So often, we search for happiness in empty places. One of my recent online articles with Christianity.com on how to find happiness is available here.
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor who endured immense suffering during his time in Nazi concentration camps, including the loss of his family and the daily struggle for survival. Despite the horrors he experienced, Frankl observed that some prisoners were able to maintain a sense of inner freedom and resilience through suffering. He realized that while individuals cannot always control their circumstances, they can choose their attitude and response to those circumstances.
Frankl’s story powerfully reminds us that true happiness depends not on external circumstances but on our inner attitude and outlook. Even in the darkest times, God’s Holy Word is the foundation that anchors us in the truth that engages life and eternity. (Continue online).
Containing a promise and a warning, “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes,” reminds us of God’s care for His children.
If you are facing adversity, I hope this article will encourage you today. Click on the title of the article above to read it.
Even though God took one from Adam to form Eve, women and men have twelve pairs of ribs. God didn’t need a rib to create but made her part of him. “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27 NIV).
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him…then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” Genesis 2:18-22
Adam was a marvelous creation of bone, flesh, seeing, thinking, observing, and working. The only part of creation where God took something he made in Adam to form another was the making of a woman, the gift of a suitable helper. The word helper is not a secondary person, but one who is in the image of God and called by the same description as God, Helper. The similarities that God and woman share are described more fully later in this article
God designed a woman for a man and a man for a woman. They needed each other to be complete, create life, and walk with God. After naming the animals and birds, God brought the woman to Adam. Do you suppose Adam had an adrenalin rush with the exhilaration and wonder of this new creation standing before him? God’s beautiful design of a woman brought completeness and joy and vastness of life unattainable without each person. If God called the creation of man and woman good, I can’t imagine Adam disagreeing. Together, they were in paradise!
The word suitable is from the Hebrew “neged” (neh’-ghed), which means “in front of, in sight of, opposite to” (Strong’s 5048). This “suitable” person is conspicuous, vigorous, a leader, effective, stands out boldly, praises, expounds, exposes, plainly professes, reports, tells, and utters. Considering the word suitable reveals the significance and importance of a woman created equal with a man. This companion speaks up, advises, and together faces the joys and sorrows of life. Not only did each complete the other, each one had a mind to think, a heart to feel, and a spirit that would live forever.
It gets better. Look at the word “helper!”
HELPER
Too often, the thought of a helper is someone less than the other, such as an unskilled worker who helps a skilled one. Or one who is less in status or education than the one being helped. Often a woman’s role has been related to a subservient role to the man. Not so in God’s created order. In the image of God, a woman is a helper and called by the same description as God.
The word “helper” (the Hebrew is “Ezer,” a help, helper) is the same word used by God sixty-six times in Scripture. This “Ezer” (pronounced “ay-zer”) speaks of God’s strength, power, protection, help, and being a rescuer.
1. Eliezer–The name of the son of Moses was called Eliezer (my God is helper–”Eli–my God; Ezer–helper). “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the sword of Pharoah.” (Exodus 18:4). The word “helper” references God.
2. Ebenezer–The prophet Samuel raised a stone monument, the Stone of Help because the Lord had helped them win a victory over their enemies (1 Samuel 7:12).
3. Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a “helper.” “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16, 17).
4. The people proclaimed God their help in ages past. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
5. The Holy Spirit, co-equal with God, is our advocate, advisor, counselor, paraklētos (called to one’s aid). He is an intercessor, consoler, comforter, and helper who pleads another’s cause before a judge, acts as counsel for the defense, and as a legal assistant, giving evidence that stands up in court. God, the Holy Spirit, is a Helper.
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, establishing the divine order of marriage. In Ephesians 5:1, believers are to follow God’s example and walk in the way of love, “just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.” The husband and the wife are to “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:2).
Jesus is our chief example of submitting to each other in marriage. Jesus, co-equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit, came to earth, took on flesh, and became a servant. He humbled himself and was obedient to death on the cross. His death freed us from sin even when we didn’t deserve that kind of love (Philippians 2:5-8). Jesus serving, submitting, and giving his life through death is our example for marriage, laying down our lives for the other. As faithful followers of Jesus, we become like Jesus as we submit and love each other in marriage.
The LORD” God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18).
Wives are the picture of the church yielding to Christ, and husbands are to be like Jesus in submitting himself up for her (wife) as Jesus did for the church, the Bride of Christ. Matthew Henry, pastor and author, beautifully states, “The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam; not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be beloved.”
Another example of being one is seen in the Trinity. God the Father, Jesus the Son, and God the Holy Spirit work together in unity. Although three in one, they are known as One God. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12 29).
