There is something to this past thing that I have to remember and carry into the now and future. You see, the LORD fought for me yesterday and I have to believe that He will indeed fight for me today and into tomorrow.

“³⁰The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, ³¹and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.” — Deuteronomy 1:30-31 (ESV)

Did the LORD not provide a way out of Egypt for the Israelite people. Did He not defeat Pharaoh and his men allowing the people to escape through the Red Sea. It is no wonder that the LORD was angry with them for not going into the land they were promised for fear. There was no trust in the LORD or even obedience in Him based on the past and His love and past protection of them.

There is a saying that if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. The LORD has been consistent in all that He had done for the people to this point. He had rescued them from Egypt, provided for their escape from Pharaoh, provided for them in the wilderness, and yet they were still reluctant to follow Him. Seems to me that the people here are worried that the LORD is somehow broken and needs their fixing before moving forward.

“³²Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, ³³who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go.” — Deuteronomy 1:32-33 (ESV)

How often have I tried to fix things when really they were not broken. God provides what we need and not necessarily what we want. I have to remember to look back at the past and see all that God has provided to know that He will continue to provide and all I have to do is obey and trust Him. I have to avoid fixing things for God, as He has already put together the perfect plan and I just need to trust that what lies ahead is in accordance with the way things were in the past.

What have you seen from God in the past? Are you trying to fix something that is not broken? What if you were to trust in the LORD that the past will be the now and future?

“¹⁴The Lord will fight for you, and you only have to be silent.” — Exodus 14:14 (ESV)

I read this verse this morning and thought, duh. I know that the LORD will fight for me and you as his people and for that I am grateful. But, how much do I trust that He will fight for me. I trust so much that I just sit in silence and go on about the work and just allow Him to work? Well that is what I am needed to do.

The people of Israel in this passage were escaping Pharaoh and the LORD had commanded that they stop, turn around and go to a very specific spot and wait. Get it, they backtracked, not to change course, but to stop and wait. How is it that the God that sent Moses to rescue them could tell them to stop escaping and wait?

“¹Then the LORD said to Moses, ²’Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.’” — Exodus 14:1-2 (ESV)

I look out in what I am doing in this world and feel like I am not doing enough or, need to keep going. What if I am to just stop, turn back, and find a place to wait on God? What if I am in that place and just need to keep waiting? I am always looking as to where I am and am I accomplishing the work that the LORD has for me. I seem to be forcing myself to do more and more and more. What if I am just supposed to sit and wait?

“¹⁹Then the angel of God who was going before the host of Israel moved and went behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from before them and stood behind them, ²⁰coming between the host of Egypt and the host of Israel. And there was the cloud and the darkness. And it lit up the night without one coming near the other all night.” — Exodus 14:19-20 (ESV)

The Israelite people where waiting and Pharaoh caught up to them, no surprise there. And the LORD sent His angel to go between them along with a dense cloud to provide cover as the Israelite people moved forward. The LORD told the people to wait, so that He could set up His defenses. This again demonstrates the LORD fighting for His people. The LORD not only protected them, but He began the fight as the people moved forward through the Red Sea on dry land, all the while providing even more desire in the heart of Pharaoh to continue to pursue.

When the time was right, the LORD moved the people forward. I have to believe that He is doing the same with me. As He has me waiting, He is fighting, or setting up the fight, to propel me forward. The LORD will harden the hearts of those pursuing me and will provide the protections and means by which I will come out victorious on the other side. He will fight for me to protect me from the pursuers. At the appointed time, the LORD will provide the victory against those who persecute.

I have to remember that the LORD is the one running the show. I am here but to continue to do as He has me do. He will fight for me, and I am the one who must stop, listen, and wait. As a child of God, I am protected on all sides. Those who persecute will be dealt with, I only need to continue to listen to the LORD and allow Him to fight for me and the balance of His people.

What are you doing in this world to protect yourself from your pursuers? Are you continuing to run when other actions may be asked of you by God? What if you were to listen to Him, and just stop and wait for the LORD to set up His defenses for you and fight as He has promised to do?

I have studied the word “test” for the past couple of weeks and as a Christian, I have been reminded and will work to remember that the test is not a bad thing and that I should be asking for it along the way and be thankful when it is presented. This morning I am reading in 1 Peter and was reminded that I should also, not be surprised when the test is presented.

“¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” — 1 Peter 4:12 (ESV)

I know that surprises are just that, things that come up without warning and are presented just when we are not looking for them. Tests in life, where they come up, for us as Christians, they should not be unexpected. Knowing that I am doing the will of God, or at least striving to, I should be prepared for anything that may be presented to me and count it as part of the work.

I am tasked with doing the work of the LORD and I should be asking for the work to demonstrate my drive to bring glory to Him in all. Therefore I ask to be tested in the work and refined to the point of producing my steadfast dependence in Him.

All that is presented for me as a brother of Christ has already been counted. The result has been outlined. I do not know it all, but I do know that I am protected and provided for in all. I have the freedom to take action and decide what will be done and what will come next. The thing is that God is allowing me to choose and that choice is part of the work I have been tasked. I am to choose the work and then perform the work. Sometimes that choice will yield fast and easy outcomes and others will cause me to struggle and fight to get to the end, the thing is that I will achieve the outcome as determined by God.

