Suffering:What No One Wants and Everyone Needs! - 1 Peter 4:12-19.

Thank you for joining us at Key Life Fellowship for our Pulpit

Ministry, podcast. Each sermon on this podcast is

from our 11 a.m. Sunday service.

We are glad that you have joined us digitally, but would love to

see you in person on Sunday mornings at either 9 a.m. or 11

a.m. Now, let's open God's word and

ask him to reveal his truths for our lives.

If you would turn your Bibles to First Peter chapter 4, I will be

1 Peter 4 · chapter mention

looking today at a message entitled suffering.

What? No one wants and everyone needs

And as you're turning. And I want I want to kind of set

the set the tone for us today and set our minds in the right

place in our world today. Is it true that the greatest

commodity seems to be comfort? You don't like your shirt, so

you go, buy a comfort color shirt.

You, you don't like your chairs, it's not comfortable enough.

So you go get a different share. Some of you just came from

enrich next door and you're thankful to be in more

comfortable chairs. But all we wants Comfort, right?

And will do whatever it takes to be comfortable.

We want a different pair of shoes because our old, pair of

shoes aren't comfortable enough. And at every point we seem to

strive for Comfort, we think that comfortable and easy means

best. If it's easy, I like it, it's

comfortable. I'm for it yet.

This Idea doesn't really fit the New Testament Church.

We, we so often in error, we want to get to heaven with no

scars. We want to get to heaven with no

suffering here on this earth and the easiest road we can to get

to heaven and then I'll be good. We want as you've heard, it said

we want a crown with no cross. This couldn't be the farthest

thing from the New Testament Church.

Paul the Apostle writes in 2nd Corinthians, chapter 4 verse 8.

He said that Persecuted perplexed, we're struck down and

we're bearing in our body. The death of Christ later in the

same book, he writes in chapter 11 of second Corinthians.

In verse 24, he says five times I received from the Jews to 40

Lashes. Minus one, three times.

I was beaten with rods. Once I was pelted with stones

three times. I was Shipwrecked, I spent a

night and a day in the open sea. I've been constantly on the

Move, have been in danger from rivers, and danger from bandits

in danger, from my fellow Jews in danger, from Gentiles and

danger in the city. Danger in the country in danger

at Sea. And in danger from false

Believers, I have labored and toiled and have often Gone

without sleep. I've known hunger and thirst,

and have often Gone without food.

I've been cold and naked, he says to Timothy.

And second Timothy 3:12 that if anyone wants to live a Godly

2 Timothy 3:12

life in Christ Jesus, they will be persecuted.

This sound comfortable? It sound like an easy life.

Oh, Paul is not enough for us and Peter.

It is the moment, the Lord Jesus himself in.

John 16:33 said, in this world, you will have trouble.

John 16:33

And so we must ask. Why has the church bought the

LIE of living a comfortable, life living the High Life

chasing Comfort at all. Cause why is this crept into the

church? Because suffering is going to

look at it. Is truly what?

No one wants and truly what everyone needs.

Let's look at First Peter for together and just to give you a

little background on the book of First Peter, he is writing to

scattered Believers and a common theme is persecution and

suffering. In this book, in fact, in the

Five Short chapters in this book, Peter uses the word suffer

17 times and uses it for in the few verses, we're going to look

at Okay, so the theme in First Peter is very clear, there's a

lot about suffering. What's it mean?

Let's look at it. Verse 12, the First Peter

1 Peter 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4 if you will He says dear friends do not be surprised

at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you as

though something strange were happening to you.

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of

Christ. So that you may be overjoyed.

When his glory is revealed, if you are insulted because of the

name of Christ, you are blessed for the spirit of glory and of

God, rests on you. Verse 15.

If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief, or any

other kind of criminal or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed.

But praise God, that you bear that name for it is time for

judgment to begin with God's household.

And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those

who do not obey the gospel of God?

And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will

become of the ungodly and The Sinner?

So then those who suffer according to God's will should

commit It themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to

do good. And so, there's a few things we

want to look at here and verse from this text, we see that

suffering is certain. We see that suffering is certain

looking verse 12, He begins verse 12 by saying dear friends

and this is the same word as we get another plate beloved.

It's the exact same word that God.

The Father speaks about Jesus Christ at his baptism, is this

is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased, you have a loving

reminder right off the bat from Peter right here.

He wants his people to not be surprised at the fiery ordeal

that's coming on you and he's going to tell them the truth in

perfect love. And I want you to think about

this and our day and time, no one wants to hear the truth

because they don't think it's very loving.

The most loving thing you can do for someone is tell them the

truth. Peter gives them a loving or

minor dear friends. I love you so much to not let

you be ill-informed to not let you be caught off guard at

what's coming to not be unbeknown of the suffering.

That's about to come upon all of you and he calls it, his fiery

ordeal. This is true.

Pastoral love. You know when someone loves you,

if they tell you the truth, if they're not afraid to maybe

scare you. If there are not afraid to make

me hurt your feelings, but he cared for them deeply and he

wants them to not be surprised. He calls them beloved, he calls

them, dear friends, Your friends suffering a certain suffering a

certain so, so be ready. There is a test coming.

He says don't be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come

to test. You don't be, don't be shocked

by, it's coming. It's guaranteed.

We know it's certain There is this fiery ordeal, he calls it a

test. Now, the test is not for God to

know if their faith is real. So when you go through a test of

faith, it's not for God to know him.

And I wonder if they're going to actually trust me, is that

foolish? Because God knows all things,

right? It's not that God is going to

sit back there and say, man, I really hope they passed this

test. The test is for you.

The test is for you to be refined in your faith to grow as

we sing in your faith. And to really for you to know

for certain is my faith genuine, because when it's tested, and

you'll know said, is the refining by Fire.

This guaranteed test is not an odd test, it's not a strange

test but it's a it's a certain test suffering is certain.

If you're in Christ, suffering is part of your Christian Duty.

It's what you do. Now this debunks just as one

verse the whole Prosperity Gospel, doesn't it?

They god with the blessed with health wealth and prosperity on

this life. All you need to do is just name

it and claim it in Jesus name. Amen.

And it's yours. That's not.

That is not at all. What Paul taught.

That's not at all. What?

Jesus taught. That's not at all.

What? Peter taught that's not at all

what the Bible teaches. If you're following someone like

that or if you're like to listen to someone like that, stop their

leading, you and others to hell. And so Peter.

Guys don't think that you're just going to live a

comfortable. Easy life will be surprised.

Although so far in the history of the church, the church has

been somewhat tolerated. There's been scattered

persecution here and there but there has been no widespread

from the emperor. We're killing the Christians

were persecuting. The Christians Christianity has

not been officially. Outlawed said, you guys have

been tolerated living somewhat comfortable for a little bit of

time? Don't be shocked. when it comes

when we can be shocked, when your world flips upside down,

And persecution was coming on them.

Persecuted persecution is coming on us.

Suffering is coming for us. American Church, don't be

shocked. When persecution comes don't but

don't be surprised when the fiery fiery ordeal comes as

there. Something strange were happening

to you know this it's nothing random.

It is not a random happening is not God.

Sitting back looking and man. Oh man, I can't control this.

I have no control over the situation helpless.

This is not a random situation. This test is for you is test is

not happening. Going by any chance or any

Randomness instead? God is Sovereign over all that,

we believe that God is Sovereign period.

You had any clause or any extra stuff to the end of that phrase,

God is no longer Sovereign. God is Sovereign over all this

includes suffering, this includes persecution.

He's a man that's kind of harsh. I would love some chapter.

Maybe some verses to prove that to me.

I'll give you a whole book, 42 chapters job.

Go read it. Look at that.

Guy was God's Sovereign over job suffering.

Was he not only Sovereign over suffering.

He was Sovereign over Satan himself.

Sane only does what God allows him to do.

He answers to God, everything in creation, answers to the

Creator. Your suffering.

Is not random your suffering is purposeful and we can rest in

the fact that God is Sovereign over our suffering.

And even our persecution can't we if you can't rest in that

menu to check your heart. So we see suffering a certain

very clear, verse 12 or 13 and 14.

We see the suffering brings christlikeness.

Look at that. But rejoice in as much as you

participate in the sufferings of Christ, you bring it brings

christlikeness because you joined with Christ and

suffering. Did Christ that did Christ

suffer unjustly. Yes, the only perfect one.

The righteous Son of God. Died at the hands of sinful men.

He died. A brutal death, a criminal's

death, a murder is death and revolutionaries death.

He died. A death.

That should not have been his. He was led like a sheep to the

slaughter. Yet, he did not even open his

mouth. Unjust suffering.

But we join with Christ and suffering.

We are participating in that and we rejoice in that because we

could to be like Christ Jesus. Hebrews 12 verse 2, it says it

Hebrews 12:2

for the joy set before him endured the cross.

For the joy. He was joyous.

