Wednesday, 30 July 2014
"I Don't Understand It" File - Joel Osteen
Each of us should have what I call an "I Don't Understand It" file. When something comes up for which you have no reasonable answer, instead of dwelling on it and trying to figure it out, simply place it in your I Don't Understand It file.
In the meantime, you must muster enough faith to say, "God, I don't understand it, but I trust You. And I'm not going to spend all my time trying to figure out why certain things have happened. I'm going to trust You to make something good out of it. You're a good God, and I know You have my best interests at heart. You promised that all things will work together for my good."
That is faith, and that is the attitude God honors.
Saturday, 26 July 2014
About Giving - Samuel Godfrey George
When someone is trouble help. Don't wait to be
asked. Remember, it is better to give than to receive.
And when we give we are like God, for God is the greatest of givers.
Give whatever you can even if it is little. But give. Never hesitate to give even your last penny. For that is the way of the people of God.
Don't excuse yourself from giving. For there can be no excuse from that. Even a beggar can give from what he has begged from others.
Don't ignore the people who work tirelessly to spread the love of God. They make great sacrifices for the sake of others. So others must make great sacrifices for them.
If you give only to those who ask from you, how will you ever reward those who do not ask because they do not wish to trouble you with their burdens? Such people are more worthy of your giving. It is they that you must attend to first.
You cannot worship God as long as you ignore those who are in need.
You love God by loving those He created. And you cannot love anyone without giving away something of value.
Loving is giving. And giving is to part with something that the other needs, even if such giving hurts the one who gives.
Some people have made a business out of serving God. Every truth is bought and sold. Every message is attached to a request for help. Yet there are others who work for God alone and unseen. They make no requests, at least not persistent ones. They work passionately despite many hardships. Is their suffering to go on unrelieved? Will people give only to those who make overt. persistent requests? Such an outcome is lamentable. Let people reach out to those who suffer silently for God.
And when we give we are like God, for God is the greatest of givers.
Give whatever you can even if it is little. But give. Never hesitate to give even your last penny. For that is the way of the people of God.
Don't excuse yourself from giving. For there can be no excuse from that. Even a beggar can give from what he has begged from others.
Don't ignore the people who work tirelessly to spread the love of God. They make great sacrifices for the sake of others. So others must make great sacrifices for them.
If you give only to those who ask from you, how will you ever reward those who do not ask because they do not wish to trouble you with their burdens? Such people are more worthy of your giving. It is they that you must attend to first.
You cannot worship God as long as you ignore those who are in need.
You love God by loving those He created. And you cannot love anyone without giving away something of value.
Loving is giving. And giving is to part with something that the other needs, even if such giving hurts the one who gives.
Some people have made a business out of serving God. Every truth is bought and sold. Every message is attached to a request for help. Yet there are others who work for God alone and unseen. They make no requests, at least not persistent ones. They work passionately despite many hardships. Is their suffering to go on unrelieved? Will people give only to those who make overt. persistent requests? Such an outcome is lamentable. Let people reach out to those who suffer silently for God.
Praying
for someone is a great gift that one gives to another. Yet let praying
not be an excuse for not giving, for not acting desirably, for not
parting with something that the other needs. Giving in its most genuine
form must hurt. For you have not given anything until you have satisfied
another even at the cost of inconveniencing yourself.
We are told to pray, for prayer is essentially an acknowledgement of who God is and why we need Him. We pray because we need to commune with God. And we need to commune with God because we are incomplete without Him. We pray for others because we are called to intercede for others. Sometimes we pray for others because we cannot do anything else for them. But let us not just pray for others when we can do something else, which will relieve their suffering. Let us not use prayer as an excuse for not acting in a way that will inconvenience us. Such prayer cannot really please God.
.We are told to pray, for prayer is essentially an acknowledgement of who God is and why we need Him. We pray because we need to commune with God. And we need to commune with God because we are incomplete without Him. We pray for others because we are called to intercede for others. Sometimes we pray for others because we cannot do anything else for them. But let us not just pray for others when we can do something else, which will relieve their suffering. Let us not use prayer as an excuse for not acting in a way that will inconvenience us. Such prayer cannot really please God.
Even If The Bottom Falls Out - Joel Osteen Quotes
'Remember, "Faith is the substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen." Notice, faith has to do with the
unseen world. You may not be able to perceive anything positive
happening in your life with your natural eyes today. In fact, everything
may be falling apart - your finances, your health, your business, your
children. You may have all kinds of problems, and in the natural order,
it doesn't look as though anything is turning around. But don't be
discouraged. Look into the invisible world, into the supernatural world,
and through your eyes of faith, see that situation turning around. See
your joy and peace being restored.'
"You've
got to believe good things are on their way. You must believe that God
is at work in your life, that He is restoring you to your rightful
place. In other words, you've got to see those things coming to pass.
You've got to see your marriage being restored. You have to see that
wayward child coming home. You need to see that business turning around.
It has to be conceived in your heart. Look at life through your eyes of
faith into that invisible world and see your dreams coming to pass."
'The
world tells you, "You need to see it to believe it." But God says just
the opposite. Only as you believe it will you ever see it. You've got to
look out through your eyes of faith and see it. Once you see it by
faith, it can come into existence in the physical world.'
'Remember,
no weapon formed against you is going to prosper. That doesn't mean
that there will not be opposition in your life; there will be weapons
formed against you, and they may be formidable and frightening. But they
cannot ultimately hurt you. Your future is intact with God. You will
not go under, you will go through. The Scripture says, "Many are the
afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them
all."'
'The best is yet to come.
You can get up each morning expecting things to turn in your favor.
Start expecting His blessings. If you believe, Jesus said, "all things
are possible." Let me challenge you to be a believer. Let faith rise in
your heart. Get into agreement with God, and He'll do more than you can
ask or think.'
'Even if the
bottom falls out of your life, your attitude should be "God, I know that
You are going to turn this around and use it for my good. God, I
believe that You're going to bring me out stronger than ever before."'
The Way We Think - John Ortberg Quotes
"That is why it so ironic that in the most important area of life
we often disregard one basic human resource with a nonchalance that is
nothing less than astounding - the mind. What we feed everything else we
possess is nothing compared with the importance of what we feed our
minds." (John Ortberg)
"Whether we are filled with confidence or fear depends on the kind of thoughts that habitually occupy our minds." (John Ortberg)
"The way you think creates your attitudes; the way you think shapes your emotions; the way you think governs your behavior; the way you think deeply influences your immune system and vulnerability to illness. Everything about you flows out of the way you think." (John Ortberg)
"Over the long haul, good thinking - accurate perceptions, healthy emotions, wholesome desires, honorable intentions - cannot produce bad results; bad thinking cannot produce good results." (John Ortberg)
"Your mind will think most about what it is most exposed to. What repeatedly enters your mind occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become."
"We are flooded with sexual images on television screens, computer terminals, magazine covers, and multiplex movie marquees. Sexually explicit images and e-mails are sent not just to teenagers, but to children who have virtually no chance to protect themselves from what they do not even know they are getting into - and then we profess to be shocked when promiscuity and sexual addiction levels go up and marital fidelity and stability go down."
"If enough teenage girls look at enough magazine covers featuring enough models who are paid outrageous sums of money to make themselves unnaturally thin and then interviewed and quoted as the experts on what makes life worth living, we will raise a generation of young women whose minds are constantly filled with such thoughts. You're not thin enough, not pretty enough, not desirable enough to men. Their feelings of self-esteem will plummet. Hope will die. And the behavioral consequences will skyrocket - and it shouldn't surprise anyone."
"The events you attend, the material you read (or don't), the music you hear, the images you watch, the conversations you hold, the daydreams you entertain - all are shaping your mind and, ultimately, your character and destiny. This is supremely true when it comes to hope."
"Whether we are filled with confidence or fear depends on the kind of thoughts that habitually occupy our minds." (John Ortberg)
"The way you think creates your attitudes; the way you think shapes your emotions; the way you think governs your behavior; the way you think deeply influences your immune system and vulnerability to illness. Everything about you flows out of the way you think." (John Ortberg)
"Over the long haul, good thinking - accurate perceptions, healthy emotions, wholesome desires, honorable intentions - cannot produce bad results; bad thinking cannot produce good results." (John Ortberg)
"Your mind will think most about what it is most exposed to. What repeatedly enters your mind occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become."
"We are flooded with sexual images on television screens, computer terminals, magazine covers, and multiplex movie marquees. Sexually explicit images and e-mails are sent not just to teenagers, but to children who have virtually no chance to protect themselves from what they do not even know they are getting into - and then we profess to be shocked when promiscuity and sexual addiction levels go up and marital fidelity and stability go down."
"If enough teenage girls look at enough magazine covers featuring enough models who are paid outrageous sums of money to make themselves unnaturally thin and then interviewed and quoted as the experts on what makes life worth living, we will raise a generation of young women whose minds are constantly filled with such thoughts. You're not thin enough, not pretty enough, not desirable enough to men. Their feelings of self-esteem will plummet. Hope will die. And the behavioral consequences will skyrocket - and it shouldn't surprise anyone."
"The events you attend, the material you read (or don't), the music you hear, the images you watch, the conversations you hold, the daydreams you entertain - all are shaping your mind and, ultimately, your character and destiny. This is supremely true when it comes to hope."
"If
you really want to become a certain kind of person - a hopeful person
focused on Christ - you must begin to think thoughts that will produce
those characteristics. . . . When we focus on Christ, these are the
kinds of thoughts he will inspire you to think. Therefore you must put
your mind in a place that will lead you to think hope-producing
thoughts. You need to expose your mind to those resources, books, tapes,
people, and conversations that will inline you toward confidence in
God."
Thursday, 24 July 2014
I Am About To Make An Important Decision - Psalm 26 - Psalms Now
I am about to make an important decision, Lord,
and the day before me is charged with uncertainty;
Enable me to sense Your presence,
to feel Your undergirding power,
to be assured of Your guiding concern.
I have been Your son and servant for many years.
Even in my youth I claimed Your redeeming love
and dedicated my life to Your purposes.
Until now I have shunned the world's enticements,
the human ambitions that so teasingly beckon,
to pursue Your objectives
and carry out Your commands.
I have been faithful to the hour of worship
and the time of prayer.
I have celebrated Your grace and sung Your praises.
My dearest friends are those who love and serve You.
Now, O Lord, I have come to a fork in the road.
I don't know which way to turn,
I commit this day into Your hands.
I pray that it may be lived by Your direction
and in accord with Your will.
I raise my voice in thanksgiving, O God,
for You have granted me the assurance
that You will guide my faltering steps.
Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
and the day before me is charged with uncertainty;
Enable me to sense Your presence,
to feel Your undergirding power,
to be assured of Your guiding concern.
I have been Your son and servant for many years.
Even in my youth I claimed Your redeeming love
and dedicated my life to Your purposes.
Until now I have shunned the world's enticements,
the human ambitions that so teasingly beckon,
to pursue Your objectives
and carry out Your commands.
I have been faithful to the hour of worship
and the time of prayer.
I have celebrated Your grace and sung Your praises.
My dearest friends are those who love and serve You.
Now, O Lord, I have come to a fork in the road.
I don't know which way to turn,
I commit this day into Your hands.
I pray that it may be lived by Your direction
and in accord with Your will.
I raise my voice in thanksgiving, O God,
for You have granted me the assurance
that You will guide my faltering steps.
Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
How Frail Is Man, How Few His Days, How Full Of Trouble!
“How frail is man, how few his days, how full of trouble! He blossoms for a moment like a flower—and withers; as the shadow of a passing cloud, he quickly disappears. Must
you be so harsh with frail men and demand an accounting from them? How
can you demand purity in one born impure? You have set mankind so brief a
span of life—months is all you give him! Not one bit longer may he
live. So give him a little rest, won’t you? Turn away your angry gaze
and let him have a few moments of relief before he dies.
“For there is hope for a tree—if it’s cut down, it sprouts again and grows tender, new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth, and its stump decays, it may sprout and bud again at the touch of water, like a new seedling. But when a man dies and is buried, where does his spirit go? As water evaporates from a lake, as a river disappears in drought, so a man lies down for the last time and does not rise again until the heavens are no more; he shall not awaken, nor be roused from his sleep. Oh, that you would hide me with the dead and forget me there until your anger ends; but mark your calendar to think of me again!
“If a man dies, shall he live again? This thought gives me hope, so that in all my anguish I eagerly await sweet death! You would call and I would come, and you would reward all I do. But now, instead, you give me so few steps upon the stage of life and notice every mistake I make. You bundle them all together as evidence against me.
“Mountains wear away and disappear. Water grinds the stones to sand. Torrents tear away the soil. So every hope of man is worn away. Always you are against him, and then he passes off the scene. You make him old and wrinkled, then send him away. He never knows it if his sons are honored; or they may fail and face disaster, but he knows it not. For him there is only sorrow and pain.”
(From Job 14, TLB)
“For there is hope for a tree—if it’s cut down, it sprouts again and grows tender, new branches. Though its roots have grown old in the earth, and its stump decays, it may sprout and bud again at the touch of water, like a new seedling. But when a man dies and is buried, where does his spirit go? As water evaporates from a lake, as a river disappears in drought, so a man lies down for the last time and does not rise again until the heavens are no more; he shall not awaken, nor be roused from his sleep. Oh, that you would hide me with the dead and forget me there until your anger ends; but mark your calendar to think of me again!
“If a man dies, shall he live again? This thought gives me hope, so that in all my anguish I eagerly await sweet death! You would call and I would come, and you would reward all I do. But now, instead, you give me so few steps upon the stage of life and notice every mistake I make. You bundle them all together as evidence against me.
“Mountains wear away and disappear. Water grinds the stones to sand. Torrents tear away the soil. So every hope of man is worn away. Always you are against him, and then he passes off the scene. You make him old and wrinkled, then send him away. He never knows it if his sons are honored; or they may fail and face disaster, but he knows it not. For him there is only sorrow and pain.”
