Sufficient Grace for Suffering Saints

40 Day
Devotional and Journal

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 Marsha Iddings

Sufficient Grace for Suffering Saints

40 Day
Devotional and Journal

Sufficient Grace Publishing

Clarkston, Washington

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the King
James Version of the Bible.

©2007 by Marsha Iddings

Published by Sufficient Grace Publishing
Printed by Lulu
www.lulu.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author.

Marsha Iddings
Email: truthsetsfree@clarkston.com

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 Dedicated to my dear husband who I love and my
children whom God has blessed us with.
I would like to thank my dad for his example as a
writer.

I am grateful for the ministry of Port Cities

Reformed Baptist Church of Lewiston, Idaho for
teaching me so much about God’s sufficient grace.

I am thankful to God for His grace, mercy and love.

He alone is to be praised.

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 About the Author

Marsha has an Associate of Arts Degree in Theology from Western

Baptist College (now Corban College), Salem, OR. She has been
married for 24 years to her husband Rick and has a son and a
daughter. She has been a home school mom since the children were
old enough for school and plans to home school through high school.
She has been a devotional writer for Beyond Surviving Home
School, a web support group for moms with chronic illnesses, since
2004. She has been blessed with opportunities for spiritual growth
through dealing with her own physical challenges of osteoporosis,
chronic pain, and gluten intolerance as well as the health challenges
of her husband. She lives in Eastern Washington with her family
and Daisy-pug.

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 Table of Contents
Introduction 9
Day 1 Remember God’s Purpose 10
Day 2 Remember God’s Resources 12
Day 3 Remember God’s Provision 14
Day 4 Remember God’s Character 16
Day 5 Remember to Wait on the Lord’s Timing 18
Day 6 Remember God is Good and Right 20
Day 7 Remember Set-Backs Are God’s Opportunities 22
Day 8 There Is Hope 24
Day 9 Our Hope—The Return of Our Saviour 26
Day 10 Hope—An Anchor for the Soul 28
Day 11 A Hope that Does Not Disappoint 30
Day 12 A Lively Hope 32
Day 13 Hope—It Should Show 34
Day 14 Sharing Our Hope With Others 36
Day 15 The True Measure of God’s Love 38
Day 16 I’ll Live Until I Die 40
Day 17 No Surprise to God 42
Day 18 God Is Bigger Than My Problems 44
Day 19 Our Sufficiency is of God 46
Day 20 The Lights of Home 48
Day 21 The Poor In Spirit 50
Day 22 When My Heart Is Overwhelmed 52
Day 23 Smoking Mountain 54
Day 24 Beauty for Ashes 56
Day 25 Sifted As Wheat 58
Day 26 In the School of Hard Knocks 60
Day 27 Flowers of the Field 62
Day 28 The Cross on the Hill 64
Day 29 Be Ye Thankful! 66
Day 30 Short Term Memory Loss 68
Day 31 Comfort 70
Day 32 Hemmed in Prayer 72
Day 33 Holy Smoke 74
Day 34 It’s All About Him 76
Day 35 Lessons from Climbing the Lighthouse 78

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Day 36 The Lighthouse 80
Day 37 Lessons from NASCAR 82
Day 38 Learning to Race 84
Day 39 Race Car Drafting 86
Day 40 Let’s Put the Fun Back in Dysfunctional 88
Appendix 91
Twenty Biblical Purposes for Suffering 92

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 Introduction

In my journey through affliction, God has given me much comfort

and encouragement. He is still teaching me and changing me
through difficult circumstances and changes in my life. When I
started writing this book, I was thinking in terms of coping with what
God has allowed into my life. However, God has changed my
perspective from merely coping with things to embracing the
changes in my life. The difference is this: When I merely cope with
what is happening, it is all on the physical level, my own sheer will
power to manage. However, when I embrace the changes that have
come, I go beyond what I see to the unseen through faith and draw
on the strength God offers me. I see affliction and change in my life
as an opportunity for growth instead of something to simply cope
with. It is my prayer as you read these meditations that you will
realize you are not alone on this journey and that you will be inspired
to embrace the changes that affliction has brought to your life. I
pray that you will see that God’s grace is sufficient in the midst of
suffering.

Genesis 41:52 For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of

my affliction.

This devotional is not intended to take the place of daily Bible

reading and prayer. It is only a supplement. Please read your
Bible first and if you have time after that, read in this devotional.
Nothing should take the place of God’s Word.

Marsha Iddings
Email: truthsetsfree@clarkston.com
To order additional books:
http://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings

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 Day 1
Remember God’s Purpose for Things We Can Not Change

Genesis 30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children,
Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or
else I die.

We all get discouraged at times. This is when we need to step

back, and take a hard look at what is causing us to be discouraged.
In the verse above we see that Rachel became discouraged
because she was resenting a situation that she had no power to
change. She envied her sister's ability to bare children.
I think about how often I have found myself in a
circumstance where I have no power to change what is happening. I
have been in Rachel’s situation where I was unable to have children
for a period of eight years. I became very discouraged during that
time, but as I began to learn to trust God with it, I see that it was for
my spiritual good. I learned to find fulfillment in God instead of
motherhood.
Perhaps you are in a difficult situation in your life right now.
Something that we need to do in these circumstances is to figure out
what is changeable and what is not. What can you do about the
situation? What is not changeable? Do what you can do to make
things better, but realize God is allowing these things you can’t
change in your life for His good purposes. Trust Him with those
things and rest in His Providence, knowing that He has your spiritual
good in mind as well as the good of those around you who are
watching.

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 What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 2
Remember God's Resources When Faced With Giants

Numbers 13:33-14:1 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak,
which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as
grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. And all the
congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept
that night.

Did you notice what the people said?

"We were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were
in their sight." The children of Israel were looking at their own
resources compared to the giants of the land and they became
discouraged. They forgot to take into account God's resources.
Do you have "giants" in your land that threaten you with
ruin? Perhaps your giants come in the form of illness, fatigue, bills,
parenting difficulties, home school difficulties, or some other form.
Whatever overwhelms you could be considered your "giants". These
things make you feel small and inadequate. When you look at your
resources compared to these giants, it's easy to get discouraged.
The giants I deal with involve my health and the health of
family members, extra responsibilities and the home education of my
children. When I compare my strength and resources to the possible
demands of these things it seems like more than I can handle.
However, God’s resources to meet these giants are more than
adequate.
We need to remember to take into account God's resources
when we are faced with giants in our lives. We need to keep our
eyes focused on God's resources and power or we will get
discouraged.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 3
Remember God’s Provision and Promises

Numbers 21:4-5 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of
the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people
was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake
against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up
out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is
there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

Here we see the Children of Israel becoming discouraged

because the way was difficult. They have forgotten God's promises
to provide for them and to bring them into the Promised Land. They
have also forgotten how God provided for them in the past. He
parted the Red Sea for them. He drowned the pursuing Egyptians in
the Red Sea. He provided water from the rock and manna and quail
to eat.
When I get discouraged I have usually forgotten how God
has provided for me in the past. I have also forgotten His promises
to care for me now and in the future.

