INTRO When True Believers Go Through: Trials, Tests, Temptations, and Suffering it is for God's Eternal Purposes. First of all, God cares much more about our Eternal Soul than He cares about our Earthly Temporal Happiness. He also knows how much suffering each of us can personally endure in order for us to surrender all and bow our knee to Him, and/or for us to be rewarded for overcoming any fiery tests and/or trial (1 Peter 1) that was allowed in our lives by God. God can use Pain and Suffering in the Life of a True Christian to conform us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ. And no matter what Trial comes the way of a True Christian, they can have complete Faith & Trust in God’s Word which says in:

Rom 8:28 “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” 

2 Cor 7:9-11 "The Pain caused you to Repent and Change your ways. It was the kind of Sorrow God wants His people to have...For the kind of Sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from Sin and Results in Salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of Sorrow. But Worldly Sorrow, which lacks Repentance, results in Spiritual Death."

John 16:33 Jesus says, "Here on earth you will have many Trials and Sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

Acts 14:22 "They strengthened the Believers. They encouraged them to continue in the Faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many Tribulations."

1 Pet 1:6-9 "So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Your reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls."

Jesus Walks On Water During A Storm: Matthew 14:24-33 (with Peter), Mark 6:47-51, John 6:15-21
Jesus Takes A Nap In The Boat During A Storm: Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25
Paul Sails For Rome – The Storm & The Shipwreck: Acts 27:13-44

Below are 25 Keys to remember, to help a True Believer go through the Storms of Life.
We at SO4J.com pray that God’s Word will encourage you to run to Jesus through your Storms of Life, and that you will live a life that is worthy of your Eternal calling.

2 Thess. 1:11 "We keep on Praying for you, that our God will make you WORTHY OF THE LIFE to which He called you. And we Pray that God, by His power, will fulfill all your good intentions and faithful deeds. Then everyone will give honor to the name of our Lord Jesus because of you, and you will be honored along with Him. This is all made possible because of the undeserved favor of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ."

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Here is what King David said when he was encountering the Trials of his life.

Psalm 119:71 “This Suffering Oh Lord that You sent was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to Your Principles (God’s Word & God’s Commandments).”

If you do not know Jesus, or you have been Lukewarm in your love for Him (Rev.3:15-21), it is a Merciful & Loving God that will allow Circumstances to Spin out of our control in our lives in order for us to get our attention on Him, so that He can be in control, and thus we can be truly Saved. God is not as concerned about our temporal earthly happiness as He is our Eternal Soul. The Lord only knows how many days that each of us has on this Earth, and He uses: Suffering, Pain, Sorrow, and the Storms of Life to Humble us (or keep us humbled) to get us to bow our knee to Jesus, and surrender our sins and life to Him. He wants to save us from the Wrath of Hell that will come upon all those who push His Truth away. (Rom. 2:4-11, John 3:36, Matt.13:40-43, 2 Thess. 1:10, Rev. 21:8-9, 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Ephesians 5:3-7, 2 Cor. 5:10-11, James 4:4-10) If you haven’t surrendered all to Jesus today, don’t delay! Repent & Turn from your Sin and have Faith and Trust in Jesus Christ.

When we've sinned against a Holy God, God wants us to have a SORROW about our sin that leads us to REPENTANCE—to change our evil ways. There is also another kind of Sorrow that leads to DEATH and HELL, because this kind of Sorrow has not resulted in a TURNING AROUND of our sinful behavior—no True Godly Repentance. See this below Scripture in 2 Cor. 7:8-11.

2 Cor 7:8-11 "I am no longer sorry that I sent that letter to you, though I was sorry for a time, for I know that it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to have remorse and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from Sin and Seek Salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in Death (Hell). Just see what this Godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish the wrongdoer. You showed that you have done everything you could to make things right."

1 Tim 1:19-20 "Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God."

Rev 3:19 Jesus commands us to, "Be diligent and turn from your indifference (lukewarmness)."