(From Job 14, TLB)
Must You Go On Speaking For God?
“Look,
I have seen many instances such as you describe. I understand what you
are saying. I know as much as you do. I’m not stupid. Oh, how I long to
speak directly to the Almighty. I want to talk this over with God
himself. For you are misinterpreting the whole thing. You are doctors
who don’t know what they are doing. Oh, please be quiet! That would be
your highest wisdom.
“Listen to me now, to my reasons for what I think and to my pleadings.
“Must you go on ‘speaking for God’ when he never once has said the things that you are putting in his mouth? Does God want your help if you are going to twist the truth for him? Be careful that he doesn’t find out what you are doing! Or do you think you can fool God as well as men? No, you will be in serious trouble with him if you use lies to try to help him out. Doesn’t his majesty strike terror to your heart? How can you do this thing? These tremendous statements you have made have about as much value as ashes. Your defense of God is as fragile as a clay vase!
“Be silent now and leave me alone, that I may speak—and I am willing to face the consequences. Yes, I will take my life in my hand and say what I really think. God may kill me for saying this—in fact, I expect him to. Nevertheless, I am going to argue my case with him.This at least will be in my favor, that I am not godless, to be rejected instantly from his presence. Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.
“This is my case: I know that I am righteous. Who can argue with me over this? If you could prove me wrong, I would stop defending myself and die.
“O God, there are two things I beg you not to do to me; only then will I be able to face you. Don’t abandon me. And don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. Call to me to come—how quickly I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply. Tell me, what have I done wrong? Help me! Point out my sin to me. Why do you turn away from me? Why hand me over to my enemy? Would you blame a leaf that is blown about by the wind? Will you chase dry, useless straws?
“You write bitter things against me and bring up all the follies of my youth. You send me to prison and shut me in on every side. I am like a fallen, rotten tree, like a moth-eaten coat."
- From Job 13, TLB
“Listen to me now, to my reasons for what I think and to my pleadings.
“Must you go on ‘speaking for God’ when he never once has said the things that you are putting in his mouth? Does God want your help if you are going to twist the truth for him? Be careful that he doesn’t find out what you are doing! Or do you think you can fool God as well as men? No, you will be in serious trouble with him if you use lies to try to help him out. Doesn’t his majesty strike terror to your heart? How can you do this thing? These tremendous statements you have made have about as much value as ashes. Your defense of God is as fragile as a clay vase!
“Be silent now and leave me alone, that I may speak—and I am willing to face the consequences. Yes, I will take my life in my hand and say what I really think. God may kill me for saying this—in fact, I expect him to. Nevertheless, I am going to argue my case with him.This at least will be in my favor, that I am not godless, to be rejected instantly from his presence. Listen closely to what I am about to say. Hear me out.
“This is my case: I know that I am righteous. Who can argue with me over this? If you could prove me wrong, I would stop defending myself and die.
“O God, there are two things I beg you not to do to me; only then will I be able to face you. Don’t abandon me. And don’t terrify me with your awesome presence. Call to me to come—how quickly I will answer! Or let me speak to you, and you reply. Tell me, what have I done wrong? Help me! Point out my sin to me. Why do you turn away from me? Why hand me over to my enemy? Would you blame a leaf that is blown about by the wind? Will you chase dry, useless straws?
“You write bitter things against me and bring up all the follies of my youth. You send me to prison and shut me in on every side. I am like a fallen, rotten tree, like a moth-eaten coat."
- From Job 13, TLB
Let Me Complain Freely - Job
“I am weary of living. Let me complain freely. I will speak in my sorrow and bitterness. I will say to God, ‘Don’t just condemn me—tell me why you are doing it. Does
it really seem right to you to oppress and despise me, a man you have
made; and to send joy and prosperity to the wicked? Are you unjust like
men? Is your life so short that you must hound me for sins you know full
well I’ve not committed? Is it because you know no one can save me from
your hand?
“‘You have made me, and yet you destroy me. Oh, please remember that I’m made of dust—will you change me back again to dust so soon? You have already poured me from bottle to bottle like milk and curdled me like cheese. You gave me skin and flesh and knit together bones and sinews. You gave me life and were so kind and loving to me, and I was preserved by your care.
“‘Yet all the time your real motive in making me was to destroy me if I sinned, and to refuse to forgive my iniquity. Just the slightest wickedness, and I am done for. And if I’m good, that doesn’t count. I am filled with frustration. If I start to get up off the ground, you leap upon me like a lion and quickly finish me off. Again and again you witness against me and pour out an ever-increasing volume of wrath upon me and bring fresh armies against me.
“‘Why then did you even let me be born? Why didn’t you let me die at birth? Then I would have been spared this miserable existence. I would have gone directly from the womb to the grave. Can’t you see how little time I have left? Oh, leave me alone that I may have a little moment of comfort before I leave for the land of darkness and the shadow of death, never to return— a land as dark as midnight, a land of the shadow of death where only confusion reigns and where the brightest light is dark as midnight.’”
- From Job 10, TLB
“‘You have made me, and yet you destroy me. Oh, please remember that I’m made of dust—will you change me back again to dust so soon? You have already poured me from bottle to bottle like milk and curdled me like cheese. You gave me skin and flesh and knit together bones and sinews. You gave me life and were so kind and loving to me, and I was preserved by your care.
“‘Yet all the time your real motive in making me was to destroy me if I sinned, and to refuse to forgive my iniquity. Just the slightest wickedness, and I am done for. And if I’m good, that doesn’t count. I am filled with frustration. If I start to get up off the ground, you leap upon me like a lion and quickly finish me off. Again and again you witness against me and pour out an ever-increasing volume of wrath upon me and bring fresh armies against me.
“‘Why then did you even let me be born? Why didn’t you let me die at birth? Then I would have been spared this miserable existence. I would have gone directly from the womb to the grave. Can’t you see how little time I have left? Oh, leave me alone that I may have a little moment of comfort before I leave for the land of darkness and the shadow of death, never to return— a land as dark as midnight, a land of the shadow of death where only confusion reigns and where the brightest light is dark as midnight.’”
- From Job 10, TLB
O God, Why Won't You Leave Me Alone? - Job
“How mankind must struggle. A man’s life is long and hard, like that of a slave. How he longs for the day to end. How he grinds on to the end of the week and his wages. And
so to me also have been allotted months of frustration, these long and
weary nights. When I go to bed I think, ‘Oh, that it were morning,’ and
then I toss till dawn.
“My skin is filled with worms and blackness. My flesh breaks open, full of pus. My life drags by—day after hopeless day. My life is but a breath, and nothing good is left. You see me now, but not for long. Soon you’ll look upon me dead. As a cloud disperses and vanishes, so those who die shall go away forever— gone forever from their family and their home—never to be seen again. Ah, let me express my anguish. Let me be free to speak out of the bitterness of my soul.
“O God, am I some monster that you never leave me alone? Even when I try to forget my misery in sleep, you terrify with nightmares. I would rather die of strangulation than go on and on like this. I hate my life. Oh, leave me alone for these few remaining days. What is mere man that you should spend your time persecuting him? Must you be his inquisitor every morning and test him every moment of the day? Why won’t you leave me alone—even long enough to spit?
“Has my sin harmed you, O God, watcher of mankind? Why have you made me your target, and made my life so heavy a burden to me? Why not just pardon my sin and take it all away? For all too soon I’ll lie down in the dust and die, and when you look for me, I shall be gone.”
- From Job 7, TLB
“My skin is filled with worms and blackness. My flesh breaks open, full of pus. My life drags by—day after hopeless day. My life is but a breath, and nothing good is left. You see me now, but not for long. Soon you’ll look upon me dead. As a cloud disperses and vanishes, so those who die shall go away forever— gone forever from their family and their home—never to be seen again. Ah, let me express my anguish. Let me be free to speak out of the bitterness of my soul.
“O God, am I some monster that you never leave me alone? Even when I try to forget my misery in sleep, you terrify with nightmares. I would rather die of strangulation than go on and on like this. I hate my life. Oh, leave me alone for these few remaining days. What is mere man that you should spend your time persecuting him? Must you be his inquisitor every morning and test him every moment of the day? Why won’t you leave me alone—even long enough to spit?
“Has my sin harmed you, O God, watcher of mankind? Why have you made me your target, and made my life so heavy a burden to me? Why not just pardon my sin and take it all away? For all too soon I’ll lie down in the dust and die, and when you look for me, I shall be gone.”
- From Job 7, TLB
The Lord Gives And The Lord Takes It Away - Job
There lived in the land of Uz a man named Job—a good man who feared God and stayed away from evil. He
had a large family of seven sons and three daughters and was immensely
wealthy,for he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, 500
female donkeys, and employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest
cattleman in that entire area.
Every year when Job’s sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to their homes for a celebration. On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment. When these birthday parties ended—and sometimes they lasted several days—Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
One day as the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them.
“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
And Satan replied, “From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on.”
Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.”
“Why shouldn’t he when you pay him so well?” Satan scoffed. “You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does—look how rich he is! No wonder he ‘worships’ you! But just take away his wealth, and you’ll see him curse you to your face!”
And the Lord replied to Satan, “You may do anything you like with his wealth, but don’t harm him physically.”
So Satan went away; and sure enough, not long afterwards when Job’s sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother’s house, tragedy struck.
A messenger rushed to Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us, drove away the animals, and killed all the farmhands except me. I am the only one left.”
While this messenger was still speaking, another arrived with more bad news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Before this man finished, still another messenger rushed in: “Three bands of Chaldeans have driven off your camels and killed your servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
As he was still speaking, another arrived to say, “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and engulfed the house so that the roof fell in on them and all are dead; and I alone escaped to tell you.”
Then Job stood up and tore his robe in grief and fell down upon the ground before God. “I came naked from my mother’s womb,” he said, “and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all of this Job did not sin or revile God.
(From Job 1, TLB)
Every year when Job’s sons had birthdays, they invited their brothers and sisters to their homes for a celebration. On these occasions they would eat and drink with great merriment. When these birthday parties ended—and sometimes they lasted several days—Job would summon his children to him and sanctify them, getting up early in the morning and offering a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and turned away from God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
One day as the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, Satan, the Accuser, came with them.
“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
And Satan replied, “From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on.”
Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth—a good man who fears God and will have nothing to do with evil.”
“Why shouldn’t he when you pay him so well?” Satan scoffed. “You have always protected him and his home and his property from all harm. You have prospered everything he does—look how rich he is! No wonder he ‘worships’ you! But just take away his wealth, and you’ll see him curse you to your face!”
And the Lord replied to Satan, “You may do anything you like with his wealth, but don’t harm him physically.”
So Satan went away; and sure enough, not long afterwards when Job’s sons and daughters were dining at the oldest brother’s house, tragedy struck.
A messenger rushed to Job’s home with this news: “Your oxen were plowing, with the donkeys feeding beside them, when the Sabeans raided us, drove away the animals, and killed all the farmhands except me. I am the only one left.”
While this messenger was still speaking, another arrived with more bad news: “The fire of God has fallen from heaven and burned up your sheep and all the herdsmen, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Before this man finished, still another messenger rushed in: “Three bands of Chaldeans have driven off your camels and killed your servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
As he was still speaking, another arrived to say, “Your sons and daughters were feasting in their oldest brother’s home, when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and engulfed the house so that the roof fell in on them and all are dead; and I alone escaped to tell you.”
Then Job stood up and tore his robe in grief and fell down upon the ground before God. “I came naked from my mother’s womb,” he said, “and I shall have nothing when I die. The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were his to take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
In all of this Job did not sin or revile God.
(From Job 1, TLB)
Curse God And Die - Job
Now the angelscame again to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan was with them.
“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
“From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on,” Satan replied.
“Well, have you noticed my servant Job?” the Lord asked. “He is the finest man in all the earth—a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in me despite the fact that you persuaded me to let you harm him without any cause.”
“Skin for skin,” Satan replied. “A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness, and he will curse you to your face!”
“Do with him as you please,” the Lord replied; “only spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. Then Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die.”
But he replied, “You talk like some heathen woman. What? Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” So in all this Job said nothing wrong.
When three of Job’s friends heard of all the tragedy that had befallen him, they got in touch with each other and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Job was so changed that they could scarcely recognize him. Wailing loudly in despair, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air and put earth on their heads to demonstrate their sorrow. Then they sat upon the ground with him silently for seven days and nights, no one speaking a word; for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
From Job 2, TLB
“Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.
“From earth, where I’ve been watching everything that’s going on,” Satan replied.
“Well, have you noticed my servant Job?” the Lord asked. “He is the finest man in all the earth—a good man who fears God and turns away from all evil. And he has kept his faith in me despite the fact that you persuaded me to let you harm him without any cause.”
“Skin for skin,” Satan replied. “A man will give anything to save his life. Touch his body with sickness, and he will curse you to your face!”
“Do with him as you please,” the Lord replied; “only spare his life.”
So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with a terrible case of boils from head to foot. Then Job took a broken piece of pottery to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.
His wife said to him, “Are you still trying to be godly when God has done all this to you? Curse him and die.”
But he replied, “You talk like some heathen woman. What? Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” So in all this Job said nothing wrong.
When three of Job’s friends heard of all the tragedy that had befallen him, they got in touch with each other and traveled from their homes to comfort and console him. Their names were Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. Job was so changed that they could scarcely recognize him. Wailing loudly in despair, they tore their robes and threw dust into the air and put earth on their heads to demonstrate their sorrow. Then they sat upon the ground with him silently for seven days and nights, no one speaking a word; for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
From Job 2, TLB
Wednesday, 23 July 2014
I Will Teach You About God - Job
“I will teach you about God— but really, I don’t need to, for you
yourselves know as much about him as I do; yet you are saying all these
useless things to me.
“This is the fate awaiting the wicked from the hand of the Almighty: If he has a multitude of children, it is so that they will die in war or starve to death. Those who survive shall be brought down to the grave by disease and plague, with no one to mourn them, not even their wives.
