THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH

So often we can go to Church and go through each and every day without faith. The Bible says we should be living by faith and should be using it all the time especially when we go to Church. We should go with an expectant heart, believing that we are going to receive something from God. I know that when you do this there is nowhere that God can't speak to you. I have received words from Him while washing the dishes and filling the car with petrol.

The Bible says that it's impossible to please God without faith. Hebrews 11:6. Is God pleased with you today? Are you believing God for a blessing, or are you expecting bad things?

Romans 10:17 says that faith COMES by hearing the word of God. It doesn't say that faith CAME by the word of God. It's not a one off thing, but needs to be drawn on everyday and be nurtured. It's our responsibility to see faiths worth and make it grow. God loves faith and so should we. Men love gold and hoard it, but God loves faith far more. We should love faith and hoard it, develop it and work on it. Revelation 3:18 says that we should buy from God gold tried in the fire.

We all long for our prayers to be answered and to get what we want from God. When we do this we don't need faith anymore. God loves our faith, and the time period from when we asked to when we received is pleasing to Him. This is the time when our faith is tried.
1 Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
In the developing of films you have to expose the film to light then put it in the dark where chemicals (faith developers) work on it until you have the big picture. This is how it is with us to. After a promise is given then we seem to go into the dark for awhile where our faith is tried and the big picture comes to light.
In the NIV it says. "These troubles prove your faith is pure." If you want to be blessed of God then you will need a faith that is prepared to go through troubles.

Abraham was the Father of Faith. He received a promise from God that he was going to have a son, when he was 70 years old and than had to wait 30 odd years for it all to happen. It wouldn't have been so bad if he was 30 when the promise was given, but 70 is really stretching it. He could have said that it was impossible, but he believed and his faith was counted to him for righteousness.

In Hebrews chapter 11 there are many Heroes of Faith who believed for things that they never saw in their lifetime. Some believed for an Eternal City, others the Restoration of Israel. Some were looking for God to give us a new heart, in which were His laws and others wanted to see the Messiah. They all died without seeing it happen but their faith was counted to them for righteousness. Even though they never saw the promise fulfilled they kept the flame of hope alight. They preached it and prayed it and encouraged it, during their pilgrimage on earth and their faith was counted to them for righteousness.
There are times when I seem to give up on my faith projects and I can if I want to, but the Lord's favour seems to be withdrawn if I do. He's not pleased with me. My faith is right in God's eyes. It's counted to me for good.

Would you like to do something special for God today? THEN BELIEVE HIM.

Colonel Sanders the KFC man says that it was faith that took him from a $105 benefit cheque each month to a $285 billion fast food industry. It was all with 1 piece of chicken and 29 spices. It wasn't easy for him and I'm sure he would have preferred an easier road but he understood that his faith needed to go through the faith developers. He had to believing in the dark.

We need to live by faith to get out of bed in the morning and carry us through the day and overcome each obstacle and keep us focused.

In closing look at the Syrophenician woman in Matthew 15:22. She wanted a blessing from Jesus and went through so much to get it, even though it seemed like He wasn't interested.

1. She was ignored by Jesus
2. She was rebuked by Christians
3. She was told she was from the wrong tribe
4. She was told she was a dog

She brought forth her strong argument and won her case and received a blessing. Great was her faith.