The Strength of Love

The women of Galilee would experience an emotional roller coaster of feelings that is hard to appreciate as we read the story two millennia later. Luke tells us that the women (Luke 24:4) were “perplexed,” which in the Greek means “to be entirely at loss.” The word conveys utter confusion, explaining what was not there, the body of Jesus. This perplexity, however, turned to terror (v. 5) and amazement (Mark 16:5) when they saw who was there—the angelic messengers of resurrection day who sent them to the fearful disciples in hiding with word that the Savior was alive! Upon hearing the message of the resurrected Christ, they fled from the tomb, because “trembling and astonishment had gripped them” (Mark 16:8). But as the import of what they had seen and heard in the cemetery took hold, the emotional landscape shifted once again—as “they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy” (Matthew 28:8).

The strength of their love had caused them to follow Jesus in the Galilee and to follow Him to Jerusalem and to stand by Him at the cross and to follow again to His burial and, ultimately, make this final, fateful mission of mercy to the Master who had rescued them from the demons of darkness and the oppressions of indignity. God was rewarding the strong devotion, courage, and love that motivated them to follow. As Hebrews 6:10 tells us:

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.

If the heavenly Father remembers the acts of love and kindness done in His name to others, how much more the selfless acts of love these women had ministered to His Son? Matthew tells us that as they were making their way to the place where the disciples were in hiding, the greatest moment of joy they would ever know occurred. The message the angels had delivered at the tomb was confirmed—by the physical appearance of Christ himself!

And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:8–10).

Love that had sought no reward had nevertheless been rewarded. The fear and confusion is taken from their heart by His gift of peace and grace. These women of Galilee had suffered much but now knew the matchless privilege of being the first in many marvelous, overwhelming, gracefilled firsts:

The first at the cross
The first at the tomb
The first to hear of the resurrection
The first to see the risen, glorious Son of God
The first to tell the story of the Prince of
Life’s defeat of death

Through the window of these women, we see clearly that the only appropriate response is to do what they did: worship the Christ and tell others of His victory. It is an event that demands we bow the knee to the risen Lord and share the joy with a dying world. As another incredibly strong woman, Fanny Crosby, put it in her marvelous hymn “Christ Is Risen”:

Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!
Friends of Jesus, dry your tears;
Through the veil of gloom and darkness,
Lo, the Son of God appears!
Christ is risen! Hallelujah!
Gladness fills the world today;
From the tomb that could not hold Him,
See, the stone is rolled away!

We see strength on display in the lives of these godly women. It is my desire that their example would stir my heart—and yours—to rise to a new strength of devotion, of courage, and of love for the Son of God who loved us and gave himself for us (Galatians 2:20). To “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Or, as the psalmist put it:

Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord (Psalm 31:24).
___________________________

This excerpt was taken from Windows on Easter

©2009 by Bill Crowder
All rights reserved.
Discovery House Publishers
Grand Rapids, Michigan.

978-1-57293-367-5
pp. 100-103

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They cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. Psalm 107:28 NIV

When my family and I arrived at the amusement park, I teased to go on the Dragon Coaster. I had seen the advertisements on television that showed the dragon-like shape of the twisted, twirly, mountainous roller coaster. Now I could hardly wait to get through the lines and board the ride so I could experience the fun for myself.

Unfortunately I was only seven years old, and I had never ridden a roller coaster before. Though my family had tried to warn me about how  scary roller-coaster rides can be, I didn’t have a clue about what all their talk meant. I just giggled excitedly during the wait time and teased to be allowed to sit with the big kids in the front of the car when we chose our seats.

As the ride began, the roller coaster car clanked and smoked (like a dragon) and chugged up the tallest hill I had ever been on. I could see the entire amusement park laid out below. I chattered even more, pointing out the wonderful sights to my seatmates.

