"Salvation is from our side a choice, from the divine side it is a seizing upon, an apprehending, a conquest by the Most High God. Our "accepting" and "willing" are reactions rather than actions. The right of determination must always remain with God."

- A. W. Tozer (1897-1963) American Pastor and Missionary]

THE GRACE OF GOD AND SALVATION

"The grace of God hath power to bring salvation to all men, and if a man is unsaved it is because he wants to work it out; he wants to receive salvation in some other way than God's way; but we are told that "he that climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber."

- D. L. Moody (1837-1899) American Evangelist, Teacher and Preacher

I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE GOSPEL

"Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain."

-  1 Corinthians 15:1-2

YOU COULD NOT BE SAVED THROUGH ANY EFFORT OF YOUR OWN

"You could not be saved through any effort of your own, but now that you are saved it is necessary for you to put forward every effort you can to glorify Him."

- Harry Ironside (1876-1951) American Bible Teacher

ONLY TWO THINGS OF WHICH I AM SURE

"When I was young, I was sure of many things; now there are only two things of which I am sure: one is that I am a miserable sinner; and the other, that Christ is an all-sufficient Savior. He is well-taught who learns these two lessons."

John Newton (1724-1807) Slave Trader Turned Preacher

THE CONVERSION OF THE SOUL

"The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, but the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime."

- Alan Redpath (1907-1989) British Bible Teacher and Minister

FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."

- Romans 1:16

LET ME ADDRESS ALL OF YOU

"And now let me address all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to accept of mercy and grace while it is offered to you; Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation; and will you not accept it, now it is offered unto you?"

- George Whitefield (1714-1770) Church of England Evangelist

THE GOSPEL IN NATURE

"God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars."

- Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Religious Reformer

PREACH THE GOSPEL TO ALL CREATION

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

- Mark 16:15

TAKING THE GOSPEL SERIOUSLY 

"Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me, saying, 'Leonard, you took Me too seriously?"

- Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994) English Christian Minister 

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GIVE AN ANSWER TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS 

"But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect."  

- 1 Peter 3:15

I CALLED, YOU ANSWERED ME   

"On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased."  

- Psalm 138:3

HE ANSWERED ME  

"I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears."  

- Psalm 34:4

CALL TO ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU 

"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."  

- Jeremiah 33:3

THE LORD ANSWERED ME  

"Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free."  

- Psalm 118:5

WILL HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT   

"There is no man living that can do the work that God has got for me to do. No one can do it but myself. And if the work aint done we will have to answer for it when we stand before God's bar."  

- D. L. Moody (1837-1899) American Evangelist, Teacher and Preacher

A GENTLE ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH   

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." 

- Proverbs 15:1

JESUS ANSWERED, TRUELY, I SAY UNTO YOU  

"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."  

- John 3:5

CHRISTIANS FAIL TO GET ANSWERS  

"I think Christians fail so often to get answers to their prayers because they do not wait long enough on God. They just drop down and say a few words, and then jump up and forget it and expect God to answer them. Such praying always reminds me of the small boy ringing his neighbor's door-bell, and then running away as fast as he can go."  

- E. M. Bounds (1835–1913) American Clergyman, Author

WHEN HE DOES NOT ANSWER OUR WISHES  

"We must not think that [God] takes no notice of us, when He does not answer our wishes: for He has a right to distinguish what we actually need."  

- John Calvin (1509-1564) French Theologian

THE ANSWERS ARE ALWAYS COMING 

"I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the answers are always coming. Thousands and tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right and for the glory of God, I go on praying for it until the answer comes. George Mueller never gives up!"  

- George Mueller 1805-1898) English Evangelist and helper of Orphans

HE SOMETIMES KEEP US WAITING LONG 

"Jesus hears us, and in His own good time will give an answer... He may sometimes keep us long waiting...but He will never send us empty away."  

- J. C. Ryle (1816-1900) English Anglican Bishop 

GOD DOES NOT EXIST TO ANSWER OUR PRAYERS 

"God does not exist to answer our prayers, but by our prayers we come to discern the mind of God."  

- Oswald Chambers (1874–1917) Scottish Evangelist and Teacher

WHOEVER CLOSES HIS EAR  

"Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered."  

- Proverbs 21:13

AND JESUS ANSWERED THEM

"And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray."  

- Matthew 24:4 

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” - Psalm 34:19 

THE WORD: AFFLICTION

The word used in this passage for affliction "ra" pronounced "rah," and occurs 666 times in 623 verses in the WLC Hebrew. 

רַRaʻ, rah; from STRONGS H7489 ; bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral):—adversity, affliction, bad, calamity, displease (-ure), distress, evil (-favouredness), man, thing), + exceedingly, × great, grief (-vous), harm, heavy, hurt(-ful), ill (favoured), + mark, mischief(-vous), misery, naught(-ty), noisome, + not please, sad(-ly), sore, sorrow, trouble, vex, wicked (-ly, -ness, one), worse (-st), 

wretchedness, wrong. (Including feminine raaah; as adjective or noun.) 

