“And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.”

In the history of all of the kings of Israel and Judah, there were no names more infamous than those of King Ahab of the northern kingdom of Israel, and his wife Jezebel. In 1 Kings 16:30-33 scriptures tell us, “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him. And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria. And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.”

One example of their godless behavior is told in 1 Kings 21. Ahab saw a nice vineyard next to his castle. It belonged to a man named Naboth. Ahab approached Naboth and offered him whatever he wanted to acquire the vineyard from him. Ahab offered him the value of the land in cash, or a comparable piece of land elsewhere. But Naboth refused these offers because the land was his inheritance from his forefathers, and the commandment of the LORD was that inherited land belonging to a family was to remain with that family. It was never to be sold.

Upon hearing Naboth’s answer, Ahab went back to the castle depressed and sad, and he laid down on his bed facing the wall, and refused to eat. Jezebel asked him why he was behaving like this, and he told her about Naboth. Jezebel rebuked Ahab, saying, essentially, “Who’s in charge here! You are the king!”

So, Jezebel plotted against Naboth, and sent a letter to the leaders of the city. She told them to call a fast, to give Naboth a place of prominence, to hire two liars to come and falsely accuse Naboth of blaspheming God and the king, and then to take Naboth out and execute him for his blasphemy. The city leaders did as Jezebel commanded them, and by the end of the day Naboth was dead. Jezebel then encouraged Ahab to take the vineyard he wanted since the owner of it was dead.

Because of these things the LORD sent Elijah the prophet to Ahab to prophesy the judgement of him and his family. The LORD promised that his family would be destroyed and that the dogs would eat Jezebel. The fulfillment of that prophecy is told in 2 Kings 9.

Ahab’s reaction to the words of the LORD through Elijah is recorded in the verses above. Ahab humbled himself. He, “…rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly…” Sackcloth, what we call burlap, is often mentioned in the Old Testament as a part of what people did when they humbled themselves. The LORD’s words to Ahab brought him to humility before the LORD.

Further reading in 1 Kings 21 and beyond reveal that Ahab was not turned away from his evil ways. The humility he exhibited was only because of the judgment that would come because of his dealings with Naboth. But God knew Ahab’s heart (Jeremiah 17:10), and acted.

But do not miss the glorious glimpse of God’s mercy that is revealed in these verses. “And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.” While the judgment would still come as the LORD had prophesied, it would not come immediately on Ahab because he humbled himself before the LORD.

Scripture often mentions the value of humility before the LORD. Consider, for example, 1 Peter 5:6, 7, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Or, Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

What a wonderful insight to God’s greatness the story of Ahab gives! What a glimpse of His personality! The example of Ahab reveals that God notices and acknowledges humility in even the basest of men. Praise Him for Who He is! Praise Him for His mercies!

Awake, my soul, to joy­ful lays,
And sing thy great Re­deem­er’s praise;
He just­ly claims a song from me;
His lov­ing-kind­ness is so free!

He saw me ru­ined in the fall,
Yet loved me not­with­stand­ing all;
He saved me from my lost es­tate;
His lov­ing-kind­ness, O how great!

Often I feel my sin­ful heart
Prone from my Je­sus to de­part;
And tho’ I have Him oft for­got,
His lov­ing-kind­ness chang­es not!

Then I shall mount and soar away
To the bright world of end­less day;
Then shall I sing with sweet sur­prise
His lov­ing-kind­ness in the skies. (Samuel Medley)

“And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.”

Paul is referring to the story of Abraham and Sarah, told in Genesis 18:1-15. Abraham was 99 years old, and Sarah was 90. When Abraham was 75, God spoke to him and promised him that He would make him a great nation, and make his name great. When Abraham was 86, God met him again and promised him that he would have a son through whom the whole world would be blessed.

In Genesis 18, God revealed that Sarah would be the one to bear Abraham the son that He had promised. But many years had passed, and Sarah was barren. With each passing year it may have seemed that God had missed His chance. And now they both were too old to have children. But God promised that He would come back according to the time of life and Sarah would have a son.

While it is not obvious in Genesis 18, in Romans Paul provided the insight that Abraham was not weak in faith when this happened. Paul listed the proofs of Abraham’s faith. First, he did not consider the deadness of his body, nor the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not let these facts cause him to doubt God. He did not stagger at the promise of God through unbelief. Second, Abraham was fully persuaded that, what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Abraham considered Who it was that had made the promise. While everything screamed, “Impossible!”, Abraham believed God.

Sarah had similar faith. We read in Hebrews 11:11 that, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” Her faith in God was the same as Abraham’s. She figured that God was good for His promise.

Imagine God making a promise like this to us, and under the conditions He made it to Abraham and Sarah. They did not stagger at the promise; they considered Him faithful that promised. Would we stagger? Would we trust Him? In Genesis 18:14 the LORD asked Sarah, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD?” This is an important question.

