The LORD trieth the righteous—– Psalm 11:5
God has been referred to as “the great First Cause”. As such every event, even the tough trials of life can be traced to Him. As Spurgeon said, “Out of the golden gate of God’s ordinance the armies of trial march forth in array, clad in their iron armour, and armed with weapons of war. All providences are doors to trial. Even our mercies, like roses, have their thorns”. It is true, and the evidence is everywhere.

Many have drowned in a sea of prosperity, as well as in rivers of poverty. Every road before us has its dangers. The promotion you seek might prove your undoing, whereas the demotion you experienced just might be a blessing in disguise. Your strong healthy body might cause you to pursue that which would lead you away from God, whereas the sickness that weakens your body might be the very thing that strengthens you spiritually. Being rejected by others might enable you to discover that you have a friend in Jesus. The hardships forced upon you could be the things that exercise you unto godliness. Let us then not curse that which God has decreed to be for His glory and our good. Instead, we should pray for strength to endure our trials, not escape them.

The good Lord “trieth the righteous” because He knows that in doing so there are blessings that could not be had any other way. Just as the ore must be purified by the fire and the wheat must be threshed to remove the husks, we must experience difficulties to be made different. With God in control there is profit in our pain, and gain in our grief. Holiness, from whence happiness comes, doesn’t come from sitting back in an easy chair with everyone catering to all our desires. It comes from being tossed into the fiery furnace of affliction and discovering that God’s grace is sufficient. As the potter glazes the clay to harden and beautify it, God subjects His servants to trials so as to make them vessels fit for the Master’s use. He gazes upon upon it throughout the process, knowing exactly how much and how long the heat must be to accomplish Hid purpose. You can trust Him! He is in control and He has good for His purpose.

– – – I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.— Hebrews 13:5
What wonderful words! What tremendous truth! I say “truth” because “he hath said” and “He” cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Through every difficulty, in every danger, even in death we can depend on this precious promise. We can find comfort because we are confident of His company. That dear friend is blessed assurance in deed.

Here is a declaration we can depend on. In the face of every—
— terror that frightens us
— temptation that entices us
— trial that tests us
— tribulation that afflicts us
— trouble that bothers us
we have the promise of Him whose name is “Faithful and True”. When there is no one else to stand with you, He is there. When all the world is deaf to your cry,His ear is open. When none other can help, He is a very present help in time of trouble. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.So, regardless of how fierce the fight, or how strong the enemy, or how heavy the load, with Him there is grace sufficient for every need. There is victory in Jesus. With Him we are on the winning side.

Leave your pity party, rise up out of your pit of depression, fear no more— Jesus is with you. Hold your head up high, put a smile on your face, scotch your feet, square your shoulders, and walk with confidence. March headlong into the face of your challenges. Wherever life takes you today you’re not alone. You have a constant companion who “is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think”( Eph. 3:20). Cling to this promise as you would a life-preserver were you overboard at sea. He will not fail you!

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried– – – Psalms 18:30

The daily devotional, “A Good Thing” says,”Here is one of the great understatements of the Bible: the word of the LORD is tried.

God’s people, for thousands of years, have cast their lives into the mold of God’s Word. They have married, invested, raised children, decided careers, and set their ambitions according to the Word of God. They have found in the Bible their comfort in times of loss, their direction in times of change, and their joy in times of prosperity.

God’s Word has been tried, tested, scrutinized, and relied upon by Christians throughout the ages. And, just as David testified, they have found it more than sufficient for their every need. They have discovered, in every generation and in every imaginable circumstance, that God’s Word truly is perfect.

His counsel is always wise, His history is always accurate, His lessons are always true, and His commands are always relevant. God’s way is perfect.

But David was not merely making an observation or teaching an academic lesson; David’s point is that because God’s Word has been tried and tested by millions of saints through the centuries, and has been found perfect, each of us should therefore build our lives on this tried and sure foundation.

Who do you look to for direction and for advice? Do you trust popular opinion, or well-meaning friends, to help you make decisions and find meaning in life? Or do you go to God’s perfect Word over and over again, for counsel in every area of life?

The Word of the Lord is tried, it is proven, it is sure — but have you tried it?”

“They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.”“–Proverbs 11:20

It should be the desire of every Christian to glorify God and please Him with our lives. In this, as in all things, Jesus sets a perfect example for us to follow. We see an expression of this after Jesus was baptized by John. “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). We see it again on the Mount of Transfiguration when Peter suggested they stay with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah on the mount. “While he [Peter] yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him” (Matthew 17:5).

We do not gain favor or merit with God based on our performance— His grace has already “made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6) because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our standing with Him has been secured by the precious blood of Jesus. Still, it pleases God to see us walking in His ways, just as He was pleased with Jesus who said, “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29). It should be the desire of every child of God to live in such a way that we bring delight to Him through our actions.

Because we have God’s Word, we can order our lives according to the wisdom of God. As we read it, study it, memorize it and meditate on it, our thoughts and actions are brought into line with God’s thinking. When the Bible is the governing force in our lives, we can be certain that we are pleasing Him.—-Live each day in such a way that your actions are a delight to God.–“Daily in the Word”

– – – he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.–Prov. 10:18

In the case of slander, the listener is almost as bad as the speaker. The only proper response, is to shut your ears the moment you begin to hear an evil report of another from anyone. The person has no right to tell it to you–and you have no right to listen to it! If you refuse to listen–he will not be able to go on with his story. Ears are made to hear with, but on occasion it is better to be deaf. We all aim at courtesy, and courtesy requires that we be patient listeners, even to dull speakers; but even courtesy does not require us to listen to evil reports about a neighbor. Ears should be trained to shut instinctively when the breath of slander touches it, just as our eyes shut at the slightest approach of harm.–J. R. Miller

“He who speaks a slander, carries the devil on his tongue–and he who listens to it, carries the devil in his ear!” Thomas Watson