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S Volume 1 . Issue 8

COUNCIL OF REFERENCE

Dr. Richard Averbeck THE MYSTERY

Dr. Bill Bright

Dr. Paul Cedar

Mr. Dave Coleman

Dr. Larry Crabb

OF GOD’S WILL
Mr. Roger Cross A Quick Focus
Rev. Samuel Farina
The Book's Purpose
Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel
Emphasize the mystery
Rev. Lud Golz
inherent in God's will
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks

Mr. Olan Hendrix

Affirm God's absolute
sovereignty
Dr. David Jeremiah by Charles R. Swindoll
Published by Word Publishing
Rev. Knute Larson Explain the dynamics of God's Nashville
will in the world and in the
Dr. John C. Maxwell
individual life us. We can know how we should respond to
Dr. Bruce McNicol
what God is doing.

Mr. Dean Merrill

Relate God's will to important Scriptures illustrate God's will in the lives
aspects of His personality of His people. These examples teach us about
Mrs. Elisa Morgan God's nature, humble us in the face of God's
Illustrate how believers can wisdom, and prepare us to walk the road ahead~
Dr. Ray Ortlund
a path hidden in the often surprising mystery of
know and respond to God's God's will. CB
Dr. Luis Palau
will S
Dr. Gilbert A. Peterson
Six Main Points

6
Rev. Wes Roberts The Book's Message
Mr. Jim Warren The will of God is a rushing river,
Understanding God's Will ...................... 2
tracing God's purposes as it surges through Discovering God's Will .......................... 3
Dr. Rick Warren
human history. We are swept into its
powerful current, but in our humanity, we The Difficulties of God's Will ................. 4
lack the perspective to sort out just why
Publishers
it twists and turns as it does. The God Behind God's Will ..................... 5
David A. Martin
John S. Martin, III Yet we can appreciate something of The Dynamic of God's Will ..................... 6
what the plan tells us about the Planner.
Editor
Michael J. Chiapperino We can discover what His will means for Dealing With the Mystery of God's Will ... 7
 2
A Knotty
Problem
Life is forever UNDERSTANDING
full of inexplicable circumstances
Isaiah tells us
that God alone is
in control, "caus-
ing well-being
and calamity." This is not easy to

GOD’S
which prompt the question "Why?" understand or accept. Why do terri-
Even we Christians often have no ble things happen to some people
idea what God is up to, for God's and not to others? And how can
plan~God's will~is a profound that be part of God's decreed will?
mystery. Though it's tough to comprehend,
it is the clear teaching of Scripture.

WILL
Doing God's will, however, may
be even more difficult than under- We lack the perspective to know
standing it. (much less to judge) why God in
His wisdom has chosen to do things
We want to understand God's as He has. The best approach is to
will but cannot. On the other hand, simply accept God's will rather than
centered point of view. This vertical, trying to figure it out. Otherwise, it
we can do God's will, but we don't theological perspective is difficult
want to. may seem cavalier and uncaring.
for us.
We like to argue with God about
Doing the will of God means It was difficult for Jeremiah, too. His designs, but Isaiah reminds us
submitting our own will to His, and God called him to be a prophet, but that He is the potter and we are the
therein lies the rub. he balked. As God answers Jere- clay. How ludicrous it would be for
miah's objections, He reveals an the pot to question the design of
There's so much we don't under- important distinction within His the potter!
stand about God's will. We will will, the difference between what
attempt to shed some light on these God has decreed and what He per- Not until we accept His right
questions, but the resulting answers mits. Before Jeremiah was even born, and His capacity to shape our lives
can never be completely satisfying. God had decreed that he would be as He chooses will we be comforted
Just ask Job. a prophet. But the Lord had also by the notion that He's in complete
determined to permit difficulties to control.
When one child turns out to be come into his life. Recognizing this
good and his brother bad, we can't distinction is a first step to getting This decreed will of God is abso-
understand. Or when a gifted Christ- a handle on this matter of God's will. lute, unchangeable, and uncondi-
ian worker dies and there is no one tional. It is also in perfect harmony
to continue that ministry. Or when God's decreed will with His nature. Therefore, it will
seemingly good marriages fall apart. always be good and right. It will
Job observed that God has deter- always be best both strategically,
Or when a crazed gunman opens mined the circumstances of our lives.
fire on a school. As difficult as it is accomplishing God's purposes, and
We cannot know this plan in advance morally, reflecting His character.
to believe, even these tragedies form but only after the fact. And every-
part of the mysterious plan of God. thing that happens to us, down to Romans 8:28-29 speaks to the
the tiniest detail, is part of God's issue of God's decreed will. Accord-
The best we can hope for is to plan. ing to this passage, He is continually
know something of God's will and at work, making us more like his
to trust Him to work it out in our Son, Jesus Christ. He'll never quit,
lives. When we accept that our cir- “When because that is what he has deter-
cumstances~even the difficult ones~ mined to do. In order to accom-
are from God's hand, we begin to God created plish this he may send one to the
see how wonderfully faithful He is the world and set mission field and another to the
to us. We must learn to trust without corn field. That's His way of shap-
knowing the explanation; God is the stars in space, ing us.
not looking for critics but for He also established
humble servants. How do you know what His
the course will has been for your life? Just
An Important of this world look in the rear-view mirror.
Distinction and His plan Everything that has happened to
you has been part of His decreed
We like the world we can see, for humanity.” will.
touch, and control. But living by continued on page 3
faith means seeing life from a whole
different perspective, from a God-
 3
DISCOVERING
anxious to follow God's direction
GOD’S WILL continued from page 2 and to choose in accordance
with His will. Sometimes, in
Perhaps you are not comfortable fact, we are too anxious. We fall
believing that. You want to think

