A Beautiful Sermon in a Time of Suffering

We have all experienced suffering—some more than others. And many times, we can be tempted to ask God "Why?"

A Beautiful Sermon in a Time of Suffering Dear Family,   We have all experienced suffering—some more than others. And many times, we can be tempted to ask God "Why?" We might even think that God is not being fair, or perhaps that He is treating us unjustly. How could God let my child go astray, suffer, or even die? Why did my marriage fall apart? Did my sin cause this? What did I do wrong? Image from iBIBLE Chapter 27. Job cries out to God in his suffering. These are all normal human responses. I remember when my son, my first child, was nine months old. He was adopted, and we were told that the paperwork was messed up and we might lose him. I came home from work, and I hugged him for a long time and cried. I did not want him to see my tears. Well-meaning friends asked me, "Why would God allow this to happen?" Some even told me "Surely you will not lose your son."   A month later, everything was straightened out and we were able to finalize the adoption. Jordan was permanently a member of our family.   When we adopted another son the following year, Jordan loved to hold him. He was an easy baby and a true joy. We named him Evan. Then one day, our attorney called and told us that his mother had changed her mind. She pleaded with the courts, and two weeks later, we were required to return Evan to his birth mom. At that point in my life, it was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through. I had to give up a child I loved as my own. I still think of Evan often. This past week, I read the most beautiful sermon for those who might ask God why they are suffering. It does not sugarcoat the suffering or give easy answers. It reminds us where our focus should be and implores us to trust God's justice. It also instructs us NOT to think of ourselves as wise and in turn question God.   Below are a few of the highlights.   You might think God is being unjust. But in this you are wrong. God is greater than any mortal. We should not strive against Him.   He speaks to us in our dreams. He gave us a ransom to present us as righteous and has saved us from the pit. We pray to God and God accepts us. God does this over and over to keep a man from the pit and to show him the light of life!   God is not denying us justice. The Almighty will not pervert justice. We are all the works of His hands. Look at the heavens and see. Your sin does not hurt Him.   Who asks, "Where is God my Maker?" God does not listen to empty cries. Be patient and put your trust in Him. The matter is before Him and He will judge rightly. He is mighty in strength and in wisdom. Listen. Stop and consider the wonders of God.   The Almighty, Whom we cannot find, Whose power is immense, does not pervert justice in His great righteousness. This is why people fear Him; He does not consider those who think of themselves as wise. You may have recognized the person who spoke these words. His name is Elihu, and this is a paraphrase of the words he spoke to Job after Job's three friends failed to give an answer as to why Job was suffering (Paraphrased from Job Chapters 32–37). Elihu speaks to Job. Image from the iBIBLE chapters depicting the life and suffering of Job. I reviewed iBIBLE Chapter 27 this past week which focuses on the life of Job. It is the first of four chapters that will cover Job's narrative. We had previously animated these chapters, but they were not of the quality we desire for iBIBLE, so I had the team upgrade them to our current iBIBLE standards. While it can be difficult to read through the 42 chapters of Job, it is easy to watch in iBIBLE. Job is full of rich content and is extremely relevant for the church today. It reminds me of the importance of engaging with the entire Biblical narrative. Job is full of rich content and is extremely relevant for the church today. It reminds me of the importance of engaging with the entire Biblical narrative. Watch the trailer for iBIBLE Chapter 27: Tribulation. When the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, saying: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work," (2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV) he would have been referring to the Old Testament since the New Testament had not yet been completed. The words of Elihu shared above would have been useful for teaching throughout the history of the church, and they are still useful for teaching us today. The words of Elihu shared above would have been useful for teaching throughout the history of the church, and they are still useful for teaching us today. Working on iBIBLE gives me so much encouragement. It is so exciting to be able to create a Biblical narrative that people can watch, hear, and read. A narrative that presents the Bible as one story in chronological order and brings the Word of God to life! A presentation of the Scripture that my son (now 29) describes as, "A Bible I can finally understand!"   We will publish the updated version of Job part 1 later this month. I know you will be encouraged as you watch the events surrounding Job and the incredible lessons he learned as he held his integrity in the midst of horrific suffering.   The Bible is rich. It is inerrant. It reveals God to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God's acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God's saving grace in individual lives. The Holy Scripture is God's witness to Himself.  [Adapted from the Chicago Statement of Inerrancy, 1978] Thank you for supporting us in this incredible journey to bring a visual and engaging Biblical narrative to the world! Have a very blessed Sunday. Steve Cleary CEO/Founder RevelationMedia LEARN MORE ABOUT iBIBLE Join the iBIBLE Team   iBIBLE is the first of its kind. When completed, iBIBLE will reveal the entire Biblical narrative in chronological order in one cohesive story. Join us today as an iBIBLE Producer and help bring God's Divine narrative to life. To learn more and support iBIBLE, visit www.i.BIBLE. JOIN THE iBIBLE TEAM Copyright © 2021 RevelationMedia, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: RevelationMedia PO Box 850005 Richardson, Texas 75085 Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list.  Subscription Information This message was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally