Godly training forewarns a child of danger or faults in human nature. The Scriptures do not contain many examples of exemplary child rearing.

Despite the privileged position of our calling, God does not cut us any slack in terms of trials and tests to perfect us. We must accept God's sovereignty.

Today, the church is experiencing more overwhelming trials than ever before, indicating that God is preparing His people for the end time.

Most converted Christians realize that God is sovereign. But sometimes the Bible reveals something about God that makes us uncomfortable. Can we accept it?

Joseph knew and recognized his brothers before they knew him, even as God knows our guiltiest secret sins that we think we have effectively hidden.

The largest portion of the great commission demands that the lion's share of time, money, or energy ought to be invested in feeding the flock.

In God's hands, trials and afflictions are tools to produce refined character and joy, and to move us away from worldly choices and back to His purpose.

We must endure chastening and correction to grow in holiness and become priests. In the qualifications of a Melchizedek priest, zeal and holiness are mandatory.

God does not like to inflict punishment on people, but because of sin, He is obligated to correct. But as quickly as God punishes, God restores and heals.

We may have guilty consciences like Joseph's brothers and self-pity like Jacob, but we can break through if we acknowledge God as Jacob and Elisha did.

Love motivates the two intrinsic parts of God's holy character—goodness and severity, as He seeks to rescue humanity from the consequences of sin.

The New Covenant, wherein God writes His law on the heart and gives His Spirit, empowers God's people to obey without the need for external control.

Our Heavenly Father, the Vine Dresser, has provided His junior partners some valuable tools to assist in pruning and cultivating His emerging spiritual crop.

What would have to happen for us to wake up and, instead of rolling over and going back to sleep, actually turn back to God with the entirety of our being?

Dr. Bruce Wilkinson explains that 'takes away' should be more properly rendered 'takes up,' meaning new grape vines are lifted out of the dirt.

The rigors God puts us through are not to crush us, but to shape us, transforming us into His image. True gain is walking through the anguish in victory.

Although human fathers have authority, they are not to provoke their children to wrath. Our goal is to produce children whom God would be delighted to call.

Life seems to be one trial after another. However, God has revealed an astounding facet of God's love that should give us the faith to soldier on.

Like a loving parent, God brings just the right pressures to bear to bring about necessary change in His children. Each trial has a place in His purpose.

If the past is good, the present can't hurt you, and if the past is bad, it will haunt you. In Wordsworth's words, 'The child is the father of the man.'

Affliction is a necessary aspect of life, yielding strength of character, while ease and comfort weaken us. Christ was perfected as High Priest through suffering.

Greek and Roman myths have shaped the world view of Western culture, including our attitude toward hope, a concept which is often abused and distorted.

If we are not receiving God's correction or chastisement, we should be concerned! God's chastening is what He uses to sanctify His spiritual children.

John 15:2 seems to say the Vinedresser cuts off every barren branch, but the Greek behind 'takes away' shows God doing something else: He lifts up.

Like Jesus and other heroes of faith, we need to look beyond the present to the long term effects of the trials and tests we go though, seeing their value.

When people allow fear to rule them, they lose their mind. Fear of God, however, is not mind killing, but inspires a reverential awe of the Creator.

Deeply examining ourselves for flaws and shortcomings, as we do each year before Passover, helps us to accomplish Christ's command to watch and pray always.

God created angels as ministering spirits to take care of the heirs of salvation. The Bible is filled with examples of angels rescuing God's people from harm.

America is an experiment in self-government, successful only if the citizens remain moral. The law of liberty works only if we obey God's Commandments.

We accept most of our opinions, prejudices, and beliefs unconsciously. We must scrutinize our own beliefs through the principles of God's Holy Scriptures.

Our focus should be to seek God's kingdom, reciprocating God's love, committing ourselves to a life of service, fulfilling His purpose without complaining.

Paradoxically, humble obedience and dependency upon God strengthens us, while prideful self-sufficiency weakens us.