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A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, May 11^th, 2016. Today is the 132^nd Day of 2016.

Today is TYLER BAILLIEZ’ Birthday

Today is ARIC WITTMER’S FIRST Birthday

There are only 234 days left in this year; and, there are only 39 days left until Father’s Day; and, there are only 228 days left until CHRISTMAS…

A Brief Glimpse of Heaven

Our focal passage yesterday is filled with amazing insights about what Paradise (Heaven) will be like for the believer…

Luke 16:19-31
¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—
²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

First, people who go there (like Lazarus) are still alive…

Second, people who go there still have their five senses… This is proof, by-the-way, that the senses are contained in the mind (spirit) of a person, rather than merely being a chemical reaction in the physical brain of a person.

Third, people who go there know not only each other (the Rich Man and Lazarus) but they know everyone there even though those people lived and died a long time before they were born… (i.e., Abraham)

Fourth, people who go there have direct communication with God…

Fifth, remember that Paradise was taken to be in the Third Heaven following the death of Jesus. Therefore, those who go there will not see into Hades and be aware of the sufferings of the unsaved dead.

According to Revelation 20:15 – 21:4, I am absolutely convinced that after the final judgment of the unsaved dead, all memory of them will be wiped away.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Prayer and Bible Study Tonight from 6:30 – 8:00pm. We are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; be sure you catch as many of these lessons as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Tuesday, May 10^th, 2016. Today is the 131^st Day of 2016.

Today is Steve and Karen Dietderich’s Wedding Anniversary.

There are only 235 days left in this year; and, there are only 40 days left until Father’s Day!

Paradise – Before and After the Cross

Before the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins, when the people of God died their soul and spirit went to a place called “Paradise” which was half of the place of the dead called, “Hades”.

The unsaved dead were imprisoned in the other half with a great and impassable gulf between the two places.

Luke 16:19-31
¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores.
²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried,
²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.
²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’
²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—
²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’
²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Following His death on the cross, Jesus went into Hades, (the abode of the spirits of the dead) preached to the unsaved dead, (1^st Peter 3:18-19) and then took Paradise and His people with Him to the third heaven!

Ephesians 4:7-10
⁷ “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
⁸ Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
⁹ (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?
¹⁰ He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”

“Paradise” in now in the Third Heaven with Jesus.

Take note that in eternity the dead maintain the five senses: they see, speak, feel, etc., and they know the people who are there with them.

Since Jesus took Paradise to Heaven with HIM, I do not think people in heaven can any longer see and hear the people in Hell; but, they surely can see, know, and speak with the people in Heaven.

One day, either by death or rapture, you and I who believe in Jesus will join them there.

OH HAPPY DAY.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Bible Study… Wednesdays at 6:30 – 8:00pm, we are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; catch as many as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Monday, May 9^th, 2016. Today is the 130^th Day of 2016.

There are only 236 days left in this year; and, there are only 41 days left until Father’s Day!

Heaven – God’s Eternal Home, and Ours

Revelation 21:1-4
¹ “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

From time to time, every Christian and likely every thinking person thinks about life after death and wonders if there really is a place called Heaven.

Of course, Christians believe exactly what the Bible says about Heaven because we believe EVERYTHING the Bible says about anything.

Since I have completed my devotional thoughts from the Book of Job, I want to focus these devotions on the subject of Heaven for a week or so.

For today, I want us to think about the question, “Where is Heaven?”

While we usually think about Heaven being the place where God and the Holy Angels and those believers who have died live, the Bible actually reveals three specific places that are called “Heaven…”

The 1^st Heaven is the atmosphere of the earth.

It is that part of earth where the birds (and now humans) fly. It is what the Bible often calls the “firmament” or “the sky.”

Genesis 1:20
“And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.”

The 2^nd Heaven is what we commonly call “Outer Space” or “The Universe.”

Psalm 8:3-4
³ “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

The 3^rd Heaven is the Celestial Heaven where God dwells with the Holy Angels and all of HIS Saints who have already died.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4
² “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.
³ And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—
⁴ and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter.”

Revelation 7:9-17
⁹ “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
¹⁰ and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
¹¹ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
¹³ Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?”
¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
¹⁵ “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Beloved Ones, all of us who have repented of our sins and are trusting Jesus as our Savior and LORD will one day be with him in HEAVEN and we will be there with HIM, the Holy Angels, and the Saints of all the ages.

