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Following is an excerpt of "When Bad Things Happen To Good People" by Adrian Rogers.
When Bad Things Happen To Good People
Adrian Rogers

Take your bibles please and open to Hebrews chapter ten. Tonight is just a kind of a continuation or a postscript on this morning's message about the stoning of Steven. Steven was a good man, he was full of the holy ghost. Because he was full of the holy ghost he was full of wisdom and he was full of faith and he was full of power and yet he died by being stoned. I want to talk to you tonight therefore on this subject, WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE, WSEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. Now, in Hebrews chapter ten and verse thirty two you have the story of God's people that were enduring affliction, verse thirty two says, but call to remembrance the former days, in which after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of affliction; partly, while ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and affliction and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used. Sometimes it happens to you and sometimes it happens to your friends. and then he goes on to speak of himself. For he said, for ye bad compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, that is, uh, their material possessions had been confiscated by the enemy. Knowing in yourselves that ye have a in heaven a better an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward. Now, what had happiness is this. These people were suffering, uh, they were suffering emotionally, they were being scorned and reproached. They were suffering physically, they would be beaten, they were being beaten and abused and put into prison. They were suffering economically. Their goods, their material goods were being confiscated and uh, they uh, were being made overnight to be paupers. Some of them who were Christians were thinking about throwing in the towel. Some of them were just thinking about quitting. And so, the writer of Hebrews is telling the, don't quit. Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward, for ye have need of patience. Now, the word patience in the bible literally means endurance. And after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise.. For yet a little while and he shall come, he that shall come will come and will not tarry. Now, if the just, now the just shall live by faith, now that's the key, living by faith, understand it, the just shall live by faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. Don't throw in the towel. When bad things happen to; good people don't throw in the towel, don't draw back, don't cast off your confidence. You're going to have to live by faith. Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever prayed for something that you really wanted and you endeavored to trust the Lord for it and not only did you not get what you wanted but things got worse? You p ...

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