Monday, October 31, 2016

Not Everything Is A Test Of Faith, But Everything Tests Your Faith

My Utmost For His Highest
 
If you have faith as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you. —Matthew 17:20
 
“We have the idea that God rewards us for our faith, and it may be so in the initial stages. But we do not earn anything through faith— faith brings us into the right relationship with God and gives Him His opportunity to work. […] God wants you to understand that it is a life of faith, not a life of emotional enjoyment of His blessings. The beginning of your life of faith was very narrow and intense, centered around a small amount of experience that had as much emotion as faith in it, and it was full of light and sweetness […] Faith by its very nature must be tested and tried. […] Never confuse the trial of faith with the ordinary discipline of life, because a great deal of what we call the trial of faith is the inevitable result of being alive. Faith, as the Bible teaches it, is faith in God coming against everything that contradicts Him— a faith that says, “I will remain true to God’s character whatever He may do.” The highest and the greatest expression of faith in the whole Bible is— “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him” (Job 13:15).”  CHAMBERS
 
Not everything is a test of faith in life – but everything tests your faith.  We live in a fallen world.  Our new nature is under constant strain. (Galatians 5:17) “the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.”  It is a daily struggle.  To walk in the newness of life is an exercise of faith.  We must look to God and not ourselves to live rightly.  He is the source of our strength.  We often hear “my faith was really tested today”, but I would submit that your faith is always tested.  If you don’t exercise faith then you will drift back to the place you do not want to go.  Faith is dependence on and assurance in God.  God must be your motivation in all things.  Otherwise something else will be, that is, your old nature, the flesh.  (Hebrews 10:37-39) “For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.”  (Galatians 2:20) “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  ELGIN
 
I’m Pressing On The Upward Way
 
I’m pressing on the upward way, New heights I’m gaining every day;
Still praying as I onward bound, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”
 
My heart has no desire to stay Where doubts arise and fears dismay;
Though some may dwell where these abound, My prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
 
I want to live above the world, Though Satan’s darts at me are hurled;
For faith has caught the joyful sound, The song of saints on higher ground.
 
I want to scale the utmost height And catch a gleam of glory bright;
But still I’ll pray till rest I’ve found, “Lord, lead me on to higher ground.”
 
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand By faith on Canaan’s tableland;
A higher plane than I have found, Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.

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