January 13, 2025 • 28 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of doctor Graham's book, The Jesus Book.
But first, here's the message of faith under Fire.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take your Bible and turn with me to One Peter
chapter four. Look at verse twelve. Beloved, meaning you, as
a child of God are loved. Nothing will separate us
from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ.
So before we even talk about suffering, before we deal
(00:43):
with the issues of pain and persecution, stop there and realize,
just think about it a moment. You are loved by God.
You are beloved, so beloved. Do not be surprised at
the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you,
(01:03):
as though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice
in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you
may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.
And if you are insulted in the name of Christ,
you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of
God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer
(01:26):
as a murderer or a thief, or an evil.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Doer or as a meddler.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, but let him
glorify God in that name. For it is time for
judgment to begin at the household of God. And if
it begins with us, what will be the outcome for
those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
if the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of
the ungodly and the sinner?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
And then Verse nine wraps it up.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will in
trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good.
What happens when we suffer? Are we destroyed? Are we
so beaten down that we become angry, resentful, defeated, depressed?
(02:21):
Or can we learn some lessons in the fiery ordeals
of life, the fiery tests, the fiery trials of life
that will strengthen our faith. There are some who even
deny that God exists because they argue something like this,
if because of suffering and evil in the world, if
God is good, how could he allow something like this
(02:42):
to exist? Or else, God is not all powerful and
has stepped away from the suffering of humanity. How could
you believe in a god? Some would say that would
allow such human suffering and tragedy, and sufferable tragedy and
incomprehensible tragedy. What is your explanation, Well, the explanation for
the believer is that there is another conclusion that God
(03:03):
is both powerful and God is loving, and God has
a purpose in our pain. And if you are a
follower of Jesus Christ, he is working purpose fully. He
is working personally. He is working constructively in our lives
through the crosses that we bear, through the experiences that
we all share together. When we suffer. There is purpose
(03:24):
in pain and in suffering. And that's what we're going
to see in this passage. When we're under fire, What
should we do? Number one, face the facts. That's what
he is saying in verse twelve. Don't be surprised at
the fiery trial that comes upon you, as though some
strange thing is happening to you. Accepting the reality of
(03:47):
tough times of trials is key to our understanding what
God is doing. He says, don't be surprised by suffering,
expect trials to come. Jesus warned us of this. He
set in John chapter sixteen. In this world, you will
have tribulation. But then he added, be of good cheer.
(04:09):
I have overcome the world. We're facing spiritual battles. We
are under attack by Saithan himself, for we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Of the darkness.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And so if we're not getting physical persecution, we certainly
are under fire in the sense that all of us
are facing a very real enemy, who Peter tells us
in the fifth chapter is like a roaring lion roaming
about seeking whom he may devour. And Christians, all of
us will spend time in the.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Furnace the fiery ordeals.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
When he uses fiery trials here, he's speaking of severe trials.
This isn't your basic backache or headache, but severe fiery ordeals.
That's the furnace of affliction. It's good to know, as
(05:11):
Warren Weersby tells us in his writings, that when we're
in the furnace, God always has his eye on the
clock in his hand on the thermostat. I like that
because it reminds us that God knows how long we're
going to be in there and how.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Much we can take.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
But we will be in the furnace, and when we
are in the fire. It is extremely important to face
the facts, the reality, because you see so many of
us think.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Why is this happening to me? Or we say things.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
In the middle of some trial or at the outset
of some trial, like I can't believe this is happening
to me. I can't believe that I'm hurting like this,
or I'm suffering like this. Face the facts that we
live in a fallen world, a broken world.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
This very planet is in pain.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
According to Romans aight, that we live under the curse
and the condemnation and the contamination of sin. And therefore,
because we live in this fallen world and broken world,
we are subject. We are subject to suffering. Pain, persecution
is all a part of life and therefore should be anticipated.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
As a matter of fact.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
If you are a follower of Jesus, a Christ follower,
you are a target for the enemy. You are a
target for evil doers. Accept that as reality, but listen
to the word of God Isaiah forty three and verse two.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
(06:55):
nor will the flame burn you. And when you are
anchored on the rock, sidealid word of God. When you
are walking in the spirit of God. Though the flames
may hurt you, they will not harm you. God will
deliver you out of every fiery trial personally and ultimately. Secondly,
(07:19):
not only should we face the facts, but we are
to keep on rejoicing. Keep on rejoicing. That's clear, isn't it.
