Why Does God Allow Evil? by Os Hillman

“If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand" (Psalm 130:3).

One of the most common questions every person wrestles with in life is this: "God, if You are loving, just, and all-powerful, why do You allow good people to suffer?" Many choose not to believe in God because they cannot adequately explain this question. Evangelist Billy Graham addressed this question in his book Answers to Life's Problems:

We do not know all the reasons why God permits evil. We need to remember, however, that he is not the cause of evil in this world and we should therefore not blame Him for it. Remember that God did not create evil, as some believe. God created the world perfect. Man chose to defy God and go his own way, and it is man's fault that evil entered the world. Even so, God has provided the ultimate triumph of good over evil in Jesus Christ, who on the cross, defeated Satan and those who follow him. Christ is coming back and when He does, all evil will be ended forever and righteousness and justice will prevail.

Have you ever thought about what would happen if God suddenly eliminated all the evil in this world? Not one person would be left, because we are all guilty of sin.

Whenever we suffer, we should remember that the Son of God went before us, drinking the cup of suffering and death to the dregs. Because Christ is fully man and fully God, we know that God understands our fears, sorrows and suffering. He identifies with us. Most important of all, the Father has given us the gift of His Son so that we don't have to die and suffer forever in eternity.

Because Jesus suffered and died for us, our suffering can be made like His -purposeful and meaningful. Evil, suffering and death came into the world when the first man and woman listened to Satan and committed the first sin. Evil was never part of the Garden of Eden. The moment Adam and Eve crossed the boundary of God's command, evil became the terrible reality of this world.
There are some questions that will remain unresolved until we are able to meet face to face with our Creator in Heaven.

If You Want Joy … Real Joy by Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10, NKJV).
Friend to Friend
Jesus lived and died so that we can experience abundant life, a life exuding joy, a life so full that others crave to know the source of that fullness. Jesus did not come so that we can merely survive life. Pagans can survive life. Jesus came to be our joy.
I came across this quote: “Joy is the flag that flies above the castle of our hearts indicating that the King reigns within.” If that is true, then why are so many women living lives with little or no joy? I’m afraid that we have bought the lies of the enemy, allowing him to steal our joy. Discouragement, weariness, disillusionment, shattered dreams and unrealized goals are some of his favorite weapons, but the truth is that the enemy can only use what we allow him to use.
It is time for us to reclaim surrendered ground. Do you sometimes think you are fighting the same old battles you have been fighting for years? I do. Clinging to familiar pain, we find our identity there. Consumed with our own agenda, joy is buried under a mountain of self.
Joy is not the result of outward circumstances. Joy is an inside job, a deeply rooted confidence that God is in control. Every trial or loss, every defeat or victory measured against this confidence can be counted as joy.
The Apostle Paul was a man of great joy. By human terms, he had every right to be angry and even bitter. Persecuted, imprisoned and facing His own death, Paul says, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:12-12, NIV).
The expression, “Have a good day” is a common greeting. I heard about one woman who, when told to have a good day, responded, “Thanks, but I have other plans.” Sound familiar? We rise to face each day with a perspective of pending doom instead of the certain joy that is ours through Jesus Christ. God created the world in a process of one day at a time. At the end of each day, He examined his work and announced: “It is good!” We, too, can learn to see the good in each day. We can learn to be joyful. How?

• Check your heart.

“My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:2, NAS).
In this verse, “heart” literally means “body and soul” or “whole being.” In other words, what’s down in the well comes up in the bucket. Real joy is found in and flows from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God’s very presence in our lives is His eternal reminder that Jesus died on a cross, rose from the grave and is coming again. Have you turned your heart and life over to Jesus?

• Choose to rejoice.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2, NIV).