Husband and wife are to resemble the unity of the Trinity, to be one, not only physically, but one in harmony and in serving the Lord and each other. Each one is unique, with varied gifts and talents. And, each is the crown of the other, equal to, and a fitting companion.
Ephesians gives the picture of pure love. Jesus loved us and gave himself up for us. We are to follow God’s example and lay down our lives for the other.
As a household of faith, we are called to follow God’s standard of love, submitting to the other because we love and respect the Lord. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.Wife–submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord.Husband – love your wife, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Ephesians 5:21-23).
God’s gracious and compassionate love is revealed in creating a man and a woman as one flesh—“bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh,” the closest companion possible, equal to, partner, lover, and friend.
“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband” (Ephesians 5:31-33).
God created both man and woman in the image of God. Jesus is equal to the Father but chose to submit to the Father and become our Savior. The Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and Jesus. Yet, the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus. Our Helper, the Holy Spirit, is with us and in us (John 14:16, 17).
The Three-in-One exhibit no rivalry, competition, or inferiority but are equal, each divinely God, accomplishing God’s will and purposes. Marriage between a man and a woman is to model that kind of love, unity, and oneness.
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).
God’s creation from Adam’s rib brought forth a suitable helper made in God’s image, opposite to yet equal to man. Together they complete each other and example the unity of the Trinity, the creative characteristics of God, and the everlasting love of God.
In anticipation of my forthcoming January interview on “Coffee and Connect with Lundstrom Ministries,” I have crafted an acrostic centered around the essence of PEACE— Prayer, Eternity, Assurance, Contentment, and Endurance. These elements stand as steadfast anchors, embodying God’s purpose, as affirmed by the timeless wisdom of Romans 8:28, assuring that all things work together for my ultimate good. Within the acronym, each letter unfolds as a symbolic anchor, with the initial letter—P representing the profound significance of prayer.
P – Prayer
Too frequently, my mental landscape becomes consumed by worry, weaving intricate patterns of unlikely scenarios and fixating on the worst-case possibilities. In these moments, I unwittingly overlook God’s inherently good purpose for every facet of my existence. It’s a paradox, as someone astutely expressed, “Peace is not found in the absence of problems but in the presence of God.” Allow me to illustrate this paradox with a personal experience.
Early in my ministry years, what seemed like an endless period of about three months was marked by a heaviness and dark cloud descending on me each night as I lay down to sleep with terrifying dreams depicting my family enduring torture for our faith. Desperate to break free, I kept reading the scriptures, praying, and seeking to understand.
Weeks passed, and the weight showed no signs of lifting. I grappled with the purpose behind this unsettling experience—was it a preparation for some future trial, a revelation of sin within me, or simply a test of my faith? Then, on a Saturday night, during my usual prayer for the Sunday worship services, I heard the unmistakable voice of God and hastily transcribed His words. Immense relief swept over me. My focus was immediately drawn to the scriptures, where the words leaped out at me in bold print, conveying God’s loving care for me, both now and in the future. At that moment, God’s peace enveloped me, dispelling the confusion that had clouded my understanding. I knew, without a doubt, that God had met me in that time of prayer.
That night, the ominous cloud still lingered as I settled into bed. However, armed with the passages of scripture that God gave me, I audibly recited them back to Him. Through hearing the scripture with my own ears, my focus fastened on God’s promises. “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).
Each passing day grew progressively brighter. The dark heaviness and horrifying dreams no longer gripped me. In their place, peace took root. The promises in Isaiah 54, which had been given to me during the trying period, unfolded: “This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17b).
Plodding through the rough places when we didn’t think we could take anymore has taught me the truth: God is peace, and it begins with prayer. The comfort of Philippians 4:6-7 tells me I can bring all my concerns to my loving Lord, and as I do, my anxiety will allow peace to “guard my heart and mind through Christ Jesus.”
Another companion verse from Isaiah 26:13 reaffirms, “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”
Set your heart and mind on things above
Colossians 3:1-2
E – Eternity in view: Perspective Shifts Everything
We reside in the state of Arizona, with the presence of beautiful, majestic mountain ranges. A mere twelve miles from our home stand the Santa Rita’s. As we make the drive towards them, a remarkable phenomenon unfolds. The closer we come, the more their grandeur expands, looming larger and more awe-inspiring.
In a parallel way, redirecting our earthly focus towards the eternal echoes this experience. Through prayer and the word of God, the proximity to Jesus is magnified. The closer we come to Him, the more expansive and profound He becomes— a towering presence far greater than our earthly troubles. It’s a perspective shift where the enormity of God dwarfs the scale of our problems.
