Q4. Refining Faith

[Patrick_Wong]

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith?

In 2002, during the financial crisis, I was laid off just before the year end holidays. My frustration slowly but surely turned to anger against my former company, friends and church and even God as the months slowly passed without the prospect of any forecoming opportunity. Debts was mounting and the pressure was beginning to become unbearable to the extend that I wanna walk away. Then one particular night, (without to much narration) I had the strangest dream - It was a scene from Jeremiah 7 - my rebellion and pretense was the very reason that God seems so distant.

What did God accomplish in your life?

From that dream, I really broke down and cry before the Lord and low and behold, I was offerred contract work from Citibank out of nowhere. This opportunity just seem to good to be true especially when the bank was having a head freeze policy. I just cannot explain how or who put my name across but praise be to God is all I want to say.

How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?

Slowly but surely, I began the climb back to Jesus and since then not only have I (like Job) recovered all that I have lost but even more. This is not the end of it. I also learned that with the blessing more is demanded from me and now the opportunity for serving is so widely open that I cannot cope with all the excitement without first turning to God each and every day for counsel.

[sunilbernard]

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?

Many instances, mainly financial, are there in which God led us through, as if through fire. Those trying circumstances made me competely turn to Him for solutions. In the process, He strengthened our faith in Him in making our paths straight solving our problems. The test was to see if we hold on to Him. We held on to him and came out shining. Praise be to Him.

Faith, when it is under testing, proves to be a very close and meticulous affair with our Saviour. We don't have any shackles to hold on to. No snow tires to prevent skidding. No parachute to soften our fall. Its just like instrument landing that the pilot uses when the circumstances are completely negative. He just looks at the dials and meters in the cockpit and lands the plane. Its the same. When the whole process is over and we come out shining as pure gold, we don't need to look anywhere or to anybody to thank. Because Jesus was at the controls and led us through the stifling process without any scratch to us. So naturally, all the credit goes to Him and all glory belongs to Him.

Sunil Bernard

[Kim E.]

Sometimes I feel like I'm in a trial everyday of my life. I've got a lot of growing up to do. When your spiritual life takes a back seat for a good part of your life to self-interest you lose a lot. God has used some pretty extrodinary things to get me back in line. One almost ruined my life and the lives of those involved. Although this trial was threatening to ruin my life I leaned on my faith in God at that time and He answered me. God knew I was lost but He carried me home. The long road to change my life after that is still going on right now as we speak. I have many trials ahead, probably several today. But there is rejoicing in heaven now that I'm found. I believe that and I lean on God to help me through everything. Jesus name will be glorified in the example He is helping me to set. If I, a lowly sinner can have this hope then so can all who accept this gift of salvation.

[sandra]

putting God first has gotten really serious for me..

I have lost jobs I have loved because I would not lie about someone to keep the peace. and that person hated me more than anyone in the place..

I have lost relationships with people I truly had good times with and and "needed" to love me because I state what I think could be sin and they do not agree...

doctrine issues have come up in the churches I have attended .

The biggest accomplishment has been trust for me. I have at times had no one But God to turn to for comfort in life. I learned to trust Him for myself and for those I love. I also learned a degree of worth in knowing I can work for a Risen Lord and help others through this life as they have helped me.

I learned Jesus is building a home for us and we are His body working together to make His people better and safer , to live in the Kingdom for all eternity together.

[Pastor Sherry]

Many times in my life I am aware that God has tested me, by both trials and endurance and by making me humble myself before Him. But just as a parent must teach their child by lessons that are sometimes very unpleasant so to our Father in heaven must test us and teach us, I like to think of the hymn: Spirit of the living God, (Iverson 1926) The words petition God to work in our lives( Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me, melt me, mold me, fill me , use me.) God has made a difference so many ways in my life, when I have realized that God is in control, I am able to be thankful for even the trails and give praise to Christ, glorifying Him. The thought I always try to keep within my heart is that all I am , all I will be is because of God's love for me and Christ's gift of salvation.

[ddames]

"Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith?"

God continues to test us daily. There have been numerous occasions when life's distractions, tragedies, and difficulties seemed almost overwhelming, but Faith continued to carry me through the tests.

"What did God accomplish in your life?"

He has shown me that true Faith overcomes all obstacles. Believing in God, obeying the scripture and constant prayer (discussion with God) really works. Getting me to understand and comprehend that has probably his greatest accomplishment.

"How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?"

It's great testimony to others when they see you react with Faith, compassion and understanding during difficult times.

