Living in Liberty

A Ministry of Bryce Lowance

Elder Bryce Lowrance

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Trust

19 May 2014

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." (1st Peter 1:7-9)

This week I would like to take a look at the temptations Christ faced from the devil. One of the most powerful lessons to be learned in a study of the temptation of Jesus is the wilderness is that of trust. Satan will test Jesus’ trust of the Father in three major ways.

In applying the study of the temptation of Jesus to our own lives, we are to learn to be more like Christ. One of the most important things to remember is that there was nothing that the devil could do that would change the fact that Jesus is God’s Son. In the same way, the devil can do nothing to take you away from God and cause you to lose your eternal salvation. It is not a struggle for your eternal salvation, that was purchased for you on the cross. The battle is for your mind. The devil will try and convince you that your are not a child of the King, and even if you are, there is no point in trusting Him.

Furthermore, the trial of the faith of the believer is not God testing to see if there is faith there. That would be ridiculous. Jesus is the author and finisher of the faith of every child of God. Faith is given to the child of God in the new birth so there is not reason for God to “check and see” if faith is there.

Rather, our temptations should be viewed as an opportunity to learn how to trust God more just like Jesus did. The resulting experiencing of trusting God is a full assurance that you are saved by the grace of God! When you trust God, you receive the results of your faith. You feel saved!

« The Holy Spirit Descends | Temptation »

Tags: devil, faith, harmony_of_the_gospels, jesus, luke, mark, matthew, satan, temptation, trust

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.