Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
Four weeks is a long time to be cooped up, isn’t it? Well, perhaps you are getting weary and are in need of a word of biblical encouragement. One morning, last week, the Holy Spirit drew me back into the
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He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Isaiah 53:3 Jesus understands your pain, no matter what is causing it. There is no sadness, hurt, or loss he does not know personally. He
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Last October, I had the privilege to teach at the annual conference of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). During the week it was also a great joy to sit down with executive director Dale Johnson, to talk about
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Joy is a settled state of mind and heart produced by the Holy Spirit, resulting in contentment and hope-filled confidence in God’s trustworthy character and good purposes. It’s a settled state, not a passing feeling, of mind and heart; that
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Yesterday, the Holy Spirit ministered deeply to my heart through what may be the best sermon I’ve heard on the book of Job. An area pastor graciously responded to my request to preach to our congregation on the subject of
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Joni Eareckson Tada has given us many books on the subject of God’s tender care for His children in times of suffering. She strikes the chord of authenticity with us so well, because suffering is the world she lives in
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As dark as life gets when you lose someone to suicide, you can truly experience hope. You may have serious doubts today, and wonder how you can possibly go on, but you will survive. Your life will never be the
Continue readingThen I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. (Rev. 21:1) There is much to think about…so much that is packed in
Continue readingI’m exceedingly thankful to the Lord for the renewed interest in biblical lament, as evidenced by the popularity of some recent books. If you are a pastor or counselor, or going through a deep valley of suffering yourself, studying the
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As Christians, we are not to walk alone in our suffering, or inadvertently force others to deal with personal suffering on their own. The church, as a spiritual hospital, the family of God, and a discipleship culture, is to be
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So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” (Genesis 16:13) God hears and sees you in the
Continue readingFor the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men. (Lamentations
Continue reading“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I
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In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found
Continue readingHow To Weep With Those Who Weep – “Just as we are commanded to weep with God’s people, so we are commanded to weep with him. God gives us grief in order that we may share his heart for his
Continue readingPsalm 30 reveals David as a man who ultimately triumphs in joy, and through joy. But it was not always that way, all of the time. In his journey from sorrow to joy, we see why the Holy Spirit preserved
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Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in
Continue readingHow Not to Help a Sufferer – “The problem with Job’s comforters isn’t that they’re heretics. Much of what they say is true. The problem is the moralistic worldview that governs their engagement with Job, and compels them to reason
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By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and a pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