Look at verse thirteen in your bibles. But rejoice insofar
as you share the sufferings of Christ. Keep on rejoicing.
This is a reminder of the words that Jesus spoke
(07:39):
in Matthew chapter five when he said, you are blessed.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you
and say a matter of evil against you falsely for
my sake, for such did they persecute the prophets before
you rejoice and be exceedingly glad, because great is your reward.
(08:00):
Keep on rejoicing. Now, this is one of the most,
admittedly one of the most difficult and demanding admonitions in
all of the Bible.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Because when you're hurting, when you're in pain, when you're.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Under pressure in some way, for someone to say cheer up,
put on a happy face, I mean, you just want
to smack them, don't you. And yet in this passage,
Peter tells us the Word of God tells us, as
innumerous other references in God's Word, that we are to
(08:39):
rejoice always and keep on rejoicing.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We're not massacres. We don't enjoy the pain.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
But what we enjoy is the strength, the comfort, the power,
the glory of God that rests upon us. And Peter
tells us exactly what we are to enjoy. He said,
rejoice in so far number one, as you share christ suffering.
And the word that he uses there for share is coanania.
(09:09):
It's the idea of fellowship. It's the same word we
get our word fellowship. Now, don't think of fellowship is
just a party after church. In this case, he is
linking fellowship with suffering, the fellowship of his sufferings, sharing
in fellowshipping with the sufferings of Christ. But the fact
(09:35):
is the best way to get close to God and
therefore to rejoice. It's not in the sufferings that we rejoice.
It's in what happens to us and in us when
we suffer and call upon the name of the Lord.
That's why we rejoice. How do you get close to God.
(09:55):
How do you get closer to Christ in your life?
I could mention a lot of ways. Read your Bible, pray, worship,
listen to messages, sermons from the Word of God, teaching,
serve God, utilizing your spiritual gifts, exercising your faith. You
(10:21):
want to get closer to God, spend time with other Christians.
But I tell you the best way, the fastest way,
into the presence of God, like you never experienced it before,
is when you're in pain, when you're suffering, when you're
walking through deep valleys. Have you noticed in the twenty
third Psalm when David is speaking of the Lord my shepherd.
In the first verses he's talking about the Lord. He says,
(10:43):
the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He
leads me besides the still waters. It's a wonderful tell
the story a testimony of what Christ, the good Shepherd
is doing. But then he walks into the dark valley,
the deep valley, the valley of the shadow.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Uk you that experience of the valley.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
He begins talking to the Lord. YEA, though I walk
through the value of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod
and staff comfort me. You prepare a table before me
in the presence of mine enemy, You anoint my head
with oil. My cup runs over the fastest way. So
often in the presence of God is when we are
(11:25):
swept off our feet and we get on our knees
because we're stripped of self and self effort and human effort,
and we rely upon the Lord. So keep on rejoicing
because you're getting closer to Christ.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the
message Faith under Fire in a time when many voices
seek to distract and deceive. Your gift today is vital
to help declare the truth of God's Word to a
world in desperate need. With your support, you'll help proclaim
the transformative power of God's Word around the world through
(11:58):
power Points, TV, radio, and online outreach. We'll say thanks
for your gift of ten dollars or more with a
copy of doctor Graham's brand new book, The Jesus Book.
So call now to request your copy. When you give
call one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven.
That's one eight hundred seven ninety five four six two seven.
(12:21):
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(12:41):
you'll receive a digital download of doctor Graham's booklet Breaking
Free from Stress. Now, let's get back to today's message,
Faith under Fire.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Then he says, keep on rejoicing because Jesus is coming again.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Look at verse thirteen.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
He says, be glad when his glory is Rejoice and
be glad.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Now he uses the strongest possible terms.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Isn't it interesting that in the midst of a discussion
about suffering, in the span of two verses, he mentions
joy or it is derivative four times it's joy, joy, joy, joy,
And here it is outrageous joy. It is an outburst
of joy at the coming of Christ, when the glory
(13:25):
of God is revealed. That's the second coming. And so
often it is your outlook that determines your outcome in life.
