“And as for you, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good…” (Genesis 50:20) It was true when Joseph said it to his brothers. It was true when Saul persecuted the church in Jerusalem. It is true today. It is true in the life of Christ’s Church as a whole. And it…

2 Corinthians 4:8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed… …the entire Bible and all the early church fathers agree that those who try to harm us end up being very useful to us if we patiently…

Charels Spurgeon The very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into his place to do for him that which he has undertaken to do for us. We attempt to think of that which we fancy he will forget; we labour to take upon ourselves…

John Piper Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11) We must learn to fight despondency — the downcast spirit. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It…

Ken Sande When he was two-and-half-years-old, my grandson, Andrew, came across a fresh pile of dog poo in the yard. Having been told repeatedly to stay away from dog piles, he of course felt an irresistible desire to step on it and squish it around. Not liking the odor, he walked across the lawn trying…

Joni Eareckson Tada Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. Luke 17:33 A number of years ago, media mogul Ted Turner called Christianity “a religion for losers.” He later retracted his comments. But when you think about it, wasn’t he right? To follow Jesus means…

Scotty Scotty Smith It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Gal. 5:1 Lord Jesus, it’s another 4th of July in the USA. As broken, divided, and conflicted as America is, we remain grateful for the privileges…

Scotty Smith Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Cor. 9:16 Lord Jesus, if “to woe” is to express dread, distress, and despair, then I’ve certainly done my share of “woe-ing.” “Woe is me, if she won’t go out with me”, or “if I don’t get the job of my dreams,”…

Scotty Smith The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being. Job 12:10 Heavenly Father, we are so thankful you, quite literally, have the whole world in your hands. This frees us to acknowledge the obvious. We don’t. We don’t have control over a lot of things…

Scotty Smith Behold what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 Jn. 3:1 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in…