THE TRIAL OF JOB

Have you experienced pain and suffering? Then you have shared Job’s anguish and perhaps his wonderment. Like Job, you also may find God much closer than you thought.

The book of Job in the Bible is the story of a devout man who lived thousands of years ago. But tragedy hovers over this righteous man. When the book opens, we notice Job is about to lose everything — children, property and wealth, good name and even his health.

Why will Job suffer such tragedies? Because God is about to challenge the devil with Job’s obedience and faith.

The big dare

The introduction to the book of Job tells us the background of God’s challenge and Job’s suffering. Scene I invites us behind the curtain to the universe-ruling throne of God. In this drama, angelic beings are delivering reports on their activities. Satan is among them. The Evil One has been roaming the earth, surveying his domain (Job 1:6-7; 1 John 5:19; Revelation 12:9).

Job’s troubles begin after God presents him to Satan as shining example of virtue. “Have you considered my servant Job?” God asks Satan. “There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

God will soon allow Satan to afflict Job, but God is not punishing Job for sin. God himself says Job is “blameless and upright.” Job suffers because he is among the best, not because he is the worst.

Satan rejects God’s view of Job’s good character. He implies that Job has a selfish motive, a cynical reason for obeying and trusting God (verses 9-22). “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan asks. Satan insinuates that Job is simply out for what he can get from God. Job is only a fair-weather friend, Satan insists. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?” Satan argues. “You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.”

Satan’s challenge

Satan sneers at the good example. Job doesn’t love you, Satan implies. Take away Job’s many blessings and you’ll find that he’s no friend of yours. Satan tries to make a bet with God. “Stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,” Satan dares God, “and he will surely curse you to your face.”

Really? Does Job love God only for selfish reasons? Do we? “Well — let’s see,” is God’s reply. He tells Satan, “Everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Job hears bad news

With God’s permission, Satan grabs a handful of dirty tricks from his bag of suffering. He flings them at Job, and the world caves in on this innocent man. Job’s herds and property are either carried off by raiders or destroyed by natural disasters.

But Satan is proven wrong. After these terrible tragedies strike Job, he tears his robe and shaves his head. He falls to the ground in worship, saying, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” The author of the book of Job is careful to point out, “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

The second dare

Time elapses. One day, another angelic report takes place in heaven. God reaffirms to Satan his contention that Job truly loves God and his ways (Job 2:1-7). Satan again scoffs at Job’s faith in God. “A man will give all he has for his own life,”  “But stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

God again expresses confidence in Job. “Well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.”

The devil immediately strikes poor Job with horrible sores over his entire body. The fall of the house of Job is complete. It appears he has become — without his knowledge or permission — the guinea pig in one of history’s greatest tests.

Job is now on trial. He must answer a vital question. How will he, who had faithfully trusted God for help and protection, react to suffering that seems senseless and unjust? Will righteous Job reject God, or maintain his faith?

So far, Satan has lost every round. He has been proven wrong about Job’s faithful relationship with God. But can Job endure? Will he continue to trust in God as the seemingly endless suffering rolls on, with only pain and death in sight? Will Job persevere even though God seems to have forsaken him? That is the issue at stake.

Job can be seen as a metaphor of the suffering believer. How Job reacts to God’s test says something about how we should react to trials. The book asks us to consider our faith. Would we continue to trust God, to love God with all our heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37-38) — even while suffering for reasons we don’t understand?

Scene 2 of this great drama takes place on an ash heap in the land of Uz, here on earth (Job 2:8). Job is suffering pain and anxiety. He is emotionally alone, tormented, confused, angry. His three friends who came to comfort him are instead emotionally and verbally persecuting him.

The human actors in the drama do not know that God is deeply involved in Job’s life at this precise moment. They have no understanding of what God is trying to accomplish nor why Job is suffering so terribly. Nor do they grasp that a cosmic issue is at stake.

Job himself does not understand why this evil is happening to someone who has faith in God. Why has a good God allowed such terrible things to happen to a decent, God-fearing human being? Job, in short, is asking, “Why me, Lord?”

On the ash heap, the issues are very human, confused and not completely understood. The principal human characters all have incomplete and distorted knowledge. They make partial or even incorrect judgments about God’s activities. Or they misapply general observations to Job’s specific situation.

The introduction has given us a sneak preview of the heavenly perspective on Job. We know God is much pleased with and concerned about him. No matter that God has temporarily suspended Job’s protected condition. There is a reason.

Job is not a victim of time and chance, but a part of God’s orchestrated purpose. Job has no inkling he is the star actor in a God-directed morality play on earth. As far as Job knows, God has disappeared from his life.

Job’s primal scream

Job desperately tries to solve the mystery behind his suffering. He struggles on his own, looking for clues. None appear. Job prays expectantly. God will surely speedily intervene in his life — heal him of his disease, explain to him what in the world is going on. But nothing happens. The horribly painful disease reduces Job’s strength. He grows weaker and weaker. He becomes more confused.

Job’s language sometimes borders on the irrational and incoherent. At times he appears almost delirious. Opposing attitudes clash in his speeches. Job appeals to God to act before it is too late. At times he even challenges God. Please help me, he cries. Come to me quickly. “I will soon lie down in the dust,” Job cries out, “you will search for me, but I will be no more” (Job 7:21).

Through his agony Job becomes increasingly confused, perplexed, discouraged, without hope. In his worst nightmare, Job sees death coming around the corner of his life, ready to run him down. Job knows he is finished — through. He sees himself doomed to die a broken, lonely, hated and despised person. Job’s hopelessness is painted throughout the book. In one place he moans, “My spirit is broken, my days are cut short, the grave awaits me” (Job 17:1).

Even though Job has done nothing wrong and pleads desperately for help, God still chooses to stay hidden. “I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer,” Job wails (Job 30:20). Job’s tragic circumstances challenge and contradict everything he has always believed about God as a rewarder of the good. Life has gone crazy for Job, and he has been locked up in the padded cell of his own mind.

Wrestling with God

Job can only assume God is persecuting him, hiding from him. He lashes out at God in pain and anguish. “If I have sinned, what have I done to you, O watcher of men? Why have you made me your target?” Job complains (Job 7:20).

We should not mistake Job’s terrible discouragement, his lashing out at God, for disbelief. God’s existence is not in question. Job knows that somewhere in the universe God must be alive. “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him,” Job cries out in despairing belief (Job 13:15). Still trusting in God as his Advocate, Job insists, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25).

Meanwhile, Job’s friends are shocked at his outbursts. Surely, the comforters think, the fire of God is about to burn up this man. They are afraid to admit that no cause-and-effect reason exists for Job’s painful trial. That would imply they live in a senseless world. How could God be just and strike Job unjustly?

Blame the victim

Their answer? Job obviously must have sinned terribly against God. Yes, that’s it — Job’s sins are the cause of his suffering. God is off the hook. The friends put forth the old “if you are suffering you must be sinning” answer to suffering. It is blame-the-victim time. Although at first they came to console Job, they end up attacking him as a hideous sinner.

Eliphaz accuses: “Is not your wickedness great? Are not your sins endless?” (Job 22:5). He and the other two friends completely misread Job’s spiritual condition and God’s purpose. They, too, try to find the perpetrator of the crime — the cause of Job’s terrible suffering. But they accuse the wrong person — innocent Job.

Part of what the friends say about the relationship of sin and cursing, virtue and reward is true. Sin does have consequences — we do reap what we sow (Psalm 1; Galatians 6:7). But Job’s friends misapply their remarks in Job’s case. They take a general principle and nail it to a specific person — Job — and the specific trial he is undergoing. They will soon be shocked to discover how wrong they are (Job 42:7-8). Sometimes people suffer from the sins of others.

From the storm

Throughout the dialogues between Job and his friends, Job especially had claimed vast knowledge of the way things work — or should work — in this world. Job said of a hoped-for encounter with God, “I have prepared my case, I know I will be vindicated” (Job 13:18).

In scene 3, God storms into Job’s presence. Now, it’s my turn, he says. I will cross-examine you. Out of the raging storm, God begins to challenge Job’s claim to understanding: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (Job 38:2). Who is ignorantly accusing me of doing wrong?

From the whirlwind, God demands of Job, “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?” (Job 40:2). God tells Job he doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he questions God’s fairness. He isn’t going to answer any of Job’s “Why?” questions. God has come to cross-examine. “I will question you, and you shall answer me,” he tells Job twice (Job 38:3; 40:7).

How does God answer Job? He sidesteps every question Job had. Instead, God gives Job a wilderness appreciation tour, recounting the majesties of nature from hail to horses (Job 38:22; 39:19).

Aaagh! How stupid I was, thinks Job. He smacks his brow and puts his hand to his mouth. Job finally understands the error of his hasty conclusion (Job 40:4). He grasps that his position is built on ignorance. He realizes God is quite capable of running the universe correctly.

A bigger God

Job now knows that whatever has happened to him — in some way he can’t fully understand — will work out for his benefit, for everyone’s benefit (see Romans 8:28). Job can say to God, “I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).

Job is now convinced of God’s infinite wisdom in dealing with him as he sees fit. Job now knows there is a purpose for his suffering — God’s purpose. That is quite enough for him. The mighty voice of God thundering out of the whirlwind puts everything into perspective for Job. It says: God is alive; God is here; God cares; God is capable.

Job has been given an answer, not the one he expected, but one much more important. It does not matter that he was not given a chance to present his own case. When God appears, Job’s questions melt away precisely because God has now revealed himself.

Surprisingly, God does not condemn Job for railing against him and accusing him. God only corrects Job’s misconception about his ability to rule the creation. God does reprimand Job because Job condemned him for injustice. Out of the storm, God batters Job with these questions: “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself?” (Job 40:8). But God does not accuse Job of sin. God neither calls him self-righteous nor a blasphemer.

God won’t condemn

Does this mean that we might also dare express our frustration, our anger — even call God to account in our ignorance and confusion — without being condemned by God? Shocking though it may be — yes, we can.  “One bold message in the Book of Job is that you can say anything to God. Throw at him your grief, your anger, your doubt, your bitterness, your betrayal, your disappointment — he can absorb them all.” God is much bigger than we are.

Job also recognizes how big and how great God is. After hearing God’s argument, Job says, “I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). But repent of what? Of some specific sin? Not quite. Job explains, “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (verse 3).

It wasn’t that Job had to overcome a specific sin, but rather that he had to grow in understanding. Job had been too hasty in concluding God was unjust or unable to rule in the right way.

Job now had a deeper, clearer perception of his Creator. But this new awareness was only a by-product of the real purpose of Job’s suffering — the testing of his faith and love. In this case, God needed to know something about Job, and Job needed to know something about himself and about God.

The why of suffering

The book of Job teaches us that suffering may occur for reasons that we don’t understand unless or until God reveals them to us (seeJohn 9:1-7, for example). Trials may come because God needs to know something about a faithful servant (Genesis 22:1-12). Job’s suffering had such an intent — to prove whether he would love God in spite of everything.

This message of Job has deep implications for our relationship with God. Trials and suffering provide spiritual enrichment and build a relationship between us and God (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Hebrews 12:4-12; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 4:12-19).