And if your outlook takes the uplook, if you're looking
for the return of Christ. You know that the sufferings,
according to the Paul, the sufferings of this present world
are not worthy to be compared.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
To the glory that will be revealed.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So we rejoice in the promise and the prospect of
the return of Jesus. So keep on rejoicing. There's another
reason we rejoice, and that is because the Spirit of
God rest upon us.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Look again in verse fourteen.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
If you are insulted from the name of Christ, you
are blessed because the Spirit of glory. Some translate that
power the spirit of glory. The spirit of power and
of God rest upon you. We can be sure he
is present in our pain, that the Spirit is the
(14:22):
comforter who comes when we are hurting, when we are broken,
we suffer, and the Holy Spirit comes and rest upon
us in power and glory.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And the word the spirit of glory here is.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
An interesting word because the glory here refers to the
Chicina glory of God, the Chicaina glory, the same glory
that rested upon the Tabernacle and the temple where the
Holy of Holies was, and that Chkina presence of God,
that glorious power and presence of God when we are
(14:57):
in the fire, when we are in the furnace, if
we will look to him, the glory of God, the
presence of his spirit will fill our lives like we
never before imagined, the spirit and the glory. Think of Stephen.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Dying for his faith.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Under a barrage of stones, taking his life, and yet
his faith shining with the glory of God his face,
his countenance like an angel, because the spirit and the
glory was resting upon him. So when you suffer, when
you hurt, face the facts, face the reality that is
(15:38):
going to happen. Don't be surprised by this. Prepare for this. Secondly,
keep on rejoicing, keep on rejoicing.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And then refuse to be ashamed. Refuse to be ashamed.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I know some who are ashamed of their tears Christians
who think, well, I can't cry because somehow that's a
weakness in faith, that's it's not scripture. Don't be ashamed
of your tears. Don't be ashamed of your suffering, especially
if your suffering comes because you're standing for Christ. Verse sixteen.
And if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not
(16:12):
be ashamed.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
And the Word is shamed. There means to dishonor Christ.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Maybe, just maybe, Peter reflected back as he wrote these
words of the time he denied and dishonored the Lord
when Christ was on trial, faith was under fire. Peter
three times, even as Jesus predicted, now he prepared him.
He said, face reality, one of you is going to
(16:39):
deny me. Peter said, no way, Lord. Jesus said, way, Peter,
You're going to deny me three times before the rooster crows.
And he did just exactly that, And he was so
broken that he thought it would never be the same
even after the resurrection, until Jesus restored him. Peter always
remembered the time that he melted it in the heat,
(17:03):
dishonored and denied the Lord. And when you're suffering, and
when you're hurting, so very important that you take your
stand for Christ, that you don't give up, that you
don't give in really really fires purge us and refine us,
mature us in our faith. The fires of testing, you know,
(17:29):
are often pop quizes exams that all of us may take.
And by the way, suffering is not an elective course
in life. It is a required curriculum. But we must
not be ashamed of Jesus and in any way dishonor
or deny his name. Peter amplifies this by saying judgment
(17:54):
must begin at the house of God. Discipline judgment must
begin at the house of God. Going to church, putting
our time in in worship and Bible study, giving our money,
getting involved in ministries and programs, singing songs can become
(18:20):
so routine that sometimes God needs to move in and
shake us up. Judgment must begin at the house of God.
America needs revival, but before revival comes, repentance must come,
and that starts with us. Let judgment begin at the
(18:43):
house of God. Therefore, when there's a scandal in the church,
what is God doing shaking us up and removing sin?
Because God will never never condone in the believer what
he condemns in the unbeliever.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
So God comes into clean house.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
To purge and to purify his people.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Judgment begins at the house of God. God may light
a fire in our life.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
In order to purify us as to whether or not
we are going to stand for Jesus or not. But
if you suffer as a Christian, don't be ashamed. You
keep standing, you keep confessing and don't do anything that
brings denial or dishonor to the name of Jesus. Having
(19:42):
said that, when he speaks here of judgment at the
House of God, he goes on to speak of those
who the judgment upon those who do not obey the
Gospel of God. Unbelievers think of that judgment an inferno
of judgment, hell, where the fire is never quenched. People
(20:07):
without Jesus are not our enemies, even if they persecute us.
They are people desperately in need of the love and
the grace and the forgiveness of God. We ought to
be praying for our lost friends and for our lost nation,
our lost world, because they are facing a sure and
(20:28):
certain judgment our God, the Bible says, is a consuming fire.
And if you're not a Christian, if you're not a
Christ's follower, the patience and the mercy and the love
of God, that is the only thing that keeps you
from the judgment of God. Prepare to meet your God.
