James A. McMenis | Faith in the Fire | Part 4

all right so we read in first Peter 4:12 where the Bible says beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange things happen unto you if you're one that writes in your Bibles or make some notes or highlights do something with that worry strange underlined Circle it it shows up twice and all God is saying here is don't think it's strange that you're going through something and so this series that we've been in now I think this is part four is really just about how can I view what I'm going through it doesn't mean that God offered it or that he's responsible or that the enemy is responsible or maybe it's my own doing despite how or what is to blame what can I learn from what I'm going through right now that's the point and so here in 1st Peter 4:12 the Bible talks about a fiery trial which will test us and that it's not a strange thing so so far in the series we've talked about two things that can bring about a trial in your life number one persecution persecution we're going to be tested just because we're believers we live in a world of darkness and you can't live as light in a world of darkness and not be hated so we dealt with just being persecuted the enemy hates you because you're a child of God all right that's just the real deal even if you're not saved Satan hates you because you were made in the image of God and so we face persecution in this world especially for gonna live by faith that's just the reality Jesus said we would have it number two we could view what we're going through and say okay is this the result of what I have been planting because if you're blaming the devil for something you're doing then you're gonna keep doing it and keep walking to the harvest and and you're saying look what the devil did and God said no the devil didn't do that you planted that seed Galatians 6:7 says be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man souls that shall he also reap and so I'm walking to the harvest of what I sow and then now today I want to talk about number three and that is maybe God's trying to purr something maybe that's a way you can view your trial and say okay Lord I'm going through a trial right now trouble is no respecter of persons so in this trial is there something that needs to be purged from my life if you have your Bibles go back with me to the Old Testament I want to turn to Isaiah the prophet Isaiah and let's go to the 48th chapter Isaiah chapter number 48 we're gonna look at a few things here Isaiah chapter 48 and I want to look at verse number 10 Isaiah 48 verse number 10 so so just as the word goes forward they just think about whatever your trial is because we're bad about looking at people and comparing what they're going through the what we're going through and minimizing somebody else's pain but listen when somebody is feeling pain and feeling trouble that may be a relative term but it's real to the person that's going through it and the good thing about the Lord is is he's sensitive to our trouble no matter where we are I mean listen I was working down an international paper for a construction company and slammed my thumb and some in while we were loading pallets of cinder blocks and it busted my thumbnail right off so I thought this is absolutely a 9-1-1 emergency and so I ran to the tool shed to find the first aid kit and praying and hopefully you know be told by the Souper that I could go home because this was a serious issue and so I'm banging on those tools she had door because it was locked and I'm like this is emergency and so the guy opens the door that was a carpenter there on an interview and he said man what's wrong with you and I showed him my phone like don't you suck at serious issues here man I need the first aid kit and he looked at me and said don't tell me your problems and he raised up his hand he only had three fingers he had no thumb are no quarter fingers all he had I'm good yeah awesome man I just went right on back I went to the bathroom family some toilet paper wrap it went to the toolbox got some duct tape and duct taped that bad boy some toilet paper I was not gonna go backed up every finger dude about my hurt thumb the point is is that sometimes we're going through something and it may not seem like a lot to somebody else but it doesn't listen my pain didn't go away when I saw he was missing two fingers I just didn't want to talk to him about it anymore against them so I want you to know today that no matter where you are in life old or young no matter what your trouble is if it's real - it's real with God and there's still a process where the Lord can work in our trouble to purge a thing out of our life that's what the trial is supposed to do watch this in Isaiah chapter 48 we'll look at it in verse number ten god says behold I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction read that part out loud I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction God God said I choose you and I really call you out when I can see how you respond to what you're going through because trouble and trial all those things have a way of bringing things out of us that that shouldn't be in us you understand I mean I was I was at a basketball game Friday night we were down in Lake Charles and and I thought a call was just ignored then the game was on the line and I got in the flesh and I got angry you say pastor how dare you know you can do that about I said be angry and sin not as long as you don't get as long as you don't sin when you get mad you good that just helps somebody somebody just got their word right there said thank you God I can get mad so I got angry I don't think I