7 - Problems Prepare You for
Eternity.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201127-1150.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