In Colossians 3:1 and 2, Paul reminds us our hearts and minds can be filled with eternity’s focus. “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” And verse 15 continues, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts since, as members of one body, you were called to peace. And be thankful.”
Shifting our focus toward heaven, like David when facing Goliath, employs assurance in God’s promises of care. I wonder if Peter might have walked safely to shore with Jesus that stormy night had he maintained his focus on Him, steering clear of the turbulent distractions surrounding him.
A – Assurance in God’s Word: A Rock-Solid Foundation
Thankfully, we have an anchor of assurance in God’s Word. We can hold firmly to it as Psalm 119:105 declares: His Word is a lamp for our feet, illuminating the path ahead.
While living in Minnesota, we faced a battle instigated by the county government, which aimed to jeopardize our well-being by imposing substantial property taxes, putting our retirement funds in peril.
The focal point of contention was the land itself, specifically what lay beneath it—- a previously undisclosed dump site, absent from our property deed. The four-year struggle pushed us to our limits. Our mainstay verse, tailor-made for our situation, came from Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” Through the miraculous workings of God, our house was spared, and the legislature shifted the burden from us to the responsible party, the state, allowing us to emerge from a trial that once seemed insurmountable.
God is faithful. His Word is true. We have the assurance we are on a rock-solid foundation, and “when the storm passes, the righteous stand firm forever” (Proverbs 10:25).
C- Contentment: Embracing the Now
In a world constantly urging us to strive for more, contentment can seem unmanageable. Yet, there’s profound peace in embracing the now and acknowledging God’s blessings around us. Philippians 4:11-12 nudges us to be content in all circumstances, whether in want or plenty.
Though not easy, recognizing what we have been given through the shed blood of Jesus and the blessings that come from being Him will carry us through any situation and into eternity.
Prayer, with eyes on Jesus, and standing on God’s promises will bring us contentment as we trust in God. Contentment comes through being thankful. Our family, friends, home, food, spiritual blessings, and much more than we deserve are gifts from the One who gave us life and breath, “who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17).
We can weather life’s storms by growing these anchors of Prayer, Eternity, Assurance,Contentment, and Endurance.
E – Endurance: Weathering Life’s Storms
David’s life stands as a profound testament to endurance. Personal setbacks seemed insurmountable as he grappled with years of evading murderous King Saul. Despite being anointed as the future King of Israel, David, in a pivotal moment, returned from his time with the Philistine King Achish to find Ziglag in ruins and his loved ones taken captive. Overwhelmed, David and his men wept until they had no strength left to weep.
David had already spent years enduring a relentless pursuit by Saul, compelling him to live in exile. Seeking refuge in the Philistine territory proved futile, as he faced rejection from the commanders of their king. David’s challenges escalated as the families were taken captive and the city lay in ruins. After years of navigating the hardships of seeking sanctuary, he faced the disheartening reality that even his trusted men wanted to kill him.
What did David do? He had the anchors of peace through the struggles, and David “found strength in the Lord his God” (2 Samuel 30:6).
He led his men to recover all that was lost in that divine strength, realizing the Lord had granted them victory. Instead of succumbing to despair, David restored their families and everything that had been taken. David shared the spoils of victory with friends and elders in Judah, spreading God’s bounty.
David’s resilience, fortified by prayer and an eternal perspective, gave him the assurance and confidence to endure the trial as described by Proverbs 14:30, “A heart of peace gives life to the body.”
The next time a storm comes, we have all we need to survive and come through victoriously.
I’m so thankful God meets every need, including a peace that passes understanding. Prayer and an eternal perspective with assurance in God’s Word produce God’s “peace which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). This assurance cultivates the confidence to bolster endurance, helping us weather any storm that life may present.
The LORD decrees His loving devotion by day, and at night His song is with me as a prayer to the God of my life (Psalm 42:8 NIV).
Sometimes a new song doesn’t do it! But often, a familiar song will. Singing a song multiple times causes it to rise in my spirit; the God-breathed part of me, like an anchor, dropped in the ocean’s depths of the real me.
As a child of God, I am the temple of the Holy Spirit “who lives in me” (1 Corinthians 6:19). What I put into my heart and mind, whether a spiritual song or a scripture, may revive in the night seasons of life. And what was once buried in my spirit, at the moment needed, with the attending, gentle work of the Holy Spirit, surfaces with a melodious breath of life — like a song.
Our son, Tom, finished his senior year of high school mid-year, and his friend Dominique, an exchange student from Switzerland, invited him to his home. On a trip of a lifetime, Tom took his snowboard and was off. We didn’t know about all the adventures these young men would face.
