How to respond in times of trouble

In times of trouble say first, "He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place, in that I will rest."

Next, "He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child."

Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in the grace He means to bestow."

And last say, "In His good time He can bring me out again. How and when, He knows."

Therefore say, "I am here: by God's appointment, in His keeping, under His training, and for His time."

Success a breeding ground for ethical failure

"Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all to survive is prosperity." -- Oswald Chambers

Fear or Faith?

"Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable—and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God." - Harry Emerson Fosdick

The Effect of Worship

Richard J. Foster said, "If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy; it ends in holy obedience."

Fear imprisons, faith liberates ...

Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable—and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God.

-- Harry Emerson Fosdick

A Godly Response to Trials

"We may be frankly bewildered at things that happen to us, but God knows exactly what he is doing, and what he is after, in his handling of our affairs. Always, and in everything, he is wise: we shall see that hereafter, even where we never saw it here….Meanwhile, we ought not to hesitate to trust his wisdom, even when he leaves us in the dark."

"But how should we respond to baffling and trying situations when we cannot now see God's purpose in them? First, by taking them as from God, and asking ourselves what reactions to them, and in them, the gospel of God requires of us: Second, by seeking God's face specifically about them. If we do these two things, we shall never find ourselves wholly in the dark as to God's purpose in our troubles."

Peace of God in Trials

"There is nothing--no circumstance, no trouble, no testing--that can ever touch me until, first of all, it has gone past God and past Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with great purpose, which I may not understand at the moment; but as I refuse to become panicky, as I lift my eyes up to Him and accept it as coming from the throne of God for some great purpose of blessing to my own heart, no sorrow will ever disturb me, no trial will ever disarm me, no circumstance will cause me to fret, for I shall rest in the joy of what my Lord is." -- Alan Redpath, Victorious Christian Living, pp166