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When God Takes Something Away from You

It’s always great when God replaces something painful with something wonderful.

Or when He provides for a need in a context of desperation.

But what about when God takes away something we enjoy—or even something we need? Or when He allows something bad to invade something good?

When God Takes Something Away from You When God Takes Something Away from You

(Photo: by Hariadhi. Own work, GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons)

Can we then say what Job said?

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised. —Job 1:21

During the times when God takes something away from you, it’s easy to feel duped, as if God was some kind of pusher, giving free samples and then removing them after the cravings have their hooks in your heart.

The Lord’s generosity can be misunderstood as cruelty.

Rather than praise God for the time we enjoyed His blessings—we tend to resent His sovereign prerogative to confiscate them.

Here’s some perspective that can help when God takes something away from you that was a blessing.

What Comes First in Our Relationship with God?

If Jesus told us He had a criticism for us, we’d pull out our checklist and start down it.

“Should I go on a mission trip, Lord?”
“Should I pray more?”
“Maybe memorize the book of Romans?”

“You just name it, Lord, and I’ll do it!”

The most important part What Comes First in Our Relationship with God?

Photo: By Almonroth, via Wikimedia Commons

I have discovered that slips in our relationship with God never start with the big things. They begin with the basics.

We would never consider waffling in our morality or our theology.

And yet, how often we betray a more basic element.

Are Your Big Dreams as Big as Your God?

Life gets fueled on dreams. Without big dreams or a purpose, we wither and die.

As Christians, we have more to do than get up, work hard, and come home for a few hours of television . . . only to rise and begin again.

vivozoom 15034344 Are Your Big Dreams as Big as Your God?

Photo: Kuzma, via Vivozoom

If that’s all we do, we will wake up at age 65 and realize life has amounted to a stack of paychecks and a few laughs.

God wants more for us than that.

How to Make Decisions You Won’t Regret

How many times have we made what we thought was the best decision—and it turned out to be the worst?

Lessons learned from such blunders—if we survive them—we remember and regret all of our lives.

Taksony paratlan kiterokorz How to Make Decisions You Wont Regret

Photo: By Szerkesztő: Joliet Jake (B.M.), via Wikimedia Commons

We make knee-jerk decisions that we think will benefit us financially, or relationally, or vocationally, or physically.

But spiritually?

Lot failed to ask that question, and he lived with the regret. But we don’t have to be like him.

4 Benefits of Getting Really Sick

I seldom get sick.

For some reason, I usually sidestep most maladies, bugs, and viruses.

Photo: Elena Elisseeva, via Vivozoom

But when it does come my turn, sickness makes up for lost time. With a vengeance. I get really sick.

This happened last week. So, while I sat around feeling miserable, I got to thinking.

I discovered four benefits to getting really sick.

Continue Reading…

Complain and You May Doubt God’s Presence

Feel like complaining?

You’re not alone. At times, we all lean toward the grumbling side of life.

Complaining Makes us Doubt Gods Presence Complain and You May Doubt Gods Presence

Photo: phase4, via Vivozoom

In those moments when I most want to complain, I find myself doubting if God is with me or not.

When Jesus Fails Your Expectations

John the Baptist struggled with his own sermon.

He had preached about the Messiah’s kingdom coming with power and justice. But instead, Jesus’ ministry centered on preaching and on acts of mercy, and John found himself unfairly wasting away in prison near the blistering shores of the Dead Sea.

Gentle Jesus hardly seemed the political Deliverer everyone expected.

Dead Sea When Jesus Fails Your Expectations

(Dead Sea shoreline, the area near where John the Baptist was imprisoned. Photo: By xta11, via Wikimedia Commons)

Unable to reconcile the contradictions and imprisoned in his thoughts, John doubted his own preaching. John sent messengers to ask Jesus, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” (Matthew 11:3).

In other words, the Expected One had certain expectations placed upon Him . . . and Jesus had failed to meet them.

Is Jesus the Only Way? [Podcast]

Is Jesus really the only way to heaven? What about other religions?

How can Christianity make such an arrogant claim that it is the only right way to God?

Listen now:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Is Jesus the Only Way? [Podcast]

This message (from John 14:6; Romans 1-2) examines Christianity’s exclusive claim and the absolute necessity of fulfilling the Great Commission.

Here are the main points of the message:

WAYNE STILES
Hi, my name is Wayne Stiles, and I love connecting the Bible and its lands to life. This is my personal blog where that happens. My goal is to deliver practical content to encourage you in your relationship with God. I believe that a life lived well needs a growing and intentional connection with God through Jesus Christ. I write on the devotional life, Bible lands, understanding the Bible, and resources I have found helpful on these topics.

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