said I don't know but but but somebody yesterday I was talking about and they said did you did you cuss does that no I didn't cuss there's not a cuss in me you'd have to be in me to get out of me and there's not one in me and so sometimes going through a trial will bring things out of you that you didn't even know was in you trouble has a way of revealing our character and God said I choose you in the furnace of affliction that's where we're Chozen and so when you look at this scripture in context he's saying I'll use the trial to refine you that means I'll let trouble get some things out of your life that don't need to be in your life God says I'll use trouble to do that whether it's an individual that doesn't need to be in your life maybe it's a bad habit that doesn't need to be in your life maybe it's a it's a world view of you you have of the world that doesn't need to be in your life whatever needs to change mentally physically spiritually God said I got a way of working that out in your trial even if your trial is your own doing God can turn it for your good amen now with that in mind let's go to Revelation that's the last book in the Bible it's a book we can all find revelation and I want to go to the third chapter and and there's something here that I think we all can can pull something from now if you take a notes here's a here's an added verse I want you to right now it's proverbs 17 3 it says the fining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold but the Lord tries the hearts and that's really what I wanted you to hear there in proverbs 17 verse 3 the Lord tries the hearts trial will test what's really in our heart pressure will test what's really in our heart because you can have the right physical posture where you know the words to the song and you're singing to the Lord but your heart really not be in tune with God I didn't say that Jesus did he said you draw nigh to me with your lips but your heart is far from me so church folk listen we can put on the right clothes and we can put on the right attitude and we can put on the right facial expression hey how you doing how's your mom in and in and inside we don't we could care less about how you all your mama's doing understand but we put it all on for Sunday and to say okay can I give God my best face and my best appearance you know for to our doing a two-hour window on Sunday trial has a way of bringing what's really in our heart to the surface and in many cases it might be something that needs to change in us that that God Allah will allow trial to change no matter who brought the trial on so this isn't that God has put you in the furnace to refine you the furnace could be your own doing but God is just allowing the furnace to refine you does it does that make sense to everybody alright now let's watch this in Revelation chapter 3 and I want to start in verse number 14 because here's the church the Church of Laodicea that had gotten complacent they they had gotten complacent because they were too comfortable and I relate to the church allel to see you I can relate to this and and and I'll explain why here in a minute let's just let's just look at it verse 14 and under the angel of the church of the little sins write these things saith the Amen the faithful and true witness the beginning of the creation of God I know that works that thou art neither cold nor hot so you're not cold you're not just completely out of tune with God but you're not on fire either I would that thou wert cold or hot so then because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot I will spew thee out of my mouth well what has them so complacent so lukewarm not cold enough to do anything about it alright he says in verse 17 because thou sayest I am rich and increased with Goods and have need of nothing now that's their position I got everything I need I got plenty of goods pantries loaded got money in the bank I'm no longer trying to catch a check with the cheque now remember him days when you tried to catch a check with a check three young alright I remember the day he's trying to catch a check with a check he said because now say us I'm rich increased with Goods and have need to know everything's good everything's well he said but you know not that you're actually wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked he's saying when you see yourself you think you got it all together when I see you you're so far beyond my best for you you've grown content in this place and God is saying I've got something better for you but you you're like the children of Israel when the law was taken into the land of promise he wanted them in the promised land but Canaan was so far from the wilderness that they got satisfied with Canaan and said we don't even need to go to the promised land this is better than we've ever had it right here and if it were not for the opposition that rose up there they would have stayed in Canaan God is saying you have grown content with where you are but it's not complete Church this is a reality that when the Lord makes this whole first Thessalonians 5:23 teaches that wholeness is mental physical and spiritual first Thessalonians 5:23 says the God of peace sanctify you wholly whu-oh LLY not hol WA but WH o lly holy and he says I pray God your whole spirit whole soul and body be be complete in him so God's not looking at just one facet of our life and saying okay you got it all together he's looking at the total picture and the reality of it is is that until we experience wholeness and mind body and spirit we don't know what true fulfillment is and sadly there are many that will look at the physical aspect of life you drive a nice