Will you pass the heart test?

[George]

Shalom everyone,

I posted up several topics on "tests" to help us understand as a body that we are undergoing a TEST in every way.  But in each of these tests, it's designed to TEST OUR RESPONSE!

Jer 17:10  “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” 

1Th 2:4  but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 

As I travel across the country (I've travelled 75,000 miles along with my wife and family in the midst of this pandemic), I've seen how people are divided on the issue of COVID.  

Personally, I see the testing of the hearts ... as people become hardened to life around them.  We're seeing the skyrocketing rates of suicide and mental health issues, not to mention the affects taking place on the kids of this generation.

But we've been entrusted with the GOSPEL ... we've been given a task to share the good news!  Until you realize that every day is a TEST ... of course, you'll bomb!  Remember the instructions given to Joshua ... CHOOSE THIS DAY whom you shall serve ...

Each day is a TEST of YOUR HEART ... what COVID did, was EXPOSED the heart of believers!

A choice is a decision ... to the test that we face daily!

BUT THIS SERIES OF QUIZZES, TESTS, and OUR FINAL EXAM is an OPEN BOOK TEST!

Most people bomb the test ... because they don't realize they are being TESTED.  But if you were given the ANSWERS, why shouldn't we ACE the TEST?

You can ace the knowledge of all things, and bomb the REAL TEST that we face ... the TESTING OF OUR HEARTS!

Until next time ... KEEP LOOKING UP!

[other one]

Lucifer turned his back on the Lord, and we are being checked as to whether or not we will also.  Job didn't and we shouldn't either.

Moses was given a set of rules that just about everyone agreed could not be kept 100% of the time....   Jesus Gave us two that we should be able to learn to keep.   Unless we are going to rebel also.

Test would be, "Are you with me, or not?"   If the answer is yes, the rest of your life is to learn how to be with him in peace.

[Ani Tefillah]

I agree with you both, and I'm determined to endure to the end of the test. I know that if I chose to stay close to Him, He will stay close to me. 

He gave everything for me, so I wanna give everything to Him, because I love Him so much, for He loved me first. 😊 

[Riverwalker]

11 minutes ago, MonicaWife said:

I agree with you both, and I'm determined to endure to the end of the test.

By the grace and strength of God...amen.  The greatest part of the steadfastness of my heart, is the foundation it has in Christ

Matthew 10:22

And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Lord grant us the peace and strength and ability to withstand the tests to come

[Sower]

2 hours ago, George said:

You can ace the knowledge of all things, and bomb the REAL TEST that we face ... the TESTING OF OUR HEARTS!

I ask God regularly to keep my heart and mind upon Him, and He does. (sometimes with a rod:)
Sowing seed will keep our hearts occupied with the joy of sharing truth to those who have none.

As for our test's, I praise God He has already given all the answers to me, (hid in my heart),

                             to ace the FINAL EXAM, that He (already) took for me.

[missmuffet]

3 hours ago, George said:

Shalom everyone,

I posted up several topics on "tests" to help us understand as a body that we are undergoing a TEST in every way.  But in each of these tests, it's designed to TEST OUR RESPONSE!

Jer 17:10  “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” 

1Th 2:4  but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 

As I travel across the country (I've travelled 75,000 miles along with my wife and family in the midst of this pandemic), I've seen how people are divided on the issue of COVID.  

Personally, I see the testing of the hearts ... as people become hardened to life around them.  We're seeing the skyrocketing rates of suicide and mental health issues, not to mention the affects taking place on the kids of this generation.

But we've been entrusted with the GOSPEL ... we've been given a task to share the good news!  Until you realize that every day is a TEST ... of course, you'll bomb!  Remember the instructions given to Joshua ... CHOOSE THIS DAY whom you shall serve ...

Each day is a TEST of YOUR HEART ... what COVID did, was EXPOSED the heart of believers!

A choice is a decision ... to the test that we face daily!

