"Examine Your Faith to Test whether it is Genuine"
"Presumptuous Faith challenges not just my faith, but my conscience, constantly pushing me to higher ground, not allowing me to retreat or feel too comfortable in my "faith shoes." It encourages me to not just talk the talk, but to walk the walk." - Suichin Soon
The Bible says that the righteous will live by faith. (Roman 1:17: Habakkuk 2:4) How can we live a life of faith? We experience this world physically through our senses by touching, seeing, smelling, hearing, tasting and feeling. Thus, we experience external circumstances both physically and emotionally. When trials are difficult and emotions are on edge, do you trust a God who you cannot see and sometimes cannot hear to handle them? That is the bottom line. Faith says, not only do I trust and believe him, I will not move until I hear from him. The Lord is God and he is in complete control. Be still and know it.
Authentic faith is active. It is not satisfied with an infant Christian life, but seeks the purpose and will of its father, the Lord God. True faith pursues God. Once matured, it is accompanied by spiritual fruit that glorifies the kingdom of God.
Again, I refer to the story of Job as it is an incredible example of faith. He withstood the death of his children, servants, loss of his wealth and his health, and was agitated by bad counsel, yet he did not sin by accusing God. Throughout his trials, his faith proved genuine, and in the end he was blessed with more than he had previously. "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuine of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to the praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ? (1 Peter 1:6-7)
Every believer must persevere in the faith so he or she is complete; and not lacking in anything. That means not being satisfied with superficial religion, but going beyond the surface to seek God through daily communication, prayer and meditation. Again, I say that authentic faith is active. (Excerpt taken from Presumptuous Faith. Copyright 2015 SittingRooms. All rights reserved. Used with explicit permission.)