Where Is God? There are never quick fixes or easy answers when it comes to suffering. But even when we can't immediately see God's hand—when the struggle is hard and painful—he is working. Weaving together Scripture, personal stories, and the words of the classic hymn "How Firm a Foundation," David Powlison brings an experienced counselor's touch to exploring how God enters into our sufferings, helping us see God working in our own particular struggles—and discover how God's grace goes deeper than we could ever imagine.
Have you ever wondered what life was like in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve sinned? What did it really feel like to live in such a wonderful and charming place of perfect peace and harmony? It was surely paradise for our first parents. There was not a trace of evil, not a hint of anything bad that would hurt or mar until the great tempter showed up. The Bible calls him the devil"" our archenemy and master of deceit whom Jesus describes as a thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Satan appeared to Eve as a beguiling, harmless serpent but, since then, has taken many subtle and artful forms. As you prayerfully read from these inspired pages, the author takes you through the Bible on a thrilling adventure that will hold you in suspense as you watch the battle between the forces of good and evil take place. The stage is being set, and the final battle of the ages is now beginning to unfold and will soon take place between God and Satan. It is a battle for the souls of man. You will see Satan's many cunning tactics and come to understand the devices he uses to lead people away from a loving God and cause them to fall and fail. Are you going through a trial or being tempted? Is there something you are up against and battling? Are you or someone you know suffering some hardship and have fallen victim to Satan and failed? Don't give up! You will discover in this book God's redeeming grace. You will behold God's salvation and love for His children like you have never witnessed. Through the pages, you will see Him reaching to the lost and confused, to the troubled and hurting. You will discover God's saving and delivering power is much greater than Satan. You will find He's greater than any and all failure and sin, no matter how big or bad. You will behold His forgiveness and cleansing and see lives transformed and healed. When you finish reading this God-inspired work, you will be able to recognize Satan's many deceiving ways. You will be able to see right through every temptation and lie of your enemy and avoid hurt and disaster in your life, your home, and church. This book will teach you how to put on the whole armor of God and be an overcomer. You will understand God's guidance and learn His voice that will keep you safe. In the midst of your trials, you will learn to trust God, hold on to faith, and come out victorious. Dear reader, there is hope""God is still making winners! May God bless you as you start this journey!
“A triumph. This novel’s haunting strength will hold the reader until the very end and make Faith and her story impossible to forget.” —Richmond Times Dispatch “Extraordinary.” —Orlando Sentinel From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult (Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, Handle with Care) comes Keeping Faith: an “addictively readable” (Entertainment Weekly) novel that “makes you wonder about God. And that is a rare moment, indeed, in modern fiction” (USA Today).
In the last few years, 9/11, a tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and many other tragedies have shown us that the vision of God in today's churches in relation to evil and suffering is often frivolous. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, many Christians are choosing to become more shallow, more entertainment-oriented, and therefore irrelevant in the face of massive suffering. In Suffering and the Sovereignty of God, contributors John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Steve Saint, Carl Ellis, David Powlison, Dustin Shramek, and Mark Talbot explore the many categories of God's sovereignty as evidenced in his Word. They urge readers to look to Christ, even in suffering, to find the greatest confidence, deepest comfort, and sweetest fellowship they have ever known.
"I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages." What does it mean to "kiss the wave?" These words, attributed to nineteenth-century British preacher Charles Spurgeon, speak to the Christian's only hope for perseverance in suffering. What if we can learn to experience the nearness of God in the midst of suffering? What if God intends to work through our trials rather than simply take them away? After living for more than a decade with a debilitating nerve condition in both arms, Dave Furman shows us that God, in his grace, always designs trials for our good—not minimizing the pain, but infusing significance into our suffering. Furman demonstrates that, even when tossed to and fro by stormy waves, God is near . . . and that makes all the difference in the world.
Explore this stunning quality of God’s grace: It never ends! In this revision of a foundational work, John Piper reveals how grace is not only God’s undeserved gift to us in the past, but also God’s power to make good happen for us today, tomorrow, and forever. True life for the follower of Jesus really is a moment-by-moment trust that God is dependable and fulfills his promises. This is living by faith in future grace, which provides God's mercy, provision, and wisdom—everything we need—to accomplish his good plans for us. In Future Grace, chapter by chapter—one for each day of the month—Piper reveals how cherishing the promises of God helps break the power of persistent sin issues like anxiety, despondency, greed, lust, bitterness, impatience, pride, misplaced shame, and more. Ultimate joy, peace, and hope in life and death are found in a confident, continual awareness of the reality of future grace.
Jesus called this ordinary man for an extraordinary purpose. Simon the fisherman would become Peter the Rock. This outspoken Galilean would lead Christ’s church, stand strong in the face of persecution, and even refuse to waver when faced with death. Unshakable Faith is an eight-session Bible study that explores the life and teachings of the Apostle Peter. Participants will be eye witnesses to Peter’s spiritual growth as God strengthens and matures his fragile faith. They will discover eight key "faith traits" God developed in Peter as he followed Christ and learned from Him. Participants will walk with Peter as he walked with Jesus. They will learn what Peter learned. Then they’ll be challenged to apply it to their own lives. Study participants will not only gain a solid knowledge of Peter’s life and teaching, they will also build a foundation on which God can grow an unshakable faith that will weather every storm they encounter.
Does God have a path for me? How do I make the right choices in life? Why is it so difficult to uncover God's will? Trusted pastor and teacher John MacArthur answers these vital questions and more. Found: God's Will shares six powerful principles that will give you direction, fill you with purpose, and give you the confidence to live out His plan for you.
The astonishing, Job-like story of how an existence filled with loss, suffering, questioning, and anger became a life filled with shocking and incomprehensible peace and joy. Vaneetha Risner contracted polio as an infant, was misdiagnosed, and lived with widespread paralysis. She lived in and out of the hospital for ten years and, after each stay, would return to a life filled with bullying. When she became a Christian, though, she thought things would get easier, and they did: carefree college days, a dream job in Boston, and an MBA from Stanford where she met and married a classmate. But life unraveled. Again. She had four miscarriages. Her son died because of a doctor's mistake. And Vaneetha was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome, meaning she would likely become a quadriplegic. And then her husband betrayed her and moved out, leaving her to raise two adolescent daughters alone. This was not the abundant life she thought God had promised her. But, as Vaneetha discovered, everything she experienced was designed to draw her closer to Christ as she discovered "that intimacy with God in suffering can be breathtakingly beautiful."
