Truly Living While You're Dying

Beth Chilcoat

Bev DeLashmutt

John 17:17

David Chilcoat, a devout Christian and the founder of the Columbus Young Life branch, experienced intense suffering as his body decayed slowly due to ALS, a devastating disease. His wife Beth and Bev DeLashmutt use his journal entries at the time of his illness to explore how to remain faithful and experience peace and joy even amidst this kind of physical and emotion pain. Three key points that emerge are: 1) the need to ask God for what we need and desire, 2) to remember God's goodness and affirm our faith, and 3) to wait for Him to fulfill His promises to us. These help us to respond to suffering in a way that allows us to persevere through it instead of crumbling under it.

The Relationship Between Joy and Pain

Ajith Fernando

James 1:2-3

Many people settle for what is less than joy in their lives - success, sexual experiences, comfort, the list continues. But Christians can experience true joy because of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an extreme comfort and joy to know that we are immensely loved by our Creator, and it is that joy that helps us in our pain. In our sufferings, we can rejoice because we can trust in God's faithfulness to us and His ability to bring about good. Of course, that is easier said than done, and it requires that we both surrender to and embrace God.

If I am a Father, Where Is My Honor?

Gary DeLashmutt

Malachi 1:6-14

God asks this question to Israel through the prophet Malachi, "If I am a Father, where is my honor?" Through this He is asking Israel where their hearts truly are in regards to their devotion to God, exposing that they are half-heartedly following Him. When we start to fall into this half-hearted devotion, serving God starts feels burdensome and we begin to try and cut corners. The key to regaining whole-hearted devotion is to see God's great mercy to us, which leads to our worship of Him!

Do You Wish To Be Well?

Gary DeLashmutt

John 5:1-24

Jesus heals a paralyzed man after posing the question to him, "Do you wish to be well?". We may believe in Jesus and His ability to save, but we often disbelieve his ability to offer true healing in areas of our lives. Like the man who had to pick up his mat and begin to walk, we can step out in faith and believe in God's power to heal and transform!

The Gospel and the Nature of Faith

Jim Leffel

Mark 9:21-24

When Jesus calls a man to faith, he replies: "I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief." Doubt is a normal experience, and challenges to faith can often strengthen it. There are four categories in which faith can be challenged and strengthened in this way: 1) in rationality; 2) individual experience; 3) values and the will; and 4) cultural factors.

The Book of Ruth: God's Redemption

Scott Risley

Ruth 1-4

Ruth was a Moabite widow with no children in the foreign land of Israel, but God redeemed and provided for her. God provided for her a husband in Boaz, an unconventional choice but one that worked because they passed four relationship tests: faith, suffering, character, and love.

Jephthah: Bargaining with God

Scott Risley

Judges 10-11

Jepthath's interactions with both his enemies, the Ammonites, and with God, reflect a repeated flaw in thinking during the time of the Judges: religious bargaining. By operating out of a man-made system of relating to God, Jepthath misses the point of real devotion to Yahweh and pays the consequence by having to sacrifice his daughter after a foolish vow.

Gideon

Scott Risley

Judges 6:1-32

God tasks Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites, Despite Gideon's doubts about his ability and worthiness, God commissions him into action and assures him of His power to use Gideon. God also provides an outline for Gideon to interact with Him amidst doubt: 1) gratitude; 2) public proclamation; 3) actions steps; and 4) personal encounter.

An Unlikely Savior

Scott Risley

Judges 4:1-24

Deborah emerges as the leader which God wishes to use to aid Israel against King Jabin and the Canaanites. Along the way, Barak is called to step up and take a risk for God, but is unwilling. God instead uses the willingness of Jael. Underlying this story is the concept of spiritual leadership and the risks that are involved with those who want to have a deep impact for God. God picks the most unlikely people to accomplish his purposes.