Perpetual Calm Matthew 6:31-34 Ephesians 2:11-18 Philippians 4:4-7 Galatians 5:22-23 Psalms 119:165 Isaiah 32:17 John 14:25-27 John 16:33 2 Thessalonians 3:16 01.29.21

 

PERPETUAL CALM

BREAD

³¹ “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”   Matthew 6:31-34 (NIV)

 

¹¹ Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)-- ¹² remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵ by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷ He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.  Ephesians 2:11-18 (NIV)

 

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

 

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.   Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)

 

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.  Psalms 119:165 (NIV)

 

¹⁷ The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.  Isaiah 32:17 (NIV)

 

²⁵ “All this I have spoken while still with you. ²⁶ But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  John 14:25-27 (NIV)

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33 (NIV)

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.   2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NIV)

 

BUTTER

 

“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inward peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.  Commend all to God, and then lie still and be at rest in His bosom.  Whatever happens, abide steadfast in a determination to cling simply to God……Maintain a holy simplicity of mind, and do not smother yourself with a host of cares, wishes, or longings, under any pretext.”     St. Francis de Sales 

 

“Hudson Taylor was an object lesson in quietness.  He drew from the bank of heaven every farthing of his daily income – ‘My peace I give unto you.’  Whatever did not agitate the Saviour or ruffle His spirit, was not to agitate him.  The serenity of the Lord Jesus concerning any matter, and at its most critical moment, was his ideal and practical possession.  He knew nothing of rush or hurry, or quivering nerves or vexation of spirit.  He knew that there is a peace passing all understanding and that he could not do without it…Christ his reason for peace, his power for calm.  Dwelling in Christ, he drew upon His very being and resources, in the midst of and concerning the matters in question.  And this he did by an attitude of faith as simple as it was continuous.”    Dr. & Mrs. Howard Taylor    

“Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes.  We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities…When the Lord arises, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns.  Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and His truth may make the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn.  Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when He dresses Himself in arms, where are His enemies?  The kingdom is safe in the King’s hands.”  Charles H. Spurgeon

“All disquiet of mind ariseth from our own lusts and unmortified tempers, which make the bosom like a troubled sea.  And no settled calm shall we find till we have a single eye to God’s glory, and can count ourselves worthy of no good.  Then we may draw comfort out of trouble, and learn to praise the Lord, both for what he giveth, and for what he taketh away;  being sure that all things are working for our good, and tending to God’s glory, which he knows best how to promote; and that nothing but sin can make us unhappy and miserable.”    K. H. Von Bogatzky

“Jesus is the Word made flesh and in Him is perfect peace – a state of untroubled, undisturbed well-being.   Therefore, as His followers we are to encourage one another, in the midst of life’s chaos and storms, with the living and powerful Word of God.  As our Lord did, He spoke the Word and calmed the sea.  Just as it was true then, it is still true today – His Word calms and He can speak it even through a donkey.  His Word is alive and active and sharper than any two-edged sword.  It is able to divide soul and spirit, joint and marrow.  It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.  It is not to be merely idle words for us as Moses told the Israelites, it is to be our life.  God’s Word is a balm for every needy soul – and truly, what soul isn’t needy?”   BHY  

“I have spent more of my time trying to control the crazy on the outside than I have working toward creating calm on the inside.”   Nicole Johnson

“The glitzy lights of this world are no match for the True Light of Jesus which shines forth through every believer.  While certainly louder and touting the promise of satisfaction, the world fails miserably in its offer of continued contentment, joy and peace.  Like the drug addict, all the world does is keep one longing for more.  With Christ there is no wanting.  He is the Living Water which totally fills the cup.  Daily be filled with Him and everything else is merely a cherry on top.”  BHY

“In Hebrew, the word for ‘peace’ is shalom—a far more meaningful word. Shalom means complete well-being—not just a feeling of mental or emotional clarity. It means being complete, being whole, and lacking nothing. It settles unrest; it fills the empty. Wherever Jesus went on earth, He brought wholeness. The blind saw. The sick were healed. The storms were calmed. The sinful repented.”    Michael Youssef

