What to Do When Life Hurts (1 Peter 3)Sharing Christ's Suffering
- Struggles/Suffering, The Son
- Sharing Christ's Suffering
- Aired Tuesday, April 6, 2004
Leslie Basham: No matter what you are going through, Jesus can relate. Here is Nancy Leigh DeMoss.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss: "Rejoice! Insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed" [1 Peter 4:13]. When you suffer by living with that person who is chronically evil, you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ and, in a sense, can say, "What an honor. What an honor"!
Leslie Basham: This is Revive our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss for Tuesday, April 6, 2004.
When something big is on the horizon, you try to prepare for it, right? According to the apostle Peter, times of suffering are coming and we need to get ready. Nancy has been helping us to do that over the last few days. She has been teaching from 1 Peter, chapter three, focusing on how we can bless others even when they are hurting us. She will continue the teaching starting with 1 Peter 3:15.
Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Instead of being fearful and troubled in your hearts, regard Christ the Lord as holy. Consider Him; keep your eyes on Him. Isaiah 26:3 says, "You will keep those in perfect peace whose minds are fixed on you because they trust in you" (Paraphrased). Lift your eyes upward; get your eyes off that person who is making your life miserable and fix your eyes on Christ.
The Book of 1 Peter says, "Always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience" (Make sure your conscience is clear.) "so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right" (If that should be God's will.) "rather than for doing what is wrong" (1 Peter 3:15-17, NASB).
All through the Book of 1 Peter, (by the way, I challenge you to make a study of this book; memorize it--which I have done a number of times over the years--and meditate on it.) you will see, especially when you come to chapter 4 verse 12, that suffering is to be expected. "Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you." (NKJV)
Do not get caught off guard. Do not think, Why me? Why is this happening to me? Peter says that it is going to happen, so do not be surprised. Look at verse 13. (If he did not have the authority of the Spirit behind him, this would be nuts!)
He says, "Keep on rejoicing." He is not just saying "hold on by your toenails. Put a smile on your face when you go to church; buck up, bear it, survive." He is saying to do more than that. "but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation" (NASB).
When you suffer by living with that person who is chronically evil, you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. And, in a sense, you can say, "What an honor. What an honor"!
The Bible tells you to rejoice; realize that the day is coming when His glory will be revealed; and, by implication, so will yours. The purposes will have been fulfilled. You will be like Christ and you will rejoice and be glad in ways that you cannot imagine now.
He continues in verse 14 of 1 Peter, chapter 4, "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed" We read this and say, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, tell me something real." This is true; God's ways are so converse to our ways. This goes so contrary to the ways we naturally think; but, this is the truth with which you need to fill up your mind and your heart.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed! That is what Jesus said in the Beatitudes; "Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice, and be glad" (Matt. 5:11-12). It is crazy if God is not God; but, He is God and He is not crazy.
If you are insulted, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory--of God--rests upon you. There are some aspects of God's refining, purifying work in your heart that will never happen apart from fire. God is making you; He is refining you and He is purging you. We can sing those songs such as "Refiner's Fire." You know, it is one thing to sing it; it is another to live it. But, God is doing it; He is purging and He is refining.
Verse 15 of 1 Peter 4 says, "By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evil doer, or a troublesome meddler;" (Make sure you are not suffering for your own sins.) "but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God."
He ends that chapter with these words in verse 19. "Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." Entrust yourself to God and keep doing so. You say, "I may die!" Well, there are worse things; you will just get to Glory sooner. You get the end result you have been praying for sooner.
Now, I am not saying you should wish to die, but God is saying that while you are suffering, keep entrusting yourself to God, as Jesus did. We read in 1 Peter, chapter two, that Jesus "kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;" He made you, He knows you and He loves you; you are His possession and He is faithful. In addition, while you are entrusting yourself to Him, keep doing good.
Now, I just have to pick up on chapter five, since we did this little overview of 1 Peter and did not read this part. He says, in verse 10, (I wish we could go verse by verse through the whole book--some day we will. But, here is the great promise.)
"And after you have suffered for a little while" how long is a little while? (For me it is about three minutes, and that is all I want! After that much, then I say, "That is enough; that is enough"!) Well, I can handle three days [but] three weeks, three months or three years--that is forever. No, it is not. Keep it in light of eternity; keep it in perspective.
After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace...and, by the way, Peter keeps coming back to the grace of God; the grace of God! The grace of God is what gives you the desire and the power to do these things--to bless, to do good, to seek peace and to pursue it.
It is the grace of God. He is the God of all grace. He is a faithful creator; He is the God of all grace. Keep going back to the character of God; wash yourself in that. Wash your mind in it; wash your emotions in it, in that reality of who God is. He is the God of all grace who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ.
What will He do after you have suffered a little while? Keep it in mind to keep your eyes on the finish line; keep your eyes on the reward to come or you are going to get weary and faint and give up in the race.
A lot of people do give up before they get to the finish line. Do not give up; keep in mind what is going to happen. "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10).
His purposes in your life will be fulfilled, and you will look back, rejoice, and say, "God, You were so good; You were a faithful creator; You were the God of all grace. You carried me when I could not carry myself; You watched over me when I could not see what was happening; You were blessing me while I was being cursed down here on earth." God will restore you; He will confirm you; He will strengthen you and He will establish you.
Then, look at verse 11. "To Him be dominion forever and ever, Amen!" That is what it is all about. It is not about me. It is not about my comfort. It is not about my convenience; it is not about my feelings; it is not about my well being; it is not about my health.
It is about His right to rule and to reign and our saying, "Lord, Your will be done; Your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven." To Him be dominion. "Lord, rule in my heart. Rule in my life. Rule in my marriage and rule in my home. I want You to be the ruler and if that means I bless when I am suffering, then Lord, You rule; have it Your way because it is all about You." To Him be the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
As you submit to His rule, as you submit to His Word, as you submit to His truth, as you submit to suffering when God brings that into your life, you are saying that Christ is Lord. To Him be the dominion forever and ever.
Then, God says that if you humble yourself and lift Him up, in His time and His way, He promises He will lift you up. He will! He will!
Song: *"Perfect Peace"
Leslie Basham: If you know someone who is going through a tough time, you can share this message with them. The whole series is called "What to do When Life Hurts." You can get it on two tapes for a suggested donation of $8 or 2 CDs for $10. To order, call 1-800-569-5959 or visit our Web site, ReviveOurHearts.com.
While you are there, you can find another way to share what you have heard today. You can read a transcript of today's program and e-mail it to a friend. Again, our Web address is ReviveOurHearts.com.
You can also share what you have heard by giving to the ministry of Revive our Hearts. The funds we use to buy radio airtime come primarily from donations.
Would you consider becoming a monthly partner with us, helping to call women to freedom, fullness and fruitfulness in Christ? You can send your gift to Revive our Hearts.
Today, Nancy talked about the privilege of suffering with Christ. Tomorrow, we will hear from someone who is experiencing that, firsthand. Nancy will talk with Bunny Wilson tomorrow on Revive our Hearts.
*"Perfect Peace," ASCAP 2001 Ariose Music; Written and Sung by Twila Paris.
Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss is a ministry partnership of Life Action Ministry.
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| Knowing vs. Feeling | Jan. 23, 2012 |
| When Marriages Hurt | Jan. 24, 2012 |
| The Eyes of the Lord | Jan. 25, 2012 |
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