The Bible NETWork ~ Impacting the World for Christ one post at a time!

Let's see, When I have gone through trials, my immediate reaction is to think about and 'feel' the negative impact on my emotions and even my body. I feel emotional pain, fatigue, inability to concentrate, hopelessness or anger, etc., which results in my eyes being on my circumstances instead of on Christ, where they belong!

This is what 1 Peter is talking about...when I go through trials, I, first and foremost, need to understand these are normal (NOT the exception) for Christians to experience, and second, to 'yank' (not simply try to shift) my focus off my circumstances back onto Christ and the great truths of 1 Peter, Romans 8, James 1, etc.

Have you ever noticed that Christians tend to feel uncomfortable around those who are going through rough times? Always trying to cheer you up. I think society teaches that bad feelings are NOT normal yet the Bible says they ARE a normal part of the Christian life! I relish truths like these and need to imbed them, as you say, into my head.

Yes, trials bring us closer to and more dependent upon Jesus, which is reason alone to rejoice in them.

I can also kind of understand how it's possible to "count it all joy when we encounter various trials" because this is where Christ accomplishes His plan and purpose for our lives! This is where the tire meets the road! We are being refined, proven, completed and perfected in Him.

Rom. 5:3-5 says that we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven character; and proven character hope; and hope does not dissapoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Pam, I pray this this for you and myself, that God would give us peace and gratitude in knowing the deaths of our moms and other family members, were allowed by God, Himself, to actually have eternal benefits to us that were necessary for our good. We may not see the benefit here on earth, but we have to trust that God knew what He was doing to allow (not create) these events. Nothing less would accomplish His goal in us, as painful as it may seem right now. He knows the end from the beginning and we can rest in his sovereignty and know that His grace is sufficient. Just keep our eyes on Him.

Praise the Lord salvation is mine...that statement is the hope that nourishes my soul. It is not, however, always present in the midst of my trials. It gets lost in the internal workings... the fleshly seeking after what I "want" or think I "need".

Rom6:22... I have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, I derive my benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the out come.....eternal life. Jn8:32 says...And you shall know the truth (God is truth), and the truth shall make you free. 1Cor 10:13No sin has overtaken me but such is common to man, and God is faithful who will not allow me to be tempted beyond what I am able, but with temptation will provide a way of excape also that I may be able to endure it.

This last verse gives me great hope in that He is in control...my part of it is that I have to go to Him, and be in touch with Him through the Word and prayer to recieve it...die to myself and live in Him. Even better news is that Jesus is my intercessor...so even if I cannot name the problem...He already knows it.

Q12 asks about how 1Pet helps me have hope in my difficult situation... right now the trials in my life are fairly normal...my mom dies....grief...my oldest child is going off to college...fear for his safty, his relationship to the Lord and to us, sadness that he's leaving, doubt of us (did we teach him enough?), my relationship with my husband...20 years this Sept and we are struggling some to understand each other, I am in an emotional fight trying to overcome these transitional life situations, and he is having a hard time supporting me in it, and he is going through work related challenges that are causing dings to his pride (not a great combination). Not to mention a pinch on finances due to inflation, no pay raise, me not working this summer...I am a lunchlady at our middle school...braces, college...oil...gas...food...you know, you either are there too, or have been there....

This lesson on Peter is showing me Gods hand in my circumstances... even when I am lost in my own little me world. I have been saved by the blood of Christ...that in Him I can know salvation is mine. My hope should not be on the things I can see. I need to eagerly await Him.

God has shown Himself to me over and over through rough situations. He has brought me to many high peaks. I understand the peaks and valleys, and need to keep my eyes on Him. My trials are but for a moment. In this I will rejoice. Great is thy faithfulness oh God my Father... my hope is in you Lord...You will never leave me nor forsake me... I am fearfully and wonderfully made...Thank you LOrd...keep me in the palm of your might hand....bless my sister in Christ, Jane....thank you Lord for this wonderful opportunity...

Hope: not only an attitude of eager anticipation of things to come, but Jesus Christ, Himself!

Hope, as the world sees it, can easily disappoint because it's based on chance. The Hope we have will never disappoint us! We know things are going to turn out great. This is such an encouragement when we feel trapped in distresses. This world is just full of disappointments! If we can just look beyond our circumstances, no matter what they are and fix our gaze upon Jesus, we will NEVER be disappointed.

