How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord is laid for your faith in his excellent word.

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Well, that may be the most puzzling question of our day. And if you're in a family of faith, the question goes even deeper. Why do God's people suffer? Welcome to Through the Bible, where Dr. J. Vernon McGee says that question is the big issue of life, because it really does get right down to where you and I are moving today, right down

where the rubber meets the road. I'm your host, Steve Schwartz, and it's great to have you

aboard the Bible bus for another amazing adventure in God's Word. Now, while you settle in and find

your place in the book of James, Dr. McGee reminds us that no airplane goes into service unless it

has gone through long and extensive trials.

And that's what God will bring into our lives to prove that we're genuine.

Let's listen now to Dr. McKee's special introduction.

Now, going through the Bible is not a gimmick.

Going through the Bible in five years. Now, there are many piecemeal programs that try to make

the study of the Bible simple and short. That is just easy. We're living in a day when the

common password is, take it easy, and it certainly applies to Christians today. I saw a

folder the other day that said you can learn the Old Testament in just a few brief lessons.

Well, I want to say it can't be done. Every intelligent person knows it requires study and time. I remember when I was a boy of seeing

an advertisement in newspapers that said, learned to play the piano in three easy lessons.

Well, my daughter had piano for, I think, three years. She still can't play the piano,

and she's frankly above the average, but believe me, you just don't learn these things overnight.

And can you imagine that some of these technical schools would advertise, learn atomic physics in three weeks?

We have a three-week seminar and we'll make you a Ph.D.

Well, they're not doing that because it can't be done.

We spend five years in going through the Bible and we touch all the bases, but we only

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