(20:49):
But there's one final word here, and that is to
trust in God's faithfulness. When your faith is under fire,
face the facts it's going to happen, keep on rejoice,
refuse to be ashamed of Jesus and trust in God's
faithfulness in your life.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
That's verse nineteen.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
You ought to market, underline it, memorize it if you will. Therefore,
let those who suffer according to God's will. There's the key,
God's plan, God's purpose, God's will. You'll never understand suffering
unless you're willing to respond appropriately to the sovereignty of
God over suffering. If you suffer according to the will
(21:31):
of God, then in trust your soul to a faithful
creator while doing good. Sometimes when we suffer, we want
to crawl into a hole and die. We close ourselves
off from the world. But that's not good. Counsel, keep
on doing good and all the while commit to a
(21:56):
faithful and loving God, a faithful creator who knows what
is good for you and what is best for you,
and is only shaping you into the image more and
more like Jesus. The word in trust there I love
this word. It means to deposit for safekeeping. It's the
(22:22):
same thing the apostle Paul said when he said, I
know whom I believed, and I am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.
Against that day, commit your life to his safekeeping. You
are God's valuable, You are God's treasure, You are God's beloved.
(22:47):
Commit your way to him. He will bring it to pass.
He will bring you through for safekeeping, for the security
of life. No matter how much we hurt, no matter
how great the test of the tragic. When we're under five,
(23:08):
we are to keep trusting in the faithfulness and the
goodness of God.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
Faith under Fire. God's Word provides strength amid our weakness,
light in our darkest of nights, medicine to our wounds,
shelter in the storm, and a fortress when we face
the enemy. In his brand new book, The Jesus Book,
doctor Jack Graham shares how the Bible, God's living, active
(23:37):
Word enables you to know Jesus Christ and experience his
love and life for all eternity. The Jesus Book is
our thanks for your gift of ten dollars or more
so call now to request your copy and thank you
for your support. Call one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety
(23:58):
five six two. You can also text the word Jesus
to five nine, seven, eight nine, and don't forget to
visit Jack Graham dot org where you can shop our
east door, give a gift online, or sign up for
doctor Graham's free daily email devotional. Our website again is
Jack Graham dot org and also be sure to sign
(24:20):
up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in a Year pastor
what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Okay, everybody is time for a reality check. Suffering is
a part of life. God never promised us that we
wouldn't have problems, and this also includes if you're a Christian,
those who put you down or even ridicule or misunderstand
you because of your faith and commitment to Jesus. But
don't you dare let the problems of life get you down.
(24:48):
Let me share with you three powerful penetrating truths to
hold on to when your faith is under fire. First,
remember that God loves you unconditionally, no matter what's going
on in your life life. No matter what's happening in
your life, no matter who betrays you, no matter who
accuses you, no matter what kind of fire you're facing, nothing, nothing,
(25:09):
will separate you from the love of God. He tells
us in his word, I have loved you with an
ever lasting love, everlasting love. Imagine that that's how much
God loves you. He eternally, forever loves you and you
belong to him. Secondly, I want to really challenge you
and you hear this often from preachers like me and
(25:31):
Bible teachers, but is so important that you not miss this.
You can't underestimate what I'm about to say. Read your
Bible and talk to God in prayer regularly. You will
find strength and wisdom in God's word and you will
find a connection with God as you pray that will
strengthen you for every one of life's challenges. It's in
the word of God, and it is in prayer that
(25:54):
we are strengthened for every crisis, every challenge. When we
face fires in life and then one other thing. Find
yourself in the church, get around other believers, go to church,
hear God's word, Get involved in a small group Bible study,
get in a Sunday school class. Make sure that you
are serving as an active member of God's people, the church,
(26:17):
and you'll be encouraged and challenged and people will be
there for you when you need them the most. As
difficult as life can be, and as fiery the trials
may come our way. I know how difficult this is
for many of us in times like these, and yet
do not be afraid. In times of crisis and heartbreak
and even tragedy. Look at these as an opportunity to
(26:41):
grow closer to God, get a perspective on your pain
by realizing that as a believer, you are a follower
of Jesus. And even as Jesus suffered, when we walk
in his steps, we also will find ourself in the
fire of suffering from time to time as well. But
the good news is Jesus conquered ankered, sin, death, hell,
(27:02):
all the enemies, all the fire.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
That came against him.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
He defeated the enemy, and he stood strong and defeated
the darkness. And his power in you can give you
that same strength and that same power.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you doctor Graham's book, The Jesus Book as a
thanks for your support today. Call one eight hundred seven
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
(27:35):
text the word Jesus to five nine seven eight nine
and join us again next time as Doctor Graham brings
a message about how to live each day with the
confidence that God has your future in his hands. That's
next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack
Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint Ministry, saying
Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham. A
little later in the program, we'll tell you how you
can get a copy of doctor Graham's book, The Jesus Book.
