Steve Russo - Gods Answers 4 UR Life. Wisdom 4 Every Day

2011 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Print ISBN 978-1-60260-965-5

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-60742-281-5
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-60742-282-2

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

Bible permisions are listed on pp. 283285.

Published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

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Printed in the United States of America.

Have you ever wished you could talk with God? You know, look Him eye to eye over a caf mocha and ask Him about life stuff? I havemany times. Ive even done the whole routine of screaming and yelling as if He were hard of hearing when I was desperate to find some answers. In case you were wondering, it didnt help.

Every time the dark clouds have covered me, choking out the light, and the ground has been shaking under my feet, I just wanted to run to a safe place, knowing God was there and would tell me what I was supposed to do next. Even when the issues werent as serious, I still wanted to hear His voice say to me, Steve, heres the best way to handle that situation or Walk this way.

Unless you know a way to get to heaven without dying, its just not possible to have that conversationat least face-to-face. But I have discovered another way to hear Gods voice, and its been amazing! The answers Ive received have helped me handle a ton of challenges in my life. You, too, can experience the same thing.

One of the most significantand reliableways God speaks to us is through His Wordthe Bible. Its like no other book ever written throughout human history.

Did you know that every part of the Bible is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), which means the writers wrote exactly what God wanted them to? Gods Word is useful in one way or another to help us live the way we were designed to live. Its relevant to every need, question, and challenge we will ever have. Its practical when we choose to do what it says. And its powerful, because it can change our lives.

The book you are now holding is designed to be a resource to help you access timeless answers from the Bible to questions you have about life. Eventually youll be able to share these answers with your friends, family members, and anyone else you hang out with whos also trying to make sense out of life.

Its going to take some time, careful thought, and patience to hear God speak to you through His Word. But Ill tell you from personal experience, its worth it.

God should be our first resource, not our last resort. Take time to thoroughly search the portions of His Word found on these pages. Make the Word of God a priority in your life. Believe and act on the truths you discover. I promise you will never be the same.

There are many ways to use this book. You can use it as a reference book to answer questions you have about life. You can also read through particular sections during your daily alone time with God. It can be used as a discussion guide for small groups at churchor even for a Christian club at school. If you have friends who are searching spiritually, this is a good resource to share with them.

Each topic contains a short APP section to help you practically apply Gods Word to your questions about life. Read the verses carefully. Study them. Think about what God is sayinghow His truth applies to your own situationthen follow His advice. With certain topics, you may even want to memorize a verse if its especially meaningful to a question, doubt, or struggle that you may be experiencing.

As you search these verses from the Bible for answers to your life, carefully consider what God is saying. We all tend to want instant answers and a quick fix to our problems, but Gods way is different. He has a purpose for each situation we find ourselves in and wants to use it to help us grow. His way takes time.

APP:Sometimes I wonder if the way we think about abuse is too limited. Abuse comes in so many different forms. The default is most often sexual or physical. We hear aboutand sometimes seea lot of this kind of abuse, because its the most obvious. Its often part of stuff (movies, television, etc.) that entertains us. Abuse can also be verbal and emotional. But people even abuse power, money, and fame. Have you ever felt as if someone you trusted abused your friendship? Any form of abuse can be damaging. Treating someone badly, being cruel, or wrongly using something or someone is never good.

Using the following verses as a filter, take an honest look at yourself. If youve been abusive, ask God to help you change. Stop hurting yourself and others in your life. Let God guide you through the wisdom of His Word. And if you know others who have been abusive, pray that God would help you not to judge them but to influence them for good.

He frees them from tyranny and torturewhen they bleed, he bleeds; when they die, he dies.

P SALM 72:14 MSG

On that day I will punish every one who leaps over the threshold, and those who fill their masters house with violence and fraud.

Z EPHANIAH 1:9 RSV

For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the L ORD will inherit the land.

P SALM 37:9 NIV

If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless.

J AMES 1:26 NRSV

The Lord also will be a refuge and a high tower for the oppressed, a refuge and a stronghold in times of trouble (high cost, destitution, and desperation).

P SALM 9:9 AMP

Thus says the L ORD , Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place.

J EREMIAH 22:3 NASB

Not requiting evil with evil nor abuse with abuse, but, on the contrary, giving a blessing in return, because a blessing is what you have been called by God to inherit.

1 P ETER 3:9 WNT

The L ORD tests those who do right, but he hates the wicked and those who love to hurt others.

P SALM 11:5 NCV

When [Jesus] was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.

1 P ETER 2:23 NRSV

For [the L ORD ] has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither has He hidden His face from him, but when he cried to Him, He heard.

P SALM 22:24 AMP

You will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.

I SAIAH 30:19 NIV

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

J OHN 14:27 NKJV

APP:Any way you look at it, adulterys ugly. And just in case youre wonderingIm not talking about the studio albums that bands like Do-Re-Mi and Dog Fashion Discos have released titled Adultery. The kind Im talking about is epidemicits everywhere. Politicians are doing it. Superstar athletes, celebs, and even pastors are hooking up with someone other than their spouse. Even regular people living ordinary lives are caught up in this sinkhole of passion. Its hard to believe, but adultery is actually illegal in some places on the planet. Unfortunately, way too many families have been broken because a spouse willfully got involved in extramarital sex with someone. Lots of people say its because they want to be happy. But this kind of happiness doesnt last.