The Trying Of Our Faith

We aren’t so unlike the men and women of old.

A. As human beings they had the same temptations.

1. As a matter of fact, the men and women of

old did not have a present and living Holy

Spirit of God in residence.

a. It is this Holy Spirit who empowers us to

rise above so many physical challenges.

2. We hear about a lot of the good that was

accomplished by the people of the Old

Testament period.

a. I am sure that these people also caved in

to temptation....from time-to-time.

1.) Some of this is recorded, but we are

not assured that all of their weak

moments have been revealed to us.

** Some caved while others stood out as beacons of light

for generations to come........some even stand out as

examples for us, in the Christian age.

What amazes me, is the faith that they were able to

display...BEFORE THEY HAD THE EXAMPLE OF

CHRIST TO SET THEIR EYES ON.

Heb, 11:38-40 - 38of whom the world was not worthy.

They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves

of the earth. 39And all these, having obtained a good

testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

40God having provided something better for us, that they

should not be made perfect apart from us.

A. How much more sure our faith can be...now that

we have the example of Jesus Christ, the Apostles,

and those Christians who have gone before us.

1. Our faith SHOULD BE stronger than those

of the past who had no such helps (Holy

Spirit, Christ, Apostles, Saints).

a. And yet..........it seems that it doesn’t take

too much to shipwreck our hope andfaith

today.

I wish to look at some examples of real faith at work...from

the Old Covenant period of time, as well as some from the

New....and see if we can be inspired to new hights...to see

ifwe can pick up something from these men and women of

old which could strengthen our faith...our hope...our

resolve.

I. What does one do when he sees his life’s work crumble

before him?

Job. 1:13-22 - 13Now there was a day when his sons

and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest

brother’s house; 14and a messenger came to Job and said,

“The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside

them, 15“when the Sabeans raided them and took them

away—indeed they have killed the servants with the edge

of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

16While he was still speaking, another also came and said,

“The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep

and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have

escaped to tell you!” 17While he was still speaking,

another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three

bands, raided the camels and took them away, yes, and

killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone

have escaped to tell you!” 18While he was still speaking,

another also came and said, “Your sons and daughters were

eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,

19“and suddenly a great wind came from across the

wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it

fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone

have escaped to tell you!”

20Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head;

and he fell to the ground and worshipped. 21And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

22In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.

Gen. 19:24-29 - 24Then the Lord rained brimstone and

fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the

heavens. 25So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all

the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.

26But his wife looked back behind him, and she became a

pillar of salt.

27And Abraham went early in the morning to the place

where he had stood before the Lord. 28Then he looked

toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of

the plain; and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land

which went up like the smoke of a furnace.

29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of

the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out

of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities

in which Lot had dwelt.

A. Our faith is in God.....

1. For those of us who say this, I feel that there

is a powerful lot of value placed on things

other than God.

a. May we never be tested as Job or Lot...