Is obedience to the father's will in being crushed for our

sins. What do they ask about your own

life? James 1:2, says to count it all

James 1:2

or consider it pure joy. When You Face Trials of many

kinds do that Do you do you count it?

Joy, when the worst thing imaginable happens to your life,

when everything falls through. Can you count that Joy because

you're actually joining with Christ and suffering.

Oh, so often man, oui oui mon. We complain.

We don't as Paul says in Philippians, 4:4 it to rejoice

in the lord always. And just in case you missed it

the first time he says, again, I say rejoice, you know where he

wrote that In a prison, he wrote that in a prison.

So if suffering he was counting it all joy in the trial that he

was going through. But here's the thing, if you

love The World's comfort, You're not going to rejoice in the

suffering for Christ. You're going to be upset.

You're going to complain. The, you didn't get your way you

to complain that your life is falling apart.

You don't know what to do. Because you love the things of

this world. And not Christ.

First John says, you're not love the world or anything of the

world, you love the world, the love of the father is truly not

in you love Christ, are you love the world?

If you love Christ, you'll Rejoice.

But now you're wondering, why do I rejoice in suffering?

It seems all bad, doesn't it? Everything is crashing down, but

life is falling apart. You rejoice and suffering number

one, because you're participating in Christ.

As we've already said you share in his suffering.

Any Christians want to be like Jesus?

We're Christians right? Where we are Christ's ones.

You want to be like Jesus, be willing to suffer.

Jesus said John 15 20 It's the world hates you keep in mind it

hated me. First, we were to be like

Christ. We are to suffer like Christ the

beginning of this chapter in First Peter, chapter 4 verse 1.

1 Peter 4:1

He says therefore since Christ suffered in his body arm

yourselves with the same attitude Because whoever suffers

in the body is done with sin as a result as a result of your

same attitude of suffering with Christ, you do not live the rest

of your Earthly lives for human desires.

But rather for the will of God, you want to just break your own

will realize this, that, hey, when I suffer, I'm living God's

will. And I don't want my well, I want

God's will because his will is always good.

Even in the midst of the most trying times of life God's will

is better than yours and mine. UE rejoice in suffering because

as you participate in Christ's suffering, and you also will be

greatly rewarded. Look at the end of verse 13

there in First Peter He says you participate in the sufferings of

Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is

revealed. Romans 8 says it like this verse

18, our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the

glory that will be revealed with us.

Second Corinthians 4:17, another verse just to stick with the

2 Corinthians 4:17

theme of suffering that is so clear and all the scripture, he

says, our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an

eternal glory that far, outweighs them all.

It's so easy in the trying times to think, man, this is as bad as

it gets and I'm focused on this and man.

Oh, this is awful and whine and complain and bellyache, but we

need to rejoice in suffering. Because we know that it's light

and it's momentary, and it's achieving for us an eternal

glory. That will far outweigh the mall.

And let me tell you this, your sufferings are not meaningless,

they're not for nothing. They are purposeful and they are

for an eternal reward that you will have if you rejoice in your

suffering here on this Earth. Suffering is what we need.

It makes us long for heaven as well, doesn't it?

He's ever had an ailment sickness.

Maybe a family member passes away.

Anything that goes wrong in our life, should make us long for

heaven. The place where suffering is

done away with the price of, There's No More Tears.

There is no more pain. There's no more suffering.

We look forward to that and when that day does come we are

Overjoyed when the Lord's glory is revealed or we won't be able

to contain our jewelry when we meet the Lord, because we

suffered on this earth. And the glory that is revealed

in heaven, far outweighs the bad that we Face here on the in this

world. Suffering brings Christ's

likeness and joining with Christ, brings christlikeness

and growing in Christ. So I wanted to be very clear.

That suffering is necessary for Christian growth.

You've never suffered You're probably not a mature Christian.

First Peter chapter 1 verse 6, it builds on.

1 Peter 1:6

Again this this whole topic verse 6 and all this you greatly

Rejoice, there it is again though.

Now, for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief and all

kinds of Trials. These have come so that the

proven genuineness of your faith of Greater worth than gold,

which perishes, even though refined by fire may result in

Praise Glory and Honor. When Jesus Christ is revealed,

when the suffering in the Trials, come in your life.

It is to grow you and to strengthen your faith as with

fire, just as his fiery ordeal was about to come on.

The early church, the fiery ordeal that comes in your life

is to refine you and so you can grow in Christ, perseverance

come, Comes from suffering and perseverance is necessary.

