Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Devotionals by J.M. Farro


God Tests Us Before He Trusts Us


"God is the one who gave us this work. And this was only after He tested us and saw that we could be trusted to do it. So when we speak, we are only trying to please God, not anyone else. He is the one who can see what is in our hearts." - 1 Thessalonians 2:4 ERV

The verse above reveals a major theme of the Christian life: God tests us before He trusts us with our most important work for His Kingdom. This is how the Message Bible puts it: “God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval – only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas.” (1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 MSG) The “battery of tests” God will put us through will make sure that we are “not after crowd approval,” but “only God approval.”

The Lord wants us to be led by His Spirit, and not other people. So He will put us in situations where we will have to choose whether we will follow His leadership – even if it attracts criticism and rejection from others – or take the path of least resistance. The apostle Paul wrote, “Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.” (Galatians 1:10 NLT) If we want the Lord to use us to the degree that He longs to, then we are going to have to adopt Paul’s attitude.

I can tell you from personal experience that where Kingdom work is involved, God will test our perseverance. Will we persevere when we see little or no results from our efforts? When we aren’t being encouraged or appreciated? When we aren’t receiving any recognition or reward for our work? How about when it looks like our outreach is shrinking instead of growing?

How will we react when someone criticizes us, or is suspicious of our motives? Will we back off from obeying God, or will we find out from Him what He thinks? Will we stand strong against Satan’s evil strategies to stop the good work we are doing? We can’t expect the devil to stand idly by while we are following God’s will for our lives, especially when it involves advancing the Kingdom of God.

One translation of First Thessalonians 2:4 (NCV) says: “We speak the Good News because God tested us and trusted us to do it. When we speak, we are not trying to please people, but God, who tests our hearts.” If you have made Jesus your Savior and Lord, then God has extraordinary plans for your life, and He has important work for you to do. Pass His tests with the help of His Spirit, and watch Him make you and mold you into a world-changer for Christ!

Prayer: Lord, today, I surrender to You every aspect of my life, and I make myself available to You, and ask You to put me to work in Your Kingdom. Anoint and enable me to pass every test You send my way through the power of Your Spirit. Root out of me every tendency to please people instead of You. When I am tempted to quit or give up on the work You have assigned me, comfort and strengthen me, and send me some special encouragement. Thank You for using me to touch and change lives for Your glory!

- J. M. Farro

 

go to main Devotionals page
go to Devotionals archive

 

 

                 
Check out JFH's Lloyd in his first-ever childrens book!

Search JFH



This Friday, March 14, 2025
ALBUMS
Shout Praises Kids! Español Buen Dios [Integrity]
UPPERROOM 1350 (Live) [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
1K Phew All I Need - Single [Reach]
Anchor Hymns Walk With Me/How Precious Your Presence (feat. Caroline Cobb, Sarah Kroger, and Stefan Cashwell) - Single [Integrity]
AZ Christlike Greater Works - Single [Syntax]
Big Daddy Weave Let It Begin - Single [Curb]
Blanca This Won't Take My Praise (feat. Taylor Hill) - Single [Curb]
Jekalyn Carr Don't Faint - Single [WayNorth]
Clemency Whole Heart - Single (independent)
Coqui only Idol - Multi Single [DREAM]
Just Cordell Wait - Single (independent)
Adriel Cruz We're Not Alone - Single [Syntax]
Grace Graber, Daniel Spriggs My Favorite Part - Single (independent)
Illustrate, Procyse Mask Off (Daniel DeGree Remix) - Single [Polished Arrow]
Knaladeus Your Love - Single [Syntax]
LO CLOUD Stars Align - Single (independent)
Newsboys How Many Times (oh how You love me) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Blessing Offor Lift Me Up - Single [Capitol CMG]
Nate Parrish Small - Single (independent)
Josiah Queen Yesterday is Dead - Single [Capitol CMG]
Emmy Rose Tend (Live) - Single [Bethel]
Tedashii Heavy Heart - Single [Reach]
Todd Tilghman Holy Place - Single [StowTown]
Brandon Watson Too Far Gone - Single (independent)

Next Friday, March 21, 2025
ALBUMS
Kayla Berry Soar - Single (independent)
Diatheke ...And The Word Was God [Rottweiler]
Ellie Holcomb Sing: Spring Songs [Capitol CMG]
Jesus Culture Worthy of Hallelujah (Live) [Capitol CMG]
Tauren Wells Let The Church Sing - EP [Capitol CMG]

SINGLES
Pat Boone ONE - Voices for Tanzania - Single [Lamb & Lions]
Faith Worship Arts The Lifter (Live) - Single [DREAM Worship]
Life.Church Worship Christ In Me - Single (independent)
Seph Schlueter Turn It To Praise - Single [Provident]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Check out the newest JFH Metal compilation - FREE!
Get JFH's 13th free indie compilation now!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images