I. Fiery Furnaces. One of the most well known accounts in the Bible is that of the three Hebrew children who were thrown into the fire (Daniel 3). Peter spoke of the "fiery trial" through which we must pass in the here and now( 1Pet.4:12). Trials come to us, they complete us, and they conform us. Many have gone through the "fiery trial." Be like the Hebrew children, who when facing the fiery furnace said, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and He will deliver us out of thy hand O king" (Dan.3:17).

II. Frustrating Brethren. I think of how Paul had problems with John Mark (Acts 12). Paul and Barnabus became divided over taking him on another missionary journey. Paul was frustrated over Demas forsaking him, loving this present world system more that the Apostle (2 Tim.4:10). Also there was a layman by the name of Diotrophes who frustrated John–and wanted more than anything else to have first place among the brethren and he had rejected John (3 Jn.1:9). There are frustrating brethren who "say" and "do" things they should not in life.

III. Failing Health. If your health fails you this year, you should still make up your mind, by God’s grace, you will continue and not faint.

IV. Foggy Vision. The Bible says, "We see through a glass darkly"(1 Cor.13:12). Sometimes we do not see as clearly down the road as we want to see, but we must realize that one day we will be "face to face" with our Redeemer, "face to face" to see and know.

V. Faltering Faith. In Mark 9 a son had an evil spirit in him. The demon was trying to destroy him. If the father would only believe, all things were possible. The father of the boy cried, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief." Our faith may falter but it does not need to fail.