GOD’S WILL
into the trap of "voodoo theology,"
that you have made the decisions, grasping at any coincidence of cir-
that you have determined the course cumstances we think might point
of events. But who died and put you the way.
in charge? It certainly wasn't the
potter! Means through Before searching for God's will,
The Bible tells us that even the
which God reveals heed these basic prerequisites:
death of Christ was part of God's His will 1. You must be a child of God.
decreed will. Scriptures plainly tell Though we do not know what 2. You must be wise.
us that the crucifixion was "by the will happen to us tomorrow or next 3. You must desire to do God's will.
predetermined plan and foreknow- year, certain aspects of God's will 4. You must be willing to wait
ledge of God" (Acts 2:22-23). Sure, are abundantly clear. Scriptures patiently in prayer.
wicked men nailed him there, but identify many commands and direc- 5. You must be willing to sacrifice.
it happened just as God had planned. tives, as well as behaviors that God
prohibits. A believer can remove When these five qualities charac-
God has a plan, and that is pre- a portion of "the mystery of God's terize our lives, we are ready to seek
cisely what will come to pass. No will" by merely knowing His Word. God's specific direction. But just how
one can stop Him or even surprise does God lead us in that process?
Him. As we explore the Bible, we dis-
But what about all the bad things cover that God revealed His will in The Bible. This is the most impor-
that happen~the ones inconsistent some unconventional ways to his tant means. Scripture contains both
with God's holiness? early followers. precepts and principles that can help
us to understand what His will is for
God's permissive will First, He used miraculous events, us in each specific situation.
such as the burning bush, the parting
The fact that God has an all- of the Red Sea, and Gideon's fleece. The inner prompting of the Holy
encompassing plan does not mean This, of course, was before the com- Spirit. Jude says that while writing
that He is the cause of everything pletion of the written Word of God. his letter about salvation he "felt the
that happens. Some things He merely Today God rarely uses miracles to necessity" to exhort his readers to
allows to occur. Take the example reveal his will. contend for the faith. That feeling