[aguilar-j]

It was the 10 of October of 1995 and my wife, our daughter

and her husband, went out to a restaurant as a part of my

wife's birthday celebration,

That night my wife became ill, and next morning found out that

my daughter also was ill. My wife broke into a high fever and

stayed home from work, my daughter reported that she was

better but still had heaches and stomach ache, in the other

hand my wife's fever kept up and in that night I drove her

to the hospital, the fever continuo and the stomach pains

continuo as well and she was on a very bad way, two more

days of fever and the Drs. did not know what was going on

in the morning of the 4th day at 5am I went to the hospital

to see how she was feeling.

I found her in the fetus position and there was no light in

her eyes, she was given up. I cried and prayed, left the room

to go to work, but I stopped at a meeting where I shared of

my wifes condition.

At 10 am a friend visited me and said: Jesus,-Do you have faith?

I answered, -YES. then he said "LET'S ASK GOD FOR A FAVOR

AND THANK HIM FOR LET YOU HAVE YOUR WIFE FOR A LITTLE

WHILE LONGER, AND PROMISE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE

GOOD CARE OF HER WHILE SHE IS WITH YOU NOW!

He left and at noon I drove to the hospital to see my wife

I found her standing in the middle of the room trying to put

on her make up, looked at me and said in her sweet voice

I WANT TO GO HOME. I cried with her and praised God.

My way of life changed in that moment completely and one

year after I opened my heart to JESUS and I invited him in

my life to be my KING, my DIRECTOR, and he brought me

to this forum. PRAISE HIS NAME

This act of faith and surrender are his works in me

and it must bring glory to Him because I cannot stopped

telling people of my SAVIORS life and truth. Amen.

[Dick Ross]

I thought my life was going ok until I decided that I must rejoin the church, after many years of absence. Since that time, all of my paradigms about life have crumbled like they were made of sand. There has been conflict, temptation, and confusion at every turn. Satan does not like to let go!

Finally, after a year of rededication, I feel as though my feet are closer to being on the narrow path. My faith is challenged every little bit, but I am beginning to understand the nature of my calling. I still have a long way to go in terms of obedience and humility, but I know that Christ is leading me to the place He wants me to be. Praise God for saving an undeserving sinner like me!

I can now bring glory to Jesus by testifying to others how He has moved in my life, and how He wants to move in their lives as well. He gives meaning to the saying "LOVE THE SINNER- HATE THE SIN".

[MoZes Marius]

Greetings!

Last year had been a very challenging and tough year for my family. My second daughter was born prematurely with intestinal complication (Jejunal Atresia). She was hopitalised for nearly 9 months until the day the Lord took her. My wife and I had gone through A LOT during that period of time. We thank God because despite this we also gained A LOT!! It has brought us closer to Him and experience His warm love through those brothers and sisters around us.

God use difficult circumstances to exercise our faith. Our faith must be TOUGH! Otherwise, we will be like those animals (figuratively speaking) in the zoo, if let loose will not survive in the wild life!! If our faith is build upon the rock, it will not be washed away by storm. If we are able to stand the storm, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross will not be in vain!!

[Tom Nabors]

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?

It seems like a cycle occurs where I go through bouts of uncertainty and doubt. But each time I am brought out of it by the Holy Spirit, my faith is stonger than ever.

Tested faith brings glory to Jesus by showing that though we are weak, faith is maintained and even enhanced through trials and tribulations.

[Desiree]

God is good. I did not have full time job for 10 years. When I moved from one city after having my job cut, God had me go through a time where I have learned to trust Him for everything. I was on my own and had no one else. At times I need a place to live, food, money you name it. What little I did have I gave away to others... their need seemed greater than mine. There was a time where I live with christians who would not share their food with me because they thought they would not have enough for themselves. Through all these times I had to learn about God's unconditional love so I would not become bitter towards others who the enemy was using against me.

Now I am going on my third year in a job that is truly a blessing and God has given me great favor.

Many times I wanted to give up... at the very moment I was going to close the door... God opened one. Things may not have happened the way I wanted them to or prayers may not have been answered the way I thought they would, but God's ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than mine. He was and is preparing me... emptying me or me and filling me more with the character of Jesus so that His compassion can arise within me and I can learn to show at all times His compassion and love towards others.

How great thou art Lord!

My trust is in you alone!

[linda biloni]

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?

I remember one in particular on tithing. I wasn't too familiar with it and a friend told me about tithing 10% (being of little faith at the time, I saw my lights being shut off). This friend told me that if I wasn't blessed, he would pay my electric bill(talk about faith, he made $6 per hour). At the time, it seemed like I just kept getting into a financial rut, medical bills, legal bills, moving expenses, auto repairs etc. I had a good income and just couldn't make it. I started tithing, was blessed...and then lost my job. I took a job for a lot less income, but kept tithing. i will say, everything financially gets taken care of...and only by the grace of God.

