What causes the "sun to rise" in our lives, testing our faith? Setting the Scene Matthew 5:45—“He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Seeing the Sun for What It Is • Jesus points to a literal sunrise every morning. • That same event becomes a picture of life’s recurring tests: periods of heat, exposure, and stretching that reach everyone. Who Controls the Sunrise? • God alone—Genesis 8:22; Psalm 74:16. • Because He governs it, every testing “sunrise” in a believer’s life is intentional, never random (Job 1:8–12; 2:3–6). Why Does God Let the Heat Test Us? • To refine faith—1 Peter 1:6-7: “the proven character of your faith… may result in praise, glory, and honor…” • To mature endurance—James 1:2-4: “the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” • To deepen hope—Romans 5:3-5: “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” • To display His steadfast goodness—Psalm 84:11: “The LORD God is a sun and shield.” Characteristics of These Faith-Testing Sunrises • Unavoidable—arrive on both “evil and good.” • Timed—God sets both dawn and dusk; trials have limits (1 Corinthians 10:13). • Illuminating—expose hidden attitudes and idols (Hebrews 4:12-13). • Purifying—burn away dross, leaving resilient trust (Malachi 3:3). Responding When the Temperature Rises • Recognize the Source—“He causes His sun to rise.” The circumstance is under His sovereignty. • Recall His Purpose—refinement, not ruin. • Rejoice by faith—“Consider it pure joy…” (James 1:2). • Remain obedient—keep sowing righteousness even in the heat (Galatians 6:9). • Rest in His character—“The LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever” (Psalm 100:5). Takeaway Truths • Every sunrise, literal or metaphorical, comes from the hand of the Father. • The heat that tests us is the same light that grows us. • Enduring today’s rising sun prepares us to share in tomorrow’s eternal glory (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). |
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