“The evil man may accumulate money like dust, with closets jammed full of clothing— yes, he may order them made by his tailor, but the innocent shall wear that clothing and shall divide his silver among them. Every house built by the wicked is as fragile as a spider web, as full of cracks as a leafy booth!
“He goes to bed rich but wakes up to find that all his wealth is gone. Terror overwhelms him, and he is blown away in the storms of the night. The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. It sweeps him into eternity. For God shall hurl at him unsparingly. He longs to flee from God. Everyone will cheer at his death and boo him into eternity.
“Men know how to mine silver and refine gold, to dig iron from the earth and melt copper from stone. Men know how to put light into darkness so that a mine shaft can be sunk into the earth, and the earth searched and its deep secrets explored. Into the black rock, shadowed by death, men descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
“Men know how to obtain food from the surface of the earth, while underneath there is fire.
“They know how to find sapphires and gold dust— treasures that no bird of prey can see, no eagle’s eye observe— for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. Men know how to tear apart flinty rocks and how to overturn the roots of mountains. They drill tunnels in the rocks and lay bare precious stones. They dam up streams of water and pan the gold.
“But though men can do all these things, they don’t know where to find wisdom and understanding. They not only don’t know how to get it, but, in fact, it is not to be found among the living.
“‘It’s not here,’ the oceans say; and the seas reply, ‘Nor is it here.’
“It cannot be bought for gold or silver, nor for all the gold of Ophir or precious onyx stones or sapphires. Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and glass. It cannot be bought for jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral or crystal is worthless in trying to get it; its price is far above rubies. Topaz from Ethiopia cannot purchase it, nor even the purest gold.
“Then where can we get it? Where can it be found? For it is hid from the eyes of all mankind; even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.
“But Destruction and Death speak of knowing something about it! And God surely knows where it is to be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He makes the winds blow and sets the boundaries of the oceans. He makes the laws of the rain and a path for the lightning. He knows where wisdom is and declares it to all who will listen. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all mankind: ‘Look, to fear the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
(From Job 27 and 28, TLB)
“This is the fate awaiting the wicked from the hand of the Almighty: If he has a multitude of children, it is so that they will die in war or starve to death. Those who survive shall be brought down to the grave by disease and plague, with no one to mourn them, not even their wives.
“The evil man may accumulate money like dust, with closets jammed full of clothing— yes, he may order them made by his tailor, but the innocent shall wear that clothing and shall divide his silver among them. Every house built by the wicked is as fragile as a spider web, as full of cracks as a leafy booth!
“He goes to bed rich but wakes up to find that all his wealth is gone. Terror overwhelms him, and he is blown away in the storms of the night. The east wind carries him away, and he is gone. It sweeps him into eternity. For God shall hurl at him unsparingly. He longs to flee from God. Everyone will cheer at his death and boo him into eternity.
“Men know how to mine silver and refine gold, to dig iron from the earth and melt copper from stone. Men know how to put light into darkness so that a mine shaft can be sunk into the earth, and the earth searched and its deep secrets explored. Into the black rock, shadowed by death, men descend on ropes, swinging back and forth.
“Men know how to obtain food from the surface of the earth, while underneath there is fire.
“They know how to find sapphires and gold dust— treasures that no bird of prey can see, no eagle’s eye observe— for they are deep within the mines. No wild animal has ever walked upon those treasures; no lion has set his paw there. Men know how to tear apart flinty rocks and how to overturn the roots of mountains. They drill tunnels in the rocks and lay bare precious stones. They dam up streams of water and pan the gold.
“But though men can do all these things, they don’t know where to find wisdom and understanding. They not only don’t know how to get it, but, in fact, it is not to be found among the living.
“‘It’s not here,’ the oceans say; and the seas reply, ‘Nor is it here.’
“It cannot be bought for gold or silver, nor for all the gold of Ophir or precious onyx stones or sapphires. Wisdom is far more valuable than gold and glass. It cannot be bought for jewels mounted in fine gold. Coral or crystal is worthless in trying to get it; its price is far above rubies. Topaz from Ethiopia cannot purchase it, nor even the purest gold.
“Then where can we get it? Where can it be found? For it is hid from the eyes of all mankind; even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.
“But Destruction and Death speak of knowing something about it! And God surely knows where it is to be found, for he looks throughout the whole earth, under all the heavens. He makes the winds blow and sets the boundaries of the oceans. He makes the laws of the rain and a path for the lightning. He knows where wisdom is and declares it to all who will listen. He established it and examined it thoroughly. And this is what he says to all mankind: ‘Look, to fear the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’”
(From Job 27 and 28, TLB)
Waiting For God In Vain - Job
“Why doesn’t God open the court and listen to my case? Why must the
godly wait for him in vain? For a crime wave has engulfed us—landmarks
are moved, flocks of sheep are stolen, and even the donkeys of the poor
and fatherless are taken. Poor widows must surrender the little they
have as a pledge to get a loan. The needy are kicked aside; they must
get out of the way. Like the wild donkeys in the desert, the poor must
spend all their time just getting barely enough to keep soul and body
together. They are sent into the desert to search for food for their
children. They eat what they find that grows wild and must even glean
the vineyards of the wicked. All night they lie naked in the cold,
without clothing or covering. They are wet with the showers of the
mountains and live in caves for want of a home.
“The wicked snatch fatherless children from their mother’s breasts, and take a poor man’s baby as a pledge before they will loan him any money or grain. That is why they must go about naked, without clothing, and are forced to carry food while they are starving. They are forced to press out the olive oil without tasting it and to tread out the grape juice as they suffer from thirst. The bones of the dying cry from the city; the wounded cry for help; yet God does not respond to their moaning.
“The wicked rebel against the light and are not acquainted with the right and the good. They are murderers who rise in the early dawn to kill the poor and needy; at night they are thieves and adulterers, waiting for the twilight ‘when no one will see me,’ they say. They mask their faces so no one will know them. They break into houses at night and sleep in the daytime—they are not acquainted with the light. The black night is their morning; they ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.
“But how quickly they disappear from the face of the earth. Everything they own is cursed. They leave no property for their children. Death consumes sinners as drought and heat consume snow. Even the sinner’s own mother shall forget him. Worms shall feed sweetly on him. No one will remember him anymore. For wicked men are broken like a tree in the storm. For they have taken advantage of the childless who have no protecting sons. They refuse to help the needy widows.
“Yet sometimesit seems as though God preserves the rich by his power and restores them to life when anyone else would die. God gives them confidence and strength, and helps them in many ways. But though they are very great now, yet in a moment they shall be gone like all others, cut off like heads of grain. Can anyone claim otherwise? Who can prove me a liar and claim that I am wrong?”
(From Job 24, TLB)
“The wicked snatch fatherless children from their mother’s breasts, and take a poor man’s baby as a pledge before they will loan him any money or grain. That is why they must go about naked, without clothing, and are forced to carry food while they are starving. They are forced to press out the olive oil without tasting it and to tread out the grape juice as they suffer from thirst. The bones of the dying cry from the city; the wounded cry for help; yet God does not respond to their moaning.
“The wicked rebel against the light and are not acquainted with the right and the good. They are murderers who rise in the early dawn to kill the poor and needy; at night they are thieves and adulterers, waiting for the twilight ‘when no one will see me,’ they say. They mask their faces so no one will know them. They break into houses at night and sleep in the daytime—they are not acquainted with the light. The black night is their morning; they ally themselves with the terrors of the darkness.
“But how quickly they disappear from the face of the earth. Everything they own is cursed. They leave no property for their children. Death consumes sinners as drought and heat consume snow. Even the sinner’s own mother shall forget him. Worms shall feed sweetly on him. No one will remember him anymore. For wicked men are broken like a tree in the storm. For they have taken advantage of the childless who have no protecting sons. They refuse to help the needy widows.
“Yet sometimesit seems as though God preserves the rich by his power and restores them to life when anyone else would die. God gives them confidence and strength, and helps them in many ways. But though they are very great now, yet in a moment they shall be gone like all others, cut off like heads of grain. Can anyone claim otherwise? Who can prove me a liar and claim that I am wrong?”
(From Job 24, TLB)
.Job's Complaint Against God
“Listen to me; let me speak, and afterwards, mock on.
"I am complaining about God,not man; no wonder my spirit is so troubled. Look at me in horror, and lay your hand upon your mouth. Even I am frightened when I see myself. Horror takes hold upon me and I shudder.
“The truth is that the wicked live on to a good old age and become great and powerful. They live to see their children grow to maturity around them, and their grandchildren too. Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them. Their cattle are productive, they have many happy children, they spend their time singing and dancing. They are wealthy and need deny themselves nothing; they are prosperous to the end. All this despite the fact that they ordered God away and wanted no part of him and his ways.
“‘Who is Almighty God?’ they scoff. ‘Why should we obey him? What good will it do us?’
“Look, everything the wicked touch has turned to gold! But I refuse even to deal with people like that. Yet the wicked get away with it every time. They never have trouble, and God skips them when he distributes his sorrows and anger. Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm? Not at all!
“‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’ But I say that God should punish the man who sins, not his children! Let him feel the penalty himself. Yes, let him be destroyed for his iniquity. Let him drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty. For when he is dead, then he will never again be able to enjoy his family.
“But who can rebuke God, the supreme Judge? He destroys those who are healthy, wealthy, fat, and prosperous; God also destroys those in deep and grinding poverty who have never known anything good. Both alike are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same worms.
“I know what you are going to say— you will tell me of rich and wicked men who came to disaster because of their sins. But I reply, Ask anyone who has been around and he can tell you the truth, that the evil man is usually spared in the day of calamity and allowed to escape. No one rebukes him openly. No one repays him for what he has done. And an honor guard keeps watch at his grave. A great funeral procession precedes and follows him as the soft earth covers him. How can you comfort me when your whole premise is so wrong?”
(From Job 21, TLB)
"I am complaining about God,not man; no wonder my spirit is so troubled. Look at me in horror, and lay your hand upon your mouth. Even I am frightened when I see myself. Horror takes hold upon me and I shudder.
“The truth is that the wicked live on to a good old age and become great and powerful. They live to see their children grow to maturity around them, and their grandchildren too. Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them. Their cattle are productive, they have many happy children, they spend their time singing and dancing. They are wealthy and need deny themselves nothing; they are prosperous to the end. All this despite the fact that they ordered God away and wanted no part of him and his ways.
“‘Who is Almighty God?’ they scoff. ‘Why should we obey him? What good will it do us?’
“Look, everything the wicked touch has turned to gold! But I refuse even to deal with people like that. Yet the wicked get away with it every time. They never have trouble, and God skips them when he distributes his sorrows and anger. Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm? Not at all!
“‘Well,’ you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!’ But I say that God should punish the man who sins, not his children! Let him feel the penalty himself. Yes, let him be destroyed for his iniquity. Let him drink deeply of the anger of the Almighty. For when he is dead, then he will never again be able to enjoy his family.
“But who can rebuke God, the supreme Judge? He destroys those who are healthy, wealthy, fat, and prosperous; God also destroys those in deep and grinding poverty who have never known anything good. Both alike are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same worms.
“I know what you are going to say— you will tell me of rich and wicked men who came to disaster because of their sins. But I reply, Ask anyone who has been around and he can tell you the truth, that the evil man is usually spared in the day of calamity and allowed to escape. No one rebukes him openly. No one repays him for what he has done. And an honor guard keeps watch at his grave. A great funeral procession precedes and follows him as the soft earth covers him. How can you comfort me when your whole premise is so wrong?”
(From Job 21, TLB)
God Persecutes Me - Job
“The fact of the matter is that God has overthrown me and caught me
in his net. I scream for help and no one hears me. I shriek, but get no
justice. God has blocked my path and turned my light to darkness. He has
stripped me of my glory and removed the crown from my head. He has broken me down on every side, and I am done for. He has destroyed all hope. His fury burns against me; he counts me as an enemy. He sends his troops to surround my tent.
"He has sent away my brothers and my friends. My relatives have failed me; my friends have all forsaken me. Those living in my home, even my servants, regard me as a stranger. I am like a foreigner to them. I call my servant, but he doesn’t come; I even beg him! My own wife and brothers refuse to recognize me. Even young children despise me. When I stand to speak, they mock.
"My best friends abhor me. Those I loved have turned against me. I am skin and bones and have escaped death by the skin of my teeth.
"Oh, my friends, pity me, for the angry hand of God has touched me.
"Why must you persecute me as God does? Why aren’t you satisfied with my anguish?"
(From Job 19, TLB)
"He has sent away my brothers and my friends. My relatives have failed me; my friends have all forsaken me. Those living in my home, even my servants, regard me as a stranger. I am like a foreigner to them. I call my servant, but he doesn’t come; I even beg him! My own wife and brothers refuse to recognize me. Even young children despise me. When I stand to speak, they mock.
"My best friends abhor me. Those I loved have turned against me. I am skin and bones and have escaped death by the skin of my teeth.
"Oh, my friends, pity me, for the angry hand of God has touched me.
"Why must you persecute me as God does? Why aren’t you satisfied with my anguish?"
(From Job 19, TLB)
I'm Falling Apart - Psalm 6 - Psalms Now
O God, don't clobber me in disgust
or chastise me in anger.
But the fact is, I'm falling apart.
I am distraught and confused.
I am in deep trouble,
and I don't know how long I can take it.
I can only beg You to enter into my conflict,
to extricate me from its incessant battering,
to demonstrate Your love
in deliverance and salvation.
Otherwise I'm going down the drain;
and how, then, could I either praise or serve You?
I am fed up with this continual agony;
I can no longer endure these perpetual defeats.
I am becoming increasingly discouraged
over my human frailties and fallibilities.
If only I could be sure
that You know of my anguish,
that You discern my cries for help,
that You also feel and understand,
that You will never let me go,
then I could stand firm even in defeat
and rise victorious even over my failures
and make even my human weaknesses
serve You.
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
or chastise me in anger.