Yes, I can relate to many of the circumstances you mentioned, and sometimes it's the small things that sour my attitude before I know it. That's when I make myself get into the Word and read the promises again and again. I have found that when I get caught up in the stresses and irritants of the day, I begin to dwell on the negative and pretty soon I'm on my way to depression, anger or anxiety or all of the above, again, unless I make myself shift my focus.

That has always been the hard part for me, being aware of this before it gets too far!!

I am so thankful to know I am an overcomer in Christ! I know that my Redeemer lives! That is my Blessed Hope!

Day Four Q.16 . was pretty interesting about the process and outcomes of trials.

When you encounter trials whether totally unexpected or a result of selfish, wrong choices, know there is still hope! God will take every circumstance, bad and good, and make it work for your benefit (and even those believers who may have been affected). All your suffering, pain and loss have a specific purpose in your life; to conform you to His image, to prove your faith, to turn that pain into endurance. Isn't endurance strength? Isn't it encouraging to know that we will be stronger in our faith and love as a result of our suffering, rather than wonder if it's going to destroy us?

Been there, done that, won that T-shirt!!!!

Through the seemingly mud and the gunk, we are being perfected and matured by a loving God who will Never leave us nor forsake us.

And the best part is that our strength will never come from ourselves. All we have to do is remember to rest in Him and what He has already done for us on the cross.

In the paragraph under Q. 17, I disagree with the author about calling Christians sinners. Yes, before we were saved we were sinners but it was interesting to find that in Scripture every reference to ‘saint' describes the believer (who sometimes sins), every reference to ‘sinner' describes the unbeliever (who can do nothing But sin), and I don't see a third group = ‘sinner saved by grace'.

Lord thank you for Pam and for these truths designed to give us hope and joy in the midst of trials. When we endure them may we remember that they are not just random events but designed to bring about your purpose and plan for our lives. Let these be a testimony of Your tenderness, love and compasison to those around us so that you are glorified.

Q16 Day 4... Endurance to run the race set before me....to the Glory of God... not me.

Q17. My attitude in the midst of these trials is quite often one of bewilderment...how did I allow my self to get here? Why am I such a stessed out mess when I have the promises of the Lord and the Word of God to help me along? My attitude should be one of gratitude... that I have been chosen by God, set apart, and can rely upon Him as my source of stength... I watch people who do not know the Lord struggling so hard to answer tough life questions and know the only answer is the Lord, but then in my own situation quite often overlook this most beautiful gift I have been given.

Q18... Christiians are sinners. We have been saved and set apart, but we are still of this world, bogged down by sin. We are to constantly be aware and repent of that sin. Our sins are washed away when we seek forgiveness from the Lord, but we have not been removed from sin and it still affects us on a daily basis. I read Pauls account in Romans 7;15-25 to get a better understanding. There is a war waging within me (all Christians). I am a sinner saved by grace... and I continue to sin for which I need to admit to and repent of. I called the pastors wife and spoke to her a little about it, talked it over with my husband, and read an online sermon about it... you posed an interesting thought that as Christians we are not sinners... but the Lord told me otherwise... so I will include this link and look forward to your thoughts... http://www.pbcc.org/sermons/vanderet/1204.html
But the anrwer to the question is really that God displays Himself through trials. God showed His works through the man, as He will show His works through my difficuties... making me rely upon Him and not myself or the world.

Q19.. dicipline is for my good... what father does not dicipline his child? It will yeild the fruit of rightousness... God will have His way...

I am so glad to know that God will have His way. I do not need to fear because I know the ultimate outcome of my life... eternal rest with Him. So the road is long, tiring, gloomy and frustrating at times... it is also peaceful, beautiful, amazing and stable... creating Gods beauty in my life is a slow (to me, not to God), humbling process.

Resting in His providence... thank you Lord for that encouragement... thank you for the power in your Word... thank you for this wonderful woman to study it with... may iron sharpen iron... may You be the guide of this study and bring about Your change in our lives so we may become more like you and yeild the fruits of righteousness that only you can bring. Go before us always....

