The Providence of God, Part 2.

God’s providence is always active and moving in and through our lives. If we have any hope of flourishing as God intends, which is growing in holiness toward Christlikeness, we must discipline our inner man to the powerful impact of the fact of God’s providence. Flourishing is the property of those whose lives are lived according to the interest, values, and concerns that exist in heaven.

How Grace Operates in Christian Relationships.

The occasion for Paul’s writing this and other letters to the Corinthians was to address a sin issue. His secondary purpose was to restore their relationships. All this was for the ultimate purpose of enabling Gospel progress to continue. There is no Gospel progress unless Christians are right with the Lord and each other in the local church.

From sorrow to singing, Psalm 13 reflects our human emotional shifts and points us to stability.

Psalm 12 expresses how David felt when he had been abandoned by godly friends. In Psalm 13, David is so alone, he feels he has been abandoned by God Himself. This feeling is prompted by the length of his suffering. Perseverance in a long time of difficulty is perhaps the most trying to our minds and hearts.

David's struggle will feel familiar to many people of God. In a marathon of trust, we often ask similar questions. Is God one who abandons? Through David's wrestling, we will learn that God's character and work confessed in prayer sustains us during long, drawn-out periods of suffering.

Pastor Kent Hobi: What Should I Do When I Do Right and God Does Not Bless?

Every true worshiper feels this tension at some point: We are doing the right thing as best we can, yet instead of blessing us, God allows difficult and even harmful things into our lives. Why does God allow bad things to happen to people who are trying to be faithful? God's people have struggled with this question through the ages. The book of Job and Psalm 44 are two examples of wrestling with the circumstances God has allowed.

What can possibly settle our hearts when God does not act as we expect? This question cannot be worked out in academic theological discussion. The only safe place to approach it is humbly bowed before God in prayer.

How should a Christian personally respond to evil that touches his or her life?

The enduring faith and compelling sacrifice of a father.

In God’s providence, the next chapter of Genesis fits perfectly with a Father’s Day theme. The Lord provides for every need of His people’s hearts when preaching through the whole Word of God.

The American evangelical culture can view God as an activity director on a cruise ship. We expect Him to be blessing us every moment, or He is not doing His job. This passage corrects that understanding. Faith is cultivated through trials.

Those who have sacrificed for our freedom know that refuge is a fragile thing.

Psalm 16 gives us a glimpse into the warrior King David’s heart and shows us where he took refuge. David didn’t trust in his army, his people, his power, or his wealth. He knew that God alone is the source of refuge and soul security.

Faith Thrives When We Turn from Sin.

Have you ever acted impulsively and hurt those closest to you? Abram was a godly man of faith, but he still acted out of emotion on occasion. He was given God’s word seven times, yet in this chapter he deflects it and takes his own way.

As Christians, we will never be without sin, but our goal should be to sin less. As we persevere in our walk, like Abram, we will hopefully succeed more than we fail.