car you live in a nice house your bellies full you eat good food those are nice clothes you have own and think that brings wholeness but I'm here to tell you right now cuz I've been in the people business all my adult life that's better than five years now that there was some fights that broke out last night in a shack and there was some fights that probably broke out last night in a mansion trouble is no respecter of persons trouble doesn't look at what you have in the bank and say I'm gonna leave you alone trouble messes with the poor trouble messes with the rich there are rich folk that have marriage problems and poor folk that have marriage problems y'all gonna do me like this listen listen you can be broken have trouble raising your kids you have money have trouble raising your kids troubles no respecter of what's going on in your life and so God is speaking here to the church lil to see any saying you you think because you are comfortable that you have arrived but when I look at you there's so much more I want to do in you there's so much there's so much more that I can do beyond where you are you've gotten complacent you've gotten content I want to take you to another level but you've gotten contented this one right here think about all the times we prayed for something until we got what we prayed for and then we stopped praying but when we when we didn't have that thing in our life we were praying and getting in the word but once that thing came we began to slack in our prayer I say we because I am guilty but watch what the Lord does here in verse 18 he said I counsel thee to buy I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich really rich and white raiment that thou may s be clothed and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve that thou may see what's interesting here is Laodicea was known for this medicine that they produced that you could put in the eyes and and they were also known for their waters and Kalasha in the hot springs and how the water would run down through the o2c and by the time we got the label to see it it cooled down he is speaking to them in terms that they could understand because this was like an area of wealth because of this ointment that they sell they sold and medication and he's saying you you think that you have it all together and you do physically then but you don't completely and so he's saying I've got gold for you I've got a life for you that will only through the trial of the fire which means God can take what I am going through not to destroy me not not that I regret but he can take a trial to improve my life and to give me a different vantage point of my life and say man God's best really isn't is it hasn't even arrived yet what I want your best don't let me get content when I am here when you have something better for me don't let me be content in Canaan when you have something better for me in the promised land listen think about the high school girlfriend you had that you cried when she broke up with you I think about what happened when you saw or 12 years later thank you God thank you Lord the one you cried over you gave God praise for that he broke that thing up God can take something that looks like in your life the end you know the boys to men now that we've come to the end of the road and you having a key sweat moment you don't want to go outside in the rain because you don't want your tears to be seen and you make it last forever and you're so broken and you think you can't leak a live and then God say no no no I let all that happen because this is not my best for you I've got something so much better for you this is not my plan for you and in a few years from now when I bring the one I have ordained for you into your life you will look back on that on those days that you wept and you will give me praise that I let that hardship bring that thing to pass in your life I've seen it happen I remember in the early days of the ministry we were trying to buy this this church facility and and I won't get into the backstory of why we were denied purchasing it even though we had gotten the finance together the money and with the church wouldn't sell to us because they didn't want to sell they promised the neighborhood watch committee they wouldn't sell the church to to a black church Emily told where to God and so the passenger-side can't save the church I told the Neighborhood Watch Committee I went so to a black church and then we're integrated they wouldn't sell us a church and then they sold it to an all-black Church in that interesting Thursday handle white foam in it so he really should've said integrated Church and so I'm crying over this little while and then a big old oak tree that was about to shirt fell over the church like whew and the church said like a hundred people and we blew up to hundreds quick when we built our own facility and we wouldn't fit in there anyway I've been doing 16 services there cuz we get 1,600 in here see sometimes we cry over what we think we think we need to be we cry over that person we cry over that loss you've cried over that job but you were looking for a job when you got that one and God said I've got a better one see we get content in this place and God seen if you just knew I'm actually trying to work something for your good if you will let me work this process you will be better off I'm purging some things from your life and that's what God was trying to communicate to the Church of Laodicea now let me just let me show you another example of this go with me to Luke 22 to Luke 22 so in the trial because we all have them ask the Lord what are you trying to purge in me what work are you trying to do