Job also tells us no ironclad relationship exists between suffering and sin. Just because Christians suffer trials or tragedies does not mean God is punishing them for some sin.

The book of Job is about much more than suffering or God’s justice. Job affirmed that God was still God — no matter what — and always worthy of our love, reverence and worship. That was the test on Job, and he passed it. He vindicated both himself and God by remaining faithful. Job proved it is possible for humans to love God unconditionally.

Suffering had been an expansive, faith-demonstrating opportunity for Job. God had grown much bigger; Job had become smaller in his own eyes.

TEACHINGS OF JESUS: DO NOT WORRY. GOD KNOWS AND WILL MEET OUR NEEDS

Jesus says, look at the birds, look at the grass: God takes care of them. Aren't you more important than a bird? God is going to provide. Now, that doesn't mean that we don't have to work. Obviously we do. The birds have to gather all their seeds, and make their nests, and do other bird chores, whatever those are, but they don't worry about it. When was the last time you saw a worried bird, wringing its little wings in worry? You never see that. Because bird brained though they are, they seem to know more than we do, that God is going to provide for our needs, maybe not all our wants, but everything that we need. I have had dozens of you tell me stories about being in tough financial times and wondering how you were going to make ends meet only to see, usually at the last minute, an unexpected raise, or you find your expenses were less than you thought, or you discover you didn't need as much as you thought you did. Jesus is saying we live in an economy of abundance. There's more than enough to take care of everybody: God's going to provide. Sometimes he does that directly, and sometimes he does that through other people. Many of you have heard the statistic that there is enough food in the world to feed everybody, but the reason that some people don't have enough food to eat is that some people aren't sharing what they've got, or there are wars,  God gave us everything we need to meet.

God knows and WILL Meet Your NEEDS

We should never worry about anything because GOD said that HE would supply all our needs according to HIS riches in HEAVEN. All we have to do ask,seek and knock.  MATTHEW 7:7.  Remember GOD already knows what we need before we ask.

I have learnt to wait on the Lord instead of rushing into things without thinkin.

As the Jesus said"The lord works in his time, not ours" And to "trust only in the Lord and not man"

Favorite Violation

I am new to being in tune with Jesus and God, I still have bouts of worry. It really gets to me at times, I worry about how we will survive with our bills and there are times when I feel like all is lost. We have friends at church that have less than we do and yet they are some of the happiest people I know. I wonder how I can get to that point. I hate worrying about things but I do. I know it is Satan sitting there trying to put doubt in my head, and sometimes it gets to me. I get to where I can't eat or sleep. Does anyone have any advice?

How can it be asserted that God will meet all of our physical needs? Are there not Christians who are living in impoverished countries that do not have food and starve to death?

Only if you believe

This reminds me of the brothers and sisters who were saved in my local assembly. They accepted Christ as their saviour and king but never stop to sell drugs, alcohol,or accepting gifts and food from boyfriends or girlfriends because they said it is were they get their living and supported themselves by arguing that " God help those who help themselve". This expression is very common in my beloved Africa because people don't want to leave sinning permanently. I really believe that we must not worry, God knows and will meet my needs. It doesn't matter what kind of situation you are God will provide your needs only iif you trust in him.

"Therefore do not worry, saying, ; What will we eat?' or 'What will we wear? For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ( Matthew 6:31-33)

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: the neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" ( Luke 12:22-24)

"So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:34)

"And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to the span of life?" ( Luke 12:25)

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." ( John 14:27).

THE DANGERS OF REBELLION

Rebellion is an open door to the demonic in a person's life. The Bible strictly warns us against rebellion, and it's consequences are not to be taken lightly. God's Word tells us that rebellion is in the same category of sin as witchcraft itself:

1 Samuel 15:23, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft..."

The word witchcraft above is translated back to the Greek word qesem, which not only includes literal witchcraft itself, but also divination. Both of these practices are highly demonic. I believe it is clear in the following verse that those who practice true divination have a demonic spirit:

Acts 16:16, "And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying."

Now let me ask you this: Is witchcraft an open door to the demonic in a person's life? If so, why wouldn't rebellion also be an open door, being that God put both of them in the same category?

God's Word even comes out more clearly and tells us that a cruel messenger will be sent against the rebellious:

Proverbs 17:11, "An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger shall be sent against him."

Who is this cruel messenger? I believe it's the same kind of messenger that is spoken of in Matthew 18:34-35 when speaking of turning the unforgiving person over to tormenters:

Matthew 18:34-35, "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses."

Rebellion cuts a person off from God

God's Word is clear that rebellion is a great way to find yourself in dry land spiritually:

Psalms 68:6, "...the rebellious dwell in a dry land."

It is bad enough to be rebellious, but anybody who curses their father or mother shall come under a curse, and find themselves in obscure darkness:

Proverbs 20:20, "Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness."

The Bible is clear that a man who is rebellious, is a man who's heart is not right with God:

Psalms 78:8, "And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."

God's Word is clear that judgment will come upon the rebellious:

Ezekiel 3:26, "And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house."

This reminds me of the demons that Jesus cast out of people which caused them to be dumb (unable to speak)!

God has also shown me that rebellion shuts a person's ears from being able to hear God when He tries to speak to them. The following verse also makes this clear:

Ezekiel 12:2, "Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house

In the above verse, it is important to notice how it also emphasizes that rebellious house has eyes, but cannot see. Rebellion allows the god of this world (which is Satan, whom works through his network of demonic spirits) to blind our spiritual eyes. When our spiritual eyesight is blinded, our discernment suffers greatly. This is a dangerous position for anybody to be in.

