In His Grip

A little boy, abandoned by his mother, shifted from one abuse-filled foster home to another, bullied not only by kids but by some of his foster parents, beaten and sexually assaulted by numerous people tasked with being his protectors. How does this little boy find a way to grow into a man who trusts God and offers help and hope to others through his story?

Bob Petterson opens up about the terrifying loneliness of abandonment, the pain of abuse and the memories of hateful abuse at the hands of foster parents. Is there any hope for such a child? Bob says there is and lives out that hope every day.

This story is for anyone who has experienced childhood abandonment, abuse, hatred, and separation from siblings. Yet it is for anyone who longs to know that in this messy, broken world, there really is hope of redemption and purpose for those shattered by the abuse of others.

The Israelites respond to God’s delivery from Pharaoh’s army with a glorious song of praise. In their words we get a glimpse of the way our own bodies will become temples for the dwelling place of the Lord. If the Holy Spirit dwells in my body because Jesus has redeemed me by His blood and resurrection, then when I leave the physical building in which I experience corporate worship, I am still “at church.” If I am truly a Christian then I am taking the temple of God with me. Like the Israelites, we can respond to this great miracle with the same words, “He is my God and I will praise Him, my father’s God and I [will prepare for Him a dwelling place].

You might be going back to the grind of Monday but that same Holy Spirit that hovered over the Israelites lives in you with all of His power. The same power that split the Red Sea lives inside of you!

The Israelites respond to God’s delivery from Pharaoh’s army with a glorious song of praise. In their words we get a glimpse of the way our own bodies will become temples for the dwelling place of the Lord. If the Holy Spirit dwells in my body because Jesus has redeemed me by His blood and resurrection, then when I leave the physical building in which I experience corporate worship, I am still “at church.” If I am truly a Christian then I am taking the temple of God with me. Like the Israelites, we can respond to this great miracle with the same words, “He is my God and I will praise Him, my father’s God and I [will prepare for Him a dwelling place].

You might be going back to the grind of Monday but that same Holy Spirit that hovered over the Israelites lives in you with all of His power. The same power that split the Red Sea lives inside of you!

The Israelites have just experienced an incredible victory over the Egyptians. Their response is to fear the Lord and to submit to the leadership of Moses. It’s appropriate that Exodus 15 starts with the word “Then.”  In response to the remarkable miracle of redemption and salvation from the Egyptians, their fear of the Lord leads them immediately to worship. Exodus 15:1-5 is the three-stanza hymn of a redeemed people. In Revelation we are told that when we are in heaven, we will sing this very song of Moses that deals with many of the great doctrines of the faith.  Dr. Betters paints a picture of the beautiful way we can respond in the same way to the miracle of salvation, not only here in daily life, but in eternity. We learn that as we worship, the strength of the Lord fills us.

The Israelites have just experienced an incredible victory over the Egyptians. Their response is to fear the Lord and to submit to the leadership of Moses. It’s appropriate that Exodus 15 starts with the word “Then.”  In response to the remarkable miracle of redemption and salvation from the Egyptians, their fear of the Lord leads them immediately to worship. Exodus 15:1-5 is the three-stanza hymn of a redeemed people. In Revelation we are told that when we are in heaven, we will sing this very song of Moses that deals with many of the great doctrines of the faith.  Dr. Betters paints a picture of the beautiful way we can respond in the same way to the miracle of salvation, not only here in daily life, but in eternity. We learn that as we worship, the strength of the Lord fills us.

Does God have the right to interrupt my life, knowing that by placing us in a crucible of suffering, He will bring us to a point of faith? The Israelites experienced God interrupting their lives, but He tells them that they need to turn back so that they will experience His power. The Israelites looked up as the Egyptians chased them. They cried out to the Lord and to Moses, expressing loudly that they preferred to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert. Fear and distress gripped their hearts, terrorized by the pursuit of Pharaoh. The Israelites were not prepared for war against such an enemy. Has God interrupted your life as He interrupted the lives of the Egyptians? Once more, we see parallels between the journey of the Israelites and our lives today.

Does God have the right to interrupt my life, knowing that by placing us in a crucible of suffering, He will bring us to a point of faith? The Israelites experienced God interrupting their lives, but He tells them that they need to turn back so that they will experience His power. The Israelites looked up as the Egyptians chased them. They cried out to the Lord and to Moses, expressing loudly that they preferred to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert. Fear and distress gripped their hearts, terrorized by the pursuit of Pharaoh. The Israelites were not prepared for war against such an enemy. Has God interrupted your life as He interrupted the lives of the Egyptians? Once more, we see parallels between the journey of the Israelites and our lives today.

The high school girl innocently began her dangerous journey.  Her body was too fat and limiting her calories seemed like the right way to lose a little weight. Slowly, the weight melted away, but one day, this beautiful young woman realized that she had starved herself into a medical crisis. Rebecca shares her painful journey and how she found the pathway to recovery.

Rebecca invites listeners who are struggling with any eating disorder to change course and find that same pathway to recovery.

The high school girl innocently began her dangerous journey.  Her body was too fat and limiting her calories seemed like the right way to lose a little weight. Slowly, the weight melted away, but one day, this beautiful young woman realized that she had starved herself into a medical crisis. Rebecca shares her painful journey and how she found the pathway to recovery.

Rebecca invites listeners who are struggling with any eating disorder to change course and find that same pathway to recovery.

This is one of the most amazing miracles of the Old Testament. In this chapter we watch this pivotal miracle that made a way in the desert, the parting of the Red Sea. This miracle is disputed by theologians and hotly debated. Israel is primed for Revival, boldly and joyously moving away from Pharaoh. Suddenly, as they are obeying the Lord in their journey, God commands them to turn back, to camp between a mountain and a sea. God is using them to bait Pharaoh, promising that God Himself will protect them. What is God doing? They are on their way and God tells them to circle back toward Egypt. By obeying God the Israelites have no way out unless God miraculously intervenes. There is a bigger picture that the Israelites cannot see, similar to the challenging journeys of many of us. Yet, God was at work behind the scenes. Take hope, struggling, fellow strugglers. God is always working out something miraculous behind the scenes of our lives. Just like the Israelites, God is leading you to a place of victory.