Jeremiah was told by the LORD to buy a parcel of land in Israel. At that time, Jerusalem was under siege and was about to be destroyed, and the people were going to be carried away to Babylon. So, Jeremiah prayed again to the LORD about buying the land. The LORD’s reply, recorded in Jeremiah 32:27, was, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

And, when Mary was told that she would have a son, she wondered how it could possibly happen, and questioned the angel. In Luke 1:37, the angel told Mary, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Abraham, Sarah, Jeremiah, and Mary all had faith in God, and were told that God was well able to do what He had promised that He would do. Faith is believing what God has said, no matter the circumstances.

Under what circumstances are you today? Are they out of God’s control? Hasn’t He promised to neither leave or forsake His people?

Now, because of Abraham’s faith in the LORD we are told in Romans 4:22, “…therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” Or, as Paul said in Galatians 3:6, “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Like all of mankind, Abraham was born with a sin nature, which wants nothing to do with God. That anyone could be made righteous by God is incredible because He is Almighty God, maker of the Universe. He is the offended party. But this was an action that God took for Abraham’s sake because he believed God. And, God acted so that any that will could come to Him and be made righteous. Paul told the Corinthians, “For God hath made Jesus to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). God spared not His Son so that He could be able to declare sinners to be righteous. As Romans 3:26 puts it, “…that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

David wrote in Psalm 32:1, 2, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity…” Given our sin nature, a standing like this before God is certainly beyond anything we could hope. But, trusting God is never a mistake because God is good and merciful and gracious. And He rewards them that trust Him, just like He kept His promises to Abraham, Sarah, Jeremiah, and Mary. “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!”

’Tis so sweet to trust in Je­sus,
And to take Him at His word;
Just to rest upon His pro­mise,
And to know, Thus says the Lord!

Refrain

Jesus, Je­sus, how I trust Him!
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
Jesus, Je­sus, pre­cious Je­sus!
O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Je­sus,
Just to trust His cleans­ing blood;
And in sim­ple faith to plunge me
’Neath the heal­ing, cleans­ing flood!

Refrain

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Je­sus,
Just from sin and self to cease;
Just from Je­sus simp­ly tak­ing
Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Refrain

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,
Precious Je­sus, Sav­ior, friend;
And I know that Thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

Refrain (Louisa M. R. Stead)

“Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.”

The second half of this verse is a concept that is often found in scripture. It is found in 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter about love. In verse 5 we read that love, “… thinketh no evil;”, which could be translated, “…doesn’t account evils done…” This fits with the last part of Proverbs 10:12. Imagine a relationship in which partners kept track of offences that were done by each other. How long would that relationship last? The more extreme an offence may be, the harder it may be to be forgiving of them. But, according to the verse above, love covers all sins.

One way to look at 1 Corinthians 13 is to consider that this is how God loves us! Verses 4-8 say, “Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:”. Think about each of these aspects of love from the perspective that it is how God loves us. To sum up, love covers all sins: all of our sins, great and small.

But, at the same time our sins are an offense to God. He has said that the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18), so what He says is the truth. God’s justice must be satisfied, too. It might seem that God has Himself painted into a corner. On one hand the Bible tells us that God is love (1 John 4:8). And on the other hand, we know that He must judge our sin. His justice must be satisfied.

His solution to the problem is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the sentence of death on our behalf so that God’s justice would be satisfied. His sacrifice was enough to cover all sin for all time. Not everyone believes that they need to be reconciled with God this way. They think they can satisfy God with their own good works. They also believe that what they do will make them right with God, and will give them access into God’s presence. But, if that could reconcile us with God, why did Jesus have to die?

Other scriptures reveal God’s love and care for His people, as described in Proverbs 10:12. His love covers a multitude of sins on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

In 2 Samuel 11 and 12 we read about David’s sins against Bathsheba and her husband. David was guilty of adultery and murder. The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David to reveal to him that the Lord knew what he had done. In 2 Samuel 12:13 we read, “And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” David admitted his sin, and Nathan gave him the astounding news that God had put away David’s sin. Isn’t it wonderful to see how God cares for His people? God’s love covered David’s sin on the basis of the sacrifice of Christ: God’s love covers all sins!

In Jeremiah chapters 1 to 45 we read about Israel rejecting God. Instead, they worshipped the idols of the nations around them. Time and again He appealed to them to leave their idols and follow Him instead, and they refused Him. And, He warned them about judgment for their idolatry. But, in chapters 46-52, God promised to restore them to Himself, describing what His blessing will look like, and judge the nations around them. In Jeremiah 50:20 we read, “In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.” The first 45 chapters list and reveal their sins. But in this verse, the Lord proposed that a search be made to discover the sins and iniquities of His people. He said that even though search would be made, their sins and iniquities would not be found; that there was nothing to find. Isn’t it wonderful to see God’s care for His people? God’s love covers all sins!

