The Grace Message with Dr. Andrew Farley

I know God allows painful things to happen to us, but what is He thinking and feeling about us in those moments? God has given me so many opportunities to express love and grace to others and to pray for them. I'm so thankful! I'm a survivor of sexual abuse, and I wonder about forgiving those who were involved. How can I? Were there people created before Adam and Eve? People tell me I'm not a real Christian, because I have separated myself from family members that were abusive. Are they right about me?

1. Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-16. Paul says we are the aroma of Christ. How do people "smell" Christ through us—maybe without us even saying a word?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 3:4-6. Where do you personally feel inadequate, and how might seeing your adequacy in God shift that?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-9. Why do you think Paul calls the Ten Commandments "the ministry of death"? How does that challenge common assumptions about the law?
4. Read 2 Corinthians 3:10-11. The new covenant is described as "more glorious." What makes it more glorious than the old covenant?
5. Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-15. The veil is removed in Christ. What veil do people still wear today when approaching God, and how does Christ remove it?
6. Read 2 Corinthians 3:17. What kind of liberty or freedom does the Holy Spirit inspire in us?
7. Read 2 Corinthians 3:18. How does seeing Christ IN you ("as in a mirror") change the way you view growing in God's grace?

Is too much grace dangerous? Should we only forgive others if they ask? Is that how God treats us? Do we have to confess every single sin to be forgiven by him? What about 1 John 1:9? And what should we do and when we sin?

My pastor told me that 70% of church members will be left behind at the rapture because of their ungodly living. Could this be true? I keep repenting and asking forgiveness for telling funny stories and cutting up. I can't seem to stop, and I wonder why I'm in this cycle. Can you help? An elder at my church said I need to focus on my recent sins at the Lord's Supper. He quoted from 1 Corinthians 11 about eating and drinking in an unworthy manner. What does that mean?

Be strong in the Lord? What does that mean? And doesn't Paul say to glory in our weaknesses? Help me understand! Does the Holy Spirit get us and take us with Him at our last breath? How does it all work? Our church is always talking about miracles. Do they still happen today? What about the idea of guaranteed physical healing through the cross?

What is the truth about tithing? Does it bring prosperity? What about the tithing challenge with money-back guarantee? In John 6, why does Jesus say that His words are spirit? So in the millennial reign, do we really come back in resurrected form and hang out with unbelievers who are getting a second chance for a thousand years?

I'm weaning off of some antidepressants, and it's very challenging. Can you encourage me? What can you tell us about BibleQuestions.com and the programming behind it? What kind of repentance do we need in order to be saved? I'm ignoring a guy on a dating site, because I don't think he's right for me. Do I owe him an explanation?

When life hits hard, most of us start asking, "Where's God in all this?" If He's really good, why the chaos? Why the heartbreak? Why does the struggle never seem to let up?

Here's the shocker: God never promised life without storms. He promised an anchor in the middle of them. Sometimes He stills the waves, but other times He steadies His child right there in the chaos. Either way, His love isn't measured by circumstances but by Christ's finished work.

And no, He's not the author of your pain. He's the Comforter in it and the One who won't leave you for a second—even in the darkest valleys.

Don't miss this kickoff message in our series, Fragrant Faith. Watch now and discover what it really means to know His power and His presence in times of distress.

1. Read 2 Corinthians 1:3–4. Paul calls God "the Father of mercies and God of all comfort." How does this picture of God challenge or affirm the way you've thought about Him in times of trouble? What difference does it make that He is not the author of the tragedy but the comfort in the midst of it?
2. Read 2 Corinthians 1:5. Paul says, "Just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ." How does seeing suffering as something Christ also endured change how you interpret your own pain? Can you recall a time when His comfort felt "abundant" in your life?
3. Read 2 Corinthians 1:8–9. Paul admits he was "burdened excessively, beyond our strength." What does this teach us about the myth that "God will never give you more than you can handle"? How have you seen God teach you to lean more fully on Him?
4. Read 2 Corinthians 2:6–8. Paul urges the church to forgive and comfort the repentant man. Why is it so important that the church embrace someone instead of letting them drown in excessive sorrow? How might this passage shape the way we respond to someone who has failed?
5. Read 2 Corinthians 2:11. Paul warns, "so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his schemes." What are some of Satan's schemes when it comes to guilt, shame, and isolation? How does God's comfort and the church's forgiveness break those schemes?
6. Read 2 Corinthians 2:14–15. Paul says God "always leads us in triumph in Christ" and makes us "a fragrance of Christ." What do you think it means to be "the aroma of Christ" to God and to others? How in your life right now might God be diffusing His fragrance through you?

When is the rapture? What about the recent predictions concerning the return of Christ? Can you lose your salvation? My medical aid was murdered by her boyfriend. I'm asking: Why did God let this happen?