Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It
Is To Men As They Are
"Preach The Word"
IN
TIMES LIKE THESE--I PETER I: 6
Introduction:
Look at the phrase "for a season." Seasons are a space of time.
We live through time. Times runs into eternity and don't go any further,
for eternity never ends. Until we get to eternity, we must go through
seasons. Now notice that phrase "if need be" There will be some
"need be's" that come your way and my way as we journey through
our seasons. Sometimes it will seem like a swarm of need be's stinging us.
About the time you think the battle is over and the victory is won and
everything is all right, here comes some more need be's. I am glad that
God knows just what I need. I don't always know, but he does. Folks I am
here to tell you that it's going to
get rough before we get home. IN TIMES LIKE THESE:::
I-YOUR
FAITH WILL BE TRIED--verse 7--"trial of your faith"
1-How
will faith be tried?--same verse--"with fire"
2Hebrews
11:6-notice two things in this verse (1)God is--not was & shall
be--"is"
(2)faith that pleases God
3-The
kind of faith that pleases God:
A-Comes
in the fire--Daniel 3:20-21-not many will take the fire, just want the
glory
B-Cools
the fire--Daniel 3:25--"they have no hurt'
C-Conquers
the foe--Daniel 3:22--"slew those men"
D-Commissions
the faithful--Daniel 3:30 "promoted"
4-We
wouldn't know if our faith was any good, if it wasn't tried
A-Companies
give warranties
and guarantees with their products, they know it is good. when you buy it,
you will never know whether it is any good or not until you try it.
B-God
knows that faith is good, he has no problem with it, but we will never
know if our faith is any good until we try it or go through a trial.
5-NOW--back
to the "need be's"--these 3 hebrew boys loved God, Lived for
God. Did they need the furnace? How many times have you and I said "I
don't need this"? Nobody else was in the fire, just 3 hebrew boys!!!
No they did not need the furnace and the furnace was not for them but, FOR
THAT CROWD LOOKING ON.
6-Sometimes
those things that God lets come our way--the "Need Be's" is for
somebody else to see how we take the fire.
7-You
see, that crowd could not see them, without seeing him
II-YOUR
FRIENDS WILL BE TREASURED--Proverbs 18:24
1-Now
you know why some of you don't have any friends. whose fault is it?
2-If
you are not friendly with others, they will get to thinking that you don't
want any
(if
your phone is ringing, pick it up, it probably is for you0
3-Friends
are a real treasure--Proverbs 17:17
A-friend
loves you through thick and thin-through good and bad--when up and down
B-I
need all the friends I can get-some try to make enemies--I got too many of
them now, don't have to try to make them, they just come.
4-You
will need some real friends soon--better start making some real quick
5-Better
to have one than none
6-Three(3)
kinds of friends:
A-Few
B-Fair
weather
C-Faithful
III-YOUR
FATHER WILL BE THOUGHTFUL--I Peter 5:7
1-He
is thoughtful in the "storm"--Matthew 14:27
2-He
is thoughtful in "sickness"--Matthew 9:20
3-He
is thoughtful in "sorrow"--John 11
4-He
is thoughtful for "sinners"--Mark 10:46-50 picture of a sinner
5-Three
(3) things you can be sure of:
1-God
speaks to sinners
2-God
stands by the sick
3-God
strengthens the saint
6-Some
day there will be no more "need be's"
CONCLUSION;
In this day of bad news, in paper, on TV
and radio, when times are dark and rough--"I'd rather be an old time Christian,
than any thing I know" Glory to God forever more, its a good time to
be a child of the king.
Sermon From Pastor James Childers