in me Luke 22 because sometimes we can rest so much on one area of wholeness in our life that we make ourselves exempt from another area of wholeness and I can tell you right now that when you have broken relationships in your life nothing else really matters you don't cry on somebody's shoulder about heartache and they say we're here here's a hundred dollars go get you a steak you don't care about another steak whom we just ate we need to stay by myself you know and you man you're married and strife hits you home and so you just go to another bedroom click on the television you know forget her now they you didn't do that when you're broke cuz you have but one bed and he didn't work half the time so you had to make up or you went to bed on when you get in to eat it's a baby you know I didn't mean that don't you know y'all pile up in that twin bed so you can just have some heat whoo I'm gonna stop it all right that's far we need to go now watch this Luke 22 when you get there say Amen so watch what happens here as the Lord had addresses Simon verse 31 the Lord said Simon son behold anytime you read the word behold in Scripture that means this thing is already here it's already happening behold Satan has desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat now those are encouraging words from the Lord Satan has filled out a requisition form and he wants to sift you like wheat and you would sift wheat to separate the shaft from the weak so it's a sifting process separating process so watch verse 32 but I have prayed for thee and the devil won't touch you know so what is this but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not in other words you gonna go through this but I've already prayed that your faith not fail so Lord is saying you're gonna go through this trial but don't worry you gonna come out the other side because I have prayed that it that your faith will not fail in this fire and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren when thou art converted when I saw that word converted I don't know why but I thought about a convertible and so a convertible can convert you can have the top on top off but it can change and so he's thinking there needs to be a change there needs to be a conversion there's needs to be a change to come to pass in your life and so this sifting that the enemy is going to do in your life I'm gonna work it for good I'm gonna bring about a conversion all right now what brought this on why is is his satan satan desiring to sift simon and why is Jesus letting Simon know how you're about to go through a sifting why is all this happening I want to show you why because when you see it in context it changes everything so let's back way up to verses 19 and 20 and you see in verses 19 and 20 Jesus is giving the disciples The Last Supper all right you see there in verse 19 he's offering the bread everybody see it verse 20 is offering what the cup so for Yahveh are actually looking at it alright so he's offering the bread he's offering the cup and so there are the Last Supper can can you can you see the picture of Jesus sitting down with the twelve disciples can anybody see it because if you've ever seen the picture you know they're all sitting on the same side of the table it's for a photo-op try to keep people they were trying to sleep on me awake so there they all at the table Jesus is offering the bread in the cup and then he says this in verse 21 he says but behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table so there's 12 there with Jesus and he said hey there's one here that's going to betray me his hand is on the table at that point I think my hands off too and so now he's letting them know one of you is about to do me wrong one of you is about to do me in so let's see how that what that turns into and so verse 22 and truly the Son of Man goeth as it was determined but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed now watch verse 23 carefully and they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing so now this conversation has evolved hey who do you think would do that and they're looking around the room you miss Bible study last week you're gonna be the one to do it me see you can just the conversation like who would do this who would betray Jesus so the conversation I could say in verse 23 is which of them is the worst because if you betrayed Jesus that makes you the worst so that's where the conversation is who would be so low to do Jesus like this all right what's this verse 24 and there was also a strife among them which of them should be accounted the what so they started out talking about who is the worst in our group and it turned into who's actually the best in our group can you see how this company imagined me in Jesus one of them is getting ready to betray him he lets them know the conversation went from who's the worst to now who's the best now you might wonder what this has to do with the trial stay with me and so they begin to speak about who is the greatest among them well I can see from reading Matthew 16 Matthew 26 what I'm reading here Luke 22 if you remember there was a time when Jesus had his disciples together in Matthew 16 and he asked him this question he said who do men say I am and they answered back they said they say you're Jeremiah they say you're you're John the Baptist risen from the dead and none of them said you're the Son of God so then Jesus said okay who do you who do you say I am and the Bible says that Simon spoke up and he said you are the Christ you are the son of the Living God they all set their tongue and mouth nobody said a word and then Peter speaks up and says I know who you are you're the Christ the Son of God Jesus look back at Peter in Matthew 16 and he said flesh and blood did not reveal this to you nobody told you this he said but my father which is in heaven has just told you who I am and on this revelation I will build my church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it that's Matthew 16:19 so stay with me Peter was the first one that knew Jesus really was and he knew it by the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit revealed to him who Jesus was but in the trial after Jesus was taken into custody now know the story Peter is following at a distance and somebody points at Peter and says oh oh you know him you know that Jesus got and what did Peter say I don't know he talked about Jesus who I know hates loose so then a second one he's warming by fire and this lady says wait a minute wait a minute I know you know him you know him and Peter said the second time he said I don't know he talked about I don't know the man if that wasn't enough a third time at another occasion waiting me you're one of his twelve you know him and Peter said a third time I don't know who you're talking about so watch this the spiritual conviction the spiritual revelation of who Jesus was that the Father in heaven had given Peter somehow another went to his head to the point that I believe it's him here that saying I'm the greatest I'm gonna build this thing up you receive it or reject it I can see Peter saying to the others when he asked who he was none II I'll knew who he was who knew who he was I knew who he was so you think I'm gonna betray him when I'm the one that first knew who he really was I can see Peter walking in a confidence or in an arrogance about his knowledge of Jesus and therefore he got pointed out and Jesus said Satan Satan hath desired you he's going to test this knowledge in your life and sure enough on three occasions his knowledge of Jesus was tested to the point that all three times he sat on another man but it ain't over because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and that means when God has a plan for your life even if you mess it up he will still give you an opportunity to come back and get that thing right so before you've knocked Peter out it ain't over with Peter because Jesus said to Peter Satan is gonna sift you like wheat but I have already prayed for you that your faith fail not and on the other side of this trial when you get on the other side of this trial you will be converted you will be changed and you will be able to strengthen your brothers others will be stronger because of what I'm going to bring you through and so after the resurrection Jesus is on the seaside and he grills some fish don't you love Jesus and he says Peter do you love me if you say yeah Lord I love you second time Peter do you love me yes Lord you know I love you number two a third time Peter do you love me a third time Peter says Lord you know all things you know I love you why you asked me this three times he says if you love me you feed my lambs if you love me you tell others who I am watch this three times Peter said I don't know him I don't know him I don't know him but on the other side of that trial Jesus said do you love me do you love me do you love me God will always give you a chance to prove you are ready to pass the test you might have missed it on this end but he knows after you goes for that trial you'll get it right on this end and then he will use you to do a work just as he did Peter because out of anyone that God could have chosen it was Peter that stood up and preached on the day of Pentecost and three thousand men accepted Christ and were baptized by his preaching and what did he preach he preached Jesus and how God had anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power and he told the whole story of who Jesus was so that trial worked for Peters good see when you're going through a trial do you have to realize that on the front end of that trial and what you think you know and what you think you believe and what you what you think you believe the Lord will be tested it will be tested and you can't get down on yourself if you look back and say man I feel like I failed the test I feel like I miss him nope God is faithful he will give you a chance to pass this test he will give you a chance to come out on the other side and when you do you'll always be stronger he says here in verse 32 he said I have prayed for you that your faith fell not and when you are converted strengthen thy brethren that means people that have gone through stuff can strengthen folk that's important because we're bad we're bad about not listening to people that have already gone through let me back up let me back up let me back up see we're in the youtube/google see regeneration hey Siri how do you cook pancakes see we don't know what grandma knows [Applause] there's some stuff your mama can tell you that Google can't tell you there's some stuff you're dead it can tell you that you can't find on YouTube there are some things that people have gone through that can advise you that you can't find on the Internet God tells Peter listen you gonna come through some stuff and when you come to it go strengthen your brethren young people don't be so ignorant to think that YouTube and Google and Internet has all the answers you need for life not when your mama has already gone through some stuff that she can help you with not when your daddy has already gone through some stuff then he can help you with your brand mother went through some hard times she could pour them white hairs have some wisdom I'm concerned that this generation doesn't want to listen to somebody that's