“Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment…” (2 Peter 2:9)

Rescued: To cause to be free from danger, imprisonment, or difficulty; save.

God seeks out His sheep to rescue them

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.” (Eze. 34:11-12 ESV)

God delivers the righteous from all afflictions

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19 ESV)

Therefore…

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.” (Nahum 1:7 ESV)

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim. 4:18 ESV)

Quote:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free…” – Jesus Christ, (Luke 4:18 NLT)

“For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.” (Psalm. 66:10 ESV)

The testing of your faith produces steadfastness

“For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1;3 ESV)

Stand the test and be blessed 

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

After testing you will come out as gold

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” (Job. 23:10 ESV)

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” (Prov. 17:3 ESV)

The testing of your faith’s genuineness will result in praise, glory and honor

“So that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And ‘If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. ” (1 Peter 4:12-19 ESV)

Quotes:

“The greatest test of faith is when you don't get what you want, but still you are able to say Thank You Lord.” - John Hagee

“The ultimate test of faith is not how loudly you praise God in happy times but how deeply you trust him in dark times.” - Rick Warren

“Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; The upright shall dwell in Your presence.” (Psalms 140:13 NKJV)

There is fullness of Joy in God’s presence

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11 ESV)

You enter God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise 

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. (Psalm 100:4 NKJV)

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.” (Psalm 95:2 NKJV)

Therefore…

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Heb. 10:19-22 ESV)

Quote:

“Why do some persons 'find' God in a way that others do not? Why does God manifest His Presence to some and let multitudes of others struggle along in the half-light of imperfect Christian experience? Of course the will of God is the same for all. He has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children. The difference lies not with God but with us.” - A.W. Tozer

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:6-7 ESV)

Cast all your anxieties on God, because He cares for you

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt. 6:25-34 ESV)

Quote:

“An unpeaceful mind cannot operate normally. Hence the Apostle teaches us to "have no anxiety about anything" (Phil. 4:6). Deliver all anxious thoughts to God as soon as they arise. Let the peace of God maintain your heart and mind (v. 7).”

- Watchman Nee

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1 Cor. 1:30 NIV)

Jesus has become wisdom from God for you

The passage at top says Christ Jesus has become wisdom from God and three things for you: righteous, holiness and redemption. 

1) Righteousness: a coming into spiritual oneness with God, because for Christ's sake the believer in Christ is treated as 

righteous.

2) Holiness: purity or integrity of moral character; freedom from sin.

3) Redemption: the purchase back of something that had been lost, by the payment of a ransom.

Therefore…

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. 2:6 ESV)

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom. 11:33 ESV)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV)

Quote:

“The chief means for attaining wisdom, and suitable gifts for the ministry, are the Holy Scriptures, and prayer.” - John Newton

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Rev. 3:8 ESV)

Wait and watch beside God’s doors and be blessed 

“Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.” (Prov. 8:34 ESV)

No one can close a door that God has opened

“I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed my word and did not deny me.” (Rev. 3:8)

Therefore…

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev. 3:20 ESV)

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 ESV)

Quote:

“So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”  - Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:7)

“And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” (Gen. 1:29 ESV)

Plants and animals are food provided by God

“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” (Gen. 9:3 ESV)

Food must be received with thanksgiving

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim. 4:4-5 ESV)

However, do not cause another to stumble by what you can eat

“Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:13-23 ESV)

Therefore…

“Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.” (Prov. 15:17 ESV)

“Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.” (1 Cor. 8:8 ESV)

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 ESV)

“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt. 4:4 ESV)

Quote:

“‘Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?’” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)” – Jesus Christ (Mark 7:18-19)

“Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, Savior!” (Isa. 45:15)

There is an expression, “Hidden in plain sight.” God has the ability to hide Himself even though He is always present. 

God hides his face yet sees 

“Then He said, ‘I will hide My face from them, I will see what their end shall be; For they are a perverse generation, Sons in whom is no faithfulness.” (Deut. 32:20)

“According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I dealt with them, and I hid My face from them.” (Eze. 39:24)

“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?” (Job 34:29)

With everlasting kindness God will have compassion on you

“In an outburst of anger I hid My face from you for a moment, But with everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you,” Says the Lord your Redeemer.” (Isa. 54:8)

“I will not hide My face from them any longer, for I will have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,” declares the Lord God.” (Eze. 39:29)

Therefore…

“And I will wait for the Lord who is hiding His face from the house of Jacob; I will even look eagerly for Him.” (Isa. 8:17)

“And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13)

Quote:

“We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito.” - C. S. Lewis

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 ESV)

The upright person does right and speaks truth in his heart

“He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart.” (Psalm 15:2 ESV)

God is a shield to those who walk uprightly

“He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly.” (Prov. 2:7 NKJV

The opposite of uprightness to avoid

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5 ESV)

Therefore…)

”Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Eph. 5:15-16 ESV)

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7 ESV)

“He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.” (Isa. 33:15-16 ESV)

Quote:

“If honest of heart and uprightness before God were lacking or if I did not patiently wait on God for instruction, or if I preferred the counsel of my fellow-men to the declarations of the Word of God, I made great mistakes.” - George Muller