I know(that I know, that I know) that no matter how the bills add up, compared to the balance in my check book, as long as I am obediant, God will provide a way. Hallelujah and Amen!

Glory is brought to Jesus, I think, because we will be followers of Jesus and be with Him in the days of revelation, instead of bearing the mark. It will be this tested faith that will sustain us.

[annk]

Many times throughout my life I have been through difficult times that I know God was pushing me to achieve a closer relationship with him. From these experiences I have grown closer to him and have been able to look at the world with a new sense of vision and feeling.

My husband was burned to death in our home and I was the one who found him. Many times in life I said that if I ever came upon someond dead that I would not be able to handle it. That night I had more strength than I ever knew it was possible to have and it had to be a God given strength. Over the coming days God walked with me a s I went through the motions of a Wake and a funeral. God's strengfth at that time often came through in a handshake from a friend or many kind words that I heard. They seem to say 'I am here for you. I will not let you go through this alone."

My faith has been tested and tried several more times and from this I have grown in many ways. I think we have to be challenged to realize the power of the Lord.

[dantanc]

God has blessed me very much, enabled me to get good education and good job. However i have squandered all his blessings by unwisely jumping into the company of non-believers and face many difficulties. But he has out of his mercy also given me the courage and guidance to get out that situation and increase in my faith and knowledge of his kingdom. God has, with help of holy spirit enabled me to face any situation, forced by the king of the world.

Genuine tested faith enables us to do good works for the kingdom of the Lord and thereby bring him glory.

[missionslady]

Consider it all joy, my brethren. I was an addict for 19 years, half my life at the time. I came from an abusive background and raped at 7. Before I came to Christ I was sucidal and I told the Lord I did not know him and he better show himself to me because I had a plan of my own and I wanted out......Long story short: I am now 18 years clean, God has placed me in the mission feild working with street people in the inner cities. Through my torment's I have been able to minister to addicts and help the children get through thier abusive home lives. Still I go through the spiritual warfares as we all do,but I have seen that when I come through that moment of the "dark night of the soul" as Paul calls it... when I think I cannot go anymore....then in my surrender it is made clear this trial is for growth. I become stronger and more useful in Gods plan for me. My relationship with theLord is now stronger and I think of this life as a spiritual bootcamp "school" for the spirit. The trials is where the blessings are. Praise God. He will never give you more than you can handle, and if so he will make a way out for you. Praise God. thank you, Lord. May I remain his servant in all things. Consider it all joy, my brethren....

[Ken7]

Recently cancer entered into my life, for the 2nd time. The first time I rejoiced in Gods Mercy and retired, began mission work in a field my wife and I had done some work in. This 2nd time was different. My sweet wife had gone to be with our Lord at an early age after a difficult illness. Part of me would have been happy to go home to the Lord, yet children, Grandchildren, the ministry 'unfinished' work tugged at my heart. My innermost was also saying this bout with the same aggressive cancer might be a difficult go-round. I came to a point, after a faith struggle that if God said come-home I was ready, yet if He kept me here ...then use the miracle for His Glory. My mission ministry work involves those desiring recovery from drugs. My family still has dear ones not knowing Christ. I truly wanted more than remission, I wanted submission ...for those, including me, who's Faith was needing to be "refined by fire" for God's Glory. Our country, our churches, our families needed this ...I was so sure this was Gods Will.

The good news is the cancer is completely gone I'm back on the road in ministry for the Lord. My family and I are so much closer. My daughter and my Grand kids just relish our time together. The Pastor and his wife who run the ministry I'm involved in are near the center of this prayer-miracle. Troy says God still had work for me to be done, there were several wonderful things that happened the morning at church they announced my outcome from the surgery. This occurred at Pastor Troy's church and one of the churches I had worked with. God is So Good!

[Barry ben Levi]

q4. Difficult circumstances. Refining. Last August our synagogue lost our beloved Rabbi in a terrible accident. We are a small congregation. So what do we do? Some of the congregation began stepping forward to continue the teaching, something we had never (even considered doing) done before! Instead of collapsing, our congregation appears to be growing.... And those of us who are teaching, I believe, are learning a lot more than we teach! AND, we are learning to teach. It is difficult. Sometimes, either in our zeal, or through lack of understanding, we make mistakes. We are learning to deal with our mistakes. We are learning that if we are not careful, we can even tell a truth, and sin... And there is so very much to learn!

Through difficult circumstances we are learning. We are studying. We are being refined. It is not easy. It is not comfortable. But... we are committed to serving the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We are committed as a congregation of Jewish, and non-Jewish, to learning about the Messiah. About how to present Him. About the sensitivities of persons on both sides of the aisle. I am also a soldier who has spent much time in the Middle East. My wife has also lost both a brother and her father during this period. It is terribly dis-heartening. But...we are committed to serving God.