Day 5 reflections.... I was blwon away by "Virginias Story"... she so rightly puts to words the turmoil within while going through these trials. The wearing down, the beaten feelings, the ugliness... but the hope. OH THE HOPE!! I am renewed by the LOrd... carried by Him I cry out to Him and He hears. He loves me, He has saved me, He is all I need. Amazing. How did I let myself forget that. How did I move so far away from that truth and allow all this foolish torture It almost matters not...just that I did...and God still holds me in the palm of His hand. My everlasting hope, the everlasting father. He has used the drugery and sadness of my life for His good, bringing about His changes and Glory in me.
Jane,
I pray that the Lord is working in your heart as much as He is mine. I am still in a little bit of shock that He could do something as wonderful as this study, at this time, with such a woman of the Lord as you... God is so good...
many blessings...Pam

ps... We are off to take our son to college this Sunday afternoon..pray for Gods peace...pray that our son will finds out who God is in His life...He knows the Lord, but is very interested in the world right now. He needs to work out his faith... a lot. Pray that God will keep His hand upon Ryans life.
thanks...

I have pondered these verses in Romans 7 over the years trying to see the Christian in there but it created more disconnects than not. To me, it makes more sense that he's an unconverted Jew. So, for what it's worth, some comments....

Obviously there is a struggle going on in Romans 7.

In v. 25, Paul states the solution to this wretched man's struggle is being set free. Free from what? From his body of death. Any time you see "body of sin and death", "bondage to sin", "slave of sin", "slaves of corruption", it's describing the unregenerate person's condition. (Rom. 7:14) A sinner. Jesus Christ is the One who will set him free through Salvation.

"And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." John 8:32

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36

He came to set the captives free. Luke 4:18.

How do I know he's talking about salvation in v. 24-25? When Jesus Christ sets the wretched man free, and because of that, Paul continues with "There is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus". (Rom. 8:1) That is salvation.

In the sermon you referenced, the pastor states that v. 22, "For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man", isn't the ‘language' of the unbeliever. Really? The Jehovah's Witnesses claim to love God's word. Are they zealous and do they legalistically practice their so-called Christianity? As Walter Martin says they put us (Christians) to shame!

They have their list of things to do - they go door to door to witness, they read their bibles, attend services, they are scrupulous about doing everything they can to please God. They think they are showing their love for God but it's not the True Love of Christ. They are ". holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power;" 2 Tim. 3:5 How about the Mormons?

Romans 10:1-2 "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge."

These are Paul's kinsmen according to the flesh (Rom. 9:3) who have a zeal for God, yet they are not saved.

The wretched man is a conscientious, unconverted Jew, fully instructed in the law, and seeking zealously to accomplish a righteousness of his own by ‘works of law'. In Phil. 3 Paul spoke of his own self righteousness in which he thought had met the demands of the law perfectly, considered himself chief of sinners. yet while he was an unbelieving Jew!

So yes, v. 22 is the "language" of the unbelieving Jew. They, more than anything, desired to please God. The ‘inner man' of the unconverted Jew definitely concurred with the law of God and they knew the law inside and out.

In v. 19, "I practice the very evil that I do not wish", practice means to live in it, do it continually. That's what comes naturally to the unbeliever. Those Jews were doing everything in the flesh to please God, and God saw it as ‘filthy rags' because it wasn't from the heart. It was strictly from them, not a response from the work that God had done in them. Whatever is done in unrighteousness is evil. Whoever practices righteousness is of Christ, and whoever practices sin is of the devil. 1 John 3:7-8.

One more point that leads me to believe Paul is applying this portion of his letter to the Jew. Although Paul was writing to both Gentiles and Jews, he states clearly in his letter (7:1) who he's concerned with in what he's about to say. (Those who know the law) The Gentiles didn't know the Mosaic Law. (Rom.2:14)

I think the verses that depict the Christian struggles are 1 Pet. 2:11, James 4:1, Gal. 5:16-21, Romans 6:1-16, 1 Cor. 3:3-9, Eph. 4:17-18, 2 Cor. 10:3.

Just a quick note on Lesson 2, day 5;

I, too, liked Virginia's story. Oh, could I relate! I had never been able to articulate it before, but she said it so well, "but when crisis upon crisis occurs like dominoes falling your body and mind do not have the time to recover before the next crisis hits. The impact of stress on the body and mind leave you depleted of internal resources to cope, and you find yourself in despair.'

I was struggling with this stuff before I ever got saved and that was the pits because I had no hope! Then, years later, after I got saved, the depression and anxiety continued until I started to grasp the things that we're reading in 1 Peter.

Virginia's statement is key: "When trials come, it is so important to cling to what we know to be true from God's Word because His promises are true!"