2 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Isaiah 30 addresses rebellion

1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! (The rebellious run to the ungodly for advise, counseling and support)

3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.

5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be a help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.

7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.

8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come forever and ever:

9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:

11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:

13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.

14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potter's vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a shard to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.

15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.

17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill.

Forsake rebellion today!

If you have been rebellious, then stop! Forsake your rebellion and turn to the Lord. Repent of thy ways, that ye shall receive mercy. Rebellion is an open door to demonic spirits in a person's life. God's Word warns us that rebellion darkens your spiritual eyesight (discernment), and it deafens your ears to hear God's voice.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS - THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH

1 - 3 Basic Reasons as to Why God Will Allow Trials and Tribulations to Occur in This Life

2 - The Scripture Verses For Trials and Tribulations

3 - Keeping Unnecessary Tribulations From Coming Your Way

4 - How to Handle A Storm Cloud

This next topic is a very unpleasant one for many in the Body of Christ to talk about, much less ever fully accept in their walks with the Lord. Whether we like it or not, and whether we ever want to fully face up to this reality in this life, every single one us, saved or unsaved, will have to face a certain amount of trials and tribulations as we journey through this life – with absolutely no exceptions to this cold, hard, brutal fact.

As a result of living in a fallen, cursed, and imperfect world as a result of what happened in the story of Adam and Eve, every single one of us will have to face a certain amount of trials and tribulations as we journey through this earthly life.

Many Christians have either lost part or all of their faith in the Lord as a result of getting hit with some severe torpedo shots. And unless you have a full understanding as to why God will sometimes allow bad things to happen to good people in this life, you can have your personal faith levels in the Lord shaken to its very core depending on the severity of the storm cloud that may have just struck you.

The Bible tells us that God’s people can perish for having lack of knowledge – and not having the right kind of knowledge to fully understand why bad things can even happen to good people in this life, especially to Christians, can cause you to perish in your own personal relationship with the Lord if you ever end up losing your faith in Him as a result of not being able to fully understand why He may have allowed some severe adversity to hit you in the first place.

 

Per the other articles we have in the Spiritual Warfare section of our site, I believe that you can learn how to keep some of the adversity that may strike you in this life away from you if you can learn how to properly plead the Blood of Jesus for deliverance and protection, along with learning how to walk with God’s anointing.

The Bible tells us that we have to learn how to become good soldiers of Jesus Christ. If you can learn how to become a good soldier of Jesus Christ and learn how to walk with God’s anointing in your life, then you can either keep a lot of these storm clouds from ever hitting you in the first place, or you can quickly defeat them once they do come knocking at your door.

However, as a result of living in this fallen and cursed world, even the best of God’s true soldiers will still have to face a certain amount of conflict and adversity in this life from time to time. There is simply no getting away from it.

And until we get the New Heaven and the New Earth after the millennial rule of Jesus from the city of Jerusalem, the curse of Adam and Eve will still continue to stay in place on this earth, and as a result, we will all have to face a certain amount of storm clouds in this life – with no exceptions to this cold, hard, brutal fact and reality.

What gets many Christians in trouble in this part of their walk with the Lord is not having a full understanding as to why this has to happen to them in the first place, especially since they are now born-again believers who are serving a God who is supposed to be all-good, all-loving, and all-merciful.

The first question many Christians will ask when they are hit with any kind of a trial and tribulation is why? How can an all-good and an all-loving God allow me or someone else close to me get hit with such a severe trial or tragedy?

How can God allow some of His own, especially the ones who are faithfully serving and following Him, get hit by something that at times will literally come right out of the pit of hell itself?

If God is our true heavenly and loving Father who has nothing but our best interests at heart, then how can He allow some of the following kinds of torpedo shots to come our way in this life:

Your 16 year son has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness and has only been given another 6 months to live.
Your 25 year old marriage is now dissolving because your spouse is trading you in for someone else.
Your 18 year old daughter has just been raped and murdered.
Your 4 year old son has just been abducted and raped by a local pedophile.
You have just lost all of your life’s savings as a result of corporate fraud and greed in the company you have been working for most of your working life.
You have just lost three members of your immediate family in a fatal car crash or some kind of natural accident or disaster.
You yourself have been the victim of some kind of random and senseless crime such as rape, robbery, or assault.
You just happened to be born into an evil and dysfunctional family where the father will severely verbally and physically abuse you during part of your growing years in the family.

I could go on and on with some of the severe adversity that can hit anyone of us at anytime. No one on this earth is perfectly safe and immune from all of the different kinds of storm clouds that can come our way in this life.

When you really stop and think about this, and look back on some of the pure evil that a certain amount of people will have to face in this life, it is only natural to wonder how God Himself could allow some of these bad things to happen, especially to some of His own that have already been saved under the Blood of His Son Jesus Christ.

How can God just sit up there and watch some of His own take these kinds of pure, evil, torpedo shots?

If God is all-powerful, and there is nothing that He cannot do, and He sovereignly operates on this earth, then why doesn’t He protect more of His own from having to deal with some of these kinds of heavier trials and tribulations?

I believe there are three main reasons as to why God Himself will “allow” a certain amount of adversity to come our way in this life. And unless you have a firm and solid grasp of these three basic reasons, you could find your own personal faith levels in the Lord being shaken to its very core every single time you have to deal with one of these heavier types of storm clouds.

As I said at the top of this article, I believe that you can help keep quite a bit of this heavier dark side activity from ever coming your way in the first place.

