Ever Thought That God Has Faith in YOU?

I have people ask me all the time, “How do you know good steel from inferior steel when making a knife?” The answer is relatively simple – the one that has the most purity of steel, that contains the least alloys, the one that has the dross removed – that is your best blade steel.  It is material that is pliable enough to be worked, molded, shaped and honed.

The same is true regarding a Christian.  Peter wrote, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Pt.3:21).”  The first step is admitting my sin and state of loss without Christ, then professing Him in answer to my heart’s cry for salvation by being immersed into His death (Rom.6:4). While this is indeed the first and best step, it is by far not the end. The difference between faithful people and unfaithful people is unfaithful people give up at the first sign of difficulty. Faithful people are persistent. Faithful people don’t know how to quit.

   

God is more interested in what you’re becoming than what’s happening to you. God often allows trials, troubles, tribulations, and problems – not to torment us but to bring out of our lives those things that we do not need in an eternal soul and to teach us diligence, determination, and character. That problem you’re going through right now? It’s a test of your faithfulness. Will you continue to serve God even when life stinks?  When you feel like you’re ready to toss in the towel, here are a couple of scriptures to keep close by your side:

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

“For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”(2 Cor.4:15-18)

When it comes to you, and Satan comes before God and accuses you and says, “God - you’ve put a hedge around _____ I can’t get to him/her. But I bet if I could, they would deny you to your face!” remember that God is not “betting” that you will lose. He is confident, that YOU will remain faithful, true, and come out on the other side better than when you began. God – has faith in you!

Jim