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Where Are You Lord?
Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Jun 13, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: - God is neither handicapped nor weary in the midst of your pain. - Nor is He confused or baffled. - His strength will deliver you - not barely, but mightily
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+ Two brothers were extremely mischievous and their parents were at their wits’ end. So they asked their pastor to talk with the boys.
> The pastor sat the younger one down first. He wanted him to think about God, so he started the conversation by asking, "Where is God?" The boy didn’t respond, so he repeated the question in a stern tone. Again he gave no answer. Frustrated, the pastor shook his finger in the boy’s face and shouted, "Where is God?!"
> The boy bolted from the room, ran home, and hid in his closet. His brother followed him and asked, "What happened?" The younger boy replied, "We’re in big trouble now. God is missing, and they think we did it!"
+ Where is God?
> Where is God in the loneliness of divorce?
> Where is God when disease is destroying you
> Where is God when dreams are crushed
> Where is God when death strikes?
> Where Is God In Wartime?
> Where Is God When It Hurts?
> Where is God in the Midst of Tragedy?
> On July 27, 1981, Adam Walsh was abducted from a shopping mall. His dismembered body was found 16 days later...
> On October 1, 1993, Polly Klass was abducted from her home at knifepoint during a slumber party. Her body was found 65 days later...
> April 19, 1995, a large bomb decimated the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.
> On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris entered Columbine High School in Littleton, CO and killed 12 classmates, a teacher and injured 20 before taking their own lives...
> September 11 2001 Terrorist Attack The World Trade Center - 3 Airliners 2,973 people died; and 24 are missing
> October 3, 2006 A gunman shoots dead five girls before killing himself in an attack on a Pennsylvania Amish school.
> On April 16, 2007, Seung-Hui Cho, a student at Virginia Tech, kills 32 before taking his own life..
> Wed June 6/07 Kelsey Smith, 18 was kidnap from a Target store in Overland Park Kan and murdered
Where Are You Lord?
+ Gen 37-40
Joseph might have asked Where are you Lord?
> Joseph Had been thrown in a pit
> Sold into slavery
> Lied about by Potiphar’s wife
> Sent to prison
> Forgotten about by authority
+
> Ps 69:17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
> Ps 102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.
> Ps 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
+ I. REMEMBER
1. Difficulties will come -
> v. 2 Wicked, Enemies, Foes ... eat my
flesh
> v. 3 Besieged and at war
> v. 5 In the time of trouble
> v. 6 My enemies
> v.10 Forsaken by family
> v. 11 More enemies
> v. 12 Cruel false witnesses
> v. 13 almost passed out (fainted)
+ 2. In every situation the Lord is with us
> v 1 He is light Salvation, and life
> v 5 He will hide (Heb. tsaw’an - treasure us) and establish us
> v. 6 Head lifted above enemies
> v. 10 The closest to us are gone but we
are not forgotten
+ 3.You will get through the difficulty
> v. 14 He will strengthen your heart
+ II. REACTIONS - Ps 27:9
> 1. Acknowledge the Pain.
Hide not thy face far from me
- HIDE here is (Heb. saw’har to conceal )
- He does not minimize your pain.
- The Lord is not in denial; neither does He expect you to be.
- God cares. He has not abandoned you.
- He is right beside you and has been there all along.
- He hears your sobs and He sees your tears
> 2. Let God Work.
Put not thy servant away in anger
- A cry for help
- Don’t attempt to advise God as to what is best for you.
- God will make a way for you.
- Remember that God’s way is not your way.
- Trust God to do His maintaining,
providing, healing, sustaining, and guiding.
- Lay aside your human expectations so that you can see God’s answers.
- Your only hope lies in the Lord.
> 3. Make Choices.
Thou hast been my help
- Times past he was helped
