B-A-C
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- Joined
- Dec 18, 2008
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Trials and Tribulations
Anyone who has been a Christian very long has gone through some trials, tribulations, and even testing.
You may be going through something right now, and wondering why God doesn't remove these trials from you. But God has reasons for letting us go through trials.
Rom 5:3; And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
Rom 5:4; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
Trials cause us to grow spiritually in our faith. We can get stronger through perseverance ( not giving up )
Jas 1:2; Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Jas 1:3; knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jas 1:4; And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James says much the same thing, but he uses the phrase "testing of your faith".
Sometimes God allows us to go through troubling situations to test our faith. This testing is really
for our benefit, not His. For one thing, it shows us where our heart is. God already knows where our
heart is, but sometimes we don't. This testing can reveal it to us.
John 16:33; "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
C.S. Lewis once said, Christians aren't immune from troubles and the storms of life, but they can have
peace during those storms and tribulations.
Rom 12:12; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
It seems sometimes that Paul just thought it was given... tribulations will come.
1 Pet 1:6; In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Pet 1:7; so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Peter also mentions going through the trials of life... so that the "proof of your faith" will be made evident.
It's all fine and good to say I believe in Jesus, or I trust God, but do you still believe in Him when the
rubber hits the road? At the first sign of trouble some "Christian" want to bail and jump ship. Some have
the idea that life will be all roses and sunshine if they become a Christian, but the Bible doesn't say that.
It says God will take care of us. - But we need to trust in Him.
Heb 11:17; By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. Admittedly that was a stiff test that I
doubt many of us will have to face, but if we did face that situation.. would you pass the test?
Rev 2:10; 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
God tells the church of Smyrna, that they will be tested also.... and if they are faithful until death, He will
give them a reward (crown of life)
There are no medals are rewards given to those who sit on the couch all day. Medals and rewards
are given those who are out in the fields, working, overcoming resistance, and passing the tests of
faith along the path.
========================================================================================
Sometimes what is perceived as testing is really discipline. Maybe God is trying to show you something
or teach you something... maybe you aren't listening. God uses the trials and tribulations of life to
discipline us... to make us more Godly, and to increase our faith in Him.
Job 5:17; "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
Prov 3:11; My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof,
Prov 3:12; For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Heb 12:4; You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
Heb 12:5; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
Heb 12:6; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Heb 12:7; It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Heb 12:8; But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Heb 12:9; Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10; For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
Heb 12:11; All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
If you're going through some trials and tribulations in your life right now, I encourage you... ask yourself where is God in this? What is He showing me or teaching me? What do I need to change?
But this isn't always the case... sometimes God just allows our faith to be tested.
In these situations, we can remind ourselves of the rewards in heaven for passing the tests.
Anyone who has been a Christian very long has gone through some trials, tribulations, and even testing.
You may be going through something right now, and wondering why God doesn't remove these trials from you. But God has reasons for letting us go through trials.
Rom 5:3; And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;
Rom 5:4; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;
Trials cause us to grow spiritually in our faith. We can get stronger through perseverance ( not giving up )
Jas 1:2; Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
Jas 1:3; knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
Jas 1:4; And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James says much the same thing, but he uses the phrase "testing of your faith".
Sometimes God allows us to go through troubling situations to test our faith. This testing is really
for our benefit, not His. For one thing, it shows us where our heart is. God already knows where our
heart is, but sometimes we don't. This testing can reveal it to us.
John 16:33; "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
C.S. Lewis once said, Christians aren't immune from troubles and the storms of life, but they can have
peace during those storms and tribulations.
Rom 12:12; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,
It seems sometimes that Paul just thought it was given... tribulations will come.
1 Pet 1:6; In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
1 Pet 1:7; so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Peter also mentions going through the trials of life... so that the "proof of your faith" will be made evident.
It's all fine and good to say I believe in Jesus, or I trust God, but do you still believe in Him when the
rubber hits the road? At the first sign of trouble some "Christian" want to bail and jump ship. Some have
the idea that life will be all roses and sunshine if they become a Christian, but the Bible doesn't say that.
It says God will take care of us. - But we need to trust in Him.
Heb 11:17; By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;
God tested Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his son. Admittedly that was a stiff test that I
doubt many of us will have to face, but if we did face that situation.. would you pass the test?
Rev 2:10; 'Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
God tells the church of Smyrna, that they will be tested also.... and if they are faithful until death, He will
give them a reward (crown of life)
There are no medals are rewards given to those who sit on the couch all day. Medals and rewards
are given those who are out in the fields, working, overcoming resistance, and passing the tests of
faith along the path.
========================================================================================
Sometimes what is perceived as testing is really discipline. Maybe God is trying to show you something
or teach you something... maybe you aren't listening. God uses the trials and tribulations of life to
discipline us... to make us more Godly, and to increase our faith in Him.
Job 5:17; "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
Prov 3:11; My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof,
Prov 3:12; For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Heb 12:4; You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
Heb 12:5; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
Heb 12:6; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
Heb 12:7; It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Heb 12:8; But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Heb 12:9; Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10; For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
Heb 12:11; All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
If you're going through some trials and tribulations in your life right now, I encourage you... ask yourself where is God in this? What is He showing me or teaching me? What do I need to change?
But this isn't always the case... sometimes God just allows our faith to be tested.
In these situations, we can remind ourselves of the rewards in heaven for passing the tests.
