November 26
Daniel 2:24-3:30 | PS 119:81-96 | Prov 28:15-16 | 1 Peter 4:7-5:14
Concerning the purpose of suffering, Pastor Chuck Smith wrote, "It develops maturity and character, and it establishes you in your faith. Testings strengthen you. A little tree that is never subjected to the wind will have shallow roots. But a tree subjected to constant blowing wind develops deep roots, and when the real storm comes, that tree will stand. And so God puts us through these experiences of testings, trials, and sufferings that our roots might go deep in Him, and that we will be steadfast, established, strengthened and settled." This was written in response to 1 Peter 5:10, "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." There are times that we suffer due to our own sinfulness. But there are times, we were not looking for it, it just seemed to befall us, that we find ourselves in the midst of fiery trials. How we fare is often a reflection of how we have prepared daily for these unexpected situations.
Life had not been easy for Daniel's three friends. Like Daniel they had lost much in terms of worldly things and were no strangers to suffering for standing on the Rock of God. They did not expect the situation they found themselves in when they found themselves on a plain being forced to worship the golden statue, but there they were. When they were the only ones left standing, and they were brought before their king who was furious and threatening, they weren't disrespectful or challenging. They leaned on the same foundation they had leaned for many years up to that point. We read their response to the king, who was giving them one more chance in Daniel 3:16-18, "“O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”" This only infuriated the king further, but through this trial, they glorified God as One like "the Son of God" joined them in the furnace. In similar fashion, Daniel, when his life was threatened, along with all the wise men of Babylon, redirected any glory that might rest on him to God, when he was given the interpretation of the king's dream in 2:30, "But as for me, this secret has not been revealed to me because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but for our sakes who make known the interpretation to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your heart."
Sufferings are seen among God's servants throughout both the Old and New Testament, so why do we always seem so shocked when they come our way. Notice that Jesus, Himself, guaranteed these trials, along with the basis of how we will fare through them in Matthew 7:24-27, "“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”" The rains, floods, and winds will come to each and every one of us, whether we are expecting them or not. Will you spend your days trusting on the rock or sand. That will determine how you whether the storms of life.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: