Faith Tested Under Pressure – Episode 140
During this time of quarantine and stay-at-home orders, we’ve experienced faith tested under pressure. It seems that it was a time of growth for many but panic for some who have not yet experienced the providence of God. In this episode we discuss how your faith tested can come out stronger than ever.
Thanks to our sponsor Media Angels, Inc. and the featured books, A Few Minutes with God and One More Child.
Before I begin, let’s pray. Dear Lord, I ask that you send your Holy Spirit so that you give me the words you want me to use as well as my listeners a heart to hear what you want them to hear — Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.
When faith is tested it either brings out the worse or the best in people. Our true colors are showing and for some, it doesn’t look too good! In order for our faith to hold up it needs to have a firm foundation, right? And that foundation needs work, it needs time and it needs pouring into ourselves first before we can pour into others.
When things happen and we do not have control we typically cry, “Why me Lord? Why is this happening to me?” Instead, we should say, “Why me Lord, what have I done to deserve the beauty of heaven that you have reserved for me!” Can you imagine if we could turn every complaint into a praise report? I’ve taken Jesus for granted. I’ve taken the ability to enter my church for granted. I’ve taken my health for granted. I’ve taken my kids for granted. Just think, friends. God brought the children home – and not just here in the US but all over the world schools were closed. How did we use this time, did we embrace our children tell them we love them and thank God for this unexpected blessing?
Each and every day is a gift from God. Jesus died for our sins, he was raised from the dead, hundreds of people saw Jesus after His resurrection. Read Acts 2 which contain the basics essential to faith, and we will discuss this in the next podcast.
But our faith has been tested, just like the Hebrews who were rescued from the Egyptians by Moses under the direction of Almighty God the Father we have forgotten our deliver! We have been in quarantine many approaching 40 days or more! What have we learned? For me, it has been an eye-opening experience and I pray that the Lord never lets me forget the longing I had for Him during this time!
Just like you, my schedule has pretty much been shredded. My routine of attending church each morning turned into watching a pre-recorded or live church service on television. The sermons were astounding and I’ve taken pages of notes, and while I feel like I’ve been in a Bible boot camp, I still miss that connection with Jesus. I didn’t realize how much I would miss Holy Communion. My brother who grew up Catholic (and I dearly love) who now attends a Protestant church, was trying to console me when I told him how much I missed receiving Communion at church. He was super sweet and told me not to worry, to spend time in Scripture to pray as a family! While this is wonderful advice, it is something I do each day in addition to attending church, so for me, a vital piece is missing. This distance from God in the Eucharist has forced me to grow in faith and to realize that I took so much for granted.
John 6:54-71
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. ”
Many Disciples Turn Away – Friends – Have you come to believe and know that Christ is the Son of the living God? Do we worship Him each and every day even when our faith is tested? We can ask for an infilling of the Holy Spirit to come into our lives in a deeper way. If you want an infilling of the Holy Spirit pray and you will receive!
Let’s Pray:
Dear Father, Son and Holy Spirit we come before you with eyes opened that under this test that has fallen upon the entire world we see that we have taken You, our faith, our family, our friends for granted. We have taken our freedom for granted, the ability to leave our homes whenever we want. We have taken our finances for granted. But no more! Dear Lord, send us an infilling of your Holy Spirit to open our eyes, to discover our sins, and to repent. Lord, you make crooked lines straight and I ask you in to my life today to mend those places of hurt and to give me Your love and peace. Dear Lord, I pray for the following needs… thank-you and praise you Almighty God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit for the gift of faith and for answering our prayers. Amen.
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