For now, our work in this life is to be used of the LORD to bring as many others with us as we can possible reach.

Do not miss the opportunity for Mid-Week Bible Study… Wednesdays at 6:30 – 8:00pm, we are studying the Second Coming of Jesus and the events that follow into the Eternal State.

Each evening features a stand-alone lesson, so if you can’t make them all; catch as many as you can.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Friday, May 6^th, 2016. Today is the 127^th Day of 2016.

ON THIS DAY IN 1619, The Canons of Dort, a Calvinist response to the Arminian Remonstrance, are promulgated in Dort’s Great Church before a large congregation.

OK, OK, not many of you know what “The Canons of Dort” are, but, let me encourage you to be thankful for the recovery of the Biblical Gospel that occurred during the Reformation.

The Canons of Dort are a doctrinal statement that played a major role in the returning the church to an accurate understanding of the doctrines of salvation.

There are only 239 days left in this year; and, there are only 2 days left until Mother’s Day!

“A Happier, but Not Completely Happy Ending”

Job 42:10-17
¹⁰ “And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
¹¹ Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.
¹² And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys.
¹³ He had also seven sons and three daughters.
¹⁴ And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch.
¹⁵ And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
¹⁶ And after this Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations.
¹⁷ And Job died, an old man, and full of days.”

Oh, how we do love happy endings. It seems that the best of Hollywood screenwriters could not do a better ending than the Book of Job.

In the latter days of Job’s life, God repaid him richly for his suffering. After rebuking Job’s three friends, God poured out his blessings on him.

God gave Job twice as many sheep as he had before.

God gave Job twice as many camels as he had before.

God gave Job twice as many oxen as he had before.

God gave Job twice as many female donkeys as he had before.

God gave Job seven sons and three daughters.

Wait…

God doubled everything Job lost except his children. God gave him the same number of children as he had before… why?

Here is what I think. The sheep were gone forever, the camels were gone forever, the oxen were gone forever, and the female donkeys were gone forever.

But his original children were not gone forever.

I think there are two very valuable lessons here:

First, I believe Job “still had” the original 10 children because they were believers and after being killed in Chapter One, they were still very much alive in heaven to one day be reunited with Job.

Second, it is vitally important that all of us realize that the birth of a child cannot and does not “make up” for the loss of a child.

I cannot imagine any pain in life more painful than losing a child and more children do not make up for that loss.

Animals are possessions. When they were lost, God made up for their loss by giving more of them back to Job.

But while Job’s children were away from him for a time, they were not lost; so while God blessed him and his wife with more children, God did not need to “replace” the original children.

Job and his wife still had them… “safe in the arms of Jesus.”

Our loved ones who have died in faith are not “lost” though they be away from us for a while.

Job’s story reminds us that God does allow hardship and suffering in the life of HIS people to accomplish HIS purposes. Consider what HE allowed to come into the life of HIS Only Begotten Son, Jesus…

Job teaches us that Romans 8:28 is true; even in the most trying of circumstances.

This would be a good day to thank God for your blessings and ask God’s blessings upon those whom you know to be suffering right now.

I hope you will take the time to attend the Choral Union Concert we are hosting at our Church starting at 7pm this coming Saturday. I think you will really enjoy this event and it will be a real encouragement to the Choral Union.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, May 4^th, 2016. Today is the 125^th Day of 2016.

There are only 241 days left in this year; and, there are only 4 days left until Mother’s Day!

The Added Misery of Foolish Friends

Job 4:1-11
¹ “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
² “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?
³ Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
⁴ Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
⁵ But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
⁶ Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
⁷ “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
⁸ As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
⁹ By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
¹⁰ The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
¹¹ The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.”

Ah, yes. Just what Job needs. Three of his “friends” show up to tell him how to fix his troubles.

Over the following 34 Chapters, three self-appointed theological counselors arrive and immediately diagnose the REASON for Job’s suffering.

According to their theology, Job must be guilty of some great sin and if he will only listen to them; repent; and tell them what he has done to deserve this, God will heal him.

NOTE: Although “Job” is likely the oldest Book in the Bible, the false doctrine “cause and effect” was already around.

We hear it all of the time. “You do this… and God will do that; and, all suffering is the result of sin.”