We cannot avoid pain but we can avoid joy. The pursuit of joy is a matter of choice. Our inward perspective does not have to reflect our outward circumstances. We can choose joy!
A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, a baseball cap on his head, ball and bat in hand. He was muttering, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” Then he tossed the ball in the air, swung at it and missed. “Strike one!” He picked up the ball, threw it into the air and said to himself, “I’m the greatest hitter ever!” He swung at the ball again. “Strike two!” He paused, examined his bat and ball and threw the ball into the air, missing a third time. He cried out, “Wow! I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”
Yes, the pursuit of joy is a matter of choice and perspective. It is also a matter of obedience. As Christians, one of our spiritual priorities should be joy.
“One ship sails east.
 One ship sails west.
 Regardless of how the winds blow,
 It is the set of the sail
 And not the gale
 That determines the way we go.”
 (Author unknown)
Set your sails for joy, girlfriend! Celebrate! Revel in who God is, in what He has done, is doing and will do in your life when you choose joy.
Let’s Pray
Father, I come to You with praise in my heart and on my lips. Forgive me when I doubt You and what You are doing in my life. Please help me to walk by faith – not by sight. Teach me to see my daily life through Your eyes and show me how to walk in Your joy.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Guard your heart! by Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV).
Friend to Friend
It had been a very long day. My husband and I were both tired and looking forward to a good night’s sleep – but we needed to talk. We didn’t have any major concerns or problems to discuss; we just wanted to catch up on life and unwind a little bit. Dan was telling me about his day when he suddenly stopped, looked around and asked, “What was that beeping sound?” I hadn’t heard anything but suggested that the smoke detector battery probably needed replacing. “It was a different kind of beeping,” he said. We listened – nothing. We turned out the lights and went to sleep and I forgot all about the elusive beeping.
When Dan came home from work the next day, he grinned and said, “I figured out what that beeping sound was.” Since he had been at the church office all day, I was a little more than curious as to how he had managed to solve the mystery. “My defibrillator is beeping, which means that the battery is running out and needs to be replaced.” Why the man was grinning was beyond me, but it probably had something to do with the fact that dealing with heart issues is a common occurrence for us.
Dan has battled heart rhythm problems for years. In 2006, he went into cardiac arrest and became the proud owner of a defibrillator/pacemaker that keeps his heart in rhythm. The cardiologist told us at the time that the battery would eventually have to be replaced but we hadn’t given it much thought – until it started beeping. Dan called the doctor who immediately set up an appointment to replace the battery. Dan had an unusually hectic schedule and was hoping to buy a little time before having the outpatient procedure done. “What happens if I wait a few weeks to have the battery replaced,” Dan asked. The doctor laughed and said, “It will drive you crazy. Right now, the defibrillator only beeps once a day as a warning, but if we don’t take care of this now, it will start beeping every hour and then continually until the old battery is replaced. And if the battery is not replaced, the defibrillator will just stop working and your heart will not be protected.” Needless to say, Dan quickly scheduled the procedure.
As I waited for Dan to come out of surgery, I prayed. I asked God to give the doctors and nurses wisdom. I asked Him to guard my husband’s heart … and it was then that the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “And what about your heart?” Physically, my heart was healthy and strong. The spiritual health of my heart was an entirely different matter.
I was physically exhausted and had let my guard down. The minute I let my guard down, the enemy moved in with a vengeance. My unguarded heart was in trouble, wounded by the words of someone I love. I knew what I needed to do – deal with the hurt, forgive the one who had hurt me and let go of the pain. I just didn’t want to do it. And God calls that sin. As surely as that beeping defibrillator grabbed our attention, the Holy Spirit grabbed mine. I examined my life for ways to guard my heart against the inevitable attacks of the enemy.

• Be alert.

“Alert” literally means “to stay on guard” or “to keep watch.” Our Father wants us to stay alert and always be on guard. Columnist Herb Caen wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle: "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up knowing that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. And every morning a lion wakes up knowing that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up you'd better be running." It doesn’t matter how long we have known God, we must get up each day, prepared to guard against sin, knowing we will face temptation.

• Get in the Word

Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (NIV).
The best way to stay alert and the greatest deterrent to sin is the Bible. It is important to remember that God’s truth came before Satan’s lies. When God’s truth comes first in our lives, we will be able to recognize the lies of Satan and temptation will be easier to withstand. When we get away from God’s Word, however, we become an easy target for temptation and sin. Sin will keep us from God’s Word or God’s Word will keep us from sin.

• Pray continually.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “never stop praying.” But many times, we pray only as a last resort. I read about a kindergarten class that went to the fire station for a tour. The fireman was explaining what to do in case of a fire. “First go to the door and feel the door to see if it’s hot. If it is hot, fall to your knees. Does anyone know why you should fall to your knees?” A little voice spoke up, “Yeah, to start praying and asking God to get us out of this mess!” How true! The power to withstand temptation comes from a praying heart. The devil will do anything to keep us from praying. He laughs at our religious activities and mocks our human wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.
Dan’s surgery was a success. The cardiologist smiled and said, “This new battery should last for several years, but if you hear a “beeping” sound, you know what to do.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our hearts “beeped” a warning when we are in spiritual danger and on the verge of making a wrong decision, speaking the wrong words or taking the wrong step? Or maybe when our “battery” is running low and we need to take the time to rest? God’s warning is much louder and stronger. We just need to listen – and guard our hearts.
Let’s Pray
Lord, today I come to You with a new commitment in my heart – to pray continually and to read and study the Bible. Strengthen me through Your truth and empower me to stand against temptation and sin. Make me more aware of Your presence and power, Lord. I want to be a godly woman, a woman of discipline, a woman whose life honors you and draws other to You.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

Recalibrate Route! by Os Hillman

"The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth" (Luke 3:5).