But the fact is, I'm falling apart.
I am distraught and confused.
I am in deep trouble,
and I don't know how long I can take it.
I can only beg You to enter into my conflict,
to extricate me from its incessant battering,
to demonstrate Your love
in deliverance and salvation.
Otherwise I'm going down the drain;
and how, then, could I either praise or serve You?
I am fed up with this continual agony;
I can no longer endure these perpetual defeats.
I am becoming increasingly discouraged
over my human frailties and fallibilities.
If only I could be sure
that You know of my anguish,
that You discern my cries for help,
that You also feel and understand,
that You will never let me go,
then I could stand firm even in defeat
and rise victorious even over my failures
and make even my human weaknesses
serve You.
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
From The Abyss Of Defeat - Psalm 25 - Psalms Now
I am reaching for You again, O God.
From the abyss of defeat,
the suffocating shame of failure.
I seek Your mercy and Your help.
Enable me to see something of Your will for my life.
Break through this stifling darkness
with some direction, some meaning,
some purpose for my existence.
You are my God; You have promised me salvation.
How long must I wait for Your response?
Have You given me up, O Lord?
Are You remembering the uncountable times
that I have failed You?
Then I am remembering Your steadfast love,
that Your concern is for those
who fail and humble,
that You seek to restore those
who humbly reach out for You.
I know well that those
who walk in Your course for their lives
find contentment and fulfillment.
I have tried to do so, and again I have failed.
I am aware that those who serve You
will know true security and abundance.
I have sought this only to be snared
and incapacitated by my own weaknesses.
O God, have mercy!
I know my guilt is great.
Look upon my emptiness and loneliness,
consider kindly my afflictions and despair,
remember the perpetual presence
of my human weaknesses and instincts.
Regard once more the pernicious and violent forces
that oppose Your will in my life.
Forgive me my many sins,
and restore me to Yourself.
Watch over me and hold on to me, O God,
lest I fall again.
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
From the abyss of defeat,
the suffocating shame of failure.
I seek Your mercy and Your help.
Enable me to see something of Your will for my life.
Break through this stifling darkness
with some direction, some meaning,
some purpose for my existence.
You are my God; You have promised me salvation.
How long must I wait for Your response?
Have You given me up, O Lord?
Are You remembering the uncountable times
that I have failed You?
Then I am remembering Your steadfast love,
that Your concern is for those
who fail and humble,
that You seek to restore those
who humbly reach out for You.
I know well that those
who walk in Your course for their lives
find contentment and fulfillment.
I have tried to do so, and again I have failed.
I am aware that those who serve You
will know true security and abundance.
I have sought this only to be snared
and incapacitated by my own weaknesses.
O God, have mercy!
I know my guilt is great.
Look upon my emptiness and loneliness,
consider kindly my afflictions and despair,
remember the perpetual presence
of my human weaknesses and instincts.
Regard once more the pernicious and violent forces
that oppose Your will in my life.
Forgive me my many sins,
and restore me to Yourself.
Watch over me and hold on to me, O God,
lest I fall again.
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Friday, 18 July 2014
Some Friends Bring No Comfort - Psalms Now - Psalms 41 and 21
'I receive no comfort from many
who I thought were my friends.
I could drop dead; they couldn't care less.
When we meet,
their words are empty,
their thoughts pregnant with suspicion.
When we part,
they go out to spread their suspicions abroad,
imagining the worst about me
and whispering behind my back.
I can well imagine their conversation:
"One would think he'd be
beyond this sort of thing;
and here he calls himself religious.
Why, he's as bad as the worst of them,
He's had it! He won't crawl out of this!"
Even the one person I trusted the most,
in whom I confided,
with whom I lovingly related,
even he looks down his nose at me
as one he would rather step on than support.
He no longer wants anything to do with me."'
- Psalm 41 - Leslie Brant - "Psalms Now"
'But I feel as empty and insignificant
as a bag full of wind.
I don't really expect men's plaudits,
but I so sorely feel their criticism.
I risk all in following
what I feel to be Your will for me;
yet even my friends fail to support me,
and they actually turn against me.
"He thinks he's doing God's will," they say,
"But he'll be sorry he made that decision."'
- Psalm 22 - Leslie Brandt - "Psalms Now"
who I thought were my friends.
I could drop dead; they couldn't care less.
When we meet,
their words are empty,
their thoughts pregnant with suspicion.
When we part,
they go out to spread their suspicions abroad,
imagining the worst about me
and whispering behind my back.
I can well imagine their conversation:
"One would think he'd be
beyond this sort of thing;
and here he calls himself religious.
Why, he's as bad as the worst of them,
He's had it! He won't crawl out of this!"
Even the one person I trusted the most,
in whom I confided,
with whom I lovingly related,
even he looks down his nose at me
as one he would rather step on than support.
He no longer wants anything to do with me."'
- Psalm 41 - Leslie Brant - "Psalms Now"
'But I feel as empty and insignificant
as a bag full of wind.
I don't really expect men's plaudits,
but I so sorely feel their criticism.
I risk all in following
what I feel to be Your will for me;
yet even my friends fail to support me,
and they actually turn against me.
"He thinks he's doing God's will," they say,
"But he'll be sorry he made that decision."'
- Psalm 22 - Leslie Brandt - "Psalms Now"
God Is Here - Let's Celebrate! - Psalm 145 - Psalms Now
"God is here - let's celebrate!
Let us enlist our lives in perpetual celebration
over God's goodness and greatness.
Let us announce to the world God's presence
and proclaim His loving concern for all men.
How compassionate He is over all He has created,
how tender toward His failure-fraught creatures!
He will not cop out on His promises to us.
His blessings are not reserved only for those
who fit obediently into His design for them.
He is just - and He is forgiving.
He gently picks up those who have fallen
and restores them to sonship and servanthood.
He sustains those who are wavering in weakness
and grants them His grace and strength.
He reaches into the void of empty lives
and enriches and fulfills their hungry hearts.
He is near enough to hear our every cry,
to sense our every need,
to grant us whatever is necessary
to make us happy and productive
as we seek to follow and to serve Him.
How incomparably glorious is our great God!
May our mouths articulate and our lives demonstrate
His ever-present love for all His creatures.
Let us celebrate
the eternal mercy and goodness of our God."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Let us enlist our lives in perpetual celebration
over God's goodness and greatness.
Let us announce to the world God's presence
and proclaim His loving concern for all men.
How compassionate He is over all He has created,
how tender toward His failure-fraught creatures!
He will not cop out on His promises to us.
His blessings are not reserved only for those
who fit obediently into His design for them.
He is just - and He is forgiving.
He gently picks up those who have fallen
and restores them to sonship and servanthood.
He sustains those who are wavering in weakness
and grants them His grace and strength.
He reaches into the void of empty lives
and enriches and fulfills their hungry hearts.
He is near enough to hear our every cry,
to sense our every need,
to grant us whatever is necessary
to make us happy and productive
as we seek to follow and to serve Him.
How incomparably glorious is our great God!
May our mouths articulate and our lives demonstrate
His ever-present love for all His creatures.
Let us celebrate
the eternal mercy and goodness of our God."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
O God, It Is Difficult To Understand - Psalm 144 - Psalms Now
"O God, it is difficult to understand
how You can regard man with such high regard
and show him so much concern.
His years upon this earth are so few.
He is little more than a wisp of wind
in the time and space of Your great universe.
You created him as the object of Your love -
only to see him turn from You
to play with his foolish toys.
You tried to teach him to love his fellowman -
only to see him express his fear
and suspicion and hate
through cruel acts of violence and war.
You showered upon him Your abundant gifts -
only to see him make them his ultimate concern.
Still You continue to love him
and seek incessantly to save him
from destroying himself and the world
You have placed in his hands.
Even while he rejects You,
You reach out to draw him back to Yourself.
Even while he suffers the painful consequences
of his rank rebelliousness,
You offer to him Your healing
and demonstrate Your desire
to restore him to love and joy."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
how You can regard man with such high regard
and show him so much concern.
His years upon this earth are so few.
He is little more than a wisp of wind
in the time and space of Your great universe.
You created him as the object of Your love -
only to see him turn from You
to play with his foolish toys.
You tried to teach him to love his fellowman -
only to see him express his fear
and suspicion and hate
through cruel acts of violence and war.
You showered upon him Your abundant gifts -
only to see him make them his ultimate concern.
Still You continue to love him
and seek incessantly to save him
from destroying himself and the world
You have placed in his hands.
Even while he rejects You,
You reach out to draw him back to Yourself.
Even while he suffers the painful consequences
of his rank rebelliousness,
You offer to him Your healing
and demonstrate Your desire
to restore him to love and joy."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Sometimes It Just Isn't Worth It - Psalm 143 - Psalms Now
"It was another one of those days, Lord,
when I should have stayed in bed.
Everything I attempted to do was destined for failure.
I honestly tried to show concern for my fellowman
but got cold shoulders in return.
I tried to speak words of comfort,
and they were thrown right back into my teeth.
I wanted to do well at my job,
but it seemed I just got in everybody's way.
Sometimes it just isn't worth it, Lord,
and I wonder if it isn't time to fold up
and shove off in search of greener pastures.
I want desperately to be a success,
to add points to my score,
or to get commended now and then.
But this didn't happen today, Lord,
and it happens so seldom, I wonder what's wrong.
Am I following Your course for my life,
or am I just muddling through without design?
I need You, God, more now than ever before.
And if I don't get some special lift,
some sense of Your support and encouragement,
I will go right down the tube.
Come closer, O Lord, that I may hear again
Your voice of comfort and concern."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
when I should have stayed in bed.
Everything I attempted to do was destined for failure.
I honestly tried to show concern for my fellowman
but got cold shoulders in return.
I tried to speak words of comfort,
and they were thrown right back into my teeth.
I wanted to do well at my job,
but it seemed I just got in everybody's way.
Sometimes it just isn't worth it, Lord,
and I wonder if it isn't time to fold up
and shove off in search of greener pastures.
I want desperately to be a success,
to add points to my score,
or to get commended now and then.
But this didn't happen today, Lord,
and it happens so seldom, I wonder what's wrong.
Am I following Your course for my life,
or am I just muddling through without design?
I need You, God, more now than ever before.
And if I don't get some special lift,
some sense of Your support and encouragement,
I will go right down the tube.
Come closer, O Lord, that I may hear again
Your voice of comfort and concern."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Where Is My Faith? - Mother Teresa's Doubt
'I think of Agnes. From the time she was a young girl, Agnes
believed. Not just believed - she was on fire. She wanted to do great
things for God. She said she wanted to "love Jesus as he has never been
loved before." She knew Jesus was with her and had an undeniable sense
of him calling her. She wrote in her journal., "My soul at present is in
perfect peace and joy." She experienced a union with God that was so
deep and so continual that it was to her a rapture. She left her home,
became a missionary, gave him everything.
And then God left her.
At least, that is how it felt to her. Where is my faith? she wondered. Even deep down there is nothing but emptiness and darkness. . . . . My God, how painful is this unknown pain. . . . . I have no faith. She tried to pray: "I utter words of community prayers - and try my utmost to get out of every word the sweetness it has to give. But my prayer of union is not there any longer. I no longer pray."
On the outside she worked, she served, she smiled. But she spoke of her smile as her "mask, a cloak that covers everything."
This inner darkness and dryness and pain over the absence of God continued on, year after year, with one brief respite, for nearly fifty years. Such was the secret pain of Agnes, who is better know as Mother Teresa.
The letters that expressed her inner torment were a secret during her life, and she asked that they be destroyed. But a strange thing has happened. Her willingness to persist in the face of such agonizing doubts brings comfort and strength to people that an inner life of ease and certainty never could. As in her life she was a servant of the poor, so in her anguish she has become a missionary for those who doubt.
How are we to understand this? It should warn us about easy formulae that are guaranteed to make us feel closer to God. . . . .
Some people, of course, see this as Mother Teresa just battling up against the reality that God isn't really there after all. "She was no more exempt from the realization that religion is a human fabrication than any other person, and that her attempted cure was more and more professions of faith could only have deepened the pit that she had dug for herself," writes Christopher Hitchens. Richard Dawkins warned everyone not to be "taken in by the santimoniously hypocritical Mother Teresa." This, by the way, strikes me as bad strategy. If you are trying to convert people to atheism, taking a shot at Mother Teresa can't be your best move.
But Mother Teresa didn't have this negative understanding. She did not reject God, but neither did she overcome her pain over God's silence. Rather, in a strange way, it became a part of her. A wise spiritual counselor told her three things she needed to hear. One was that there was no human remedy for this darkness. (So she should not feel responsible for it.) Another was that "feeling" the presence of Jesus was not the only or even the primary evidence of his presence. (Jesus himself said by their fruits - not their certainty - you shall know them.) In fact, the very craving for God was a "sure sign" that God was present - though in a hidden way - in her life. And the third bit of wisdom was that the pain she was going through could be redemptive. Jesus himself had to experience the agony of the absence of God: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And as his suffering was redemptive for us, so Mother Teresa could suffer redemptively by holding on to God in the midst of darkness.'
- John Ortberg "Faith & Doubt"
And then God left her.
At least, that is how it felt to her. Where is my faith? she wondered. Even deep down there is nothing but emptiness and darkness. . . . . My God, how painful is this unknown pain. . . . . I have no faith. She tried to pray: "I utter words of community prayers - and try my utmost to get out of every word the sweetness it has to give. But my prayer of union is not there any longer. I no longer pray."
On the outside she worked, she served, she smiled. But she spoke of her smile as her "mask, a cloak that covers everything."
This inner darkness and dryness and pain over the absence of God continued on, year after year, with one brief respite, for nearly fifty years. Such was the secret pain of Agnes, who is better know as Mother Teresa.
The letters that expressed her inner torment were a secret during her life, and she asked that they be destroyed. But a strange thing has happened. Her willingness to persist in the face of such agonizing doubts brings comfort and strength to people that an inner life of ease and certainty never could. As in her life she was a servant of the poor, so in her anguish she has become a missionary for those who doubt.
