Better Than Gold Faith Part 3

James 1:2-4 “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

“We know”  ...with absolute confidence that the testing is not futile or random, but part of a plan by our Holy God with our personal best interests in mind. We rest in His Word, with an inner calmness and surity.

The testing of  our faith results in steadfastness. This means standing strong; a state of firm, inner strength; of orderliness in Christ; firm, persistent, determined; unwavering in growing in the knowledge and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 4:9 – “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children

We need to continually be reminding ourselves of the numerous times when the Lord has been faithful in the past.  When have you most grown in your faith? Likely, you are reflecting on a past trial the Lord has brought you through. Have you told your children about that time?

There was one day in July during a real time of insecurity in Afghanistan.  Many in the community had left. Elections were looming, and everyone was nervous about what would happen in August.

I was walking by myself, having dropped off the children for a playdate.  As I looked down, I saw the dust swirling around my black chapan, covering my legs and jacket as usual. The dirt suddenly triggered all my sadness and loneliness to swell up and I cried out to God, "No one is praying for us!"  "No one remembers me."

Instantly, I felt a spirit of depression descending upon the back of my neck, and I cried to the Lord. I could feel myself nearing "the cliff" of overwhelming depression and paralysis.

He immediately replied, asking me what was in my purse. During the survival training we had back in 2006, we had been trained to always have on our person anything we needed to survive a kidnapping.

In my purse was a little booklet of verses and prayers that the women of my church had written out just for me. I remembered the book in my purse. And then God asked me how many people were receiving our e-mail prayer letters.  Of course I knew the answer - over 200 committed prayer partners! Surely someone was praying for us right then.

He continued, asking me to not look down at the dirt, but to look up and focus on His holiness...on Him, sitting on His throne.  As I began to focus my mind on His holiness, even though at that moment I didn't understand why, I felt the spirit of depression unable to attach, receding away from my neck.

I let the warmth of the fire of His holiness melt my heart, and remind me of all the injustices He will make right, that He sees me as His holy one. Then I could get back to my prayer walk and think about the Afghans walking by me on the street.

“When I am not captured by His greatness, I am consumed by my circumstances.”  (Andrew Murray)

The summer months in country for us as well as for the whole community were amazing. We were small in number, but it was as if God was sheltering all of us in His hand. We felt His amazing peace, and we continued to see more fruit among locals result.

We were able to breath a bit – we were allowed to walk on the few streets around our neighborhood, and begin visiting again with our Afghan friends. There was electricity, so we enjoyed our cappuccino maker with friends.

I experienced His faithfulness at a dramatic moment on the street.  Who needs your help, your prayers, maybe a written word of encouragement to go through their tough time?

Pray for the national church, for men and women to rise up and stand against persecution.Pray for those seeing Jesus in their dreams and visions.  His Spirit is at work in amazing ways in Afghanistan

Go to Part 4