1st Peter 1:6. “Wherein ye now rejoice, though now for a season, if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:”
MANIFOLD TEMPTATIONS. We certainly rejoice in salvation
The future by God’s grace is secure Even though there are many temptations By God’s power we through them endure. But instead of trials getting lesser The persecution gets increasingly stronger From every quarter the world applies pressure And it seems like each trial lasts longer.
It is similar to Peter’s day right now The worship of God is often scorned People scoff when to God’s Word we bow And get angry when we refuse to conform. Religion to most is like business They measure success by its size Not accepting the fact that God chooses What is right, not what seems right in men’s eyes.
Service for God brings resentment For most people will only serve for a price But even in temptations is contentment When we look for God’s “Well done” not some prize. Love for the Lord is not faked It is part of the new nature God gives So, testing time is what we must take After all, any testing is much less than His.
To live morally exposes the sin That is so prevalent and accepted today The temptations and evil within Leave people powerless God’s law to obey. So instead of accepting the fact That God’s people are going to be faithful The world, flesh and the devil all act To make believers, like them, to be sinful.
But the Lord has proved by His life When we follow His steps, we can conquer The temptations that come and the strife For the Spirit is within us to succor. And the Father hears clearly each heart cry Sending answers in peace to the heart And the power of God is so nigh We can defeat temptation at its start.
“Father, I am thanking Thee now – ahead of time, for the power of God that enables me to overcome the temptations of this day that lies before me. Please guide my steps, words and thoughts lest I sin against Thee. I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
All believers are going to face trials when they shine as lights in the darkness of the world. Trials are part of the refining process. The Lord allows trials to deal with our limitations and impurities, in the same way gold is heated so the impurities in it come to the top and are able to be removed. Persecutions, difficulties and the trials we are called to live through, refine us and strength our faith. That in turn makes us useful to God in His service.
There is wonderful truth for suffering saints to remember: we are shielded by the power of God, and He enables us to be true to our faith in whatever trial we face. The gift of salvation takes us through the heat of persecution and teaches is patience. Patience in turn teaches us to be the kind of people the Lord wants to take His Gospel to the world. When we are passing through the times of suffering God allows, we have the confidence that this is not unknown to our heavenly Father. He has planned and does direct our lives to accomplish the good He intends. We may not consider what happens to "good" at the time, but in love, and by the supply of needed grace, His supply of grace and strength proves our faith to be genuine and valuable.
When the dross is removed and praise, honor and glory for our Lord is the result, that is good fruit. This will be made manifest at the judgment seat of Christ when we will receive "for the things done in the body, whether it be good or bad." At that time, we will see everything for what it really was in the eyes of our Lord and we will have joy in being allowed to share in His glory. We have not seen Him with the eyes of our body, but by faith we love Him, and believe on Him without question. The answers to every "why" we might have may not be given, but faith in Him assures us of justice at the end of this time of trial and testing. In the future we will be glad He allowed us to pass this way. Unspeakable joy, though it leaves us speechless, will open our faith-eyes to the glory that surpasses our highest imagination.