But first, here's the message of faith under Fire.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Take your Bible and turn with me to One Peter
chapter four. Look at verse twelve. Beloved, meaning you, as
a child of God are loved. Nothing will separate us
from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ.
So before we even talk about suffering, before we deal
(00:43):
with the issues of pain and persecution, stop there and realize,
just think about it a moment. You are loved by God.
You are beloved, so beloved. Do not be surprised at
the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you,
(01:03):
as though something strange was happening to you. But rejoice
in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you
may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.
And if you are insulted in the name of Christ,
you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of
God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer
(01:26):
as a murderer or a thief, or an evil.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Doer or as a meddler.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, but let him
glorify God in that name. For it is time for
judgment to begin at the household of God. And if
it begins with us, what will be the outcome for
those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
if the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of
the ungodly and the sinner?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
And then Verse nine wraps it up.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will in
trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good.
What happens when we suffer? Are we destroyed? Are we
so beaten down that we become angry, resentful, defeated, depressed?
(02:21):
Or can we learn some lessons in the fiery ordeals
of life, the fiery tests, the fiery trials of life
that will strengthen our faith. There are some who even
deny that God exists because they argue something like this,
if because of suffering and evil in the world, if
God is good, how could he allow something like this
(02:42):
to exist? Or else, God is not all powerful and
has stepped away from the suffering of humanity. How could
you believe in a god? Some would say that would
allow such human suffering and tragedy, and sufferable tragedy and
incomprehensible tragedy. What is your explanation, Well, the explanation for
the believer is that there is another conclusion that God
(03:03):
is both powerful and God is loving, and God has
a purpose in our pain. And if you are a
follower of Jesus Christ, he is working purpose fully. He
is working personally. He is working constructively in our lives
through the crosses that we bear, through the experiences that
we all share together. When we suffer. There is purpose
(03:24):
in pain and in suffering. And that's what we're going
to see in this passage. When we're under fire, What
should we do? Number one, face the facts. That's what
he is saying in verse twelve. Don't be surprised at
the fiery trial that comes upon you, as though some
strange thing is happening to you. Accepting the reality of
(03:47):
tough times of trials is key to our understanding what
God is doing. He says, don't be surprised by suffering,
expect trials to come. Jesus warned us of this. He
set in John chapter sixteen. In this world, you will
have tribulation. But then he added, be of good cheer.
(04:09):
I have overcome the world. We're facing spiritual battles. We
are under attack by Saithan himself, for we wrestle not
against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers and rulers.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Of the darkness.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And so if we're not getting physical persecution, we certainly
are under fire in the sense that all of us
are facing a very real enemy, who Peter tells us
in the fifth chapter is like a roaring lion roaming
about seeking whom he may devour. And Christians, all of
us will spend time in the.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Furnace the fiery ordeals.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
When he uses fiery trials here, he's speaking of severe trials.
This isn't your basic backache or headache, but severe fiery ordeals.
That's the furnace of affliction. It's good to know, as
(05:11):
Warren Weersby tells us in his writings, that when we're
in the furnace, God always has his eye on the
clock in his hand on the thermostat. I like that
because it reminds us that God knows how long we're
going to be in there and how.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Much we can take.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
But we will be in the furnace, and when we
are in the fire. It is extremely important to face
the facts, the reality, because you see so many of
us think.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Why is this happening to me? Or we say things.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
In the middle of some trial or at the outset
of some trial, like I can't believe this is happening
to me. I can't believe that I'm hurting like this,
or I'm suffering like this. Face the facts that we
live in a fallen world, a broken world.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
This very planet is in pain.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
According to Romans aight, that we live under the curse
and the condemnation and the contamination of sin. And therefore,
because we live in this fallen world and broken world,
we are subject. We are subject to suffering. Pain, persecution
is all a part of life and therefore should be anticipated.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
As a matter of fact.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
If you are a follower of Jesus, a Christ follower,
you are a target for the enemy. You are a
target for evil doers. Accept that as reality, but listen
to the word of God Isaiah forty three and verse two.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
(06:55):
nor will the flame burn you. And when you are
anchored on the rock, sidealid word of God. When you
are walking in the spirit of God. Though the flames
may hurt you, they will not harm you. God will
deliver you out of every fiery trial personally and ultimately. Secondly,
(07:19):
not only should we face the facts, but we are
to keep on rejoicing. Keep on rejoicing. That's clear, isn't it.
