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James 1:2-3 - Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. NASU
There are many different ways for our faith to be tested and I will not even try to give a list. What I want you to do is identify the type of tests you have encountered or are encountering now and ask yourself this question: Did my faith help me to "stay calm or remain cheerful" while I was being tested? James is saying we are to "stay calm or be cheerful" while this test or trial is taking place.
I was going through the test in my mind after it was over and wondered, "How could I even call myself a Christian? I totally bombed this test. This is horrible." I needed to take a "Mulligan" on this one. If you are a golfer you know what a "Mulligan" is. If you are not a golfer it simply means you get a do over without being penalized. The Lord knows I needed a "Mulligan" on this one.
I couldn't live with this failure. I needed a chance to redeem myself. I needed another chance to build up my faith. I needed to be retested and I had to "stay calm or be cheerful" while going through this next one. I highly recommend this pathway. If you have flunked a faith test in the past that isn't the end of the story. Ask God for another chance. He wants you to grow in your faith and He will help you. Notice again what James says: "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." The only way you are going to have a stronger faith is to continue to overcome the trials you face. We have to endure gladly while being tested.
I hope you ask God for a retest the next time you flunk the first one. Think On These: Gladness is in the heart, not the circumstances. Gladness doesn't come from what you have, but from what you are. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend.
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Philippians 3:13-15 - Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; NKJV
"Forget those things which are behind" you. We all know once something is done it cannot be undone. A friend of mine named, Preacher Greenleaf, had a saying during times of regret and it was "You can't unscramble a scrambled egg." Now there is a piece of wisdom for you. "You can't unscramble a scrambled egg."
It would behoove us to learn from this passage. If God had regret, and He did, how do you expect to go through life without any regrets? Quit trying to do the impossible. Now is the time you need to remember the famous line from the movie Donnie Brasco, which is "Forget About It." So there you have it. How do you deal with "regret"? You "forget about it."
Make new plans and move forward. It is better than getting stuck looking back at that which you regret and can't change.
I know I have. Here is what I learned. Life doesn't always go as we plan it. So when it doesn't ask God to help you set a new goal and give you the strength to set out on accomplishing it. Never let a regret stop you from pursuing other adventures. Every successful person knows how to deal with regrets. Think On These: Between tomorrow's dream and yesterday's regret is today's opportunity. You can't have rosy thoughts about the future when your mind is full of blues about the past. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Ezekiel 29:16 - "And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned to Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD." NASU
He was confident Egypt would protect Israel from Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. He was so wrong. As Ezekiel is penning down his book he is a captive in Babylon. The Babylonians under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar had conquered Israel around 600 BC. Ezekiel is being told by God to pen down these words: "And it will never again be the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing to mind the iniquity of their having turned to Egypt…" The king had placed his faith in Egypt for protection and assistance. Instead, his faith should have been in the Creator of heaven and earth.
I was so blessed to be introduced to Jesus Christ through the preaching of God's Word. On March 2, 1975 I began putting my faith and trust (or confidence) in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. My life has been changed for the better and it is all because I realigned my faith. My faith is no longer in things or me. My faith is in Jesus Christ.
Seriously! Neither one of these two people are fit to be the President of the USA. American's are on the wrong track exactly like Israel of the Old Testament. Israel believed the Egyptian Government was going to help them. They were WRONG! Egypt didn't help Israel in 600 BC. Donald and Hillary are not going to help America. The American Government is not going to help Christianity. The Christian's faith should not be in their Government to save them. The Christian's faith needs to be in the Creator and not the creature. I hope and pray that you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. If you know Him you will be Okay. Think On These: Giving help to the enemy used to be called treason. Now it is called "foreign aid." The people who look to the government to bring them security and prosperity ought to remember what happened to the American Indians. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Acts 15:19 - "Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles,…" NASU
Acts 15:1-2 - Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Acts 15:5 - But some of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses." NASU Did you notice what that verse said? Some PHARISEES who had BELIEVED. WOW! The group that was antagonistic towards Jesus and His ministry now has some believers. BUT they were teaching in order for the Gentiles to become followers of Jesus Christ they must first become converts to Judaism. This would mean every Gentile male would have to be circumcised. Oh yeah, that is going to be really painful. Then they must observe all 600 plus laws of the Old Testament. Paul and Barnabas were trying to teach the Pharisees this isn't correct. The Gentiles don't have to become Jewish. They will be accepted by Jesus without circumcision and without obeying all of the Jewish laws. So both groups travel to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostles and see who is right.
Peter says the Gentiles don't have to become Jewish to be SAVED. Peter says God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The cleansing of their (Gentiles) hearts would come by FAITH. What would their "faith" have been in? Their faith would have been in the fact Jesus Christ resurrected after His death. Our faith is to be in this same fact, Jesus Christ rose from the grave, He has exited the tomb and He is now reigning from Heaven.
Don't trouble people who are turning to God.
I also pray for you my readers to help people come to faith in Jesus Christ and not add any laws to God's Perfect Plan. Think On This: God Still Speaks To Those Who Take Time To Listen. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. Revelation 21:3-4 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." NASU
John also says, "and He will dwell among them…" The word for "dwell" comes from the same Greek word as "tabernacle." God is going to dwell, tabernacle or pitch His tent with us and when He does the blessings will flow.
Can you visualize sitting around the campfire and God telling us stories (figuratively speaking of course)? We will be God's people in a very unique way. We will tabernacle or be camping with God. God promises us He is going to wipe away every tear from our eyes. God is going to make sure we are never hurt by death again. The things that come along with death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone forever. Why would anyone not want to be on this camping trip with God? I hope and pray for those of you reading this Pump Up that you are going camping with God. You will not regret it.
When Jesus came to this earth according to John He did the same thing that is going to happen at the end of time. He came and pitched His tent or tabernacled among the people of the first century. God is going to come and pitch His tent among His people at the beginning of the new heaven and new earth (Revel. 21:1) because the "first things have passed away." I hope you are looking forward to going camping with God. Think On These: Keep your Bible open and you will not find the door to heaven shut. He who seldom thinks of heaven is not likely to get there. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend. |
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