"Why God Tries Our Faith

"Why God Tries Our Faith

"Why God Tries Our Faith

1 Peter 5:6-10
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.


A good reporter asks six basic questions when investigating a story: Who? What? Where? When? Why? and How? With regard to growing faith, we already know the answer to some of those questions. God builds our trust anywhere and anytime. Tomorrow we’ll study how He does this work, but today we focus on why strong faith is important to the Lord.

Faith trials draw our attention to Him. Sometimes worldly pursuits coax us to drift away from Jesus. If we encounter a situation for which we have no solution, our wandering focus snaps back to Him as we begin to pray and look for a way out of the trial.

• Faith trials teach endurance. We develop the stamina to bear up under heavy loads without discouragement because we trust that God will see us through. He increases our capacity by applying slight pressure. When we prove we can handle a little, He adds more, constantly working on our witness till we shine like gold.

• Faith trials train us for higher service. We must endure and keep our attention on Him so that we are prepared to work anywhere in His kingdom. God designs opportunities for every believer, shifting us to greater areas of service as we grow in faith.

• Faith trials glorify God. The greatest praise we can give to our heavenly Father is to walk hopefully through a dark valley. We are a living example of His faithfulness and trustworthiness for everyone to see.

As our faith increases, others witness the reality of Christ in our life. We also benefit personally by having greater confidence and anticipation of His blessing."

by Dr. Charles Stanley
 
Amen Rev_Rick!
1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
 
Amen to that. I personally feel trails are a way that God uses to break me down. I get to the point where i finally realise I cant do it the burdon has become to large for me to bear..so I rely on Jesus alone to deliver me. God breaks us down to build us up on him becuase he is the solid rock.
 
Thanks Pastor Rick..... Lots of food for thought. I love all the thoughts on faith trials.And it is true cause if we didn't have all these trials to test our faith we would not grow in the Lord and also all these trials bring us closer to Him and with more of a dependence on Him and Him alone.
 
Amen. Thank you for the post, Pastor Rick!
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(1Pe.4:12,13)
 
when things seem impossible place your faith in God, for nothing is impossible with God. No trial is too hard with the help of God.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"

God purposes everything for good, even if we don't at first see it.

Thank you for this.
 
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
 
There is the old story of how a silver smith would refine his metal- He would heat it up in a crucible- the hotter it got the more the dross would come to the surface for removal- when the smith saw a perfect reflection of his face in the heated metal he knew it was pure! That is much the same for the Master- He is looking to see His reflection perfectly clear in us!
 
Love is a commitment. We truly show our love for the Lord when we serve him in our troubles and trials. It is not easy but it is reality.
 
Easy no but a pleasure yes:
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
It is an awesome priviledge to walk anyplace the Master leads!

1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
If need be- God knows what we need and like a good Father He walks us down the path that brings us closer to His heart!
 
Easy no but a pleasure yes:
Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
It is an awesome priviledge to walk anyplace the Master leads!

1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
If need be- God knows what we need and like a good Father He walks us down the path that brings us closer to His heart!

two different words in the greek for tempation

peiradzo... tempation to bring out bad
dokimadzo .. brings out the good

which one does God do... 1 cor 10:13
 
God cleans out the bad and brings forth the good (as we abide in Him)-

providence is the hand of God in the glove of circumstance -JV MCGee


I believe God uses all the happenings in our life to bring us closer to His heart:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
 
evil tempts,and accuses us to God.when the accuser gets accused by us as a testament through jesus,the said accuser will be judged.:)
 
Not trying to be a spoil's sport, but I don't agree that God puts us through "faith trials". I find no scripture to support God puts us through tests. I believe tradition has caused the misconception that God puts us through tests, trials, and temptations to teach us something or to chastise us, but that simply isn't scriptural. We are tested for sure, but I don't believe it is God who causes the trials. I believe He allows them and many times we are the cause of the trials; at other times, Satan is the cause.

I base my conclusion on James 1:13-17...

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

James tells us in verse 1 to "count it all joy when we "fall" into divers (different) temptations (or temptations, trials, and tests). Further study of this episitle (James) further reveals that God is not the One testing us. However, we are to count it joy while we're in the trials, tests, and temptations; and we are to exercise patience and faith. We know that "greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). I find no scriptures saying that God "puts pressure" on us for our betterment or test our faith. He already knows where we are, so there is no need for Him to test us. :cross:

Sheba

 
1 cor 10:13?



1 Cor. 10:13...There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear.

Yes, but Paul isn't saying that God tempts us. What Paul is talking about here is everyday temptations. We all have them on a daily basis. Paul is saying that there is no temptation (test or trial) that is too hard for us to escape. God will always make a way for us to get away from the temptation. If God tempted us, why would He give us a way to escape? As you can see, God is not the author of confusion neither is He schizophrenic. That is why He gives us instruction on how to react to temptations, trials, and tests. God knows they will come as long as we are in this physical world. As long as the god of this world is here, trials will come. God has given us a way to escape. If He Himself brought the trials or tests, why give us a way to escape?


Sheba
 
We have some wonderful examples of the apostles and others who faced fiery temptations, trials, and tests, with faith and patience. But never do we find that God is the One who brought the tests (or trials and temptations). I'd like to give a few examples of some of those great men and women of faith:


Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25, sang praises unto God while they were in prison. They sang songs of praise while their backs were bleeding from being whipped and they were in stocks! Now that's being "joyful" in the midst of a trial (test or temptation)! Did God cause them to be beaten and arrested? Of course not. But look what happened when they praised God instead of griping and complaining (like most Christians do when they are tempted, tried, or tested). God gave them a way of escape! HALLELUJAH!


In Daniel 3:14-28, we see Daniel and his friends thrown into the fiery furnace because they refused to worship a false god. They respectfully told the king they would rather die than disobey their God. What happened? There was not even the smell of smoke on them when they exited that furnace! That was a trial (temptation or test) beyond ALL trials! But again, look what happened when they obeyed God and didn't go with the crowd. He gave them a way of escape! GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!


Ruth (1:16-4:22) is another example. She chould have chosen to stay in her own land with her own people. She faced a test. Should I go with my mother-in-law or stay with my own kind. The choice Ruth made changed the course of history! She could have taken the easy way out, but she chose to go with her godly mother-in-law to a place and people she wasn't sure would accept her. Not knowing if she'd ever marry again and bare children. And look what God did for that woman! She is the great-grandmother of King David!


What can we say then? Does God test, tempt, or try us? I don't believe there is a scripture anywhere in the bible that says He does. Not even a hint. As for using Abraham offering up Isaac, we know that was for OUR benefit. God knew what Abraham would do. God was demonstrating to us the faith of His beloved servant. It was a foreshadow of the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. Temptations, trials, and tests will come. But not at the hand of God. And I thank and praise Him that He ALWAYS makes a way to escape. HALLELUJAH!


Sheba
 
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