I love the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in the new cars. A voice comes on and tells me how far I have to go and when to turn. However, sometimes I get off course and the voice says: "Recalculating route." The GPS is telling me I have gone off course and it is now recalculating the route based on my wrong turn. Sometimes we can make wrong turns in our spiritual lives. We think we are going the right direction only to discover it was never God's will to enter that relationship, make that business deal, hire that person - the examples are limitless.

There is an amazing thing about God. He can make our crooked places straight. He has an ability to make whatever blunder you make turn out right. It may mean there might be some consequences to those decisions, but He will always allow your actions to work together for good for those called according to His purposes if we repent and seek Him fully to make things right. These lessons can even contribute to greater wisdom in our lives if we learn from our mistakes.

God's omnipotence is always one step ahead of our incompetence. Do you think He knew you would make that misstep? Absolutely. Do you think your life was planned even with that misstep figured in? Absolutely.
Isn't it comforting to know you cannot plan God out of the equation no matter how bad you mess up? He will always turn crooked places into straight places for those who are humble and contrite.

Do you need a crooked place straightened out today? Ask Him to straighten the course so you can flow in His perfect will for your life.

Max on Life #62
The following is a one of 172 questions and answers from the new book, Max on Life.

QUESTION #62:
I’m a new Christian who is trying to figure out how to grow closer to God. Friends tell me I need to have a quiet time with God each day, but I can’t figure out exactly what to do.

Denalyn and I like to go to the same restaurants over and over again. You could call our dates predictable, but for us they are special. We like the food. We like the servers. We like the atmosphere. When we’re there, we remember special moments we’ve shared before. Our hearts open up . . . we lose track of time . . . because we’re comfortable in that place. We talk to each other, listen to each other, laugh, and cry. I love those times!
A quiet time with God is very similar to a date. Here are some tools to help you keep your very special date with God.

Decide on a regular time and place. Select a slot in your schedule and a corner of your world, and claim it for God. A familiar place will remind you of similar feelings you experienced before with God. You need to get comfortable.
How much time should you take? As much as you need. Value quality over quantity. Your time with God should last long enough for you to say what you want and for God to say what he wants.

You should bring on your date an open Bible—God’s Word, his love letter to you. You won’t necessarily hear God speak out loud, but you can hear what he has to say through his eternal dialogue with humanity.
You also need a listening heart. Don’t forget the admonition from James: “The man who looks into the perfect mirror of God’s law, the law of liberty, and makes a habit of so doing, is not the man who sees and forgets. He puts that law into practice and he wins true happiness” ( James 1:25 PHILLIPS). Listen to the lover of your soul. Don’t just nod your head, pretending to hear. Your date knows when you’re engaged.

So does God. Just as you wouldn’t miss your date with a loved one, claiming you were too busy, make sure your date with God is on the calendar, and do everything in your power to keep it special.

Know Your Armor by Os Hillman

"David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. 'I cannot go in these,' he said to Saul, 'because I am not used to them.' So he took them off." (1 Samuel 17:39).

David, the young shepherd boy, heard the challenge from the Philistines to send someone to fight Goliath. No one volunteered to fight except David. King Saul reluctantly agreed and offered David his armor. David put on the weighty equipment, but quickly concluded he could not fight in this heavy armor. He gave it back to king Saul.

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David knew who he was and who he wasn't. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul's armor.

What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else's tools.

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God's power is released and manifested in the physical realm.

Sometimes we admire the talents of others and seek to emulate them. The temptation arises to be someone we are not. This is a mistake. Let God live His life through the unique you.
Then, mix your unique gifts with faith today; you will be surprised at the power of God that will be manifested.

Seeing Your Destiny from God's Perspective

And Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day..." John 12:44-49 NASB


Never doubt yourself or sell yourself short. Concentrate on your God-given abilities and assets. You must believe that you are important in the scheme of things in order to be successful. As a man thinks in his heart so is he. Believe in God and you will prosper.


