Opening Question

Do you ever fear that God isn’t who you hope He is?

IntroductionThe examples this week of “crucible” experiences are Abraham, Job, Hosea, and Paul. Each were asked to endure hardship, but each also was faithful. But the lesson is more concerned about how God might be perceived through these experiences than the lessons learned by each hero of faith.

Abraham’s TestWhen Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, all hope in God’s promise to make Abraham the father of many nations would seem to have been squelched. Today, most modern people recoil at such a request, and some people and ...