When Faith Is Tested

Close your Bibles, take a blank piece of paper and write the books of the Bible. When you are done please stand. The first one standing with a correct list - spelling included will be allowed to the front padded seat with a foot stool attached.

For most of your, the words, “close your books and write following” probably brought back good or bad memories. They might have also brought back some anxiety.

Are tests necessary? It depends whom you ask and who does the asking.

John 1:12 ESV

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

Interestingly enough opinions are nearly equally divided. About 1/2 of those giving the test see their value. 1/2 see little value in tests. When it comes to those who take the tests, more than 1/2 do not like test. That is not surprising!

As open our Bibles today, that for some you might be good news, for others it might be bad news. Our God believes in testing. The reason is not to make us uncomfortable or to embarrass us but in the end to encourage and affirm.

Gen 22:1

Genesis 22:1 ESV

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

tested - ESV, NKJV ; tempted - KJV

Tested is the best translation. James in his epistle affirms that.

James 1:13 ESV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

James 1:

Sometimes, it is only when we are that we realize what we can do and allow ourselves to be stretched.