If you are going through an affliction today draw near to Him who comfort us in our afflictions (2 Cor 1:4).

KING GUSTAVUS OF SEWDEN PASSES THROUGH A VILLAGE

Gustavus IIL, King of Sweden, passing one morning through a village in the neighborhood of his capital, observed a young peasant girl, of interesting appearance, drawing water   fountain by the wayside.  He went up to her and asked her for a draught (drink).  Without delay she lifted up her pitcher, and, with artless simplicity, put it to the lips of the monarch.  Having satisfied his thirst, and courteously thanked his benefactress, he said, my girl, if you would accompany me to Stockholm, I would endeavor to fix you in a more agreeable situation."

"Ah, sir, replied the girl, "I cannot accept your proposal. I am not anxious to rise above the state of this life in which the providence of God has placed me; but even if I were, I could not for an instant hesitate."

"And why?" rejoined the king, somewhat surprised.

"Because," answered the girl, colouring (blushing), "My mother is poor and sickly, and has no one but me to assist or comfort her under her many afflictions; and no earthly bribe could induce me to leave her or neglect the duties which affliction requires from me."

"Where is your mother?" asked the king. 

"In that little cabin," replied the girl, pointing to a wretched hovel (dwelling) beside her.

The king, whose feelings were interested in favour of his companion, went in, and beheld stretched on a bedstead, whose only covering was a little straw, and aged female, weighed down with years, and sinking under infirmities.  Moved at this sight, the monarch addressed her, "I am sorry, my poor woman, to find you in so destitute and afflicted a condition."

"Alas! sir," answered the venerable sufferer, "I should be indeed to be pitied, had O not that kind and attentive girl, who labours to support me, and omits nothing she thinks can afford me relief.  May a gracious God remember it to her for good!" she added, wiping away a tear.

Never, perhaps, was Gustavus more sensible than at that moment of the pleasure of occupying an exalted station.  The gratification arising from the consciousness of having it in his power to assist a suffering fellow creature almost over-power him, and putting a purse into the hand of the villager, he could only say, "Continue to take care of your mother; I shall soon enable you to do so more effectually.  Good-bye, my amiable girl, you may depend upon the promise of your king."

On his return to Stockholm, Gustavus settled a pension for life on the mother, with the revision to her daughter at her death.

- Anecdotes and Incidents, Ecclesiastical and Religious. Burns & Lambert 1858

If an earthly king can keep his promise, how much more will our Eternal King Jesus keep his promises when he comes. 

PROMISES TO THE OVERCOMER

“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” 

- Revelation 2:7

HE WHO OVERCOMES

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.” 

- Revelation 3:5

HE WHO OVERCOMES SHALL INHERIT ALL THINGS

“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.” 

- Revelation 21:7

LAST PROMISE IN THE BIBLE

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.' Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." This one is the best yet to come! Maranatha, the Lord is coming!"

- Revelation 22:20

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"For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” - Romans 10:13

EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN JESUS   

"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him." 

- 1 John 5:1

EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM  

"To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”  

- Acts 10:43

SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES    

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." 

- Romans 1:16

EVERYONE WHO ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN    

“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God." 

- Luke 12:8

EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IS FREED  

"And by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses." 

- Acts 13:39     

RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR EVERYONE WHO BELEIVES   

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."  

- Romans 10:4  

COME, EVERYONE WHO THIRSTS  

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." 

- Isaiah 55:1

BLESSED IS EVERYONE WHO WILL    

"When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”  

- Luke 14:15

TEACHING EVERYONE WITH ALL WISDOM  

"Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ."  

- Colossians 1:28

HE MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE    

"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."  

- Hebrews 2:9

EVERYONE WHO LOOKS ON THE SON   

"For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”  

- John 6:40

EVERYONE WHO HEARS THESE WORDS  

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock."  

- Matthew 7:24

EVERYONE WHOSE NAME SHALL BE FOUND   

"At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book" . 

- Daniel 12:1-3   

EVERYONE WHO IS CALLED BY NAME  

"Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”  

- Isaiah 43:7

As a baby, she had an eye infection that a doctor treated by placing hot poultices on her little red and inflamed eyelids. The infection finally did clear up, but scars formed on her eyes. The little girl became blind for life. 

A few months later, her dad became ill and died. Widowed at 21, her mother, hired herself out as a maid while the girl's grandmother took care of her. Her grandmother took the education of her little granddaughter on herself, and became the girl's eyes, vividly describing the physical world. Her careful teaching helped develop the little girl's descriptive abilities and also nurtured her spirit. She read and carefully explained the Bible to her, and she always emphasized the importance of prayer. 

