- araratchurch
- Oct 26, 2025
- 3 min read
“Who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved. For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; We went through fire and through water; But You brought us out to rich fulfillment.”
Psalms 66:9-12 NKJV
It’s always interesting to me to see what goes on inside product test facilities. For example, in the testing of the nonstick coating on cookware, you’ll see pots lined up under mechanical “hands,” going round and round on one place with some abrasive material, until there is a failure of the coating. Not only is this done to compare one product with another, but also to determine what can be expected out of this particular product, what claims can be made about it, as well as how the product can be improved.
And, how about that recliner you’re sitting in? A prototype of it was probably subjected to repeated opening and closing to see how long it takes for the mechanisms to wear out. [As an aside, they need to keep testing until they come up with a better pull, one that doesn’t fray and break within just a few months.]
Probably, the most “famous” type of test facility, is an automobile crash test facility. Here, they take different vehicles, and literally do things like run them into walls just to see how they hold up. As well, with the addition of test dummies in the vehicles, they can observe to what degree the vehicle protects people from serious injury from an accident.
Sometimes, tragic consequences occur when products have not been properly tested to determine their limits or their vulnerabilities. As a matter of fact, that’s what the whole recall system is about. Weaknesses or failures are found in actual usage rather than having been detected in product testing. Tragically, sometimes the undetected flaw has proven to produce fatalities.
Product testing is important. We all know that. We even recognize the need for thorough testing of people before embarking on something like military duty or entering some risky profession like being a fire fighter. But—when it comes to us—when it comes to the testing of our mettle by the Lord, we may become quickly discouraged, wondering why we must endure such tests.
It is crucial for us to realize that the testing of the Lord is not arbitrary or capricious. His testing is meant to expose weaknesses so that they can be corrected. As well, the pressure of the testing can make us grow our spiritual “muscles” just as resistance training can help us grow our physical muscles.
Indeed, the patient enduring of testing, is critical to our spiritual development and wellbeing.
“For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems sad and painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness [right standing with God and a lifestyle and attitude that seeks conformity to God’s will and purpose].”
Hebrews 12:11 AMP
In today’s portion from David’s psalms, we see David (although David is not listed in the title as the author of this psalm, it is clearly written in the Davidic tradition and there is no reason to believe it was not written by David) commenting that the testing of the Lord is necessary and refines those who are being tested. Additionally, elsewhere, we see David actually inviting the testing of the Lord:
“Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.”
Psalms 26:2 NKJV
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24 NKJV
Of course, few people want to have to endure harsh testing. However, testing is part of a necessary process, made only more difficult and lengthy when resisted and/or resented.
But notice, if we patiently endure testing, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through it, the result will be, “rich fulfillment.”
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
Testing from the Lord is for our benefit.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Oct 25, 2025
- 3 min read
100 “Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.”
Psalms 65:4 NKJV
I truly don’t get it. Of course I understand that the carnal mind is not subject to the laws of God and can’t be; and our flesh fights against the things of the spirit; but the only thing I can assume is that we don’t believe what the Lord has said. Now, what am I talking about? It just seems to me that if we truly believed what Jesus said, we wouldn’t be so easily moved away from regularly gathering with other believers.
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.””
Matthew 18:20 NKJV
Given, we can worship God in our own homes all by ourselves. However, there is no promise given about the Lord being in our midst when we are by ourselves. As a matter of fact, when we are by ourselves, there is no “midst.”
Now, Jesus dwells in each believer who has accepted Him as Savior and Lord. But experiencing the presence of the Lord, is a phenomenon more commonly occurring AMONG believers. I know that this is not a widely taught principle; but the word of God is very clear that—whereas the Lord dwells in each individual Christian—greater glory is experienced when believers come together in the name of the Lord.
I have had many wonderful spiritual experiences by myself. But they have never been to the degree as when I was gathered with other believers, even if those other believers were my own family members. For example, my prophetic gifting is activated in a group of believers in a way I generally don’t experience by myself.
