Though Trials May Come...

Through our travels with KTS Ministries we have met amazing people that have blessed us in such a way there are no words to describe how much. In our afternoon program Vernon shares a statement that Elder Henry Wright spoke on. He says that when preachers get up to preach they think they are there being used by God to save a soul, but in actuality God is trying to save them. I can’t begin to tell you how very true that statement is. We have found in our sharing of this gospel of knowing the savior how it has changed our lives and how it is bringing us closer to each other and the Lord every day.

There is another thing we have become aware of in our ministry, and that is how the devil is not happy with our changed lives. He likes the old us better. The old Vernon and Debbie only thought about themselves and our own pleasures of life, pretending to know the Lord but far from it. He, the devil, has placed so many obstacles in our way to try and trip us up. There are moments that we do feel defeated. And then we remember to pray, and God shows us He is right there with us, that this battle is His and we just need to stay on the path He has placed us on. What a since of peace to know that the Savior is on your side.

The troubles and trials of your past seem to creep up right when you think all is going so well. You wonder in your soul “Why, why now?” We all will go through a testing. God will allow the trails of your past, and present to come up to see if you will depend on Him or yourself. Trials and tribulations are words that we do not like to hear. We all face different trials and tribulations, they come to us in every walk of life. Some of us will face financial trials for our entire life. Many will face physical trials or troubles. Maybe it is family or relationship trials. We all seem to have some “cross to bear.” Some people seem to believe that if you become a Christian, that all of your trials will go away. Some have called this the “prosperity gospel” which means that if you believe in Jesus, everything will be great! This type of belief is not found in Scripture. Quite the contrary. Jesus never told his followers that if they followed him, everything would be great or rosy. He told people that followed Him, that it will be a difficult road.

In the Spirit of Prophecy Ellen White counsels us “Every heart will be tested, every character developed. It is a principle that God's people must act upon. The living principle must be carried out in the life.” 1T 222; “We are too quickly discouraged, and earnestly cry for the trial to be removed from us, when we should plead for patience to endure and grace to overcome.” 1T 310; “Our heavenly Father measures and weighs every trial before He permits it to come upon the believer. He considers the circumstances and the strength of the one who is to stand under the proving and test of God, and He never permits the temptations to be greater than the capacity of resistance. If the soul is overborne, the person overpowered, this can never be charged to God, as failing to give strength in grace, but the one tempted was not vigilant and prayerful and did not appropriate by faith the provisions God had abundantly in store for him. Christ never failed a believer in his hour of combat. The believer must claim the promise and meet the foe in the name of the Lord, and he will not know anything like failure.” MS 6, 1889, 2MCP 473; “It is obstacles that make men strong. It is . . . difficulties, conflicts, rebuffs, that make men of moral sinew. Too much ease and avoiding responsibility have made weaklings and dwarfs of those who ought to be responsible men of moral power and strong spiritual muscle”. 3T 495; “Fearful tests and trials await the people of God. The spirit of war is stirring the nations from one end of the earth to the other”. 9T 17; …”Yet we should not lose courage when assailed by temptation. Often when placed in a trying situation we doubt that the Spirit of God has been leading us. But it was the Spirit's leading that brought Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. When God brings us into trial, He has a purpose to accomplish for our good”. DA 126; "Blessed are the meek." The difficulties we have to encounter may be very much lessened by that meekness which hides itself in Christ. If we possess the humility of our Master, we shall rise above the slights, the rebuffs, the annoyances to which we are daily exposed, and they will cease to cast a gloom over the spirit. The highest evidence of nobility in a Christian is self-control. He, who under abuse or cruelty fails to maintain a calm and trustful spirit, robs God of His right to reveal in him His own perfection of character. Lowliness of heart is the strength that gives victory to the followers of Christ; it is the token of their connection with the courts above.” DA 301

These words have brought such comfort and peace to my soul. When I let them just sink in, all I can see is His love for me, and His saving grace. In one of her closing statements she says: “It is no sign that Jesus has ceased to love us because we experience doubts and discouragements. Affliction comes to us in the providence of God in order that we may see that Christ is our helper, which in him is love and consolation. We may receive grace whereby we may be overcomers, and inherit the life that measures with the life of God. We must have an experience so that when affliction comes upon us, we shall not depart from our faith and choose fables.” ST MAY 07, 1896

Trials are an important part of a believer’s life and come with receiving salvation. God never told His children they would not have problems and trial in this life. He did promise to "never leave us or forsake us" and to be by our side through whatever comes our way whether it is good things or difficulties. Thankfully, there are many passages and verses concerning trials and tribulations.

Here are some verses on Trials:

Deuteronomy 7:19, “the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the LORD your God brought you out. So will the LORD your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.”

Luke 22:28, “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials,”

Acts 20:19, “serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;

Here are some scriptures on rejoicing during Trials:

James 1:2, Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

1Peter 1:6, in this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials

Romans 12:12, Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Trials will indeed come our way. If you are not facing a trial right now, Praise God! But be ready because one is sure to come your way. Through all of life’s trials and tribulations, we have the victory. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ." Although we are in a spiritual battle, Satan has no authority over the believer in Christ. God has given us His Word to guide us, His Holy Spirit to enable us, and the privilege of coming to Him anywhere, at any time, to pray about anything.” There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it”. (1 Corinthians 10:13)