Matthew 6:30-32 Wherefore, if God so clothe the

grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into
the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little
faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?
or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be
clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things.

Sometimes I am dissatisfied with how He is taking care of

me in the present, because it's not how I expected to be taken care of.
Many times God provides what I need but not what I want. I think
this was the problem with the Children of Israel. They got what they
needed but not what they wanted and they became discouraged.
When discouragement sets in, look back and see how God
has provided for you in the past, then look forward into His Word
and rest in God's promises for the future.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 4
Remember God’s Character and Attributes

1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people
spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved,
every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged
himself in the LORD his God.

David became discouraged because those he cared about

rejected him, turned against him and talked of stoning him. He talks
about an experience like this in the Psalms. “Yea, mine own familiar
friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up
his heel against me.” (Psalm 41:9) Have you ever experienced
misunderstanding or rejection from those you care about? It’s not a
fun place to be and it can cause great pain and discouragement.
The good news is that David didn’t let that discouragement
keep him down. The Scripture says he encouraged himself in the
Lord his God. We see evidence of this all through the Psalms.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou
disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise
him for the help of his countenance. Deep calleth unto deep
at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows
are gone over me. Yet the LORD will command his
lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall
be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life. Psalm
42:5, 7-8

David focused on God’s lovingkindness here and throughout

the Psalms we see him focusing on the character of God in times of
discouragement.
As you read your Bible make a list of the references that
show God’s attributes and character. I have about three pages of
them in my journal and find it a great encouragement to read through
these when I am struggling with discouragement. I’ve learned that no
matter how bad my circumstances are God is still good because He
does not change.
Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of
trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

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 Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye
sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Encourage yourself in the Lord today. Start that journal

listing God’s attributes and character so you will have it ready when
you need it.

What is God teaching me today?

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 Day 5
Remember to Wait on the Lord's Timing

1 Kings 19:2-4 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying,

So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the
life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw
that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which
belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a
day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a
juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and
said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not
better than my fathers.

We see Elijah running for his life into the wilderness. There
is no indication that God had told him to run. Elijah was physically
and emotionally exhausted and it seems he made the decision based
on how he felt. He became so discouraged he asked God to take his
life.
When you find yourself discouraged, see if maybe you are
physically and emotionally exhausted for some reason. What
stresses are happening in your life that may be contributing to your
burn-out? Is there something you can do to ease the stress? We find
that God allowed Elijah to rest and then encouraged him to eat and
drink some water.

1 Kings 19:5-6 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,

behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise
and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken
on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat
and drink, and laid him down again.

It is important during times of stress and discouragement that

we make sure we get adequate rest, nourishment and water.
It was fear and discouragement that sent Elijah running for
his life to the wilderness. We need to be sure that we are not making
major decisions based on fear, doubt or discouragement. It is
important that we wait on the Lord's timing.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 6
Remember God is Good and Right

Job 10:1, 3 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint

upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Is it good unto
thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the
work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

When we think of the trials that Job had to endure, we can

scarcely blame him for getting discouraged. But as we look at his
complaint, we see a hint of reasoning that God is not fair in what He
is allowing Job to go through.
I know I have felt like this at times and I suspect there are
times when all of us have felt that way to some degree, but have not
verbalized it. When we think that God is not being fair with us, we
doubt his goodness and righteousness. The Bible says that God is
good and righteous.

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of

trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.
Psalm 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and
holy in all his works.

Regardless of how the circumstance seems to us, to fight

discouragement, we must trust that God is good and right. We may
not understand it this side of heaven, but one day it will all be clear
to us. “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
(1 Corinthians 13:12)

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 7
Remember that Set-Backs are God's Opportunities

Nehemiah 2:2-3 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy
countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but
sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, and said unto the king,
Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad,
when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and
the gates thereof are consumed with fire?

Nehemiah was discouraged because he wanted to see the

rebuilding of Jerusalem, yet it was not happening. Instead it seemed
to be falling into further ruin and disrepair. The work was going
backwards instead of forward.
Do you ever feel like this? I know I have. Sometimes it
seems my efforts to keep the house and property up go in reverse as
my time is limited and my physical reserves don't seem to go very
far. I find myself feeling discouraged with my efforts at home
schooling when I look at other home school families and see all they
are accomplishing compared to what we have done. There are also
the physical set-backs that slow us down from time to time.
God had a plan and He used Nehemiah to organize the people
to rebuild the wall. Once the wall was rebuilt they found the law of
God and gathered all the people to hear it read and to give thanks to
God. Nehemiah 9:3 says, "And they stood up in their place, and read
in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the
day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the
LORD their God." What seemed like a big setback to Nehemiah
turned out to be a big blessing as God helped him and the people to
rebuild the wall and then renew their commitment to God through
the reading of the law of God.
Remember that set-backs are opportunities for God to show
His faithfulness and power in our lives. Nehemiah only wanted to
rebuild the wall, but God used this to bring a renewed commitment
to Himself among his people. Next time you have a set-back, look
forward to how God will use it to show His faithfulness and power in
your life.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 8
There Is Hope!

Hebrews 11:1 ¶ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.

I received a tee shirt for my birthday that has printed on the

front, "HOPE...it's a choice" and on the back it says, "My illness is
invisible but my HOPE shines through". It is promoting National
Invisible Illness Awareness Week which takes place the second
week in September. This spurred me on to think about hope, and
what my hope is.
Many times I have let circumstances get me down and my
hope has not shined through. I struggle with this constantly because
my nature is to be melancholy. My hope (no pun intended) is that
this shirt will help me to remember that though my circumstances
might not be good I can still let hope shine through and encourage
others by it.
The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen. Faith springs from Biblical hope.
Biblical hope is not an “I hope so” kind of hope. It is a certainty.
Philippians 3:20-21 tells us, “For our conversation (citizenship) is in
heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able
even to subdue all things unto himself.” This is a hope that gives rise
to faith for the suffering saint.
One day God will change our broken down diseased bodies
to be like his glorious body. This is one of the things that is not yet
seen, but which I earnestly hope for. It is a certainty. It will happen.
God promised it.
When circumstances are hard, try to remember that it won't
always be this way. There is an end...a glorious end for God's people
and there is HOPE!

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 Day 9
Our Hope—The Return of Our Saviour

Titus 2:11-14 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath
appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this
present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious
appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify
unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

In our verse we have the whole reason for our hope. Christ
gave himself for us to redeem us from the curse of sin. It was the
grace of God that brought salvation through Christ. It is the grace of
God that saves us, not our own righteous works. God's grace teaches
us to live righteously as a result of what God does in our hearts
through salvation. Salvation is by grace and good works are the
outward fruit of what God has already done in us.
God helps us along on this road to righteous living. The
verses above say that Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from
all iniquity, but we often overlook the part that says, "...and purify
unto himself a peculiar people..." The Bible speaks of the purifying
of silver and gold:

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will
refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is
tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will
say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my
God. (Zechariah 13:9)

Did you see the part where God says He will bring them
through the fire? Purification is a painful process. It can take place
when we go through trials of various kinds. Just like the impurities
of the silver and gold that come to the surface and can then be
removed when the metal is heated by the fire, so God takes us
through the fire of trials so that the impurities of our lives can come
to the surface and be dealt with.