Acts 17:30-31 “God commands everyone everywhere to Repent of their Sins and Turn to Him. For He has set a Day for Judging the World with Justice by Jesus Christ…”

1 Cor 5:1-5 Paul wrote, "I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you, something so evil that even the pagans don't do it. I am told that you have a man in your church who is living in sin with his father's wife....you must cast this man out of the church and into Satan's hands, so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved when the Lord returns."

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Matt 8:23-27 “Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke Him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey Him!”

When you are going through Trials and the Storms of your Life, it appears at times as though the Lord is unaware or unconcerned about your circumstances. It appears that God is not in control and is asleep at the wheel (so to speak), as Jesus appeared to be in the above verses, but was clearly not the case. When we put our complete faith and trust in Jesus by surrendering “our boat” (life) to Jesus (especially when we go through the storms and trials of our life), the opposite couldn't be more true. God is Sovereign and in complete control of each of our personal destinies. Repent & Trust in Jesus, and make Him the Captain of your ship, and Jesus can calm each and every storm you face as you call out to Him.

Heb. 13:5 God has said,” I will never leave you nor forsake you."

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Peter Gets Out Of His Boat To Walk On Water With Jesus When A Storm Hits

Matt 14:24-33 “Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”

Many of us will stay stuck in Mediocrity and Unbelief, and won’t challenge ourselves to “step out of our boat” and “walk on water with Jesus.” In this scripture, the Disciple Peter takes a Step of Faith to call out to Jesus for Him to help him to get out of his boat of Mediocrity, and Unbelief. Sometimes by stepping out unto the waters of the unknown, your fears will cause you later to sink, like Peter. We must however keep our eyes on Jesus, and not on our circumstances if we are to rise above the storms of life, and  live a life that is victorious, and one that is without Mediocrity and Unbelief. If you feel like you are sinking after stepping out in Faith out of your boat, don't give up and sink—shout out to Jesus for help, and Jesus will immediately come to you, and reach out His hand and grab you.

Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

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Pruning - John 15:1-8 Jesus says, “I am the True Vine, and my Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't’ produce Fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear Fruit so they will produce even more…”

If God in His mercy, through the Storms of Life and His “Pruning” of your life lovingly corrects you, it is proof of His love for you. It is not fun to be corrected by the Lord, but it is a sign of His love for you when unpleasant things are allowed to take place in your life, or when hidden sins become exposed to the world.

We know that there is no such thing as a Carnal Christian being allowed to enter God’s Kingdom. There is no mention of Christ Marrying a Bride (the church) in whom the Bride comes to the altar with Christ in a Wedding Dress that has stains on it. On the contrary, Christ marries a Bride that is Pure and Holy, and who is wearing a Wedding Dress that is without spot or wrinkle (Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7-8). If you are found out to have had a Lukewarm Heart in your love for Jesus, having a: Hard, Rocky, or Thorny Ground Heart response to God’s Word, you will be spewed out of the mouth of Jesus, and shut out of Heaven for all Eternity. Be warned! Read Rev. 3:15-22, Matt.7:21-23, James 4:4-10, 1 John 3:7-10, 1 John 2:15-17.

Heb 12:14 says, “Without Holiness no one shall see the Lord.”

Heb 12:5-11 “And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when He corrects you. For the Lord Disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this Divine Discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t Discipline you as he does all of His children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really His children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the Discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever? For our earthly fathers Disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s Discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his Holiness. No Discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)

Eph 5:27 “That He (Jesus) might present her to Himself a Glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle (sin) or any such thing, but that she should be Holy and without blemish.”

Rev 19:7-8 “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him Glory, for the Marriage of the Lamb (Jesus) has come, and His wife (Godly Believers) has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in Fine Linen, Clean and Bright, for the Fine Linen is the Righteous Acts of the Saints.”