But as the car reached the top of that first hill, my chattering came to an abrupt halt. I couldn’t see any more track in front of me. I didn’t know what to expect. When the coaster topped the hill and started to whoosh down the other side, you wouldn’t believe the screams that escaped my lips. The twists and turns that had looked so innocent and simple to me while I was waiting for the ride to begin now felt intimidating and scary. The ride along the twisty, green corkscrew track that had looked like so much fun now set my stomach churning, threatening to take my lunch away. Though the ride lasted fewer than two minutes, it ruined the rest of my day at the park, leaving me exhausted and too scared to try anything new.

When you lose your job, whether for rightsizing, business closures, a poor economy, or just because your boss had a bad day, the days spent between losing your old job and finding a new one can seem a lot like a bad roller-coaster ride. You’re on that roller coaster even though you might not want to be, and now you have to ride that hill for all it’s worth. You try to hold on tight as you navigate the twists and turns, excited at the possibility of a new job, an interview, or a lead. But then you’re tumbled all around with disappointment when the phone stays silent for days on end, when no one returns your e-mails, when all the leads dry up. The dark fear of the unknown is like a roller-coaster tunnel with no bright sunshine of a job in sight. One day you’re up; the next day you’re down. The thought of it all leaves you exhausted and sick to your stomach. I should know. Unemployment has happened to my husband and me four times.

Well, if this is where you find yourself too, take heart. The Bible says when God’s children call out to Him in their distress, He hears and comes to their aid.  Sometimes He acts instantaneously, but sometimes His timetable takes a little longer. Yet He is always faithful to provide for His children. While you’re waiting for His plan to unfold, my hope is the Bible verses, inspirational stories, helpful checklists, journalstyle questions, and encouraging words in this book will help you ride The Roller Coaster of Unemployment.

God’s blessings be yours.

—S. M. Hupp
________________________
This excerpt was taken from The Roller Coaster of Unemployment: Trusting God for the Ride

© 2010 by Sarah M. Hupp
All rights reserved.
Discovery House Publishers is affiliated with RBC Ministries,
Grand Rapids, Michigan.

978-1-57293-376-7
pp. 9-10

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Parenting Styles
As you think about your own personality and how that might affect
your parenting, consider these four types of parenting styles:

Permissive parents—tend to be too lenient, do not set good
boundaries, are not demanding, and do not expect their children to
act their age. They also avoid confrontation. Their children often
grow up to be reckless, bossy, and aggressive adults who tend to
have low self-control and lack achievement.

Authoritarian parents—tend to be demanding, but not responsive
to their children. They focus on obedience and orders to be
followed, with little or no flexibility. Their rules are clear and rigid
and they use punishment to control behavior. Their children tend to
become unhappy, anxious, resentful, stressed, and unfriendly adults.

Uninvolved parents—don’t respond and don’t demand. They
are unavailable to their children and may even reject their children.
Their children tend to look to other people as role models (often
inappropriate people, since no one has helped them learn how to
choose good role models); they also have low self-esteem and lack
confidence.

Authoritative parents—have a good balance between responsiveness
and demands. They set clear standards for their children,
but they are also supportive and encouraging. They are not punitive,
but have clear guidelines that the children are expected to
follow. They control their children’s behavior by explaining rules
with discussion, not demands. When the boundaries or guidelines
are crossed, there is some form of discipline administered that has
already been clearly specified. They listen to their children, even
when they do not agree with them. Their children tend to develop
into friendly, cheerful, cooperative adults.

It is apparent that this last type of parenting style, the authoritative
parent, is the best—a balance between nurturing and guidelines.
This parenting style will raise the most well-adjusted and
emotionally healthy children. It is interesting that this is the parenting
style described in Proverbs. However, being a good parent is
a process, and there will be times that we do a great job and other
times that we will fail miserably. It will be times like the latter that
draw us back to our heavenly Father to ask Him for help and guidance
in raising our children.

So with a prayer that God will make us better parents, let’s get
started on our journey to understanding wise parenting and hopefully
becoming wise parents.

___________________________________________

This excerpt was taken from Wise Parenting: Guidelines from the Book of Proverbs
©2009 by Paul Wegner
978-1-57293-352-1
Pages 20-21

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“Lord, Bend Me”

Giving Prayer New Priority

It turns ordinary mortals into men of power . . . It
brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God.
There is no power like that of prevailing prayer.
Samuel Chadwick, The Path of Prayer1

His name was Floyd King, but we called him “The Wizard of Ahs.”

