Category Archives: Adversity

In Training to Be Used Mightily

A budding young soloist went to a great Italian musician for voice training. The master handed him a piece of music and said, “Practice this for one full year and then return here.” The request seemed a bit strange, but … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Choices, Commitment, Disappointment, Discipleship, Doing Good, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Timing, God's Omniscience, God's Will, Impatience, Ministry, Music, Obedience, Patience, Perseverance, Rebellion, Reward, Submission, Teaching, Temptation, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

God Knows What He is Doing/ He Maketh No Mistake

For a post today, I decided to do something a bit different by combining a couple of short items I’ve had in my files for some time. The first one is a little story that offers one example of the … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Comfort, Disappointment, Discipleship, Dying To Self, Faith, God's Omnipotence, God's Omniscience, God's Will, Humor, Patience, Perseverance, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Optimistic Are You About Your Future?

Flagstaff, Maine, was chosen as the site for a huge hydroelectric installation. The installation would include a dam that would impound miles and miles of water and bury the town under water. Consequently, in the late 1940s, the process of … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Aging, Assurance of Salvation, Attitude, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Comfort, Contentment, Depression, Disappointment, Elderly, Encouragement, Eternal Security, Eternity, Faith, Heaven, Peace, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Suffering, Trials | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Criticism

I once heard Jack Graham, the pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Texas, tell a great story in his sermon. The story went as follows. A man and his wife walked into a store. A parrot sitting on a perch … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Commitment, Criticism, Doing Good, Faithfulness, God's Will, Humor, Obedience, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Suffering

We live in a culture in which we are taught to avoid suffering. After all, avoiding it does seem to make perfect sense. But the problem is that God, who oftentimes delights in making little or no sense, uses suffering … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Attitude, Christ's Death, Christ's Resurrection, Comfort, Complaining, Contentment, Courage, Depression, Disappointment, Encouragement, Patience, Persecution, Perseverance, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Sanctification, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

What Is Your Opinion of God?

Somewhere along the way, I picked up a two-column chart on the subject of God. The chart presents two very different opinions concerning our Maker. See which side best describes your opinion of God. Opinion 1 ————————————————————————————- Opinion 2 a loving father … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Anger, Attitude, Depression, Disappointment, Honesty, Perseverance, Prayer, Problems, Suffering, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

All You Need to Know

The teacher of a children’s Sunday School class gave her students one month to memorize the 23rd Psalm. Little Bobby gave it his best, but by month’s end he still couldn’t quote all the Psalm. So, when it came his … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Comfort, Eternal Security, God's Love, God's Omnipresence, God's Provision, Needs, Problems, Sunday School, Trials, Trusting In God, Worry | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Headed North

Is it possible for a person to be moving north and south at the same time? Sure. Imagine a man walking south on the deck of a ship that is headed north. As we live the Christian life, we oftentimes … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Backsliding, Comfort, Demons, Eternal Security, Heaven, Perseverance, Problems, Reward, Salvation, Satan, Sowing and Reaping, Trials | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Properly Appreciate Heaven

Charles Spurgeon, Victorian England’s most famous preacher, wrote the following concerning why the Christian has difficulties in this life: We would never know the music of the harp if the strings were left untouched or enjoy the juice of the … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Comfort, Encouragement, Eternity, Heaven, Perseverance, Problems, Reward | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What to Do About Clouds

I miss Patrick Swayze. He was one of my favorite movie stars. I always liked watching him, no matter what part he was playing. Swayze and his wife Niemi were both pilots, and they enjoyed flying airplanes together. On one … Continue reading

Posted in Adversity, Bible Study, Choices, Decisions, Discernment, Faith, God's Will, Perseverance, Problems, Scripture, The Bible, The Holy Spirit, Trials, Trusting In God | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment