CRCF\u201d\u201d4-25-10<\/p>\n
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Our Unshaken Father<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Introduction–<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHumankind cannot stand very much reality<\/span>.\u201d T. S. Eliot<\/p>\n Ronnie McBrayer<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u201d\u2122s easy to say \u201cjust trust God\u201d when the sun is shining. But for many people of faith, the outcome is not as rosy as we have been led to believe. Many find that faith has not insulated them from trouble. Faith has not protected them from disease, poverty, bankruptcy, or injustice. Faith is not a fix or a means of getting what we want. It is a way of living, and often it has nothing to do with how well life will treat you. If faith secured for every person who claimed to have it, a soft life, never a disappointment, abundance on every hand, the elimination of doubt, and the absence of fear, hospital bills, hunger, attorney fees or loss \u201d\u201c well, then God owes a great many of our heroes of the faith a colossal apology\u201d\u00a6 We don\u201d\u2122t need romantic, super-hero faith. It is useless, nothing more than an opiate to dull our senses and keep us from seeing the way things really are. We need realistic faith . . . Enough of this faith that professes the ability to only change our circumstances; what about the faith that changes us<\/span><\/em>?<\/p>\n Life is full of hard, cold realities.\u00a0 We do all we can to try to avoid dealing with those realities head on as often as we can.\u00a0 We come up with our own diversions that keep us from confrontations with realities that we don\u201d\u2122t understand, like or enjoy.\u00a0 We formulate our own answers to our deepest questions\u201d\u201dand, for a time, they may even appease us.\u00a0 But then, in those still, silent moments when we can\u201d\u2122t find anything to distract us, we find ourselves toe-to-toe with our questions, doubts, pains, and frustrations.\u00a0 If we get honest in that moment, refusing to side-step reality anymore, we begin a conversation\u201d\u201dnot with one of our friends or coworkers or family members.\u00a0 Rather, we engage God.<\/p>\n And, more often than not, in our seldom-found honesty, our talk with God begins with a question:<\/p>\n “What is God doing when I\u201d\u2122m suffering?”<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n No matter WHY we suffer, our unshaken Father is with us in our suffering!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I DO want to talk quickly about some possibilities the Bible gives us on the WHY question.<\/p>\n 4<\/span><\/em><\/strong> Possible Answers:<\/p>\n Psalm 32<\/strong>:\u00a0 3<\/sup><\/strong> When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. <\/span>4<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.\u00a0 My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.\u00a0 Interlude <\/em><\/span> 5<\/sup><\/strong><\/span> Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.\u00a0 I said to myself, \u201cI will confess my rebellion to the Lord.\u201d\u00a0 And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone<\/span>. <\/strong><\/p>\n Always start here\u201d\u201din humility and prayer and confession!\u00a0 Even if you\u201d\u2122re suffering is NOT due to your sin, it never hurts to get low before your Father\u201d\u201dyou\u201d\u2122ll always stand up a stronger Christ-follower<\/em>.<\/p>\n Personal Strength<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n James 1:2-4, 12<\/strong>:\u00a0 2<\/sup><\/strong> Dear brothers and sisters,[a<\/a>]<\/sup> when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. <\/span>3<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. <\/span>4<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. <\/span>12<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. <\/span><\/p>\n You may not have signed up for \u201cGod\u201d\u2122s Gym\u201d or desired the workout that you find yourself in the middle of.\u00a0 Remember\u201d\u201dyou\u201d\u2122ve been bought with a price, you\u201d\u2122re owned by the One who died for you.\u00a0 And He loves you too much to let you get spiritually flabby and a candidate for heart disease.\u00a0 So, cooperate with your Personal Trainer and get the most out of the workout<\/em>.\u00a0 And by the way, God can use your suffering to strengthen your faith even if there are other reasons for it involved<\/em>!<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0 God often permits suffering as Evidence of your<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Personal Faith in Jesus<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Peter 4:1-3, 12-19<\/strong>:\u00a0 \u00a01<\/sup><\/strong> So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin.[a<\/a>]<\/sup> 2<\/sup><\/strong> You won\u201d\u2122t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. 