Tell yourself, I am essential. I am special, important, intelligent and desirable. I am an overcomer. People need and want me. Prosperity and blessings are going to chase me down and overtake me.

God Has You Covered

Journal, number and take an account of your days. Psalm 90:12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom." Don't worry or be concerned about last year's plan not being fulfilled. God has you covered – expect success!

Nothing takes God by surprise! Remember God's goodness and mercies. Give thanks for everything: the good, the bad and the ugly – it is all part of your process.
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB

What Are You Afraid Of?

Reevaluate your attitudes; they will either empower you to succeed, or cause your defeat through depression, despair and fear. Fear will paralyze you. Fear will prevent you from making changes and destroy your future. Fear can make you physically sick, shorten your life and steal your possibilities. It is important to identify what you are afraid of. What types of fear do you suffer from? Fear of man? Fear of man is easy to triumph over if you allow yourself to see everyone as an equal. It is important to honor all men great and small, but don't devalue yourself. If you don't respect yourself, how can you respect others?

Do you have the fear of failure? Realize you are just as smart and talented as the next fellow. You are unique and special. Your thoughts and ideas are important and valuable. Proper planning and seeking out expert advice in your field of interest can alleviate many failures.

Do you battle with the fear of rejection? You are extraordinary, exceptional and very essential. You are just as important as the person you look up to and admire. Reject rejection! You are loved and accepted in the Beloved! The image we project to others will cause them to treat us in that way. If we project confidence we will be treated as a capable person who can handle great responsibilities.

Once you identify the type of fear that is hindering your progress, you can expel it from your life by taking positive actions.


Dreams come true when you put action to them. The more we place our confidence in the Lord, the more fear is diminished in our lives. A positive attitude that trusts in the Lord is powerful! Confidence is necessary to live a happy, successful life. The more confidence you can develop in God, the more success you will experience. Confidence produces success, increased production and brings swift promotion. We can build our confidence by recalling the marvelous things the Lord has done for us and through us. Reflect on your successful memories, accomplishments and things of excellence.

How Our Emotions Can Change for the Positive

The brain is an amazing organ. It functions much like a computer. The brain collects, sorts and stores our positive and negative thoughts and memories. These memories are what make up our self-image. If you view yourself with a negative self-image you will not respect yourself. Only gather, deposit and ponder positive memories, images, comments and experiences. Focus on and contemplate the good, true, honorable things in your life. Think about whatever is right, and pure, whatever is lovely, and of a good reputation. Things of excellence are worthy of praise; dwell on and practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Concentrate on the positive aspects of people and situations.

Don't dwell on the negative weaknesses of others. Overlook the negative images. Don't entertain negative thoughts or opinions; obliterate them from your mind. Cast off every unpleasant, pessimistic, detrimental thought, they will only steal your energy. Negative thinking and emotions makes you tired and bitter. Don't dwell on failures, difficulties or problems. You empower what you focus on. Instead of focusing on difficulties or problems, count your blessings. Focus on the pleasant, encouraging things that edify and build people up.

Train yourself to recognize and manage your emotions. When you are able to control or manage your emotions, they will work for, not against, you. If you let fear run wild and unchecked, it will paralyze you. Don't give into extremes or mood swings. Adjust your emotions to match positive motions. When you learn to manage your emotions properly, you will not waste time on negative things but only recall the positive experiences in life.

Don't believe in, listen to or give into anger, rage, rejection or any other negative response. If you choose positive actions and habitually rehearse the proper responses, your emotions will begin to come into balance and fall in line. Your emotions will change for the positive when your actions and reactions positively change.

Relationships: Loving, Building Up and Encouraging Others

Are you a friend to God? Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Are you friendly? To have friends you must show yourself to be open, warm, likeable and friendly.
Decide you are going to find something to like about everyone. Appreciate everyone you meet and look for ways to praise them. Celebrate their successes and accomplishments. It is so nice to receive a card of congratulations in the mail. Store up and invest compliments in the people you know; never treat anyone as a second-class citizen. Praise is a powerful tool that opens the door for goals to be reached. When someone praises, you learn to pass that compliment onto others. Everyone needs to be loved, built up and encouraged.

Getting along with diverse kinds of people is very important. Have you developed your people skills? The more people skills you have, the more successful you will be in life. Be willing to lend your spiritual strength to people who are going through a difficult time. Send sympathy cards to those who have lost loved ones. Sometimes it is difficult to know what to say, so let the card say you care.

