MATTHEW 7:25 | BUILT ON ROCK

CHAPTER ASSEMBLY TOPIC | MARCH 2020

MFC SINGLES

STRONGER FAITH

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. Have the desire to have an increased faith in Him
2. Realize that in increasing our faith, God has to test us
3. Learn the different ways on how God tests us

EXPANDED OUTLINE

I. Introduction

We all have desires for our lives – better jobs, healthier bodies, a closer family, more
Godly friends, a stronger MFC chapter, unit or household, etc. We are people who seek
and yearn for better things in life. We also know that God, who is mighty, just and wise,
is willing to grant our desires. It only now depends on how strong our faith is – “Let it be
done for you according to your faith (Matthew 9:29).”

God grants you His blessings according to what you expect of Him. A small faith desires
little from God and a big faith desires great things from Him. That is why the apostles
said to the Lord, “Increase our faith (Luke 17:5).” Indeed, a stronger faith results to
stronger wonders in our life.

II. Increasing our Faith

We all know that a stronger faith does not only bless us but above all it pleases God.
Like a parents who is pleased with their child who trusts them, we honor God when we
listen and act in obedient faith every day. No matter what we do for God, “without faith it
is impossible to glorify Him (God), for anyone who approaches God must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).”

How do we strengthen and increase our faith? Again, in Luke 17:5, the apostles asked
Jesus to increase their faith. Therefore, it is not just our own doing but it is also God
helps us in increase our faith. He sometimes does this by testing us. Just as we
increase our muscles when we test it by lifting weights, our faith grows stronger by
testing. In the bible it says, “for you know that the testing of your faith produces
perseverance; And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:3-4).”
III. God Tests Our Faith for us to be stronger

In Job 7:17-18 it says, “What is man, that you make much of him, or pay him any heed?
You observe him with each new day and try him at every moment!” God is testing us
every moment. God is giving us every opportunity each day to increase and to build our
faith. The problem is that we fail to recognize these tests, we fail it and we miss the
opportunity to grow.

So, how does God test our faith? If we know these times, we will be able to respond to
His tests and increase our faith. There are four (4) D’s:

A. God tests our faith through Difficulties

In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various
trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable
even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation
of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7)

For us Christians, nothing ever happens by accident. Everything has its purpose that
God wills it to happen. It does not mean that God caused bad things to happen to us.
They happen because of our wrong choices and other people’s wrong choices.
However, for a child of God, the Father already filters what happens to us and nothing
comes to us without His permission. Even sufferings and pain happen to us, God
allowed it because in the end, it will result in the growth and maturity of our faith.

Jonah, in the belly of the whale, said, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered
the LORD (Jonah 2:7).” God allowed these difficulties so that in these times, we will look
at no one else except Him.

Trials and difficulties in our life are like furnaces - “See, I have refined you like silver,
tested you in the furnace of affliction (Isaiah 48:10).” The silver is refined and removed
of impurities if it can reflect the face of the silversmith. Likewise, when trials purify us,
we will reflect the face of our Maker.

So how should we act in times of difficulties? James said, “Consider it all joy, my
brothers, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance (James 1:2-3).” James said we should rejoice. We should be
thankful not for the problem but the “encounter of the problem”.
We do not thank God for the sickness and the hardships but we thank God in these
difficult times. Job said, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be
the name of the LORD (Job 1:21)!”
 B. God tests our faith through His Demands

Then the LORD said to Moses, I will now rain down bread from heaven for you. Each
day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see
whether they follow my instructions or not. (Exodus 16:4)

In the dessert, the Lord tested the Israelites. When God sent manna, His instruction was
to take only what is good for the day except on the day before Sabbath. Anything they
gather in excess will be wormy and rotten the following day.

If we will think about it, it will more convenient for the Israelites to gather a week’s
supply of food. It will be safer and less tasking. In the dessert, snakes are everywhere
and the Israelites might stumble to the ground. However, that is not the point. The point
is, even though it is inconvenient, are they willing to follow the Lord?

It should be the same to us. God has already given us 1,050 commandments in the
New Testament alone. Most of these commandments are difficult to live by – love you
enemies, do not be afraid, be thankful in everything, etc. but God gave these
commands to test our faith.

Noah was commanded by God to build an ark (Hebrews 11:7). After several years, no
rain came and Noah became a laughingstock by his friends. It happened to Abraham
too. God asked him to go to a foreign land where he is not familiar with. Nevertheless,
“by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to
receive as an inheritance (Hebrews 11:8).”

How about us? Do we just obey God when it is convenient? Do we just follow Him only
when we know where He is going? Let us follow God and obey His command. Let us do
it immediately without question and complaints. Through this, we will increase our faith.

C. God tests our faith with Dollars

“If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true
wealth?” (Luke 16:11)

Money is one of God’s most concrete ways of testing us – we can count how much we
give, we can count how often we give. However, it is also the most difficult of all
knowing that there are lot of things that we need to pay for like bills and our basic
needs. It is difficult when money is scarce and our income is little.

What we should know about tithing is that it is a test. Luke 16:11 tells that God will grant
true wealth to those trustworthy of earthly wealth. God wants to bless us more
financially only if we will learn to trust Him more with our money. Tithing (GIG) is God’s
way of freeing us from our dependence on money to sole dependence on Him and His
providence.
Paul says, “Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all
earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. I
say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your
concern for other (2 Corinthians 8:7-8).” In other translations, love is translated as
charity or giving. Paul is saying that when we give, it is a test of the genuineness of our
love to God. We cannot say we love God unless we are willing to apart away from our
earthly wealth to give to God.

God also tests our faith not only in our giving but the amount of our giving. Do we give
God what is right to Him or what is just left? Do we give to the point that it is already a
sacrifice or we give what is convenient?

D. God tests our faith through Delays

If every prayer were immediately answered, if our every need were automatically met, if
every problem were instantly solved, we wouldn’t need faith and our faith would not
need to be stretched. But it is not that way. We have to wait on things; and it is human
nature that we hate to wait.

However in waiting, God is teaching us something. There is a reason why God allowed
the Israelites to wander in the desert for forty (40) years instead of making it to the
Promised Land in two to three weeks. Why did it happen? The Lord is testing His
people if they will keep His commandments (Deuteronomy 8:2). It just shows that God is
more interested in our growth that for us to reach the destination.

In times of delay, let us wait on the Lord. He may still be preparing us or He is clearing
the way ahead of us.

IV. Conclusion

God wants us to have life to the full (John 10:10). However, He cannot just grant His
blessing if our faith is not strong enough to catch His blessings. We need to strengthen
and increase our faith. For this to happen, God tests our faith. He does this through
difficulties, demands, dollars and delays. In these times, let us be aware that God is
testing us. When we persevere and hold fast to our faith, we will attain God promises.

ACTIVITY

1. After the talk, the speaker leads everyone into a prayer.

2. The speaker leads the group into reflection with the following reflections:
a. When was the most recent event in my life that God tested my faith? How did I
react to it?
b. What among the four (4) D’s that I usually fail to recognize that God is testing
me? What do I need to do about it?
3. After the reflection, the speaker ends the prayer.
4. If time permits it, a plenary sharing can be done.