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Storms in Life can slow us down to help us rethink and examine ourselves and ask, “What exactly am I doing for Jesus?” (Examine Yourselves - 2 Cor. 13:5) Ask yourself "Am I so busy doing things for Jesus that I'm not spending any quality time with Him?" Our Service for Jesus should not become Self-Serving. God wants us to also Serve Jesus by sitting at His feet (like Mary did) being broken, having a Humble and Contrite heart, loving Jesus and spending time simply thinking of how Amazing He is, and how Kind He is to save us (if He has saved you). Your relationship and time spent alone with the Lord comes FIRST, before anything. You will wither up and die without your personal time simply loving Him constantly, and reading and understanding God’s Word. And then allowing the Lord to give you a passion and concern for those who are Lukewarm & Lost, as well as a Genuine Love for True Believers. (1 Tim. 2:1-4) God can frustrate your plans by using the Storms of Life (big or small) to get you to a place for you to understand that all that truly matters in life is your relationship with Jesus.

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and the Disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Deut 8:3 "Yes, He humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people need more than bread for their life; real life comes by feeding on every Word of the Lord."

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Jesus says that when we are weak, low, and are being humbled, it’s His Grace that is all we need. He tells us that His power works best in our weaknesses! God says that He will not share His Glory with no one; and because of that He chooses to display His mighty power through weak, humble, and lowly people. He wants all to know and understand that it’s by Grace one is saved, not by our works lest anyone should boast. (Example David & Goliath 1 Sam.17:1-58)

John 15:5 Jesus says, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Isa 42:8 “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my Glory to anyone else, nor share my Praise...”

Eph.2:8-9 “God saved you by His Grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a Gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.”

Thorn In Paul’s Flesh - 2 Cor. 12:7-10 Paul says, ”even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to Torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time Jesus said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Those Whose Weakness Turned To Strength / The Hall Of Faith - Heb. 11:33-40 “By Faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.”

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For Any True Believer—God the Father's Number 1 Goal is for them to be Conformed into the Image of His Son, Jesus Christ. The Lord uses various ways to do accomplish this, he uses Marriage & Relationships to sharpen & correct us, but He also uses Suffering and Hardships.

The farther a Rubberband is stretched, the farther it goes. God the Father wants to stretch the Faith of all His people; so that in the end we will become as James 1:2-4 says "be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

God uses Trials and the Storms in Life to produce Godly Character & Christ-likeness in us, so that we would exude and radiate Jesus in us, and through us vs radiating the Natural Man (Gal. 5:16-20) who likes to exalt himself. God can't and won't use such a selfish person. The Greater the Suffering you endured in this life for JESUS, by putting the Flesh under— the greater your effectiveness for Jesus, and the greater your Reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

God's Ways are far above our ways. Keep this in Mind:

- If King David never had a Trial, there would never be the Book of Psalms
- If the Apostle Paul never had a Trial (and he had countless Trials & Tribulations) there would never have been 13 Books of the Bible written; as Paul wrote many of these letters from his sufferings in Prison.

See the Biblical results of Conforming into the Image of Jesus through such Trials:

Rom 8:29-30 "For whom God Foreknew (God chose His people in advance), He also Predestined to be Conformed to the Image of His Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many Brothers and Sisters. Moreover whom He Predestined, these He also called (He called them to come to Him); whom He called, these He also justified (gave them right standing with Himself); and whom He justified, these He also Glorified (Gave them His Glory)."   

James 1:2-4 "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Rom 12:2 “Don’t be Conformed to this World, but let God transform you into a new and different person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how Good and Pleasing and Perfect His will really is.”

Rom 5:3-5 "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance (perseverance). And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."

2 Cor 3:16-18 "But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, then the veil is taken away. Now, the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, He gives freedom. And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like JESUS and reflect His glory even more."

Philip 4:15 "Instead, we will hold to the truth in love, becoming more and more in every way like Christ, who is the head of His body, the church."

Heb 10:32-36 ”Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”

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Matt 14:24-33 "But when he Peter saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.”