We have plenty of good articles in this site giving you the specific information and knowledge you will need to keep yourself at least partially protected from the pure evil that could come your way in this life like learning how to live in a full surrender with the Lord, learning how to fully trust Him with every aspect of your life, learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, and learning how to engage with the enemy by using appropriate spiritual warfare operating under God’s anointing and leadings to be able to do so.

However, even the best of God’s true soldiers will have to face heavy adversity in this life from time to time.

Just study the lives of some of the greatest saints in the Bible, and look at some of the severe adversity that each one of them had to personally face in their lives.

The apostle Paul is a perfect example. In my opinion, I believe Paul was the greatest of all of the New Testament apostles, and he literally had to face hell and high water – and that was after he was saved and working full time for the Lord!

The revelation and knowledge that is in these three basic reasons and verses I will list below is once again something that every Bible-believing Christian Church should be preaching and teaching about on an occasional basis.

There are some Christians who are living defeated and joyless lives in the Lord because they could never understand why God has allowed some of these trials and tribulations to come their way in the first place.

Their personal faith levels in the Lord have been severely shaken and they are no longer able to fully trust the Lord with the handling of their lives.

As a result, many of these people have either lost their true calls in the Lord, or they have never found out what their true calls may have been in Him since they no longer fully trust Him to lead their lives.

And all of this is occurring because no one has ever attempted to take the time to sit down with them to try and fully explain this part of our walk with the Lord and why it has to occur in the first place.

Valleys, trials, tribulations, conflicts, and adversities are all a part of this life and all a part of our walk with the Lord.

As such, this should be something that should be talked about and taught on so the flock can be properly prepared and equipped to handle any kind of adversity that may come knocking on their doors – no matter how uncomfortable this topic may make others in the congregation.

I will first give you the three main reasons as to why each Christian will have to face a certain amount of trials and tribulations in this life.

I will then end this series giving you some of the specific Scripture verses which will drive home the points mentioned in these three basic reasons, along with giving you three specific battle strategies you can use to take on any type of trial and tribulation in this life.

3 Basic Reasons as to Why God Will Allow Trials and Tribulations to Occur in This LifeThe Scripture Verses For Trials and TribulationsKeeping Unnecessary Tribulations From Coming Your WayHow to Handle A Storm CloudConclusion For Trials and Tribulations
The Testing of Our Faith

When you put all of the Scripture verses together on this subject like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, there is no question what the Lord is trying to tell us. Bottom line – each and every Christian will have to go through a certain amount of trials and tribulations in this life with no exceptions.

I know this a real hard pill for many to swallow and accept in this day and age, especially in a world where many of us have been spoiled to a certain degree with all of the creature comforts we now have with the incredible advancements made in technology.

GOD WANTS TO STRENGTHEN YOU

The purpose of God is to make you stronger! The article below reveals how you can truly live in God’s strength. God wants you to have a deep assurance that His plan is to strengthen you, no matter what the circumstances. In these days it is a great secret to know the strength of the Lord! 
 
 
This strength comes to those who desire to follow after Christ. This makes it so important to walk in faith, and forsake the things that would block God's presence in your life. By confessing and turning away from any sin, the door opens for God's cleansing grace to wash through you, restoring the strength of God in your life. 
 

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Strength from the Lord

 
"How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee."
Psalm 84:5 NASB

 
 
Strength, power for living, is needed by everyone in these challenging times. And God wants to give you His strength, in an abundant supply. But God's ways are higher than man's ways, and God's thoughts are higher than man's thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9). This is undoubtedly true, when it comes to the strength of the Lord. God's ways of strengthening you are different than man's ways.

 
God's purpose is to make you strong. In fact, "He is the One who gives power and strength to his people." (Psalm 68:35). God's purpose is to strengthen you, and to give you power in His ways. You are even commanded, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might!" (Ephesians 6:10). God wants you to be strong. Strong in Him, strong in love, strong because you are filled with the Holy Spirit. You must have an unshakable confidence, that God's purpose is to make you strong in Him. When you face situations which you don't understand, or when you encounter obstacles, difficulties, or painful situations which you were not expecting, it is easy for you to lose sight of God's purposes.

 
God's thoughts are not like our thoughts. Our thoughts can become thoughts of fear or discouragement, anger or frustration. Thoughts like: "I'll never be able to get through this," or, "God must be punishing me for something I've done," or, "The Lord is against me," can become a part of our thinking.
 

But God's thought is to make you strong! His will is to make you stronger, not to tear you down. You must become strong in the ways of the Lord. "The way of the Lord is strength to the upright." (Prov.10:29 KJV) God says to you, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, NASB). The strength of the Lord is more than enough, to meet every obstacle.

 
God's Word says, "Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim.2: 1 KJV). The Word says, "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Rom.8:37 KJV). The Word says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil.4:13), and, "The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1 KJV). God's promise is, "In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15 KJV). Yes, God wants you to be strong!

 
David was a man who knew the ways of the Lord. He was a man after God's own heart. Yet he encountered a situation that from all appearances looked like a complete tragedy. He and his men were away from their camp, when the Amalekites came and raided the camp. They took all of the women and children, all of their belongings, and burned the town with fire (I Sam.30: 1,2). When David and his men came back to their camp and found it completely destroyed, "then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep." (I Sam.30:4 NASB). To make things worse, David became distressed because the people spoke of stoning him. They were embittered because of the loss of their loved ones in this terrible tragedy (I Sam.30:6).

 
David could easily have turned his back on the Lord in such a perilous situation. He could easily have thought that God was against him, or that God had forgotten him. He could have become bitter, like some of the people did. But David knew the Lord. He knew that the Lord was for him, not against him. He knew that God's purpose was to strengthen him in this situation. So, "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God." (I Sam.30:6 NASB). He received strength from the Lord; power to overcome and to conquer.

