When people read the Bible, they may be surprised to find shocking stories of wickedness mixed with stories of great faith, sometimes in the very same people. In other words, it contains stories of people like us. Judges reports on the chaotic situation in Israel after the death of Joshua during which a series of deliverers rescued God’s people time and time again from self-inflicted problems. At the end of the book, things spiraled out of control, but this failure reveals the main point of the book. In the end, the judges could not have lasting success but were signposts pointing forward to the answer to their failures and ours.
In his parting speech to the Ephesian elders, Paul showed with his actions and words what makes for a faithful shepherd in God's beloved...
Although Christians may suffer much, and many things are against us, we will end up being hyper-victorious in Christ.
Jesus told his disciples how to handle not only adversity, but also prosperity, both of which require faith in God.
