A Time Of Distress Is A Time For Prayer

“I called out of my distress to the LORD, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice.” Jonah 2:2 (NASB)
There is a faith of a soft and easy kind, when everything goes smooth, and we have no anxiety, no fear or distress darkening the path of life. How glibly then do men speak of having their hope in God. There is another kind of faith, which produces resignation, patience, willingness to endure and be brave, and willing to suffer. But yet it may not be faith that cheers the soul,–not a “rejoicing in the Lord,” not the triumph of a trustful soul.
The real saving faith is seen when the soul finds God working in the storm and tempest, and reads the handwriting on the wall, speaking even in the midst of death and terror, and yet can calmly look on the Redeemer on the Cross, and see in the future the immortality beyond the grave, see the brightness of the glory that will one day be, to the faithful heritage of boundless joy, and so be comforted and gladdened even in sorrow and pain. . .
We may learn the lesson of trials and troubles which so often disturb the currents of our life. What would it be if we were always in the sunshine, always prosperous? Would there not be, even to the most faithful, a risk of too great confidence of a false assurance?

T. T. Carter

Some Think Becoming A Christian Is The End Of The Journey

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)
We are saved to serve. God never saved any person to sit down and do nothing. He saves to serve; saving faith, and living faith is working faith: “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead” James 2:26 (NASB).
True faith produces works. We are not saved by works, but we work when we are saved. God does not expect all believers to be full time ministers, missionaries, Bible teachers nor evangelists; but all believers are full time Christians, and all full time Christians are full time witnesses. We are to work–and we will work, we will be anxious to work if we saved.