So... what I will do is ask that all of you - please pray for our congregation.

We are (all of us... & all of you) a community of "learners", which Adonai wants us to be. It is truly wonderful that God encourages us to learn. Study is a blessing and a good way to worship! Education also is a refining process in itself, isn't it.

[David Nichol]

Trials have come in varying degrees of difficulty. When I use these difficult circumstances as a test of my faith rather than more "bad luck" my faith and relatiionship grow. It's not always easy to be objective but when used in this way it allows the Lord to build character into my life and bring glory to Him. We not only grow in faith that helps develop our relationship with Him but can at sometime be used to help others.

[SAgirl]

When my ex-boyfriend broke up with me and everything collapsed around me. I had to rely fully on God to build me up again and also to find friends for me. I had to work through issues in my life, ask people for forgiveness. My faith has grown a lot, I have learnt to rely on him but still not enough.

Tested faith proves that nothing can separate us from Jesus.

[juwulz]

Q4. (1:6-7) Can you remember any instances in which God used difficult circumstances to refine and purify your faith? What did God accomplish in your life? How, exactly, does genuine, tested faith bring glory to Jesus?

Can I remember? It is often too hard to forget, as I am sure it is hard for most of you out there.

What did God accomplish in my life? In some of the trials, he brought me so much closer to Him and I give him all my praise, honor and glory. And, honestly, in a current situation, I am still trying to find the Lord's plan, but continue to praise Him daily, for I do know there is a purpose, and a lesson that I have yet to find, so I plod along trying to find what it is that I am to learn from this current tribulation.

How, does this bring glory to Jesus? I can only hope that the people who see me struggling through my physical therapy see the joy of the Lord on my face as I fight to walk, or see the peace on my face when there should be agony, and know that it comes from Him, they all know I am Christian, though I am not overly vocal about it.

[Linda Stanley]

Each and every one of us have been grieved because of the pressures and unpleasant circumstances that may encounter us in our life."Fiery trials".Trials help us grow into the kind of person God wants us to be.Trials teaches us patients,in which we learn to handle difficulties the way Jesus Christ has taught us.When we go through trials we also are drawn closer to God."Faith Builder"I would say.We can also help others who may go through the same trials,we have gone through.Helps build relationships with other Christians,becoming friends and helping each other.That is what we are called to do.We all become better people."Christ like".

We learn to trust God more,as our faith is tested and this brings glory to Jesus Christ our savior.Amen

[Arley]

The most dramatic is the death of my wife, Diana. This brought me closer to God than any other event in my life. Secondly, God

[kitty]

God has used my current job to refine me and purify my faith in Him. To trust that everything is going to work out to the glory of HIs name. When I first started working where I'm at now. It wasn't in the field I should be working in. God has used this field of work, to strengthen me, my walk, and to show to other's who work there who don't know God how much testing and trial can make someone into a Godly woman of God.

Genuine testing that God brings can bring someone from the dark into the light. When they see what a child of God goes thru, without complaint. How a child of God can be manipulated and walk on without complaining and keep getting slapped in the face time and time again. It shows who we are in Christ.

[cct1106]

Unfortunately, I go through different circumstances each and everyday. I am dealing with alot of sickness and constant pain and I know in my heart that God only gives us what we can only handle but at times it seems like that I have so much to bear and do not see any relief in sight. I know that God is testing my faith and he has been testing my faith because for as long as I can remember I have suffered many major illnesses, pain, and obstacles but I have to say that no matter what I have not lost my faith and belief in God even though at times I become so bitter and hurt but I never lose my faith because in my heart I know that one day everything will be different whether it be here on earth or in the Kingdom of heaven.

[KarenAnn456]

The last big trial/test that put me through a refinement was: I couldn't stand being close to this person, who got on my nerves and really got under my skin. The Lord kept putting this person right next to me and showed my I needed to love this person as a part of our christian family. To love one another is a testamony that Christ lives in us. Well, I tried but burnt out, finally I really gave it to the Lord, and He did that great work in my heart. I had a real love for this person, and the Lord worked it through me by His love and power.

God will always be there to empower us and get us through our every trial, He doesn't expect us to do it alone. Just like our last question, the Lord supplies us with His Love, keeping a watchful eye on us always, and He will deliever us out of every trial, big and small.

Has we are delievered out of each trial and brought closer to the Lord, we see His faithfulness and Love and giving of His self, that we are blown away by the Lord's mercy and love for us and we trust Him more and more through each test/trial. Praise God for His faithfulness.