Zechariah 3 talks about a vision that Zechariah had of the high priest Joshua. In the vision, Joshua was standing before God. And, the enemy of our souls was standing at his right hand to accuse him. Since Joshua was in God’s presence, he had passed from this life, and was facing God at the end of his life. Is not it sobering to learn that the enemy of our souls was at that place while Joshua faced God, and was there to accuse him. Wonderfully, none of the words of the enemy are recorded. In Zechariah 3:2-4 we read, “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” See what God had done for Joshua? He gave him change of clothing, making him fit to stand in His presence, and He caused his iniquity to pass from him! Isn’t wonderful to see how God cares for His people? God’s love covers all sins!

For those that have Jesus Christ as their savior, the same words apply. He has caused our sins and iniquities to pass from us, His love covers all sins. Until we are in His presence, we will have struggles with sin, as Paul expressed in Romans 7:15-24, but our standing before God is unchanged. In Romans 8:1 Paul said, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” And scripture is clear that God lives in us, guiding us into all truth and giving us the ability we need to live lives that please Him. Isn’t it wonderful to see how God cares for His people? His love covers all sins.

All who reject the sacrifice of Christ remain under God’s wrath for their sin. Consider the awful price He paid to reconcile mankind with Himself. God died for us. What more would someone want Him to do? As Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” His love covers all sins.

Gone is all my debt of sin,
A great change is wrought with­in,
And to live I now be­gin,
Risen from the fall;
Yet the debt I did not pay—
Someone died for me one day,
Sweeping all the debt away—
Jesus paid it all.

Refrain

Jesus died and paid it all, yes,
On the cross of Cal­va­ry, Oh
And my sto­ny heart was melt­ed
At His dy­ing, dy­ing call;
Oh, His heart in shame was brok­en
On the tree for you and me, yes,
And the debt, the debt is can­celed,
Jesus paid it, paid it all.

Oh, I hope to please Him now,
Light of joy is on my brow,
As at His dear feet I bow,
Safe with­in His love.
Making His the debt I owed,
Freedom true He has be­stowed;
So I’m sing­ing on the road
To my home ab­ove.

Refrain

Sinner, not for me alone
Did the Son of God atone;
Your debt, too, He made His own,
On the cru­el tree.
Come to Him with all your sin;
Be as white as snow with­in;
Full sal­va­tion you may win
And re­joice with me.

Refrain (M.S. Shaffer)

“But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for He is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.”

These are the words of Jesus. The first part of the verse describe behavior that is rewarded by God. This is contrary to our nature, and can only be possible with God’s help. The latter part of the verse reveals an aspect of God’s nature. We are told that He is kind unto the unthankful and the evil.

There are few things in scripture that are directly stated to be God’s will. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” It is God’s will that we be thankful to Him regardless of our circumstances. There is much for which we can be thankful. On the other hand, speaking of mankind, Paul wrote in Romans 1:21, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…”. Jesus said in Luke 6:35 that God is kind to the unthankful.

How is He kind to the unthankful? Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, “… for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Sad to say, we have become accustomed to these blessings from God. Of course the sun rises every day! Of course there is rain for the crops! Of course! Jesus said that these things are sent by God and they come on the evil and the good and on the just and the unjust. This is what God promised to Himself. At the end of the flood God said in His heart “… I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake… While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:21, 22) By sending His rain God is keeping His promise to all of creation. And it comes on the evil and the good, the just and the unjust.

Jesus also said that God is kind to the evil. This is incredible to think about because all evil is against His law; it is an offense to Him. In Numbers 14:26, 27 we read, “And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.” The evil was in that the people of Israel murmured against Him. In the context, the LORD had lead them from Egypt to the land that He had promised them. When they got to the border, God told them to go in and take the land. But they refused because they feared the people in the land. God called their refusal to take the land, and their desire to return to Egypt, murmuring. They refused to believe Him.

In any case, in Numbers 14 the LORD called them an evil congregation. And Jesus said in Luke that God is kind to the evil. In what way was God kind to Israel? In Nehemiah 9:19-21 the priests of Nehemiah’s day rehearsed God’s history with Israel, and how they harkened not to His commandments. Then they said, “Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go… and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst… forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.” As they wandered in the wilderness, under His judgment, He continued to meet their physical needs, supplying food and water, and sustaining their clothes, and leading them in the way they went. He did not forsake them.

At the beginning of Luke 6:35 Jesus told His disciples, “But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest…” This came out of His teaching in Luke 6:27, 28, “… Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” Solomon used similar words in Proverbs 25:21, 22, “If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: for thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.” Paul quoted the words of Solomon in Romans 12:20. The teachings of Jesus, Solomon, and Paul, about how we are to treat our enemies, are the same. This is a challenge for anyone. Believers have the Holy Spirit living in them to give help in these things.

The things about God’s personality that were discussed above were used by Jesus in this verse to be the example for us. He is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. In other words, God is not expecting of us anything that He Himself is unwilling to do!

Awake, my soul, to joy­ful lays,
And sing thy great Re­deem­er’s praise;
He just­ly claims a song from me;
His lov­ing-kind­ness is so free!

He saw me ru­ined in the fall,
Yet loved me not­with­stand­ing all;
He saved me from my lost es­tate;
His lov­ing-kind­ness, O how great!

Thro’ migh­ty hosts of cru­el foes,
Where earth and hell my way op­pose,
He safe­ly leads my soul along;
His lov­ing-kind­ness is so strong!

Often I feel my sin­ful heart
Prone from my Je­sus to de­part;
And tho’ I have Him oft for­got,
His lov­ing-kind­ness chang­es not!

Then I shall mount and soar away
To the bright world of end­less day;
Then shall I sing with sweet sur­prise
His lov­ing-kind­ness in the skies. (Samuel Medley)

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”

Psalm 107 reveals the mercy of God. The first and last verses speak of it. The Psalm tells about four situations that show His mercy. These are in verses 1-8, 9-15, 16-21, and 22-31. In each, people found themselves in difficulties. In each, the people looked to God, and in each God delivered them. Each section ends with a note of praise to God.

In Psalm 107: 4,5, we read, “They (those who the Lord had redeemed from the enemy) wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.” This reminds of the wanderings of Israel after they left Egypt. They knew not where they were going, and needed food and drink. Continuing in verses 6 and 7 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.” Because they cried unto the LORD, God in His mercy provided them with what they needed and led them to where they were going.

Jesus said in Luke 12:27-30, “Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” He knows what we need! In Matthew 6:8 Jesus said that God knows what we need before we ask. Just as God in His mercy cared for wandering Israel, so can we trust Him, too.

In Psalm 107:10-12 God wrote, “Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.” Here we hear of those who are afflicted because they ignore God’s Words. Their hearts were brought down by labor, and when they fell down they had nobody to help them. These things God brought upon them because they ignored Him. Continuing, we read in verse 13 and 14, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.” Though they were in their troubles for ignoring God, He came to their aid when they asked. What mercy!

In John 8:12 we read, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” Those who follow Jesus do not sit in darkness because Jesus is the Light of the world. In Luke 4:4, Jesus, quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3, saying, “…It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” The real source of life is what God says, His words. Obeying Him is life. Ignoring Him brings labor and darkness.

Then in Psalm 107:17, 18 we read, “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.” This goes a step further from the previous. They ignored God’s word, so that they are in their iniquities, and are afflicted. Their souls were famished. They desired nothing of spiritual value. Continuing in verses 19 and 20 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” They appealed to God in their situation, and God heard and delivered them by sending to them back to the Word that they had ignored. Our souls are fed by spiritual food, God’s Word. Their relief came in paying attention to His Word and obeying Him.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” God’s word is what mankind needs to live lives that honor God. And again we see that God was ready to help when they asked. Again we see His mercy.

Psalm 107:24-27 says, “They that go down into the sea see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.” A storm on the sea is terrifying. The trials of those who do business in the see were so severe, the storms were so great, that they were like drunken men. Continuing in verses 28 to 30 we read, “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.” In this case, the trials are in the form of natural disasters which are beyond men’s control. In God’s mercy He is ready and able to help even in the storms.

 In Mark 4:37-39 we read, “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.” The sea is under God’s control, it calms at His command.

Verses 6, 13, 19, and 28 are identical and tell of the people turning to God; “Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.” It is astounding, and reassuring, to see that no matter their situation, He delivered them from out of their distresses when they cried to Him. In each of these four cases we read of God’s mercy, care, and deliverance for the people.

Verses 8, 15, 21, and 31 are also identical. These verses are appeals to praise God. All of mankind should praise God for His goodness and for His wonderful works on their behalf. Oh, that they would! It is said four times in this psalm. Israel, and by extension, mankind, have gotten themselves into difficulties by ignoring God. Yet He sends relief! He reconciled mankind to Himself through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God’s heart toward mankind is revealed. What mercy! What grace! What love! What praise is due to Him!

Spiritually speaking, mankind is wandering, under death, under sin, and beset by things that are out of our control. Ultimately, our only hope is to call upon God in our distresses. Psalm 107 reveals that God hears every feeble cry of dependence on Him, and works to deliver those that trust Him. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!

