User:Obrien371

Sorrow to Laughter Introduction “In this you will greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief to all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:6-7). This book is to strengthen the faith of Christians in times of tests and temptations. As we still live on earth and not in heaven yet, tests and temptations will not by pass us. We must therefore stay on guard by prayer and be pregnant with the word of God, by that we shall always succeed. I chose this title “SORROW TO LAUGHTER”, because there is always sorrow at the bottom ladder of our difficulties, but laughter awaits us at the peak. God, through our tests and temptations, refines our faith like silver and gold, and elevates us from glory to glory. God will never over test us, and He will not let us be over tempted (1 Corinthians 10:13). His mercies always abound when we suffer. He is by our side when all hope is lost, and the world seems bitter for us. According to the Oxford Dictionary, test is defined as, critical examination or trial of a person’s qualities. Test is synonymous to trial. The end result of a test is success or promotion. That is why in schools teachers conduct tests with intent to promote students from one level to another. Therefore, God tests and He does not tempt. However, God tests through temptations. Thus, He permits Satan to tempt us while He tests us through that temptation. For, His intent is to declare His glory, and at the same time promote us. However, Satan is always with a negative mind. His intensions are always failure and eternal suffering. For instance, God tested Job’s faith to promote him, but Satan tempted him to destroy him forever, and also to cause him renounce his God. To tempt is to entice or incite to do what is wrong or forbidden. And temptation is the noun form of tempt. It is synonymous to tribulation. And the PC Bible Study( A Bible software), V4, defines temptation as, “Solicitation to that which is evil”. From the definitions above, it is clear that the result of temptation is negative or something that is not pleasing. And who is the father of our temptations? Satan of course! He is the cause of our woes on earth. But glory be to God for His Son Jesus, who descended from heaven to die and reconciled us back to God. That has paved a way for our redemption from the devil. Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, on mountain of Quarantania, (Matthew 4:1). For you to understand the knowledge I want to impart into you, I have related tests and temptations to some heart-breaking moments some people went through in both the Old and the New Testaments. I believe your faith will be strengthened as you read this inspirational book. God bless you.