Towards the end of the girl's life, a wealthy lady said to her, "God isn't just! You're over 80 years of age, and you're blind. You've never seen the sunset. You've never seen the flowers. I don't understand how you could have written hymns like "Blessed Assurance" to a God who has never healed you. These hymns have blessed millions, and you can't even see His creation. You have so many disadvantages, it's not fair for God to do that." 

The girl, now an elderly woman replied, "My dear, I have a far greater advantage than you have." 

The woman said, "What do you mean? I'm a wealthy woman. I have everything." 

"I have an advantage over you." she answered, "My dear, don't you realize, that the first face that I ever see will be His face?" 

The little girl, known as an American hymn writer and poetess, Francis Jane Crosby, better known as Fannie Crosby, wrote over 9,000 hymns during her life. She seems to have "seen" far deeper into the heart of God than most, despite her physical blindness. How many of us can see clearly in the natural, but fail to see the loving ways of the Father working in our life? 

What will be the first thing you see when you enter eternity? Will you look unto the Son of God, whom the Scriptures tell us "...hath eyes like unto a flame of fire?" (Rev 2:18). Will you hear a voice speaking to you "...as the voice of many waters?" (Rev 19:6). The Bible tells us that there are many treasures in heaven so wonderful that we could not bear to see them now. Yet, there seems to be so few of us that actually set our sights on eternity. 

Fanny Crosby seems to have seen something ahead that empowered her to write the amazing songs of love and worship, hymns to a God that had allowed her eyes to be dim here on earth, yet illuminated to the things of heaven so that she might help us set our eyes on eternity. 

NO EYE HATH SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD   

"But as Scripture says: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”  

- 1 Corinthians 2:9 

HEAVEN IS NOT HERE 

"Heaven is not here, it's There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.  

- Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015) Christian Missionary and Writer

LIFE IS THE CRADLE OF ETERNITY 

"Life is the cradle of eternity. As the man is to the animal in the slowness of his evolution, so is the spiritual man to the natural man. Foundations which have to bear the weight of an eternal life must be surely laid. Character is to wear forever; who will wonder or grudge that it cannot be developed in a day?"  

- Henry Drummond (1851-1897) Scottish Evangelist, Biologist

YOU WERE PLACED HERE TO TRAIN FOR ETERNITY 

"You were placed here to train for eternity. Your body was only intended to be a house for your immortal spirit. It is flying in the face of God's purposes to do as many do - to make the soul a servant to the body, and not the body a servant to the soul."  

- J. C. Ryle (1816-1900) English Anglican Bishop 

HE PUT ETERNITY INTO A MAN'S HEART  

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."  

- Ecclesiastes 3:11 

YOU CONTRIBUTE NOTHING TO YOUR SALVATION

"You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary."

- Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) Theologian and Philosopher  

THE NEARER ANYONE IS TO HEAVEN  

"The nearer anyone is to heaven, the more earnestly he desires to be there, because Christ is there."  

- John Owen (1616-1683) English Nonconformist Church Leader

BEFORE MY FATHER IN HEAVEN  

“Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”  

- Matthew 10:32

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 “If a man die, shall he live again?” – Job 14:14 

On a Sabbath day, Rabbi Meir had gone to the synagogue. While he was there, his two little boys had climbed up a tree and tragically fallen. They were both found dead beneath the tree. 

His wife, Beruria, took the corpses to an upper room, covered them with a sheet, and went downstairs to prepare a table for her husband. When he returned home, he said the prescribed prayers, sat down at the table and asked about the children. She answered him, “Well, they are children, what can you expect from them?”

When he had finished eating, she said, “I have to ask you a question. A neighbor gave me a pair of costly earrings to keep for her because her husband was a drunkard, and she feared he might have sold them. Now her husband is dead, and she asked me to give them back . I love them. When you were not at home, I used to ornament myself with them before the mirror. They were one of my joys; should I give them back?”

The Rabbi answered, “I wonder about that question, for it is a difficult one, but I think you should return them, and thank her for the privilege of having them for so long a time.”

Then she said, “Come with me. I wish to show you how beautiful they are.”

She took him to the upper room, drew away the sheet, and said, “These are the gems. We have enjoyed the time with them. Now we must hand them back to their owner with thankfulness.” 

He answered with tears in his eyes, “Blessed is a husband with such a wise wife. God has given; God has taken. Let the name of God be praised even in a loss such as this.”

From “Reaching Towards the Heights" Devotional Book, by Richard Wurmbrand. 

There is nothing in this world we can hold onto, even the lives of those we love. It is only the love of the Lord that is Eternal. Christians all are travelers here, and although each day on this earth is precious, there is someone who has gone home to prepare a place for us long before we took our first breath in this world we have known. 