When I was growing up, as we would be driving to church, I remember how amazed I would be, seeing people out and about, doing all kinds of things, obviously not going to any house of the Lord on the Lord’s day. To be honest with you, it still confounds me that some people never even consider darkening the doors of a church, much less being a supporting member. Consider this instruction from the writer of Hebrews:
“and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds, not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 AMP
Now more than ever, we should be gathering together in the name of the Lord so that we are able to meet the demands of this hour. However, sadly, comparatively few people seek the Lord’s presence among a body of believers.
In today’s portion from David’s psalms, we see David talking about the wonderful privilege of being able to be in the presence of the Lord. It seems that he never lost his awe of the Lord, nor took for granted the Lord’s presence. Rather, he diligently sought after the Lord‘s presence, encouraging others to do the same.
Through Jesus Christ we have been afforded an unprecedented level of access to the presence of the Lord.
“And He came and preached the good news of peace to you [Gentiles] who were far away, and peace to those [Jews] who were near. For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father.”
Ephesians 2:17-18 AMP
Let us never lose the thrill of our access to the One Who is All. And remember, our fellowship with Him will transcend this life, as we will make our home with Him forever!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
We should never take for granted the privilege of access to the presence of the Lord.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! You’re ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Oct 23, 2025
- 3 min read
“Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; Suddenly they shall be wounded. So He will make them stumble over their own tongue; All who see them shall flee away.”
Psalms 64:1, 7-8 NKJV
I know a man who very nearly had a nervous breakdown because of his tyrannical boss. You see, the way this boss operated was to constantly be issuing vague threats. These threats were not vague in the sense of whether or not something “bad” was going to happen. Rather, they were vague in terms of timing, extent, and severity. One of this tyrannical boss’s favorite threats was to say, “Somethings going to happen today.”
Needless to say, the work environment under this bully was like constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, constantly wondering, “What is he going to do to me? Just how bad will it be?”
In sports they call it “trash talk” when the opponent is bragging about how they’re going to mercilessly beat their opponent. But we know that threats go beyond boastful banter between sport’s opponents. Yes, bullies gain and maintain control through various threatenings.
When thinking of threats, I remember the story of King Hezekiah of Judah when he received a very threatening letter from the king of Assyria. In this letter, the king of Assyria assured Hezekiah that nothing—not even the Lord—would keep him from taking Jerusalem. But, Hezekiah didn’t take it lying down; he took the threats straight to the Lord:
“And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.”
II Kings 19:14 NKJV
Hezekiah also issued this word of encouragement to the people:
“Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people were strengthened by the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.”
II Chronicles 32:7-8 NKJV
Enemies employ threats to intimidate people so that they cower, offering no resistance. Indeed, one of the masters of using threats to intimidate, is the enemy of our souls: the devil. He will throw all kinds of threats at you to see what will “stick.”
Cautionary note: In throwing various threats at you, Satan is seeking to find your vulnerability, the breach in your dependence on, and trust in the Lord. And be warned: Once you start paying attention to his threats, he’s got you where he wants you.
In today’s portion from David’s psalms, we see David expounding on the threats of his enemies. But, he did what Hezekiah did: He took it to the Lord. He then says with great confidence that the Lord will cause the enemy to trip over their own tongues; that is, their own threats will be their undoing!
Yes, David knew about facing threats. As not much more than a lad, he faced the threats of Goliath:
“So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!””
I Samuel 17:43-44 NKJV
Now, we know how that battle ended: Goliath lost the battle and his head to his own sword, now welded by a tiny (by comparison) foe, invoking the Name of the Lord.
Believe me, as long as you listen to the threats of the enemy, allowing the threats to intimidate you, causing you to fall short of what God has promised, the threats will continue! Take the enemy’s threats to the Lord and trust Him to deal with them. Watch as the Lord turns those threats back on their sender!
For today let us know and understand what David knew:
The Lord will make the enemy trip over their own threats.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!