Jesus plans to test us. He will present us with humanly impossible situations (see Jn 6:5) to see whether we will walk by faith or by sight (2 Cor 5:7). He will test us to see whether we will judge by God's standards or by men's (1 Sm 16:7; Mt 16:23). We may even be tested by persecution. Will we do the natural thing: hate our persecutors and be intimidated by them? Or will we forgive our enemies, love them, and consider it our privilege to be "judged worthy of ill-treatment for the sake of the Name" of Jesus? (Acts 5:41)
We pass our tests not only by God's grace at the moment of testing, but also by God's graces, received hours, days, and years before the tests. Although the strength to have victory in times of testing can be infused into us at the last moment, spiritual strength, like physical strength, is usually gained in small increments over a long period of time. The present is the time to prepare for the future. Miracles, martyrdoms, and other tests which will happen years from now may stem from the graces we choose to receive today. Therefore, today "grow strong in your holy faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit" (Jude 20).
| PRAYER: | Father, strengthen me minute by minute as I live in obedience and love. |
| PROMISE: | "When the people saw the sign He had performed they began to say, 'This is undoubtedly the Prophet Who is to come into the world.' " ––Jn 6:14 |
| PRAISE: | Melissa spreads the love of Jesus in her ministry as a street evangelist. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College