Learn to love your enemies: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:14-21 NASB).

When you meet a stranger, greet them with a pleasant smile. Work at building your bank account with new friends by introducing yourself. I am learning the names of people in airports, stores and restaurants. Some people are shy or insecure, so offer your hand in friendship first. Smile and introduce yourself by name. Then ask for their name and pronounce their names correctly. Try to remember their name. Make yourself a note and record their name in writing. You would be surprised how much better service you receive if you treat people with respect and greet them by their names. "Hello, Matt! How are you? It's good to see you again!"

If possible, get their email address or phone number and drop them a friendly hello later in the week. Let them know how pleased you were to meet them. Brag on your new friend to their manager, tell them about what a great job they do. If they are a waiter, tip them big and they will fight over who gets your table next time. Treat people the way you would want to be treated if you were in their position.


When you meet new people, try to put them at ease. The more comfortable, relaxed and easy-going you act around others, the more comfortable they will be around you. Don't act arrogant or proud. Keep the other person and their needs as your focus. Ask them questions about themselves. Be genuinely interested in them as a person. Focus on removing the harsh or irritating elements of your character. Resolve complaints, criticisms and offenses quickly. Extend grace and forgiveness when others make mistakes or anger you.
BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27 NASB
The better you are able to treat and relate to people, the further they will carry you in life. Successful people surround themselves with people who have varied skills, gifts and talents. People are the ones who sustain, transport and bring you through life. Cherish them.

Everyone in Your Life is Important to Your Success – Learn to Listen

Being a good listener is an art! Everyone likes a good listener. Are you a good listener? Do you dominate the conversations, continually talking about yourself? Do you cut people off or interrupt their train of thought? Do you look for every opportunity to bring the conversation back around to you? People enjoy talking about themselves, so let your friends be heard. Ask them questions to draw them out. A good listener ignites enthusiasm and stimulates success by inspiring others to fulfill their dreams. It's a real gift to make people feel loved, appreciated, valued and important. Everyone in your life is important to your success. Make them feel that they are significant.


Are you able to listen to suggestions, the advice of, demands, or the critiques of others? Do you get offended or rejected when someone offers you their ideas or input on your job? Does it bring up insecure feelings that make you feel threatened? How do you handle constructive criticism? Do you hear it through a negative filter? Those that are above us are there for a reason. They have more wisdom or know-how. They have been with the company longer and have seen a lot of changes come and go. Try to embrace their evaluations, analysis or assessments as a positive bonus in your life. You can learn a great deal from people who have more experience.

Thank them for their advice. Let them know you appreciate the time they took to speak into you. Pay attention to the positive elements they brought to the table. Gladly make the necessary changes. Focus on their positive attributes. Don't tear someone down or belittle them, especially when they are trying to help you succeed. Embrace diversity, it makes life spicy and enjoyable. Be determined to learn something from everyone.


It is also important not to listen to someone else speak negatively about a friend or acquaintance. Don't take up someone else's grievances, offense, or negative opinions. Be a free thinker and formulate your own positive opinions about others. But treat people with dignity, honor and respect. Quickly excuse yourself from hostile company. Let judgmental people know you don't agree with their evaluation of your friend and move on. You should never allow yourself to be a dumping ground.

Negative words create a destructive environment. Remember the law of sowing and reaping. You will reap the words you sow into someone's life or into the atmosphere. We always reap more than we have sown because of the multiplication factor. Words continue to exist years after they are spoken. Let your words be sweet, because some day you may have to eat them.

People are a wonderful treasure; they are the ones who insure your happiness in life. Love thinks or hears no evil of others but always believes the best about someone. Treat people the way you want to be treated, always be kind, thoughtful and full of grace and love.

How to Recover From and Learn From Mistakes

The way you think and how you handle losses, adversity, criticism, or defeat will determine how long it will take you to successfully reach your next goals. It is helpful to regularly appraise your work. The road to success is always under construction. Determine how you can improve your skills. Choose one of your many abilities to develop.
We can learn a great deal from our mistakes if we don't allow them to bury us in remorse or self-pity. Recognize a mistake for what it is: a mistake. Don't label yourself as a failure or beat yourself up emotionally just because something didn't work out the way you planned. Refuse to allow discouragement or depression to enter your thinking. Instead, research your field of interest. Decide what went wrong. Experiment, explore new options and approaches, investigate possibilities, change it, discover how to correct it next time, let it go, persevere, be persistent and move on. Don't allow setbacks to discourage you from reaching your goals; expand your horizons.