3<\/sup><\/strong> You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy\u201d\u201dtheir immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.<\/p>\n 12<\/sup><\/strong> Dear friends, don\u201d\u2122t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. <\/span>13<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> Instead, be very glad\u201d\u201dfor these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. <\/span>14<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,[e<\/a>]<\/sup> for then the glorious Spirit of God[f<\/a>]<\/sup> rests upon you.[g<\/a>]<\/sup> <\/span>15<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people\u201d\u2122s affairs. <\/span>16<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name<\/span>! 17<\/sup><\/strong> For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God\u201d\u2122s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God\u201d\u2122s Good News? 18<\/sup><\/strong> And also, \u201cIf the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?\u201d[h<\/a>]<\/sup> 19<\/sup><\/strong> So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.<\/p>\n John 15:18<\/strong>:\u00a0 18<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cIf the world hates you, remember that it hated me first<\/span>.<\/p>\n John 16:1-4<\/strong>: \u201cI have told you these things so that you won\u201d\u2122t abandon your faith. <\/span>2<\/sup><\/span><\/strong> For you will be expelled from the synagogues, and the time is coming when those who kill you will think they are doing a holy service for God. 3<\/sup><\/strong><\/span> This is because they have never known the Father or me. 4<\/sup><\/strong><\/span> Yes, I\u201d\u2122m telling you these things now, so that when they happen, you will remember my warning. I didn\u201d\u2122t tell you earlier because I was going to be with you for a while longer<\/span>.<\/p>\n Jesus shot straight with us so that we wouldn\u201d\u2122t be surprised when the world deals with us Christ-followers the same way it did with Jesus Himself!\u00a0 Expect to be treated bad by those who don\u201d\u2122t love Jesus simply because you do!<\/em><\/p>\n 4.\u00a0 God sometimes bring suffering for No Apparent<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Reason which is His Divine Prerogative<\/span><\/strong>.<\/p>\n This is really the main answer to the question, isn\u201d\u2122t it?\u00a0 No sin, no conflict with Jesus-haters.\u00a0 Just pure and painful suffering for what appears to be no reason.<\/p>\n While his wife was battling the cancer that eventually killed her, \u201cC.S. Lewis was once asked, \u201cWhy do the godly suffer?\u201d And he answered: \u201cBecause they are the only ones who can take it.\u201d Those who can take it \u201d\u201c whatever it is \u201d\u201c suffering, injustice, pain, sickness, loss \u201d\u201c these are the heroes we need, not just those who always defeat their evil archenemy, save the city, and get the girl at the end of the movie\u201d (Ronnie McBrayer).<\/p>\n Our best friend on this subject is old Job.\u00a0 His experience with God and his 3 friends is God\u201d\u2122s only answer to the question of suffering when there is no reason.\u00a0 Before it was all said and done, even Job was asking God why.\u00a0 Listen to God\u201d\u2122s answer:<\/p>\n Job 38:1-7:\u00a0 1<\/sup><\/strong> Then the Lord answered Job from the whirlwind: 2<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cWho is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?\u00a0 3<\/sup><\/strong> Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. \u00a04<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cWhere were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?\u00a0 Tell me, if you know so much.\u00a0 5<\/sup><\/strong> Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line? 6<\/sup><\/strong> What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone 7<\/sup><\/strong> as the morning stars sang together and all the angels[a<\/a>]<\/sup> shouted for joy?<\/p>\n Does that seem harsh to you?\u00a0 I mean, do you remember what Job went through?\u00a0 Listen fast:<\/p>\n Job 1:6-22<\/strong>: <\/sup><\/strong>6<\/sup><\/strong> One day the members of the heavenly court[a<\/a>]<\/sup> came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan,[b<\/a>]<\/sup> came with them. 7<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cWhere have you come from?\u201d the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, \u201cI have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that\u201d\u2122s going on.\u201d 8<\/sup><\/strong> Then the Lord asked Satan, \u201cHave you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless\u201d\u201da man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.\u201d 9<\/sup><\/strong> Satan replied to the Lord, \u201cYes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10<\/sup><\/strong> You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11<\/sup><\/strong> But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!