trials

Job was a righteous man who loved, worshiped and served God with his life. But, one day God allowed Satan to come after Job with all kinds of trials and tribulations. He lost nearly everything. And, then God allowed Satan to inflict Job’s body with all kinds of sores. But, in all this, Job did...

New Birth 1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in...

Trials of Many Kinds James 1:2-4 NIV Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything...

Sufferings of Job A summary of the book of Job Job was a righteous man in God’s eyes. The Bible says that he was “blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” Yet, God permitted Satan to come against Job to test Job’s faith. In one day Job lost most all his servants, his animals, and...

Jesus said that if we follow him, that we will be hated as he was hated, and that they will treat us the same way as they treated him. We are taught in scripture that we can expect to be persecuted, too, for righteousness’ sake, and that we are blessed when people revile us and say all manner of...

Do you ever struggle with fear? With the “what ifs” of this life? You know God is leading in your life. You know he is directing your path. You know you are following him in obedience, and that you have heard his voice clearly. But then someone comes along and pulls the rug out from underneath...

Let’s have a show of hands. How many of us, when we go through tough trials, immediately count it all joy? How many of us delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, and in difficulties? How many of us, when people hate us, when they exclude us and insult us and reject our...

Do you have days when you feel absolutely overwhelmed by what is happening in your lives, and/or in your marriages? I know that I have days when I am strong in the Lord, and I have days when I feel weak and vulnerable. I have days when I feel like I can conquer the world, and I have days, too...

Have you ever gotten to the point in your life where you felt like you were at the end of your rope? Everything you tried seemed to just blow up in your face. Nothing went like you had hoped, or even as you had planned. And, you felt as though you just kept coming up against brick walls. Your...

We are saved from our sins, and given eternal life with God, not just so we can escape hell and have the promise of heaven as our eternal home. When we believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives, our new lives in Christ Jesus have only begun. He has so much he wants to do in and...

What are you going through? Have you lost a loved one to death? Your spouse has left you for another? Or, your spouse is a sex addict? Your kids are rebellious, drug addicted and out-of-control? You lost your job? You don’t know how you are going to pay your bills? You have just been diagnosed...

I read Psalm 119:17-24 ESV Do you ever feel an overwhelming sadness in your heart which you just can’t quite put into words? You have the heart of God, and you feel deeply what he feels, but these feelings also come from your own experiences in life, the things God has taken you through, and...

Tuesday, October 3, 2017, 8:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Lord, I Need You.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Peter 1 (Select vv. NASB). His Great Mercy (vv. 3-5) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused...

Tuesday, September 26, 2017, 4:36 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Lord, I Need You.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 27 (Select vv. ESV). Be Confident (vv. 1-3) The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life...

Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 1:10 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Lord, Move Me.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Philippians 4:4-13 (NASB). Always Rejoice (vv. 4-7) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The...

Monday, July 17, 2017, 10:02 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “I Am Willing, Lord.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read various scriptures (in the NASB) on the subject of refining with fire. Comfort in Affliction (2 Co. 1:3-9) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus...

Saturday, July 8, 2017, 3:37 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “He Reached Down.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 2 Peter 2 (Select vv. ESV). False Teachers (vv. 1-3) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will...

Thursday, June 15, 2017, 9:34 p.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Only to Be What He Wants Me to Be.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read 1 Peter 1 (Select vv. NASB). Born Again (vv. 3-5) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy...

Sunday, June 4, 2017, 8:15 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “When Pretty Things Get Broken.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read James 1 (select vv. ESV). Various Trials (vv. 2-4) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the...

Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 7:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Total Praise.” Speak, Lord, your words to my heart. I read Psalm 61 (Select vv. ESV). My Refuge (vv. 1-3) To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. Of David. Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the...