Anytime we are walking in Faith in Jesus, the Lord is there for us when we are weak, and are sinking in our flood of unbelief. Jesus was right there for Peter when Peter called out "Save me, Lord!" Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed Peter, and He will do the same for us. All that He is asking is that we admit our dependence on Him first. This storm that Peter encountered revealed Peter's pride and unbelief. It also brought Peter to a low place of admitting that he cannot do this impossible task, without the Lord. God wants us to need Him 24/7.

John 15:5 Jesus says, "Apart from Me, you can do NOTHING."

Thorn In Paul’s Flesh - 2 Cor. 12:7-10 Paul says, ”even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming Proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to Torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time Jesus said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

James 4:6-10 “God opposes the proud, but gives Grace to the Humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, you double-minded (lukewarm). Let there be tears for the wrong things you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on him, he will lift you up and give you honor."

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Matt 8:23-26 “Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”(Fear) Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” (Little Faith & Unbelief in God’s Word)  Then He got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm.”

The Storm revealed the disciples lack of Faith in God’s Word to rebuke the winds themselves in Jesus Name. The Storm also revealed their Fear, which came from looking at the circumstances vs. standing on God’s Word.

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Heb 11:25-26 “He (Moses) chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his Great Reward that God would give him.”

Moses had to have Faith in God to leave the fleeting life of the worldly benefits he received while growing up in the Royal Egyptian Palace which had: Royalty, Wealth, Success, Prestige, and Popularity for the land that God told him to go to which was the wilderness. Egypt is a picture of the World. God has an Great Eternal Reward for Moses, and every person who will place their Faith in God. These are the people of faith who will not cling to the temporal alluring things of this World (Egypt) to a life that is pleasing to God. Read Great Examples of People who had Faith in Hebrews 11:1-40. Moses had to have Faith in God to endure his many: Storms of Life, Sufferings, and Persecutions that he received for doing God’s will, but in the end the Eternal Rewards would prove to be great, and so it is with all who will cling to Jesus, and not to this life.

Matt 10:38-39 “If you refuse to take up your cross and follow Me, you are not worthy of being Mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.”

Heb. 4:14 …”Let us cling to Him (Jesus) and never stop trusting Him.”

Judgment Seat Of Christ Someday True Believers will all stand before Christ to have their “works” and what they did for Jesus Judged. (1 Cor. 3:7-15) Unbelievers will be Judged at the Great White Throne Judgment and sentenced to the Lake of Fire forever (Rev. 20:11-15; 21:8). Many times the Lord sends storms our way to purify us, and cause us to keep reaching for Him, so we will continually be doing works unto the Lord that will not Burn Up, but will last for Eternity! He wants to present His True Children, and the Bride of Christ as Holy, and without spot or wrinkle on that day.

Eph 5:27 “He did this to present her to Himself as a Glorious Church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be Holy and without fault.”

Heb 10:34-36 “You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.”

1 Pet 5:10 “In his Kindness God called you to Share in His Eternal Glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have Suffered a little while, He will Restore, Support, and Strengthen You, and He will place you on a Firm Foundation.”

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11 - WILL PROVE TO THE WORLD THAT OUR FAITH WAS IN DEED GENUINE

1 Pet 1:5-7 Peter writes to Godly Christians, “And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the Last Day for all to see. So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many Trials for a little while. These Trials will show that your Faith is Genuine. It is being Tested as Fire Tests and purifies gold—though your Faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your Faith remains strong through many Trials, it will bring you much Praise and Glory and Honor on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the Whole World.”