On a Sunday after church, a few days before Tom was to fly home, we received a call from Dominique’s mom that shook our insides. Tom and Dominique were snowboarding in the mountains, and Tom had fallen and was flown by a medical helicopter to a Swiss hospital. Stunned, we immediately cried out to the Lord.
The high cost of flight tickets, because of short notice, and with Tom scheduled to fly home in four days, made us uncertain of what to do.
Time for bed came, but sleep was fleeting, and I found myself in the living room weeping before the Lord. I was concerned about Tom being alone in a foreign country, his severe injuries, and wondering if he could fly home as scheduled. And my heart longed to be with him.
In those heartache moments, an old song from years past came flooding into my thoughts, and I knew God was speaking: “I believe the answer’s on the way. I believe the Lord has heard me pray. Cast not away your confidence, says the Lord of Hosts. Now, by faith in Him alone, I stand, firmly held by His Almighty hand. Fully trusting in His promise, praise the Lord.”
Like a miracle, the Holy Spirit told me to stand firm and not cast my confidence away but trust God. In those divine moments, God’s comfort and peace brought the assurance I needed: Tom would get home safely. I went back to bed and was able to sleep.
The sweetness of the Holy Spirit in those precious moments assures you and me that He is with us: “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8: 16). That part of me that never dies is connected to the Holy Spirit and He is the Helper, Comforter, Guide, and Truth-teller. He intercedes for us in our times of need (Romans 8:26) and brings things to our remembrance: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
A constant stream of praise music and scriptures and experiencing God’s presence, like treasures, are buried deep into our spirit. In those night seasons of life, the Holy Spirit, living within, brings to remembrance exactly what is needed to face and get through the challenging and fearful days.
You may wonder what happened to Tom.
We had a call from the Swiss hospital. A nurse said, “hold a minute,” and then Tom was on the phone. He was hard to understand because of the neck brace that didn’t give his mouth much room for talking. Initially, they thought he had broken his neck, but thankfully, he hadn’t.
We were thrilled and relieved when Tom’s flight arrived home, complete with a neck brace, his luggage, and a large snowboard. Tom was on heavy medication and sleeping soundly on the flight. Thankfully, a little girl angel woke him, or he would have kept flying to who knows where.
In that night season, God spoke through an old song I hadn’t sung for years: “I Believe the Answer’s On the Way.” But the Holy Spirit, “who brings all things to remembrance,” gave me the precious gift of knowing God was working, “Now, by faith in Him alone, I stand, firmly held by His Almighty hand. Fully trusting in His promise, praise the Lord.”
Dove, symbol of the Holy Spirit
While waiting for Tom to come home, I kept rehearsing that song either out loud or in my mind. Each time it reminded me of God’s promise: I could trust Him! Although we were in South Dakota and Tom was in Switzerland, almost 5000 miles apart, it posed no problem for our everywhere-present God.
The more we plant in the good soil of our spirit the spiritual songs, Bible verses, and hymns of praise, we can expect the Holy Spirit to connect with us in our times of need and speak peace. We are admonished in Ephesians 6:19: “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”
In a night season, Paul and Silas, in prison for preaching the gospel, began singing hymns to God at midnight. A violent earthquake shook the place, opened the prison doors, and everyone’s chains fell off. The jailer called for the lights, rushed in, and fell trembling at the feet of Paul and Silas, asking, “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:25-29). A night season was transformed by the hymns of praise that rose from their spirit.
I’m so thankful we are connected with the Holy Spirit who “lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17), especially when we need a song in the night season.
By the way, if you were moved by this story of God’s faithfulness, I invite you to listen to my YouTube channel Weekend Worship video entitled, “Jesus, You’re My Song .” https://youtu.be/3J1SmcuZqmg
Listening to it today reminded me that Jesus is “the sunshine on a rainy day”—during the hard days of life. He’s “the light that lights the darkest way”—when we are confused and feeling lost. Jesus is “my strength when mine has slipped away,” feeling weary of the battle, and “Jesus is my song!” So, “I’ll praise Him all day long because He’s the answer to my life, and He’s my song.”
Authority, instituted by God, is necessary to rule a nation. Since 1776, the Constitution has governed Americans, guaranteeing freedoms of inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Over the last few months, the authoritarian mindset of political leaders, health officials, Big Tech, and elites has attempted to alter those freedoms.
In welcoming contrast, the perfect authority of God brings a joyful response, offering privileges and liberties and guidance from a loving, powerful God. On the other hand, the abuse of power of human leaders leads to losing individual rights and freedoms.
