Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 14 June 2015 - "Tested Faith" Scripture: James 1:2-7

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from The Global Church of the Nazarene of Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 14 June 2015 - "Tested Faith" Scripture: James 1:2 Regard it all as joy, my brothers, when you face various kinds of temptations; 3 for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. 4 But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in trust, doubting nothing; for the doubter is like a wave in the sea being tossed and driven by the wind. 7 Indeed that person should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord,RG AUDIO 061415

"Tested Faith" by Author: Josh Broward
We want to be strong without pain. We want to be wise without suffering. But life doesn’t usually work like that. Physical strength comes from resistance. Resistance stresses the body bringing greater strength and endurance. That’s why we feel sore after a hard workout. It is the stress that makes us stronger.
Pottery, glass, and metal are often “treated” by exposing them to extreme heat. The furnace changes the chemical and physical properties of the material to make it significantly stronger.
We face a similar process of growth through suffering. As God proves faithful in our hard times our spiritual endurance will increase. We see that the God who brought us through that can bring us through this. Passing through trials gives us confidence in God’s faithfulness. In the next time of trial the waves and wind will not beat us against the rocks. We have an anchor that they cannot touch. The question is not whether God will be faithful; that is already settled. The only question is whether we will have the wisdom to see what God is doing and how we should respond.
Hymn for Today: "WHEN, O GOD, OUR FAITH IS TESTED" words by Fred Kaan

1. When, O God, our faith is tested

and our hope is undermined,

when our love of living shrivels,

and we feel bereft and drained,

then we turn to you and cry

for your answer to our ‘why?’

2. With emotions taut to breaking,

hearts with hurt and havoc frayed,

reason by remorse diminished,

souls distraught as if betrayed.

God of bleakness and abyss, 

why have you forsaken us?

3. As we question and accuse you

out of depths of being tried,

could it be, God! that in weakness

you yourself are crucified?

Are you with us in our grief?

Help us in our unbelief!

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