And a true sign of a child of God, a child of God, will

persevere all the way until the end y because suffering has

brought forth perseverance. Listen to this and James 1:2, we

James 1:2

know, consider it pure joy. Whenever you face Trials of many

kinds after this, he says because you know, that the

testing of your faith produces perseverance, let perseverance

finish its work. So that you may be mature and

complete not lacking anything. Why?

Because trials have come tend to the trial.

You've learned perseverance and to the perseverance you have

gained maturity and completeness.

In Christ, you want to be a mature.

Christian going to be a complete Christian be willing to suffer

for Christ. No other way around it again.

Paul says, in Romans five verse 3, we also glory in our

sufferings because we know that suffering, produces

perseverance, perseverance character and character.

Hope you show me a beat and Christian you show me a marred

Christian, you show me a brought down Christian, I will show you

a mature Christian. When you show me a Christian who

is high and mighty and never suffered anything in their life,

and I'll show you someone whose faith is weak.

And I'll show you someone who does not have the privilege of

participating in the sufferings of suffering of Christ.

You grow in Christ in the hard times.

The easy times, it's easy to love God, it's easy to

persevere. You're not persevering for

anything, just walking through life in the hard times, you

strength in the Lord grows. Just like a bodybuilder or a

workout person. I don't see any gains by just

doing 5 push-ups everyday. A magnet five, push-ups.

Anyway, there's something easy, not test their self, not push

their selves, but a person who seems true gains, is someone who

brings their body to the point of breaking so that it builds up

stronger, that's what trials are for the Christian, that's what

suffering does. We grow in Christ and suffering?

And finally we are being blessed by Christ in suffering.

Now, wait a minute a blessing of Christ.

If I were to survey the church and I would have you all write

down one thing that God has blessed you with.

I can guarantee you not one of you would write suffering

because we don't think like that but God does.

This is the mind of God. Look at verse 14.

He says, if you are insulted because of the name of Christ

you are blessed. The spirit of glory and of God

rests on you, God calls. You blessed when you suffer, you

say o. Woe is me, ma'am.

My life is falling apart. God calls, you blessed.

Jesus said this in Matthew 5, verse 10 blessed, are those, who

Matthew 5:10

are persecuted because of righteousness for theirs is the

kingdom blessed. Are you?

When people insult, you persecute you and falsely say,

all kinds of evil against you because of me rejoice and be

glad because great is your reward in heaven.

You're blessed by Christ and suffer.

You are blessed so much the word blessed here you see in all

Beatitude blessed are blessed are blessed our if it's even

there blessed are those who are persecuted Peter uses the same

exact word and it means ultimate.

Spiritual fulfillment. It could mean happiness for even

the deeper meaning is to be spiritually fulfilled.

Blessed are the persecuted spiritually fulfilled.

Are you when people insult, you and say all kinds of things

about you, this is opposite. I don't feel blessed.

I feel like everything is not going very blessed.

Well say to you let God be true and every man a liar because

that's the truth, I call you blessed, see the high honor of

suffering that it truly is. When you suffer you have God's

approval in favor on your life. It's what suffering is so being

blessed, is it possible said it like this accept her father?

They were beginning to be persecuted.

They were thrown in jail, they were beaten and they were left

free. And this, they said next 541,

they rejoiced because they were counted worthy to suffer for the

name. That is a backwards thinking

today, isn't it? They rejoiced because they were

counted worthy for suffering for the name.

They got to be persecuted, they got to be beaten for Christ.

Don't want to do anything for Christ, what's left.

If it harms us. Rodger Raymer said it right

about this topic. He said that suffering is not a

punishment, but it's a privilege.

It's a great privilege. I pray that we would share in

the privilege, I probably would share in the blessings of Christ

to suffer one side. Alongside one another one day,

It's a high honor to suffer for Christ.

He didn't just leave his hopeless.

If we receive help in the trial, he says, the spirit of Glory

rests, on you, the spirit of Glory, he's borrowing from the

Old Testament, he's but he's talking about the Shekinah

Glory, that would have filled the temple or filled the

Tabernacle of God's presence. And the Glorious thing about

that is we don't have to go to the temple or Tabernacle.

We are the Temple of the Holy Spirit and God's glory resides

in us through his Holy Spirit. And so, his Spirit rests on us,

we receive help in the midst of a trial from what Jesus calls in

John, 14:16, The Advocate or the counselor, or the comforter, the

Blessed Holy Spirit, who is now in us, giving us his help and it

rests on us and it never leaves it never goes away.

That's why you can stand firm in a trial.

That's why you can receive help and the trial because the helper

is in you and working in you You receive help in the trial you

receive rest in the trowel, don't you remember last week

John? 14:27.

Jesus said do not let your hearts be troubled.

My peace I give you. And I'll give us the world

gifts. You can have the peace of God in

a trial. And suffering and persecution.

What does this look like? Practically?

I'll tell you this. If you do any study on the early

church and any Martyrs all throughout the history of the

church. You see the most the time doing

one thing. When they're either tied to the

stake when they're crucified being nailed to the cross.

They would sing praises Psalms and hymns to God you talk about

rejoicing in the midst of trial. They are being burned alive and

they are praising God for his goodness and his blessing upon

their life that they get to suffer for him.

Oh Peter, didn't he didn't he really live this out.

Oh, you're not going to crucify Me by like my Lord you crucify

me upside down and I'll rejoice in my sufferings.

I'll Rejoice at this fiery trial that's coming on me.

He addressed in the trial you have rest in the trial. finally,

even receive Insurance in the trial you receive and Assurance

in the trial because of Christ, because of what he's working in

your life, how when you get to the end of the suffering,

Whatever you're going through and you say Christ brought me

through, aren't you? Sure of him.

You can note because your faith has grown sure and certain not

in you. Not in how you handled the

situation, but how God just brought me through it.

And God showed himself faithful and true and good through all of

this. And so, I can be sure of the

fact that I'm his, because if I wasn't his, there's no way I'd

make it through this. Try that, at the end of your

life, there's no way I can be standing before you clean Lord

other than Christ, you brought me through the suffering of this

life. In my insurance is only in you

man, we learned that on this side of heaven, we will be

Blessed. Suffering brings christlikeness.

I pray, we even pray for suffering.

We could be more christ-like, thirdly.

Suffering will convict. And I wanted to take the next

few verses I want us to ask for questions and this is a good

principle to ask when you're going through a suffering and

trying time has these four questions?

The first, why am I suffering verse 15?

He says this if you suffer it should not be as a murderer or

thief or any other kind of criminal or even a meddler.

You're suffering for sin and suffering for wrongdoing.

A meddler. This was a someone who probably

sparked a revolution or spoke against the evil regime of the

government. The government had the right to

bear the sword, didn't they? And then suffered just lie

because they spoke or did something against the

government. He says, are you suffering?

Because you're doing these simple things?

If you're suffering because of sin, that's deserve it.

You do the crime, you deserve you deserve the time and the

punishment. So, why are you suffering

suffering as a Christian is not just a cop-out or a trump card

to behave? However, you want and say

whatever you want, whatever you want to whoever you want.

However you want to say it because if they speak against

me, they're really speaking to me, it's Christ.

Yeah, but you were, you were so rude.

You were hateful. You were mean, downright mean.

That's, that's sinful Behavior. You're suffering because of that

are speaking ill against you because of something you did

sinful, that's not true biblical suffering.

Don't get it twisted here, just because any wrong comes on.

You, it's not persecution or suffering because of Christ, it

could be real suffering. The cop that pulled you over for

going 75 and a 55 and wrote you a ticket is not persecuting you.

For being a Christian. He's giving you a ticket for

speeding. There's a difference.

So why am I suffering the reason for my suffering?

Secondly, how am I suffering? It says in verse 16, however, if

you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed.

But praise God, that you bear that name, praise God, that I

bear the name of Christ and get to suffer for him.

And what's wonderful is the word for praise here?

The same root word there is that the same route where we get the

word doxology here. The first song We Sing every

Sunday is praise God, from whom all blessings flow, the

doxology. And so when you go through

trials, Praise. Doxology, the god.

How do I praise God in a trial? That seems so hard and backwards

Calvin said it, right? He said this talking about this

very idea. But one that Praises God, they

feel their guilt is blotted out and abolished before.

God, and on this behalf, then they have reason to praise God.

He speaks of nothing of circumstance.

He speaks his only of the fact that our sins are blotted out

there. For we have reason to praise

God, you've got reason to praise God, even if it's the worst time

of your life, because why? Because Jesus died for me and my

sins are taken away my biggest. Problem is gone, my sins are

gone. My guilt is taken away.

I have eternal life in Christ therefore why should I moan and

gripe and complain? I'm gonna praise God.

That's the big picture here. The big picture is your sins are

gone and that's never going to be taken away.

So therefore I'm going to praise God, no matter what, no matter

what he takes away. Job said it Lord gives or takes

away. Nevertheless blessed be the name

of the Lord. What an attitude I pray, we'd

have that the psalmist had this attitude in suffering.

