View source for Troubles, Troubles, Troubles!

<p> <em>&quot;Call upon Me in the day of trouble! I will deliver you — and you shall glorify Me!&quot; </em>Psalm 50:15<br><br>
    Believer, in this portion of the divine word, you will discover:<br>
      1. your present portion — <em>trouble, </em><br>
      2. your constant privilege — <em>prayer, </em><br>
      3. your future prospect — <em>deliverance.</em><br><br>
    <strong>1. Your <em>present portion </em>is TROUBLE</strong>. You must <em>expect </em>trouble, and will certainly be deceived if you expect to escape it. Sin is the <em>parent </em>of trouble — and our sin-cursed earth its fruitful soil. Trouble springs up all around us, and appears in an almost <em>infinite variety</em> of forms.<br><br>
    Every <em>connection </em>we form, <br>
      every <em>character </em>we bear, <br>
      every <em>office </em>we fill, and <br>
      every <em>relation </em>we sustain — <br>
      is a fruitful source of trouble!<br><br>
    We shall have . . .<br>
      trouble in mind,<br>
      trouble in circumstances, <br>
      trouble in body;<br>
      trouble from almost every quarter!<br><br>
    This poor world is not our <em>rest</em> — for it is polluted!<br><br>
    This poor world is not our <em>home</em> — for we are poor pilgrims!<br><br>
    This poor world is not our <em>country</em> — for we are strangers and aliens!<br><br>
    <em>Every day</em> has its <em>peculiar troubles</em>. Often when we look for a certain comfort — we only find peculiar distress and vexation! Everything declares,<em> &quot;Happiness is not in me!&quot;</em> You may look on the right hand — but you will find no permanent peace; on the left — and disappointment awaits you. Only in Jesus is . . .<br>
      solid peace, <br>
      holy satisfaction, and <br>
      permanent comfort to be found.<br><br>
    If we could rightly interpret the various voices around us, we would find them all saying, <em>&quot;Go to Jesus! Abide in Jesus! Derive all from Jesus — or be wretched, miserable, and disappointed!&quot;</em><br><br>
    In youth, manhood, and old age — trouble and tribulation is<em> the Christian's lot. </em>Our God feeds us with the heritage of <em>Jacob </em>our father; but if we carefully read his history, we shall find some <em>very bitter herbs </em>grew on it:<br>
      Joseph is lost,<br>
      Rachel dies, <br>
      Simeon is imprisoned, <br>
      Benjamin must go, <br>
      Simeon and Levi slay the Shechemites —  <br>
      <em>and all these things appear against him!</em><br><br>
    Just so with us, troubles and trials follow each other, at times, almost like <em>Job's messengers</em>, treading on each other's heels, and we are almost overwhelmed! But,<br><br>
    <strong>2. Your <em>constant privilege</em> is PRAYER</strong> — to visit the throne of grace, and wait upon our God. He says,<em> &quot;Call upon Me in the day of trouble!&quot; </em>Troubles . . .<br>
      furnish us with messages to our Father's throne, <br>
      quicken us in our supplications, and <br>
      oblige us to entreat His favor!<br><br>
    His throne of <em>grace is always </em>accessible, and His <em>ear </em>is always open; but in times of trouble, He especially invites us to draw near. He says:<br>
      Call upon Me in trouble, call for whatever you need!<br>
      Are you <em>perplexed</em> — then call for wisdom; <br>
      are you <em>weak</em> — then call for strength; <br>
      are you <em>guilty</em> — then call for pardon; <br>
      are you <em>miserable</em> — then call for comfort; <br>
      are you in <em>darkness</em> — then call for light; <br>
      are you in <em>bondage</em> — then call for freedom and relief.<br><br>
    Call upon Me, for I am <em>always </em>on the throne of grace!<br><br>
    Call upon Me, for I am <em>glad </em>to see you!<br><br>
    Call upon Me, for I am <em>ready </em>to help you!<br><br>
    Call upon Me, for I wait to be gracious unto you!<br><br>
    Call upon Me — upon Me <em>first</em>, before you run to others!<br><br>
    Call upon Me — and you will have no occasion to go anywhere else, for I have all that you possibly can need.<br><br>
    Call upon Me <em>freely</em> — without reserve.<br><br>
    Call upon Me <em>boldly</em> — without fear.<br><br>
    Call upon Me <em>importunately</em> — without doubt!<br><br>
    The promise <em>encourages </em>us, <br>
      the invitation <em>allures </em>us — but <br>
      trouble <em>impels </em>us to call upon our God!<br><br>
    Our troubles are frequently the <em>instruments </em>the Holy Spirit employs to carry on His sacred work in our hearts. By troubles, He . . .<br>
      empties us of self, <br>
      weans us from the world, and <br>
      endears Jesus and His salvation to us!<br><br>
    Oh, believer, make use of your <em>privilege </em>in every time of trouble — and fully expect what Your God has promised!<br><br>
    <strong>3. Your <em>future prospect</em> is DELIVERANCE.</strong> The prospect is opened up,<em> &quot;I will deliver you — and you shall glorify Me!&quot;</em> Here God comes under engagement to <em>deliver </em>His calling child. Can we, then, be too confident, or expect deliverance with too much assurance? Surely not! Only let us beware lest we dictate to God as to <em>time</em>, <em>means</em>, or <em>manner </em>of deliverance — and then we cannot be too certain. He will deliver, and in such a way as to . . .<br>
      put honor on your faith,<br>
      pour confusion on your unbelief, and<br>
      secure the glory to His blessed self!<br><br>
    God's <em>delivering mercies </em>are all brought forth on jubilee days — for the deliverances which He affords, proclaim a jubilee in the soul.<br><br>
    <em>&quot;I WILL!&quot; — </em>this promise is . . . <br>
      more durable than earth, <br>
      more stable as the pillars of Heaven, <br>
      and as changeless as the nature of Jehovah.<br><br>
    <em>&quot;I will DELIVER!&quot;</em> — this is at once . . .<br>
      the food, warrant, and plea of faith; <br>
      the lattice through which hope directs the eye, and<br>
      the prime argument which the soul uses before God.<br><br>
    <em>&quot;I will deliver YOU!&quot; </em>This is the laying of God's hand on His needy child.<br><br>
    My poor brother — are you in trouble? Are you calling upon God? The Lord says, &quot;I will deliver YOU!&quot; You are the person God had in His eye and in His heart — when he caused<em>this precious portion </em>to be penned. Take up the language, and say, <em>&quot;He will deliver ME!&quot;</em> And you, being delivered, proving God to be faithful, realizing the power of prayer, and enjoying delivering mercy — shall, though <em>Satan </em>will try to hinder, and <em>unbelief </em>would gladly shut your mouth — <em>you shall glorify Me!</em><br><br>
    How truly blessed, how pleasant, how satisfactory is this! Every believer must say: &quot;It is just as I would have it! <strong>I get all the <em>mercy</em> — and God gets all the <em>glory!</em></strong><em>&quot;</em><br><br>
    Brethren in Jesus . . .<br>
      expect your portion — troubles,<br>
      prize your privilege — prayer, and<br>
      look forward to your prospect — deliverance![[Category:Lifestyle]]