Let us live today like the wife in this story with the fullness of God’s purpose for our lives. Let us bless each other and those we love in their comings, and their goings. For we don’t know what will be required of US this day. 

PRECIOUS IS THE DEATH OF THE SAINTS     

"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."   

- Psalm 116:15  

DEATH IS AS NEAR THE AS THE OLD  

"Death is as near to the young as to the old; here is all the difference: death stands behind the young man's back, before the old man's face."  

-  Thomas Adams (1583–1652) English Clergyman and Preacher

DEATH WILL BE NO MORE  

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away."  

- Revelation 21:4  

IF THIS IS DEATH 

"Earth recedes, heaven opens. I've been through the gates! Don't call me back ... if this is death, it's sweet. Dwight! Irene! I see the children's faces. (Dwight and Irene were his dead grandchildren.)

- D. L. Moody (1837-1899) American Evangelist, Teacher and Preacher 

Image Source: worldwidemuseumguide.com/exhibitions/the-colors-of-heaven-paintings-from-17th-century-paris-churches-at-the-carnavalet-museum-paris/  

“If I have found grace in Thy sight, show me now Thy way that I may know Thee.” – Moses to God – Exodus 33:13

One night the famous Bible teacher F.B. Meyer stood on the deck of a ship approaching land. As they guided the vessel in, he wondered how the crew knew when to safely steer towards the dock. It was a stormy night, and visibility was low. Meyer, standing on the bridge and peering through the window, asked “Captain, How do you know when to turn this ship into that narrow harbor?”

“That’s an art,” replied the captain. "Do you see those three red lights on the shore? When they are all in a straight line, I go right in!”

Later, F.B Meyer wrote, “When we want to know God’s will, there are three things which always need to line up, the inward impulse, the Word of God, and the trend of circumstances. Never act until these three things agree.”

One of the most asked questions today by Christians today is “How do I know God’s will for my life?”

Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light. There are certain truths you know to be right that God has shown you in your life, but often when faced with a time of darkness, we doubt these truths. When seeking God’s will for your life, always keep this in mind. The Bible teaches us not to “lean on our own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5)

This is where most of us get in trouble. Fear often demands that we make sense of everything right now, when God is teaching us something through a personal trial. Many answers are not known until He reveals His purpose at the end of a difficult season. My experience with God is that He likes to work outside of our own understanding as he molds and shapes our lives into the person, he created us to be.

I like F.B. Meyer’s advice on seeking God’s will. Examine your inward impulses, seek the Word of God on the subject, and examine the circumstances that are outside of your control to see where your control ends and where His leading begins.

GOD'S PLAN FOR YOU

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

- Jeremiah 29:11

HE MAKES YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

- Proverbs 3:5-6

WHO CAN MAKE STRAIGHT, WHICH HE HATH MADE CROOKED?

"Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?"

- Ecclesiastes 7:13

 "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." - James 1:3

WHEN HE HAS STOOD THE TEST  

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."  

- James 1:12

TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES ENDURANCE  

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."  

- 1 Peter 1:7

TEST OF FAITH  

"You will have no test of faith that will not fit you to be a blessing if you are obedient to the Lord. I never had a trial but when I got out of the deep river I found some poor pilgrim on the bank that I was able to help by that very experience."  

- A. B. Simpson (1843-1919) Canadian Preacher, Theologian

STAND FIRM AMID SEVERE TESTING  

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

- George Mueller 1805-1898) English Evangelist and Helper of Orphans

THERE IS NO TESTING THAT CAN EVER TOUCH ME 

"There is 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."  

- Alan Redpath (1907-1989) American Minister 

THOUGH TESTED BY FIRE  

"So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 

- James 1:2-3

THE LORD TESTS THE RIGHTEOUS   

"The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates."  

- Psalm 11:5

TEST TO YOURSELVES TO SEE  

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?" 

- 2 Corinthians 13:5

I RECALL INNUMERABLE TESTS  

"As I look back over fifty years of ministry, I recall innumerable tests, trials and times of crushing pain. But through it all, the Lord has proven faithful, loving, and totally true to all his promises."  

- David Wilkerson (1931-2011) American Christian Evangelist

FIRE WILL TEST MAN'S WORKS  

"Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward."  

- 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TESTING 

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." 

- Revelation 3:10

CONTINUAL TESTING IN THE LIFE OF FAITH  

"Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God-trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us."

- Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) Scottish Baptist Evangelist 

IF WE DON'T USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE

If we don't use the resources available to us but instead want other resources we don't have, then we're testing God. This is what Satan wanted Christ to do."  

- Martin Luther (1483-1546) German Priest, Theologian

AS FOR HUMANS, GOD TESTS THEM   

"I also said to myself, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath ; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”    

- Ecclesiastes 3:18-21