A Pound of Faith? Why God tests all true Faith

 Impurities

As little as we may like to admit it, all true faith is mixed with impurities of various kinds. Our trust in God is mixed with trust in idols.

Our so-called pound of faith is alloyed with an ounce of trust in our own righteousness, a few ounces of trust in our families, an ounce of trust in our abilities and a few more ounces of trust in our wealth.

Our "pound of faith", it turns out, is more like a few ounces of genuine faith in God alone, and a whole lot of faith in other idols.

Idols can be good gifts of God, but created gifts never designed to bear the weight of divinity or to satisfy the infinite longings of our souls.

The Tests of God

And so God allows our faith to be tested in the crucible of affliction. And little by little he exposes our idols and urges us to repent of them.

He allows our health to be tested, so to remove our trust in personal strength. He takes away some of our wealth, so to expose and diminish our trust in money. He allows us to pass through severe satanic afflictions to teach us not to trust in any of our own righteounsess. He allows strains in family relationships to expose our trust in family members. And ouch, he allows our reputation to be shredded in the mill of satanic opposition to show us how reliant we have been on what others think about us! 

And in pandemic era, our trust in Christians friends is being tested. Can the Lord alone meet all our needs - or not?

In the analogy of the apostle Peter, all the various trials we face, are like a fire that purifies the gold of our faith. 

Impurities remain locked solid in gold until the block is melted in flames of heat. We do not even know the impurities are there! It is only in the fire that they rise to the surface where they can be recognised and then skimmed away.

Idols are revealed in trials. The things that cause us the most pain, are likely to be the things we hold too dearly to and rely too much upon. So pain is a good barometer of idolatry.

But why do we need purer faith?

But, asks someone, why do I need purer faith? There are two reasons. 

For our good. The pslamist says this "My soul finds rest in God alone." (Psalm 62:1). God has made us so that we find our greatest joy when we trust in God alone. While our soul trusts in money, reputation, family, wealth or gifts, it will always feel uneasy and be fragile. Of course, for those things may fail at any moment. 

Take the idol of self-righteousness. If we secretly think God is pleased with us most when we are being 'good' (and there resides a bit of the Pharisee in every  redeemed saint), we shall sink to the depths when we fall. That drowning may include true sorrow and repentance, but it could also be sorrow for the damage to an idol - our supposed goodness. God may allow us to be tempted - and dare I say it, permit us to fall - to show us that "no good things dwells in me" (Romans 7:18) and to turn us back to Christ our only righteousness.

The Lord wants to wean us from all human idols, because only then can our souls truly rest, when they rest in God alone.

For the glory of God. More importantly, God purifies our faith to bring glory to himself when Jesus Christ returns. True faith emerging from the fires of affliction will "result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed" (1 Peter 1:7).

Thank the Lord for Trials

And so, and so, and so, we ought to thank the Lord for all the trials he allows our way, because they will result in greater soul-rest and greater glory to God. 

The faith that emerges at the other end of a dark tunnel may seem smaller and even weaker, but it will, for sure, be purer.

Fear him, ye saints, and you will then
have nothing else to fear;
make you his service your delight,
your wants shall be his care.

Returning to Corporate Worship - my first attendance for 8 months!

 What a Weird Year!

I almost said it, "last Sunday I went back to church after 8 months." I am glad I stopped myself because I would have made the age-old mistake of confusing a building with church. I've been in fellowship over the last 8 months, but not in a larger group.

It was back in March of this year that I last worshipped with a large group of God's people at the school hall where Manor Park Church meets. 

Our church has opened up for smaller meetings since Government restictions have eased, and last Sunday evening was my first Sunday back....

 I was nervous!

Strange to say, but I was nervous about going to corporate worship! I have no idea why. It was not a fear of meeting people or a fear of the virus, but it reminded me how brave you have to be to come to a church gathering for the first time.

Part of the nervousness was mild confusion over what category of event I was going to. I have not been to any large gathering for 8 months so - don't laugh - I automatically put on my favourite aftershave (Aramis)!

Normally Aramis is reserved for dates with my wife, so that shows how confused I was about what I was going to!

I was met by masked friends

As I came into the building I was welcomed by masked friends - again this was so strange. I know eyes can smile but masks can't so we make up for smiles with welcoming words.

Old Expectations but new Rules

As soon as I came into the hall I wanted to say hello to everyone, so I wandered around the room and said my greetings - but then I realised that was a no-no, so I am having to learn new patterns of behaviour. I shan't next time.

One of our elders and our assistant pastor led the service. It was more laid back and shorter - just what we need when we are wearing those wretched masks. I will never get used to them, not least because as a wearer of glasses they steam me up all the time.

The other new rule was the need to sit in my own bubble - Yvonne and two sons, and for every bubble to be separated by a couple of metres.

 

Was it worth it?

After the short time of listening to songs and the Word it was outside where we were allowed to talk. Some folk will ask, was it worth while?

Yes it was. Getting to see our brothers and sisters is one step up from seeing them on zoom or hearing them on the phone. There is something about corporate worship that cannot be replicated in the comfort of your home. For the Lord Jesus has promised to be among his people, whether few or many are gathered in his name.

So if you haven't signed up, I'd encourage you to do so.

 

Why do we need a new Christian Publisher? Four reasons for starting Fisherman's Press

 

Many Good Publishers

There are, no doubt, many good Christian Publishing companies in the world, so why start a new one? Well, for many years now, I have had a growing burden for books and materials that fit the following four descriptions:

ONE - Accessible

According to the New Testament, the church is taken, says the apostle Paul, from the ranks of the "not many... wise by human standards; not many... influential; not many... of noble birth." (1 Corinthians 1:26) Therefore, the majority of Christians in the world, both now and those who have yet been called, come from the ranks of the ordinary.

But turn to the back of almost any Christian book and you will find this: The author defines himself or herself by their non-ordinary secular qualifications/ achievements/ positions/ etc. And then when you read the commendations you get exactly the same thing. 

Ordinary readers feel either intimidated or alienated or both.

I have never yet seen a contemporary Christian book which says something like this, "Written by John Owen, a pastor from South London" or from the person commending the book, "Read this exciting book.... Clara Simmonds, bank clerk, Lloyds.

We need a publisher whose material will be accessible to the majority of the church and so written by and commended by ordinary Christians for ordinary Christians. 

TWO - Affordable

In the age of digital printing, you would be amazed at how cheap it is to produce books. But that price is rarely reflected in what most Christians publishers charge. There is a place for a Christian press which can produce affordable materials for churches which are not middle class and wealthy.

THREE - Practical

One of the greatest needs of our age is to train the next generation of deacons and elders with materials that have been practically road-tested in church life. This is a real lack in the Christian Publishing world, as far as I can see. 

FOUR - Translatable

Finally, since most of the world is non-western, and since the non-western part of the world is where the Gospel is most flourishing, we need materials which can be translated without a long tangle and trial of legal mumbo-jumbo to impede the progress and triple the price. All the material we produce will be easily translatable into any language, without any fees or red tape.

We pray that the Lord would use these humble efforts for his glorious Kingdom in the years to come.

Fisherman's Press