d
of Job. Satan dared God to allow Job came from God himself. Such stirring
to fall upon hard times as a test of The second way God communi- can be His steering mechanism.
his faith, and God permitted it. cated His will in ancient times was
We encounter another aspect of through visions and dreams. Abraham, Wise counselors. These are people
God's permissive will in 2 Peter 3:9, Joseph, and Peter all received God's who have a track record of under-
which indicates that God desires for guidance this way. standing the ways of God. They are
all men to repent and turn to Him. outside of the situation and are more
But they do not, for they are not all Third, God communicated His objective than we.
among God's elect. Some reject the will by direct revelation. God spoke
message. We cannot resolve this directly to the prophets, who then Inner peace. Paul speaks of the
tension between human responsibi- transmitted His message to others. peace of Christ ruling in our hearts.
lity and the will of God. All we can God will give us His peace as a way
do is to be faithful to present the There are no prophets today in of confirming that we are on the
message to everyone. the biblical sense. God does not right track.
reveal His will in that way, so we
The whole problem of evil is shouldn't waste time looking for Henry Blackaby reminds us that
difficult to understand in the context something that isn't there. He has knowing God's will brings us to a
of God's will. Human beings choose given us His Word, and the Bible "crisis of belief," a point of decision
to do wrong things. God doesn't is enough. The key is approaching in which faith and action must come
cause that, but He does permit it. it correctly. together. God often calls us to do
And yet, He uses even our sins to things beyond our human capacities.
accomplish His purposes. Acts 4:27 Keys to seeking Will we trust Him enough to act?
tells us that those who conspired in God’s will
the death of Christ ultimately accom- Blackaby also emphasizes that
plished what God had predestined. When faced with important
decisions such as the choice of a when we do God's will we can expect
CB college, a mate, or a job, we are continued on page 4
S

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DISCOVERING GOD’S WILL continued from page 3
4
logical to us. This means that we God's will may mean persecution.
to experience major adjustments. must walk by faith, and when we Remember John Wycliffe, the
Noah, Abram, Moses, David, and do we can expect problems. 14th century scholar who deter-
the disciples were all called to aban- mined to give people the Scripture
God's will may be upsetting to others. in their own language? In life he
don their lifestyles. Following the Often those closest to us have
will of God will mean significant was branded a heretic. In fact, he
an agenda for our lives and may was so reviled that they exhumed
changes for us as well. not understand God's leading. But, his bones, burnt them, and cast
of course, God put us here to please them into a stream. Faith implies
Obstacles Him, not others. risk, and that risk is not always
to following God's will may turn out very differ- rewarded immediately.
God’s will ently than we imagine.
If we properly understand the He sometimes calls and trains God's will may bring major adjust-
dynamic of God's will, we realize gifted people, and even places them ments.
that we cannot just wait for it to in effective ministry, only to snatch This may mean trading the se-
become clear. We must be active in them home to be with Him before curity of the familiar for new and
the process, conforming our wills giving them a chance to finish what threatening experiences. God called
and our plans to His, and taking they started. To us this seems coun- Abraham from his lifelong home to
concrete steps to follow His leading. ter-productive, but God's ways are go to a faraway, unfamiliar destina-
higher than ours. Remember the tion. And God still uproots His

God’s
This is not easy, nor is it simple, five young missionaries martyred people from the comfort of their
for God's will is mysterious. We by the Auca Indians in the mid- routines. C
want something sure, something 1950s? Their example continues to SB
tangible. But oftentimes the correct inspire countless people to dedicate
decision is not the one that seems their lives to Christian ministry.

THE DIFFICULTIES OF GOD’S WILL

God’s Sovereignty Even the seemingly disastrous that if God controls everything, then
Knowing God's will requires is controlled by God, or He would it makes no difference what we do.
us to think theologically, to see life be only somewhat sovereign. Though this mystery is beyond us,
from God's perspective. And to think we must maintain the balance between
God alone is qualified to be in our responsibility to act and God's
theologically, we must understand charge. Only He has perfect perspec-
and accept God's sovereignty. Other- absolute rule. God has given us a long
tive, perfect character, perfect wis- list of responsibilities. He has allowed
wise, we're destined to struggle with dom, and perfect goodness. And,
His plan rather than rest in it. us to choose and to act, and He expects

