Really?

   "Faith must be tested, because it can be turned into a personal possession only through conflict. What is your faith up against just now? The test will either prove that your faith is right, or it will kill it. "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me." The final thing is confidence in Jesus. Believe steadfastly on Him and all you come up against will develop your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith, and the last great test is death. May God keep us in fighting trim! Faith is unutterable trust in God, trust which never dreams that He will not stand by us." (Oswald Chambers)

   Yesterday I wrote this blog on prayer, little knowing that my pastor's sermon a little later in the day, would be on that very subject. My inadequate responses to God in prayer were highlighted in his message. But, as David (my pastor) has pointed out many times over the years, it is not enough for me to hear the words of a message and feel something that stirs in my heart, I need to carry it into my life outside the four walls of the church, and do something with it.

   Then this morning, Chambers reading is about believing, faith and testing. As I apply this to my life, there are more questions that arise.

   Do I really believe that prayer is important?

   When I pray, do I really have faith that God hears and cares?

   Do I really expect God to actually answer?

   Do I really believe what I believe is really true?

   As a believer, the answers to these questions need to all fall into the affirmative column, but do they do that in my life? Really?

   Chambers talks about testing, and I know that the real test of belief is in the response to life's continual circumstances. Can my faith pass those tests?

   Really?