Tests

So it's been a rough few weeks for me. I have felt like everything in life has been sabotaged. My work life felt like it was caving in on me and there was nothing I could do, but crumple with it.  Finally, last night during my prayer time, I just started to sob out my complaints to God. It felt a little better, but I still felt pretty lousy when I awoke this morning.


After my shower, I sat down at the table to read the Bible. I prayed and told God, "I don't even know where to read." So, I just started flipping through pages and stopped and looked down at II Corinthians 13. I prayed, thanked God for the Word and I asked God to speak to me through the reading. Keep examining yourselves to see whether you are continuing in the faith. Test yourselves! You know, don't you, that Jesus Christ lives in you? Could it be that you are failing the test? I hope you will realize that we haven't failed our test. We pray to God that you won't do anything wrong - not to show that we haven't failed the test, but so that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed. For we can't do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. We're glad when we are weak and you are strong. That's what we're praying for - your maturity. (2 Cor. 13:5-9)

Then, I decided to pray through Psalm 139. I got to verse 3: You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.  I was sobbing again, by this point just pouring out my heart to God.  I kept hearing a line from Job going over and over in my spirit (You know the way I take). So, I looked it up - Job 23:10: But He knows the way that I take; But it didn't stop there. That was just part 1 of the verse I read on all the way down to verse 12:  When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. This reminded me of one of my favorite chapters in Psalms - 119.


I knew that God was speaking to me about the trial of my faith: Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried in with fire, might be found unto praise (I Peter 1:7)  And again, Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (I Cor. 3:13) 

The Work of Faith

Abraham believed in the Lord and it was credited him for righteousness. Gen 15:6*


The word used in the Hebrew is "Amen" - "Abraham Amen'ed the Lord..."  Amen is the root word for faith in Hebrew: Emunah.


Now faith is the foundation of things we hope for, the proof of things we cannot see.  By faith the elders received approval. By faith we understand the universe was created by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made from the things that are visible. Heb.11:1-3~  The Apostolic author is referring to Psalm 33:6** - By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.


Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who diligently search for Him. Heb. 11:6 For what can be known about God is clear to them, because God Himself has made it clear to them. Indeed, ever since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes - His eternal power and divine nature - have been understood and observed by what He made, sot that people are without excuse. Roms 1:19-20~  For we live by faith, not by sight. II Cor. 5:7~ Because we don't look for things that can be seen, but for things that can't be seen. For things that can be seen are temporary, but things that can't be seen are Eternal. II Cor.4:17-18~


Faith by itself, if it does not prove itself with actions, is dead. But someone may say, “You have faith, and I have actions.” Show me your faith without any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions. James 2:17-18~  Abraham acted in faith when he stood in God's presence, Who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that don't even exist. Hoping in spite of hopeless circumstances, he believed that he would become "the father of many nations," as he had been told. Roms 4:17-18~  Now hope that is seen is not really hope, for who hopes for what can be seen? But if we hope for what we don't see, then do we eagerly wait for it with patience. Roms 8:24-25~


*  Author's Translation
**  King James Version
~ Scripture translations by International Standard Version of the New Testament

The Unsearchable Greatness of God

Great is Adonai and greatly to be praised,

and His greatness is unsearchable.  

Psalm 145:3

O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom

and knowledge of God!

How unsearchable are His judgments,

and His ways past finding out!

Romans 11:33

As I was eating dinner, last evening, I said my thanks to God.  Then after I finished my meal, I ate an orange for dessert.  I started thanking God for the orange and a thought struck me.  I was in awe (fear in the western English vernacular) of how amazing and omniscient God really is.  He knew the moment that orange seed went into the earth and a tree begin to form, that on this very night, this very second I would be eating fruit from that tree. Someone in California had planted the seed possibly years ago, but God knew that I would eat the fruit of it. He knew when the tree that would bear the seed of the tree of the fruit and even many generations and eons ago, that I would be sitting this night to eat that orange. When you put that into perspective, there is not one tiny detail God does not orchestrate in your life. 

And yet, He is so great and so magnificent that He knows the very second when the stars in the heaven will be born or die. He sees every particle on every planet in our universe.  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Psalm 8:3-4  When you start to think that your somebody, just remember who God is and you'll remember just how small and humble you really are.