Topic > When Life Hurts > Suffering & Tragedy >
A Message of Victory
Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss the last verse of Psalm 22, where David ends his agonizing song about the suffering Messiah with a message of victory. The psalm concludes on a high note, “Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn, for He has done it!” The amazing way Psalm 22 describes a “suffering Savior”—listen today on “Discover the Word”!
For This I Have Jesus
There is rarely a problem-free season in our lives, but sometimes the onslaught is terrifying.
Rose saw her entire family, except for her two little daughters, slaughtered in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Now she is a widow among many widows with little money. But she refuses to be defeated. She has adopted two orphans and simply trusts God to provide for the food and school fees for her family of five. She translates Christian literature into the local language and organizes an annual conference for other widows. Rose wept as she told me her story. But for every problem in…
How Jesus Endured the Cross
Today on “Discover the Word,” we will talk about the intense physical violence Jesus endured on the cross, described in Psalm 22, 2,000 years before the actual event. This was long before crucifixion was even invented. While the film “The Passion of the Christ” gave us a graphic taste of that horrific event, it was still a tame depiction of what actually transpired. Join us right here on “Discover the Word”!
Jesus, Fully Divine and Fully Human
Jesus was both fully divine and fully human. Which means He wasn’t immune to experiencing human emotions. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss the intensity of these emotions as David foretold in Psalm 22. Phrases like “I’m a worm . . . scorned by men . . . despised by people,” give us graphic word pictures of Christ’s very real distress on the cross.
When Jesus Felt Utterly Alone
We all need solitude sometimes. But we wouldn’t like it 24/7, especially if that solitude was a form of punishment. Yet even a prisoner in solitary confinement for a lifetime would not suffer as Jesus did. On the cross, God the Father turned His face from His only Son, leaving Jesus utterly alone. On “Discover the Word,” we will talk about when Jesus was “deserted,” as foreshadowed in Psalm 22. Listen today to “Discover the Word”!
The Cross from Jesus’ Perspective
What’s in a song? A lot when that song is Psalm 22. This Old Testament song of lament points us to a future event on the cross. Just as we can see in Isaiah 53 Jesus’ suffering from the Father’s perspective in Psalm 22, we get a glimpse of the agony of the cross from Jesus’ point of view. Today on “Discover the Word”!
The Rugged Road
A fishing buddy of mine told me about an alpine lake located high on the north flank of Jughandle Mountain here in Idaho. Rumor had it that large cutthroat trout lurked up there. My friend got a pencil and scrap of napkin and drew a map for me. Several weeks later I gassed up my truck and set out to follow his directions.
His map put me on one of the worst roads I’ve ever driven! It was an old logging road that had been bulldozed through the forest and never regraded. Washouts, fallen timber, deep ruts, and large rocks battered…
A Crushed Dream that Led Me back to God
Every so often, articles about high achieving students from such-and-such university or country catch my eye. You might think I’m being overly ambitious, but it has always been my dream to be featured on such lists.
Lessons in Suffering
The close-up image on the giant screen was big and sharp, so we could see the deep cuts on the man’s body. A soldier beat him while an angry crowd laughed at the man whose face was now covered with blood. The scenes appeared so real that, in the silence of the open-air theater, I cringed and grimaced as if I could feel the pain myself. But this was only a film reenactment of Jesus’ suffering for us.
Reminding us of Jesus’ suffering, Peter wrote, “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you…
When Things Don’t Go Well
The first words that many people like to quote when misfortune hits are: “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). But that’s hard to believe in hard times. I once sat with a man who had lost his third son in a row, and I listened as he lamented, “How can this tragedy work for my good?” I had no answer but to sit silently and mourn with him. Several months later, he was thankful as he said, “My sorrow is…
God’s Good Heart
Roger had been through a lot. He had open-heart surgery to repair a leaky valve. Then, within just a couple of weeks, doctors had to perform the surgery again because of complications. He had just begun to heal with physical therapy when he had a biking accident and broke his collarbone. Added to this, Roger also experienced the heartbreak of losing his mother during this time. He became very discouraged. When a friend asked him if he had seen God at work in any small ways, he confessed that he really didn’t feel he had.
I appreciate Roger’s honesty. Feelings…
The battlefield of faith in both poverty and wealth
They say that life is a matter of perspective, and it takes a strong mind to stay faithful. As you go through tough times, where do you set your thoughts?
Is living by faith a waste of time?
A life of faith means we may not see the results right away, or even in our lifetime. Today on “Discover the Word,” our hosts and our special guest Torrey Robinson talk about faith and trials. Is it worth it? You bet it is!
The not-so-secret ingredient to gain quality of life
The notion of living an abundant life in Christ beckons all of us. But how do we get the kind of life Jesus wants to give us? Today a continuation of our study in James will reveal the not-so-secret ingredient. It’s a discussion you don’t want to miss!
