New (Original?) Kind of Tract

from Desiring God.

Making Sense of Suffering

While I'm looking at Reinke, he has links to D. A. Carson's messages on "Making Sense of Suffering."

Making Sense of Suffering - Part 1

Making Sense of Suffering - Part 2

Making Sense of Suffering - Part 3

Making Sense of Suffering - Part 4 (Gospel Reflections on Trials and Tribulations)

Fake Beauty Gets Ugly

So China faked the "footprint" fireworks...ok.

But here's more: the young lady who sang so beautifully as the Chinese flag was entered the building was dumped for a lip-syncher.  Here's the owner of that pretty voice:

Why the replacement?  Evidently, she wasn't pretty enough.  The explanation:

"The main consideration was the national interest," he said. "The child on the screen should be flawless in image, in her internal feelings, and in her expression. In the matter of her voice, Yang Peiyi was flawless, in the unanimous opinion of all the members of the team."

Another insult to the precious young ladies of China, and a lie concerning the things that are truly impressive. Consider Mark Altrogge's thoughts on that matter. 

Can You Trust Your Perception of Suffering?

Read Jon Bloom's, "Doubt Your Perception of Suffering" and get reoriented.

Can you hear the disciples catch their breath? Have you caught yours? Jesus said that God was to blame. The man was blind because God had a purpose in it that hadn’t entered anyone’s mind.

Worship For Real Life

From Sovereign Grace:

Come Weary Saints is an invitation to redirect your focus to the God whose love has been forever demonstrated at the cross of Calvary. As you listen to these songs, may your faith and joy in the Savior be strengthened for the challenges you face, now or in the future.

Here's the link to listen.

Preaching on Suffering

C. J. Mahaney shows us how. Download it here:

Of course, more than teaching us how to preach, he teaches us how to live.

The Christian's Call to Endure in Suffering

Ray Van Neste posts quotes from the new book on Hercules Collins edited by Steve Weaver and Michael Haykin.

"For, as a tree is known by his fruit, so is a Christian by a patient wearing [of] Christ’s cross. This will and hath convinced an adversary, when a bare profession will not. And though a man should make a great profession, or preach with great demonstration of truth, . . . an unsuitable living, or a sinful declining [of] sufferings, may greatly hinder the belief of the truth.” 36

“How much of the presence of Christ have they had to enable them to bear the cross quietly, patiently, contentedly, not like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. And some cannot boast of raptures and ecstasies, yet they have cause to bless God for making good that promise to them, John 16:33, that as in the world they have tribulation, so in Christ peace.” 51

Kinds of Suffering

Between Two Worlds has this:

"In this article Walter Kaiser identifies eight kinds of suffering

• retributive suffering, caused by sin and disobedience to God
• educational or disciplinary suffering as in Proverbs 3:11 or Hebrews 12:5-6;
• vicarious suffering, as in the case of our Lord's death on the cross;
• empathetic suffering, where one person's grief affects many others, as Isaiah 63:9 illustrates;
• evidential or testimonial suffering, as in the first two chapters of Job;
• doxological suffering for the glory of God, as in the man born blind in John 9;
• revelational suffering, as in the case of the prophet Hosea's wife abandoning him; and
• apocalyptic or eschatological suffering that will come at the end of this age.

One of his points is that the error of Job's friends was in reducing all suffering to "retributive suffering" instead of recognizing that there are other forms."

From Desiring God:

Dear Friends,

Many of you have seen the news of the Freeway Bridge collapse a mile from the Desiring God office. Our video team went down to the scene within hours. We have combined the footage with a sermon excerpt by John Piper. You can see the video at our blog.

If you think others might find it helpful please send them a link to the video.

You can also read John Piper's response "Putting My Daughter to Bed Two Hours After the Bridge Collapsed."