Wi
unlike ours, God's will cannot be us to do so.
Consider the lesson God taught constrained by outside forces.
Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king of We can take joy in understanding
Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had a “Sovereignty means these three important benefits of God's
dream but didn't know what it our all-wise, all- sovereignty:
meant. Daniel informed the king knowing God reigns God's sovereignty comforts us.
that he would live in the fields like No matter how impossible or how
an animal. He also told him that he in realms beyond tragic the circumstances, everything
would regain his throne once he our comprehension will ultimately result in the glory of
acknowledged God's sovereignty. to bring about a plan God. This hope is the greatest possible
Everything happened just as pre- beyond our ability tranquilizer for the troubled soul.
dicted, and Nebuchadnezzar finally to alter, hinder,
learned what we all must learn~that God's sovereignty sets us free.
God and God alone is in control.
or stop.” We don't have to explain it.
We don't have to “unscrew the
Job, too, recognized that not inscrutable” to trust that He's in charge.
even one of God's purposes can Some people have the wrong
be thwarted (Job. 42:1-2). reaction to this truth, concluding God's sovereignty keeps us humble.
If we truly accept this truth, we must
Published by Christian Book Summaries, Inc., 4654 Winery Way, Gahanna, Ohio also accept our very limited role in
43230-4231, February 2000. Published monthly. Subscription $59.95 in the what He is doing. It puts us and keeps
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 5
God’s Speaking
Most of us would like it if God
would just take us aside and say,
"Do this tomorrow." But He doesn't.
God speaks, but he does so silently,
so we must learn to read His lips.
THE GOD BEHIND
This lip-reading requires both
sensitivity and skill, because God's
will is often unpredictable. We must
know God and respond to the inner
GOD’S WILL
How Does God Spell Relief?
promptings of His Spirit. Sometimes the mysterious cross-currents of circumstance
Though God does not communi- within the will of God simply overwhelm us. It is then that
cate with us through audible mes- God himself comes and ministers to us through his mercy.
sages, He nevertheless wants us to This mercy is more than pity, more than caring; it is how God
know His will. spells relief.
Cultivate the following qualities,
attitudes, and disciplines as you All of us need God's mercy when we are victims. But even
learn to understand God’s leading: when we are the offenders, God extends His mercy to us. We
have all offended God, and if it were not for His mercy we

s
A. An accepting mental attitude. would be without hope.
You must spend time with God in
order to remain open and available Chesed is the Hebrew word translated mercy, or sometimes
before Him.
lovingkindness or kindness. We can identify five ways in which
B. Biblical investigation. God's mercy spells relief.
Your decision must be in conformity
with Scripture. So search the Scrip- God's chesed relieves the distress we feel when we are
tures, looking for relevant precepts treated unfairly.
and principles.
Remember Joseph, falsely accused and in jail? He received
C. The clarification and conviction God's chesed, the same mercy available to us when we are
of the Holy Spirit. lonely or forsaken.
God's Spirit uses His Word to draw
you toward what He wants you to God's chesed relieves our grief.
see. It is often during the process of
waiting that God communicates When Ruth's husband died, Naomi, her mother-in-law,
with us. wished her God's chesed, His special mercy for those who
have lost their loved ones. When God permits tragedy to come
D. Determine if you have peace
our way, he accompanies it with his mercy.