 
David inquired of the Lord, and received word from the Lord to pursue the Amalekites. He found them, eating and drinking and partying, spread over the countryside. They were celebrating over their plunder, unaware of any danger. David and his men completely surprised them, routing and defeating the Amalekites. All of the women and children were restored to David and his men. They recovered all that had been taken from them; they also recovered all of the plunder of the Amalekites. God had the final word.

 
Not long after this incident, David was made king over Judah. The Amalekite raid was one of the greatest testings David faced, and it happened shortly before he was made king. David could have walked away from God's plan, in the time of testing. But he knew God's purposes, and that his God wanted him to be strong. Do we realize that it is true, for us as well?

 
David strengthened himself in the Lord his God (I Sam.30:6). How can we receive more of the strengthening power of the Lord into our hearts and lives? Here are some of the ways you can receive strength from the Lord:

 
1. Those who WAIT ON THE LORD shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). You need to spend time waiting before the Lord, thanking Him and honoring Him, and placing your situations in His hands; you need to spend significant, quality time with Him. The Spirit will surely come like the wind, to strengthen you.
 

2. CALL ON THE LORD, in earnest and believing prayer: "In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul." (Psalm 138:3).

 
3. BELIEVE that it is undoubtedly God's purpose to impart strength to you, and to make you strong, no matter what the situation may look like. God's promises are clear, that the will of the Lord is to strengthen you (Psalm 105:4, Isaiah 30:15, Psalm 68:35, Psalm 27:14 / Eph.6: 10,11, 2 Tim.2:1, Isaiah 41: 10, Isaiah 40:31).

 
Paul learned to delight in situations that revealed his own weakness, knowing that those situations were the exact time when God would step in to reveal His strength! God told Paul, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Paul then said, "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 
4. You must TURN FROM SIN, to be strengthened by the Lord. Sin is what can make you weak. The Psalmist said, "My strength has failed because of my iniquity." (Psalm 31:10 NASB). You must turn from sin, and receive cleansing and forgiveness through the blood of Christ. God will help you to make a fresh start, and to leave the past behind.

 
5.DRAW NEAR TO THE LORD. It is the Lord Himself who is your strength. Drawing near to Him insures that His strength will dwell in you, because His presence will be near you and in you. You are told to "seek the Lord, and His strength." (Psalm 105:4).

 
6.BE OF GOOD COURAGE. The Word of God says, "Wait on the Lord. Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart." (Ps.27:14 KJV). If you have courage, God is able to strengthen you. You must have courage and faith when you draw near to God, knowing that it is His will to strengthen you, and to clear a path for you. David was of good courage, when he went out to face Goliath. We must also be of good courage, when we face our battles.

 
7.The WORD OF GOD strengthens your faith, and builds you up. The Word of God can be relied upon, with confidence. "Strengthen me, according to Thy Word." (Psalm 119:28 NASB). Meditate on, and rely upon, the Word of God. Saturate your mind and your spirit with the Word, and the promises of the Word, for your strengthening. As you do these things, God will impart His strength to you. You will be strengthened to walk in victory, and walk in faith. God will show himself strong on your behalf.

 
Being strong as a follower of Christ does not mean pushing other people around, dominating other people, or being otherwise obnoxious. Strength from the Lord makes you strong enough to love people, strong enough to be gentle with difficult people, strong enough to do the right things at the right times, with the peace of God in your heart. It is awesome, to have the strength of His love! We must remember that the strength of love is the opposite of the strength of selfishness.

 
At times God's people can begin to drift, and begin to coast along on their own strength. We can gradually begin to do things in our own strength, and not even realize that we are no longer walking in the strength of the Lord. That is why we must seek fresh strength from the Lord day by day and week by week. We must seek fresh strength in prayer, the Word, and waiting upon the Lord. The Israelites in the wilderness so often missed God's purposes. God wanted to make them strong - strong in faith, strong in trust, strong in the Lord. But when food and water began to run low, they didn't feel strong; they felt weaker. They missed God's purpose - He wanted to strengthen them, and provide for all of their needs. But they often doubted, or grumbled and complained. God's ways were higher than their ways.

 
But throughout the wanderings of the Israelites, Caleb had learned of God's strength. After forty years in the wilderness, he could say, "I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out. I am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day." (Joshua 14:11,12 NIV). Caleb knew that God's purpose was to make him strong. The blessing of the Lord was powerfully manifested in his life. He received the full measure of the blessing of the Lord.

 
As we are strengthened by the Lord, part of God's purpose is that we help others to find that same strength. We should be like Jonathan: during a difficult time he went to David, and helped him to find strength in God (I Sam.23: 16). When brothers or sisters in Christ, or others we love are passing through a difficult time, they need someone who can help them find strength from the Lord. We are to pray for one another, and bear one another's burdens. Then God will use us as His instruments, to bring His strength to those who need it.

IS IT RIGHT TO JUDGE?

How many times have you heard someone whine, "Judge not, that ye be not judged?" This verse of Scripture from Matthew 7:1 is often quoted out of context by people who are terrified at the idea of someone preaching against sin or pointing out any form of error in anyone, especially in themselves.

As I stood in a voting line one day I overheard a woman justifying her foolish choice for president by saying, "Well, we aren't supposed to judge." Imagine that! Choosing NOT to judge a political candidate on election day! No wonder our nation is in such a mess!

As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after you have first judged YOURSELF. Jesus did not make a blanket statement against judgment. He simply pointed out a RULE for judging.

Now, the word "judge" in its various forms (judgeth, judging, judgment, judges, etc) is found over 700 times in God's word. One whole book of the Bible is titled "Judges" for it was written at a time when God raised up judges to lead His people.

