You may not have had a chance to say “good-bye.” Death, depression, or divorce came uninvited to your door. The waters are roaring. The mountains are trembling. You may wonder how you can possibly go on. It’s time, as Martin Luther used to say to his despairing friend, Philip Melanchthon, “Come Philip, let’s sing the Forty-Sixth.” God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling Psalm 46:1-4 The forty-sixth psalm is meant to inspire hope in the midst of a storm. Just as … [Read More]
BE STILL MY SOUL (Part 1.)
It was the perfect storm. Jesus was asleep. They were terrified for their lives. Yet He was surprised that they were. Oh! He is speaking to each of us in this account. Our current study on The God of All Comfort has a very similar theme to our last study on overcoming the idols of our heart. We trust in our idols instead of God because we think He’s asleep. We think He doesn’t care. We think He won’t help us. We go to the depths of despair when we face trouble because we think He’s asleep. We think He doesn’t care. We think He won’t help us. That day in the boat the disciples said: “Teacher, do you not … [Read More]
DEEP CALLS TO DEEP
In the midst of the deadly “D”s (disappointment, death, divorce, disease, depression) there is a beautiful and mysterious D phrase: DEEP CALLS TO DEEP. For those of us who are children of God, there is such hope. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. At the time our heart is sinking down, God may come to us, and His deep voice may speak deep into our souls.Last week Anne, who has journeyed with us for sometime, wrote something profound, something very related to this phrase: Deep calls to deep. She listened to Keller’s message Questions of Suffering on Job and responded: My greatest take away is the idea that suffering is what bonds me to … [Read More]
SONGS IN THE NIGHT
I promised to keep this fresh, especially for those of you who have been through The God of All Comfort before, so this is new material. Even in the storms of life, we can see God’s power and have His peace. I am seeing that happen here — one of our new members, Chris S., who lost her teenage son tragically just a year ago, brought me to tears last week as I am seeing God whispering to her, bringing her songs in the night. And there are others of you too. How thankful I am to God for honoring us here with His presence. This is one of my favorite photographs, of my dear daughter-in-law Julie with her arms … [Read More]
QUIETING OUR SOULS
OUR SOULS CAN BE LIKE FRETFUL BABIES Last week was exciting with so many new sisters! I’m praying for every single one of you, that God will meet you. I am also so thankful for each familiar friend still with us. I myself have been amazed that we are experiencing God in a place like this, but we are! If you have just begun, you are not too late. I know it is a busy vacation week, so I’ve shortened the homework. The story I must tell you in this post I’ve told before, but I must tell it again for it was pivotal in my journey — but I’ll try to add a few fresh breezes. THE SECOND YEAR … [Read More]
WELCOME TO THE SUMMER ONLINE STUDY OF THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT!
I’m so glad you’ve come! Even if you are not internet savvy, this is easy — and if you have trouble getting started, just send your question to david@deebrestin.com. There is both a Bible study to do and a Moody program to hear. If it’s your first time participating in the online Bible Study please check out the Getting Started page for more information. BIBLE STUDY Every Sunday for ten weeks a new Bible study will appear for you to do at your leisure throughout the week. The first time you post, it will need to be approved, so we keep out spammers — but after that, whatever you write will simply appear. I will give other enriching resources: U-Tube … [Read More]
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE POWER OF GOD
This week we come to the end of this path, but I think you will find every path, including the one we turn to next week, deals in some way with the power of the Gospel to overcome the main thing that is wrong with us: idolatry. Often the most powerful lesson is the review lesson. Let’s stop and reflect, summarize and see what we’ve learned, and let it grow stronger in our hearts. We also have much for which to give thanks. We have experienced God’s power, and to consider how we can continue to do so, for He is as faithful as the seasons, as faithful as the sunrise. When we start a new path next week, as … [Read More]
MELTING ICY IDOLS
As we allow our hearts to be warmed by the whole of the gospel, our idols will melt, as surely as sun melts an icy bay. I am going to tell you a story of how the gospel melted an icy idol in my heart and also an icy idol in the heart of the woman who cleaned for me. We were each tempted in different ways to be our own saviors when faced with a problem. We had different temptations and and different deep idols – but the solution to our heart problem was the same. We needed to behold the beauty of Jesus and the truth of His love in order to melt our idols. In the actual … [Read More]
THE EXPULSIVE POWER OF A NEW AFFECTION
I met Jack between my junior and senior year of high school, when I spent the summer at Northwestern University. N. U. had a “Cherub Program” designed to acquaint potential N. U. students with the excellencies of Northwestern’s speech, debate, and film departments. I became acquainted with the excellencies of Jack Tate. At seventeen, protected by my parents and Midwestern conservative values, I was completely charmed by Jack. Darkly handsome, Jack was from North Carolina and seemed to know much more about winning girls than did the farm boys from West Bend, Wisconsin. He winked, he wooed, and he warmed my heart with flattering phrases. When he asked me to study with him one night, I wasn’t sure if he … [Read More]
WHY WE CAN’T “JUST SAY NO”
I do not do what I want to do, but I do the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15 “I CAIN’T SAY NO” Ado Annie in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma Ado Annie was the saucy gal in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma” whose signature song was “I Cain’t Say No.” She flounced her petticoats and flirted shamelessly with every man in pants. She explained to her disapproving friend Laurie that it wasn’t so much a question of knowing what she should do, for she knew she shouldn’t let them kiss and paw her, but it was just that she somehow wanted them to! Ado Annie was not in denial, she had simply surrendered. Like the cry of so many caught in … [Read More]