Jesus never told us that by being faithful to Him we will avoid the: Storms of Life, Sufferings, Trials, and Persecutions. Rather, we must be Faithful to Him in our Sufferings. Only then will our Faith prove to be Genuine. This life we live is merely a Choosing and Proving Ground for every single person who has ever lived. What we Did, Thought, or Said on this Earth will result in where we will spend Eternity. (Matt. 12:36-37) We will be either Rewarded Eternally for persevering by: Believing, and Standing on God's Written Word, as well as Overcoming Sin & Temptations or we will be Punished Eternally for Rebellion against a Holy God & Rejecting God's Word & God’s Free Gift to the World to us, Jesus Christ. God's ways and His purposes appear to be totally backward on this Earth. Yet it is actually a sinful mankind who is completely backward, dysfunctional, and in confusion. The People of God who died and are with the Lord right now are in a place where Humble People reside. Heaven is a place for the: Humble, the Holy & Pure, and the Righteous. God's ways are clear to us in His Word, and His ways are unchanging.

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If you are a True Believer in Jesus Christ we are to share in the Sufferings of Jesus.

1 Pet 4:13 “Instead, be very glad—because these Trials will make you Partners with Christ in His Suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world.”

Rev 1:9 "I am John, your Brother. In Jesus we are partners in suffering and in the Kingdom and in patient endurance. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for Preaching the Word of God and speaking about Jesus."

1 Pet 4:1  “So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too."

Philip 1:29-30 “For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.  We are in this fight together. You have seen me suffer for him in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of this great struggle. As a result, I can really know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I can learn what it means to suffer with Him, sharing in His death."

Philip 3:10 “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death.”

Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Philip 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

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Sin loses it’s power over us when we endure through the Sufferings and the Storms of Life. These Storms of Life help to strip a True Believer from their selfish and worldly desires, and help get our focus off ourselves and onto Jesus. We tend to be more anxious to do God’s will for our lives, and remember what really matters in life vs. merely living for the sinful pleasures of this temporal life which will burn up someday. (2 Peter 3:3-15)

1 Pet 4:1-2  “For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.”

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Heb 5:7-9 “While Jesus was here on earth, He offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.”

Jesus endured great sufferings on this earth as He prepared to go through incredible sufferings of: persecutions, hardships, beatings, etc. and then actually enduring through the sufferings of the cross. Through the things that Jesus suffered He learned obedience to God. True Believers in Jesus Christ need to be prepared to lay aside all sin, and suffer and sacrifice as Jesus did for us.

Heb 12:1-4 “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us (trips us up), and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”

Philip 2:5-11 "Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

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God wants us to show empathy, especially for fellow True Believers (as well as those who are not), who suffer Persecution in Prison.

Heb 13:3 “Don't forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies.”

Jesus told us that True Believers would act like Christ by visiting and Ministering to those True Believers who are suffering Persecution in Prison for His Name sake. Millions of Christians suffer each year at the hands of angry and evil men, but it goes mostly unreported. These True Believers are thrown into Prisons and are Tortured because they stand for Jesus Christ. The numbers of those being Persecuted for Jesus are staggering, and on the rise. What are we going to do about those suffering persecuted Believers? We must reach out to those suffering, and do all we can do.

Matt 25:36 Jesus says, “I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.”

Matt 25:44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in Prison, and not help you?’ “And He will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my Brothers and Sisters (True Christians), you were refusing to help me.’ “And they will go away into Eternal Punishment, but the Righteous will go into Eternal Life.”

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2 Cor 1:11 "And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety."

Acts 16:25-26 "Around midnight, Paul and Silas (who were in prison together) were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a great earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!"

Acts 1:14 "They all met together continually for prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus."

Acts 4:24 "Then all the believers were united as they lifted their voices in prayer."

Acts 4:31 "After this prayer, the building where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. And they preached God's message with boldness."

Acts 12:5 "But while Peter was in prison, the church prayed very earnestly for him."

Acts 13:3 "So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way."

Rev 1:9 “I, John, am your Brother and your Partner in Suffering and in God’s Kingdom and in the patient endurance to which Jesus calls us. I was exiled to the island of Patmos for Preaching the Word of God and for my Testimony about Jesus.”

1 Pet 5:8-10 “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian Brothers and Sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of.”