What I have learned is I shouldn't focus on the trial itself, but the One who gives me victory through it! I have spent more time stressing over and focusing on the trials when I should have been focusing on the Promises and how I'm an overcomer through Christ! The difficult thing for me is to remember these things as I am going through the trial to give me strength. Practice makes perfect??

Well, it's Sunday afternoon and you're taking your son to college. I pray that you have a blessed time together and a safe trip. I also pray that as you reflect on the verses in 1 Peter, the Lord will strengthen you and bring you comfort through these.

Hi there... Monday morning...a little shell shocked and heart broken from yesterday, but am sure all will be alright.... someday. God is good and I have to trust that He has our son in His hands. I have a hole there at the moment... for 18 and a half years I have dealt with my son on a daily basis... now everything is different. It is going to take some time to get used to, and some tears to dry up, but it will not last forever... this too shall pass it will not last....

Just a quick clarification before moving on to the next lesson....

I do not want to get into a real long debate over the subject, God is bigger than that, and I am not judging you, or trying to say who's right, who's wrong...just trying to understand your point of view, but I do have a nagging question... which I think is the point of contention that you had...

Christians are not sinners?

As a Christian, do you not sin (doing things against the laws of God...the 10 commandments?) Do you no longer have to seek forgiveness once you have asked the Lord into your heart and been cleansed by the blood of Christ? You no longer consider yourself a sinner?

Two things residing within, battling... the sin that wants to overtake, and the holy spirit... I quite often do not choose wisely and make foolish decisions against what God has told me ... I sin... which makes me a sinner. Yes, I am saved...thank the LORD but the battle wages on and I must continually seek after the Lord... including asking for forgiveness when I have done wrong. (all the while knowing His assurance and His loving arms are awaiting me, an underving sinner). This is the peace that passes all understanding..how I can be such a messed up thing and yet He loves me still Paul talks about dying daily in 1Cor 15:31, and we are no longer slaves to sin...as Paul says in Rom6...we have been set free from its death grip on us, and we now have the power to overcome it through the blood of Christ, but it is NOT gone from us... we still have to contend with it..on a daily basis and rid ourselves from it when the Lord reveals it in us through His word, His world, and His Holy Spirit dwelling within us.

The fact that my sins no longer condemn me to death is one I cannot fathom... God is amazing....

Anyway... Like I said...I just want you to understand my impressions on this subject, and I hope to understand yours. God is doing a work in me through this study and through you, and I thank Him for that.

I am moving on to Lesson 3 Day1... see you over there later...
God bless....

Pam,

You are no longer a sinner, but a saint!

The difference between a sinner and a saint is: one's been forgiven and the other one ain't! That's pretty basic but that's what it boils down to.

Remember, God doesn't determine your identity based on your behavior, but based on your birth.

Everyone born of the human race is born in Adam and inherited his fallen nature, and because of that, they are ‘sinners'.

But you are no longer in Adam. You have been born from above, into the family of Christ. You have been totally forgiven of your sins, past, present and future. A sinner has not been forgiven! That's why, when we sin, we can thank Him for the forgiveness we do have because He paid our debt in full. (Col. 2:14)

Because of being born into God's family and being placed into Christ;

You are a saint by God's calling. (1 Cor. 1:2) It doesn't mean you lead a sinless life, but that God has set you apart and place the nature of Christ within you, thereby declaring you a saint.

You are righteous and holy. (Romans 5:17) When you received Jesus Christ, your spirit was filled with righteousness. What you are at the spirit level determines your REAL identity. When you do not behave righteously, i.e. when you sin, you are being inconsistent with who you are.

You are fully accepted by God. You are accepted because you are in Christ. (Romans 15:7, Ephesians 1:6 Because Christ has received you and He is fully accepted by the Father, you are fully accepted as well! Your acceptance isn't based on what you do, but on who you are. (Taken from Gracewalk, by Steve McVey)

The New Testament refers to believers as ‘saints' 63 times. Can you believe Paul called the people of the church at Corinth ‘saints'?! They didn't act very saintly, did they? But Paul had to keep reminding them that because they were saints (not because of their behavior but because of their new birth), to ACT like it!

I have a little Bible program on my computer and all I did was a search on the word sinner(s). 31 references came up in the N.T., but not one described a Believer in Christ.

I am really enjoying our discussions. As always, my intent is to be Biblically correct, so if anything I say doesn't line up with Scripture, please show me with Scripture.