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The prophet Elijah was used to seeing God act in big ways. He witnessed God withhold rain from the earth for three and a half years (1 Kings 17:1ff, 18:1ff; cf. James 5:17). He saw God raise a widow’s son from the dead (1 Kings 17:17-24). At the end of his time on earth, a chariot and horses of fire appeared, and Elijah was taken by a whirlwind directly into heaven (2 Kings 2:1, 11). A great example of this…

What kind of trials are you struggling with right now? What causes you pain throughout the day? What keeps you up at night? In order to triumph over the trials in your life, you must understand and trust this idea: You are never alone. If you have chosen Christ and are living faithfully to Him, the God of the universe promises to be with you always. As a Christian, you are never alone. Do you feel like trials are overtaking…

When we watch movies, we usually expect them to have positive endings. Even though there are many conflicts, difficulties, and twists throughout the movie, a lot of movies end in the “perfect, fairy tale ending.” The main characters often live “happily ever after.” All of us understand that these perfect endings do not reflect what real life is like at all. In life, we go through situations that are so hard, painful, and challenging. We look for perfect resolutions to…

People cannot progress in life until they are challenged. Consider how that is true in the world around us. Athletes will never progress in their respective sports if they do not challenge themselves. As the saying goes, “No pain, no gain.” Young children will not progress in knowledge if they are not challenged by their teachers and parents to learn. Relationships can deepen significantly under the pressure of challenges; pain is something that can quickly draw people very close together.…