A Daily Walk

John Randall: Today on A Daily Walk, Peter said when you’re going through the fiery trial, what should you do? Most importantly, entrust and commit all that I am, my soul, to my faithful Creator. I trust You, Lord. I believe You, Lord. I’m committing this to You with confidence. Commit yourself to God. It’s the most important principle when you’re facing a fiery trial. I don’t understand what’s happening, but I do understand and I do know that You love me, You have a plan for me. I commit my life, my soul into Your care. I choose to walk by faith and not by sight.

Guest (Male): Have you been through a fiery trial recently? We all experience them, so it's not a question of if but when. In 1 Peter chapter 4, we’ll see that we are to expect trials, embrace them, endure them, examine them, and entrust them to the Lord. We’re going through the Bible here on A Daily Walk with Pastor John Randall. Join the journey. Here's Pastor John in 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 12 through 19.

John Randall: When we go through the fiery trial, we are not alone. The Lord will never leave us; He will never forsake us. Think back to the book of Daniel in chapter 3. Do you remember the three Hebrew young men? Nebuchadnezzar said, "If you don't bow to this statue, you're going to be burned in the fire, literally. We have a furnace prepared for you."

They said, "King, we’re not going to bow." He was so furious that the Bible says he heated it seven times hotter than it already was and took those men bound them. When the guards went to throw them in, the guards were incinerated. They were burned alive. They threw them in and then Nebuchadnezzar just watched these guys fry.

He stood there and said, "Hey, real quick, how many guys did we throw in there? It was three, right? I see four in the fire." He said the fourth one is like the Son of God. Then Nebuchadnezzar had to ask them to come out. "Come out of the fire!" He had to call them out. They came out of the fire, and the Bible tells us that the only thing that was burned were the ropes that held them. Their clothes didn't even smell like smoke.

Why is that? Because there was someone with them in the fire. We need to know today, we need to be reminded, that the Lord is with us. If you’re in the midst of your own fire, Isaiah 43 says it this way: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

You can endure because the Spirit of God rests upon you. Jesus said, "I’ll send you another Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. He will come alongside you, strengthen you, and remind you of everything I’ve told you." Whenever you’re facing a fiery trial, expect it. Don't be surprised by it; it’s part of the Christian life. Embrace it, choose to rejoice in the Lord because He’s going to receive glory. Endure it, knowing that you’re not alone.

Examine the trials to be certain of the reason. It says in verse 15, "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evil-doer, or a busybody." Isn't it interesting that he adds busybody in there? Murderer, thief, also busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

When it comes to trials, there are the ones that the Lord allows for our good and others that we can create by our bad decisions. The disciples went into the storm on the Sea of Galilee because Jesus told them to get in the boat and to go to the other side. That was in obedience to His command, a storm perhaps of refining. Yet Jonah went into a storm because he tried to run away from God, do the exact opposite of what God said to do, and encountered the chastening of the Lord.

Peter says when you’re going through a trial, make sure that you’re not suffering for the wrong thing and then claiming you're being persecuted. That’s not persecution. "I can’t believe it, I was late to work because I was in prayer, my boss wrote me up. Persecution!" No, you were late. Don't do what you're not supposed to do.

Examine it. If you are currently living in disobedience to the Word of God, you are choosing to live a sinful life. I’m not talking about a stumble, I’m talking about willingly, knowingly choosing to live a life outside of God but showing up in church and then going out of here and living like you don't know God the rest of the week.

If that’s the case and you’re starting to reap the consequences of what you’re sowing, you shouldn't question God. You should repent before God because you know why it’s happening. These are the decisions that you’ve made that have led to this point. You can't lay this at the feet of God; this is stuff that you’ve done, things that you’ve chosen to do, and yet you want to blame God for the outcome.

The Lord loves us so much that He will allow us to be corrected through trials. The psalmist said it in Psalm 119:67: "Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your Word." I was doing my own thing until You allowed that rod and staff to be a comfort to me and brought me back in line. Trials offer us the opportunity to stop and take stock of our life with the Lord.

Isn't it amazing how many prayers you offer up when you’re in the midst of a trial? I’m praying without ceasing. "God, what’s going on? Why is this happening?" You never read so many chapters in the Bible looking for answers. You want to hear from God. Fellowship is a priority. One prayer in the day of prosperity, multiple prayers in the days of adversity. We pray and we ask God to show us what’s going on here.

