Previous Page

Feb 16, 2020 | Randall Hunt

Refined by the fire of trials

Our hope looks beyond the current struggles to an incredible future.

Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew14:31 “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Great faith and little faith have nothing to do with the size, amount, or degree of faith.

There are truths in Scripture, life, and theology that are hard to believe, but people with great faith believe them. 

1 Peter 1:7-9

God has a design for the trials we face in life. 

The design is that our trials would refine the genuineness of our faith the way fire refines gold so that when Christ comes back, the quality of our faith would win praise and glory and honor.

Malachi 3:3, “he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.” 

God uses the heat of life to purify us into a pure picture of Him.

God designs to refine our faith with the fires of trials and distresses.

1 Peter 1:7, “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.”  1 Peter 1:7, “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.” 

1Peter 1:8-9, “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Peter tells the Christians what they are experiencing. 

  • You are loving Christ
  • You are believing Christ
  • You are rejoicing in Christ with inexpressible and glorious joy
  • Through all this they are receiving the salvation of their souls
  • They are experiencing this even though they have never seen Christ

Seeing what you cannot see

“THE GOSPELS ARE BETTER THAN BEING THERE!”  John Piper

Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” 

Hebrews 11:13, “All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed the from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.” 

Take Aways

  1. God wants to refine us, but it is our choice whether we want to be refined.
  2. Our trying experiences today are preparing us to reflect Him more.
  3. Great faith simply believes truths that are difficult to believe.

Series Information

In light of the shifting shadows of thought within our culture, it is the longing of many to find something to cling to that does not move.  Jesus is that steadfast rock that we can stand on historically, now, and for the ages to come.  These two epistles are Peter’s final charge to the church to give strength and confidence that is rooted in the life changing work of Jesus Christ.