God tests His servants to ensure that He holds the foremost place in their hearts. In the account of Abraham and Isaac, it came to pass that God tested Abraham, calling to him, 'Abraham!' and Abraham responded with readiness, 'Here I am.' God commanded him to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain that He would specify. Despite the gravity of this command, Abraham showed no hesitation, rising early in the morning to obey, demonstrating his understanding of his position relative to God. For three days, as they journeyed, Abraham considered Isaac as good as dead, yet he trusted in God's plan. When they reached the designated place, Abraham built an altar, bound Isaac, and prepared to sacrifice him, showing the pinnacle of human obedience and faith, proving that God was first in his life with no other gods before Him. At the critical moment, the Angel of the Lord called out urgently to Abraham, stopping him and affirming, 'Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.' A ram was provided for the sacrifice instead, and Abraham named the place The-Lord-Will-Provide, signifying that God will provide for those who obey and yield completely to Him. Through this test, God confirmed Abraham's loyalty, ensuring that He was the sole focus of worship in Abraham's life, and subsequently promised abundant blessings because of his obedience.

Life is a continuous testing ground where every event draws out responses that define a person's character. God initiates tests of moral and spiritual character for His people, arranging or allowing events in a converted person's life to challenge their faith. These tests are not unique, as others have faced similar trials, and God ensures that no test exceeds one's ability to endure, always providing a way of escape to persevere and overcome. When God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer his son Isaac, Abraham's prompt obedience revealed a character dominated by faith, remembered for passing the test of loyalty. Similarly, Jesus Christ's character shone through the continuous testing He faced during His public years, demonstrating sterling qualities in handling challenges from people and circumstances. God tested Israel to prove the true nature of her faithfulness to Him, not to induce sin, but to confirm faith, revealing to both Him and the individual where they stand in terms of strengths and weaknesses. In the temptation of Jesus, satan attempted to entice Him to forsake God's sovereignty, yet Jesus proved to be a loyal Son, living by every word from God's mouth. Having resisted temptation Himself, Jesus can comfort and aid those facing similar tests, understanding their struggles firsthand. The testing of faith produces patience and perseverance, whether initiated by God or arising from self-caused situations. Trials, whether external difficulties like persecution or internal moral tests like temptation, serve as catalysts for joy by developing spiritual stamina and maturity of character. God's compassion and mercy are evident in His dealings with His people during tests, ensuring that no temptation exceeds the Spirit-given ability to resist. Through trials, faith is improved and proven, as seen in Abraham's wait for Isaac, believing God could achieve the impossible. True faith in God triumphs in trials, supported by His enduring faithfulness and divine instruction, preparing His people for unseen challenges and fostering obedience through faith.

God's testing of His people is a profound demonstration of His love, designed to refine and prove their loyalty. He purposefully places challenges before us, as seen with the Israelites in the wilderness, where He made them go hungry to test whether they would remain loyal to Him. These trials reveal if we truly trust in His love, even when circumstances appear dire. As with Abraham, who faced the ultimate test of sacrificing Isaac, God pushes us to the brink to ascertain the depth of our love and loyalty, intervening at the critical moment to shield us. Such testing is not a sign of abandonment but a gift, intended to produce in us qualities akin to His own mind, ensuring we trust Him under every circumstance. In the end times, Jesus warns that faith in God's love will be crucial, questioning whether, upon His return, He will find such faith on earth. The pressures of iniquity and hardship can cause love to grow cold, tempting us to compromise and doubt His care. Yet, we must endure, believing that He is always there, sovereign and omniscient, orchestrating every trial for our ultimate good. Like Job, who emerged stronger through severe loss, we are to see these difficulties as beneficial, crafted by a loving God who will never withhold what is necessary for our salvation. His testing, though painful, is a manifestation of His deep love, ensuring that we are shaped into what He desires us to be.

