Sunday, August 12, 2007

Responding to Trials

"Untried faith is unreliable faith"
- Charles Stanley

1 Peter 1:3-9 talks about the purpose and necessity of trials in our life. Much like temptations, trials are inevitable in our life. It is also a measuring stick by which we can gauge the degree of our faith.
  1. Purpose of trials
    The first step is to purify us. In 1 Peter 1:7, an analogy is made between our trials and the process of refining gold. We are that piece of impure ore that is constantly thrown into the furnace of trials, and little by little our impurities begins to strip away until all that's left is the beautiful shiny piece of gold. For the Lord will purify us of our sinful nature, but he will also prepare us for our calling in life. Sometimes the Lord will call upon you to give up something other don't have to. Will you be able to let go?
  2. Process of trials
    God designs our trials to discipline us. Furthermore each trial has been specifically tailored to you. We are all in different points in our spiritual walk with God, so it's only obvious that God's trials will not always be the same for everyone. The key thing to understand that despite the hardship of our trials, this is not a punishment. It is discipline.
  3. Product of Trials
    Ultimately in the end it all boils down to devotion and demonstration. The harder your trials are the greater your faith will grow. Each time you overcome your trials you will grow stronger, but how will you react the next time you are faced with a burden in your life?

How does God measure our faith? God measures your growth by the way you respond to your trials. Will you have the strength to trust that God is in control? Do you have faith to believe he will deliver you from your hardships no matter how impossible it might be? Because when you overcome your trials you will be stronger, but what about your faith?

--from Nakwon EM August 12th 2007 Sunday Worship Service
*To listen to this sermon in its entirety, please contact James Kim

Don't run with baby skunks!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Untried faith is unreliable faith!!! Amen!!!
Note to self:
Should rejoice when hardship and heartache come my way ...
Say to self:
God is in full control of EVERYTHING!!

little jane said...

amen to that lightmypath

Anonymous said...

True that!!!!

Destiny said...

~GOD is in Control wherever i might be in ; whatever i might do!!!

...What a MIGHTY and FAITHFUL GOD! Praises to the SON of GOD...!

~All i have to do is just Trust Him!

Anonymous said...

werd