An Exhortation While Walking in Sovereign Sustaining Grace

Let's be honest, life can seem tough sometimes. (Although I must preface this by saying that we in America do NOT really know what it means to suffer. I do not say this to minimize anyone's present circumstance, but I have really been challenged with a type of true Christianity that I see and hear about it other countries. Here, we live our worldly conforming lives and when we face a little percieved hardship our spiritual mettle is tested. In other countries, a pursuit of Jesus Christ is certain death) Anyway, having said that, I can say from a personal level that we as a family have and are walking through some times of testing. What I want to do is tell you about the sustaining peace, grace, and faith that our Saviour has given us through His Word ("Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God"). There is a beautiful passage of scripture (Jeremiah 32:36-41) that really elevates the Sovereignty of God in walking us into tough times, but while we are there, He sustains us with His Sustaining Grace. Then as He walks us out of the tough times, He rejoices over us and gives us His Word in order to glory and exult in Him alone. The tough things we are walking through are in His hand. As the Sovereign God He ordains, sustains, and delivers according to His will. This view of His Sovereignty has really been a blessing to Ashley and I. To know that He is here and in total control. What He wants from us is this:
"Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to the Lord. This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the re-knewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing, and perfect will" (Romans 12:1-2)
We must know His Word and yearn, seek, and pursue His Holiness so that in the midst of any strom we may experience Him. Whether He says "storm...peace be still" or the storm continues, it is ordained for His glory and we can either choose to see that and put our trust in the awesome God or we can choose to put our faith in ourselves and not glory in His Soveriengty. I want to leave you with a verse of exhortation for all of us that "call" ourselves Christains:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust indeed is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by the waters, that sends its roots out by the streams. It does not fear when the heat comes; it's leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, it NEVER ceases to bear fruit!" (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Matthew 7, says that you know a tree by its fruit. Are you bearing the fruit for Christ that you so adamately profess? Better yet, are you so rooted in Christ, not conforming to this sick world, and firmly based in the Word of God and His Sovereignty that you continue to bear fruit in and through tough times? That is the mark of a true believer. I exhort you as does Jeremiah, where are your roots planted? Every root of your life and who you are?

God Bless
Matt