 As we go through this purification process we need to
remember that we have a blessed hope to look forward to in the
future... the glorious return of God and our Savior Jesus!

What is God teaching me today?

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Day 10
Hope—An Anchor of the Soul

Hebrews 6:19-20 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both

sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Previously, I talked about the hope of salvation and the

blessed hope of Christ's return. Our verse tells us that this hope is an
anchor of the soul. This anchor reaches in behind the veil.
In the Old Testament Jewish temple there was a heavy thick
veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place where
God's presence dwelt. No one was allowed in this place except for
the High Priest who went in there once a year to atone for the sins of
the people. Hebrews 9:7 tells us, “But into the second (Most Holy
Place) went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood,
which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people…”
There was only one High Priest at a time. When Christ came
and made the supreme sacrifice for our sins on the cross and rose
again from the dead, God made Him an High Priest for ever after the
order of Melchisedec. God abolished the need for earthly priests
when He made Christ our High Priest for ever. Hebrews 7:24 says,
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable
priesthood.” {or, which passeth not from one to another}
At Christ's death the veil in the temple was torn in two.
Matthew 27:50-51 tells us, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a
loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake,
and the rocks rent;”
Christ entered the Most Holy Place, offering up His own
blood to atone for our sins. The veil was torn open making the way
for us to come into God's presence through the righteousness of
Christ. This should bring great comfort and hope to us as we
meditate on these truths.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 11
A Hope that Does Not Disappoint

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with

God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience,
experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed;
because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy
Ghost which is given unto us.

This whole passage of scripture is rich with hope! Because

the grace of God justifies us through faith in Christ Jesus, we have
hope and this hope will not disappoint us because it is all tied up in
the love of God and His glory. We may go through tough times in
our lives, but God will use these to produce patience, character (as
the NKJV renders it) and hope in our lives. Perhaps you wonder,
how can tough times produce hope? It has been said that the
troubles of this life wean us off the pleasures of this world and point
us toward God and heaven. If we can get our eyes off our earthly
circumstances and focus them toward heavenly things...toward
Christ, then we will have hope. When people can see that we have
an eternal hope in spite of our circumstances, it will bring glory to
God and we can rejoice.
Hope looks to the future and keeps its eyes on the prize of the
high calling of God. Philippians 3:14 says, “I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) was a great Puritan preacher.
Here is what he says about hope:
Trust and hope are often taken in the same sense, though a
distinction betwixt them hath sometimes its use. Faith looks
to the word promising, hope the thing promised in the word;
faith looks to the authority of the promiser, hope especially to
the goodness of the promise, faith looks upon things as
present, hope as to come hereafter. God as the first truth, is

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 that which hope rests on. Trust or confidence is nothing else
but the strength of hope. If the thing hoped for be deferred,
then of necessity, it enforces waiting, and waiting is nothing
else but hope and trust lengthened.

Our hope rests in God. He is faithful. Press on!

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without
wavering; (for he is faithful that promised ;)
(Hebrews 10:23)

What is God teaching me today?

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 Day 12
A Lively Hope

1Peter 1:3- 5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us
again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth
not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of
God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time.

I've discovered that hope is a reoccurring theme throughout

the Bible and especially in the Epistles. The hope we have in Christ
is active and alive. It's not a dead hope. It's a "lively hope". Christ
rose from the dead to give us hope beyond the grave. For those of us
who have been saved by the grace and mercy of God, this is what
keeps us going. God has promised us an inheritance that will not be
lost to corruption. In fact, it's in heaven now, reserved just for us.
Another thing that makes this hope a living hope is the fact
that it is God's power that keeps us through faith unto salvation.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any
man should boast." It's the grace of God through faith that saves us
and it's the power of God that keeps us saved, not our own works.
All of this is a gift from God. I am so thankful that it's not my own
good works that saves me or keeps me saved because if it was I
would be in a world of hurt. Isaiah 64:6 tells us, "But we are all as an
unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we
all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us
away." And then in Romans 3:23 it says, "For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God;" My own righteous works are like
filthy rags beside the holiness of God. There is no way I can come
close to doing enough to make myself worthy of His salvation
because my best works are tainted with sin. So, in light of this fact,
the hope I have in Christ is a very "lively hope" because without
God's gift of grace, faith and keeping power, I would be dead in

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trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1 says, "And you hath he
quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;"
How about you? What is your hope? Is it living or dead? Do
you have the hope (certainty) of sins forgiven and a home in heaven?
If not, I pray that God will bless you with the gift of faith in His dear
Son so that you too can have this "lively hope".

What is God teaching me today?

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 Day 13
Hope—It Should Show

1Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of
the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

In the next two days we’ll focus on the verse above. I see
several things in this verse that we are to do. We are to 1.) sanctify
the Lord God in our hearts; 2.) be ready to give an answer for the
hope that we have; 3.) give that answer with meekness and fear.
If we are putting Christ first in our hearts, as this verse
commands us to do, eventually others will begin to ask us why we
have hope. How does my life reflect Christ to others? How do my
reactions to circumstances show others that my hope is in Christ?
Talk is cheap. Reactions are deep. I have failed so many times. How
often does someone ask me why I have hope? Remember, if you
have failed, don't give up, just get up and start where you are.
Scripture says, “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for
the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” (Psalm 37:24)
In the last five days we have been exploring our hope and the
reasons why we have hope. One of the main reasons is that Christ
gave himself for us to redeem us from the curse of sin. It was the
grace of God that brought salvation through Christ. It is the grace of
God that saves us, not our own righteous works. My own righteous
works are as filthy rags.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our

righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a
leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
(Isaiah 64:6)

My own good works won't get me an inch closer to

salvation. God's grace teaches us to live righteously as a result of
what God does in our hearts through salvation. (Titus 2:11-14)
Salvation is by grace and good works are the outward fruit of what
God has already done in us. That gives me hope!