Sure, sin brought death and suffering into the world, and many times a direct link can be made from sinful behavior to suffering painful consequences, but, one cannot assume that whenever a person is suffering they must be being punished for some sin.

These three “friends” whom Job calls, “miserable comforters” and, “physicians of no value” are early practitioners of this error.

It is heart-breaking to hear gossip and slander going on (especially among those who claim to be Christians) about what must be going on when a believer experiences severe testing and trials.

Here is the deal. We don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes. There are times when we, or others, are doing all we can to live according to God’s commands and trouble still comes.

Let’s be “TRUE” friends to those who are hurting. Let’s love them, pray for them, and support them.

Who knows? If we live that way, others may treat us that way when our trials come.

REMEMBER: As the LORD allows, I will begin a series of 14 lessons this evening at 6:30pm on the subject of “Biblical Eschatology – Tomorrow’s News Today.”

I hope to see you there.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Saturday, April 30^th, 2016. Today is the 121^st Day of 2016.

TODAY IS MARY JANE MADONI’S BIRTHDAY

TODAY IS MIKALYA MORFEY’S BIRTHDAY

There are only 245 days left in this year; and, there are only 8 days left until Mother’s Day!

The BEST Known Lesson from the Book of Job

Job 1:20-22
²⁰ “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
²¹ And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
²² In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

Everyone already knows this, but it is so important that it bears repeating and repeating and repeating…

The primary lesson from Job is that one who has genuine faith in God and HIS promises can bear horrific suffering and still worship God.

(V.20) Job worshiped.

And how he worshiped. In verse 21, when Job says, (in English) “Blessed be the Name of the LORD” he simply spoke two Hebrew words:

“Hillel” the Hebrew word for “Blessed”

And, “Yah” (from YHWH) which is the Name of God.

Did you get it? Job said “Hillel Yah” which would be transliterated in English as, HALLELUJAH.

Job suffered horrifically then fell on his face and cried out… “Hallelujah.”

That, Beloved, is worship.

The key to his ability to do this is seen in verse 21 where he makes it clear that he and all that he has was given to him by God “the LORD gave” so, he has no complaint when God takes what he has away.

Job’s grief was real, but, his theology was sound.

Therein is the difference in Job and almost everyone else.

We, and all that we have, belong to God. HE has given us our life and all the things we have.

But we and they are HIS. HE can reclaim them or otherwise use both us and them in any way that suits HIS divine will.

When God gives, “Hallelujah” is easy; when HE takes… not so much.

The LORD gives and the LORD takes away… and, what will you and I say?

REMEMBER… TOMORROW, (as the LORD allows) will be AWANA FAMILY RECOGNITION DAY

We will have a Hamburger and Hot Dog Lunch after Church with the Kids and their Families.

I hope you will stay for lunch and get to know some of the families who do not attend Church.

This is hard for us to believe, but many of the families in our area think that we are “too holy” to be friends with someone like them.

They need friends just like us. They need us. Please stay for the luncheon and greet these dear people.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Friday, April 29^th, 2016. Today is the 120^th Day of 2016.

ON THIS DAY IN 1764, John Newton was Ordained as a Deacon in the Church of England. Later, as Pastor of the Olney (Scotland) Congregational Church, this former slave trader will write “Amazing Grace” and hundreds of other Christian Hymns.

There are only 246 days left in this year; and, there are only 9 days left until Mother’s Day!

THE MOST OVERLOOKED LESSON FROM THE BOOK OF JOB is that Satan and his demons are REAL Beings who REALLY EXIST and whose ONE PASSION is the destruction of God’s Plan and HIS People.

Job 1:6-12
⁶ “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
⁷ The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
⁸ And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
⁹ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?
¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
¹² And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job 2:1-6
¹ Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD.
² And the LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
³ And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.”
⁴ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life.
⁵ But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.”
⁶ And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.”

Job could have not possibly known what was going on behind the scenes. The very point of Job’s testing was that he did not know what was going on and yet he remained faithful to God.

You and I have the benefit of having Job’s story in the Bible, so we know what was going on; but, AT THE TIME OF THESE EVENTS, Job could not and did not know.

We know.

Satan is a created being, an angel, who God created and then allowed to rebel against HIM. When Satan (Lucifer) rebelled and fell from heaven, he took an entire third of all of the heavenly angels with him. These are now called demons.