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Your finger getting burnt from touching the oven can clue you in that the oven is Hot, and because of that it can keep you from getting into far worse problems, like more physical harm to your body. There have been people who have been so upset for missing their airplane connections—only to find out that the plane they were supposed to take was in a plane crash. There have been people pulled over for minor traffic problems (tail light out)—only to find out later there was a huge car accident involving many cars up the road. Trust the Lord completely with your life. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and let Jesus, and God's Word fill your thoughts.

Prov 3:5-8 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Don't be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from from evil. It will be healing to your body, and refreshment to your bones."

Col 3:1-4 "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your real life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all His glory."

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Jesus showed His power to the world to the many people who were suffering and going through the Storms of Life with their many afflictions and sicknesses. Jesus displayed His power of being God by doing many miracles and even raising Lazarus from the dead! Even with all the Miracles, Signs, and Wonders that Jesus did, most people had hardened hearts, and would not believe in Jesus.

John 12:37 “But despite all the miraculous signs Jesus had done, most of the people still did not believe in Him.”

Jesus demonstrated His power through a Blind Man who was going through Storms Of Life of not being able to see.

John 9:2-3 The Disciples asked Jesus, “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the Power of God could be seen Displayed in him". (Jesus then Healed the man).

It was not because of this man’s sin that he was born blind, but he was born blind so that the Power of God would someday be demonstrated to the world through Jesus to reveal God’s kindness and sovereignty.

God also revealed his power to Israel. He taught the Israelites about Faith & To Glorify God. The Israelites had been slaves to Egypt for hundreds of years. God later displayed His Power & Kindness to Israel by sending much suffering upon Egypt, through the 10 plagues of suffering and tribulation He poured out upon them.

Exod 9:33-35 “So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and went out of the city. When he lifted his hands to the Lord, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn. Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses. Exodus 10:1-2 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them. I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord.”

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Sometimes God uses hardships and setbacks in our life to make us uncomfortable so that we’ll finally move. Nobody of course likes pain, but having things in our life that are not comfortable might be one of the best things for us because they motivate us to move out of our comfort zones to do greater works for the Lord. If you are experiencing Storms in your Life, you might want to take notice and see if the Lord is preparing you to move out of your comfort zone to do some greater works for the Jesus.

Acts 8:1-4 ”A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the Apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.”

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As we can see in the above scripture God allowed the early Church in the Book of Acts to go through much Persecution. He used this terrible Persecution to force the early church out of the comfort zones of their houses, which were in Jerusalem, and to get them to flee into Judea & Samaria. By allow persecution to happen to the early church it helped to fulfill the command of Jesus to:  

Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This great wave of Persecution that the early church endured led to many Christians being imprisoned, which resulted in the Spreading of the Good News to the World.

Philip 1:12-14 Paul says, “I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear."

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The Story of Esther – Esther Chapters 1 thru 10
God’s Sovereign Power is seen in the Life of Queen Esther. Esther started her life out by being an Orphan, losing both parents as a child. These humble beginnings in the Story of Esther helped develop inside her incredible character qualities. These character qualities of Inner and Outer Beauty would later be needed to win the Kings’ heart in a Beauty Contest. King Xerxes’ would later choose Esther in this contest to be his Queen. He picked her over all other women that were in the 127 Provinces that he ruled. As a result of her now being Chosen and Favored by the King, Esther would now be Queen over a huge territory of land and people! Winning the Kings heart later resulted in Esther being used by God to deliver her many people, the Jews, from the hands of an angry, jealous, evil, and Satanic man named Haman. Haman had a ploy and wanted to extinguish all the Jews. God used Esther to thwart that plan. Had Esther not have had these Humble beginnings and the Storms of Life allowed by God (of being an orphan), it most likely would be that she would not have had the right character qualities of a Queen that was needed to win the King’s heart. Thus Esther might not have been: prepared, have partaken, and been given the opportunity to reveal to the world these hidden Character qualities necessary to come into the presence of the King; to save her people, the Jews. Through these humble beginnings, Esther was given the role of being able to shine her heroic Character qualities of: Faith, Beauty, and “Grace under fire” in front of billions of people, and her Jewish people throughout the many years of Bible History.