I have been tasked with the work for the LORD. I should be asking for the tests. The LORD is faithful and will answer, so when I ask, I should not be surprised when it is given. I should then be thankful when they are presented and count myself blessed to be loved by Him.

What kind of tests in your life have you been surprised to be presented? Do you remember asking for that very thing from the LORD? What if you accepted that you asked and the LORD provided, and now you should be thankful for receiving?

“²Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness…¹²Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” — James 1:2-3 & 12 (ESV)

This morning as I read and study, I was reminded of the value of the tests that we are subjected to. It is in the test and how we come out the other side that makes us who we are. Without the test, we tend to skate along and growth and meaning are not fully realized.

Notice in the verses above the result of the test is steadfastness. And that steadfastness results in blessings and reward. Without the test, the steadfastness would allude and by extension, the blessings and reward will be as well. The blessing and reward are the by products of the withstanding of the test and making it through.

I have to remember to be thankful for the test. I cannot look to them as though they are in some way bringing me down. I have been given the opportunity in the test to remain in the LORD and He will provide the strength and direction for overcoming and remaining in Him. I will come out the other side stronger in my faith and relationship with Him. I may not get the result that I envisioned in my mind for it is the will of God that determines the outcome, but I will overcome and be stronger in the faith for it.

What tests are you encountering in life? Are you apprehensive to the test and see them as somehow negative? What if you accepted and thanked God for the test in the anticipation of coming out the other side stronger in the faith?

How much out there in the world do we take someone’s word for it to be correct, right, and true? I know that it is a forgone conclusion that what we read in one area is thought to be correct. In fact it is not always true and there are a lot of things going on out there that are fake and there simply to influence you one way or another. I often say, tongue in cheek, that if you see it on the internet, then it must be true. Haha.

“²¹but test everything; hold fast what is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV)

Dig deeper into all things. Whatever is heard, ask questions to find out more and the validity of that which is heard. Too often I have found myself on the wrong end of something because I listened to someone and accepted what I was told and then later found out that to be incorrect and I then had to completely backtrack and redo everything. This not only cost me frustrations, but time and credibility with others as I should have done my homework to ensure that my teachings or relaying of information was correct and not going to cause any additional challenges for the hearers.

I have learned to “trust but verify” in situations. I listen to what others tell me and then verify it to be correct (at least as much as I can find) and therefor I am in a better position to speak from a place of knowledge and truth than if I just accept and then find out it to be not fully truthful. I had a leader once that would come by and touch everything that I had done, not to ensure that it was done correctly, but so that he could speak with truth when asked if it had been done and say “yes, I saw it myself”. He trusted that I had indeed done the work, but verified the validity and truth so that he could speak to it truthfully himself.

I have to remember that what I hear or see, may only be there for the optics of something and in reality may not be true at all. I see too often the visuals of what is being presented, yet in the background everything is a complete mess and simply being masked to hide the mess. I liken it to throwing everything into the closet when visitors come to the house, to give the appearance of a well kept home, when in fact when you pull back the curtain, the mountain of stuff will fall on top of everything.

Test everything for its validity. “Trust but verify” everything. Ask the LORD for discernment in all situations to ensure that we are finding the truth.

What is there in your life that you have just accepted as true? Have you been fooled before? What if you were to “trust but verify” and test everything to ensure that you are indeed working with the facts of things and not just the optics?

In our world today, it is accepted to compare to others. We are engaged in social media, and in the idea that my everything is great. Now it seems as though there is a sense that one is only speaking of themselves and not comparing, the reality is that there is a boasting sense when there is little to know need for that boasting. There is an underlying comparing of mine to yours, even though I cannot see yours specifically, there is still an element of look at me and how good things are for me.

I have a duty as a Christian to follow Christ and compare my work for Him against the work I have been tasked with for Him. My works are my works and are not to be compared to anyone else.

“⁴But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.” — Galatians 6:4 (ESV)

I am to test my work against my work and none other. I am to see that my work has been done for the LORD and that I am here to please Him and no one else.

This morning I was challenged with God’s word in that when I first read, I see that I am to be concerned for the burdens of my neighbor, and then I see that I am to boast in myself. Confusing to say the least, until I began to study and not just take the words on the page. I am to support my neighbors, yet not compare them to me. I am to test myself against myself and simply care for and lift up my neighbors.

“³For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁵For each will have to bear his own load…²Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:3 & 5 & 2 (ESV)

My role in this world is to “bear one another’s burdens” and “test” my work against my own work for the LORD. I have a duty to my neighbor and brothers/sisters in Christ to share in their burdens and allow God to care for mine.

What are you caring for as relates to your neighbors and your own burdens? Are you concerned with how you look in the eyes of others? What if you were to compare yourself against yourself and the work you are to complete for the LORD?

It is about what others see in you, and your relationship with the LORD that is importance, not that you are doing things for yourself and your glory.

