“PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY!”

1 Peter 1:6-9                                (ESV)

“6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” at the revelation of JESUS CHRIST.

8 Though you have not seen HIM, you love HIM. Though you do not now see HIM, you believe in HIM and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,

9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

In Genesis 50:19-20 Joseph said to his brothers “But Joseph said to them, "Do not fear, FOR AM I in the place of GOD???  As for you, you meant evil against me, but GOD meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”   How many times have I gone through some trying, even very 

difficult times, only to find out that they ALL were to draw “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  Why couldn’t I SEE they were being used to draw Glory to HIM?

The enemy is strong, but not nearly as strong as GOD ALMIGHTY!  Remember in Job 2:6, GOD tells satan “Behold, he is in your hand; ONLY SPARE HIS LIFE."  Satan can ONLY operate where GOD allows him to, at the level GOD says HE can!  If not, HE would NOT be in control.  A friend of mine used to say, “GOD IS IN CONTROL, even of the valleys”!  HE wouldn’t be very powerful if HE weren’t.  

That is why Peter writes in the scriptures above to ”PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” JESUS, even when we experience “various trials”.  We don’t have control over what our future holds, but we do have control over how we react to trials that the enemy sends our way.  Praising GOD when everything is going smoothly is simple.  To give HIM “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” when things appear to be “out of control” is precisely when GOD DELIGHTS IN HEARING OUR PRAISE!  

Lately I have used a quote from the book entitled JESUS continued quite often; “GOD, however, never invited me to be a co-GOD with HIM”!  When things don’t go according to “my plan”, I have to quickly remember that I AM NOT GOD, and HE hasn’t invited me to be co-GOD with HIM!  The trial placed before me might be used by HIM to “draw” some lost soul “into HIS marvelous LIGHT”!  If HE can use my trials to gain GLORY to HIMSELF, then may ALL “PRAISE AND HONOR AND GLORY” be HIS as I suffer for HIM!!!