So I'm 1 1967. He says, before I was afflicted,

I went astray but now I obey your word after being Afflicted

verse 71. He said it was good for me to be

afflicted, so that I might learn your decrees you ever said, it's

good to be inflicted. That's what the psalmist said.

So my learn the decrees, the word of God.

You don't do that without suffering.

How are you suffering? Do you see it as a badge of high

honor? The God has given you that you

get to suffer for Christ? You see, like the apostles, an

ax. Rejoice, because they were found

worthy to suffer for the name. Also, Paul in Philippians 1:29,

Philippians 1:29

he said it has been granted to you.

It's been given a gift of God that you behalf of Christ.

Not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him.

Oh, will agree with a man faith in God is a gift.

We can only have faith in God as if he gives it to us.

Oh, Paul says, you believe in God because God has granted you

the faith to believe. He's also granted you.

The gift of suffering for him. See the gift that it is, how are

you suffering? You're suffering with that in

mind. Are you suffering ashamedly?

Don't be ashamed. When Peter uses the term

Christian. This was a derogatory term of

the day, they were the lowest, they were the scum of the earth.

Those Christians that Jewish sect Christians, you suffer for

the name of Christ, don't be ashamed where the name of Christ

proudly and boldly Never Back Down.

Never be ashamed. Even in the suffering.

Oh when the world comes in, the enemy comes, why are you even

hope? Why are you holding on in the

storm? When Jobs wife says Curse God

and die. Don't be ashamed.

Wear the badge With Honor. Third question, will I suffer

eternally? Is this going to be what's going

to happen to me forever or 17? Says, for it's time for judgment

and he says, judgment here. It's not talking about

condemnation, but to refine the church as he's talking about

first time for judgment to begin with God's household.

And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those

who do not obey the gospel of God?

He's using an argument from the Lesser to the greater here,

saying, if even the children of God suffer, how much more will

the ungodly? He says, in verse 18, if it's

hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the

ungodly in the center? If he Even us who are in Christ

suffer in this life, man. How bad will it be for eternity

for the ungodly who those who do not obey the gospel of Christ.

The answer is very bad worse than we could ever imagine.

Will you suffer for eternity? He's going to happen to me, I'll

tell you this. Jesus teaches the parable of the

soils, Matthew Chapter 13. And there was four four types of

Matthew 13 · chapter mention

soils, one of those types of soils, when trouble or

persecution came because of the word, they quickly fell away.

If you give up during trials and persecution when tough get

things, get tough, you're not, you're not saved.

And persecution is such a blessing because this, you know,

who's on your team, you want to separate the unbelievers from

the non-believers you want to have judgment begin with the

house of God persecution comes and the false believers.

They fall away and they leave because they were never truly

Believers at all. The real Believers know they

persevere to the end because they see trials.

I counted as Joy. My suffering is joy that this

that my present suffering is not worth comparing with the glory.

That is to be revealed. This is good.

Good. I get to do this for Christ, the

non-believer says no, I'm worried about me.

Worry about my job or about my status and worried about my

family. The believer says Kill them all.

You can't take Christ kill me. You can't take Christ.

Take everything I have. You can't take Christ.

So willing to suffer for Christ. If you're not, you're going to

suffer for all eternity. If that's you, if you're not in

Christ, you will, you will suffer and pay the penalty for

your sins. For all eternity, a debt that

you will never be able to pay off a debt that you will spend.

All eternity forever and ever suffering, the just punishment

for what you've done sinning against the holy God.

And there will be no getting out.

Jesus said, it's the place where the fire never quenches in the

worm Never Dies, it will be an eternal death forever.

Separated from the love and goodness of God, the faithful

Creator, the one that you might have even claimed to know.

And so in suffering happens you need to ask, Will I suffer

eternally If you come to the collusion.

Yeah, never trusted in Christ. I've never truly placed my faith

in Christ. I've never repented of my sin

come to Christ today. The one who suffered once for

all sins and join him in the suffering.

Fourth question. And suffering.

Comes my reaching others. Oh, and suffering happens.

Do you think about this man? There are people.

If they don't know Christ, they will suffer forever.

They will find themselves in Hell unless they believe the

gospel of Jesus Christ. And I have the message of hope.

So, therefore, I need to reach them with a message of

Salvation. Is that how you look at

suffering? Oh, when bad things happen,

don't run away, run towards the fight.

Run towards the fight of reaching others.

Because they don't hear the message.

How can they believe? They don't believe how can they

be saved? We've got the answer of Hope,

bring that message of Hope suffering will convict on it.

