A man of bad character will test how far you’ll go to take care of yourself.”
–Cliff Hudgins (Viejo and the Ranger)
“Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight.”
–2 Samuel 10:12 (NKJV)
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Ponder the following verse and see how it fits in today’s society…
“Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.”
–Proverbs 17:13 (NKJV)
All those who call themselves Christians but want to serve a watered-down Gospel need to hearken to this verse. It is dangerous to be playing around with the things that God calls evil. It is dangerous to become a partner with them. Your and your family are in danger if you do so. There is no place for compromise or complacency in the Kingdom of God.
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In times of trials, troubles, and adversity we need to trust upon God’s Word. Take a close look at Romans 8:28 and the words of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (taken from Walking With God)…
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
–Roman 8:28 (NKJV)
“…The ways in which this promise works out are almost endless; but the principle that is common to them all is that there is but one ultimate good–the knowledge of God and the salvation of our souls. Holding that in mind, we see that trials and tribulations work out in the following ways:
They awaken us to the fact of our over-dependence on earthly and human things. Quite unconsciously, oftentimes we become affected by our surroundings, and our lives become less and less dependent upon God, and our interests become more and more worldly. The denial of earthly and human comforts and joys often awakens us to the realization of this in a way that nothing else can do.
Our trials also remind us of the fleeting nature of our life here on earth. How easy it is to ‘settle down’ in life in this world and to live on the assumption that we are here forever… Anything that disturbs this sloth and reminds us that we are but pilgrims here therefore stimulates us to ‘set your affection on things above’ (Colossians 3:2).”
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David went through many and various kinds of storms in his life. Contemplate the following by David J. Strand.
“I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.”
–Psalm 55:8 (NKJV)
“…Storms will come into your life! The storm may be the fire of battle, the frustration of financial reverse, the plague of illness or injury (i.e. Covid-19), the sorrow of death, the suffering of separation, the trial of temptation.
You will seek shelter from the storm! You may seek shelter in financial security, in feverish activity of one sort or another, in some physical overindulgence designed to hide one from the reality of the storm. These shelters will fail and prove ineffective! Worse than ineffective, they will prove in themselves to be destructive to your total person.
‘As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me’ (Psalm 55:16, NKJV). This is the conclusion of the psalmist David as he sees the storm of adversity around him. God is the only Shelter that will stand against the inevitable storms of life.
Prayer: Eternal and unchangeable God, I call upon you to be my guide in every avenue of life, so that when storms come, I may know the location of your sheltering presence. Amen.”