Where Is God When Life Falls Apart? Series

- When was the last time a trip to the theater left you truly inspired about God?

- Movie "God’s Not Dead" - Here in town

- Freshman college student Josh Wheaton's faith is challenged by his philosophy professor, who believes God does not exist. He has to defend God's existence to the entire class.

How Can A Loving God Allow Innocent People To Be Hurt So Badly?”

Josh wants to go to Law School

His fiancé leaves him

Professor wants to destroy his faith & future

Ayisha a muslin is ostracized from her family

Amy reporter finds out she is going to die from cancer

Mina - Secret Christian the professor is her boyfriend & mother with dementia

Pastor Dave is struggling in his church

Martin a Chinese struggling with his loyalties to his family & belief

How can a loving God allow innocent people to be hurt so badly?”

3/26/14 Mud slide in Washington state 49 homes, killing at least 24 people 90 missing

3/8/14 Malaysia Flight 370 - Down in Indian Ocean with 239 on board

4/15/13 Boston Marathon bombings 5 deaths - 280 injuries

7/20/12 Aurora Colorado movie shooting killing 12 people and injuring 70 others.

12/14/12 Sandy Hook School - 20 kids & 6 adults shot

Try to explain evil tragedies like:

Columbine HS massacre

9/11

Syrian Slaughters

Tsunami in Japan

Typhoon in the Philippines,

Constant famines in Africa

People killed in senseless wars

Terrorist bombings that cripple and maim

Fatal car accidents

Infant deaths

Sickness & disease

Where Is God In All Of This?

Lee Strobel commissioned a national survey asking people what question they'd ask if they could only ask God one thing The Number One response was: “Why is there suffering in the world?”

Jesus first message begins with the beatitudes

Last of the beatitudes is Mt. 5:11-12

Jesus last message to the disciples Jn 14-16

Starts with Jn 14:1-3, 27

Note the "Abides" Jn 15:4-7, 10

Next verse John 15:11 (AV)

11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Jn 16:1 - Starts with same words

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. -- "stumble", "fall away", "lose your faith", "giving up"

Note the last verse

John 16:33 (AV) — 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye SHALL have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Matthew 5:11 (The Message)

“Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.

What Is This For?

C. S. Lewis, who watched his beloved wife die of cancer, put it this way.

• God whispers to us in our pleasures,

• Speaks in our conscience,

• Shouts in our pains:

it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world." God's plan is for us to return to him, (fall upon Him) and to lead the best possible life on earth; sometimes we need to be reminded of our purpose, and pain is a sharp, clear tool to achieve that purpose.

-- A needle may be necessary to prevent disease or infection; nobody welcomes or enjoys the injection, but it prevents a far greater suffering, just as what may seem like even intolerable pain now will lead to far greater happiness later.

Re. 5:5 (ESV)

.... “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, .....

The Fog Of Life

Think about driving a highway in the dark, it is raining heavily and you hit dense fog. You can barely see the white stripe on the edge of the road. You can't stop because you are afraid someone might come along and rear-end you. It's white knuckle frightening!

Suddenly from behind a truck passes and is in front of you. Now you can clearly see his taillights through the fog. He apparently has fog lamps in front, because he is traveling at a confident and deliberate pace, and you know if you could just follow those taillights, you'd be headed in the right direction

God knows our needs better than we do. We may not be able to make out all the peripheral details of why — they may be obscured from our view

The Points Of Light We Need To Follow

1. God Has Not Created Evil & Suffering.

God saw all that he has created and it was good

Genesis 1:31 (AV)

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. ....

WHY EVIL