Passing the Test

Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; When times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. (Ecclesiastes 7:13-14)

Anyone ever thank God when you are in the midst of a test or trial? Yeah right, why would I thank God when something bad is happening? Well in the above verse, the author tells us that God makes the bad days as well as the good. Our God is interested in our heart issues, in our attitudes. Of course it is easy to praise God when things are good but it is so easy to blame him when things aren't going exactly the way we think it should. But he plans out our course, he knows what is and was going to happen in our lives before they happened and he with us in the midst of our battles.

He wants good things for us but sometimes he has to shake things up a bit to get our heart in the right shape and the right beat and that is the beat and shape of HIS heart. 

Jesus had the very best heart of anyone who ever walked this earth. He came to this earth knowing he had a mission. There were a lot of people who disagreed with what Jesus was doing AND he still carried out the plan set before him. Not once did Jesus question God or complain about his life. He just said, "Here I am, what can I do?," and God gave him the most important assignment in all of creation... to save us from eternal damnation. It begins to make me think that if we began to praise God in the midst of storms and quit questioning God for what is happening in our life, we might just begin to see God use us in even bigger ways than we could have ever thought. 

We are Not trying to Please men but GOD, who TESTS our HEARTS." (1 Thes. 2:4)

But he has to test us to see who will pass the test. The greatest thing about this is that he is actually the one who will fight this battle for you if you let him. Just sit back, praise and trust him, and watch him amaze you. He knows what is going on in your life. He is the creator of the map of your life. He is the creator of the beginning. Can you imagine? No, you cannot. Our God is so amazing that we can't even begin to wrap our fingers on just how incredible he really is... Our God sends us tests so that he can fight for us and win for us if we keep our hearts pure and our attitudes Christlike. I vow to have a heart of Christ as trials are sent my way.

"He who OVERCOMES shall be CLOTHED in WHITE GARMENTS, and I will NOT Blot out (Erase) his Name from the BOOK OF LIFE; but I will CONFESS his name before My Father and before His Angels." (Rev. 3:5)

 God is giving us a chance to be overcomers. Just like Jesus. Jesus was given the biggest battle ever given to a man and he passed the test. And you know what happened. He overcame the world and rose from the dead on the third day. How is that for a happy ending?! Jesus wasn't just an extreme case of what could happen but he is THE example of what will happen if we let God simply be God. We can't lose with him as the fighter of our wars. He is giving us a chance at eternal life. He is giving us a chance to have our name written in the book of life. I think today and everyday, I will praise him for the tests he sends my way, because he is the teacher of the class, and he has already given us the answers, he is giving us the opportunity for extra credit and our passing grade will get us a field trip to sit with him on the right side of the throne as his chosen people. Our God rocks. The end.

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to live forever for you in eternity. You have already overcame the world and want to fight my battles for me, you just want my heart to stay pure and trust that you really do win every. single. time. Thank you for sending me battles that have already been won. I love you and am so grateful for all the blessings in my life. In Jesus name, AMEN.

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. (James 1:12)

"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have Peace. In the WORLD you will have TRIBULATION; but be of Good Cheer, I have OVERCOME the WORLD." (John 16:33)

"God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to TEST HIM and to see what was REALLY in his Heart." (2 Chron 32:31)

"Since he himself (JESUS) as gone through SUFFERING AND TESTING, He is able to help us WHEN WE ARE BEING TESTED."(Hebrews 2:18)