I know, that statement seems a bit off in that I am saying to do things so people see something in you, and that you are do impact your relationship with the LORD. But, isn’t that the point. I should not do things for my own glory, but I should be doing them for the glory of the LORD and to build up my relationship with Him. And in doing so, others should see the change in me and be impacted by that change.

“⁷But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.” — 2 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)

I do this for you and not for me. I am looking for you to see that change and the overcoming of the test so that you will be impacted for your sake and not for mine.

“⁵Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ⁶I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.” — 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (ESV)

Paul is pointed in his writing to Christians. He is sure to let us know that we are to test ourselves and our relationship with Christ. We are to hold ourselves to the standard of His example. He also points out for us to hold our spiritual leaders to the test of their faith. Both of these go together as the spiritual leaders are the leaders of we the church, and we are the leaders of and bringers of the gospel to the rest of the world. We are to both test ourselves against the example of Christ for the sake of others.

What are you doing as relates to your faith and testing yourself? Are you testing for your sake? What if you worked to ensure that others see the testing in you so that you are able to share with them what being an example of Christ is?

It seems pretty easy to waffle devotion from one side to another, or from one group to the other. I have witnessed the fickle approach to commitment in an effort to “not offend” or be “inclusive” of any and all.

“²¹You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.” — 1 Corinthians 10:21 (ESV)

When we are dealing with the LORD, it is not a good idea to waffle, and frankly we are either on one side or the other, for Him or against Him. I am not saying that I should not be among the other, but I have to certainly be careful to know where my devotion is to remain and what my role in this world is. Even Jesus spent time with the tax collectors and those that were unbelievers. His time with them was in the interest of love for them and to bring them the living water that they were missing.

As I am in this world, I have to remember where my devotion is and remain in the work that God has given me. When I do, I will be rewarded when my time has come. I have to not put the LORD to the test, as He will deal with me.

“²²Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? ⁹We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, ¹⁰nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.” — 1 Corinthians 10:22 & 9-10 (ESV)

I am devoted to the LORD. I am His and He is mine. I have to remember that my role is to go wherever He would have me go and do whatever He would have me do.

“⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5 (ESV)

Where are you devoted? Are you waffling from one to the other to to “not offend” or be “inclusive”? What if you were to choose the LORD and not test your devotion to Him?

I have a saying that I use often; “Focus on getting it right, not just getting it done”. I believe that the quality of the work is as, if not more, important than the quantity of the work. I have the opportunity to blow through the work and a fever pace to get more work done and where that may show the dedication to getting tasks completed, the quality of the work may suffer at the hand of speed.

Paul explains to the Corinthians about this very thing in chapter 3 of his 1^st letter.

“¹²Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.” — 1 Corinthians 3:12-13 (ESV)

Here Paul is indicating that work can be done in many different ways and with many different materials. Once the work is completed and each were to be given the same test, the quality of that work would be revealed. It is in the test of the work and the results that show what is really there.

We are not the result of our work, it is the quality of the work that is revealed and that can be improved upon if it indeed is lacking. Notice the words of Paul in the next two verses, especially in the end of verse 15 below.

“¹⁴If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” — 1 Corinthians 3:14-15 (ESV)

The reward and or loss are that of the work, not that of the individual. We are of what we are and we are certainly worth the work God puts into us. He builds with only the best quality and we are of that quality. It is in the test that our work is revealed, but the work only, as we are of God and cherished by Him.

“¹⁶Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” — 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (ESV)

What kind of work are you producing? Are you working to only get things done? What if you worked to get it right as God did with you, what would that reveal through the tests?

I believe that there is a lack of self-reflection and action in the wake of that reflection in the world today. I see it in all sorts of environments; work, school, social, and many others. And where I believe it to be in the world today, the reality is that it has been in the world since the beginning. The people seem to walk through life waiting to be told what is next for them and how to perform whatever it is that is next. Unless told, there is little to no action moving forward or engaging in change.

“⁴⁰Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the LORD!” — Lamentations 3:40 (ESV)

Here I see that self-reflection, examination, and testing are all part of returning to, and more importantly, remaining in the LORD. It is in our review of what was that we are able to understand and move forward with what will be.

Lori is a World Cultures and History teacher at the middle school level and is always reminding me of the importance of the past and understanding of it to ensure that we do not make the same mistakes as we move forward. It is in those lessons from Lori and the past that I am able to remember and move forward with change, not only in my own life, but in the world around me as well. I take my learnings from what happened and bring it forward to impact the now and future.

This learning from what happened is vital to the self-reflection and examination needed in my ensuring that I return to and remain in the LORD. I have to test what I know against what is known and remember that the LORD is always and never ceasing.

“²²The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

²³they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

^24’The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,

‘therefore I will hope in him.’” — Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV)

It is in the test against what I know that I am able to find the truth. I have to remember to engage in the self-reflection and examination to “understand” things as opposed to simply “receive” things. It is in that understanding that I am able to truly believe and return to the LORD and remain in Him throughout the duration of my time.

What does your self-reflection look like and reveal? Are you even taking part in testing and examination of yourself? What if you were to test and examine against what you know with the goal of returning to and remaining in the LORD?