Trials allow us to really examine where we’re at with the Lord. Is this refining or am I off somewhere? Show me. The Apostle Paul exhorted the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians chapter 13 verse 5. He told them, "Examine yourselves to see whether or not you’re in the faith. Test yourselves, or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?"

It’s okay to ask the Lord. Do you remember Isaac? His wife was having trouble getting pregnant, so he prayed for her and she got pregnant with twins. She was having some serious problems inside of her womb. Genesis chapter 25 verse 22 says the children struggled within her and she said, "If all is well, why am I like this?" So she went to inquire of the Lord.

The Lord said to her, "Two nations are in your womb. Two peoples shall be separated from your body. One people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger." She’s having this struggle internally and she’s saying, "God, what’s going on? I want to know."

The Apostle Paul had a severe physical affliction. He called it the thorn in the flesh and it was painful. This is the same guy that was used to heal so many people, the same guy that wrote the majority of the New Testament and planted multiple churches. He got to this point where he inquired of the Lord, "Why is this happening to me?"

2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 7 says, "Lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me." God's response to Paul's fiery trial was, "My grace is sufficient for you, and My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Paul said, "Therefore, I will gladly boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me." He was struggling. This was painful. He said God used this in my life to keep me humble before the Lord. So I choose to rejoice because I know that when I really experience this weakness, that’s when the strength of the Lord really kicks in in my life.

It’s okay to ask the Lord for clarity. You may get the answer or you may not. It may be later on. I think there are certain things that we go through that only heaven will reveal. But it’s okay to ask God if you’re in a season of refining. You should not be ashamed as a Christian if you’re going through this, but rather choose to glorify God.

It's interesting that Peter uses the word "Christian." That word is only used three times in the New Testament. Back in those days, it was a term of derision. They called them Christians as if it was derogatory. "You little Christs, you Christians." It was looked at negatively, but for the believers, they took it as a badge of honor.

We are Christians; we want to be Christ-like. This is what it means to be a Christian. It’s not just Christian in name. "Are you a Christian? Of course, I’m American." No, it’s not just in name. A Christian means somebody who actually follows Christ, who’s a disciple. Not just in name only but in life. If you are suffering as a Christian, as a believer for the cause of Christ, don't be ashamed.

I choose to glorify God in this. Faith makes a Christian, life proves a Christian, trials confirm a Christian, and death crowns a Christian. Finally, Peter, having encouraged the church to expect the trials, embrace them, endure them, and examine them, says to entrust your trials to the Lord for He is faithful.

In verse 17, it says the time has come. Judgment is going to begin at the house of God. If it begins with us first, believers, members of the house of God, what will be the end for those who don't obey the gospel of God? When Peter mentions judgment begins in the house of God, he’s not talking about the final judgment.

Our judgment ultimately for sin was taken care of at the cross. Jesus was judged in our place. So when I stand and when you stand as a believer before Jesus, we’re not judged to condemnation but rather to accommodation where we’ll be rewarded for the life that we have lived. When he’s talking about this judgment beginning in the house of God, in the context, he’s referring to the chastening, the fiery trials that the believers were going through at that moment.

If the righteous one is scarcely saved, he's not saying you’re not going to make it. He's talking about the fact that as believers, scarcely does anybody avoid suffering. We all experience it to some degree. So if it’s our season right now for the fiery trials to come through and refine us and purify us, he compares that to the non-believer who doesn't believe the gospel.

What can they hope to experience? The non-believer cannot say, "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose." They can't claim those promises. They can't claim the Spirit of God rests upon you if they don't know the Spirit of God. But the believer can claim that as their own.

They can trust in God. They have this assurance that God is with them. As born-again believers, we are not immune from tragedy, hardship, or sorrow because we live in a fallen world, but we collectively can be sure and know for a fact that God is for us and that His promises are yes and amen to those who believe. Ultimately, He will be glorified even in this.

But when Peter asks in verses 17 and 18, what’s going to be the end of those who don't obey the gospel, who do not respond to Jesus as Savior and Lord, what can they expect to find in the end? Separation from God and eternal judgment. At the time that Peter’s writing this letter, the believers were being persecuted. The refining had started.