How are we to understand this? It should warn us about easy formulae that are guaranteed to make us feel closer to God. . . . .
Some people, of course, see this as Mother Teresa just battling up against the reality that God isn't really there after all. "She was no more exempt from the realization that religion is a human fabrication than any other person, and that her attempted cure was more and more professions of faith could only have deepened the pit that she had dug for herself," writes Christopher Hitchens. Richard Dawkins warned everyone not to be "taken in by the santimoniously hypocritical Mother Teresa." This, by the way, strikes me as bad strategy. If you are trying to convert people to atheism, taking a shot at Mother Teresa can't be your best move.
But Mother Teresa didn't have this negative understanding. She did not reject God, but neither did she overcome her pain over God's silence. Rather, in a strange way, it became a part of her. A wise spiritual counselor told her three things she needed to hear. One was that there was no human remedy for this darkness. (So she should not feel responsible for it.) Another was that "feeling" the presence of Jesus was not the only or even the primary evidence of his presence. (Jesus himself said by their fruits - not their certainty - you shall know them.) In fact, the very craving for God was a "sure sign" that God was present - though in a hidden way - in her life. And the third bit of wisdom was that the pain she was going through could be redemptive. Jesus himself had to experience the agony of the absence of God: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And as his suffering was redemptive for us, so Mother Teresa could suffer redemptively by holding on to God in the midst of darkness.'
- John Ortberg "Faith & Doubt"
Thursday, 17 July 2014
I Am Confused And Lost - Psalm 142 - Leslie Brandt
"I direct my cries to the Lord.
Out of the ear-piercing sounds and
ceaseless turmoil of this concrete jungle
I speak God's name.
For my heart is deeply troubled and depressed,
and I feel weary and faint.
I am confused and lost.
I cannot find my way.
The nameless faces that flit by
take no notice of me.
No one knows my name,
and no one cares.
I turn to You, O God.
You have heard me before,
and You responded to my cries.
Perhaps even amid the frustrating activity
and crowded streets of the great city
You can hear the cries of a lonely child.
O God, deliver me from my prison of loneliness.
Turn my cries of distress
into proclamations of joy.
Direct my steps into the fellowship
of others who love and serve You."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Out of the ear-piercing sounds and
ceaseless turmoil of this concrete jungle
I speak God's name.
For my heart is deeply troubled and depressed,
and I feel weary and faint.
I am confused and lost.
I cannot find my way.
The nameless faces that flit by
take no notice of me.
No one knows my name,
and no one cares.
I turn to You, O God.
You have heard me before,
and You responded to my cries.
Perhaps even amid the frustrating activity
and crowded streets of the great city
You can hear the cries of a lonely child.
O God, deliver me from my prison of loneliness.
Turn my cries of distress
into proclamations of joy.
Direct my steps into the fellowship
of others who love and serve You."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Curb My Tongue For I Hurt My Friend - Psalm 141 - Leslie Brandt
"O God, I come to You in sorrow and shame.
I spoke up in my own defense today
and uttered words that knifed their way
into the heart of my friend,
and this created a great rift between us.
I would never raise my hand to strike him,
but the tongue is more destructive than the fist,
and I hurt that one whom I love.
Heal the hurt of my friend, O Lord,
and heal the sickness within my heart
that forced my foolish tongue
into such irresponsible actions.
I come to claim Your loving mercy.
I pray, as well, that you grant my friend
the grace to forgive me.
May Your Spirit who abides in my heart
curb and control my rebellious tongue
and teach me to speak words
that give life and promote love
in the hate-ridden world about me."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
I spoke up in my own defense today
and uttered words that knifed their way
into the heart of my friend,
and this created a great rift between us.
I would never raise my hand to strike him,
but the tongue is more destructive than the fist,
and I hurt that one whom I love.
Heal the hurt of my friend, O Lord,
and heal the sickness within my heart
that forced my foolish tongue
into such irresponsible actions.
I come to claim Your loving mercy.
I pray, as well, that you grant my friend
the grace to forgive me.
May Your Spirit who abides in my heart
curb and control my rebellious tongue
and teach me to speak words
that give life and promote love
in the hate-ridden world about me."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Deliver Us From Hostility - Psalm 140 - Leslie Brandt
"O God, deliver our nation and our world
from those men in positions of authority
who resort to violence
to carry out their objectives.
They sweet-talk us into believing
they are acting in our interests,
and brainwash us into blind,
flag-waving allegiance,
until we march by their side
into bloody wars that decimate and destroy
our brothers and sisters
in the family of man.
Deliver all of us, O Lord,
from the notion that anything of value or worth
can be obtained by hostile or violent actions."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
from those men in positions of authority
who resort to violence
to carry out their objectives.
They sweet-talk us into believing
they are acting in our interests,
and brainwash us into blind,
flag-waving allegiance,
until we march by their side
into bloody wars that decimate and destroy
our brothers and sisters
in the family of man.
Deliver all of us, O Lord,
from the notion that anything of value or worth
can be obtained by hostile or violent actions."
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Have Mercy On A Selfish And Self-Centred Creature - Psalm 101 - Leslie Brandt
"O God, I love those hymns
that speak of loyalty and justice,
those prayers for the deprived and oppressed -
even while I deprive and oppress my fellowmen
through my apathy and egocentricity.
I embrace the old creeds that tell of Your love
and the commandments that instruct me
to reflect that love to others -
even while I turn inward
and allow bigotry and prejudice
to color my relationships
to those outside my private little club.
I treasure those promises I made in the sanctuary,
those vows and solemn pledges before the altar -
even while I flirt with this world's gods
and bow before man-made shrines.
I decry the distortions of our world,
the poverty and pain and the indignities
suffered by multitudes
of this world's citizens -
even while I stand aloof
and wait for man's sorry needs
to be met by others
and brazenly oppose those remedies
which may result in personal deprivation.
I avoid the sinner
and belittle the proud
and stand clear of cheaters and liars
and choose as my companions
the qualified
and respected
members of my society.
And all the while I claim to be Your son
and to walk in Your ways.
Have mercy upon me, O God,
for I am a selfish and self-centered creature!"
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
that speak of loyalty and justice,
those prayers for the deprived and oppressed -
even while I deprive and oppress my fellowmen
through my apathy and egocentricity.
I embrace the old creeds that tell of Your love
and the commandments that instruct me
to reflect that love to others -
even while I turn inward
and allow bigotry and prejudice
to color my relationships
to those outside my private little club.
I treasure those promises I made in the sanctuary,
those vows and solemn pledges before the altar -
even while I flirt with this world's gods
and bow before man-made shrines.
I decry the distortions of our world,
the poverty and pain and the indignities
suffered by multitudes
of this world's citizens -
even while I stand aloof
and wait for man's sorry needs
to be met by others
and brazenly oppose those remedies
which may result in personal deprivation.
I avoid the sinner
and belittle the proud
and stand clear of cheaters and liars
and choose as my companions
the qualified
and respected
members of my society.
And all the while I claim to be Your son
and to walk in Your ways.
Have mercy upon me, O God,
for I am a selfish and self-centered creature!"
- Leslie Brandt, "Psalms Now"
Remembering My Father - 16 July 2014
Today
I remember my father, B. Ganesan (aka George Godfrey) who passed away
10 years ago. This is his birth anniversary day. For many years while he
lived, he and I did not get along very well. But before his death, God
inspired me to visit my father. A few days before his last birthday I
asked my father to forgive me for all my wrongs against him. He forgave
me and blessed me. For these great acts I have only God to thank. He
placed love in my heart for my father and enabled me to express it
before it was too late. I praise God for His merciful consideration.
When I was a young boy, I briefly lost vision in my left eye, following an accident. In the first hospital where I was examined, a doctor announced to my father that I would never regain my vision and that I would see the world with only one eye. A few moments later, my father broke down and wept bitterly lamenting over my fate. That was the first time I had seen him cry, and I was totally shocked by his reaction. It was only years later that I realized that his strange reaction revealed the depth of his love for me.
Dear Father, rest in peace. May God grant you everlasting joy and may we meet again some day. Thank you BG for being my dad.
SGG
When I was a young boy, I briefly lost vision in my left eye, following an accident. In the first hospital where I was examined, a doctor announced to my father that I would never regain my vision and that I would see the world with only one eye. A few moments later, my father broke down and wept bitterly lamenting over my fate. That was the first time I had seen him cry, and I was totally shocked by his reaction. It was only years later that I realized that his strange reaction revealed the depth of his love for me.
Dear Father, rest in peace. May God grant you everlasting joy and may we meet again some day. Thank you BG for being my dad.
SGG
I Am The Proof
A son of a Hindu, a former atheist and a God-hater, I am now a priest of Jesus Christ singing His praises and telling others about His wonderful love. Can there be a better proof for the power of God than what He has done in me?
It should not be difficult to trust in God
What God did in my life with respect to my father is the one incident that will always restore my faith in Him.
The Spirit led me to my Father
The Holy Spirit inspired me to apologise to my father before his death.
Count Your Blessings
As my father lay unconscious in August 2004, my mother sang "Count Your Blessings", and my father responded by tapping his fingers in tune with the song. Six years later I celebrate this memory on the anniversary of his death.
Samuel Godfrey George counts his blessings.
Samuel Godfrey George counts his blessings.
My Father
Samuel Godfrey George on his father:
I knew you well enough not to know you;
Our destinies were joined, yet we walked apart.
Our words were hard, and our thoughts distant;
Yet there were moments that stayed.
Can I forget your tears when I was in pain?
Can I forget your comfort when I grieved?
Now time has run out for you have left.
I remain shaken, while you rest from your labour.
I knew you well enough not to know you;
Our destinies were joined, yet we walked apart.
Our words were hard, and our thoughts distant;
Yet there were moments that stayed.
Can I forget your tears when I was in pain?
Can I forget your comfort when I grieved?
Now time has run out for you have left.
I remain shaken, while you rest from your labour.
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Strike The Scales Off Our Eyes - Psalm 94 - Psalms Now - Leslie Brandt
"Even those of us who name Your name
and sing Your praises
are often indifferent to or careless about
the needs of our fellowmen about us.
We stand indicted, Lord.
Our calloused self-centeredness has perpetuated
the wars and poverty and bigotry
that abound about us.
We don't hate these people, Lord.
We just don't really care about them
"Is it possible, O Lord, that we are Your enemies?
That we are thwarting Your purposes
and abusing Your children upon this world?
We are busy with good works, Lord.
We build churches and send forth missionaries
and establish schools and hospitals
and homes for the elderly.
But we don't like the ghettos, Lord,
or the people who can't speak our language
or don't appreciate our patronizing gifts.
They frighten us when they reach out
for what we have labored for,
our affluence, our respectability,
our right to be wealthy
and comfortable and secure.
Sometimes, Lord, we just don't like people.
Why don't they leave us alone
so we can love and serve You in peace?"
"Thank You, God, for not pouring out Your wrath
upon those who are disobedient to You.
We have been Your enemies.
Even while we worship
in our comfortable sanctuaries,
we have stood in Your way.
And thank You, God,
because You love even Your enemies
and through Your chastisement
may translate them into sons."
"Strike the scales from our eyes, O Lord,
that we may see Your handwriting on the wall
and accept Your chastening love
and return to You in repentance and faith.
Strike the shackles from our hearts and hands
that we may reach out to demonstrate
and to relate Your love
to Your children all about us."
and sing Your praises
are often indifferent to or careless about
the needs of our fellowmen about us.
We stand indicted, Lord.
Our calloused self-centeredness has perpetuated
the wars and poverty and bigotry
that abound about us.
We don't hate these people, Lord.
We just don't really care about them
"Is it possible, O Lord, that we are Your enemies?
That we are thwarting Your purposes
and abusing Your children upon this world?
We are busy with good works, Lord.
We build churches and send forth missionaries
and establish schools and hospitals
and homes for the elderly.
But we don't like the ghettos, Lord,
or the people who can't speak our language
or don't appreciate our patronizing gifts.
They frighten us when they reach out
for what we have labored for,
our affluence, our respectability,
our right to be wealthy
and comfortable and secure.
Sometimes, Lord, we just don't like people.
Why don't they leave us alone
so we can love and serve You in peace?"
"Thank You, God, for not pouring out Your wrath
upon those who are disobedient to You.
We have been Your enemies.
Even while we worship
in our comfortable sanctuaries,
we have stood in Your way.
And thank You, God,
because You love even Your enemies
and through Your chastisement
may translate them into sons."
"Strike the scales from our eyes, O Lord,
that we may see Your handwriting on the wall
and accept Your chastening love
and return to You in repentance and faith.
Strike the shackles from our hearts and hands
that we may reach out to demonstrate
and to relate Your love
to Your children all about us."
Monday, 14 July 2014
When God Does Not Make Sense - James Dobson - Quotes
"My chief concern at this point, and the reason I have chosen to
write this book, is for my fellow believers who are struggling with
circumstances that don't make sense. In my work with families who are
going through various hardships, from sickness and death to marital
conflict and adolescent rebellion, I have found it common for those in
crisis to feel great frustration with God. This is particularly true
when things happen that seem illogical and inconsistent with what had
been taught or understood. Then if the Lord does not rescue them from
the circumstances in which they are embroiled, their frustration quickly
deteriorates into anger and a sense of abandonment. Finally,
disillusionment sets in and the spirit begins to wither."
"In fact, the majority of us will someday feel an alienation from God. Why? Because those who live long enough will eventually be confronted by happenings they will not understand. That is the human condition. Let me say it again. It is an incorrect view of Scripture to say that we will always comprehend what God is doing, and how our suffering and disappointment fit into His plan. Sooner or later, most of us will come to a point where it appears that God has lost control - or interest - in the affairs of people. It is only an illusion, but with dangerous implications, for spiritual and mental health. Interestingly enough, pain and suffering do not cause the greatest damage. Confusion is the factor that shreds one's faith."
"Christians who become confused and disillusioned with God have no such consolation. It is the absence of meaning that makes their situation so intolerable. As such, their depression over a sudden illness or the tragic death of a loved one can actually be more severe than that experienced by the nonbeliever who expected and received nothing. It is not uncommon to hear a confused Christian express great agitation, anger, or even blasphemy."
"There is no greater distress in human experience than to build one's entire way of life on a certain theological understanding, and then have it collapse at a time of unusual stress and pain. A person in this situation faces the crisis that rattled his foundation. Then he must deal with the anguish of rejection. The God whom he has loved, worshiped, and served turns out to appear silent, distant, and uncaring in the moment of greatest need. Do such times come even to the faithful? Yes, they do, although we are seldom willing to admit it within the Christian community."
"This determination to believe when the proof is not provided and when the questions are not answered is central to our relationship with the Lord. He will never do anything to destroy the need for faith. In fact, He guides us through times of testing specifically to cultivate that belief and dependence on Him."
'When the heat is on and confusion mounts, some believers go through a horrendous spiritual crisis. They "lose God." Doubt rises up to obscure His presence and disillusionment settles into despair. The greatest frustration is knowing that He created the entire universe by simply speaking it into existence, and He has all power and all understanding. He could rescue. He could heal. He could save. But why won't He do it? This sense of abandonment is a terrible experience for someone whose entire being is rooted in the Christian ethic. Satan then drops by for a little visit and whispers, "He is not there! You are alone!"'
'What does such a person do when God makes no sense? To whom does he confess his troubling - even heretical - thoughts? From whom does he seek counsel? What does he tell his family when his faith is severely shaken? Where does he go to find a new set of values and beliefs? While searching for something more reliable in which to believe, he discovers that there is no other name-no other god-to whom he can turn. James 1:8 refers to that individual as a "double minded man [who] is unstable in all his ways". He of all people, is most miserable and confused.'
'For the heartsick, bleeding soul out there today who is desperate for a word of encouragement, let me assure you that you can trust this Lord of heaven and earth. There is security and rest in the wisdom of the eternal Scriptures. I believe you will see that the Lord can be trusted - even when He can't be tracked. Of this you can be certain: Jehovah, King of kings and Lord of lords, is not pacing the corridors of heaven in confusion over the problems of your life. He hung the worlds in space. He can handle the burdens that have weighed you down, and he cares about you deeply. For a point of beginning He says, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)'
'After years of consistent answers to prayers, the Lord may choose not to grant a request we think is vitally important. In a matter of moments, the world can fall off its axis. Panic stalks the soul as life and death hang in the balance. A pounding heart betrays the anxiety within. "But where is God? Does He know what is happening? Is He concerned? Why have the heavens grown dark and silent? What have I done to deserve this abandonment? Haven't I served Him with a willing heart? What must I do to regain His favor?" Then, as frustration and fear accumulate, the human spirit recoils in distrust and confusion.'
'In Dr R T Kendall's opinion, 100 percent of believers eventually go through a period when God seems to let them down. It may occur shortly after becoming a Christian. The new convert loses his job, or his child becomes ill, or business reverses occur. Or maybe, after serving Him faithfully for many years, life suddenly starts to unravel. It makes no sense. It seems so unfair. The natural reaction is to say, "Lord, is this the way You treat Your own? I thought You cared for me, but I was wrong. I can't love a God like that." It is a tragic misunderstanding.'
'For the benefit of those of you who are enduring that withering attack on your faith, I want to share some similar experiences in the lives of other Christians. As indicated, it is important to recognize that you are not alone. Your pain and discouragement, which might lead you to ask "Why me?" are not unique. You have not been singled out for sorrow. Most of us are destined, it seems, to bump our heads on the same ol' rock. From ancient times, men and women have grieved over stressful circumstances that did not fit any pattern of logic or symmetry. It happens to us all sooner or later. Millions have been there. And despite what some Christians will tell you, being a follower of Jesus Christ is no foolproof insurance policy against these storms of life.'
'So tell me, where did we get the notion that the Christian life is a piece of cake? Where is the evidence for the "name it, claim it" theology that promises God will skip along in front of us with His great Cosmic Broom, sweeping aside each trial and every troubling uncertainty? To the contrary, Jesus told His disciples that they should anticipate suffering. He said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Paul wrote, "In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn - conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:4-5). Peter left no doubt about difficulties in this Christian life when he wrote, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13). Note in each of these references the coexistence of both joy and pain.'
'My concern is that many believers apparently feel God owes them smooth sailing or at least a full explanation (and perhaps an apology) for the hardships they encounter. We must never forget that He, after all, is God. He is majestic and holy and sovereign. He is accountable to no one. He is not an errand boy who chases the assignments we dole out. He is not a genie who pops out of the bottle to satisfy our whims. He is not our servant - we are His. And our reason for existence is to glorify and honor Him. Even so, sometimes He performs mighty miracles on our behalf. Sometimes He chooses to explain His action in our lives. Sometimes His presence is as real as if we had encountered Him face to face. But at other times when nothing makes sense - when what we are going through is "not fair," when we feel all alone in God's waiting room - He simply says, "Trust Me!"'
"Clearly, what we have in Scripture is a paradox. On the one hand, we are told to expect suffering and hardship that could even cost us our lives. On the other hand, we are encouraged to be joyful, thankful and 'of good cheer.' How do those contradictory ideas link together? How can we be triumphant and under intense pressure at the same time? How can we be secure when surrounded by insecurity? That is a mystery which, according to Paul, 'transcends all understanding.'"
'A wonderful illustration of this unseen presence is described in Luke 24, when two of Jesus' disciples were walking toward a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They had seen their Master horribly crucified three days earlier, and they were severely depressed. Everything that they hoped for had died on that Roman cross. All the dramatic things Jesus had said and done now appeared contrived and untrue. He had spoken with such authority but now He was dead and laid to rest in a borrowed tomb. He claimed to be the Son of God, yet they had heard Him cry in His last hours, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The disciples couldn't have been more confused. What was the meaning of the time they had spent with this man who called Himself the Messiah?'
"Never assume God's silence or apparent inactivity is evidence of His disinterest. Let me say it again. Feelings about His inaccessibility mean nothing! His Word is infinitely more reliable than our spooky emotions."
"Haven't you noticed that Jesus usually shows up about four days late? He often arrives after we have wept and worried and paced the floor - after we have sweated out the medical examination or fretted our way through business reverses. If He had arrived on time we could have avoided much of the stress that occurred in His absence. Yet it is extremely important to recognize that He is never actually late. His timetable for action is simply different from ours. And it is usually slower."
"Look at the human talent that has been 'wasted' by early death or disability over the centuries. Wolfgang Mozart, for example, may have had the greatest musical mind in the history of the world. He composed his first symphony at five years of age and turned out a remarkable volume of brilliant work. But he died penniless at 35, being unable to attract any interest in his compositions. His most valuable possession at the time of his death was a violin worth about two dollars. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave, and no one attended his funeral. Who was it that said life is fair?"
"One of the most breathtaking concepts in all of Scripture is the revelation that God knows each of us personally and that we are in His mind both day and night. There is simply no way to comprehend the full implications of this love by the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is all-powerful and all-knowing, majestic and holy, from everlasting to everlasting. Why would He care about us - about our needs, our welfare, our fears? We have been discussing situations in which God doesn't make sense. His concern for us mere mortals is the most inexplicable of all."
'Then I realized that there must be times when God also feels our intense pain and suffers along with us. Wouldn't that be characteristic of a Father whose love was infinite? How He must hurt when we say in confusion, "How could You do this terrible thing, Lord? Why not? I thought I could trust You! I thought You were my friend!" How can He explain within our human limitations that our agony is necessary, that it does have a purpose, that there are answers to the tragedies of life?'
"No, we human beings hardly qualify as gods - even piddly ones. Despite our intense efforts to understand ourselves, we have learned very little about living together harmoniously or even what makes us tick. The best trained and most respected secular psychologists and psychiatrists still believe that man is basically good - that he only learns to do evil from society. If that were true, surely there would be at least one culture somewhere in the world where selfishness, dishonesty, and violence have not shown up. Instead the history of human experience down through the millennia is the history of warfare - and murder and greed and exploitation. 'Peace' is what we call that brief moment between wars when people stop to reload."
"You might also take a good look at your children. How can anyone who has raised a toddler fail to recognize that rebellion, selfishness and aggression do not have to be cultivated? Kids come by it quite naturally."
"Certainly, we have learned much from the explosion of research and scientific investigation. I'm not disparaging that effort. I am saying that most of what was believed in ages past was palpably wrong. Could it be that we are living today in the first period in human history when nearly everything we have concluded is accurate? No chance!"
"If human intelligence and perception are undependable in assessing everyday reality, which can be seen, touched, heard, tasted, and smelled, how much less capable is it of evaluating the unfathomable God of the universe? Our efforts to encapsulate and comprehend Him are equally as futile. We can only delve so far into the infinite mind of the Maker before we run out of marbles. Still, the arrogance of mankind in ignoring or challenging the wisdom of the Almighty is shocking at times."
"I've been trying to say with this discussion that our view of God is too small - that His power and His wisdom cannot even be imagined by us mortals. He is not just 'the man upstairs' or 'the great chauffeur in the sky.' or some kind of Wizard who will do a dance for those who make the right noises. We dare not trivialize the One . . ."
"If we truly understood the majesty of this Lord and the depth of His love for us, we would certainly accept those times when He defies human logic and sensibilities. Indeed, that is what we must do. Expect confusing experiences to occur along the way. Welcome them as friends - as opportunities for your faith to grow. Hold fast to your faith, without which it is impossible to please Him. Never let yourself succumb to the "betrayal barrier," which is Satan's most effective tool against us. Instead, store away your questions for a lengthy conversation on the other side, and then press on toward the mark. Any other approach is foolhardy - because your arms are too short to box with God."
"A moment will also come in your lifetime when the facts will lead to despair. Maybe that moment has already arrived. At those times God seems to contradict Himself and no satisfactory explanation is forthcoming. The particular nature of the confusion varies from person to person, but a crisis of some dimension is inevitable. Faith never goes unchallenged for long. The question is, How will we deal with it when it comes? Will we break and run? Will we waver in disbelief? Will we 'curse God and die', as Job's wife suggested? I pray not! And if we prepare now for the experience, I believe we can steel ourselves against the assault of that hour."
"Is your raft skidding sideways in the river today? Is it plunging down the rapids towards the rocks below, terrifying everyone on board? Have you considered jumping into the river and trying to swim to safety on your own? That is precisely what Satan would have you do. He wants you to give up on God, who seems to have lost control of your circumstances. But I urge you not to leave the safety of His protection. The Captain knows what He is doing. There are purposes that you cannot perceive or comprehend. You may never understand - at least not in this life - but you must not let go of your faith."
"Don't demand explanations. Don't lean on your ability to understand. Don't turn loose of your faith. But do choose to trust Him, by the exercise of the will He has placed within you. The only other alternative - is despair."
"It is obvious not only that prayer is honored by the Lord, but that we are commanded to enter into this personal communication with Him. And what a privilege it is! Have you considered the nature of this gift we have been granted by the Almighty? We need not make an appointment to get His attention. There are no administrative assistants or secretaries with whom we must negotiate. He never puts us off to a later date when His schedule is less congested. Instead, we are invited to walk boldly into His presence at any moment, day or night. He hears the faintest cry of the sick, the lonely, the despised of the world. Every one of us is known and loved by Him, despite our imperfection and failures. Truly, the invitation to prayer is a precious expression of the Creator's incomparable love and compassion for humanity."
"Consider for a moment the kind of world it would be if God did exactly what we demanded in every instance. First believers would outlive nonbelievers by centuries. The rest of the human family would be trapped in decaying bodies, but Christians and their children would live in an idyllic world set apart.. . The entire basis for the God-man relationship would be undermined. People would seek a friendship with Him in order to gain the fringe benefits, rather than responding with a heart of repentance and love. Indeed, the most greedy among us would be the first to be drawn to the benefits of the Christian life. Most importantly, these evidences of God's awesome power would eliminate the need for faith."
"We can't see the future. We don't know His plan. We perceive only the small picture, and not even that very clearly. Given this limitation, it seems incredibly arrogant to tell God what to do - rather than making our needs known and then yielding to His divine purposes."
'God says to us, "Everyone is asked to endure some things that bring discomfort, pain, or sorrow. This is yours. Accept it. Carry it. I will give you the grace to endure it." Thus life goes on in a state of relative imperfection.'
"Unfortunately, there are a few highly visible Christian ministers who confuse people by teaching them there is no need for perseverance and self-control. Why should we practice endurance when health and wealth are available to everyone? By making just the right noises to God, we can tap into His power for trouble-free living. They would transform the King of the Universe into a subservient magician, or a high-powered errand boy, who has bound Himself irrevocably to the whims and wishes of us mere mortals. It is a dangerous misrepresentation of Scripture with far-reaching implications for the uninitiated."
"It's not that God can't heal the blind - or any other disease or deformity. He can and He does. But to my knowledge, He never performs those miracles en masse. Let's put it this way: I have never seen any minister fulfill a promise of universal healing to all comers. Oh, there are some who would have us believe they have a magic touch. But there is reason for skepticism. Furthermore, there's often a disturbing hysteria or a circus atmosphere in the healing services. Such mass-produced miracles affront the sovereignty of God and make a sham of His holy worship."
"I am concerned about the teaching of universal health and prosperity. It establishes a level of expectations which will eventually wound and weaken unstable Christians. . . And it begins with a theological distortion that promises a stress-free life and a God who always does what He is told."
"Perhaps you have noticed that life seems blatantly unfair. It pampers some of us and devastates others. Perhaps this is the most disturbing question posed to the thoughtful Christian. How can we explain such an apparent injustice? How can an infinitely loving and just God permit some people to experience lifelong tragedy while others seem to enjoy every good and perfect gift?"