It wasn’t a nice name, and he didn’t deserve it.

Pastor King had come out of retirement to shepherd the Nazarene church in the sleepy desert town of Holtville, California. I was thirteen when I met him. My older brothers and I would sit in the fourth pew from the front, counting the number of times Pastor King would hesitate and say “ah” between points in his sermon. Like Joseph’s brothers, we meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.

It made us pay attention. And as we watched and listened, we were able to observe a true believer in the twilight of his life. Little did I know that his impact on my life would last well beyond his years.

Not long after Pastor King’s arrival, my father was hospitalized for major surgery. Pastor King would travel over twenty-five miles every day to call on Dad and to pray for him. He even took the time to give Dad a shave each morning. After that, my brothers and I dared not breathe a word about “The Wizard of Ahs.” Dad wouldn’t have it.

When I began to question my faith a year later, Pastor King was there again, patiently listening to my doubts (I had a lot of them). He and his wife quietly made themselves available, answering my questions when they could and praying for me when they couldn’t. That summer I wore a path to their door and found it open, even if I hadn’t called to ask if it was okay if I came by. After each visit, I somehow always found us praying together.

It was one summer evening as I sat on my old Schwinn ten-speed bike outside their home saying goodbye that Pastor King remarked, “We think God may be calling you to be a pastor someday.” At age fourteen, being a pastor was the farthest thing from my mind. It would take me more than six years to catch up to what the Kings came to realize in the quiet moments we spent together in prayer. God, in His kindness and humor, had given “The Wizard of Ahs” a special place in my life. It wasn’t courage or a brain or a heart that I found. It was a calling.
___________________________________________

This excerpt was taken from The Lost Art of Praying Together: Rekindling Passion for Prayer
©2009 by James Banks
978-1-57293-351-4
Pages 61-62

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More Than An Aspirin

by M. Gay Hubbard

A client whose daughter had been murdered came to me for help in the early weeks of her grief and struggle. In her first appointment she noticed a Bible lying open on my desk and burst out in angry tears.

“Don’t read me Bible verses about praising God or verses that say God took Lindy because He wanted her with Him. I don’t want a therapist who will read me verses like that.”

“No. I won’t read you verses like that,” I told her gently. “I understand this is not the time for that.”

Our first hour together was clearly not the time for that. Nevertheless, rightly understood, and in the right time, James’s characteristic bluntness expresses a radically wonderful truth. God means for us through His grace to redeem our pain—to use it as a journey into joy and maturity. He means for us to be more than survivors; He means for us to be conquerors in every circumstance of life, however difficult that circumstance may be. No matter how terrible the events through which we must live, it is God’s intention for us to be transformed, not destroyed. Now that is good news.

However, we have a part in bringing about God’s remarkable intended outcome. Transformation is not a matter of heavenly magic. Neither is it solely the result of human will power. It is a mysterious joint project in which God invites us to participate. And invite is precisely what God does. While God desires our participation, He does not coerce. We discover that at the core of participation lies something far different from a blind obedience to rules. Participation is relational; it is a call to know God andthe fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10). And it is this participation through relationship with Him t at changes our hearts, alters our view of the world, and transforms the outcome of our pain.

____________________________________________________

This excerpt was taken from More Than An Aspirin: A Christian Perspective on Pain and Suffering
©2009 by M. Gay Hubbard
978-1-57293-257-9

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If you’re following @discoveryhouse on Twitter, you may be wondering where some of the quotes are coming from. Here are some of the most recent and most common (you may click on the bookcovers to link to more information).

