By: Brian A Yeager                                                         

Part I

The Psalmist made this statement to the Almighty: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me” ( Psalms 138:7 ).  To know that God is with us and able to deliver us is comforting.  Moreover, to have the faith to state that you know God will deliver and save you from evil is powerful.  There is not much that this world and the god of this world can do to your faith if you truly believe God is powerful enough to deliver you.  We need a higher hand of might for we, like the Psalmist, walk in the midst of trouble.

Though We Walk In the Midst of Trouble

     Any faithful Christian will often feel, as did Paul, that they are troubled on every side if they walk worthy of the high calling while in the midst of this world ( II Corinthians 4:8 ) .  Yet, as Peter said: “But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” ( I Peter 3:14 ).  This world is certainly not the home of those who are in Christ Jesus ( I John 2:15 -17 ).   As we, being faithful Christians, spend time in this world we will find that we have nothing in common with those who are of this world.  Jesus said, of His disciples in a prayer to His Father, this statement that should apply to all saints : “I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world” ( John 17:14 ).

     Upon this earth we walk in the midst of trouble because of the choices men and women have made in opposition to God's will.  Most of those who inhabit this earth that God created and sustains oppose all that He wants of them.  This is reflected in what is recorded about our Lord's time on this earth: “ And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.   For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” ( John 3:19 -20 ).

     As Christians we walk in the midst of trouble because the evil that is in this world surrounds us on a daily basis.  You cannot go to buy food for your family without seeing the immodesty of others and the ungodly publications that are displayed in the line you pass through to pay for your groceries.  You may turn on your television to watch an innocent program, but what about the commercials that may air during that program?  Where we work, play, travel, etc. we find that we are in the midst of trouble.  We can find comfort in that this world is our trying ground and that we will have a reward if we endure ( I Peter 1:3-9 ).   We can also find comfort in that fact that we can be dead to this world and be revived through the work of God.

Brian A Yeager

Words of Truth                 

Vol. VI Issue VI                  Nov. 6th, 2005