"That utter abandonment to the sovereign will of the Lord is what He wants of His people, even when circumstances seem to swirl out of control. He can rescue - but if not . . . ! He will never let you down - but He won't let you off, either!"
"There is no stability or predictability in this imperfect world. It is that way for you and me, too. We must expect the unexpected - the unsettling - the irritating. One day we'll ride high above the fray and the next we could slide under the door. So whence cometh the stability in such a topsy-turvy world? It is found only by anchoring our faith on the unchanging, everlasting Lord, whose promises never fail and whose love is all encompassing. Our joy and our hope can be as steady as the sunrise even when the happenings around us are transitioning from wonderful to tragic. That's what Scripture teaches us, and His peace is there for those who choose to take it."
"In fact, the majority of us will someday feel an alienation from God. Why? Because those who live long enough will eventually be confronted by happenings they will not understand. That is the human condition. Let me say it again. It is an incorrect view of Scripture to say that we will always comprehend what God is doing, and how our suffering and disappointment fit into His plan. Sooner or later, most of us will come to a point where it appears that God has lost control - or interest - in the affairs of people. It is only an illusion, but with dangerous implications, for spiritual and mental health. Interestingly enough, pain and suffering do not cause the greatest damage. Confusion is the factor that shreds one's faith."
"Christians who become confused and disillusioned with God have no such consolation. It is the absence of meaning that makes their situation so intolerable. As such, their depression over a sudden illness or the tragic death of a loved one can actually be more severe than that experienced by the nonbeliever who expected and received nothing. It is not uncommon to hear a confused Christian express great agitation, anger, or even blasphemy."
"There is no greater distress in human experience than to build one's entire way of life on a certain theological understanding, and then have it collapse at a time of unusual stress and pain. A person in this situation faces the crisis that rattled his foundation. Then he must deal with the anguish of rejection. The God whom he has loved, worshiped, and served turns out to appear silent, distant, and uncaring in the moment of greatest need. Do such times come even to the faithful? Yes, they do, although we are seldom willing to admit it within the Christian community."
"This determination to believe when the proof is not provided and when the questions are not answered is central to our relationship with the Lord. He will never do anything to destroy the need for faith. In fact, He guides us through times of testing specifically to cultivate that belief and dependence on Him."
'When the heat is on and confusion mounts, some believers go through a horrendous spiritual crisis. They "lose God." Doubt rises up to obscure His presence and disillusionment settles into despair. The greatest frustration is knowing that He created the entire universe by simply speaking it into existence, and He has all power and all understanding. He could rescue. He could heal. He could save. But why won't He do it? This sense of abandonment is a terrible experience for someone whose entire being is rooted in the Christian ethic. Satan then drops by for a little visit and whispers, "He is not there! You are alone!"'
'What does such a person do when God makes no sense? To whom does he confess his troubling - even heretical - thoughts? From whom does he seek counsel? What does he tell his family when his faith is severely shaken? Where does he go to find a new set of values and beliefs? While searching for something more reliable in which to believe, he discovers that there is no other name-no other god-to whom he can turn. James 1:8 refers to that individual as a "double minded man [who] is unstable in all his ways". He of all people, is most miserable and confused.'
'For the heartsick, bleeding soul out there today who is desperate for a word of encouragement, let me assure you that you can trust this Lord of heaven and earth. There is security and rest in the wisdom of the eternal Scriptures. I believe you will see that the Lord can be trusted - even when He can't be tracked. Of this you can be certain: Jehovah, King of kings and Lord of lords, is not pacing the corridors of heaven in confusion over the problems of your life. He hung the worlds in space. He can handle the burdens that have weighed you down, and he cares about you deeply. For a point of beginning He says, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)'
'After years of consistent answers to prayers, the Lord may choose not to grant a request we think is vitally important. In a matter of moments, the world can fall off its axis. Panic stalks the soul as life and death hang in the balance. A pounding heart betrays the anxiety within. "But where is God? Does He know what is happening? Is He concerned? Why have the heavens grown dark and silent? What have I done to deserve this abandonment? Haven't I served Him with a willing heart? What must I do to regain His favor?" Then, as frustration and fear accumulate, the human spirit recoils in distrust and confusion.'
'In Dr R T Kendall's opinion, 100 percent of believers eventually go through a period when God seems to let them down. It may occur shortly after becoming a Christian. The new convert loses his job, or his child becomes ill, or business reverses occur. Or maybe, after serving Him faithfully for many years, life suddenly starts to unravel. It makes no sense. It seems so unfair. The natural reaction is to say, "Lord, is this the way You treat Your own? I thought You cared for me, but I was wrong. I can't love a God like that." It is a tragic misunderstanding.'
'For the benefit of those of you who are enduring that withering attack on your faith, I want to share some similar experiences in the lives of other Christians. As indicated, it is important to recognize that you are not alone. Your pain and discouragement, which might lead you to ask "Why me?" are not unique. You have not been singled out for sorrow. Most of us are destined, it seems, to bump our heads on the same ol' rock. From ancient times, men and women have grieved over stressful circumstances that did not fit any pattern of logic or symmetry. It happens to us all sooner or later. Millions have been there. And despite what some Christians will tell you, being a follower of Jesus Christ is no foolproof insurance policy against these storms of life.'
'So tell me, where did we get the notion that the Christian life is a piece of cake? Where is the evidence for the "name it, claim it" theology that promises God will skip along in front of us with His great Cosmic Broom, sweeping aside each trial and every troubling uncertainty? To the contrary, Jesus told His disciples that they should anticipate suffering. He said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Paul wrote, "In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn - conflicts on the outside, fears within (2 Corinthians 7:4-5). Peter left no doubt about difficulties in this Christian life when he wrote, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed" (1 Peter 4:12-13). Note in each of these references the coexistence of both joy and pain.'
'My concern is that many believers apparently feel God owes them smooth sailing or at least a full explanation (and perhaps an apology) for the hardships they encounter. We must never forget that He, after all, is God. He is majestic and holy and sovereign. He is accountable to no one. He is not an errand boy who chases the assignments we dole out. He is not a genie who pops out of the bottle to satisfy our whims. He is not our servant - we are His. And our reason for existence is to glorify and honor Him. Even so, sometimes He performs mighty miracles on our behalf. Sometimes He chooses to explain His action in our lives. Sometimes His presence is as real as if we had encountered Him face to face. But at other times when nothing makes sense - when what we are going through is "not fair," when we feel all alone in God's waiting room - He simply says, "Trust Me!"'
"Clearly, what we have in Scripture is a paradox. On the one hand, we are told to expect suffering and hardship that could even cost us our lives. On the other hand, we are encouraged to be joyful, thankful and 'of good cheer.' How do those contradictory ideas link together? How can we be triumphant and under intense pressure at the same time? How can we be secure when surrounded by insecurity? That is a mystery which, according to Paul, 'transcends all understanding.'"
'A wonderful illustration of this unseen presence is described in Luke 24, when two of Jesus' disciples were walking toward a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They had seen their Master horribly crucified three days earlier, and they were severely depressed. Everything that they hoped for had died on that Roman cross. All the dramatic things Jesus had said and done now appeared contrived and untrue. He had spoken with such authority but now He was dead and laid to rest in a borrowed tomb. He claimed to be the Son of God, yet they had heard Him cry in His last hours, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" The disciples couldn't have been more confused. What was the meaning of the time they had spent with this man who called Himself the Messiah?'
"Never assume God's silence or apparent inactivity is evidence of His disinterest. Let me say it again. Feelings about His inaccessibility mean nothing! His Word is infinitely more reliable than our spooky emotions."
"Haven't you noticed that Jesus usually shows up about four days late? He often arrives after we have wept and worried and paced the floor - after we have sweated out the medical examination or fretted our way through business reverses. If He had arrived on time we could have avoided much of the stress that occurred in His absence. Yet it is extremely important to recognize that He is never actually late. His timetable for action is simply different from ours. And it is usually slower."
"Look at the human talent that has been 'wasted' by early death or disability over the centuries. Wolfgang Mozart, for example, may have had the greatest musical mind in the history of the world. He composed his first symphony at five years of age and turned out a remarkable volume of brilliant work. But he died penniless at 35, being unable to attract any interest in his compositions. His most valuable possession at the time of his death was a violin worth about two dollars. He was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave, and no one attended his funeral. Who was it that said life is fair?"
"One of the most breathtaking concepts in all of Scripture is the revelation that God knows each of us personally and that we are in His mind both day and night. There is simply no way to comprehend the full implications of this love by the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is all-powerful and all-knowing, majestic and holy, from everlasting to everlasting. Why would He care about us - about our needs, our welfare, our fears? We have been discussing situations in which God doesn't make sense. His concern for us mere mortals is the most inexplicable of all."
'Then I realized that there must be times when God also feels our intense pain and suffers along with us. Wouldn't that be characteristic of a Father whose love was infinite? How He must hurt when we say in confusion, "How could You do this terrible thing, Lord? Why not? I thought I could trust You! I thought You were my friend!" How can He explain within our human limitations that our agony is necessary, that it does have a purpose, that there are answers to the tragedies of life?'
"No, we human beings hardly qualify as gods - even piddly ones. Despite our intense efforts to understand ourselves, we have learned very little about living together harmoniously or even what makes us tick. The best trained and most respected secular psychologists and psychiatrists still believe that man is basically good - that he only learns to do evil from society. If that were true, surely there would be at least one culture somewhere in the world where selfishness, dishonesty, and violence have not shown up. Instead the history of human experience down through the millennia is the history of warfare - and murder and greed and exploitation. 'Peace' is what we call that brief moment between wars when people stop to reload."
"You might also take a good look at your children. How can anyone who has raised a toddler fail to recognize that rebellion, selfishness and aggression do not have to be cultivated? Kids come by it quite naturally."
"Certainly, we have learned much from the explosion of research and scientific investigation. I'm not disparaging that effort. I am saying that most of what was believed in ages past was palpably wrong. Could it be that we are living today in the first period in human history when nearly everything we have concluded is accurate? No chance!"
"If human intelligence and perception are undependable in assessing everyday reality, which can be seen, touched, heard, tasted, and smelled, how much less capable is it of evaluating the unfathomable God of the universe? Our efforts to encapsulate and comprehend Him are equally as futile. We can only delve so far into the infinite mind of the Maker before we run out of marbles. Still, the arrogance of mankind in ignoring or challenging the wisdom of the Almighty is shocking at times."
"I've been trying to say with this discussion that our view of God is too small - that His power and His wisdom cannot even be imagined by us mortals. He is not just 'the man upstairs' or 'the great chauffeur in the sky.' or some kind of Wizard who will do a dance for those who make the right noises. We dare not trivialize the One . . ."
"If we truly understood the majesty of this Lord and the depth of His love for us, we would certainly accept those times when He defies human logic and sensibilities. Indeed, that is what we must do. Expect confusing experiences to occur along the way. Welcome them as friends - as opportunities for your faith to grow. Hold fast to your faith, without which it is impossible to please Him. Never let yourself succumb to the "betrayal barrier," which is Satan's most effective tool against us. Instead, store away your questions for a lengthy conversation on the other side, and then press on toward the mark. Any other approach is foolhardy - because your arms are too short to box with God."
"A moment will also come in your lifetime when the facts will lead to despair. Maybe that moment has already arrived. At those times God seems to contradict Himself and no satisfactory explanation is forthcoming. The particular nature of the confusion varies from person to person, but a crisis of some dimension is inevitable. Faith never goes unchallenged for long. The question is, How will we deal with it when it comes? Will we break and run? Will we waver in disbelief? Will we 'curse God and die', as Job's wife suggested? I pray not! And if we prepare now for the experience, I believe we can steel ourselves against the assault of that hour."
"Is your raft skidding sideways in the river today? Is it plunging down the rapids towards the rocks below, terrifying everyone on board? Have you considered jumping into the river and trying to swim to safety on your own? That is precisely what Satan would have you do. He wants you to give up on God, who seems to have lost control of your circumstances. But I urge you not to leave the safety of His protection. The Captain knows what He is doing. There are purposes that you cannot perceive or comprehend. You may never understand - at least not in this life - but you must not let go of your faith."
"Don't demand explanations. Don't lean on your ability to understand. Don't turn loose of your faith. But do choose to trust Him, by the exercise of the will He has placed within you. The only other alternative - is despair."
"It is obvious not only that prayer is honored by the Lord, but that we are commanded to enter into this personal communication with Him. And what a privilege it is! Have you considered the nature of this gift we have been granted by the Almighty? We need not make an appointment to get His attention. There are no administrative assistants or secretaries with whom we must negotiate. He never puts us off to a later date when His schedule is less congested. Instead, we are invited to walk boldly into His presence at any moment, day or night. He hears the faintest cry of the sick, the lonely, the despised of the world. Every one of us is known and loved by Him, despite our imperfection and failures. Truly, the invitation to prayer is a precious expression of the Creator's incomparable love and compassion for humanity."
"Consider for a moment the kind of world it would be if God did exactly what we demanded in every instance. First believers would outlive nonbelievers by centuries. The rest of the human family would be trapped in decaying bodies, but Christians and their children would live in an idyllic world set apart.. . The entire basis for the God-man relationship would be undermined. People would seek a friendship with Him in order to gain the fringe benefits, rather than responding with a heart of repentance and love. Indeed, the most greedy among us would be the first to be drawn to the benefits of the Christian life. Most importantly, these evidences of God's awesome power would eliminate the need for faith."
"We can't see the future. We don't know His plan. We perceive only the small picture, and not even that very clearly. Given this limitation, it seems incredibly arrogant to tell God what to do - rather than making our needs known and then yielding to His divine purposes."
'God says to us, "Everyone is asked to endure some things that bring discomfort, pain, or sorrow. This is yours. Accept it. Carry it. I will give you the grace to endure it." Thus life goes on in a state of relative imperfection.'