The writer ended the psalm with, “Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness (mercy) of the LORD.” This is Who God is. He rightly deserves praise from us, and He is merciful to us. It is wisdom to depend on God even in our failures. He is merciful!

God is good! I will not fear
The trials that await me here;
His promises are true and sure;
His Word forever must endure.

Refrain

O blessèd hope, O joy indeed,
His mercy covers all my need!
God is good! His love to me
Is broad and boundless as the sea.

God is good! His hand supplies;
I cannot need what He denies.
I’ll trust His love from day to day,
And follow where He leads the way.

Refrain

God is good! He will not fail,
Tho’ Satan’s fiery darts assail;
I trust His grace from hour to hour,
And do not fear the tempter’s power.

Refrain (Charles H. Gabriel)

“For the Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”

Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations during a dark time in the history of the kingdom of Judah and the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was under siege. Nebuchadnezzar surrounded the city with the army of Babylon and Jeremiah wrote Lamentations as a record of the happenings, enduring the siege with the other residents.

This difficult turn of events in Jerusalem was because of their idolatry; a violation of the first commandment. Time and again, through many prophets, the Lord warned them that He would judge them because of it. And every time they ignored His appeals. God’s patience lasted long, but the time came when His justice had to be satisfied. So, He sent Nebuchadnezzar to Jerusalem. This was necessary because they refused to obey His law. He told them that if they obeyed, they would live. But they had the same problem that all mankind has. Having a law to obey does not bring with it the ability to obey. In fact, having a law brings about in us all kinds of determination to disobey it. Paul teaches this in Romans 7. And from God’s own words, the soul that sins shall die.

In the middle of what he wrote, Jeremiah expressed an astounding realization about God’s character, which is recorded in Lamentations 3:19-36. Verses 22 and 23 tell us, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness.” The verses above are further insights into Who God is.

Verse 31 says that the Lord will not cast off forever. The words “cast off” could also be translated as forsake or reject. God’s intention with what He sent their way was for them to again look to and trust Him, not to eliminate them. As noted earlier, all the prophets spoke of God’s impending judgment for idolatry. But they all also spoke of Israel being restored to Him. In fact, they said that God would take in hand to restore them to Himself. Jeremiah may have had this in mind when he wrote the verses above. God would not cast off forever. And though at the time things looked dark and impossible, Jeremiah said things that were right about God.

This reminds of what Job said after receiving wave after wave of losses, all in a short time. Job 1: 20-22 tells us that, “…Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” He endured great difficulties, but in them he worshipped God, trusting Him, and did not blame Him for how things had gone. It is clear from reading the book that what had befallen Job had nothing to do with his lifestyle or bad choices. In God’s plan and sovereignty Job suffered. But he did not charge God foolishly. He trusted God.

Unlike Job, what Judah and Jerusalem endured were because of their sin against God. But praise the LORD for His faithfulness to them! Praise God that He would not cast off forever!

In Lamentations 3:32 Jeremiah said, “…but though He cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.” As noted, the grief He brought on Jerusalem was intended to get them to turn away from their idolatry and to look to Him. Their sin needed to be judged and the sentence carried out. But though He cause grief, yet would He have compassion. Verse 31 reveals that God is not brutal. Verse 32 reveals that He is compassionate and merciful. Lamentations 3:22 says, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

David wrote in Psalm 103:10, 11, “He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” Judah and Jerusalem were not consumed in their situation because God is great in mercy and compassion.

In our everyday lives events may come our way that seem to be as difficult as was the siege of Jerusalem. The Lord’s people still have the absolute assurance that He has neither left them not forsaken them. Death, divorce, illness, natural disaster are not out of God’s almighty control. Romans 8:28, 29 tells us, “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.” The Lord’s people still have the absolute assurance that, “…the Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.”

God moves in a mys­te­ri­ous way
His won­ders to per­form;
He plants His foot­steps in the sea
And rides up­on the storm.

Deep in un­fa­thom­able mines
Of ne­ver fail­ing skill
He trea­sures up His bright de­signs
And works His so­ver­eign will.

Ye fear­ful saints, fresh cour­age take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mer­cy and shall break
In bless­ings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by fee­ble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frown­ing pro­vi­dence
He hides a smil­ing face.

His pur­pos­es will rip­en fast,
Unfolding ev­ery hour;
The bud may have a bit­ter taste,
But sweet will be the flow­er.