“The scientist tells us that in the upper atmosphere there are no storms or tempests.  These are found only in the lower region.  Sense lives in the lower region with nothing but storms and vexations.  By faith we can live in the upper region resting in the Lord Jesus Christ.  There we might enjoy a perpetual calm.”   Matthew Mead

“Peace is more precious than perfection.”  Anonymous 

“The ‘pure in heart’ are those who have had their sins forgiven and are resting in the merits of Christ’s efficacious blood shed on the cross on their behalf.  They are those who, clothed in Christ’s righteousness, rest secure in Him.  It is only they who are bestowed upon the peace that passes all understanding.”  BHY

 

“God’s Word to you is never a passing word or line — God’s Word is your very lifeline. In tumultuous times, there is only one voice that can calm seas.”  Ann Voskamp

 

“God alone can bless His people, keep them, look on them with favor (make His face shine and turn His face toward them), be gracious to them, and give them peace.”  The Bible Knowledge Commentary

“Peace comes not from the absence of trouble, but from the presence of God.”  Alexander Maclaren

HEART SAVOR

• ·         The peace of God transcends all understanding.
• ·         Great peace comes to those who love God’s Law and nothing can make them stumble.
• ·         Jesus still calms our storms with His Word.  Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

 

He Keeps Watch Upon His Own Psalms 23:1-6 Psalms 1:6 Psalms 33:12-15 Psalms 33:18 Psalms 34:15 Matthew 6:25-34 Psalms 121:1-8 Psalms 145:17-20 Zephaniah 3:17 Deuteronomy 33:12 Deuteronomy 33:27 01.27.21

 

HE KEEPS WATCH UPON HIS OWN

BREAD

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. ² He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, ³ he restores my soul.  He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  ⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  ⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  Psalms 23:1-6 (NIV)

 

⁶ For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.   Psalms 1:6 (NIV)

 

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. ¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; ¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.  Psalms 33:12-15 (NIV)

 

¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.  Psalms 33:18 (NIV)

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.  Psalms 34:15 (NIV)

 

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ?  ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

 

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills--where does my help come from?  ² My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.  ³ He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber; ⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  ⁵ The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; ⁶ the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.   The LORD will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life; ⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.   Psalms 121:1-8 (NIV)

¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. ¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. ¹⁹ He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. ²⁰ The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.   Psalms 145:17-20 (NIV)

 

¹⁷ “The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”  Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

 

“Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.”   Deuteronomy 33:12 (NIV)

²⁷ The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)

 

BUTTER

 

“You are His peculiar care, His royal treasure that He guards as the apple of His eye, His vineyard over which He watches day and night. ‘Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.’⁶ Let the thought of His special love to you be a spiritual painkiller, a soothing balm to your woe: ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you.’⁷ God says that just as much to you as to any saint of old. ‘Fear not . . . I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’⁸ We lose much consolation by the habit of reading His promises for the whole Church instead of taking them directly home for ourselves.”  C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

 

“Watch over thy child, O Lord, as his days increase; bless and guide him wherever he may be, keeping him unspotted from the world. Strengthen him when he stands; comfort him when discouraged or sorrowful; raise him up if he fall; and in his heart may thy peace which passeth understanding abide all the days of his life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”    Thomas Cranmer

“O the deep, deep love of Jesus.  Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!  Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!  Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love, leading onward, leading homeward, to my glorious rest above!   O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!  How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, never more!   How He watches o’er His loved ones, died to call them all His own; how for them He intercedeth, watcheth o’er them from the throne!  O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!  ‘Tis an ocean full of blessing, ‘tis a haven giving rest!  O the deep, deep love of Jesus, ‘tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me; and it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!”   Samuel Trevor Francis 

 “We are never beyond the Shepherd’s eye. In our sorrows He observes us incessantly, and not a pang escapes Him; in our toils He sees all our weariness, and writes in His book all the struggles of His faithful ones. These thoughts of the Lord encompass us in all our paths and penetrate the innermost regions of our being. Not a nerve or tissue, valve or vessel of our bodily organization is uncared for: all the littles of your little world are thought of by our great God.”   Charles Spurgeon

