As an athlete trains for a season full of challenges and prepares himself mentally and physically for the struggles that lie ahead, we as believers are encouraged to be ready for the test of faith. There are common misconceptions amongst believers today and the promotion of what some consider the "prosperity gospel" is a prime suspect in the case of wrong thinking. The church as a whole has the responsibility of encouraging its members to hold fast to the faith that brought them into relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I have been a believer most of my life, but I have only been a confessed believer for a little over 11 years. That is to say that I have not been committed to my belief as long as I have acknowledged being a believer. This matters because there are believers that have not accepted the faith because they are confused by the teachings and the promises of wealth and success in every endeavor. We fail to emphasize that success and wealth are not measured by the same set of weights in the Kingdom of God. The believer must be tried and brought to a place of total submission before what one could consider success is ever realized.
The Body of Christ consists of persons of varying levels of faith and maturity. Those of us who take on the responsibility to encourage brothers and sisters who are struggling with right and wrong know this well. We often fail to admit there are real spiritual wrestling matches going on in the hearts and minds of the confessed believer. Hebrews 11:6 states, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." But for someone who is taught to believe that his or her material possessions are a measure of faith, this is a difficult concept to grasp. There are people who work hard every day. They have gone to school and have done all of the things society and even the church says is the right thing to do. They are educated and without a job. They have been told to reach up or out to grab a hold of God's promises only to find that this approach is not effective for one hundred percent of the church. We are taught that Christ died for all. This is true. We are taught that Christ has no respect of person. This is true also. So, why does this act work for some and not all.
1Peter 5:10 states, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." We omit being tried. The sports drink Gatorade is marketed under the slogan that it is a "thirst quencher". This drink is supposed to provide vital nutrients for the athlete. This athlete that has exerted himself to the point of being depleted of something he needs. The electrolytes and minerals that satisfy his thirsts are provided. The book of Ruth chapter 1 gives us a story of a man named Elimelech who had a wife named Naomi and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion. The Word tells us that there was a famine in the land and as a result he took his family to live in a country called Moab. Elimelech left the city of Bethlehemjuda. There was a shortage of sustenance. This shortage was enough to make Elimelech feel that moving to a different country would solve the families issues. It is easy to identify with a new convert that has been told that everything they need is right here in the Body of Christ. This information is given without telling them to, "read the print". The word tells us that if we suffer with Him, we shall also reign with Him. This is the reward of choosing Christ. I want to as the Apostle Paul states it in Phil. 3:10, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;" This part is left out because it is not as appealing to most as it is good to some. Psalm 119:71 states, It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
The church has to begin to speak the truth in every aspect of its teaching so as to not lose those we gain under false pretenses. Only the truth can make us free. The Word has to be preached and given to keep those who are wrestling daily with the issues of life. It only becomes worse when they are taught to measure their righteousness by their possessions and not by their character. If we are to achieve the spiritual success we hear of from pulpits around the world we have to be willing to exert ourselves to the point of being depleted of the unrighteous deeds that hinder our walk. It is really good that we are afflicted because we learn His ways and understand His sovereignty through the trials of life. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.(Psalm 34:19)
Thank you for listening.
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