BUT THIS SERIES OF QUIZZES, TESTS, and OUR FINAL EXAM is an OPEN BOOK TEST!

Most people bomb the test ... because they don't realize they are being TESTED.  But if you were given the ANSWERS, why shouldn't we ACE the TEST?

You can ace the knowledge of all things, and bomb the REAL TEST that we face ... the TESTING OF OUR HEARTS!

Until next time ... KEEP LOOKING UP!

My first response would be.....WHY? Why put this world before God? Why listen to the manipulation and deception  of this world that can only bring on fear? Why not first go to God when this virus first came to us? Ask for His protection and wisdom with this covid virus and vaccinations. Ask Him to guide and direct us. I did this and I ended up not getting the vaccine. That is just where I thought God was leading me. 

[Selah7]

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

- Proverbs 4:23-27 (NIV)

 

Oh, our Father's love!  What a magnificent heart He has …

[Marathoner]

This is not an occasion to be dismayed. Rejoice instead, my friends. 

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, thinking that he was dead. But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe. And after they had preached the gospel to that city and had made a good number of disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “It is through many tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God.” (Acts 14:19-22 NASB)

It is by the test, through trial and tribulation, that we are refined as silver is refined by the Almighty. Silver is refined and gold is tried in the fire, but the pandemic has not been a trial for some. What is sickness and death to those who have faced such things before?

We face death but it wasn't our time; we are crushed but we endure; everything was taken from us but we rejoiced saying, "The Lord gives, and He takes. Blessed is the name of the Lord!"

The bullets of wicked men weren't the test. Their evil wasn't the trial by fire, nor was the terror by night that tribulation we suffered. They could come at any time and so we waited upon His command, being taught by the Spirit of God that courage is not the lack of fear but rather, the willingness to face fear according to our calling in Christ Jesus. We were afraid, and we are proven courageous by overcoming fear. 

We accounted the life of this body as nothing, for the test was this: do you love your neighbor as yourself? Then lay down your life for their sake. Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Then lay down your life for the sake of a stranger.  

The trial by fire was the certain knowledge that we held the life of our enemy in our hands, but we do not walk in this flesh according to what we see; we walk in the Spirit according to faith instead. Do you walk in the Spirit? Then wait upon the Lord and listen to His voice so that when the commandment comes, you will do well. Do you walk in the Spirit? Then obey God. Be courageous and strong even though we are weak, for the power of the Lord is perfected in weakness. 

Tribulation was upon us for all that the Lord taught us was tested by the trial of fire: 

We are crushed, but we endure.
Everything was taken from us but we are wealthy beyond measure,
Blessing our enemies instead of cursing them,
Praying for their sake as it pleases the Lord who preserves and conforms us to His image. 
No lie was found upon our lips, nor was deceit our way.
We serve one who despises us, 
The same one whom we laid down this life for!
We forgive their trespasses against us;
We give them everything without reservation,
For this is what Jesus Christ did for our sake when we were strangers who despised God.

Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Do you walk in the Spirit? The test, trial, and tribulation are how we exchange filthy rags for a mantle purified by fire. The Lord Himself gives us this mantle.  

Edited March 21, 2022 by Marathoner

[Heleadethme]

A good workman tests His workmanship as He goes along, to see what more work it requires.  Trials and tribs....chastising us as sons.   A little hammering and shaping here, a few more nails there, time spent in the kiln "drying out" etc.  This is a race of endurance for sure.

1Pe 4:12-13

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.

  

[Heleadethme]

Sometimes I wonder if the Lord might be out to prove to us on purpose that we CAN'T pass some tests....to teach us that we have nothing of our own, only an empty jar of clay to offer.  There are good reasons why we'll be laying our crowns as His feet.  "In me is no good thing" at all, apart from Him.  When we fail it works humility in us, as well as that we lose the tendency to judge others.......we understand full well how it is that anyone can fall short, if that's a lesson we need to learn.   Working everything together for our good, even our failures.