Our Daily Bread: Daily Readings from the Popular Devotional (Volume 2)

Contributors: Mart DeHaan, Dennis DeHaan, Richard DeHaan, M.R. DeHaan, David Roper, David McCasland, Julie Ackerman Link, Henry Bosch, Dave Branon, Vernon Grounds, Dave Egner, Bill Crowder, Dennis Fisher, Herb VanderLugt, Cindy Hess Kasper, Albert Lee, Joe Stowell, Anne Cetas, Joanie Yoder, Paul Van Gorder, Haddon Robinson, Marvin Williams, C. P. Hia, Philip Yancy

My Soul Thirsts for God: Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread

Contributors: Mart DeHaan, Dennis DeHaan, Richard DeHaan, David Roper, David McCasland, Julie Ackerman Link, Henry Bosch, Dave Branon, Vernon Grounds, Dave Egner, Bill Crowder, Dennis Fisher, Herb VanderLugt, Cindy Hess Kasper, Albert Lee, Joe Stowell, Anne Cetas, Joanie Yoder, Paul Van Gorder, Haddon Robinson, and Marvin Williams

 
Also by DAVID ROPER…

 

 

 

 

 

Also by JOE STOWELL…

By RAY STEDMAN…
 

By GREG DUTCHER

By JOLENE PHILO

By SHELLY BEACH
   

By OSWALD CHAMBERS

Crossing the Bridge Between You and Me by SUSAN LENZKES
Friendships just aren’t built the way they once were—event by event over a lifetime. Making friends today requires that you consciously do things that allow others to get to know you.

As one who’s had friends to share the joys and the difficult times of life, Susan Lenzkes offers helpful suggestions for building sturdy bridges of friendship and ministry between you and others.

Who Calls Me Beautiful? by REGINA FRANKLIN
From the magazines at the grocery store checkout to home shopping, from billboards to TV shows, it’s hard to escape the world’s idea of a “beautiful woman.” The seduction to be beautiful is strong, but rarely is the question asked, “What is God’s ideal?”

Who Calls Me Beautiful? helps you to identify the forces that influence your life and affect how you understand “beauty,” and encourages you to embrace a biblical and spiritual balance that honors the God who created you.

“I am an ordinary woman who has faced the same struggles that other women face,” says Regina Franklin. “But we have an extraordinary God who sees us as His beautiful vessels.”

Something’s Wrong with Your Child

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18 (NASB)

“Do you want a girl or a boy?”

I heard that question often when we were expecting our first child. My pat answer was, “I don’t care, so long as the baby is healthy.”

I was convinced God would honor my desire since my husband, Hiram, and I were model parents-to-be. We’d planned for this child. We attended every pre-natal appointment and practiced Lamaze. I ate right, exercised, and dreamed about the birth of our perfect new baby.

The first clue that my dream was not God’s plan came the morning after our son, Allen, was born, when the doctor sat down in a chair near the foot of my bed. (Over the next few years, I learned it’s not a good sign when a doctor sits beside a hospital bed.)

“Something’s wrong,” he told me, and with those words, my dreams evaporated. Love for the child who had grown inside me pressed heavy against my heart until it broke. Fear of what lay ahead crushed my spirit.

When the doctor told you something was wrong with your child, your life changed, too. The world you dreamed about before your baby’s birth—of diapers and breast feeding, sleep deprivation and exhausted joy—turned into a nightmare of Life Flight transport and neonatal intensive care.

Or perhaps the days you once spent chasing a healthy toddler were replaced with hours beside a hospital bed holding a still, small hand.

Or your busy soccer mom afternoons spent driving from school to lessons to practice became a dizzying blur of technicians and lab tests and painful procedures.

This new world of hospitals and doctors and medical abnormalities breaks your heart and crushes your spirit. You can’t bear to see your child because the hurt on that small face pierces your heart. But you can’t stay away because you want to comfort your child. So you stumble along, desperate for a God who will strengthen you so you can support your child. But you wonder if the God who allowed your child’s suffering cares enough to meet your needs.

Those thoughts shook my faith the day the doctor sat beside my bed. Would a loving God allow this? Does He care about our child? Are you there, God? I wondered.

Then my husband arrived, heard the news, and sensed my despair. He asked a few questions before the doctor left. When we were alone, he said, “Jolene, let’s pray.” I nodded, and he took my hand. “Thank you, Father, for giving Allen to us. He’s yours, God, not ours. You loved him before we knew him, and he belongs to you. Be with him when we can’t. Amen.”