Will
about the decision.
God's peace is to rule in our hearts
like an umpire's decision. Making God's chesed relieves the difficulty caused by handicaps.
an important choice without this David desired to show chesed to a family member of his
sense of peace is a big mistake. late friend, Jonathan. He found Mephibosheth, a crippled son
E. Expect struggles and surprises who was living in hiding, and restored him to prosperity. God
along the way. has a special mercy reserved for the handicapped.
Sometimes we follow God's will to
the best of our ability, but everything God's chesed relieves our suffering.
blows up in our faces. Being in His Job was a man in anguish, suffering because of God's
will does not make us exempt from mysterious plan. God, however, granted him chesed (Job
problems. 10:12). Suffering is part of God's plan, but so is His incredible
We cannot know God's will if mercy.
we're holding on to excuses as to
why we can't do what God has called God's chesed relieves our guilt.
us to do. We must remember that When we sin we are miserable, but we confess it to God, we
while walking in God's will we are receive his mercy. David, after his sin with Bathsheba, called
invincible. And remember that upon God to be gracious according to His chesed.
whatever success comes from doing
God's will depends on God's continued on page 6
blessing, not on our effort. CB
S
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THE GOD BEHIND GOD’S WILL continued from page 5
6
The God Who Compromise means that we, not credits Christ's righteousness to our
God, have moved. account, and gives us the capacity
Never Changes to develop personal holiness.
God's people have always been Even when we are far from Him
fickle. Remember the nation of and hope is at its end, the unchanging
God appears and restores our hope. God provides the power, but we
Israel. They didn't maintain the sepa- must recognize and use that power.
ration between themselves and the The three components of that hope
pagan nations around them which come directly from Lamentations
God had commanded. So God, in 3:21-25. We yield
His faithfulness and without distanc-
ing Himself from His children, afflict-
1. The Lord's chesed never ceases. to Him, not
He doesn't give up on us, not because so that He can
ed the faithless. we are worth restoring but because
In the book of Lamentations He is faithful. make us holy while
Jeremiah chronicles the cycle of
2. The Lord's compassions never fail.
we do nothing,
complications brought on by Judah's but so that we’ll do
disobedience. These principles are Like the father of the prodigal son,
just as relevant today for those who He waits for us to come to our senses what He wants
compromise the truth of God. and then welcomes us home. instead of what
Compromise brings affliction. 3. The Lord's faithfulness never wanes. we want.
Even when we mess up. Even when
"God doesn't let his children play we really mess up.
in the street."
These three short phrases de-
He brings discipline to correct us. fine God's immutability. He cannot God’s Will
Compromise triggers a loss of hope. change and He will not change.
Regardless of whether we react to
Surprises Us
When we get away from God, life
loses its luster. If we do not respond to Him in love or anger, disobedience God delights in surprises. Con-
God's affliction it turns to desolation. or praise, He remains constant. sider the life of Abraham. God put
CB him to the test by commanding him
S to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Talk
about a shock! And when he had
finally come to terms with doing so,
God provided a way out.

THE DYNAMIC OF Life, even when lived in the will

of God, is full of surprises. Just when
we think we know what God is

God’s Will
GOD’S WILL Not only does He not tempt us
doing, He proves that we do not.
We pray in one direction, but God
goes in another. We make a major
life change, thinking we have fol-
lowed God's will. And then every-
Makes Us Holy to sin, but He even imparts His holi- thing goes sour.
Isaiah 6 records a striking vision ness to us. If God did not give us
of the holiness of God, prompting His holiness, we could not have When this happens we may
the prophet to laud the moral glory communion with Him. We would question whether God or circum-
of God. According to 1 Peter 1:14- be the slaves of our own evil natures, stance is really running the show.
16, this holiness, this separation without any hope of heaven. But the Bible assures us that God
from all that is imperfect, is to char- is intimately involved with all that
acterize our lives as well. We can observe two extreme happens to us. He simply surprises
attitudes toward holiness. One holds us with a myriad of perplexing diffi-
Those who want to follow God's that holiness depends on our effort, culties, even when we're in the cen-
will must grasp this concept of God's meaning that we can never really be ter of His will.
holiness. Because He is holy, His holy enough. The other sees us re-
will is good and right. Because He ceiving holiness from God in a pure- Keep in mind these four princi-
is holy, we know that His will is not ly passive manner, like having pixie ples as God leads you:
a bait and switch proposition, for dust sprinkled over us. Both positions
God is never deceitful. are misconceptions. 1. With God, surprises are the rule
rather than the exception.
God's holiness means that He Holiness is a command, and
cannot tempt us to sin. So never say therefore we must actively purify continued on page 7
that your circumstances, which are our lives. That is our part. On the
controlled by God, caused you to other hand, God declares us righteous,
fall.
 7
THE DYNAMIC OF GOD’S WILL continued from page 6 in order to open up a new one, but When God closes a door, it's in
He didn't explain why. He just did it. order to open a better one. Remem-
2. God's surprises force us to adapt. ber Paul and Silas. He knows what
Maybe the following insights He's doing.
3. God's does not surprise us by will help you when you're dealing
doing things which are irrational; with closed and open doors: We will not understand why a
He surprises us by doing things door is closed until we walk through
which are beyond our understanding. The fact that God is sovereign the next one God opens.
means that He is in complete control.
4. God's grace is always sufficient His closed doors cannot be opened Maybe you're knocking on a
for God's surprises. and His open doors cannot be shut. closed door right now. This is the
time to yield to God's will and to
God's surprises can shake us Since God controls the oppor- see how He surprises you by open-
to the core; but they are designed tunities, He also takes responsibility ing up a new one. You don't have
to stretch us and to teach us. And for the results. to figure it out. Just follow where
they often show us just how much He leads. Isn't that comforting?
we need Him. The key to finding When God opens a door for you,
CB
strength for all of life's circumstances He will accomplish His purposes S
is to run toward, not away from, the through you. It's not your job to
God of surprises. make His plan work.

