For thought and meditation

[rl69]

Enter by the narrow gate….Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life…. MATTHEW 7:13-14
If we are going to live as disciples of Jesus, we have to remember that all efforts of worth and excellence are difficult. The Christian life is gloriously difficult, but its difficulty does not make us faint and cave in— it stirs us up to overcome. Do we appreciate the miraculous salvation of Jesus Christ enough to be our utmost for His highest— our best for His glory?
God saves people by His sovereign grace through the atonement of Jesus, and “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). But we have to “work out” that salvation in our everyday, practical living (Philippians 2:12). If we will only start on the basis of His redemption to do what He commands, then we will find that we can do it. If we fail, it is because we have not yet put into practice what God has placed within us. But a crisis will reveal whether or not we have been putting it into practice. If we will obey the Spirit of God and practice in our physical life what God has placed within us by His Spirit, then when a crisis does come we will find that our own nature, as well as the grace of God, will stand by us.
Thank God that He does give us difficult things to do! His salvation is a joyous thing, but it is also something that requires bravery, courage, and holiness. It tests us for all we are worth. Jesus is “bringing many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10), and God will not shield us from the requirements of sonship. God’s grace produces men and women with a strong family likeness to Jesus Christ, not pampered, spoiled weaklings. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline to live the worthy and excellent life of a disciple of Jesus in the realities of life. And it is always necessary for us to make an effort to live a life of worth and excellence

[augercreek]

Thank God for testing as I would not like to go through life not knowing if my faith was there!

[dverna]

Is there a difference between God testing us and Satan tempting us? I think there is.

I think about the first baby between David and Bathsheba that died. There is a part of me that remains uncomfortable with God using the life of an innocent baby to make a point. I see that God was testing the faith of David and Bathsheba. I do not see the death of the baby as punishment for their sins, as that would be unjust...at least in my mind.

It does not appear that Satan takes a life as a means to break our faith. Satan is not permitted to take a life, but he can cause someone to kill. Satan uses our desires of lust, greed, and self to undermine our faith. Satan, can only take a life by working his evil on man and causing man to kill another.

With faith, we can overcome both the tests that God puts on us and the temptations of Satan.

[USMC87]

Amen and thanks for a great lesson.