already gone through it and it isn't interesting I'm almost done hidden it interesting that in the same context the same message here that's recorded in Matthew 20 when the disciples talked about who was greatest the son the sons of Zebedee their momma came into Jesus and said hey I want my boys to sit on the right hand and on the left hand of your kingdom that's where I want them positioned and then I don't know if any parent that doesn't want their children in the best position I want my children Christian our four in the best position I got my oldest right here on the front row James Christian I want him in the best position you know in life and I don't know of a parent that wouldn't desire that for their child but when Jesus was asked by mother of positions for her children he didn't he didn't address the position he immediately talked about the price when you have a chance to be in the presence of somebody that has a position you would want in life an entrepreneur a coach a teacher someone that has a that has what you would look at and say man that's the life I want the marriage that they have that the family unit they have the ministry they have I want that position don't talk to people in position about position when you get in the presence of people in position talk about price what what did you go through to get there what price did you have to pay to get to this point two few today want to speak about the position but they don't want to talk about the price what Jesus was doing here to Peter as he was saying I'm gonna bring you through something and the price of what you go through is going to help those that I'm gonna bring into your life you never know that if the trial that you're going through is not only for God to be glorified in your life and for you to learn some things for you for your own good but that you might be able to benefit somebody else with what you've gone through why go through something when somebody else has already gone through it that I can learn from that's why I know Adam loved Eve so she ate the fruit first and the Bible says the glory of God departed that means she was she experienced the result of sin before Adam Adam could look back and even say you should have done that godly girl Lord you got no one he ate the fruit after she had already eaten it we were out to eat the other night after gaming and wonder uh what are the kids friends was with us and we were at this a bocce place and and and and the boys messed with him and said man he eat that that's like ice cream it was what we call it was sabe he took a big old spoonful they couldn't convince nobody else at the table to do that si when we've gone through something when you've gone through something that doesn't only benefit you it benefits those in your life that now I can take my experience and what I've gone through and say listen I'm sharing this with you so you don't have to go through what I went through and they're good that's a good god I told the team the other night after a basketball game you got coach throw mile swift as your coach an NBA great he's done it in high school and college and LSU and and done it in the NBA why would you not listen to what he says to learn from somebody has already been through it to ignore that would be silly it would be foolish God is telling Peter I'm gonna bring you through some things and others will be strengthened because of what you have gone through that's God taking a trial and not only turning it for our good but turning it for the good of those that are in our lives amen did that help anybody today it's all I got for you this morning hallelujah let me pray for you this morning and before you head out and try to be there by at the parking lot let's have a moment of Prayer and ask the Lord is there something you're trying to purge in me right now is this trouble I'm going through your way of working something out of me so that you can work something in me let's pray father we thank you today for your word and I think your father that no matter what our trial might be you are good and you are sensitive and you are faithful and we can learn in the trial so father I pray right now about your spirit that you would just purifies help us to have faith in the fire that your word says all things work for the good of them that love you and are called according to your purpose and truly even when we don't see it your work with every headed by what could your trial be saying to you what could the Lord be saying in your trial what what might needs to what might need to leave your life what needs to be converted what needs to be changed I invite you to pray with me I'm just gonna pray words the faith salvation and you're welcome to pray along with me all right Heavenly Father I believe you sent your son to die for my sins that he paid the price that I could be saved forgiven and redeemed and I thank you that you love me and they you are faithful and that you will take even the things I don't understand and work them for my good I rest in that right now by your love work it from my good I ask [Music] say your Holy Spirit would give me wisdom and strength wisdom to know your will strength to live it I believe he raised Jesus from the dead and I confess him as Lord of my life and I ask that you would give me the power of the Resurrection that I would walk in newness of life keep me sensitive to your word and your spirit that your will be done in my life and that no matter what season I'm in may my life bring you glory and represent your kingdom in Jesus name Amen [Music]

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Length: 40min 35sec (2435 seconds)

Published: Mon Nov 18 2019