We Dare Not Trust Ourselves… (Packer)

Here's an excellent devotional thought for today. It's from one of my favorites: Knowing God by J. I. Packer. What is the purpose of grace? Primarily, to restore man's relationship with God. ...Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to Himself. How does God in grace prosecute this purpose? Not by shielding us from …

Tears & Trials Are Not Long (McCheyne)

In a letter dated March 8, 1843, Robert Murray McCheyne was trying to console someone who was struggling with heart issues. I don't mean medical issues. Instead, this person had some spiritual heart issues such as sinfulness, struggling under trials, and the fear of man. Speaking of the trials, here's how McCheyne gave comforting words …

“When the Stars Disappear” A Review

Mark Talbot knows firsthand what suffering is about. He's gone through his share of trials in his Christian life. Talbot's book, When the Stars Disappear, is a discussion about suffering from a biblical perspective. It's a very short book - it's less than 100 pages of writing. And it's not a difficult book to read, …

A Frowning Providence – Why?

There are times in the Christian's life when God's providence is not pleasant. What I mean by this is sometimes God in his sovereignty allows hard trials to befall his people. The 30-year-old Christian man gets the diagnosis that he has lymphoma. A Christian mother has to go through the painful and heart-breaking experience of …

Afflictions as Medicine, Providence as a Whole (Manton)

Many Christians have memorized the great promise of Romans 8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (NIV)."  Although afflictions and trials usually cloud our judgment and cause us to sometimes second guess this promise, it is …