IN A DANGEROUS PLACE

Some of you going through difficult situations are in a dangerous place with your faith.

I must ask: Have you allowed seeds of unbelief into your heart? Do you have serious questions regarding God’s faithfulness? Instead of worshiping Him, do you doubt Him?

“Lord, why haven’t You intervened for me? Why have You allowed such confusion in my marriage, my family? You have put on me more than I’m able to bear.” Such an attitude can lead to a hardened heart and eventually spiritual deadness.

The apostle Paul exhorted Timothy, “Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). The Greek word for hardness here indicates suffering, difficult afflictions. What does Paul say to Timothy about these things? “Endure them, son! You are a soldier in the Lord’s army. You’ve been trained to undergo hardship in spiritual battle.”

We see this reflected in the Old Testament as well. We are told, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9, my italics). The Hebrew word for perfect in this verse means “wholly given to Him in trust.”

God looks down upon the whole earth, searching diligently for that man or woman of faith who is given to Him in complete trust.

Whenever the Lord finds such a servant, He says of that person, “This beloved one is holding fast to his faith and confidence in Me. Therefore, I will show Myself strong to him. He’s going to know My power and see My strong arm revealed on his behalf.”