Blind unbe­lief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own in­ter­pret­er,
And He will make it plain. (William Cowper)

“Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire…”

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is the most important event in the history of mankind. Through His sacrifice sinful men and women can be atoned, or reconciled to God. The disobedience of Adam and Eve put the nature of sin on all of their descendants. This has put us all at odds with God: under His justice, and bound for His judgment. Jesus bore the judgment that sinners deserve and satisfied God’s justice. His was a sacrifice with eternal consequences for all of mankind. All of the sacrifices that God gave to Israel in some way reveal the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The sacrifice described above is the burnt sacrifice which, the LORD told Moses, was to be wholly burned on the altar. All of it was for God. This reminds of Philippians 2 where we are told that the Lord Jesus Christ emptied Himself of His glory, and was obedient, to His Father, unto death, even the death of the cross. At Gethsemane He told His Father, Not my will, but thine be done. He gave Himself wholly to His Father in accordance with His Father’s will. Similarly, the burnt offering was wholly for God.

This sacrifice was to be a male without blemish. This is also a reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ. He spent three years living life around the people of Israel. Everyone saw that He was sinless. He always did that which pleased His Father. Nobody could blame Him or lay anything to His charge. By the end of three years of public scrutiny there was no evidence on which they could convict Him of any crime against God or man, not to mention end His life. He was not guilty, but He was hung on the cross anyway. “Let Him be crucified” is what they screamed against an innocent Man.

We also read above that the sacrifice was to be brought voluntarily. Once it was brought to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, the one who brought it was to lay his hand on the head of it, and he was to slay it. Putting his hand on the head of the animal identified him with the sacrifice. After killing the animal, he was to skin it, and cut it into pieces. This reminds of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ because the people beat Him, spit on Him, stripped Him of His clothes, flogged Him, drove a crown of thorns into His head, and hung Him on a cross. No matter what age He might have come, the reception would have been the same. Israel accused Him and gave Him a mock trial for crimes that He never committed. The Gentiles hung Him on the cross. All of mankind was guilty in the death of Jesus Christ. And as He hung in the darkness that day, He cried, “My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” In a mysterious moment, Jesus was forsaken by His Father in addition to the rejection of the people. In His death the Lord Jesus Christ took all the wrath that we deserve for the sin that we had committed. He was judged in our place, and He took what we deserved.

From here that which the Lord commanded Israel was different from the sacrifice of Christ. In the verses above, after the sacrifice was slain, flayed, and cut in pieces, the priests took it and burned it on the altar. By God’s command nobody was allowed through the door of the tabernacle of the congregation except for the priests. They were the ones that took the blood of the sacrifice and put it on the altar, and burned its pieces on the altar. These things were done before God: wholly for Him. The one who voluntarily brought the sacrifice was not allowed in, and did not witness the sacrifice. But the Lord Jesus Christ hung on the cross between heaven and earth in full view of God and mankind. Men walking by mocked Him as He hung there. Some sat and watched. His sacrifice was in plain view of all, outside of the city on the hill Calvary.

Hebrews 10:4, 10, 12, and 14 remind us, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins…, By God’s will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…, But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God…, For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified.”

Surely there is much more about Jesus that can be seen in these sacrifices. May these things encourage us in seeing Him in all of the Word!

Blest be the ev­er­last­ing God,
The Fa­ther of our Lord;
Be His abound­ing mer­cy praised,
His ma­jes­ty adored.

When from the dead He raised His Son,
And called Him to the sky,
He gave our souls a live­ly hope
That they should ne­ver die.

What though our in­bred sins re­quire
Our flesh to see the dust,
Yet as the Lord our Sav­ior rose,
So all His fol­low­ers must.

There’s an in­her­it­ance di­vine
Reserved against that day;
’Tis un­cor­rupt­ed, un­de­filed,
And can­not waste away.

Saints by the pow­er of God are kept
Till the sal­va­tion come;
We walk by faith as stran­gers here,
Till Christ shall call us home. (Isaac Watts)

“And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.”

At the end of Exodus 4, Moses and Aaron presented themselves to the leaders of Israel as the Lord commanded, and proclaimed God’s promise of deliverance for them. They did the miracles God had told them to do: “And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.” (Exodus 4:31) The deliverance they were hoping for was coming!

At the beginning of chapter 5 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and requested that Israel be allowed to go into the wilderness three-day’s journey to worship the Lord, and sacrifice unto Him. Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” (Exodus 5:2)

Pharaoh decided He that their request indicated idleness. So, he commanded that their tasks be made heavier. Pharaoh told their taskmasters to discontinue the supply of straw for their brickmaking. He also insisted that the number of bricks they produced not be any less despite the additional work. The leaders of the Israelites were even beaten when the number of bricks was less.

So, it looked as if it were all for nothing. Moses was sent by the LORD, and the people believed that He had sent him. They worshipped God for His promised deliverance. But now things were worse. Their work was harder, the leaders were beaten, and Pharaoh refused to let them go. The people came to Moses and complained about their situation. The verses above were Moses’ complaint to the LORD.

Consider what he said. “Wherefore has thou so evil entreated this people?” Their work was made harder, the leaders were beaten. Moses did everything that the LORD had told him to do. He went when the Lord said, he spoke the words that the LORD gave him, and he did the miracles that the LORD told him to do. But things were worse. With his question Moses revealed doubt of God, perhaps even accused Him.