Professor of Theology Richard Mayhue says, “The rightful idea of authority has fallen on hard times at the start of the twenty-first century. Illegitimate forms and expressions of authority range from the illegal and abusive exercise of authoritarianism/totalitarianism to individual authority which emerges from a postmodern mindset of selfishness” (Richard Mayhue, The Authority of Scripture, Fall 2004)[i]
Jesus hadn’t been sanctioned or ordained by the religious officials. His incomparable authority healed the diseased, opened blind eyes, caused the crippled to walk, and the dead raised to life.
Jesus taught with absolute authority, quite unlike the teachers of religious law (The New International Version Matthew 7:29). His authority brought the ire of the religious leaders, priests, and Romans. The religious elite knew of God and the prophecies of the Messiah. Yet, they could not see who Jesus was, although He was right there, standing in front of them, God in the flesh. They asked. “By what authority are you doing these things?” and, “Who gave you this authority?“ (Matthew 21:23).
In contrast to their unbelief, the Gospel writer Matthew, a despised tax collector, got up from his tax business and left all to follow Jesus, the Divine Authority. Matthew saw firsthand the miracles of healings, multiplication of bread and fish, and the calming of the storm. He witnessed the death of Jesus on the cross and experienced the resurrection. Matthew knew authentic authority and saw it fully in Jesus. Thoroughly convinced, Matthew boldly penned the words of Jesus, “All” authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:19).
AUTHORITY DEFINED
The dictionary defines authority as “the power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior.” The New Testament word for authority is ἐξουσία (exousia), “the power of whose will and commands must be submitted to and obeyed.”With Jesus’ sacrifice of death on the cross, the power of His resurrection, and the authority over all things in heaven and earth, Jesus became the supreme authority. Unrivaled. Unmatched. Irrevocable. Eternal.
Theologian and apologist Bernard Ramm describes authority as “that right or power to command action or compliance, determine belief or custom, expect obedience from those under authority, and give a responsible account for the claim to right or power” (The Pattern of Religious Authority, 1959, p 228).
“The Eternal Living Word of God and the Inspired Written Word are forever inseparable. The Bible is Christ portrayed; Christ is the Bible fulfilled. One is the picture, the other is the person, but the features are the same and proclaim their identity.” (Knowing The Scriptures, Rules and Methods of Bible Study, Arthur T. Pierson, p 33).
THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS AND SCRIPTURE
The Apostle Paul describes Jesus in deity and equal with the Father. He says,
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” Colossians 1:15-20.
The everlasting authority of Jesus was prophesied by the prophet Daniel wrote prophetically six hundred years before Jesus came to earth.
“He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14).
The Bible is consistently relevant to all human existence because Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:9). Human nature hasn’t changed. We all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Every person needs the Savior, Jesus. Salvation is relevant today as much as it was in the Bible times. John Stott ties the connection of relevance when he states, “The modern world detests authority but worships relevance. Our Christian conviction is that the Bible has both authority and relevance and that the secret of both is Jesus Christ.“
We hold in our hands the precious gift of God’s Word. This Word carries the authority of Jesus within its pages with words, chapters and books, inspired divinely by God. Therefore, the Scripture has the power to call us to obey and serve the God who loved us first.
“Scripture is to be authoritatively preached and submissively obeyed since the Author of and the authority within will reward righteous obedience and condemn those who disregard and disobey His authority in Scripture” (Mayhue, p 1).
Jesus and the Word of God are inseparable. We can never reach the end of knowing all there is to know about Jesus, nor the Bible. Yet, we can study, learn, and grow in knowledge. The Bible “belongs to a superhuman level that our investigation of it never reaches its limit of discovery” (Pierson, p 27).
In our relationship with God as Savior and Lord, our love grows deeper and stronger with study in the Holy Word of God. The love we hold for God is strengthened by the love of God’s Word. As Pierson states, “The Holy Scriptures and the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ are so inseparably bound together, that whatever impairs the integrity and authority of the one correspondingly affects the other” (p 28). Therefore, as we submit to loving Jesus, we submit to loving His Word.
How has God’s authority influenced your life?
Continue to Part 2, Jesus Has All Authority, but Does the Scripture?
Damage to the depths of our being caused by a betrayal, slanderous attacks, or a broken relationship wreaks havoc emotionally and spiritually. Feelings of worthlessness, remorse and depression accompany the pain. In such times, will peace ever come?
I love the scripture that gives us insight into how God restores us through the many trials of life.
May God speak to you with encouragement from the life of David in one of the darkest days of his life.