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 14
Sharing Our Hope with Others

1Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready
always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of
the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Yesterday we learned that not only are we to give the reason

for our hope, but we are to do it with meekness and fear. It says to
“...be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a
reason of the hope that is in you...” God will do the rest as you are
faithful to give the reason of your hope to them. So often, we get
caught up in the idea that we have to convince people to turn to
Christ. The result is usually less than desirable when we try to do the
Holy Spirit's work. Arguments and debates on theology and doctrine
ensue and we become less than meek and fearful in our approach. I
know. I've done that.
The idea of fear in our approach to sharing our hope with
people intrigues me. The Greek word for fear here is phobos which
means literally, “from a primary phebomai (to be put in fear); alarm
or fright: --be afraid, + exceedingly, fear, terror.”(Strong’s Greek
Lexicon) We know that we are not to be afraid of telling people
where our hope lies. Acts 4:13, 29, 31 all speak of the boldness of
the Apostles to speak the word of God. We know from this that our
verse isn't telling us to be timid. I think the idea here may be two-
fold. We are to fear their eternal condition and we are to be in fear
of the holiness of the God we serve.
Isaiah, at the realization of God's holiness said, "Then said I,
Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes
have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." (Isaiah 6:5) Remembering
the holiness of God, we need to use our words carefully, allowing
God to guide us in what we say so we don't resort to saying things
that are not needful. Colossians 4:5-6 tells us to “Walk in wisdom
toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech

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 be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know
how ye ought to answer every man.”
It's an awesome responsibility to live in such a way that our
lives reflect the hope we have in Christ. There have been
circumstances that have arisen in which I have, shamefully, taken
matters into my own hands instead of living out the hope I have in
Christ. I am being convicted by God of the fact that my reactions
often are less than holy and do not reflect hope in Christ.
I leave you with this quote from Nancy Missler. "What we
must understand is not what God is doing (why has He allowed
this?), but what God expects from us." (emphasis mine) He expects
us to put Him first in our hearts and be ready to give an answer for
the hope we have as a result.
What is God teaching me today?
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Day 15
The True Measure of God's Love

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while
we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

There are times in our lives when trials seem to be the norm.
It is during times like these that it is easy to look around at others
who don't seem to have any troubles and wonder if maybe God loves
them more than He does us. After all, the logic goes, if He loved us
as much as He does them, He would spare us these troubles like He
has them. As we sit on our pity pot and compare our lives to the
next person, it never occurs to us that the measure of God's love for
us has nothing to do with the number of trials we have compared to
the next person!
The measure of God's love for us was weighed out in the
death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sin. What makes His love
even more remarkable is that Christ died for us while we were still
sinners. He didn't wait for us to become worthy of His love first. He
knew we never could. This is the true measure of God's love for us.
When you are tempted to doubt God's love for you,
remember this truth and meditate on it in your heart.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 16

I'll Live Until I Die

Psalm 146:1-2 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God
while I have my being.

We took our children to the nursing home on Halloween

night to visit the residents. I saw a lady in a wheel chair sitting back
a little further than the others, so I went to her and extended my
hand.
"How are you doing?” I asked.
She replied with a big smile, "Well, I suppose I'll live until I
die!" She laughed and went on to tell me how wonderful it was to
live there, what good food they served and how well cared for she
was. It wasn't the typical story you hear from nursing home
residents.
As I was reading my Bible later I came across the verses
above and was reminded of this lady. We will all live until we die,
so while we live, what will our attitude be? Will it be one of
thankfulness and praise for all that God has provided in spite of our
circumstances? The lady in the nursing home had so much she could
have been unhappy about. But she chose to look at what she had to
be thankful for instead. What an encouragement she is to those
around her! She encouraged me in the brief few minutes I had to
talk to her.
Just think! We may not always be in the best of
circumstances, but we can be encouragers by choosing to praise God
anyway!

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 Day 17




Psalm 139:13-16 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast

covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that
my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee,
when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts
of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect;
and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance
were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

 
                
your body doesn't work right? As we age or have chronic health
problems it's easy to forget that God planned out our lives before we
were even conceived. He skillfully formed us and we are fearfully
and wonderfully made. He planned our days before any of them
came to be. What you are going through is no surprise to Him. He
has a special purpose for you just the way you are. Psalm 18:30
says, " As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him." God's plans for you are
perfect. They may not be easy and they may not seem like the best
from our perspective, but they are for our ultimate spiritual good and
His glory. Take refuge in Him.



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 Day 18
God is Bigger than My Problems

Psalm 139:1-6 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest
my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my
tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset
me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Psalm 139 has been a great comfort to me. God knows me

intimately. He knows when I sit down and when I get up. He knows
and understands my thoughts. He is with me where I go and when I
lay down. He knows where I am going. He knows the words that I
am going to speak. He is behind me and before me and His hand is
on me. This knowledge is hard to understand because I am a mere
human and He is God.
He is all seeing, all knowing, and everywhere present. He
knows my pain. He knows when I fall down and get hurt. He knows
when I am distressed. He is there and He is in control. His hand is
on me. I take comfort in this knowledge of my God.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 19
Our Sufficiency is of God

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any

thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

The Bible tells us ...in every thing by prayer and supplication

with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
(Philippians 4:6) Oswald Chambers said, “As long as you are self-
sufficient, you do not need to ask God for anything.”
I have found when I am feeling good and things are going
well for me that it is easy to slip into an attitude of self-sufficiency. I
fly out of bed in the morning; grab my to-do list and head through
my day without giving one thought to my quiet time with God. I
have the world by the tail and I don’t feel like I need to depend on
God for anything.
Suddenly, I wake up one morning with a very stiff neck and
find that constant pain has become my companion. I go to my
physical therapist and he sentences me to 20 minutes divided
between heat and ice three to four times a day. My housework
suffers. My energy levels plummet as the pain takes over my life for
the next two weeks. I realize that I am not self-sufficient. I need
God to get through my day.
How about you? Are you feeling so good these days that you
forget to take time for God? Or are you suffering physically, unable
to carry on with your normal daily routines? Use that time to get
into God’s Word and draw from the strength that He gives to get you
through it. Then when you are feeling good again, don’t neglect this
time with him. His grace is sufficient.

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 Day 20
The Lights of Home

Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my
path.

I was privileged to get to see one of our local home schooled

students do a re-enactment of Ed Lemmon, one of America’s
foremost cowmen. He bossed some the biggest cattle round-ups
there were. During the in-character question and answer segment I
asked him how he calmed the cattle when they began to get scared
and started to stampede. He said that he always carried lanterns with
him. When the cattle began to threaten to stampede he would get his
men to light the lanterns and ride out in front of the cattle. The cattle
would see the lights and calm down because it made them feel like
they were near home.
Sometimes I feel like those cattle. I get all restless, afraid
and feel like running from my troubles. When I neglect my time in
the Bible, I feel more like that. The Psalmist says God’s Word is a
lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Like the lamps Ed Lemmon
used to calm the cattle, the Word of God will be a source of light and
strength, calming our souls in times of trouble. It will comfort us as
it reminds us this world is not our home, but it is the light of our
heavenly home.

Psalm 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let
them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 21
The Poor in Spirit

Blessed are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:3

Oswald Chambers said that those who are poor in spirit are
never conscious that they are of any use to God. The poor in spirit
are paupers spiritually. They know they are bankrupt spiritually and
it's only through Jesus that they are anything at all. God says they
are blessed.
It's not me. It's Jesus working in me. As long as I am
consciously struggling to improve my character, to "be good...to be
worthy", then it is no more the work of Christ in me. It becomes my
own work and effort. It is no longer a yielding to Him but my own
efforts of deciding to live as He would want. The difference is self-
will versus His will. The outward results may look the same, but the
condition of the heart is different. The one is yielding in humility,
unconscious of the effect it will have. The other is deciding how to
be and how to act, striving for approval of his or her own worthiness.
The result is pride in self.
How often are we like the Pharisees, secure in our religion,
looking down on others who don’t follow the same rules or standards
we do? We think we have arrived spiritually.
It’s not until we get to the place where we realize we are
spiritually empty that we can be filled with God’s blessing. As long
as we are full of our own righteousness there is no room for God’s
blessing.

