Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?

Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).

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August 29, 2011

Journal Entry for Today-JDV

Thank you Lord for reminding me that the battle inside of me is regular and normal; that the push and pull between my faith and common sense is a constant. Somehow I got the idea that once I was a fully committed or “mature” believer the struggle would be over. Thank you for showing me that the test of faith is in the way we life right in the middle of the struggle, and the greater the struggles, the greater opportunity for a faith based life.  We can in fact step out of the boat and walk on the water right in the middle of the storms, when we live in faith we can step out even when  (or especially) it is storming all around us.

And God says…”You can find peace, hope, faith and trust right in the middle of trials. You can find Me right in the middle of the storms. Trust in Me with all your heart and I will …give you the peace that passes all understanding (or common sense) right where you are. Praying to have your storms removed or trials eradicated is inconsistent with choosing to live and grow in faith. Which will you choose; to live without trails and trust your common sense, or to grow in your faith? When you choose faith you learn that the trials are regular and normal, they are a part of your life on earth. And you learn that they can be a very big part of the testing and building of your faith.”