1. Psalm 91:2-6 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

2. John 5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. Matt.14:26-27 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 1 Peter 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

3. 34 A.D., Stephen while preaching was cast out of city and stoned. About 2,000 Christians suffered martyrdom during this time. 10 yrs. later James, the elder brother of John, was killed by a sword on orders from Herod Agrippa governor of Judea. Philip, suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis. Being scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified (about 54 A.D.). Matthew, the tax-collector was preaching in Ethiopia when he suffered martyrdom by the sword (about 60 A.D.). James, the Brother of Jesus at 94 was beat and stoned, & had his brains bashed out with a fuller's club. Matthias who took the place of Judas was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded. Andrew, the brother of Peter, while preaching in Edessa, was arrested and crucified on a cross.

4. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria. Peter was condemned to death and crucified upside down, at his own request, because he felt unworthy to die as Master. Paul while in Rome was led to a private place outside the city where he was beheaded. Jude, the brother of James, commonly called Thaddeus was crucified at Edessa in about 72 A.D. Bartholomew was beaten and crucified by idolaters in India. Thomas, called Didymus, preached in Parthia and India was thrust through with a spear by pagan priests. Luke was supposedly hanged on an olive tree by idolatrous priests in Greece Barnabas was killed without many known facts - about 73 A.D Simon, surnamed Zelotes, preached in Africa and Britain, where he was crucified in about 74 A.D

5. 2Cor.11:23–27: Are they ministers of Christ? I speak as a fool I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

6. Psa.9:9: Lord a refuge in times of trouble. Psa.20:1: Lord hear thee in the day of trouble. Psa.22:11: Be not far from me for trouble is near. Psa.25:17: Troubles of my heart are enlarged. Psa.25:22: Redeemed out of all troubles. Psa.27:5: Time of trouble hide me in pavilion. Psa.31:9: Have mercy on me for I am in trouble. Psa.34:17: Delivered from all troubles. Psa.86:7: In day of trouble call upon God. Psa.107:6: Cry unto the Lord in your trouble. Psa.138:7: Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me.

7. 2Cor.7:5-6 For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-8 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

8. 60-0417S I.KNOW (43): And why does God let troubles come? God harnesses trouble, puts bits in its mouth, and makes it obey Him, and those troubles bring us into a closer fellowship with God. There had been no rainbow until the flood came. But after Noah was pressed into that condition that he was in, to float forty days and nights in a storm and the little ark pitching up and down in the water, it was after the flood was over that he saw the rainbow for its first time, the covenant of hope, the covenant of promise. After he'd went through the tribulation, then he saw the promise. …..

9. …. That’s the way you see the promise, after you've gone through the tribulation. I've liked that poem, or psalm: Must I be carried home to Heaven on a flowery bed of ease, While others fought to win the prize and sailed through bloody seas? We ask for comfort and peace; God gives us the best He could give us: trials and tribulations. That's better than comfort and peace. Our comforts is just beyond the river.