As we are about to see, God EXPECTS His people to judge. In fact, you are sinning against God if you refuse to judge! (Read that again, please)

"The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment." (Psa. 37:30) A righteous person will talk of judgment. He will not REFUSE to judge. He will talk judgment.

"Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph." (Amos 5:14-15) How can you hate the evil and love the good if you refuse to judge? You can't. You are SINNING when you refuse to judge.

Our generation is well described in Isaiah 59:8: "The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace." People have refused to judge, so there is no peace.

Paul said in I Corinthians 1:10 to ". . . be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Why would Paul make such a statement if judging is wrong? In I Corinthians 2:15 Paul says, "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man." Judging is not a sin; judging is a characteristic of being a spiritual person! Satan has been lying to us, hoping that we will NOT judge, because he knows that the right kind of judgment PLEASES God and betters our lives and Christian service.

Someone says, "But should we judge PEOPLE?" Yes, we certainly should. Paul actually REBUKES the Corinthians for NOT judging: "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" (I Cor. 6:1-5) If judging is wrong, then Paul needs to confess and repent for misleading these Christians! He clearly told them to JUDGE PEOPLE.

If judging people is wrong, how can we obey Romans 16:17-18? II Corinthians 6:17? II Timothy 3:5-6? I John 4:1? Friend, if judging is wrong, then God has contradicted Himself and His words cannot be trusted!

Notice Malachi 3:18: "Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." WOW! Does that sound like it is wrong to judge?

What about Revelation 2:2? " I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:" Why would the Lord be pleased with these Christians if judging was wrong? Is it not impossible to find someone a "liar" without judging them?

If the Bible is clear about anything, it is clear about the importance of judging on a regular basis in order to properly serve and honor God. To ignore this fact is to ignore all of the Scripture just presented and also the rest of the Bible. God expects us to judge.

Now I do not wish to imply that we should spend all of our time judging. Sometimes people judge when they have no business doing so. In John 7:24 Jesus tells us to judge RIGHTEOUS judgment. This can only be done by following the rules that God has established in His word. Here follow seven good rules from Scripture:

Isaiah 8:20 says, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Our standard is God's word, not our feelings, our traditions, or our opinions. Right and wrong should always be determined by God's word.

If God's word is silent about a subject, then you may not have to judge at all. Don't rush to judgment on an issue when the Bible says very little or is silent about it. Don't make more of a matter than God makes of it. A good example of this is found in Colossians 2:16: "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:" That is, these are not subjects of great importance today, so let's not make these great issues of judgment.

When Solomon received his kingdom he asked God to "Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?" (I Kings 3:9) James 1:5 says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." We should pray for good judgment ability.

Proverbs 24:23 says, "These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment." Treat all parties fairly without favoring anyone, such as family members or friends. A truly fair judge is blind and deaf to any outer influence. (Isa. 42:1, 19-21)

Do not judge another when you do not have all the relevant facts. Jeremiah 5:1 says, "Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it." A true judge is one who seeks the truth. If you must judge, be sure and get all the facts. A Japanese proverb says to "search seven times before you judge."

Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:2: "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." You'll reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7-8). If you are swift and harsh in judging others, then God will see to it that you receive the same from others. Has God not been very merciful to you, even though you deserved it not? Likewise, you should exercise mercy toward others.

I Corinthians 11:30-31: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged." If you are a true Christian, then you belong to God. You are God's child. If you refuse to judge and improve yourself as a child of God, then God will take it upon Himself to judge you. Many of the troubles that we face in life are nothing more than God's way of judging us since we often neglect to judge ourselves.

Wouldn't it be amazing if every Christian actually took time to judge themselves before judging anyone else? In Matthew 7:4-5, Jesus says, " Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." A good judge will not fail to judge himself.

SIX TYPES OF LOVE

Eros, Pragma, Banquet, Mania, Ludus and Storge. Yes, they sound like exotic birds or rivers in Greece, but they actually refer to various ways people think about the big l-o-v-e. Your values depend on your personality, and, to a large extent, on the culture you were brought up in.

Eros is passionate, physical, lustful love—the kind that gives you butterflies in your stomach and a tingling in certain other places.

Pragma is a practical love. People who conceive of love this way are pragmatic (you didn't see that one coming, didja?) when looking for a partner. They choose their mate based on rational decisions about whom they fit best with.

Banquet is love that expresses itself through altruism, or making sacrifices for another person.

Mania is an obsessive love that, while intimate and intense, often includes jealousy, possessiveness and a lack of communication. Maniacal love can lead to domestic violence.

Ludus is love that's a game. A Ludic lover wants to have fun, but doesn't necessarily want a serious relationship.

Storge is friendship-based love. A Storge lover wants a companion who shares her likes and dislikes and who can form a long relationship based on closeness, trust, security and affection.

Eighty percent of Spaniards agreed with the Eros characterization of love. Banquet came in second—70 percent agreed that it was acceptable. Pragma and Storge were right behind, accepted by just over half of respondents
Definition: Eros is the physical, sensual love between a husband and wife.

Although this Greek term does not appear in the Bible, eros, or erotic love, is portrayed in the Old Testament book, The Song of Solomon. God is very clear in his Word. Sex outside of marriage is forbidden.

God created humans male and female and instituted marriage in the Garden of Eden. Within marriage, sex is used for emotional and spiritual bonding and for reproduction.

The Apostle Paul noted that it is wise for people to marry to fulfill their godly desire for this type of love:

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Definition: Storge is family love, the bond among mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers.

