Adversity
The last three articles have been a response to the election. The first, See the Good that has Come, discussed the biblical response to the difficult circumstances we are likely to face in the next few years. The second, How to Choose Joy in Adversity, gave a detailed description about how to manage our minds [...]
This article was originally written right after the presidential election of 2008. In Jam 1:2-4 Christians are commanded to imagine the good that God intends through what He has allowed and to understand the spiritual process for experiencing joy in response to adversity. I want to echo Paul’s command found in 1Tim 2:1-4 to pray [...]
The following was written by a friend in response to the question,”What good can you imagine that God is working by allowing Obama to be elected”. Thank you Ginger for your thoughts. by Ginger Swann “Maybe God has some one in His plan that will make an impact on Obama. The guy who fixes his [...]
The Lord has allowed men and women who promote evil ideas to become our earthly rulers. As He allowed Israel to be ruled by the Assyrians, the Persians, the Greeks and in the 1st century, Rome, so now He has given us a similar gift. The U.S. was not defeated in war by another country [...]
Ok folks, enough! Enough grumbling about the will of God. What He has allowed, He wants us to accept and look for the good in it. Even if you see recent events as God’s discipline, the truth is that whatever He allows in the life of His children is intended for their good – our [...]
If you ended up living through the Tribulation or half of it, I wonder what spiritual skills you would use to endure through it that you don’t use now. I have Christian friends who land all along the spectrum of the views about whether the church is pre, mid or post Tribulation. When the discussion [...]
Recently my 18-year-old daughter spent 2 days in the hospital with a resistant strain of pneumonia. When the doctor’s strategy didn’t work for her, we were tempted to worry. It was also difficult to see her suffering and feeling so bad. My wife spent almost the whole time with her and the other children were [...]
Martha was cleaning the kitchen when her brother came in looking puny and said, I don’t feel good. Oh, Laz, you are such a hypochondriac, its probably just your sinuses. Ever since you turned 40 you have done nothing but complain. I don’t know sis, I really don’t feel good at all. Mary came up [...]
Phillip couldn’t believe it. They had taken a boat across the Sea of Galilee and still the crowds followed them. How did they get here so quickly? he asked. We crossed the sea and they almost beat us here. Ever since Jesus had started with the miracles and healings, the crowds just got bigger. There [...]
James 1:2-4 teaches us a different way to think about the adversities in our lives. James explains that God allows adversity to come upon us at various times and that when He does, it is an occasion for pure joy. The reason we can joyfully embrace adversity is that we understand God’s purpose for it [...]