God’s Will Is An
Open and Shut Case
You had your heart set on a
mate, a school, or a job. You were
seeking God's will and everything
DEALING WITH THE
looked positive. And then, kaboom!
He closed the door. Why did he
apparently lead you one way only
to close the door? You don't know.
You may never know. He is the
MYSTERY OF GOD’S WILL
Have you ever When you look at your circum-
potter, and that's it. been on a tour, one with a detailed stances theologically, you realize that
itinerary? You knew exactly what at its core, God's will is not really
Revelation 3 pictures God as was going to happen next. Our about where you go or what you
the one who holds the key, who has experience of God's will is nothing do. Ultimately, God wants to con-
the right and authority to open and like that. We don't know what's next form you to the image of His Son.
close doors, and He does both in on the itinerary. We only know that What happens to us is a test, and
our lives. Sometimes we try to pry it is likely to surprise us. if we respond correctly to that test
open these doors, but it's fruitless, (whether or not we understand it),
We could all make a long list of we will come out of it like refined
because when God shuts a door it things we would not have done had
stays that way. gold.
we been God. In fact, most of the
time God's will is illogical from a We will always struggle with
Imagine the Apostle Paul and human point of view.
his sidekick, Silas. They were a topsy-turvy situation that just
preaching in the region of present- The key is to trust Him and does not make sense, what Winston
day Turkey. God was prospering to follow Him even when we don't Churchill called "a riddle wrapped
their ministry. Then they came to understand, for the final result will in a mystery inside an enigma."
a new and unevangelized region. be God's final result, and it will be
But God would not let them preach wonderful. When the sum does not seem
there, so they went on to yet another to be a total of the parts, we have to
needy place. Same result. Finally, The best way to deal with the learn to say that it's okay, because
they arrived in Troas, where they inexplicable is to spend less time God makes no mistakes.
had to cool their heels. Closed door, analyzing what God is up to and
closed door, closed door. more time obeying Him. When you If we can do so our lives will
can't explain a certain situation, quit be characterized by the following:
And then, in a most surprising trying. Don't try to force it into the continued on page 8
way, God opened a brand-new door mold of human reason. Rather than
through the vision of the man from trying to make it logical, allow it to
Macedonia. God closed certain doors be theological.

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 8
THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S WILL continued from page 7

We wait with perseverance.

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We don't know why or how, but

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we trust that God is in control,
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and we walk through the exper- theologically

ience with Him.
means not dwelling ummaries
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We face the test unflinchingly, on the circumstances
yet on our knees. so much as Volume 1, Number 8
This requires submissive humi- appreciating how Publishers
lity. We face what comes head-
on, honestly before God, crying God is transforming David A. Martin
out to Him. your life through John S. Martin, III
them. Editor
We rest in the plan and the Michael J. Chiapperino
sovereignty of God.
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Without doubt, God's will is myster- will of God~not by analyzing it but is to enhance the ministry of thinking
ious and surprising. Try as we may, by doing it. Christians by providing thorough and
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The Author: Charles R. Swindoll is
~C.H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Gems senior pastor of Stonebriar Community
Church in Frisco, Texas. He is also
president of Dallas Theological Seminary
and host of the internationally syndi-
cated radio program Insight for Living.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.CHRISTIANSUMMARIES.COM He is a prolific author with over 25 best-
selling books. Dr. Swindoll and his wife,
Cynthia, reside in Dallas.
Coming Next Month: The Mystery of God's Will by Charles
R. Swindoll, copyright C 1999 by Charles
R. Swindoll. Summarized by permission
ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES? of the publisher, Word Publishing, Nashville,
Tennessee. ISBN 0-8499-1133-8. $21.99.
by LaHaye/Jenkins This book is available at most bookstores,
(Tyndale)
at any online bookseller (such as Amazon.
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You may also visit the Word website
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