Without Job’s knowing it, a dialogue took place in the invisible world. As the Lord and Satan had their strange encounter, the subject quickly turned to this well-known earthly man. The Lord calls Satan’s attention to Job’s exemplary life.
Read MoreCategory Archives: Crisis
Breaking Down Walls
It was like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s all rolled into one. It was like Berlin on the ninth of November 1989! It was like nothing they had ever seen before. They would sing all night and all the next day because the gloom was lifted!
Read MoreGod Notices
Never fails, does it? Things are not as they seem. And about the time you think they cannot get worse, they do. This was certainly true for Mordecai at a pivotal point in the story of Esther. When all seems lost, it isn’t.
Read MoreCrucible for Christ
As we did earlier, let’s first examine the significance of the name of this place where the prophet was told to go. Zarephath comes from a Hebrew verb that means “to melt, to smelt.” Interestingly, in noun form it means “crucible.”
Read MoreOur Obstacle Course
Part of every boot camp experience is the grueling, grinding, and sometimes daunting obstacle course. It is neither fun nor easy, but its demanding discipline prepares the recruit for whatever situations he or she may face.
Read MoreHow to Cling to God When the World Caves In
Step into the time tunnel with me and let’s travel together back to the distant land of Uz . . . Wherever it was, Uz had a citizen who had everyone’s respect, because he was blameless, upright, God-fearing, and clean living. He had 10 children, lots of livestock, plenty of land, numerous servants, and a […]
Read MoreRagged Rocks of Adversity
Try to make time this weekend to read the entire book of Job, for only then do you really see the true extent of Job’s honest dealings with God and his steadfast faith in the face of adversity.
Read MoreHandling Adversity
Step into the time tunnel with me, and let’s travel together back to Uz (not the wizard of, but the land of). Wherever it was, Uz had a citizen who was respected by everyone. Why? Because he was blameless, upright, God-fearing, and clean living. He had ten children, thousands of head of livestock, acres and acres of land, a great many servants, and a substantial stack of cash.
Read MoreSuffering
Of all the letters Paul wrote, Second Corinthians is the most autobiographical. In this letter Paul records the specifics of his anguish, tears, affliction, and satanic opposition. He spells out the details of his persecution, loneliness, imprisonments, beatings, feelings of despair, hunger, shipwrecks, sleepless nights, and that “thorn in the flesh”—his companion of pain. How close it makes us feel to him when we see him as a man with real, honest-to-goodness problems, just like ours!
Read MoreThe Pale Horse
The path of the pale horse named Death, mentioned in Revelation 6:8, is littered with bitterness, sorrow, fear, and grief. This ashen stallion started his lengthy journey ages ago and races through time with steady beat and dreadful regularity. As long as we exist in the land of the dying, we shall hear the somber knell of his hoofbeats.
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