1st Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection"... 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation"... 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season".... "ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
This passage of scripture teaches us the solemn truth, that our faith must be tested before it can be trusted. A mere profession of faith in The Lord Jesus does not constitute or represent the deep abiding relationship with us, which God so ardently desires, but a faith that works by love, and has an intelligent trust in the Omnipotent God, is what will be manifested in those who walk by faith, and not by sight. Before the Golden Gate bridge was built in California, all of the metals and materials used were previously tested for tensile strength, lest after the lengthy construction, some flaw or weak link should be discovered, thus placing the lives of commuters at great risk.
The same process must of necessity take place with every Christian, before we can be finally entrusted with immortality, for there are many people who now name the name of Christ, yet their relationship is shallow, only believing what can be seen or proven, and only obeying when there is absolutely no risk. This kind of faith is reminiscent of that which was often displayed by the unbelieving Hebrews, who often murmured and complained when they were required to walk by faith for a little season.
On one such occasion, their food and water supplies were cut short, because they were just about to begin taking possession of the promised land. But instead of seeing in this signal providence of God, a sign that their pilgrimage through the desert was almost over, they interpreted it as an omen of what they feared most, that themselves and their children would die of hunger, and because of this foregone conclusion they had erroneously drawn, their voices were heard in loud denunciations, murmurings, and even threats against Moses and Aaron, who were merely following the instructions given them by God. Let's read:
Numbers 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them".... "wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the Lord? 13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
Thus, that which should have been interpreted as a signal of goodwill and imminent entrance into the promised land, was instead seen as an evil omen, and instead of causing great joy and gladness amongst the Hebrews, instead triggered one of the most stubborn rebellions ever to be recorded in their history.
As Christians, we should understand that no one enters the pearly gates by chance, without deliberately choosing to follow Christ, even in extremely difficult situations, for it is usually at times like these, when our faith is both tested and confirmed. In the near future, when the mark of the beast will be instituted across the land, those Christians who just had a nominal belief in Christ, will be found buckling under pressure and persecution, when the ire of the dragon is unleashed in all its fury. It is no small matter for us to suddenly disconnect ourselves from the creature comforts and conveniences of modern society, in exchange for a wilderness dwelling, being hunted as prey by the enemy of souls.
Furthermore, it requires even more faith to trust God to provide bread and water in ways we may never have experienced, hence the reason why the time of trouble that is just on the horizon will require a faith that will not shrink, nor tremble on the brink, though the heat of the furnace may be turned up several notches, in order to force us to capitulate to the powers that be. In other words, we will have to let go of all hands, except the hand of Christ, and like Moses, we will have to survive and endure by seeing Him who is invisible. This is no easy matter that can be accomplished overnight, but is instead the result of years of unwavering faith and trust in God, believing in Him when all indications to the contrary seem to goad us to give up. Let's read:
Jeremiah 30:5 For thus saith the Lord; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? 7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.
Let us therefore use every means and every opportunity as a stepping stone to trust in God more than ever, because the ups and downs of life are not meant to discourage us, but rather to develop fortitude, resilience, and a living faith in God, even when peer pressure from family and friends threaten to pull us in the opposite direction. Now is the time for us to exercise faith in God through our daily experiences, so that when the "Big one" comes around, we would have already been accustomed to walking by faith.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to keep a forward look, not dwelling on the things that are seen, but instead interpreting all of life's experiences through the eyes of faith, for God will reward us with manifestations and glimpses of His glory, if we trust and faint not. Let's read:
Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!