Monday Morning Manna
Monday, September 28
Monday Morning Manna
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13
Yesterday Minister Antonio Blake spoke from 1 Peter 4:12-14. Giving us a word of encouragement his sermon titled – There Shall Be Glory After This. After what? After all that you are going through, be encouraged knowing God has the final say. There are some experiences that are very painful and in the moment the appropriate thing to do is to cry. Jesus cares deeply about our hurts. He doesn’t mock our tears. He cares about the struggles His children are facing and says ‘look up’ for there is His glory. To know that I suffer not for any other purpose but God’s glory gives me strength to hold out until the end.
Minister Blake in his sermon informed us that sometimes not everything that you go through is not necessarily a trail. 1 Peter 4:14 says, “If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” There are certain problems in your life that are not necessarily your fault but it is your problem. Minister Blake touched this topic and it sticks with me even now – we cannot connect to God when He is blessing us but we don’t want to go through the water with Him. Most followers of Christ, we love when God is blessing us but we have a problem when the trail is sent our way. Life gets rough – it’s all God’s fault! Life is good – let God be praised! This is how the world sums up the moments in life but not the follower of Christ.
Most of us want God to bless us but we don’t want testing. Yet it is through this medium, the testing, that we come forth as pure gold. This walk God has called us to walk is not all blessings but sometimes there are trails. Some of the stuff we are going through is because there is a molding, a perfecting in the works. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes written by A.W. Tozer — ‘It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.’
Minister Blake reminded us of Peter, the author of today’s passage. Peter is writing this but it’s hard to read Peter, the same Peter that cut off the ears, the same Peter that won’t leave nor forsake Jesus. Some of us are just like Peter. We deny fellowship with Him, we don’t have to say it but sometimes our actions depending on where we are Jesus is not the cool thing. Let this not be our mindset. There shall be glory after this. Peter tries to make the Christian see Christ in their life.
When you signed up to believe in Jesus you automatically were signed up for trouble but Peter says do not act like this does not happen to people like you. Instead we ought to rejoice! With Jesus on the inside, we can weather any storm. Even in what you are going through God’s glory shall be revealed. Rejoice and count it all joy. This is the situation set up for God to get glory from your life.
So next time you are facing trials and want to throw in the towel remember, trouble makes you a candidate for God to bless me. God never allows you to go through a storm without healing you.
It’s the blood that kept Peter and will keep us. In all things be reminded that you have a reason to praise God. Minister Blake says there shall be glory after this, it may not always seem as if things are working in your favor but remain encouraged the God you serve will take care of you.
No you are not suffering because God wants to pick on you, it’s all a part of God’s plan.