Fourth suffering, develops confidence.

From suffering, develops confidence first, and God's

sovereignty. Anybody by show of hands, say I

want God's will for my life. Yeah, we want, his will, his

will is to suffer. And I also join they'll still

with their hands in the air. You really want God's will in

your life? Oh, we know God Sovereign Over

All. What he says in verse 19.

So then those who suffer according to God's, will you

that according to God's will, God is not in active, God's

active, God's will will happen. Well, who can thwart the will of

God? When we suffer develops

confidence in his Sovereign hand in his Sovereign, infinite mind,

this is somehow good. I'll remind you of a passage of

scripture that some of, you know, by heart, you have quoted

and plaster, maybe in your house, or in your office, Romans

8. We're gonna do something odd and

we're gonna read more than 28 verse 27.

In the context of suffering. Paul writes, the spirit

intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God,

the spirit prays for you in accordance with God's will in

your suffering because you're going to pray, God, get me out

of here, the spirits going to pray Lord, grow them, Lord

matures him. Lord Show Yourself faithful in

Sovereign in their life. Verse 28, we know we know

without a doubt that in all things, God works for the good

of those who love him who have been called according to his

purpose for those God foreknew. He also predestined to be

conformed, to the image of his son, that he might be the

firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

What that teaches is before anything began.

God had chosen you Christian to be conformed to the image of

Christ and he accomplishes that too.

The day-to-day lives of us by bringing us through suffering to

make us more like Christ refining Us by fire that is the

Hope and God Sovereign hand that we have amidst trials that will

develop confidence and you know what God will do, he will work

his purpose, your suffering is not meaningless, your suffering

is to make you more like Christ and oh The Sovereign Mind Of

God. Because would we do it like

that? We go, the easy route and

they'll Staples commercials hit the easy button, it would smack

the Easy Button. We God says, I my way is better

and we know that he works all things for the good of those who

love him and are called according to his purpose

suffering. Also, develops confidence in

God's faithfulness, there's no doubt We've all been through

trials suffering or persecution, no matter how intense it may be.

Has God ever under delivered in the time of trying?

How he's always shown himself. Faithful, will he ever

under-deliver? Be confident in that?

Be confident in God's faithfulness.

His name is faithful and true. And the one who's faithful.

Peter says, we can commit themselves and ourselves to our

faithful Creator and continue to do good, we commit ourselves.

We entrust ourselves, it's a banking term that, you know

what? It means you go and entrust your

funds for someone. We entrust our life.

To our faithful Creator. He's our only hope.

He is our hope and live, he is our hope and death.

He is our Hope For Eternity. He is our Eternal hope and we

can commit Our Lives to him. We can take him to the bank on

his faithfulness. Jesus Christ.

He said this, he was on the cross.

He said, father into your hands. I commit my spirit.

Oh, what ultimate Trust. What commitment he had in his

father's faithfulness. We develop confidence in that

suffering. We develop confidence to press

on because of God's sovereignty because of his faithfulness.

We continue to do good, no matter the Flames.

All when the world comes out us to to try to knock us off the

narrow path. We continue to do good, because

we haven't trusted ourselves to the one who is faithful and true

and Sovereign and good. No matter what comes we

continue. To do good.

We don't say, man, this really isn't worth it. man, I've

trusted Christ my whole life and I've got is a tough life.

Or the early Martyrs polycarp. He said when they nailing him to

the stake, he said for 82 years, have I served him and he's never

let me down. He lived a tough life of

suffering persecution because of the name of Christ. now this

letter, that Peter wrote, he wrote in the year 64 ad and

something happened in that same exact year, the emperor Nero of

Rome, he was the emperor of really all the known world.

At the time, he said the city of Rome on fire.

And proceeded to he was a Madman proceeded to blame the

Christians for it, something that he did, he blamed the

Christian and then boom persecution erupts from there.

And in the same year that Peter writes this to the church, he

wrote does this, he had some Christians sewn in skins of wild

beasts and then mauled by dogs until they died.

He had others dressed in shirts made stiff with wax.

Fix them to trees and set them on fire in his Gardens to

illuminate. His garden parties talk about a

fiery ordeal that's not about that's about to come on them

right? Oh that hit home.

Oh the first Christian, that was lit into flames.

Probably recall the words of Peter.

He told us, don't be surprised, he told us, this is coming.

We're going to rejoice in them and so you Christian don't be

shocked. At the fire World, fiery ordeal

that has come on you to test you.