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The Story of Joseph – Genesis 30 thru 50

Joseph, the Son of Jacob and Rachel, was a man of incredible integrity, and character. He however went through many Storms of Life by first of all being betrayed by his evil and jealous half-brothers who conspired against him by throwing Joseph into a well, and then later selling him as a slave for 20 pieces of silver. Through the turmoil's and trials that Joseph experienced he however lived a life of: excellence, faithful service, and honor to God. God began to bless him greatly because of that, and as a slave Joseph was favored and promoted by those in leadership positions in Egypt. His faith however was tested again by being unfairly lied about while he was serving Potiphar, who was the Captain of the Palace Guard.

Gen 39:1-20 Potiphar’s wife had been pressuring Joseph day after day to sleep with her, and when he had refused her these many times, she told a vicious lie that Joseph tried to rape her. Joseph was once again unjustly treated, and thrown into Prison, but God was with Joseph there too. To make a long story short, he later was freed from prison after being deserted and forgotten by the people that he had helped interpret their dreams in prison. He endured such incredible hardships. God blessed Joseph so much that He used Joseph to interpret Pharaoh's dream, which then resulted in the Pharaoh making Joseph second in command next to the Pharaoh himself. The dream that Joseph interpreted of Pharaoh's was a vision of 7 years of Good Crops in the land, to prepare for the 7 years of drought and famine that would sweep Egypt. God had been merciful to prepare the Nation of Egypt to survive a severe famine through Joseph’s interpretation of the dream. Later Joseph’s evil brothers had the tables turned on them as they came to Egypt in dire search of food. God humbled the brothers as they then learned that Joseph had come to inherit such Royalty and Honor in the land of Egypt. God in his mercy spared their lives, as well as the future of Israel through the incredible life of Joseph.

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In the Book of Revelation we see Jesus shining the spotlight on what is truly happening to the Suffering and Poor “Church of Smyrna”. Jesus warns and encourages this Church that if they remain faithful to Him they will receive the Crown of Life.

Rev 2:9-11 Jesus says to the Church of Smyrna , “I know about your Suffering and your Poverty—but you are rich! I know the blasphemy of those opposing you. They say they are Jews, but they are not, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to Test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the Crown of Life.“

Jesus, in His mercy, warned the True Believers that they were going to suffer at the hands of an angry devil, and have their Faith Tested. Why would God allow their (our) faith to be Tested? Jesus tells us that it is for God’s Eternal Purposes, in that He wants to Reward those suffering Believers with the Crown of Life. We can’t receive the Crown of Life until we resist and overcome Satan through trusting in God's Word over what we see, think, or feel. We must prove that our Faith was indeed Truly Genuine; we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling and Persevere until the end.

Philip 2:12 "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

If you are going through Stormy times, don’t turn away from the Lord. Instead let these times draw you to trust Jesus. Keep remembering your Eternal Reward! (see also Rev. 22:12-14).

James 4:8 “Draw Near to God, and He will Draw Near to You!”

Cares of This Life Can Choke God’s Word Out - This World we live in is a Dysfunctional, Sinful, and a Cursed Planet that has much unseen Demonic Activity going on. We need to Stand Firm in God’s Word, and Put on All of God's Armour! (Eph.6:10-20) Satan tries to Choke God’s Word Out, and we see how that happens “The Parable of The Sower”  (Thorny Ground Hearers - Matt.13:22, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14).

Matt 13:22 Jesus says, “The Seed (God’s Word) that fell among the Thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries and cares of this life and the lure of wealth, (desire for nice things, etc.) so no fruit is produced.”

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2 Cor 1:8-11 "We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And He did rescue us from mortal danger, and He will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in Him, and He will continue to rescue us. And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety."

Philp 3:3 "We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort"