Dear Friends,
The old spiritual says, “Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble, all God’s
children got trouble.” How can that be true? Why do we all experience
trouble at one time or another? Today’s attached devotional will help
you deal with trouble. God bless you.

Because of Calvary,
John Janney

• Matthew 5:10-12 (ESV)

  10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

  11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“Though Christ died to take away the curse from us, yet not to take away the cross from us. The saints have no charter of exemption from trials. Though they be never so meek merciful, pure in heart, their piety will not shield them from sufferings. They must hang their harp on the willows and take the cross. The way to heaven is by way of thorns and blood. Though it be full of roses in regard of the comforts of the Holy Ghost, yet it is full of thorns in regard of persecutions…. It is a saying of Ambrose, ‘There is no Abel but has his Cain.”… Put the cross in your creed.” [Thomas Watson, The Beatitudes, (London: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1660), p. 259-260]