Are You Ready fora Pop Quiz?

1 Peter 1:6-7

Introductory Thoughts

Most Students Will Tell You That They’re Not Particularly Fond of Taking ExamsExams Can Be High Stakes - Exams Can Be High

Stress

Pop Quizzes Are Harder than Premeditated Tests

Pop Quizzes Are Sudden, Unannounced Examinations making them the Most Difficult

Form of Testing

We Need to Know How to Prepare for Spiritual Pop Quizzes - Matthew 10:21 22

Pop Quizzes are Intense – 1 Peter 4:12-13

Fiery Trial Is Used as a description of a Furnace

Our Experience with Fire Has Taught Us That it Causes Some of the Most Excruciating Pain Known to Man

The First Century Church Experienced This Pop Quizzes Are Usually Heated Events

Some ExamplesPsalm 66:10-12

Pop Quizzes are Inevitable – James 1:2

The Inspired James Did Not Say That We Might Fall into Trials

The Word When, Not If, Suggests That the Tests of Life Are Inescapable; You Cannot Skip Them

Hebrews 11:33 38

Pop Quizzes Were Not Isolated to Bible Times

For Those of Us Who Are in Christ, Testing Is a Normal Part of the Christian

ExperienceJohn 16:33Matthew 5:10-12

Pop Quizzes are Diverse – James 1:2

Various, Many colored, VariedJames Taught That God Allows / Sends

Different Situations in the Lives of Different People

In Light of this Truth, We Need to Caution Ourselves Against Making Undue

ComparisonsWhen We Are Taking a Pop Quiz or Test, We

Tend to Look Around at Our Friends and See That None Of Them Are Dealing with the Same, Hard Issues That Seem to Be Plaguing Us

Pop Quizzes are Purposeful – James 1:3 – Romans 5:3-4

Tests Are Not Given for Gods BenefitPop Quizzes Are Designed with Our Own

Spiritual Progress in MindHe Wants His Children to Be Mature, and

Maturity Is Developed Only in the University of Hard Knocks

We Usually Cannot See Any Divine Rhyme or Reason in the Testing Process

Do You Realize That the Pain and Turmoil in Your Life Right Now May Be Evidence of God Working on or Testing You

Pop Quizzes are Brief – 1 Peter 1:6-7

Pop Quizzes in School Tend to Be Brief in DurationBy Contrast, the Tests of the Christian Life

Seem at Times to Be the Exact Opposite

Time Is a Matter of PerspectiveWhen You Are in the Middle of a Pop Quiz and

Your Faith Is Being Tested by Some Type of Harsh Adversity, it Can Seem like it Will Go on Forever

Are You Currently Taking One of God’s Pop Quizzes?

God Has a Goal for You in this Test

There Are No Short cuts to Spiritual Maturity; You Cannot Mature Without Your Faith Being Tested

1 Corinthians 10:13

Concluding Thoughts