“No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you; Lean weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.”  Civilla D. Martin

“If the Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient God is on our side, as His child, seriously, what do we have to fear?  He, Who loves us with an everlasting love, Who ever has His eye upon us for our good, Who never leaves us nor forsakes us, Who not only died to save us but has also given us the Grand Deposit of the precious Holy Spirit to empower us to walk in a manner worthy of our high calling all the way Home – this God, this very God is for us and not against us.  No matter what the circumstances of your life may be bellowing out.  The world shouts fear while God whispers peace.  He will never let the righteous fall and we can trust Him with our lives and with the lives of all we love and hold dear.”  BHY 

“How can we but love Him when we know that He numbers the very hairs of our head, marks our path, and orders our ways?  Specially is the great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive He is, not merely to the temporal interests of His creatures, but to their spiritual concerns.  Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both.  When a tear is wept by thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, ‘Like a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.’  Thy sigh is able to move the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline His ear unto thee; thy prayer can stay His hand; thy faith can move His arm.  Think not that God sits on high taking no account of thee.  Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet the Lord thinketh upon thee.  For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.”   Charles H. Spurgeon   

“How shall we get a good conscience?  Take heed of every sin, and do not count any small.  Renew repentance every day, being serious and frequent in heart examinations.  Live as under God’s eye.  All things are bare before Him.  Be much in secret prayer.  Consider every action as a part of your life purpose.  Enjoy Christ more and entertain good thoughts of God.  Whatever you do, do it out of love for God.”  Samuel Annesley

 

“They who persevere in the power of the Holy Spirit doing God’s will for His glory will not be want of success.  Even in what appears to be failure in the world’s eyes, it is success in the Lords. For He allows nothing to happen to His children which will not eventually be for their ultimate good and His ultimate glory – never one surpassing the other.  Continue on Christian in His power.  God will be no man’s debtor.  Be strong and firm then and wait on the Lord.  ‘¹³ I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. ⁴ Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.’”   Psalms 27:13-14 (NIV)   BHY

 

“I am come to find you wherever you may be.  I will look for you till the eyes of My pity see you.  I will follow you till the hands of My mercy reach you, and I will still hold you…to My heart.”   Charles H. Spurgeon

“If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear.  His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer, His grace sufficient, His promise unchangeable.”  John Newton

HEART SAVOR

·         The Lord watches over us for our good.

·         His ears are attentive to our prayers.

·         He strengthens those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. 

 

 

 

 

Strengthen Your Faith Hebrews 11:1-2 Psalms 25:3-5 Hebrews 11:32-40 Mark 9:20-24 2 Chronicles 20:12 2 Chronicles 20:15 1 Peter 1:3-9 Jude 1:3-7 Luke 22:31-32 Colossians 2:6-8 01.25.21

 

STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH

BREAD

¹ Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for.  Hebrews 11:1-2 (NIV)

 

³ No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse. ⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; ⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalms 25:3-5 (NIV)

 

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. ³⁵ Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. ³⁷ They were stoned ; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. ³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. ⁴⁰ God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.  Hebrews 11:32-40 (NIV)

 

²⁰ So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Jesus asked the boy's father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. ²² “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”  ²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”  ²⁴ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”  Mark 9:20-24 (NIV)

 

¹² “O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.”  2 Chronicles 20:12 (NIV)

 

This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. for the battle is not yours, but God’s.  2 Chronicles 20:15 (NIV)

 

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, ⁹ for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.  1 Peter 1:3-9 (NIV)

 

³ Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. ⁴ For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. ⁵ Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. ⁷ In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.  Jude 1:3-7 (NIV)

³¹ “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. ³² But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”  Luke 22:31-32 (NIV)

⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.  Colossians 2:6-8 (NIV)

 

BUTTER

“To learn strong faith is to endure great trials.  I have learned my faith by standing firm amid severe testings.”  George Mueller

“Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes.  We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities…When the Lord arises, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns.  Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and His truth may make the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn.  Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when He dresses Himself in arms, where are His enemies?  The kingdom is safe in the King’s hands.”  Charles H. Spurgeon

