Are you going through some difficulty? Are the things of this world pressing in? Do you feel like God isn’t even listening? Meditate on today’s reading in Psalm 30 … joy will come!
Also, read about the mouth of the righteous and the words of the perverse. And from our New Testament reading, how even the disciples struggled to understand some of the things Jesus taught them.
Have you ever felt like you have tried trusting God and things only got worse? Moses certainly did in today’s reading in Exodus. What did he do as a result and what can we learn from his response?
Proverbs has so much wisdom for us all but today’s reading from Proverbs 5 contains truths that, if heeded, can keep young men, in particular, from a lifetime of heartache and financial struggles.
And finally, from Matthew 18, we’ll talk about the seriousness of unforgiveness and its effect on our relationship with God.
Why are we told that God will use our trials for good? What if someone has hurt us terribly or meant it for evil? What good can possibly come from those kinds of trials? And what is required of us for good to come from them?
Also, why is it so important to guard what we put into our hearts and minds? And what did Jesus mean when He called us to “take up our cross” and follow Him?
We’ll look at these important subjects in today’s post.
In today’s post … we’ll talk about those times when you feel worn down and discouraged by your circumstances. Maybe you’re exhausted from dealing with a strong-willed child, a difficult marriage, or some other family issue. Maybe you have suffered a devastating loss over the past year and the holidays were especially difficult. You may have lost a job or had some other financial setback. Or maybe you’re worried about rising costs or a medical diagnosis.
You may be so discouraged you’re tempted to give up altogether. How do you keep going when life seems so full of challenges?
Do you wish you got more out of your Bible reading? If so, you need more than what you get on Sunday morning no matter how good the preaching is. You, also, need more than a verse or two on a smartphone app. You need to wade in.
In the last two chapters of Ezekiel, the Prophet had a vision of a river flowing out of the Millennial Temple. It represents the gospel and the fullness of Scripture. Some things are “ankle deep”—easy to understand. Others are “knee-deep” and require more study. Others are deeper still and we may not be able to understand them fully. Even so, God wants us to wade in so we can grow in our understanding of Him and His Word.
Also in today’s post, read about 4 attitudes to have in the midst of trials and persecution.
My free God’s Word Day by Day devotional can help you get more from your Bible reading whether it’s ankle deep, knee deep, or deeper still. In fact, this coming year could be your best year ever!
Where is God when life is hard? Does He allow tests and trials in our lives because He is angry? Do they mean He doesn’t love us? And if our trials are the result of God’s discipline, how should we respond?
Also, what is the one character quality that will enable us to be all Christ wants us to be, the one without which we cannot come to God or love Him the way we should? It’s the same quality required to love and serve others, lead in a godly way, communicate biblically, resolve conflict, deal with the sins of others, and resist sin ourselves. So, what is it?
We’ve all been there. Maybe you’re there right now. You’re going through a trial yet God seems nowhere to be found. And you find yourself wondering why.
You believe His promise to never leave you or forsake you. You believe God answers prayers. But … silence.
Suffering … we don’t like to think about the possibility that we might suffer. Yet, tests, trials, tragedies, suffering, and persecutions come to us all. We will probably never be completely prepared for tragedies and intense suffering. Those things often knock the wind out of us at least for a while. But is it possible to have the kind of spiritual foundation that will keep us from being completely knocked down by suffering? If so, what can we do to prepare?
It’s been said that either you have just come out of a trial, are presently in a trial, or are about to go through one. Trials expose our hearts. They remove the dross from our lives–those things which keep us from bringing glory to God as we should. But there are things we need to understand about trials and our responses.
It’s been said that either you have just come out of a trial, are presently in a trial, or are about to go through a trial. That thought can stop us in our tracks because we don’t like trials. At least I don’t and I don’t think I’m alone. But God uses tests, trials, and suffering in our lives as a divine squeeze to let us and others see what’s in our hearts. J.C. Ryle said, “What you are in the day of trial, that you are and nothing more.” Trials show us what we are really made of!