With God's wisdom you can solve every predicament. Pray continually and meditate on the Word. Sing and make melody in your heart. Take a nap, relax, work out, dance, take a vacation and then revisit the problem with a new response. The experience you have gleaned from your mistake will change defeat into a successful victory. This valuable life lesson will not only help you in the future, but your new knowledge will help others be successful, too.


Barbie L. Breathitt

Praise The Perseveres by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. (Acts 16:25, NIV)

Friend to Friend
Andrea lives in Lake Mary, Florida and is the proud momma to four beautiful girls. Two of her daughters are identical twins who have cerebral palsy and are severely disabled. Over the past 14 years, Andrea and her husband have been through the ringer. Her days are spent caring for the twins. And they are grueling days: filled with many tears, outbursts of frustration, and bouts of anger. There have been times that she has felt abandoned by God. Andrea admits that on many days, she has called out to God like the psalmist did: Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer (Psalm 4:1, NIV).    

Through it all, however, Andrea has determined that she will praise God in spite of the daily complications. “I have always prayed for healing for my girls,” she shares. “I believe that with the mere thought of our God that my girls could be restored. I know that if He heals them I will spend my life praising Him for that miracle and telling others of His goodness. Of course, although God can heal them, I’ve had to learn to spend my whole life praising Him simply because He is God – whether He heals the girls or not. I decided very early on that God is still God no matter what He allows in my life. I can trust Him even when I can't understand Him.” She thoughtfully finished with this statement: “It sounds easy, but it hasn't been.”
Oh, how I can relate to honestly like that! How I’m drawn to this type of God-courage. Her challenges are great, but she is determined to praise God anyway. When I hear stories like Andrea’s, my heart stretches toward trusting God. I hear and feel that the trials in her life have led her to a greater dependency on God and a deeper trust in His sovereignty. I’m reminded that in every situation, I come to a crossroad and have a choice: I can pout or I can praise. I can turn away from God because I don’t understand or I can turn toward God in full assurance that His understanding is enough for the both of us – even if it hurts – even if anger lingers – even if doubt looms.
Have you been to these crossroads?

God shows us a powerful example of praise that perseveres in chapter sixteen of the book of Acts. During the Apostle Paul’s second missionary journey, he and his ministry buddy Silas encountered a collision of faith and trouble while in Philippi. After Paul cast out a demon that was terrorizing a young slave girl, he and Silas were seized by disgruntled Roman citizens and dragged to the marketplace before the rulers. They were then wrongfully accused of public disruption. They were stripped, beaten, and unlawfully jailed without a trial. After the flogging, Paul and Silas were taken to the in the inner cell of the prison, normally reserved for the most dangerous offenders, and their feet were placed in stocks.

Though they had every reason to sit and stew because of the injustice of their situation, Paul and Silas chose to trust in God's plan and praise their Lord, Jesus Christ. Though they had open wounds and would have been in severe physical pain, Paul and Silas chose to glorify the name of God. “After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them,” (Acts 16: 23-25).

Then God shook the earth and the prison foundations and loosed the chains of the prisoners. In horror, knowing he would be held responsible for the escape of the prisoners, the jailer raised his sword to kill himself – but Paul stopped him. He and Silas hadn’t fled. They stood amidst their dark circumstances and spoke and sang with confidence in their God.

As a result, several people, including the jailer and his family, came to believe in Jesus Christ. “The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’”

“They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.’ Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household,” (Acts 16:29-34).
Though we won’t always rejoice in our circumstances, we are commanded to always rejoice in the Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:4, 6-7).

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance,” (James 1: 2-3). When we praise the Lord through, and in spite of what we face, our praise becomes our deliverance through the trial.

“We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us…,” (Romans 5:3-5a NCV).

No matter what difficult times we encounter, God is worthy of our praise. When we choose to praise, we choose to trust God. When we choose to trust God, the broken world around us lifts their eyebrows in wonder – just like the Roman jailer. Sometimes a sacrifice of praise is required. Offer it. We can and should choose to bless His name through the pain, which astonishingly can bring His joy into our hearts.

Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for being trustworthy and praiseworthy! I ask that You will nudge me to trust You each time I approach the crossroads of faith and trouble. In spite of the burdens on my heart and challenges in my path right now, I praise Your name and celebrate that Your hope will never disappoint. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.