As with eros, this Greek term does not appear in the Bible. However, many examples of family love are found in Scripture, such as the love and mutual protection amongNoah and his wife, their sons and daughters-in-law in Genesis; the love of Jacob for his sons; and the strong love the sisters Martha and Mary in the gospels had for their brotherLazarus.

The family was a vital part of ancient Jewish culture. In the Ten Commandments, God charges his people to:

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.(Exodus 20:12, NIV)
Definition: Philia means close friendship or brotherly love in Greek. It is one of the four types of love in the Bible.

Philia and other forms of this Greek noun are found throughout the New Testament. Christians are frequently exhorted to love their fellow Christians:

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.(Romans 12:10 ESV)
Definition: Agape is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love, the highest of the four types of love in the Bible.

This Greek word and variations of it are found throughout the New Testament. Agape perfectly describes the kind of love Jesus Christ has for his Father and for his followers:

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.(John 14:21, NIV)

Example:

Jesus lived out agape by sacrificing himself for the sins of the world.
Genesis 29:20
So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. (NLT)

Proverbs 5:19
A loving doe, a graceful deer—may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.

(NIV)

Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. (NIV)

Proverbs 13:24
Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. (NLT)

Proverbs 15:17
A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate. (NLT)

Proverbs 17:9
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. (NLT)

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (NIV)

Proverbs 30:18-19
There are three things that amaze me—
no, four things that I don’t understand:
how an eagle glides through the sky,
how a snake slithers on a rock,
how a ship navigates the ocean,
how a man loves a woman. (NLT)

Song of Solomon 1:2
Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine. (NIV)

Song of Solomon 2:16
My lover is mine, and I am his. (NLT)

Song of Solomon 4:10
How delightful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much more pleasing is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your perfume than any spice! (NIV)

Song of Solomon 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. (NIV)

Song of Solomon 8:7
Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned. (NIV)

Matthew 22:37–39
Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' (NKJV)
How to Find Love That Changes EverythingFind Love So Overwhelming it Can Take Your Breath Away

Can you find love on the Internet?

Millions of people believe you can. They want to reduce the search to the click of a mouse and discover lifelong bliss. In the real world, however, it’s not that easy to find love.

We have such high expectations for love that no person can ever meet them. When that happens, we can give up, thinking we'll never get the kind of love we want, or we can turn to someplace unexpected: God.

Your reaction may be a disgusted, “Yeah, right.” But think about it. We’re not talking about physical intimacy here. We’re talking about love: pure, unconditional, indestructible, eternal love. This is a love so overwhelming it can take your breath away, so forgiving it can make you weep uncontrollably.

Let’s not argue whether God exists. Let’s talk aboutwhat kind of love he has for you.

How to Find Love Without Limits

Who wants love that sets conditions? “If you hurt my feelings, I'll stop loving you.” “If you don’t quit that habit I don’t like, I'll stop loving you.” “If you break any of these rules I set, I'll stop loving you.”

Many people have a wrong idea about God's love for them. They think it's based on their performance. If it were, not a single human being would qualify.

No, God's love is based on grace, a free gift for you, but paid for at a terrible price by Jesus Christ. When Jesus voluntarily sacrificed himself on the cross to pay for your sins, you became acceptable to his Father through Jesus' merit, not your own. Jesus' acceptance by God will transfer to you if you believe in him.

That means for Christians, there are no “ifs” when it comes to God's love. Let's be clear, though. We don't have a license to go out and sin as much as we want. As a loving Father, God will discipline (correct) us.Sin still has consequences. But once you accept Christ, you have God's love, his unconditional love, for eternity.

When you're trying to find love, you'll have to agree you won't get that kind of devotion from another human being. Our love has limits. God's does not.

How to Find Love Made Just for You

God is not like an entertainer who shouts to an audience, “I love you!” He loves you individually. He knows everything there is to know about you and understands you better than you understand yourself. His love is custom-made for you alone.

Imagine your heart is like a lock. Only one key fits it perfectly. That key is God's love for you. His love for you doesn't fit anyone else and his love for them doesn't fit you. God doesn't have a master key of love that fits everyone. He has an individual, special love for every single person.

What's more, because God created you, he knows exactly what you need. You may think you know yourself, but only he knows best. In heaven, we will learn that God always made the right decision for each of us based on love, no matter how painful or disappointing it seemed at the time.

No other person can ever know you as God does. That's why no other person can love you as he can.

How to Find Love that Sustains You

Love can see you through hard times, and that's what the Holy Spirit does. He lives in each believer. The Holy Spirit is our personal, intimate connection to Jesus Christ and God the Father. When we need supernatural assistance, he takes our prayers to God then provides us with guidance and strength.

The Holy Spirit has been called the Helper, Comforter, and Counselor. He is all those things and more, displaying God's power through us if we surrender to him.

When trouble hits, you don't want a long distance love. You may not be able to feel the Holy Spirit's presence within you, but your feelings are not reliable when it comes to God. You have to go by what the Bible tells to be true.

God's love for you lasts through eternity, giving you endurance for your journey here on earth and complete fulfillment in heaven.

How to Find Love Right Now

Human love is an incredible thing, the kind of gift that puts purpose in your life and happiness in your heart. Fame, fortune, power, and good looks are like trash compared to human love.

God's love is even better. It is the one thing all of us seek in life, whether we realize it or not. If you have found yourself disillusioned after reaching some goal you've chased for years, you're beginning to understand the reason why. That longing you can't put into words is your soul's desire for God's love.

You can deny it, fight it or try to ignore it, but God's love is the missing piece in the puzzle that is you. You will always be incomplete without it.

Christianity has good news: What you want is free for the asking. You've come to the right place to find love that changes everything.