Then Moses wanted to know, “Why is it that thou hast sent me?” He thought that God was mistaken to send him. He remembered that he told the LORD that he was not the right man for the job. Or perhaps he thought that it was a failing on his part that things turned out like they did.

Then he said, “…since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people…” This was something the LORD already knew. When Moses was given this task, the LORD said that Pharaoh would not let them go right away. Moses certainly had expectations about how God would do things. And this was not what he thought.

And Moses said, “…neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.” But God said that was what He would do. The LORD said that their deliverance from Egypt would be a process. He said that He would show all His might against them. So far, nothing had happened. Moses just made the first request.

As events proceeded in Exodus through the book of Joshua, we find that God did indeed deliver His people, God did indeed bring them to the land that He had promised. The trials they endured were part of what needed to be done to accomplish God’s complete plan for Israel. Romans 8:28, 29 reminds us, “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.” In addition, the LORD’s dealings with Israel were also His dealings with the nations. They, too, are being governed by God to bring glory to His own name (Genesis 15:16).

Interestingly, in Exodus 6:1, the very next verse after the two above, we find that the Lord did not even speak to the points that Moses raised. The LORD said “… Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.” God’s plan continued regardless of how things looked at that moment.

Moses’ challenge to God was that He had done evil to the people, that He had made a mistake in sending Moses, and that He did not keep His promise. Like Moses, are we confused about what God is doing? Have we had what seemed to be clear direction from Him, only to have things turn in an unexpected direction, or bring an unexpected result? Is it because we have expectations of God that are not realistic? Is God a person who has His own plans, in which He includes us? Will His plans bring results that only He knows?

Through all of this Moses ultimately learned that he could trust the LORD. And so will we.

Come, eve­ry soul by sin op­pressed;
There’s mer­cy with the Lord,
And He will sure­ly give you rest
By trust­ing in His Word.

Refrain

Only trust Him, on­ly trust Him,
Only trust Him now;
He will save you, He will save you,
He will save you now.

For Je­sus shed His pre­cious blood
Rich bless­ings to be­stow;
Plunge now in­to the crim­son flood
That wash­es white as snow.

Refrain

Yes, Je­sus is the truth, the way,
That leads you into rest;
Believe in Him with­out de­lay
And you are ful­ly blessed.

Refrain

Come, then, and join this ho­ly band,
And on to glo­ry go
To dwell in that ce­les­ti­al land
Where joys im­mor­tal flow.

Refrain

O Je­sus, bless­èd Je­sus, dear,
I’m com­ing now to Thee;
Since Thou hast made the way so clear
And full sal­va­tion free.

Refrain (John H. Stockton)

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

If there is one thing about which people want to know it is the future. Untold amounts of money are spent on fortune tellers or mediums, or other means to try to discern it. In the Bible, some were told specifics about their lives, such as Peter who was told how he would die (John 21:18, 19). Or, Paul who was told how great things he would suffer for the Lord (Acts 9:16).

One upcoming event, told in the verses above, is the coming of the day of the Lord. It will include the heavens passing away with a great noise, and the earth melting with fervent heat. The start of it all will be the removal of God’s people from the earth. Then the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign on the earth. One scripture in which His return was promised is found in Acts 1:10, 11 where we read, “And while (the disciples) looked steadfastly toward heaven as (Jesus) went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Starting with His return Jesus will reign on this earth for one thousand years. After that, the current heavens and earth will be burned up, as Peter tells it above, and be replaced with a new heavens and a new earth. In Revelation 22:13 Jesus said of Himself, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” John 1:3 tells us that without Jesus was nothing made that was made (He is the beginning). And in Revelation He said He is the ending. The end of all things described above will not come until He says it will. But it will come.

So, after His return to rule the earth, and after the thousand years, Jesus’ command to end the heavens and the earth will come. The verses above use graphic language to describe the event, “…the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat…” and verse 10 says that, “…the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Since it is impossible for God to lie, these events will certainly happen.

In verse 11, Peter asks the obvious question: “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness…” Knowing that He is coming back is not the important part of this passage. The important part is what are we going to do with that information? Having learned these promises, how will we order our lives?

This life is temporary. Even if we make it through our life before these things are dissolved, it will surely end for us. The things of the next life are eternal. Every one of us will face the Lord. Peter is appealing to his readers to be taken up with holy conversation and godliness while we live this life. Holy conversation, or holy behavior, is living in accordance with what God requires. The writer of Hebrews said, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” 1 Timothy 6:11 says, “But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.” Galatians 5:22, 23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” And Proverbs 16:6 says, “… by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” In the new heavens and new earth will dwell righteousness. Living like that now will have eternal impact!