Look at verse thirteen in your bibles. But rejoice insofar
as you share the sufferings of Christ. Keep on rejoicing.
This is a reminder of the words that Jesus spoke
(07:39):
in Matthew chapter five when he said, you are blessed.
Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you
and say a matter of evil against you falsely for
my sake, for such did they persecute the prophets before
you rejoice and be exceedingly glad, because great is your reward.
(08:00):
Keep on rejoicing. Now, this is one of the most,
admittedly one of the most difficult and demanding admonitions in
all of the Bible.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Because when you're hurting, when you're in pain, when you're.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Under pressure in some way, for someone to say cheer up,
put on a happy face, I mean, you just want
to smack them, don't you. And yet in this passage,
Peter tells us the Word of God tells us, as
innumerous other references in God's Word, that we are to
(08:39):
rejoice always and keep on rejoicing.
Speaker 3 (08:43):
We're not massacres. We don't enjoy the pain.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
But what we enjoy is the strength, the comfort, the power,
the glory of God that rests upon us. And Peter
tells us exactly what we are to enjoy. He said,
rejoice in so far number one, as you share christ suffering.
And the word that he uses there for share is coanania.
(09:09):
It's the idea of fellowship. It's the same word we
get our word fellowship. Now, don't think of fellowship is
just a party after church. In this case, he is
linking fellowship with suffering, the fellowship of his sufferings, sharing
in fellowshipping with the sufferings of Christ. But the fact
(09:35):
is the best way to get close to God and
therefore to rejoice. It's not in the sufferings that we rejoice.
It's in what happens to us and in us when
we suffer and call upon the name of the Lord.
That's why we rejoice. How do you get close to God.
(09:55):
How do you get closer to Christ in your life?
I could mention a lot of ways. Read your Bible, pray, worship,
listen to messages, sermons from the Word of God, teaching,
serve God, utilizing your spiritual gifts, exercising your faith. You
(10:21):
want to get closer to God, spend time with other Christians.
But I tell you the best way, the fastest way,
into the presence of God, like you never experienced it before,
is when you're in pain, when you're suffering, when you're
walking through deep valleys. Have you noticed in the twenty
third Psalm when David is speaking of the Lord my shepherd.
In the first verses he's talking about the Lord. He says,
(10:43):
the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He
leads me besides the still waters. It's a wonderful tell
the story a testimony of what Christ, the good Shepherd
is doing. But then he walks into the dark valley,
the deep valley, the valley of the shadow.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Uk you that experience of the valley.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
He begins talking to the Lord. YEA, though I walk
through the value of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod
and staff comfort me. You prepare a table before me
in the presence of mine enemy, You anoint my head
with oil. My cup runs over the fastest way. So
often in the presence of God is when we are
(11:25):
swept off our feet and we get on our knees
because we're stripped of self and self effort and human effort,
and we rely upon the Lord. So keep on rejoicing
because you're getting closer to Christ.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
You are listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the
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(11:58):
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(12:21):
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(12:41):
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Faith under Fire.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Then he says, keep on rejoicing because Jesus is coming again.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Look at verse thirteen.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
He says, be glad when his glory is Rejoice and
be glad.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Now he uses the strongest possible terms.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Isn't it interesting that in the midst of a discussion
about suffering, in the span of two verses, he mentions
joy or it is derivative four times it's joy, joy, joy, joy,
And here it is outrageous joy. It is an outburst
of joy at the coming of Christ, when the glory
(13:25):
of God is revealed. That's the second coming. And so
often it is your outlook that determines your outcome in life.
And if your outlook takes the uplook, if you're looking
for the return of Christ. You know that the sufferings,
according to the Paul, the sufferings of this present world
are not worthy to be compared.
