2 Corinthians 13:5-6 AMPC Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you–unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? But I hope you will recognize and know that we are not disapproved on trial and rejected.

When you are put to the test and you fail, you come out REJECTED or DISAPPROVED  or DISQUALIFIED or REPROBATE.

The worst form of DISQUALIFICATION, is the DISQUALIFICATION OF LIFE or FAITH (2 Timothy 3:8). This is where at the end of life you are tested and Christ is not found in you, either because you didn’t receive Him or you didn’t receive Him well(what I call false conversions).

Besides that, there is also the DISQUALIFICATION OF WORKS (Titus 1:16), where you are saved but your works in Christ are rejected because you didn’t build with the right materials or in the approved manner. At the end of life, some of us will score a whopping 100%, others 60%, others 30%, and others even 0%.

So all the present TESTS and TRIALS that you are going through now is to help and prepare you for that FINAL TEST OF LIFE AND WORKS. Your present day TRIALS are like the homework and class tests and mock exams that you took in school – they are to prepare you for the final exams, so that you don’t fail at the end, and become a CASTAWAY.

So instead of getting bitter and angry over the tests, why don’t you embrace them and allow them to perfect and mature your faith in the Lord. You must not be like the student who hates class tests and homework.

So Paul cautions all of us:

EXAMINE AND TEST AND EVALUATE YOUR OWN SELVES. This is a good caution my dear, PLEASE HEED IT. Shalom to you!

              GRACEFUL MORNING