Are You Being Tested?

Prayer – Lord, I love You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. Give me insight so that I am never deceived by friends or family. Provide strength that I can always stand up for You Lord…and endure any testing that You send my way. 

Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles, and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, 'Come, let us worship other gods'—gods you have not known before—do not listen to them. The LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. ...Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, 'Let us go worship other gods'—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known. They might suggest that you worship the gods of peoples who live nearby or who come from the ends of the earth. But do not give in or listen. Have no pity, and do not spare or protect them. Deuteronomy 13:1-3, 6-8

 

Meditate—what a friend we have in Jesus.

 

Are you spending quality time
...with Jesus?

Do you consider Jesus a friend? How well do you know Him? Are you spending quality time with Him? Recently I mentioned in this blog that we are like those with whom we spend time. Be careful who you hang around. We can’t choose our family…although within “the family” or extended family we sometimes are selective who we hang out with. Who are your friends? To have a good relationship with someone, you really need to know them…and let them know you. What are your hobbies, their hobbies, favorite foods, colors, ideal vacation places, preferred time of day, best-loved books, movies, scripture passages or treasures you store up in heaven? Can you trust that this friend or relative believes in God the same way that you do? Don’t be enticed or deceived into following other gods…or have idols. 

Are you spending time with your friend Jesus? Are you following the commandments and directives that the Lord has given to us? Is the LORD your God is testing you to see if you truly love Him with all your heart and soul? We see this edict in both the Old and New Testaments. Here is the first time it is given to the Israelites.

And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:5

 

Verse of Salvation ~ For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

 

© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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