You said there's been I don't know about persecution coming in

the Good Ol us of a. How can that happen?

Why can that happen? Wait, when we have the First

Amendment, we got rights Wanted are you triple dog?

Dare you even stand firm on God's truth and watch

persecutions hand fall fast stand.

Firm on the truth of the Gospel will be persecuted, you'll be

insulted. Some of us may even find

ourselves in prison or even killed for our very faith.

I pray that God would give us the blessing of being martyred

along side of one another. I would want nothing else on

this Earth to go out in a blaze of glory with one of you.

What a privilege, what a blessing.

That would be. You stand firm on biblical

truth. You'll be persecuted stand firm

on sanctity of life. You're called a woman hater.

You stand firm on the sanctity of marriage.

One man, one woman for life you're a hater.

You stand firm on the true fact that God created mankind male

and female he created them. And they have no right to

choose. That's what God Made You.

You're a hater. You say that Jesus is the only

way to Salvation and all other religions lead to hell.

You are the biggest bigoted that has ever been seen in this world

and you are the scum of the earth.

You know what you're doing, you're bearing the name of

Christ and bear the name of Christ, unashamedly.

You hold to any biblical worldview.

You're a dummy. You're illiterate you don't

trust the science. Are you a barbarian?

What are you? I'm a Christian.

You become the outcasts, you get insulted, you get cancelled, you

get persecuted. Don't be shocked when it comes

on you. It is coming fast.

You see the pattern that's being laid here.

What suffering does come Suffer? Well.

Christian. You have no reason to worry the

face of suffering. You have no reason to worry.

You have peace, you have rest, you have the blessing of God.

Continue to do good. Trust God in your suffering.

He is our faithful Creator and you can commit your life to him.

And to his cause you can bear the scars that he is ordained

that you have on this Earth. What a joy.

I get to walk in the will of God in suffering, and persecution

and trials of many kinds. And in that I will rejoice.

I give a warning to some of you who think you're following

Christ and comfort. You live in the easy life and

you think everything's good with you in the man upstairs.

Some of you will say remind you of the words of Jesus in Luke

Luke 9:23

9:23. He said this whoever wants to be

my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and

follow me you've got to carry around death with you everywhere

you go if you want to be his disciple.

Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses

their life, for my sake will save it.

Puritan Thomas Watson Road of Trials.

He said the test of a pilot is seen in a storm.

So the test of a Christian is seen in Affliction.

You want to know if your faith is real.

Walk through the storm broke through the trials.

Oh, you'll know very quickly if your faith is real or

counterfeit, Do you have faith? Do you have true faith in Saving

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Will you be counted worthy to

suffer for your for him? You have the Blessed hand of God

upon your life to get to do that.

You either suffer for him now. And experience is blessing or

you will suffer at the hands of an Angry God for all eternity.

If you are in that camp, your faith has never been placed in

Christ. If he is not your hope, if he is

not your salvation, I beg you and plead.

You come to Christ today, repent, and commit your very

life to Jesus Christ. The faithful Savior.

He will save you to the uttermost.

You say I don't know how he can save me, check, you don't know

what I've done. The Lord does the Lord will

forgive you? He will cleanse your sin, he

will bless you with his eternal blessing and he will even bring

you into a place where you can rejoice in the midst of

suffering, that is only brought by the hand of God.

If you don't know Jesus today is the day of salvation.

If, you know him For Joyce. Rejoice in him.

Let's thank him. God, we thank you so much for

the privilege. It is just walk.

With you. To walk in the peace that comes

from knowing you. Lord to Bear the name of Christ

that we are. So, Unworthy of I pray that you

would give us a heart of joy and praise emits, no matter what

comes Lord that we may be fixed on you.

That our eyes will be. Fixed on you, there are life

would be about you that our words would speak of you.

Oh, that I praise would go to you.

And Lord, we thank you for your word.

We thank you, that it is true. We pray that it would convict.

We prayed, it would draw centers and do the work or that you have

for it to do. For the, you would cultivate

hearts. You would work, but most of all

you would be made known and all glory.

And honor would be to you. Jesus, we ask this in your name.

Amen. Thank you for listening to the

key Life Fellowship, Pulpit Ministry podcast.

If you would like to talk with one of our pastors, please email

us at info at Key Life Fellowship, dot org or call us

at 28 1689 1604. We can also visit our web site

at www.ttil.tv. Cam, we hope and pray.

You have a blessed week, and remember you are lying in the We

can also visit our web site at www.ttil.tv.

Cam, we hope and pray. You have a blessed week, and

remember you are lying in the