\u201d 12<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cAll right, you may test him,\u201d the Lord said to Satan. \u201cDo whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don\u201d\u2122t harm him physically.\u201d So Satan left the Lord\u201d\u2122s presence. 13<\/sup><\/strong> One day when Job\u201d\u2122s sons and daughters were feasting at the oldest brother\u201d\u2122s house, 14<\/sup><\/strong> a messenger arrived at Job\u201d\u2122s home with this news: \u201cYour oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, 15<\/sup><\/strong> when the Sabeans raided us. They stole all the animals and killed all the farmhands. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.\u201d 16<\/sup><\/strong> While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: \u201cThe fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the shepherds. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.\u201d 17<\/sup><\/strong> While he was still speaking, a third messenger arrived with this news: \u201cThree bands of Chaldean raiders have stolen your camels and killed your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.\u201d 18<\/sup><\/strong> While he was still speaking, another messenger arrived with this news: \u201cYour sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother\u201d\u2122s home. 19<\/sup><\/strong> Suddenly, a powerful wind swept in from the wilderness and hit the house on all sides. The house collapsed, and all your children are dead. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.\u201d 20<\/sup><\/strong> Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. 21<\/sup><\/strong> He said, \u201cI came naked from my mother\u201d\u2122s womb, and I will be naked when I leave.\u00a0 The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away.\u00a0 Praise the name of the Lord!\u201d 22<\/sup><\/strong> In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.<\/p>\n Job\u201d\u2122s wife sounds a lot like some of us when we get to the end of our faith\u201d\u2122s rope and the lack of reason threatens to kill our trust in God:<\/p>\n Job 2:8-10: 8<\/sup><\/strong> Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. 9<\/sup><\/strong> His wife said to him, \u201cAre you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die.\u201d\u00a0 10<\/sup><\/strong> But Job replied, \u201cYou talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?\u201d So in all this, Job said nothing wrong.<\/p>\n An important truth to remember:<\/span> It ALL comes to us through God\u201d\u2122s hands, no matter how you slice it!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n What about Job\u201d\u2122s \u201cgood friends\u201d?\u00a0 Want to learn how NOT to be a good Christian friend?\u00a0 Spend some time reading the whole story of Job.\u00a0 You\u201d\u2122ll find yourself agreeing with some of their thinking, because sometimes<\/em> personal sin is the reason God turns up the heat on our lives.\u00a0 But their mistake that they had no room in their theology for another reason for suffering\u201d\u201da reason that has nothing to do with our sin or our faith (or lack of faith) and everything to do with God\u201d\u2122s Divine prerogative!<\/p>\n Job 16:19-22: 19<\/sup><\/strong> Even now my witness is in heaven.\u00a0 My advocate is there on high.\u00a0 20<\/sup><\/strong> My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.\u00a0 21<\/sup><\/strong> I need someone to mediate between God and me, as a person mediates between friends.\u00a0 22<\/sup><\/strong> For soon I must go down that road from which I will never return.<\/p>\n Job 19:25-29:<\/strong> 25<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cBut as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last.\u00a0 26<\/sup><\/strong> And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God![a<\/a>] 27<\/strong><\/sup> I will see him for myself.\u00a0 Yes, I will see him with my own eyes.\u00a0 I am overwhelmed at the thought! \u00a028<\/sup><\/strong> \u201cHow dare you go on persecuting me, saying, \u201d\u02dcIt\u201d\u2122s his own fault\u201d\u2122?\u00a0 29<\/sup><\/strong> You should fear punishment yourselves, for your attitude deserves punishment.\u00a0 Then you will know that there is indeed a judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n Job knew he needed a Savior and was dependent on God\u201d\u2122s Messiah long before Jesus ever showed up.\u00a0 But he also had a better understanding of suffering than his friends\u201d\u201dan understanding that left room for God to simply be God and never explain Himself<\/em>.\u00a0 And by the way\u201d\u201dIF God explains Himself, it is an act of grace, NOT something He owes us or that we deserve<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n
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