219. The Lord your God is testing you: Testing of faith produces perseverance.

16 November 2021

The Lord your God is testing you.

Deuteronomy 13

2 the prophet says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” 

3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.

James 1

2 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.

To test what was in the heart of the Israelites.

Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. Deuteronomy 8:2

The Israelites were a stiff-necked people.

“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people.”

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 

They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’” Exodus 32:9, 7-8

The Israelites turned to worship an idol cast in the shape of a calf.

The Lord was to burn His anger against the Israelites, Moses interceded, he pleaded and sought the favor of the Lord for the Israelites. The Lord relented and did not bring disaster on His people.

The Lord remained faithful even if the Israelites were unfaithful.

Testing of faith.

Job was put to the test.

But he knows the way that I take;

    when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.

My feet have closely followed his steps;

    I have kept to his way without turning aside.

I have not departed from the commands of his lips;

    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:10-12

Job was a man whose heart proved reverent and humble before the Lord.

Testing of faith produces perseverance.

perseverance

noun

persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.

Similar

persistence

tenacity

determination

A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted.

From lightsource website/ministry/love-worth-finding/articles/the-testing-of-your-faith-part-1-17853.html

"Many of you right now probably find your faith is in the fire. Some are going through an ordeal. “A faith that cannot be tested cannot be trusted,” Warren Weirsbe observes. 

God wants you to understand whether or not you have the real thing. If you want to have a pure faith like purified gold, then God will put your faith in the fire."

The Persecuted Christians.

The first century Christians were scattered to different places because of persecution. 

There are countries where being a Christian is a crime. There are Christians from other religious family background that are thrown out of the family home.

We, here in the Philippines, are fortunate that we can freely practice our Christian faith, although there are some localities where believers face persecution.

We may not experience being hated in the sense like the persecution some Christians go through, like their place of worship or their houses being burned. 

Personally, I identify with these brethren who at times face death when told to deny the faith. If I may say, being a Christian without accompanying persecution is actually being subjected to subtle form persecution or testing, because it will lead to the tendency of complacency.

Persecuted Christians are an inspiration to us Christians in comfort zone, because they are a reminder for us not to take it easy. They take great risk just to get a Bible, while at times we are not able to find time to open the Bible. 

We take for granted the privilege of being a Christian, the name that was given to the disciples and first used at Antioch (Acts 11:26). Antioch along with Phoenicia and Cyprus were the places where believers were scattered as a result of persecution (Acts 11:19), which included the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:59).

It could be that we do not experience being hated, but it is indeed persecution, subtle at that, being tempted not to open the Bible and forgetting to pray for persecuted Christians.

What severe testing of faith, for about 5 years I had no stable employment, and it made me sick, at a time that my children were to start college. Only the Lord can make it happen, my two daughters went to Ateneo on free tuition. I will praise God all my life.

God is greater than any of our problems.

When I posted earlier the top verses on fb My Story, there was the add music icon and I was led to a song which we can remember in the midst of testing of faith.

Our God is greater

Our God is stronger

God you are higher than any other

Our God is healer

Awesome in power

Our God, our God

And if our God is for us

Then who could ever stop us

And if our God is with us

Then what could stand against

""Take delight in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

The Lord makes firm the steps

    of the one who delights in him;

though he may stumble, he will not fall,

    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

I was young and now I am old,

    yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken

    or their children begging bread.

They are always generous and lend freely;

    their children will be a blessing." (Psalm 37:4, 23-26). Lord, may You find me faithful, this I pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

17 February 2018"

May you be blessed with God's Word.

Maraming salamat.