The overwhelming might of God will come to bear on the current heavens and earth, and nothing will be left. Then He will put the new in place, as described in Revelation 21 and 22. Since this will all be dissolved, what kind of people ought we to be? May we determine to live for the glory of God. Even so, come Lord Jesus!

Lift up your heads, pil­grims awea­ry,
See day’s ap­proach now crim­son the sky;
Night sha­dows flee, and your Be­lov­èd,
Awaited with long­ing, at last draw­eth nigh.

Refrain

He is com­ing again, He is com­ing again,
The very same Je­sus, re­ject­ed of men;
He is com­ing again, He is com­ing again,
With pow­er and great glo­ry, He is com­ing again!

Dark was the night, sin warred against us;
Heavy the load of sor­row we bore;
But now we see signs of His com­ing;
Our hearts glow within us, joy’s cup runneth o’er!

Refrain

O bless­èd hope! O bliss­ful pro­mise!
Filling our hearts with rap­ture divine;
O day of days! Hail Thy ap­pear­ing!
Thy trans­cend­ent glo­ry for­ev­er shall shine.

Refrain

Even so, come, pre­cious Lord Je­sus;
Creation waits re­demp­tion to see;
Caught up in clouds, soon we shall meet Thee;
O bless­èd as­sur­ance, for­ev­er with Thee!

Refrain (Mabel J. Camp)

“For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: but even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.”

Paul here reminded the Thessalonians of the day that he came among them to minister the gospel. He referred to how he and Timothy and Silvanus were treated as they ministered in Philippi. The story is told in Acts 16 and 17.

These men were sent by the Lord to Macedonia, a state of the country of Greece. Having arrived, they came to Philippi. As they went about preaching the gospel, they were followed by a young girl who mocked the gospel. The scripture tells us that through the working of satan she had a spirit of divination: she was enabled to predict events. We are told that through this she was able to bring great gain to her masters. As her mocking continued many days, Paul, being grieved, rebuked the spirit, commanding it out of her in the name of Jesus.

The spirit having left her, she no longer was able to predict events as she once was. So, her masters were angry with Paul and the others because their source of income was ruined. They grabbed the men, took them to the marketplace, and lied about them to the leaders of the city. They falsely accused Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus regarding why they were there and what they were teaching. The leaders with the help of a crowd beat the men, and commanded that they be put into prison. The jailor put them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Through this series of events, the gospel was preached to the jailor and his family, and they were all turned to the Lord! We are told that the jailor washed the wounds they received in the beating, and ministered to them with a meal. In Acts 17 we are told that Paul and his companions then left Philippi and went to Thessalonica.

Having come to Thessalonica, they met with similar treatment, and were hurried out of the city. From there they went to Berea. When the people of Thessalonica heard that he was there, they sent people to stir up that city against Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy.

Sometime later Paul wrote this letter to the people in Thessalonica. In the verses above he reminded them of these events. Paul had endured great affliction bringing the gospel to them. In 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 7 Paul wrote, “And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.” Now, the people of Thessalonica endured affliction because of the gospel. Paul’s intent in reminding them of his own afflictions was to encourage them to continue in the gospel, even in their afflictions.

The wonderful example of Paul is worth considering. After the treatment he received, beating and prison, mocking and lies spoken about him, and all in the context of going where the Lord had sent him, Paul continued to preach to the Thessalonians. He was not silenced, he continued preaching the gospel. The abuses did not deter him. Above he said they were “…bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.”

These things occur to this day. All believers have and do endure afflictions to varying degrees for their testimony in the gospel. Some have endured imprisonment like Paul. Some have endured mocking or shunning. Some have endured death. Jesus said that if the world hates us, we should remember that it hated Him, too. In fact, in Luke 6:22, 23, Jesus told His disciples, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

Though “…no chastening for the present seems joyous, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12:11). As we go in service for the Lord, even under His clear direction as Paul did, we endure what the world might bring against us. But we must not let these afflictions deter us from service, just like Paul. He was bold in God to speak the gospel. We must serve God no matter events, knowing and trusting that He will glorify Himself in us!

Simply trust­ing ev­ery day,
Trusting through a stor­my way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Je­sus, that is all.

Refrain

Trusting as the mo­ments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him what­e’er be­fall,
Trusting Je­sus, that is all.

Brightly does His Spir­it shine
Into this poor heart of mine;
While He leads I can­not fall;
Trusting Je­sus, that is all.

Refrain

Singing if my way is clear,
Praying if the path be drear;
If in dan­ger for Him call;
Trusting Je­sus, that is all.

Refrain

Trusting Him while life shall last,
Trusting Him till earth be past;
Till with­in the jas­per wall,
Trusting Je­sus, that is all.

Refrain (Edgar P. Stites)