“As a weak limb grows stronger by exercise, so will your faith be strengthened by the very efforts you make in stretching it out toward things unseen.”   James Aughey

“Truth and love are the characteristics which build up the church, especially in association with each other. Yet this combination is rare in the contemporary church. Some leaders are great champions of the truth and anxious to fight for it, but display little love. Others are great advocates of love, but have no equal commitment to truth...Truth is hard if it is not softened by love and love is soft if it is not strengthened by the truth."   John Stott

“Let me carefully mark the inward workings of thy grace, and the outward tokens of thy providence, so as daily to have a true sense of thy gracious presence in every thing, more or less important; and thereby to be ever strengthened in faith, and kept in a composed state of mind; considering that nothing happens by mere chance, but all is wisely ordered by thy providential care to our good; firmly believing, if anything goes contrary to expectation, that something better will follow in its stead, if we only can be quiet, and wait the time.”  K.H. Von Bogatzky

“Let me carefully mark the inward workings of thy grace, and the outward tokens of thy providence, so as daily to have a true sense of thy gracious presence in every thing, more or less important; and thereby to be ever strengthened in faith, and kept in a composed state of mind; considering that nothing happens by mere chance, but all is wisely ordered by thy providential care to our good; firmly believing, if anything goes contrary to expectation, that something better will follow in its stead, if we only can be quiet, and wait the time.”  K.H. Von Bogatzky

“For the child of the King, it is such blessing to walk with God “in the cool of the day” free from worry, anxiety and fear.  He Who loves us with an everlasting love, Who rejoices over us with singing, Who covers us with His feathers and under Whose wings we find refuge is our security in this fallen and very, very difficult world – the land of dragons.  He doesn’t remove our trials, He bestows grace sufficient to meet our needs and by the difficulty, through His power, our faith is strengthened and a harvest of righteousness and peace is produced in our lives.  He is always faithful in this task.  Don’t flee from Him when troubles come our way (even by our own doings) rather run to Him.  He’s calling you.”  BHY   

“Dear Lord, we don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on You. You tell us our prayers will make a difference. We don’t need to know how, we don’t need to know when—just please give what we need when we need it. You are wiser, stronger, and so much more compassionate than we can conceive. We praise You for who You are. We praise You for what You have promised to do for us. Forgive us for taking our eyes off of You. Increase our faith and go before us to vanquish every enemy. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”  Cathe Laurie

“The trials that come from God are sent to prove and strengthen our graces and immediately illustrate the power of divine grace, to test the genuineness of our virtues and to add to their energy. Our Lord in His infinite wisdom and superabundant love sets such a high value upon His people's faith that He will not protect them from those trials by which faith is strengthened. You would never have possessed the precious faith that now supports you if the trial of your faith had not put you through the fire.”   C. H. Spurgeon revised by Alistair Begg

“As we look back to our pains and sufferings, we shall see that suffering is not worthy to be compared to our first night’s welcome home in heaven.  If we could smell of heaven and our country above, our crosses would not bite us.  Lay all your loads by faith on Christ, ease yourself, and let Him bear all.  He can, He does, and He will bear you.”  Samuel Rutherford

 

“Is not God also willing to give us victory as the saints from the past who by faith trampled the world’s pomp and glory, subdued temptations, stopped the mouths of lionlike lusts as did Abraham, Moses and other worthies?  Does not the same blood and spirit run in the veins of all believers?  Will they be victorious but I only a slave to corruption?  O my soul, prove yourself like these holy men by your victory over the world.  Go and touch Christ by faith that virtue may flow from Him to your soul and quench the fiery darts of temptation.”  William Gurnall

“The scientist tells us that in the upper atmosphere there are no storms or tempests.  These are found only in the lower region.  Sense lives in the lower region with nothing but storms and vexations.  By faith we can live in the upper region resting in the Lord Jesus Christ.  There we might enjoy a perpetual calm.”   Matthew Mead

HEART SAVOR

• ·         Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
• ·         Faith enables us to rest secure in Him in a perpetual holy calm even though our circumstances are anything but that.
• ·         “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”