Does God test us?

[missmuffet]

Sometimes a person experiences a tragedy and they turn away from God. David sought God's testing Psalm 139:23. Abram was tested by God Hebrews 11: 17-19. Job was tested by Satan with God's permission. 

It is to prove that our faith is real. God will never allow us to be tested beyond what we can handle. We experience storms in life. We cling to His promises so we can weather the storm.  

[bropro]

12 hours ago, missmuffet said:

What do you think?

Yes, I do believe God tests us.

The scripture ref. below has been a source of strength and hope for me when I encounter trials and testing. As I trust His word and go through the testing in the right manner, I am assured that I will come out on the other end of it stronger than before. He will work out the defects in me (which are many) and make sure that I lack nothing that is needful to live a successful Christian life. I kind of look at it this way now, my trials are an opportunity for growth and character development, therefore, I will rejoice when they come, knowing that God is working out His purposes in my life.

James 1:2-4 (AMP)
²  Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
³  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
⁴  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

 

Gary

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by bropro

[nickm727]

We must search for God to find him. Like Jesus said knock and it shall be opened. Satan tests us....Jesus saves us!

[Willa]

Luk 8:11  ESV Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

Luk 8:12  The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Luk 8:13  And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

1Pe 1:6  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,  1Pe 1:7  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1Pe 1:8  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 1Pe 1:9  obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

God tests us to see if when we are tested we will fall away or cling to Him and His promises..  We have all seen believers who seemed genuine, even pastors, fall away during testing.  Perhaps they didn't get the thing they prayed for, or their loved one died tragically.  They had some if's in their commitment to God.   They were committed on their own terms not God's terms.  He wants an all out commitment to Him from our hearts, that we will follow Him, no turning back.    It is the familiar "for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health type of marriage to God.  Only death will not part us but will fully join us to Him.  

He want's us to choose to be His slave for the long haul.  

Rom 6:16  Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?          Rom 6:17  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,  Rom 6:18  and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.  Rom 6:22  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Rom 1:1  LITV Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated to the gospel of God,

Jas 1:1  James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the Dispersion, greeting:

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those equally precious with us, having obtained faith in the righteousness of our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ:

It was a custom for slaves who had been freed, who were grateful for the treatment they had received for their  master, to give themselves back to Him to be His permanent slave.  Christ freed us from bondage to satan and sin and paid for our release with His own blood--we were bought with a price.  He made us His own and set us free.  We are free to choose Him or go back to serving sin and selfishness.  When we hate our former selves, where else can we go but to Jesus?  We give ourselves to Him as His slaves out of love to serve Him.

[Neighbor]

4 hours ago, Willa said:

We are free to choose Him or go back to serving sin and selfishness.

Hi, While I hardily concur with most everything in the post I may not concur that I was free to go back. Not this side of sanity I wasn't. I was told decide now or it is done. There will be no other time. That is not freedom it is a choice I suppose, but not an open ended one. So freedom to choose?  No, not the time and place anyway.

[Sower]

5 hours ago, Willa said:

It was a custom for slaves who had been freed, who were grateful for the treatment they had received for their  master, to give themselves back to Him to be His permanent slave.

 

As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever.” (Deut 15:12-17)

A slave by choice!

5 hours ago, Willa said:

He want's us to choose to be His slave for the long haul.

 

[Willa]

1 minute ago, Sower said:

 

As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever.” (Deut 15:12-17)

A slave by choice!

 

It was called a love-slave, but that term has a different connotation in our society.  Yes, that is the passage I was thinking of.  Thank you.

[Willa]

1 hour ago, Neighbor said:

So freedom to choose?  No, not the time and place anyway.

I think the Scriptures compare it to a dog going back on its vomit.  

[ejected]

Pray for a particular deliverence and finally get it.

A little while later that trial strikes again with ferocity.

Thats a test that is a Toughy. Stand your ground as a good soldier.

He takes pleasure when you hope in His mercy. Psalm 147:11 And His promises. 

[Spock]

On 6/15/2019 at 2:14 AM, missmuffet said:

What do you think?

Lol, you know He does. The testing of our faith has been a given since Adam through Abraham and on down. 

Recently, I was tested and to be honest, I was pretty upset with the Lord for the test. It cost me $5,000 that could have been avoided had the Lord moved on my prayer request and moved the judges heart not to award attorney fees. My daughter is as poor as a churchmouse and the judge knew she could not pay the 5k.....so obviously he knew I would pay it......but I didn’t want to. I even told the Lord if he moved the judge to not award attorney fees I would give half of that amount (2,500) to World Vision to help poor people in Africa. 

What a deal, right? 

I guess not.......

it took me a week to recover...... the Lord and I wrestled hard.....Lord, how could you prefer me to give 5000 to an unholy attorney rather than give money to poor people who could use the goats?  Lord! Seriously?  

It then became clear to me, he was testing me, wanting me to trust him even when it looks like he is on vacation! 

After an intense week or two of struggle, He finally won me over........God is good.....all the time! 

We walk by faith not sight. This didn’t look good to me, but looks can be deceiving, right?