I've been very impressed with the Desiring God podcast; I especially recommend the two-day broadcast called Living to Die that aired last week. Here John Piper preaches on a Biblical truth that American Christians don't believe: the necessity of suffering and God's design in it.
While talking to Kristin tonight I realize that the reason we continue in my present job is because we don't want to suffer financially. We'd have to give up our nice standard of living to pursue seminary or some other work.
Randy Alcorn has a helpful point of view. He says that God prospers me not to increase my standard of living but to increase my standard of giving. The last two Sundays we've heard reports from Missionaries raising support; one for a border ministry south of us and another for Bible translation in a Muslim region of the world. What joy it would be to support both these kingdom works! And we can if we free our money for ministry instead of personal ease. And that's our plan--to be willing to suffer in this small way.
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