Hiram has always been a man of few words. He struggles to speak his thoughts and often doesn’t try, knowing that I have enough words to fill any silence. But on a day when my heart was broken, my spirit crushed, and my faith gone, God gave Hiram strength to speak the words I couldn’t say. And clinging to my husband’s hand, in deep silence and through many tears, I sensed that God was very near.

Dear God, my heart is breaking for my child today.
My spirit is crushed by fear of what lies ahead. I
can’t find words to pray, Father, so please pray for
me. Be near to my child and be near to me today
as your word promises.

Take Time to Reflect

How has God used people to strengthen you when your spirit was crushed? How can the Bible help you pray when you can’t find words? Who could you ask to pray for you when you can’t?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

This excerpt was taken from A Different Dream for My Child: Meditations for Parents of Critically or Chronically Ill Children
©2009 by Jolene Philo
978-1-57293-307-1

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I was washing my car one evening as the sun was preparing to kiss the earth goodnight. Glancing up, I impulsively pointed the hose at it as if to extinguish its flames. The absurdity of my action hit me, and I laughed.

Then I thought of God’s laughter in Psalm 2. Wicked nations were plotting to overthrow God’s anointed, thus ultimately opposing the Almighty himself. But He sits in the heavens, calm and unthreatened. Man’s boldest efforts to oppose such awesome power are ludicrous. The Almighty doesn’t even rise from His throne; He just laughs in derision.

But is this a heartless or cruel laughter? No! His same infinite greatness that mocks man’s defiance also marks His sympathy for man in his lost condition. He’s the same God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11). And He was the incarnate Savior who wept over Jerusalem when His own people rejected Him (Matthew 23:37-39). He is great in judgment but also in compassion (Exodus 34:6-7).

God’s laughter gives us the assurance that Christ will ultimately triumph over evil. Any defiance of Him and His will is futile. Instead of opposing the Son, we should submit to the Lord Jesus and Take refuge in Him.

~Dennis DeHaan

Excerpt is taken from My Soul Thirsts for God: Reflections on the Psalms from Our Daily Bread
©2009 by Discovery House Publishers
978-1-57293-324-8

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Be sure to check back frequently to keep up-to-date on our author news and reviews.

What can friends do during the crisis stage to help grief sufferers accept and actualize their loss? Above all, friends should be there. People suffering grief need to know that they are not alone. As needs arise, friends can take care of them. Babysitting, phone calls, food, laundry, errands, transportation, and scores of the other details of living may be overlooked unless a friend steps in.

Friends also listen. While it is important to lend a hand, close friends also give an ear. A grieving person often wants to talk about death, but such talk may make others feel uncomfortable. Because of that, some people are tempted to change the subject to get the grief sufferer to “think about something else.” But there is nothing else to talk about that matters. A good listener gives the grief sufferer permission to express thoughts and feelings by asking, “Tell me how things are.” Or, “Would you like to talk about it?” Those who hurt often want to repeat what went on just before and after they heard the shocking news. That is healthy, for that is how people come to accept the reality of what has happened. Sometimes the details are related again and again, and it is a loving act to listen thoughtfully. Of course, a good friend also respects the need for silence and for privacy and will not force a conversation that is not wanted….

Unfortunately, although listening is essential in the crisis stage, we are tempted to talk too much and listen too little. When we are uncomfortable with grief we feel that we have to say something. Religious people struggle to say something Christian. “She is at home with the Lord.” “God must have loved him to take him so young.” “Jim is better off in heaven.” “He wouldn’t want to come back.” All of these platitudes may be true, but they seldom provide much comfort. After all, people grieve not for the loved one who has died but for themselves and the loss they have sustained. A brief, honest expression of how we feel, free of pious  phrases, can be offered if a grieving person opens up, but generally our presence speaks more than our words.

Excerpt taking from Grief: Comfort for Those Who Grieve and Those Who Want to Help
©1996 by Haddon W. Robinson
All rights reserved.