"Unfortunately, there are a few highly visible Christian ministers who confuse people by teaching them there is no need for perseverance and self-control. Why should we practice endurance when health and wealth are available to everyone? By making just the right noises to God, we can tap into His power for trouble-free living. They would transform the King of the Universe into a subservient magician, or a high-powered errand boy, who has bound Himself irrevocably to the whims and wishes of us mere mortals. It is a dangerous misrepresentation of Scripture with far-reaching implications for the uninitiated."
"It's not that God can't heal the blind - or any other disease or deformity. He can and He does. But to my knowledge, He never performs those miracles en masse. Let's put it this way: I have never seen any minister fulfill a promise of universal healing to all comers. Oh, there are some who would have us believe they have a magic touch. But there is reason for skepticism. Furthermore, there's often a disturbing hysteria or a circus atmosphere in the healing services. Such mass-produced miracles affront the sovereignty of God and make a sham of His holy worship."
"I am concerned about the teaching of universal health and prosperity. It establishes a level of expectations which will eventually wound and weaken unstable Christians. . . And it begins with a theological distortion that promises a stress-free life and a God who always does what He is told."
"Perhaps you have noticed that life seems blatantly unfair. It pampers some of us and devastates others. Perhaps this is the most disturbing question posed to the thoughtful Christian. How can we explain such an apparent injustice? How can an infinitely loving and just God permit some people to experience lifelong tragedy while others seem to enjoy every good and perfect gift?"
"That utter abandonment to the sovereign will of the Lord is what He wants of His people, even when circumstances seem to swirl out of control. He can rescue - but if not . . . ! He will never let you down - but He won't let you off, either!"
"There is no stability or predictability in this imperfect world. It is that way for you and me, too. We must expect the unexpected - the unsettling - the irritating. One day we'll ride high above the fray and the next we could slide under the door. So whence cometh the stability in such a topsy-turvy world? It is found only by anchoring our faith on the unchanging, everlasting Lord, whose promises never fail and whose love is all encompassing. Our joy and our hope can be as steady as the sunrise even when the happenings around us are transitioning from wonderful to tragic. That's what Scripture teaches us, and His peace is there for those who choose to take it."
"The bottom line is
that our welfare on this mortal coil is influenced by forces that are
beyond the scope of our intellect. We are caught up in a struggle
between good and evil that plays a significant, although unidentified,
role in our lives. Our task, then, is not to decipher exactly how these
pieces fit and what it all means, but to remain faithful and obedient to
Him who knows all mysteries."
"Our message boils down to this very simple understanding: there is nothing the Lord wants of us more than the exercise of our faith. He will do nothing to undermine it, and we cannot please him without it. To define the term again, faith is believing that which has no absolute proof. It is hanging tough when the evidence would have us bail out. It is determining to trust him when He has not answered all the questions or even assured a pain-free passage."
"There is no better illustration of this faithfulness than is seen in the second half of Hebrews chapter 11. This Scripture, to which we referred earlier, has been called the 'heroes hall of fame', and it bears great relevance to our discussion. Described therein are the men and women who persevered in their faith under the most extreme circumstances. They were subjected to every kind of hardship and danger for the sake of the Cross. Some were tortured, imprisoned, flogged, stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. They were destitute, mistreated, persecuted, and inadequately clothed. They wandered in the deserts, in mountain, in caves, and in holes in the ground. Most important for our topic, they died not receiving what had been promised. In other words, they held onto their faith to the point of death, even though God had not explained what He was doing."
"Perhaps you are among those who have struggled to comprehend a particular heartache and God's reason for allowing it. A thousand unanswered questions have been recycling in your mind - most of them beginning with 'Why . . .?" You want desperately to trust the Father and believe in His grace and goodness. But deep inside, you're held captive by a sense of betrayal and abandonment. The Lord obviously permitted your difficulties to occur. Why didn't He prevent them - and why has He not attempted to explain or apologize for them? The inability to answer those fundamental questions has become a spiritual barrier a mile high, and you can't seem to find a way around or over it."
"To those whom I have been describing - those who have struggled to understand God's providence - I bring hope to you today! No, I can't provide tidy little solutions to all of life's annoying inconsistencies. That will not occur until we see the Lord face to face. But his heart is especially tender toward the downtrodden and the defeated. He knows your name and he has seen every tear you have shed. He was there on each occasion when life took a wrong turn. And what appears to be divine disinterest or cruelty is a misunderstanding at best and a satanic lie at worst."
'If you were sitting before me at this moment, you might be inclined to ask, "Then how do you explain the tragedies and hardships that have come into my life? Why did God do this to me?" My reply is not profound. But I know it is right! God usually does not choose to answer those questions in this life! That's what I've been trying to say. He will not parade His plans and purposes for our approval. We must never forget that He is God. As such He wants us to believe and trust in him despite the things we don't understand. It's that straightforward.'
"Jehovah never did answer Job's intelligent inquiries, and He will not respond to all of yours. Every person who ever lived, I submit, has had to deal with seeming contradictions and enigmas. You will not be the exception. If that explanation is unsatisfactory and you can't accept it, then you are destined to go through life with a weak, ineffectual faith - or no faith at all. You'll just have to construct your castles on some other foundation. That will be your greatest challenge, however - because there is no other foundation."
"When you think about it, there is comfort in the approach to life's trials and tribulations. We are relieved from the responsibility of trying to figure them out. We haven't been given enough information to decipher the code. It is enough to acknowledge that God makes sense even when He doesn't make sense."
"Throughout our remaining days in this life, therefore, let me urge you not to be discouraged by temporal cares. Accept the circumstances as they are presented to you. Expect periods of hardship to occur, and don't be dismayed when they arrive. 'Lean into the pain' when your time to suffer comes around, knowing that God will use the difficulty for His purposes - and, indeed, for our own good. The Lord is very near, and He has promised that your temptation will not be greater than you can bear."
"Sometimes He also lets you and me 'struggle with the oars' until we recognize our dependence on Him. In so doing, He gives our faith an opportunity to grow and mature. But one thing is certain. We are ever in His vision. When His purposes are fulfilled and the time is right, He will calm the stormy sea and lead us to safety on the distant shore."
"Let me take one more shot at the Christian writers and speakers who promote the expectation of ease in this Christian walk. They would have us believe that the followers of Jesus do not experience the trials and frustrations that pagans go through. Some of them appear so anxious to tell us what we want to hear that they distort the truths expressed in the Word. They would have us believe that the Lord rushes into action the instant we face a hardship, eliminating every discomfort or need. Well, sometimes He does just that. At other times He doesn't. Either way, He is there and has our lives in perfect control."
Does that mean, as it would seem, that we should not feel free to express our deepest longings and frustrations to the Lord? Is He so demanding and detached that we must hide our fears from Him or try to be something we're not? Should we grin and bear it when every cell of our bodies aches in sorrow? Must we mimic ducks that sit quietly on a lake but are paddling like crazy below the surface? No! At least 100 Scriptures will refute that uncaring image of God. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). We are told that He "knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). He also understands that some of us are strong and confident by temperament. Others are naturally more anxious. That should come as no surprise to the One who made us the way we are.' 'One of the popular choruses of today offers this happy thought, "Something good is going to happen today, happen today, happen today. Something good is going to happen today. Jesus of Nazareth is passing this way." I have a strong dislike for that well-intentioned little rendition because it is based on bad theology. I understand how the lyrics are intended to be interpreted, but they imply that Christianity guarantees a person only "good things." It is not true. Let's be honest. As the world interprets it, something terrible could happen to you today. Christians do get sick and die, just like the rest of the world. They do lose their jobs like other people, and they do have car wrecks and dental problems and sick kids. Believing otherwise is a trap from which many young believers, and some old ones, never escape!'"It is not your responsibility to explain what God is doing with your life. He has not provided enough information to figure it out. Instead, you are asked to turn loose and let God be God. Therein lies the secret to the 'peace that transcends understanding.'"
"Just how tough is your faith? How secure is mine? Will we permit the Lord to use our weakness, our disability, our disappointment, our inadequacy, to accomplish His purposes? Will you and I worship and serve this Master even in suffering? Does our 'expectation' as followers of Jesus leave room for frustration and imperfection?"
"God is not against us for our sins. He is for us against our sins. That makes all the difference."
"Our message boils down to this very simple understanding: there is nothing the Lord wants of us more than the exercise of our faith. He will do nothing to undermine it, and we cannot please him without it. To define the term again, faith is believing that which has no absolute proof. It is hanging tough when the evidence would have us bail out. It is determining to trust him when He has not answered all the questions or even assured a pain-free passage."
"There is no better illustration of this faithfulness than is seen in the second half of Hebrews chapter 11. This Scripture, to which we referred earlier, has been called the 'heroes hall of fame', and it bears great relevance to our discussion. Described therein are the men and women who persevered in their faith under the most extreme circumstances. They were subjected to every kind of hardship and danger for the sake of the Cross. Some were tortured, imprisoned, flogged, stoned, sawed in two, and put to death by the sword. They were destitute, mistreated, persecuted, and inadequately clothed. They wandered in the deserts, in mountain, in caves, and in holes in the ground. Most important for our topic, they died not receiving what had been promised. In other words, they held onto their faith to the point of death, even though God had not explained what He was doing."
"Perhaps you are among those who have struggled to comprehend a particular heartache and God's reason for allowing it. A thousand unanswered questions have been recycling in your mind - most of them beginning with 'Why . . .?" You want desperately to trust the Father and believe in His grace and goodness. But deep inside, you're held captive by a sense of betrayal and abandonment. The Lord obviously permitted your difficulties to occur. Why didn't He prevent them - and why has He not attempted to explain or apologize for them? The inability to answer those fundamental questions has become a spiritual barrier a mile high, and you can't seem to find a way around or over it."
"To those whom I have been describing - those who have struggled to understand God's providence - I bring hope to you today! No, I can't provide tidy little solutions to all of life's annoying inconsistencies. That will not occur until we see the Lord face to face. But his heart is especially tender toward the downtrodden and the defeated. He knows your name and he has seen every tear you have shed. He was there on each occasion when life took a wrong turn. And what appears to be divine disinterest or cruelty is a misunderstanding at best and a satanic lie at worst."
'If you were sitting before me at this moment, you might be inclined to ask, "Then how do you explain the tragedies and hardships that have come into my life? Why did God do this to me?" My reply is not profound. But I know it is right! God usually does not choose to answer those questions in this life! That's what I've been trying to say. He will not parade His plans and purposes for our approval. We must never forget that He is God. As such He wants us to believe and trust in him despite the things we don't understand. It's that straightforward.'
"Jehovah never did answer Job's intelligent inquiries, and He will not respond to all of yours. Every person who ever lived, I submit, has had to deal with seeming contradictions and enigmas. You will not be the exception. If that explanation is unsatisfactory and you can't accept it, then you are destined to go through life with a weak, ineffectual faith - or no faith at all. You'll just have to construct your castles on some other foundation. That will be your greatest challenge, however - because there is no other foundation."
"When you think about it, there is comfort in the approach to life's trials and tribulations. We are relieved from the responsibility of trying to figure them out. We haven't been given enough information to decipher the code. It is enough to acknowledge that God makes sense even when He doesn't make sense."
"Throughout our remaining days in this life, therefore, let me urge you not to be discouraged by temporal cares. Accept the circumstances as they are presented to you. Expect periods of hardship to occur, and don't be dismayed when they arrive. 'Lean into the pain' when your time to suffer comes around, knowing that God will use the difficulty for His purposes - and, indeed, for our own good. The Lord is very near, and He has promised that your temptation will not be greater than you can bear."
"Sometimes He also lets you and me 'struggle with the oars' until we recognize our dependence on Him. In so doing, He gives our faith an opportunity to grow and mature. But one thing is certain. We are ever in His vision. When His purposes are fulfilled and the time is right, He will calm the stormy sea and lead us to safety on the distant shore."
"Let me take one more shot at the Christian writers and speakers who promote the expectation of ease in this Christian walk. They would have us believe that the followers of Jesus do not experience the trials and frustrations that pagans go through. Some of them appear so anxious to tell us what we want to hear that they distort the truths expressed in the Word. They would have us believe that the Lord rushes into action the instant we face a hardship, eliminating every discomfort or need. Well, sometimes He does just that. At other times He doesn't. Either way, He is there and has our lives in perfect control."
Does that mean, as it would seem, that we should not feel free to express our deepest longings and frustrations to the Lord? Is He so demanding and detached that we must hide our fears from Him or try to be something we're not? Should we grin and bear it when every cell of our bodies aches in sorrow? Must we mimic ducks that sit quietly on a lake but are paddling like crazy below the surface? No! At least 100 Scriptures will refute that uncaring image of God. Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). We are told that He "knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). He also understands that some of us are strong and confident by temperament. Others are naturally more anxious. That should come as no surprise to the One who made us the way we are.' 'One of the popular choruses of today offers this happy thought, "Something good is going to happen today, happen today, happen today. Something good is going to happen today. Jesus of Nazareth is passing this way." I have a strong dislike for that well-intentioned little rendition because it is based on bad theology. I understand how the lyrics are intended to be interpreted, but they imply that Christianity guarantees a person only "good things." It is not true. Let's be honest. As the world interprets it, something terrible could happen to you today. Christians do get sick and die, just like the rest of the world. They do lose their jobs like other people, and they do have car wrecks and dental problems and sick kids. Believing otherwise is a trap from which many young believers, and some old ones, never escape!'"It is not your responsibility to explain what God is doing with your life. He has not provided enough information to figure it out. Instead, you are asked to turn loose and let God be God. Therein lies the secret to the 'peace that transcends understanding.'"
"Just how tough is your faith? How secure is mine? Will we permit the Lord to use our weakness, our disability, our disappointment, our inadequacy, to accomplish His purposes? Will you and I worship and serve this Master even in suffering? Does our 'expectation' as followers of Jesus leave room for frustration and imperfection?"
"God is not against us for our sins. He is for us against our sins. That makes all the difference."
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