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 Day 22
When my Heart is Overwhelmed

Psalm 61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my
heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

How often do we find our security in our spouses, our

children, our pastors, our homes, our medical professionals, our
health (when it is good), even our pets and the list could go on and
on? What happens when God begins to remove these props one by
one out from under us and we become overwhelmed? Does our
whole world fall apart?
Where do we run to? What do we do when our heart is
overwhelmed and we feel we are loosing our security? The Psalmist
says it best. "...when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock
that is higher than I." You can't get much more secure and stable
than that! God is our rock. It is He and He alone who can hold us
securely when everything else around us seems to be shifting and
moving.
How are things in your life? Stressful? Overwhelmed? Run
to the Rock. He is the only One that will be constantly stable and
give you the security you need in a changing world.

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 Day 23
Smoking Mountain

Psalm 104:32 He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the

hills, and they smoke.

The documentary film started with the verse above displayed

in large letters on a blue background. It was a film documenting the
fury of Mt. St. Helen’s.
Years earlier when I was at the mountain, there were whole
forests that were de-limbed and blown down. It looked like a barren
wasteland covered with gray ash. This past week I was there and a
forest of new trees have grown up among the splintered stumps left
from the blast. Life has returned to the mountain.
Evolutionists say it took millions of years for canyons like
the Grand Canyon and Hell's Canyon to be carved out by the rivers
and streams running through them. Yet, Mt. St. Helen's formed
canyons with streams flowing through them in only nine hours that
Sunday on May 18, 1980.
It makes me think of God's power at creation. Psalm 33:6
says, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the
host of them by the breath of his mouth."
The mountain still trembles numerous times an hour and
shoots steam and ash into the air often. Our God's power is evident
in nature. If He has power to cause the earth to tremble, the
mountains to smoke, and canyons to be carved out in less than a day,
then He has the power to take care of what is troubling you and me.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 24
Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:1, 3 ¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the
LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he
hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the
captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;... To
appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit
of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the
planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Several years after Mt. St. Helen's blew her top I visited the
blast zone. Trees were stripped of their limbs and strewn all over the
sides of the hills. Splintered tree stumps stuck up everywhere. A
layer of gray ash covered everything. It was eerie to look at this
wasteland. I wondered how anything could ever live there again.
Recently I revisited the blast zone. It had been 25 years since
the mountain erupted. A lush green forest has grown up where
devastation once was. Wild flowers are blooming. Forest animals
have returned. What once looked hopeless is now teeming with life
and beauty.
My trip to Mt. St. Helen's then and now has illustrated for me
what God does for us. Adversity may make our lives look gray and
bleak with the ashes of sorrow over what we have lost. We may
wonder how we can ever recover the joy we once had. However,
when we look to Jesus and trust God with the outcome, He will give
us "beauty for ashes...we will be trees of righteousness, the planting
of the Lord, that he might be glorified".
Are you covered with the ashes of mourning, wondering if
joy will ever return? All hope is not lost. God can and will give you
beauty for ashes when you come to Him in simple faith. He will
give you joy in the midst of heaviness. Trust him today.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 25
Sifted as Wheat

Luke 22:31-32 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath
desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have
prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted,
strengthen thy brethren.

It seems that many of God's people have been going through

times of sifting. My husband and I have not been excluded. A
recent sermon preached on these verses gave me much needed
comfort and encouragement.
When wheat is sifted it is put into large sieves and is shaken
and beat around violently to cause the wheat grains to fall through
the holes in the sieve and the stones and dirt clods from harvesting
are left behind.
Jesus says that Satan desires to sift us as wheat. Satan's goal
is to beat us around through trials and tough times to get us to lose
our faith. Jesus tells Peter that He has prayed for him that his faith
will not fail.
God could prevent Satan from touching us, but He doesn't.
He allows Satan to sift us and run us through trials. Why? Because
in the sifting process the trash and rubbish of our lives are left in the
sieve where God can help us to work through cleaning it out of our
lives. It is part of the process of sanctifying us and making us more
a reflection of Him. What Satan means for harm, God uses for good.
As we go through these times of sifting, we can be comforted
that Jesus is interceding on our behalf to the Father. He prays that
our faith will not fail, so that when we come out on the other side of
the sieve, we will be able to strengthen and encourage our Brothers
and Sisters in Christ.
Friend, if you are in the middle of trials, be encouraged that
Jesus is praying for you! He loves you and is using Satan's attack
against you for good.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 26
In the School of Hard Knocks

Proverbs 30: 8- 9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me

neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest
I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be
poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I
might learn thy statutes.

I don't know about you, but I often must learn my lessons in

the school of hard knocks. When I was in Christian grade school,
the principle would often threaten to apply the board of education to
the seat of knowledge if we misbehaved. I never had to experience
that but I came close.
As God's child, many of the most valuable lessons He has
taught me have been learned through tough times. It is when things
are going great and I am comfortable, I tend to get too busy and
neglect my private times of worship with God. I become "full" and
in a sense deny Him, in effect saying, "Who is the LORD?” Or, I
may take for granted what I have and become dissatisfied with it and
in a sense take God's name in vain by complaining that I don't have
enough.
When affliction comes my way, it eventually drives me to my
knees and back to the cross where I belong. It is during those tough
times that God slows me down and begins to teach me more of what
it means to be holy and to trust Him.
Being afflicted is not fun or easy, but I can say with the
Psalmist, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted."

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 27
Flowers of the Field

Song of Solomon 2:12 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of
the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in
our land;
Matthew 6:28-30 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider
the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin: Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day
is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more
clothe you, O ye of little faith?

The first day of spring I went for a walk in the park. Along
the way, I noticed some tiny purple flowers. To most, they would go
unnoticed, but I have always been one to look out for tiny jewels
such as these. They were so beautiful. The outer parts of the petals
were a royal purple. From the center out it looked as if someone had
painted very light lavender brush strokes that were veined with deep
purple lines. It was so tiny and delicate. The Creator's handiwork
was evident in the detail. Indeed these little jewels are clothed in the
most elegant clothing one could find. God cares enough to give us
this beauty.
Often I have resorted to worrying and stewing over my daily
affairs---stressing out because of any number of details in my life
that seem out of control. Luke 12:25-26 says, “And which of you
with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be
not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the
rest?" I can't add one cubit to my stature through my worrying and
anxious thoughts. Why should I worry over these things that I have
no control over?
If God can clothe the flowers in such beautiful robes, can He
not take care of us too? Next time you go out side, look for the tiny
flowers no one else takes note of. Pick one and ponder its beauty.
Drink in the detail with which God has clothed it and remember that
God is intimately concerned with the details of your life too.