God's testing is a purposeful and loving process to perfect those He has called. He does not spare us from trials, but rather uses them to shape and develop us for positions in His Kingdom. As a responsible Father, He will accomplish His purpose in us, ensuring that the good work He has begun will be completed. He will not fail, for it is His work to call, teach, and fully develop us through trials, always acting in mercy and love for our ultimate good. Often, we fail to see His hand working in our lives during serious circumstances, feeling forgotten or abandoned. Yet, the opposite is true; He is actively involved, as seen in the example of Job. Job, a man of impeccable character, was greatly loved by God, yet He allowed Satan to destroy all that Job had and afflict him with illness to perfect him. Through immense suffering, Job did not curse God, though he was unaware of the purpose behind his trials. After enduring accusations and mental anguish, God spoke, revealing His greatness and sovereignty, humbling Job and deepening his relationship with Him. In the end, God wonderfully blessed Job, showing that perseverance through testing yields a positive outcome. Similarly, the nation of Israel faced tests after being freed from Egypt. Despite their initial joy and praise for His deliverance at the Red Sea, they rebelled at the bitter waters of Marah and throughout the wilderness, failing to trust Him. Most of that generation did not enter the Promised Land due to their lack of faith, serving as an example that He works to make His people special, even when they resist His shaping. His purpose remains consistent; He aims to create a peculiar people, an example of righteousness. For those called now, His goal is to perfect us as sons, priests, and kings at the return of Jesus Christ. This requires greater responsibility, as much is expected from those to whom much is given. Unlike the men at the restaurant show who viewed their calling as mere salvation, we must understand that He works to complete us in His image, pruning away what hinders growth and purifying our thoughts and actions through trials. Correction and testing are proofs of His love, not to be taken lightly but responded to with change. He does not let His children wander away without discipline, ensuring we bear fruit through pruning, removing idols or comforts when necessary to teach us reliance on His Word. Though trials bring pain, they lead to peace and control over weaknesses once lessons are learned. His nature is one of forgiveness, healing, and tender mercy, satisfying our desires rightly and extending compassion, knowing our frailties as He perfects us. We are adopted into His Family, given His name, a home, training, and an inheritance, living in a world opposed to His ways yet called to apply His laws to build character. He never gives more than we can handle, directing us into situations for growth, always for our good. Joseph's life exemplifies this, as he endured betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment, yet God was with him, raising him to rulership in Egypt through perfect timing and trials, foreshadowing how we too will rise from testing to rulership as spirit beings. Our attitude toward His working should be one of submission, recognizing that we cannot perfect ourselves. Like Agur, we must ask Him to provide what is proper for us, to feed and perfect us for the Kingdom. Unlike those whose initial zeal faded under difficulty, we can be confident that He who began a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

God tests His servants to ensure that He holds the foremost place in their lives. In Genesis 22:1, after many trials, God tested Abraham by calling to him, and Abraham responded with humble readiness, saying, Here I am. God commanded him in Genesis 22:2 to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, to the land of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain He would specify. This test was to confirm that Abraham's deep love for Isaac did not displace God in his heart. Abraham's obedience was immediate and unquestioning, as seen in Genesis 22:3, when he rose early, prepared for the journey, and went to the place God directed. After three days of travel, during which Isaac was as good as dead in Abraham's mind, they reached the location, as noted in Genesis 22:4-5. Abraham's faith remained steadfast, telling his young men that both he and Isaac would return, reflecting his trust in God's plan, as shown in Genesis 22:5. In Genesis 22:6-8, as they ascended the mountain, Isaac carried the wood, and when he questioned the absence of a lamb for the offering, Abraham assured him that God would provide. Upon reaching the designated place in Genesis 22:9, Abraham built an altar, bound Isaac, and laid him upon it, demonstrating that God was first in his life. Isaac, in turn, submitted willingly to his father's actions, showing his own trust in God. At the critical moment in Genesis 22:10-11, as Abraham raised the knife to slay his son, the Angel of the LORD called out urgently to stop him, affirming Abraham's loyalty. In Genesis 22:12, God declared that He now knew Abraham feared Him, having not withheld his only son, confirming that God held first place in both Abraham's and Isaac's hearts. God then provided a ram for the offering in Genesis 22:13, and Abraham named the place The-LORD-Will-Provide, signifying that God supplies for those who obey and yield to Him completely, as stated in Genesis 22:14. Finally, in Genesis 22:15-18, the Angel of the LORD swore by Himself to bless Abraham abundantly and multiply his descendants, ensuring that all nations would be blessed through his seed because Abraham obeyed God's voice and proved he had no other gods. This test and Abraham's response highlight that God's plan and provision depend on Him being the sole focus of worship and obedience in our lives.

God's testing of His saints is a vital aspect of building a mutual confidence between Him and His creation. The trials and tests He imposes are largely concerned with the faith and love of His people, as He seeks to know that He can find obedience and trust in each one of us. This testing, evident throughout the scriptures, is designed to make His followers more complete in their faith and aligned with His purposes, a process that applies to all who serve Him, from Adam to Moses to the apostles, and to us as well. One profound example of God's testing is seen in the life of Abraham, the father of the faithful. In Genesis 22, God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his only son Isaac on Mount Moriah, presenting a major test of his faith and obedience. Prior to this event, there may have been room for doubt about Abraham's commitment under such trying circumstances, but after Abraham demonstrated his willingness to obey, God declared, "Now I know," settling any uncertainty. Immediately following this test, God committed Himself to fulfill promises and blessings upon Abraham and his descendants, showing the wonderful outcome of complete confidence in a covenant relationship. Another powerful instance of testing and confidence is found in Daniel chapter 3 with Daniel's three companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, captives in Babylon. Faced with King Nebuchadnezzar's decree to worship a golden image, they refused, standing united in their conviction. Their response to the king, even in the face of a fiery furnace, overflowed with confidence in God's providential care, declaring that they served only Him and that the outcome was His to decide. Their unwavering faith serves as a lesson for all, demonstrating the strength of confidence in God amidst trials and cultural pressures.