Psalm 18:1-6 In looking at this psalm we find David full of love for the God who has delivered him from his terrible struggles. What imagery from David's life experiences does he use to express what God has been to him in his distress? What is the habit that David has established in his life? How is David's God different from the gods of the nations around him? What was David's crisis like? How long did it last? Does God always act when we cry out to Him in our distress? We all know people who have suffered much more than we have. What is a mistake we often make when we compare our suffering to that of others? (41 min.)

Keywords Suffering, Deliverance

Romans 16:5-16 In this lesson we explore many more of the individuals to whom Paul sends greetings in Rome. We find that this is much more than just a list of names, but that Paul finds something positive to say about each one of them. What is a key question about Junias? What four things were significant about Adronicus and Junias? What did Paul mean by pointing out that Apelles was approved or tested in Christ? What is significant about those of the households of Aristobulus and Narcissus and the man Herodian? What was particularly special about Rufus that Paul would call him "chosen?" What do we think we know about the two groups listed at the end of this section? What is important about the women in Paul's list? What lessons can we learn from how Paul speaks of these 26 individuals? (66 min)

Keywords Faithfulness, Suffering, Saints, Prison

Romans 12:14-16 Paul continues in these verses his "do list" of Christian character qualities. What is the important distinction we must keep in mind when considering the subject of relating to wrong doers? First in this section is his instruction of how we respond to persecution. How is this relevant to us today? What does it mean to bless them? What does it mean to curse them? What is the significance of Paul's repetition? What are two important examples of the principle of weeping with those who weep? What is the real need that someone who is encountering great suffering have? How is rejoicing with those who rejoice sometimes more of a challenge than weeping with those who weep? Why are we often reluctant to rejoice with those who rejoice? Why is it important to the blessed person that we rejoice with them? What does Paul mean by being of one mind? What are the two possible meanings of his instruction regarding the lowly? (50 min)

Keywords Persecution, Suffering, Rejoicing, One Mind, Humility

Romans 8:28, 29 In this lesson we begin exploring one of the best known passages of Romans, about parts of which Christians often have divergent views. It is important, however, that we not loose sight of the forest of Paul's major point for our preoccupation with the trees of his supporting arguments. How is that that we "know," according to Paul, that all things work together for good? Is Paul saying that all things are actually good? For whom is this promise true? What is notable about Paul's remark about us loving God. What do we mean when we say that God is transcendent? How is the truth about the transcendence of God connected to the truth about God's foreknowledge? Why is it a mistake to say that since God knows with certainty what will happen that He is responsible for evil? (63 min)

Keywords Glory, Foreknowledge, Adoption, Suffering