FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF CANOGA PARK

DR. BRENT STRAWSBURG

NOVEMBER 24, 2013

...Meanwhile, where is God?...When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, if you turn to Him then with praise, you will be welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain and what do you find?

A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away.

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Reason Reason #1#1

““You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Genesis 50:20 NIVGenesis 50:20 NIV

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES TO TIMES TO ACCOMPLISHACCOMPLISH HIS HIS

PURPOSESPURPOSES

Reason Reason #2#2

To keep from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly To keep from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a

messenger of Satan, to torment me.messenger of Satan, to torment me.2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES TO TIMES TO REMOVE REMOVE OUROUR SELF-SELF-

SUFFICIENCYSUFFICIENCY

Pain is God’s megaphone Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world!to rouse a deaf world!

-C.S. Lewis-C.S. Lewis

““I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.him, he will bear fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

1 John 5:7 NIV1 John 5:7 NIV

Reason Reason #3#3

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 77 These have come so that your These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

1 Peter 1:6,7 NIV1 Peter 1:6,7 NIV

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES TO TIMES TO DEVELOP OUR DEVELOP OUR FAITHFAITH

……even though now for a little while, even though now for a little while, if necessaryif necessary, you have been, you have been

distressed by various trials, distressed by various trials, 1 Peter 1:6,7 NASB1 Peter 1:6,7 NASB

And without faith it is impossible to please God, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.seek him.

Hebrews 11:6 NIVHebrews 11:6 NIV

Reason Reason #4#4

33 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, of compassion and the God of all comfort, 44 who comforts us in all our who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. we ourselves have received from God.

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES SO TIMES SO THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN

COMFORTCOMFORT OTHERS OTHERS

Reason Reason #4#4

55 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. through Christ our comfort overflows.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES SO TIMES SO THAT WE CAN THAT WE CAN

COMFORTCOMFORT OTHERS OTHERS

The image Jesus left with the world, the cross, the most common image in the Christian religion, is proof that God cares about our suffering and pain. He died of it. Today the image is coated with gold and worn around the necks of beautiful girls, a symbol of how far we can stray from the reality of history.

But it stands, unique among all the religions of the world. Many of them have gods. But only one has a God who cared enough to become a man and to die.

Philip Yancey, Where is God When it Hurts

This plan of the body meshes with the way God is working in the world. Sometimes He does enter in,

occasionally performing miracles, often giving supernatural strength to those in need. But mainly He relies on us, His agents, to do His work in the world.

We announce His message, work for justice, pray for mercy...and suffer with the sufferers. We are to

comfort each other and bring healing; by doing so, we will be recognized as Christ’s body.

-Philip YanceyWhere is God When it Hurts

Reason Reason #5#5

22 ““I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. 33 You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. wonderful for me to know.

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES TO TIMES TO BRING US BRING US CLOSERCLOSER TO TO

HIMHIM

Reason Reason #5#5

44 ““You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ shall answer me.’ 55 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. seen you.

Job 42:1-5 NIVJob 42:1-5 NIV

GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL GOD MAY ALLOW HURTFUL TIMES TO TIMES TO BRING US BRING US CLOSERCLOSER TO TO

HIMHIM

Nietzsche said a man can undergo torture if he knows the why of his life...But I, here at Dachau, learned something far

greater. I learned to know the Who of my life. He was enough to sustain me then, and is enough to sustain me

still.-Christian Reger

Dachau Concentration Camp Survivor

Life Life Principal#1Principal#1

1313 Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what he has made crooked? made crooked? 1414 When times are good, be happy; but when times When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 NIVEcclesiastes 7:13-14 NIV

GOD DESIGNED OUR FUTUREGOD DESIGNED OUR FUTURETO BE TO BE CONCEALEDCONCEALED

Knowing all the good in our future would remove the joy of discovery.

Knowing all the bad in our future would totally overwhelm us and terrify

us.

Life Life Principal#2Principal#2

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”....pleasure in them”.... 6 6 Remember him—before the silver cord is Remember him—before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; …severed, or the golden bowl is broken; …

GOD DESIGNED LIFE TO BEGOD DESIGNED LIFE TO BELIVED IN HIS LIVED IN HIS SHADOWSHADOW

Life Life Principal#2Principal#2

……before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well, the well, 77 and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.spirit returns to God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12:1,6-7 NIVEcclesiastes 12:1,6-7 NIV

GOD DESIGNED LIFE TO BEGOD DESIGNED LIFE TO BELIVED IN HIS LIVED IN HIS SHADOWSHADOW

Life is no brief candle to me, it is a sort of splendid torch which I’ve got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

-George Bernard Shaw