TITLE: Gotta Have Faith (Part 2) updated 12/22/15 By Alohalani 06/25/15 |
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I wish to write in a way that the words fade away and people desire to pursue Christ. Thank you very much for your valuable critique.
I thought that I was in a “trusting while improving” state, but the test revealed the opposite. I had to correct myself by completely relaxing. My mind had wandered to the concerns of that day. I was distracted from pure relaxation in Christ and needed to be sure that my faith was in Him alone. As stated in James 1:6 NLT, “…be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”
God tests us so we can accurately identify a weakness and improve. One famous example of faith testing occurred when Jesus’ disciple, Peter, boldly declared that he would die for Jesus. He thought he had unshakable faith until “testing” revealed the truth—he was an unfaithful coward. Faced with the possibility of being crucified with Jesus, Peter quickly distanced himself from Him. After the Jewish leaders seized Jesus, three different people asserted to Peter, ‘You were with Jesus.’ But Peter vehemently denied it; not once, but three times! (Matthew 26:31-74).
Despite Peter’s betrayal, Jesus, the “Comeback King,” came back from death, and commissioned Peter to be a “Comeback Kid,” one who comes back from a broken relationship with Jesus into a healthy relationship with Him.
Jesus, with our cooperation, will gladly make us His “Comeback Kids.” Jesus remains faithful even though we are unfaithful (2 Timothy 2:13).
Although Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him, He spoke the following miraculous plans that would be executed through Peter before his three-time denial. “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means rock), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it (Matthew 16:18 NLT, clarification added in parenthesis).”
Jesus calls us as individuals, in the process of being perfected through tests, into a closer likeness of Him; not how others, or even we, might perceive ourselves in sin.
After Jesus commissioned Peter, he became a steadfast encourager of others. He fearlessly preached the good news of Jesus for the remainder of his life, just as Jesus foretold. Peter facilitated miracles such as healing the lame and resurrecting Christ-follower, Tabitha (Acts 9). He is a prime example of a forgiven sinner who changed from an unfaithful coward into a person of rock solid faith. Peter’s faith was tested and approved (James 1:12 Amplified Bible).
You just gotta have faith, tested and approved to result in miracles.
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