DECEMBER 15

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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Isaiah 48:10

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;  I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

Nahum 1:7

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;  and He knows those who trust in Him.”

Acts 14:22

“strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”

Psalm 50:15

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”

Ecclesiastes 7:14

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man can find out nothing that will come after him.”

Romans 5:3-4

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

1Peter 5:7

“casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

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This month we will read choices from Charles Spurgeon’s (known affectionately as the “prince of preachers”)  devotional, “Beside Still Waters.”   It’s no secret that this world system is getting more evil by the day.  We have to stand strong in the Lord and look to Him more than ever to get through, and to be guided through, what is in the future……..known and allowed  by Him alone…..as well as whatever personal things we are experiencing in our lives.

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PASTOR SPURGEON:

Your faith will never be weak when you are weak, but when you are strong your faith cannot be strong.  To the apostle Paul, Jesus said, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).  The only way to increase our faith is through great trouble.  We do not grow strong in faith on sunny days; only in stormy weather do we obtain it.  Strong faith does not drop from heaven in a gentle dew; generally, it comes in the whirlwind and the storm.

Look at the old oaks.  How did they become so deeply rooted?  The March winds will tell you.  It was not the April showers or the sweet May sunshine that caused the roots to wrap around the rock.  It was the rough, blustering,  north winds of March shaking the trees.

Life in the barracks does not produce great soldiers.  Great soldiers are made amid flying shot and thundering cannons.  Nor are good sailors made on calm seas.  Good sailors are made on the deep, where the wild wind howls and the thunder rolls like drums. Storms and tempests make tough and hardy sailors.  “They see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep,” (Psalm 107:24).

It is that way with the Christians, great faith must have great trials.  Bunyan’s character in the book, “Pilgrim’s Progress”  would never have been “Mr. Great-Heart” if he had not once been “Mr. Great-Trouble”.  “Valiant-for-Truth” would never have defeated the foes if they had not attacked him.

So it is with us.  We must expect great troubles before we attain great faith.

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