LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, April 25, 2024

In 1 Samuel chapters 13-14 we have the story of Jonathon as he steps out in faith to accomplish God’s purpose. Over the next few days I would like to discuss some principles of faith that we can learn from this story. You may want to take the time to read it before we move on.

Here’s principle #1 – God is working to increase faith.

One of my favorite Bible passages is found in 1 Peter chapter 1.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Verse seven teaches us that all the trials and troubles and interruptions of our normal routine are designed by God to prove the genuineness of our faith. I see several things in this testing process:

1. Our perspective is tested – We can rejoice in trials because we, through faith, are shielded by God’s power until He fulfills our salvation in His presence. When my perspective is not on God’s saving and keeping power, the trials offend me. When my perspective is on God’s saving and keeping power the trials commend me.

2. Our passion is tested – we love Him even though we do not see Him; we trust Him even when we don’t understand Him. The trials come to test our walk of faith so that it does not become a walk of sight.

3. Our patience is tested – we are receiving the goal of our faith, the salvation of our souls. Can we endure the physical in the short term for the glory of the spiritual in the long term?

Spend some time today on these three points, and do some praising of God that He is working in your life to increase your faith so that it results in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Our desire should be to live a life of faith as described by this challenge written by a young African pastor which he had tacked to the wall of his hut.

“I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit Power. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.

“My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.

“I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

“My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

“I won’t give up, shut up, until have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problems recognizing me — my banner will be clear.“

Pastor John