Suffering and worship

This week we finish reading the book of Job. The majority of the book contains the dialogue between Job and his three not-so-wise and not-so-comforting and not-so-biblical friends. They foolishly attempt to answer why a godly man like Job suffers (their faulty answer — “he’s not as godly as he thinks”). But in question after […]

Affliction – good for the soul

I have come across two statements in the last day that affirm the verses that I read from the Psalmist on Sunday morning. Affliction is good for the soul. It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.… I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that […]

Grab bag

Recently seen around the Internet that I found interesting: I might tweak some of his counsel at the end to be a little more Biblical, but I agree with his observation that “Busyness is the new spirituality.” Nine Marks produces an e-Journal every two months that is always helpful and thought-provoking. This month the theme […]

Reflections on Twenty Years of Ministry: Godly Suffering and Godly Examples

This is the ninth of a series of reflections of gratitude on 20 years of ministry at GBC. Twenty years ago, I did not have this category for gratitude in my life. I couldn’t conceive it. I hadn’t lived life long enough to experience any significant pain and sorrow. Nor had I been exposed to […]

Preparing for suffering

C. J. Mahaney has often encouraged pastors to prepare their people for suffering. Matt Chandler is one pastor who has done just that — and found that in the process he actually had prepared himself for his own suffering. Watch the video here: (HT: Justin Taylor)

Joni’s new book

Joni Eareckson Tada has written a new book entitled, A Place of Healing which will be released in September. It will also be available then in audio format; the first hour of the book is available for a free download now, through Christian Audio. The book is described this way: In this eloquent account of […]

How do you respond to multiplied sufferings?

How do you respond to suffering? And how do you respond when you suffer in a similar way again? And again? The example of Joni Eareckson Tada is an encouragement about how to respond when we suffer physically again and again. She has been a quadriplegic for more than 40 years, and her testimony of […]

Matt Chandler helps prepare us for suffering

Matt Chandler is pastor of The Village Church in the Dallas area. Last Thanksgiving he discovered that he had a malignant tumor in his brain. Doctors were able to remove much, but not all of it, and he was given the prognosis of 2-4 years to live. He is in his mid-thirties with two young […]

Do not be surprised at fiery ordeals

A few weeks ago I was talking to one of my daughters about a friend she was trying to encourage. He thought he was going through some unusually difficult times — and he was openly unhappy at God about it. How could she encourage him to endure and to trust God’s providence in his life? […]

It is good for you…

Suffering appears in many different forms. As many different lives as there are, so there are that many different kinds and degrees of suffering. One thing we might be assured of, however. Every person will experience some measure of suffering in life. For the believer, the suffering is an examination to see if he will […]

Book Review: Be Still, My Soul

Title: Be Still, My Soul: Embracing God’s Purpose and Provision in Suffering Editor: Nancy Guthrie Publisher: Crossway, 2010; 175 pp. $12.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): There are many tests in the Christian life. How will the believer respond to temptation to sin? Will he remain faithful to Christ to the end? Will he wisely and generously […]

Book Review: Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ

Title: Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ: The Cost of Bringing the Gospel to the Nations in the Lives of William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton Author: John Piper Publisher: Crossway, 2009; 126 pp. $17.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): In college and seminary I had very little affinity for history or biography. Now I naturally […]

Grab bag

Al Mohler has had several thought-provoking posts recently: “Starting Something You Cannot Finish” “An Amazing Article on Abortion…” “The Kindle Experience…” (Would you read an electronic book?) Reflections on Tiger Woods — “The Travail of Tiger Woods” (Mohler) “Hunting Tiger Woods” (Mahaney) “The Seduction of Power — the Tiger Woods Story” (Witherington) “Tiger and the […]

Another violent tragedy

I didn’t have my radio on most of the day yesterday, so I heard no news during the day. On my drive home I was listening to a sermon, so I likewise missed the news. So when I got home one of the girls said something about Fort Hood, and I was confused about what […]

Consider God’s servant Job

For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been making our way through Job in our daily Bible reading. Just reading the first couple of chapters makes one think of people who have suffered or reminds one of his own suffering. I’ve thought of numerous hospital visits and bedside prayers for people dying — children and […]