Our experience in overcoming and developing character will be fraught with difficulties, but God will provide the power to get through all the anguish.

Most of ancient Israel, because of their hardened hearts, did not please God. We must reflect on the the ways they stumbled so we can walk differently.

Because God has demonstrated incredible longsuffering with our shortcomings, we should similarly exercise forbearance to those who have offended us.

God has self-imposed limitations when we go against His commands, testing His patience, purposely limiting Him by our faithlessness, robbing ourselves of blessings.

Pride, the father of all sins, is the source of self-exaltation, self-justification and the despising of authority. It cloaks rebellion in a deceptive appeal.

Once we accept God's sovereignty, it begins to produce certain virtues in us. Here are four of these byproducts of total submission to God.

Jeremiah and his scribe, Baruch, lived during a time of great upheaval. Baruch complained that God's plans against Judah were crimping his own ambitions.

We need to give thanks for everything, blessings and trials. Christianity ought to be an exhilarating experience, but it depends on our outlook on life.

Here are four qualities of character that our full acceptance of God's sovereignty will build and that will prepare us for whatever work God may choose for us.

We must develop an active, God-given restraint and constancy in endurance while facing trials and waiting for Christ's return, trusting that God will provide.

Biblically, patience is far more than simple endurance or longsuffering. The patience that God has shown man gives us an example of what true, godly patience is.

The church has lost faith in God to work through His ministry. We must develop a balanced insight into the function of the helpers of our joy.

We may not be troubled by giants or enemy nations, but we have trials of similar magnitude. We dare not behave as the timid spies, but live with boldness.