God’s plan for His people, after He set them free and led them out of Egypt... was never to have them settle down and to live in the ‘wilderness’. The wilderness was simply a place they were going to pass through on the way to the promised land. Most historians and students of this account agree that the journey from the Red Sea to Canaan land should have taken, at best...11-14 days. But as you probably know, they wandered for 40 years, with nearly all of that first generation dying out there (Heb. 3:17; 1 Cor. 10:5).

I would submit to you that even today, there are way too many people who profess the name of Christ...who live far short of the desired place God has for them (Hosea 4:6).

Do you even know what the purpose for the ‘wilderness’ was? Take a look at Deut. 8:2 –

“And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.”

If you happen to be in that camp of folks who believes that God no longer has any need to ‘test’ us, you might take a look at 1 Thess. 2:4 and Prov. 17:3. I will also add here that not only does God still ‘test and examines’ our hearts, but we are admonished to do the same with ourselves (2 Cor. 13:5). Ever wonder why that might be?

Let us not forget the words of Jesus who said: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will come in that day and say....but Lord...” (Matt. 7:21-23).

Another statement Jesus made...that I usually have refrained from addressing, more so because it made me uncomfortable and I really did not understand it, is what He said in Matt. 22:14: “...for many are called, but few are chosen”. He also used that word ‘few’ in describing the number of people who would find and continue walking on the ‘narrow path that leads to life’ (Matt. 7:13-14; Luke 13:24). And before you jump to any rash conclusions, please review 1 Tim. 2:3-4 and 2 Pet. 3:9 so you might have a better understanding as to what the will and heart of God is for all of us.

I would like to think that whatever your opinions are on these passages, could we agree it does seem to make this ‘walk of faith’ a tad more serious than many professing believers realize these days? (Amos 6:1; Zeph. 1:12; Titus 1:16). And there’s never been a shortage of people who opt to ‘tap out’...and no longer follow Jesus (John 6:66).

So what does any of this have to do with you, or anyone else who professes to be a follower of Jesus? And can we place the emphasis on the word ‘follower’ as opposed to ‘believer’ while we avoid splitting ‘doctrinal hairs’?

Listen to what Peter wrote: “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in His suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is revealed to all the world.” (1 Pet. 4:12-13-NLT) *(1 John 3:2-3)*

And then there is this exhortation by James: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (1:2-4)

Once again...what is the primary purpose of these ‘tests in the wilderness’? (Deut. 8:2). And does God still ...’test our hearts’? (1 Thess. 2:4).

Here’s a ‘newsflash of revelation’ for some reading here today: The reason you might...be having the same recurring test, over and over...is because you haven’t ‘passed that test’ yet.

As a former retired educator in the public school system, I realize that this idea of holding kids back because they didn’t pass a ‘stupid test’ has become a lightning rod of debate in many circles; but let’s be clear...God is not in the business of ‘promoting’ His children who fail these ‘tests’.

I’ll give you a moment with that one.

Perhaps this will help some of you: These ‘tests’ are designed to reveal and/or expose our hearts to us, because we ...certainly don’t know what lies deep within them, like Jesus does. (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:20-23). And instead of ignoring or trying to make excuses for those things that come to the surface when undergoing these assorted tests, maybe we ought to consider confronting them...confessing them, and then ‘repenting’ of them so we don’t fail them anymore since we are ‘putting to death’ those things that come from the abundance of our heart (Rom. 8:13). What a novel concept. (And even as I type this out...the Holy Spirit is prodding me about some situations where I have yet to master the fruit of ‘patience’.)

Years ago, when God was first trying to teach me some of these things, I had an interesting experience, an ‘aha moment’ ...that made a huge impression upon me...at that time. I was always one who enjoyed getting up early to spend time reading/studying God’s word. And then, when I was done for the morning and ready to ‘change gears’...I’d grab the morning newspaper which had been delivered and I’d spend time devouring the ‘news of the world’ over coffee and/or breakfast. We had recently acquired a new dog who roamed and ‘protected’ our front yard, but was still a pup. And guess what he enjoyed doing when this newspaper was tossed into our yard? Yep...he went into ‘attack mode’ and shredded the thing regularly.

My frustration with this dog was growing exponentially, and I began to snap and unleash my anger and wrath and frustration on this dog when I came out and found scraps of that paper littered across the lawn. I would take the remaining wad of paper and chase that silly dog around the yard yelling at it and beating it with the paper, thinking I was ‘training’ it to cease from doing this. After several mornings of this ‘circus’, the Lord opened my eyes to this absurd display of ‘flesh’ that was rising up out of me, and I was sorely convicted.

I then confessed to God this ‘sin of the flesh nature’ and repented of it, aware that God was leading me to ‘put this thing to death’. And after I did so, guess what happened the next morning when I went out to get my newspaper? Yep...shredded and laying all over the yard; but this time, my ‘outward response’ was ‘contained’, yet inwardly...I was ‘suffering in my flesh’ as I refused to manifest that which God had convicted me of. This same ‘test’ occurred a few more times and finally...one morning, I came out and just laughed at the mess in the yard and truly could care less about the paper. I figured it was God’s way of telling me I just didn’t need to read all that stuff and got down and patted our dog and showed him affection after I picked the mess up.

The next morning...when I went outside ...the paper laid out there fully intact, and the dog never touched it...again.

Have a great day...sorry (not sorry) for going a tad longer today.