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 Day 28
The Cross on the Hill

Colossians 2:13-14 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him,
having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of
ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it
out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Around Easter, every year there is a large lighted cross on the

hill above our town. I love to see that cross. It reminds me of where
we used to live. There was a lighted cross on the hill in that
community too. When we were new to the area, driving home at
night, the cross became my beacon to show me the way home.
Many years ago above Jerusalem, there was another cross on
a hill. Jesus paid the price on that cross to satisfy the wrath of
Almighty God against our sin. That cross also points the way home
to God the Father. Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness and
all the people had to do was to look in faith toward it to be healed.
In the same way Jesus was lifted up on the cross of Calvary and
when we look in faith to Him, we can be spiritually healed and on
our way to our eternal home in heaven.

John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the

wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life.

What a privilege it is to live for and serve such a loving God.

All the good works we do are from a heart of gratitude for His great
love for us. We could never earn such favor.
Have you found the way home? Look in faith to the cross
and the One Who paid the debt for you there. That is the only way
home.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 29
Be Ye Thankful

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the
which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

One day as I was soaking in the hot tub trying to relax away
the sore knots in my neck and shoulders, I was tempted to have a
pity party for myself. However, the Holy Spirit took my thoughts
down a different path.
I could either choose to be thankful for what God has blessed
me with or I could focus on what I wish I had but don't. Envy is the
sister to self-pity. When I look around at other's circumstances that I
feel are better than my own, I begin to envy them and that leads to
self-pity because I feel cheated.
As Christians, we are to let the peace of God rule in our
hearts. Thayer's Greek Lexicon says this of the word "peace": "of
Christianity, the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation
through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its
earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is". If I am focusing on what I
consider to be adverse circumstances, it robs me of the peace of God.
The antidote to envy and self-pity is thankfulness. When we
give thanks for what we have and refuse to fret about what we don't,
then we become content with our earthly lot and peace reigns in our
hearts.
I can hear someone saying, "But I don't feel thankful for this
problem I have! How can I give thanks when I don't feel thankful?"
Did you notice that the verse says, "...and be ye thankful."? It is a
command. A command is something you must do whether you feel
like it or not. We can give thanks to God with our will and our
attitude whether we feel thankful or not. As we do this, God will
help the feeling of thankfulness to develop in our hearts.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 30
Short Term Memory Loss

Exodus 15: 21-22, 24 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the

LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider
hath he thrown into the sea. So Moses brought Israel from the Red
Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went
three days in the wilderness, and found no water. ...And the people
murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

Can you imagine experiencing the miracle of crossing the

Red Sea on dry land, seeing the army of Pharaoh lose their chariot
wheels and drowning as the water came back together? I would
think, after all, that the Children of Israel would know God was able
and would do something as simple as providing water. Yet, only
three days later they collectively displayed the biggest short-term
memory loss I have ever seen. They began to complain and murmur
because there was no water to drink!
While I shake my head and wag my finger at them, I find I
have three fingers pointing right back at me. Many times I have seen
God work in my circumstances and a few short days later I have
already forgotten about it and am fretting and complaining about
some problem that has come up.
I must constantly remind myself that if God is big enough to
get me through yesterday’s troubles, then He is big enough to get me
through today’s troubles too.
One way to remind yourself of these things is to keep a
journal of how God has helped you and sustained you through past
difficulties. Then when today’s troubles come, you can remind
yourself of God’s past faithfulness and you can then have confidence
that He is able to bring you through these troubles too.

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 31
Comfort

2 Corinthians 1:3- 4 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who
comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we
ourselves are comforted of God.

I love these verses! God is our Father of mercies and the

God of all comfort. What better place to find comfort than in God,
our Heavenly Father!
I think the best comfort of all comes from knowing that God
is the Father of mercies. Mercy is never earned and can never be
demanded. It ceases to be mercy in those cases. God in His mercies
sent Jesus to die for me and to save me from eternal punishment for
my sins. This gives me great peace in troubled times because it
shows me God loves me and God is good when I might be tempted
to doubt His goodness.. This doesn't give me a license to live and do
as I please. On the contrary, it compels me to do what He
commands me to do and to want to please Him out of love and
worship for the mercy He has bestowed on me.
How have you been comforted by God in difficult times?
Has God used people around you to comfort you? What has meant
the most to you in your trials? He has done this so that you can then
turn around and comfort others with the comfort He has comforted
you with.
Who do you know that needs comfort today? What can you
do to show them God’s love?

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What is God teaching me today?
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 Day 32
Hemmed in Prayer

Luke 5:15-16 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of
him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by
him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness,
and prayed.

Have you ever noticed that the busier Jesus became, the more
His priority of prayer becomes apparent? People were coming by the
crowds, making demands on His time. He could have easily stayed
and continued to serve their needs, neglecting His own need for
spiritual refreshment. Instead, he withdrew to a solitary place in the
wilderness and spent time in prayer before going back out into the
pressures of the people and the day. I find encouragement in this.
How often do we get so busy trying to get things done that
we begin to neglect the very thing that will help us through the
pressures of life? We forget to stop and pray. We don't take care of
our own spiritual needs so that we can better take care of the needs
of others around us. When I fail to spend time in God's Word and in
prayer, I find myself getting up tight more easily and being snappy
with my family. I am not able to take care of the needs of my family
as well when I am up tight. It brings to mind a little saying I've seen
in the past: "A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to come
unraveled."
It should be reworded to say, "A Christian hemmed in prayer
is less likely to come unraveled." Our day might come completely
unraveled even if we have prayed. All our best laid plans may go up
in smoke, but if we have hemmed ourselves in prayer, we will be
less likely to come unraveled when our day goes to pieces.
Jesus modeled this for us all throughout His life. When things
got tough, He got away and prayed. This didn't show weakness on
His part. It showed the absolute necessity of prayer and dependence
on our Heavenly Father to deal with the issues that come at us each
day. Of course, as the Son of God, in His Deity, He could have
easily plowed through the demands of the multitudes, performing
miracles and teaching non-stop if He so desired. But He didn't.
Instead He humbled Himself as a man and showed us by example

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how important it is to take time to get away from it all and pray no
matter how demanding our day is.
Have you hemmed yourself in prayer lately? Why not set
aside whatever you are doing right now and go spend a few minutes
in prayer and mediation on a scripture verse? See how it makes a
difference in your outlook during the day.

What is God teaching me today?

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 Day 33

Holy Smoke

Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord
sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and
with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.
And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and
the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst
of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the
LORD of hosts.

Our valley was filled with a dense smoke and a light dusting
of ash as a wildfire burned out of control an hour west of us. It was
anything but holy as it caused breathing difficulties for the ill,
elderly and those who worked outside. However, as I observed the
smoke, it reminded me of a song called "Holy Smoke" sung by a
favorite Christian group of mine. It is based on Isaiah's vision in
Isaiah 6. When the seraphims cried out in praise, "Holy, holy, holy,
is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” the house
was filled with smoke. The presence of the Lord filled that place.
God inhabits the praise of His people. Psalm 22:3 tells us,
"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Isaiah said, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a
man of unclean lips...for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of
hosts." True praise toward God will always result in a realization of
how holy He is and how unworthy we are to come before Him. It is
only through the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ that we can
become worthy enough to stand in His presence. Isaiah foreshadows
this when he talks about the garments of salvation and being covered
with the robe of righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul

shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the
garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of

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 righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with
ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Do you want the presence (Holy Smoke) of the LORD to fill

your house and life? Offer up praise to His name in spite of what is
going on in your life and the LORD will make His presence known
in your life.

