“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9
“The promise is ‘My grace is sufficient’ (2 Cor 12:9), not ‘My grace will abolish your thorns.’” –Elisabeth Elliot
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” -Hebrews 13:5
“Let us be as happy as we can during this year. You have your trials and troubles to come—do not expect that you will be free from them. Herein is your joy, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will never leave you nor forsake you.” -Charles H. Spurgeon, 1st Sunday of 1867
(HT: Dustin Benge on Twitter)
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 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: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” -1 Peter 1:6-9
“With God as our help, we must finish our journey with a great love for Christ and a joy that is inexpressible, even in the hardest times of suffering in life, knowing that God is sovereign and on the throne, and that He’s working all things together for our good and His glory.” -Pastor Steve Wainright (excerpt from Sunday Morning Sermon from 1 Peter 1:6-9)
“But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” -Job 23:10
“God does His deepest work in our darkest hours.” -A.W. Tozer
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” -James 1:2-4
The more you are tested, if your faith is genuine, the more your trust in the Lord grows. -Pastor Steve Wainright (excerpt from Sunday Morning Sermon “Sovereignty in Trials” from James 1:1-5)
“10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” -Hebrews 12:10-11
Discipline comes into our life for better or for worse. When trials come, it is up to you if you are going to get better from it and learn a lesson or if you are going to get worse.
-Pastor Steve Wainright (excerpt from Sunday Morning Sermon
“For Better or Worse” from Hebrews 12:7-11)
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” -Psalm 55:22
It is a heavy burden; roll it on Omnipotence. It is thy burden now, and it crushes thee; but when the Lord takes it, He will make nothing of it. If thou art called still to bear, “He will sustain thee.” It will be on Him and not on thee. Thou wilt be so upheld under it that the burden will be a blessing. Bring the Lord into the matter, and thou wilt stand upright under that which in itself would bow thee down.
Our worst fear is lest our trial should drive us from the path of duty; but this the Lord will never suffer. If we are righteous before Him, He will not endure that our affliction should move us from our standing. In Jesus He accepts us as righteous, and in Jesus He will keep us so.
What about the present moment? Art thou going forth to this day’s trial alone? Are thy poor shoulders again to be galled with the oppressive load? Be not so foolish. Tell the Lord all about thy grief and leave it with Him. Don’t cast your burden down and then take it up again; but roll it on the Lord and leave it there. Then shalt thou walk at large, a joyful and unburdened believer, singing the praises of thy great Burden-bearer.
[from Faith’s Checkbook by Charles H. Spurgeon]
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” -Hebrews 13:5
People do not need to be entertained or encouraged that this trial will pass. They need to be enamored with Jesus and assured that He will be with them no matter how long it lasts. -Garrett Kell via Twitter
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.” -Psalm 23:1-2
“If this New Year shall be full of unbelief, it will be sure to be dark and dreary. If it be baptized into faith, it will be saturated with benediction. If we will believe our God as He deserves to be believed, our way will run along the still waters, and our rest will be in green pastures. Trusting in the Lord, we shall be prepared for trials, and shall even welcome them as black ships laden with bright treasures.” -Charles H. Spurgeon
“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.” -1 Samuel 30:6
Encourage yourself in the Lord. Your circumstances may not change, but your attitude towards them will. -excerpts from Joshua Wilson’s Sunday Evening Sermon: “When All Else Fails” from 1 Samuel 30:1-6 (Listen here)
New Life Baptist Church 