They say that the test, (with,”the”, emphasaized) of a christian’s genuinness is adversity. Surely David said that when he is tried in the fire that he would come forth as pure gold. He meant that when he is tested, his commitment to God would shine. However, adversity is not the only test of a christian’s genuinness. Success can also reveal the genuinness our commitment to Christ.
I know of a very public figure in circles who was publically disgraced by his own sins. He went to prison. He did his time and came out and he wrote a book indicating that he was wrong and that he had repented of his sin. He secured some financial backing and got another TV started and the show experienced some success and he is on top again. However, the avarice and the mean-spiritedness that comes out of his mouth especially against various segments of society is a stomach-turner. He seems to do it because it plays to his financial base. As I said, “Success also tests the genuinness of our faith.
I know of a singer who played out. By that I mean that no one was listening to his music anymore and he was no longer getting invitations to perform so he started preaching. Over time people began to listen to him again and invitations for him to perform picked up and he was back on top again and he stopped preaching. Someone asked him what happened to the preaching and he said, “It is just like Jesus said, “It’s finished.”. Success often tests our commitment to God.
At Life Step Baptist, we do not let small numbers discourage us, not do we let large number, as we had yesterday, by our standards, deter us. We enjoy freedom of expression, the caring fellowship of each other and the joy of what God is going to do next. I know pastors and congregations who have given way to discouragement but we just keep rolling joyfully along to the next level.
However, let me ask you, the reader something about the subject of success and that is, “What if you prayed and got what you wanted? Would you still have the same commitment, the same zeal for God?
I know man whose wife left him. He became committed to a Church where I was pastoring. His wife came back him and he stopped coming to Church. She left him again, seemingly, for the last time.
Success can test the genuinness of our commitment to Almighty God.
Job said:
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (Job 23:10)
What about you?
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