What is God teaching me today?

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 Day 34
It's All About Him


 
 
 

 that the
abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to
the glory of God.

As Scholastic Books Coordinator for our local home school

group, I see all the titles of the books that are being peddled to our
nation's children. One caught my eye recently. The title was “It's All
About Me".
This focus fosters a mentality that says I am the center of the
universe and everything better go MY way. One could easily twist
the verse above to say that all things will go my way...otherwise how
can they be for my sake? I can see how one would read it that way
with the mind-set of today's society.
However, in context, “all things" in the verse above refers not
to everything that goes our way, but rather to all those things that
don't go our way. Listen to the verses that follow it:

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man
perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our
light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but
the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-
18)

Another verse that talks about "all things" is Romans 8:28-29.

And we know that all things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the called according to his
purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the
firstborn among many brethren.




Is it really all about me? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth,
and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." If I always
expect things to go my way, then I am not going the right way,
because Jesus is the way. It's all about Him. Romans 14:11 says,
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to
me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Also in 1 Corinthians
10:31 it says, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God."
Frank Sanatra sang a popular song that says, "I did it my
way..." This also fosters the idea that it's all about me. What many
people don't realize is that in the end we will all do it God's way
whether we want to or not. All will bow the knee to His name either
joyfully or in sorrow. Philippians 2:10-11 says, "That at the name
of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
No, it's not all about me. Let's remember it's all about Him.
May God give us the grace to give glory to Him every day.


 

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 Day 35
Lessons from Climbing the Lighthouse


Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have

apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which
are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I
press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus.



limbing the 93 foot tall lighthouse at Yaquina Head
in Newport, OR with enthusiasm and excitement. I wanted to reach
the top to see what the light looked like at the top and as see the view
from there. However, as I climbed higher and higher fear began to
set in. I looked down and saw how far down it was to the floor
below and the fear set me to clinging to the wall and hand rail with
both hands. I wanted to turn back, but I didn't want to be wimpy in
front of my children. So I took a deep breath, set my focus on what
was above me and continued to climb the stairs. I made it to the top
and was rewarded with a great view, my curiosity about the light
satisfied and the satisfaction that I really could overcome my fear
and do this!
As I have reflected on this experience, God has taught me
some things. In the Christian life, we must forget those things from
the past that hinder our progress toward the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus. In looking back at where I had been, fear set
in and hindered me in my progress toward the top of the lighthouse.
In our walk with God, the same thing can happen. We can look back
at our failures and fear can set in paralyzing us in our Christian
growth and progress toward the prize. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us God
has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound
mind. Put those things from the past that cause you to fear out of
your mind and focus on Christ and the prize awaiting you ahead.
Another thing I learned is that we must keep our eyes on the
prize. I took my eyes off the goal of reaching the top to look down
and it hindered my progress. The Bible tells us to reach toward
those things that are ahead--toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God. You can't move forward if you are looking

78
backward and worrying about what bad things might happen ahead
of you.
The third thing I learned is that we will have to endure some
suffering and pain if we are going to reach the prize. My leg
muscles began to feel achy by the time I got back to the bottom of
the spiral staircase. The next day I felt as if I could hardly walk. But
all the same, it was worth the goal achieved. We are going to go
through times of suffering and pain as we progress toward our
heavenly goal. Don't let that deter you from pressing on. Romans
8:18 says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are
not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in
us.”
Keep pressing on toward your heavenly prize....the high
calling of God in Christ Jesus!


 

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Day 36

The Lighthouse

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an
hill cannot be hid.

We were able to see the Yaquina Head Lighthouse at night
from our motel window. Lighthouses warned ship's captains of
danger on the seas and saved many from shipwreck.
Lighthouses are becoming a thing of the past as newer
technology takes over. Ships are using sonar and radar and other
methods of detecting danger on the seas and lighthouses are not
needed much anymore. It's sad to see these landmarks of safety
disappear from use. There are groups who are working to keep them
as beacons of our past for people to enjoy and I am glad for that.
As early as the 8th century B.C. bonfires were lit on top of
hills to guide the seafaring away from danger. Around 280 B.C. the
Egyptians built the first great lighthouse, called the Pharos of
Alexandria. It stood 450 feet tall and was the tallest structure in the
world at that time. The Pharos stood for 1600 years and was
presumed ruined in an earthquake.
While the Bible does not talk about lighthouses directly, it
seems to allude to the idea. The Psalmist says, “O send out thy light
and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill,
and to thy tabernacles." (Psalm 43:3)
As a college student, I spent time with a team of other
students going to the Portland Lighthouse Mission to minister to the
spiritual needs of the drunks and drug addicts who had made
shipwreck of their lives on the streets of Portland. I don't know how
many lives were changed by our ministry there. Only God knows. I
hope some day when I get to heaven one of those drunks will come
up to me and thank me for being a light. It will be only by the grace
of God.
The Bible says we are the light of the world. As lights in a
dark world we need to shine brightly and clearly. Many have
allowed worldliness to creep in and cloud their light so they are not
pointing the way to Jesus anymore. Many who profess to be
Christians look and act like the world around them and there is no


difference between them and the world. What has happened to their
lights? Are they becoming a thing of the past like the lighthouses are
today? Are they being snuffed out in favor of "newer technology"
(i.e. new "seeker friendly" methods and man-centered worship
instead of God-centered worship)?

Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask
for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein,
and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will
not walk therein. (Jeremiah 6:16)

How is your light today? Is it standing tall for Jesus? Is it

shining brightly? "Ye are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14)


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Day 37

Lessons from NASCAR


John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

  
  CAR racing.
The more I watch the races and read about them, the more I
appreciate what goes into it.
Each driver has spotters positioned around the track. The
spotters are in constant contact with the driver throughout the race.
They are able to see the track from a higher position and have an
over-all view of what all the other drivers are doing. I recently saw a
bad wreck on the race track where a driver was able to maneuver
right through the middle of the pile-up as his spotter told him what to
do. The announcer told us how the drivers must have good
relationships of trust in their spotters to give them good advice and
direction.
In the same race there was another bad accident where the car
spun out and hit the wall. Tuned into the camera in the car we could
see the driver with his head slumped forward, the car on fire and the
voice of the crew chief saying, "Are you ok? Talk to me! Talk to
me! You have to get out; your car is on fire!" Slowly, the driver
came to. Rescue workers were quick to put out the flames and get
him out. He was going to be ok.
I find parallels between racing and the Christian life. The
Bible says we are in a race. "Know ye not that they which run in a
race run all, but one received the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."
(1 Corinthians 9:24) God has given us the Bible--His truth--to guide
us through the pile-ups of life. We must be able to put our complete
trust in Him and what He says if we are to maneuver through the
difficulties of life and stay in one piece spiritually.
Sometimes life sends us for a loop and we hit the wall. We
are too dazed by the impact to pray. God is there waiting for us to
talk to Him. When we are too dazed to talk to Him, the Holy Spirit
takes over for us, much like those rescue workers did for the driver.
"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh


intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
(Romans 8:26)
What a comfort it is to me to know that God has given me
His truth to guide me through the tough times of life and the Holy
Spirit to help when I am too dazed to know what to pray! We need
to have complete trust in the revealed Word that He has so
graciously given us.

 is God teaching me today?