The fire that we endure in the trials that God allows purifies us. On the other hand, the fire that the ungodly will experience doesn't purify them; it punishes them. There’s a difference between purifying and punishing. We will experience hardship, fiery trials, but God is using even this to purify us.

The non-believer, they don't have that assurance, they don't have that hope. The Christian does suffer some of the same things the ungodly do in this world, but the purpose of God is different and the effect is also different because the Lord is involved. Peter now brings everything to a conclusion. Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good as to a faithful Creator.

This final point is that we are to entrust our trials to the Lord for He is faithful. The word that Peter uses here for commit literally means to place something beside or set alongside, place before someone. It was actually used in the Greek language meaning it was a banking term. It’s to give someone something to deposit it to them knowing that it’s going to be safe and secure and no one can touch it.

Peter is saying when you’re going through the fiery trial, what should you do? Most importantly, entrust and commit all that I am, my soul to my faithful Creator. I trust You, Lord. I believe You, Lord. I’m committing this to You with confidence. Commit yourself to God. It’s the most important principle when you’re facing a fiery trial.

I don’t understand what’s happening, but I do understand and I do know that You love me, You have a plan for me. I commit my life, my soul into Your care. I choose to walk by faith and not by sight. Paul said it this way in writing to Timothy: "I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him."

I know that God is faithful to keep what I’ve entrusted to Him. This was right before his martyrdom, weeks perhaps away. Did you know that the word that Jesus uttered from the cross when He died is the same word that’s used here? In Luke chapter 23 verse 46, Jesus from the cross said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit."

If Jesus said that, then we should be able to say the same thing. I entrust You with this. We’re trusting our souls to the faithful Creator because we know that He remains faithful. When does that trusting God move from theory to reality? When does it turn from simple knowledge to action? When you’re put through the fire.

That’s when this isn't a theory anymore. "God is faithful." Actually, He is faithful. I’ve experienced it, I know it, I’ve seen it, I’ve felt it. It’s real. There was a man by the name of Pliny. He was a Roman Governor in Asia Minor during the second century and he was puzzled by all of the Christians who were being brought to stand before him for trial.

He wrote about one of his experiences to Emperor Trajan. He wrote that there was a certain unnamed Christian that was brought before him and finding little fault in him, Pliny threatened him. He said, "I will banish you." He said, "You cannot, for the entire world is my Father's house." "Well, I’ll slay you and you will be blotted from eternity," said the Governor.

"You cannot," answered the Christian, "for my life is hid with Christ in God." "Well, I’ll take away your possessions." "You cannot, for my treasure is in heaven." "Well, I’ll drive you away from man and you will have no friends left." The Christian calmly replied, "You cannot, for I have an unseen friend from whom you are not able to separate me."

It’s not a matter of if we will encounter fiery trials as a Christian; we will. You’re either in a trial right now, coming out of a trial right now, or about to go back into a trial. So what is my response? Remember you’re loved by God. Beloved, expect the trials because it’s part of the Christian life. Embrace it with rejoicing. Endure it, knowing that you’re not alone. Examine it to discover its purpose and entrust our trials to the Lord for He is faithful.

Guest (Male): You’ve been listening to Pastor John Randall on A Daily Walk. Did you join us late? Or maybe you want to share this message with a loved one? You can hear the program again at adailywalk.org and then share the content with friends and family. You can also hear John's messages through our free app. Just search for Calvary South OC.

Has this ministry blessed and encouraged you in your daily walk? If so, we’d like to know. You can email us at adailywalk@gmail.com. Let us know the station you’re listening to as well. Here in the month of May, we’ve picked out a resource we think moms will benefit a great deal from. It’s A Mom After God’s Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love Your Children, authored by Elizabeth George.

She writes, "God has put you in a unique situation where you have tremendous influence in the lives of others. Be a mom after God’s heart. Help your children, no matter what their age, experience God’s love, God’s blessings, and God’s provisions." We’re making it available for the cost of $12. Ordering is really easy online at adailywalk.org or just call 877-242-0828.

Please remember us in your prayers and your giving to the Lord. We want to help as many people as possible in their daily walk through the teaching of God’s Word, and you can help to make that possible through either a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support. Donations can be made online rather easily at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828. We’ll be right back here next time on A Daily Walk with another study in the Word, designed to help you in your daily walk. This program is brought to you by Calvary South OC and made possible through your generous support.