Passage of the Day:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 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. 8 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, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls, 1 Peter 1:3-9.
Reflection:
When I first became a Christian in 1984, I didn’t understand the concept of having your faith refined by fire. Unfortunately, I’ve met Christian leaders early on who gave me the impression that if I placed my trust in Jesus, everything in my life would fall into place. This unrealistic expectation made the first few years of my faith journey a bumpy ride. Today, some television evangelists continue to proclaim a unbiblical message which fails to address the role that trials play in fireproofing a Christian’s faith.
Prayerful Action:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, James 1:2-4.
Working Out Your Salvation:
The life lesson that I’ve learned from my own trials in 2024 is that there is a back story for every individual. Accidents, circumstances and failures influence how people behave daily. Therefore, rather than overreact to how someone treats you harshly, reach out to find out what triggered this response. The more you begin to demonstrate the compassion, grace and love of Jesus, your faith will be refined by these fiery situations that you encounter this summer.
Song of the Day:
The attached song is one of many Christian songs that helped me understand that trials play a vital role in shaping your faith. As you experience and go through these difficult times in your life, your faith will be strengthened with the ultimate goal of developing a fireproof faith.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 