Speaker 3 (13:45):
To the glory that will be revealed.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
So we rejoice in the promise and the prospect of
the return of Jesus. So keep on rejoicing. There's another
reason we rejoice, and that is because the Spirit of
God rest upon us.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
Look again in verse fourteen.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
If you are insulted from the name of Christ, you
are blessed because the Spirit of glory. Some translate that
power the spirit of glory. The spirit of power and
of God rest upon you. We can be sure he
is present in our pain, that the Spirit is the
(14:22):
comforter who comes when we are hurting, when we are broken,
we suffer, and the Holy Spirit comes and rest upon
us in power and glory.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
And the word the spirit of glory here is.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
An interesting word because the glory here refers to the
Chicina glory of God, the Chicaina glory, the same glory
that rested upon the Tabernacle and the temple where the
Holy of Holies was, and that Chkina presence of God,
that glorious power and presence of God when we are
(14:57):
in the fire, when we are in the furnace, if
we will look to him, the glory of God, the
presence of his spirit will fill our lives like we
never before imagined, the spirit and the glory. Think of Stephen.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
Dying for his faith.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Under a barrage of stones, taking his life, and yet
his faith shining with the glory of God his face,
his countenance like an angel, because the spirit and the
glory was resting upon him. So when you suffer, when
you hurt, face the facts, face the reality that is
(15:38):
going to happen. Don't be surprised by this. Prepare for this. Secondly,
keep on rejoicing, keep on rejoicing.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
And then refuse to be ashamed. Refuse to be ashamed.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I know some who are ashamed of their tears Christians
who think, well, I can't cry because somehow that's a
weakness in faith, that's it's not scripture. Don't be ashamed
of your tears. Don't be ashamed of your suffering, especially
if your suffering comes because you're standing for Christ. Verse sixteen.
And if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not
(16:12):
be ashamed.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
And the Word is shamed. There means to dishonor Christ.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Maybe, just maybe, Peter reflected back as he wrote these
words of the time he denied and dishonored the Lord
when Christ was on trial, faith was under fire. Peter
three times, even as Jesus predicted, now he prepared him.
He said, face reality, one of you is going to
(16:39):
deny me. Peter said, no way, Lord. Jesus said, way, Peter,
You're going to deny me three times before the rooster crows.
And he did just exactly that, And he was so
broken that he thought it would never be the same
even after the resurrection, until Jesus restored him. Peter always
remembered the time that he melted it in the heat,
(17:03):
dishonored and denied the Lord. And when you're suffering, and
when you're hurting, so very important that you take your
stand for Christ, that you don't give up, that you
don't give in really really fires purge us and refine us,
mature us in our faith. The fires of testing, you know,
(17:29):
are often pop quizes exams that all of us may take.
And by the way, suffering is not an elective course
in life. It is a required curriculum. But we must
not be ashamed of Jesus and in any way dishonor
or deny his name. Peter amplifies this by saying judgment
(17:54):
must begin at the house of God. Discipline judgment must
begin at the house of God. Going to church, putting
our time in in worship and Bible study, giving our money,
getting involved in ministries and programs, singing songs can become
(18:20):
so routine that sometimes God needs to move in and
shake us up. Judgment must begin at the house of God.
America needs revival, but before revival comes, repentance must come,
and that starts with us. Let judgment begin at the
(18:43):
house of God. Therefore, when there's a scandal in the church,
what is God doing shaking us up and removing sin?
Because God will never never condone in the believer what
he condemns in the unbeliever.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
So God comes into clean house.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
To purge and to purify his people.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Judgment begins at the house of God. God may light
a fire in our life.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
In order to purify us as to whether or not
we are going to stand for Jesus or not. But
if you suffer as a Christian, don't be ashamed. You
keep standing, you keep confessing and don't do anything that
brings denial or dishonor to the name of Jesus. Having
(19:42):
said that, when he speaks here of judgment at the
House of God, he goes on to speak of those
who the judgment upon those who do not obey the
Gospel of God. Unbelievers think of that judgment an inferno
of judgment, hell, where the fire is never quenched. People
(20:07):
without Jesus are not our enemies, even if they persecute us.
They are people desperately in need of the love and
the grace and the forgiveness of God. We ought to
be praying for our lost friends and for our lost nation,
our lost world, because they are facing a sure and
(20:28):
certain judgment our God, the Bible says, is a consuming fire.
And if you're not a Christian, if you're not a
Christ's follower, the patience and the mercy and the love
of God, that is the only thing that keeps you
from the judgment of God. Prepare to meet your God.
(20:49):
But there's one final word here, and that is to
trust in God's faithfulness. When your faith is under fire,
face the facts it's going to happen, keep on rejoice,
refuse to be ashamed of Jesus and trust in God's
faithfulness in your life.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
That's verse nineteen.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
You ought to market, underline it, memorize it if you will. Therefore,
let those who suffer according to God's will. There's the key,
God's plan, God's purpose, God's will. You'll never understand suffering
unless you're willing to respond appropriately to the sovereignty of
God over suffering. If you suffer according to the will
(21:31):
of God, then in trust your soul to a faithful
creator while doing good. Sometimes when we suffer, we want
to crawl into a hole and die. We close ourselves
off from the world. But that's not good. Counsel, keep
on doing good and all the while commit to a
(21:56):
faithful and loving God, a faithful creator who knows what
is good for you and what is best for you,
and is only shaping you into the image more and
more like Jesus. The word in trust there I love
this word. It means to deposit for safekeeping. It's the
(22:22):
same thing the apostle Paul said when he said, I
know whom I believed, and I am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him.
Against that day, commit your life to his safekeeping. You
are God's valuable, You are God's treasure, You are God's beloved.
(22:47):
Commit your way to him. He will bring it to pass.
He will bring you through for safekeeping, for the security
of life. No matter how much we hurt, no matter
how great the test of the tragic. When we're under five,
(23:08):
we are to keep trusting in the faithfulness and the
goodness of God.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
You're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and the message
Faith under Fire. God's Word provides strength amid our weakness,
light in our darkest of nights, medicine to our wounds,
shelter in the storm, and a fortress when we face
the enemy. In his brand new book, The Jesus Book,
doctor Jack Graham shares how the Bible, God's living, active
(23:37):
Word enables you to know Jesus Christ and experience his
love and life for all eternity. The Jesus Book is
our thanks for your gift of ten dollars or more
so call now to request your copy and thank you
for your support. Call one eight hundred seven ninety five
four six two seven. That's one eight hundred seven ninety
(23:58):
five six two. You can also text the word Jesus
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(24:20):
up for doctor Graham's podcast Bible in a Year pastor
what is your PowerPoint for Today?
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Okay, everybody is time for a reality check. Suffering is
a part of life. God never promised us that we
wouldn't have problems, and this also includes if you're a Christian,
those who put you down or even ridicule or misunderstand
you because of your faith and commitment to Jesus. But
don't you dare let the problems of life get you down.
(24:48):
Let me share with you three powerful penetrating truths to
hold on to when your faith is under fire. First,
remember that God loves you unconditionally, no matter what's going
on in your life life. No matter what's happening in
your life, no matter who betrays you, no matter who
accuses you, no matter what kind of fire you're facing, nothing, nothing,
(25:09):
will separate you from the love of God. He tells
us in his word, I have loved you with an
ever lasting love, everlasting love. Imagine that that's how much
God loves you. He eternally, forever loves you and you
belong to him. Secondly, I want to really challenge you
and you hear this often from preachers like me and
(25:31):
Bible teachers, but is so important that you not miss this.
You can't underestimate what I'm about to say. Read your
Bible and talk to God in prayer regularly. You will
find strength and wisdom in God's word and you will
find a connection with God as you pray that will
strengthen you for every one of life's challenges. It's in
the word of God, and it is in prayer that
(25:54):
we are strengthened for every crisis, every challenge. When we
face fires in life and then one other thing. Find
yourself in the church, get around other believers, go to church,
hear God's word, Get involved in a small group Bible study,
get in a Sunday school class. Make sure that you
are serving as an active member of God's people, the church,
(26:17):
and you'll be encouraged and challenged and people will be
there for you when you need them the most. As
difficult as life can be, and as fiery the trials
may come our way. I know how difficult this is
for many of us in times like these, and yet
do not be afraid. In times of crisis and heartbreak
and even tragedy. Look at these as an opportunity to
(26:41):
grow closer to God, get a perspective on your pain
by realizing that as a believer, you are a follower
of Jesus. And even as Jesus suffered, when we walk
in his steps, we also will find ourself in the
fire of suffering from time to time as well. But
the good news is Jesus conquered ankered, sin, death, hell,
(27:02):
all the enemies, all the fire.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
That came against him.
Speaker 2 (27:04):
He defeated the enemy, and he stood strong and defeated
the darkness. And his power in you can give you
that same strength and that same power.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
And that is today's power Point. Remember when you give
a gift of ten dollars or more to PowerPoint, we'll
send you doctor Graham's book, The Jesus Book as a
thanks for your support today. Call one eight hundred seven
ninety five four six two seven. That's one eight hundred
seven ninety five four six two seven. You can also
(27:35):
text the word Jesus to five nine seven eight nine
and join us again next time as Doctor Graham brings
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confidence that God has your future in his hands. That's
next time on PowerPoint with Jack Graham. PowerPoint with Jack
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