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8
Learning to Race

1 Corinthians 9:24 ¶ Know ye not that they which run in a race run
all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

  

 !" "#$ 

a long car trip and for the first time, I had to drive most of the way to
and from our destination. It was approximately an eight hour trip.
Driving long distance is not my favorite thing to do. It usually
terrifies me. But God gave me strength and peace about the drive
and I was able to do it and actually enjoy it. Of course, it's easier to
enjoy when you are behind the wheel of an Impala SS with a
Corvette engine under the hood and the car handles like a dream.
The Rocket was gifted to us by my father-in-law in his will.
When driving through freeway traffic where there is a cement
divider on my left and a semi-truck on my right, I tend to panic. If I
look at the truck beside me, I begin to steer toward the cement
divider on my left. Then I see I am getting too close to that and I
over-steer to the right toward the truck. It's a scary proposition. On
this trip, I learned something. When I am in this kind of situation, I
learned that if I stare straight ahead toward what is in front of me and
don't look to my left or to my right, I can easily pass the truck
without a panic.
The Apostle Paul says we are to run that we may obtain the
prize. He goes on to say “I therefore so run, not as uncertainly..." (1
Corinthians 9:26). I was "racing" with uncertainty when I was
allowing the truck on one side and the cement divider on the other to
terrify me. But when I began "racing" with my eye on the
destination ahead, I was no longer terrified by my circumstances.
Are you looking around at your circumstances, and allowing
them to put panic into you? There are so many ways this could be
applied. The Johnson’s home school is so much more perfect than
what I am doing. The next door neighbor keeps such a perfect
house. I can never measure up to that. Joe Blow has the perfect job
and family. Why can't I do that well? And it could go on. Does it
feel like things are closing in on you? Don't look at your
circumstances. Look up and look ahead toward your destination.


Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.
(Philippians 3:14)


 


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85
 Day 39

Race Car Drafting


    ly in all
wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love
and to good works:


 
%&'racing there is a technique called

drafting. This can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing depending

on how it is used, but I would like to focus on the good part of
drafting and how it is a good example of what we need to be doing
as Christians and how we need each other.
When a race car travels at a high rate of speed it has the
resistance of the air hitting it in front, and it forms a vacuum behind
the car. This slows the car down. In NASCAR, there are several
racers from the same team in a race. These team-mates need each
other and they work together so one of their team can win the race.
One way that they do this is by drafting. A team-mate will drive
very close to the back of the lead car in the vacuum created by it.
This cuts the drag the lead car gets from the vacuum and the
resistance the second car gets from the air hitting it in front. As a
result both race cars are able to go faster together then they could if
they were apart. The drafting team-mate is helping the lead car to
stay in the lead this way.
I see a parallel to the Christian life in the drafting technique
of NASCAR racers. They need each other to help keep up their
speed and stay ahead of the pack. The drafting racer is encouraging
and helping the lead racer along in his race for the win. In a similar
way, we as Christians need each other. The Christian life is not a
solo effort. There are times when we need our "team-mates" to
come along and draft behind us to encourage us along the way when
we might be getting discouraged and losing momentum. There are

86
also times when we need to be drafting behind another Christian
brother or sister to help them along when they need encouragement.
In NASCAR, if the members of a team all decided they
were going to do a solo act and try to out-do each other, they
probably wouldn't get a win for their team. They need each other
and must work together and so do we.
Can you think of someone today that needs a drafting partner
in their walk with God? Pick up the phone to encourage them or
write them an encouragement note today. Let them know you are
praying for them and ask if there is anything specific that you can
pray about. Do you need a drafting partner? Communicate that need
to a fellow Christian so that they can come along side in your time of
need. Let's encourage one another today.


 

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87
 Day 40

Let's Put the Fun Back in Dysfunctional


 !  All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of
a merry heart hath a continual feast.

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thought of it as saying the days of those who have afflictions and
sufferings are always evil because of what they must endure. They
have no control over how their days go because of physical ailments.
I never paid much attention to the second part of the verse. It says
he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. A merry heart is
something a person has control over. They can choose to be happy
and cheerful. It's something you have to work at, but you can
achieve a merry heart.
I began to realize that this proverb is simply stating the same
thought two different ways. It's speaking of the person's attitude
toward life in both statements. The person who is always afflicted is
the one who sees everything in life in a negative light. Nothing ever
goes their way. This verse isn't talking about the person who has
physical afflictions, although this person may very well have them.
It's the one who is always complaining. He/she has a poor me
attitude. All of this person's days are evil because nothing ever goes
right for them.
On the other hand, the person who makes a merry heart his
choice of attitude will look on the bright side of things, trying to find
the good even in bad circumstances. They have a continual feast of
good things because they make it a point to find the good in all the
circumstances of life.
What a challenge this is! Complaining about my
circumstances is bemoaning how evil my days are...poor me. It
takes work to find the positive side to things, but having a merry
heart is do-able and it makes life so much more fun! It takes way
fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown. Let's put the fun back
in dysfunctional!



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(
 Appendix

91


Twenty Biblical Purposes for Suffering



1. to make you perfect (mature)

2. to stablish you (set fast or firm)
3. to strengthen you (make you strong)
4. to settle you (get you to the place where you come to rest in Him)

 "#$ %


 
 

unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have
suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle
you.


)# %  *

%


 
 & ' 
!

that we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.


# 
*
+  

  
   ( $ 
     
  
ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God
which raiseth the dead:

7. to teach us patience & maturity

)
'es 1:3-4 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith
worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that
ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

92
 

8. to receive a crown of life for enduring

James 1: 12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for

when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him.

9. to be an example of patience to others like Job was

10. to experience the pity and tenderness of God's mercy

James 5: 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye

have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of
the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

11. to allow others the privilege of ministering to us

James 5: 14 Is any sick among you? Let him call for the
elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing
him with oil in the name of the Lord:

12. for praise, honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ

1 Peter 1: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more

precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with
fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ:

(,
13. for purification from sinful lusts
14. to give us a more God centered focus on His will

1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us

in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for
he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That
he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the
lusts of men, but to the will of God.

15. to be a partaker of Jesus' sufferings

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the

fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing
happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.


16. to learn patience which gives us proven character (experience)

17. that we might have hope because of God's love in our hearts by
the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations

also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And
patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope
maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

94
18. to teach us obedience

Hebrews 5: 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he

obedience by the things which he suffered;


-(#%   .

/

0  #

*!
 '  h he chasteneth, and

scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

 # for correction

)! +-18 Behold, happy is the man whom God

correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the
Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth,
and his hands make whole.

95