As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“We are not in control of time, so it is vital in life to understand how we must live in the time we’ve been given. God is beyond time. He is eternal, but ‘at the right time Christ died for the ungodly’ (Rom. 5:6).” - Ligonier
“many evangelicals do not have the faintest clue what Thomas wrote or taught, and Thomas’s views are in actuality markedly different than those of many born-again believers. Most of us believe that when Scripture teaches us that God is merciful, then we may understand God as such.” - Owen Strachan
“God is not a Republican. He is certainly not a Democrat. He is also not American. He is not Canadian, Russian, Ukrainian, British, French, Egyptian, Iraqi or Iranian…. Our tendency in any conflict–be it a war or political fight–is to claim that God is on our side. ” - P&D
“From hospital rooms to anxiety, from Scripture’s storyline to church history, this conversation shows why knowing a sovereign, wise, and compassionate God isn’t advanced theology—it’s everyday hope.” - TGC
Read the series.
We’re rich in grace to save and grace to sanctify. We’re rich in love for one another. But there’s more.
The Christian life isn’t all peace and light. There are difficulties, trials, whether the trials of temptation to sin or the trials of distancing and opposition from people we love. In these times we find that our Father, who is “the God of all comfort” (2Co 1.3), pours out that comfort on us without restraint: “our comfort abounds through Christ” (2Co 1.5).
Read the series.
So what does God give us in abundance? What does he pour out on us lavishly, without restraint?
The Scripture names several things, but one much more than the others.
Read the series.
As we noted last time, a key word in the Bible for the generosity of God is the word abundance. It’s a fairly straightforward concept: an abundance is more than you need, a surplus. In the extreme, it’s an overflowing, even an effective lack of limitation—there’s always more, like bananas or mangoes or papayas in the tropics.
“1. God cannot contradict His own character…. 2. God cannot lie…. 3. God cannot change…. 4. God cannot be tempted and cannot sin…. 5. God cannot be unjust.” - Randy Alcorn
“To be godly is to resemble God. If God were unhappy, we’d need to pursue unhappiness…. Fortunately, however, God doesn’t condemn or merely tolerate our desire to be happy; He gave us that longing.” - Randy Alcorn
“God doesn’t change in response to what he sees…. Yet creation and people bring real delight to God. God delights in the good, the true, and the beautiful.” - TGC
Discussion