Every believer will receive a different measure of faith from God based on their ability to increase.

God helps us increase our faith through the suffering we will go through as followers of Christ.

Romans 5: 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

When our hope increases so does our faith in Jesus.

In the book of Job, God allowed Satan to cause great suffering upon Job to prove to Satan what is possible with those whose faith love God with all their heart.

Job 1: 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 9 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face."

Job fearful love for God made him blameless, upright and shun evil to please God so that God would continue to fellowship with him. Job steadfast faith and love for God kept him from abandoning or cursing God no matter what happened to him.

Job’s faith and love for God was not dependent on the blessings God gave him because after Satan took away his children, servants and possessions, Job proclaimed naked I came into the world, naked will I depart, Lord gave, and Lord has taken it away, may the name of the Lord be praised.

When this did not work, Satan told God let me take Job’s health from him and he will curse you. God allowed Satan to cause boils to infest Job’s body, decaying his flesh making Job unbearable to look at and smell offensively which caused his relatives and friends to desert him. Job’s wife became disgusted with him and told him to curse God and die. Job lost all the respect he had among his peers because they believed God had cursed him for the sin he committed.

When Job’s 3 friend came to him instead of consoling him, they believed Job had sinned against God and began to admonish Job to confess his sins to God and repent then God would heal him.

This anguished Job because he knew he did not sin because of his love for God and wanted to appeal to God why he was suffering unjustly and no longer had fellowship with him.

Not being close to God, made Job depressed leading him to think the only way to find rest would have been perishing at birth or dying.

Job 3: 11"Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? 12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? 13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest

Job 3: 20 "Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, 21 to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure, 22 who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave?

Job saw death as the way to escape the misery of being separated from God. But Job never asked God to take his life, nor did he ever attempt to take it because Job knew his life belongs to God.

Even though Job wanted to die he knew God was his Redeemer which kept him hopeful that someday God would rescue him.

Job 19: 25 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

Job’s perseverance to remain faithful to God showed in his character which kept his hope always in God and prove to Satan that those who love God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength will be able to resist him causing him to flee from them.

James 4: 7 Submit yourselves, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Many depressed people have taken their life to end their suffering because they have no hope to live. Those who believe in Jesus, give their life to him because they believe in his promise of eternal life which gives them hope to overcome their suffering.

Many fear the thought of death because they do not know what will happen after they die.

There are those in church who fear death and hold on dearly to their life. That is because they still have not place their faith in Jesus who will free them from their fear death.

Hebrews 2: 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

The gospel of Jesus is about death and resurrection. Church goers who still fear death have not been clearly taught the gospel of eternal life. Those who know and believe in the gospel would have Paul’s point of view about death.

Philippians 1: 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 2For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

Paul believed in the gospel which made him desire to depart and be with Christ as far better than remaining on earth. Paul wanting to be with Jesus was not to relieve his suffering because to live would mean he could continue to serve Jesus with fruitful labor.

Paul said death is just a blink of an eye and you will be face to face with Jesus in heaven.

Some believers say they are not afraid of dying but fear the pain that may come with dying.

That is why some believers want Jesus to return before they die because they fear the pain of death or do not want to suffer when the anti-Christ comes to persecute and kill the saints.

Fearing the pains of death is still fearing death which faith in Jesus takes away. It’s not being brave for Jesus like Paul.

Acts 21: 13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

If I asked Jesus to give me a painless death, I would be self-seeking because I do not care about the suffering that brave believers suffered when they died for Jesus. It’s not caring for all the brave Saints who will suffer death for not taking the mark of the Beast or worship his image. I am only thinking about myself because of my fear of a painful death.

I know God will not favor some with a painless death and others who love his Son suffer a painful death.

Romans 2: 11 For God does not show favoritism.

Jesus said being brave for him is an important attribute we must have if we say we love him and want to be with him forever.

Revelation 21: 8 But the cowardly, …. --their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Jesus said there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for his friend and Jesus did this because he called his disciples his friends. So, are you brave enough to be willing to lay down your life for Jesus who you say is your friend?

Be safe in Jesus, Glenn.