Isaiah 14:12-16 (NKJV)
¹² “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
¹³ For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
¹⁴ I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
¹⁵ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.”

Revelation 12:1-4
¹ “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.
² She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.
³ And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.
⁴ His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.”

By the time that Peter wrote 1^st Peter, (2,100 years after the events of the Book of Job) we see that Satan has not changed at all…

1 Peter 5:8
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Beloved Ones, our God and we, HIS People, have a real enemy. His name is Satan and he is out to destroy us and our witness and work for God.

Take careful note of how he treated Job. This is exactly how he would treat all of God’s people if God would allow it.

God allowed him to test and torture Job. Thankfully, God will not allow him to do so to us.

1^st John 4:4
“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Following the first Lord’s Supper and just before HE was betrayed, Jesus prayed that HIS Father would keep us safe from the evil one.

John 17:15
“I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

THANK YOU GOD.

Always remember this lesson… Satan and his demons are real; BUT, so is the power and protection of God over HIS people.

REMEMBER… This coming LORD’s Day (as the LORD allows) will be AWANA FAMILY RECOGNITION DAY

We will have a Hamburger and Hot Dog Lunch after Church with the Kids and their Families.

I hope you will stay for lunch and get to know some of the families who do not attend Church.

This is hard for us to believe, but many of the families in our area think that we are “too holy” to be friends with someone like them.

They need friends just like us. They need us. Please stay for the luncheon and greet these dear people.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Thursday, April 28^th, 2016. Today is the 119^th Day of 2016.

There are only 247 days left in this year; and, there are only 9 days left until Mother’s Day!

THE HARDEST LESSON ABOUT JOB’S SUFFERING

Job 1:1

¹ “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

Here is the hardest, and maybe the most profound lesson from the Book and life of Job:

Job deserved the suffering he endured.

Yes, I did just read verse 1. I am fully aware of what God has said about Job; and, of course everything God says is true.

Job was a wonderful example of a God-fearing and God-honoring man. But, let us not forget that Job was a sinner.

Romans 3:10, 23
¹⁰ “as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;
²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”

A wise Christian once said, “it is well for us to remember that the best of men are just men at best.”

God allowed this horrific suffering to come upon Job. God did not author it; but, HE did allow it.

Since God is perfectly just, (Romans 9:14) it is not possible for HIM to act in any unjust way. HIS actions in allowing this suffering to come upon Job are not unjust.

REMEMBER: If Job (and all of the rest of us) received what he “deserved” from God, he would be in hell right now.

I know this is not the most encouraging thing you will think about today; but, whatever we may be suffering is not 1% of what we deserve to receive from the hand of a holy God.

HERE is the most encouraging thing you will think about today… God is a merciful God. HE will not deal with us according to our sins, but, according to the real righteousness of Jesus Christ that has been accounted to us. (2^nd Corinthians 5:21)

In spite of the fierceness of our suffering and sorrow, we can never say that God is unjust in allowing this to come our way.

HE is never unjust.

Let me close today with the words of a miserable and undeserving sinner who squandered a zillion blessings of God…

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

(Lamentations 3:21-23)

God spared Job in spite of Job’s sins. HE spares us the very same way.

We have much more to learn from Job about suffering and how to minister to those who are suffering. Hopefully, we will learn what God is showing us.

REMEMBER… This coming LORD’s Day (as the LORD allows) will be AWANA CELEBRATION SUNDAY

We will have a Hamburger and Hot Dog Lunch after Church with the Kids and their Families. I hope you will stay for lunch and get to know some of the families who do not attend Church.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Wednesday, April 27^th, 2016. Today is the 118^th Day of 2016.

There are only 248 days left in this year; and, there are only 10 days left until Mother’s Day!

Job 1
¹ “There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
² There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
³ He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
⁴ His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
⁵ And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.
⁶ Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
⁷ The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.”
⁸ And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”
⁹ Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?
¹⁰ Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
¹¹ But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”
¹² And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
¹³ Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
¹⁴ and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them,
¹⁵ and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
¹⁶ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
¹⁷ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
¹⁸ While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
¹⁹ and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
²⁰ Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.
²¹ And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
²² In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

On one horrific day, Job, the most righteous man of his day suffered a series of catastrophic losses that make the suffering of most look trivial in comparison.

Over the next several devotional studies, I want us to think about suffering in the Christian life.

Thursday, as the LORD allows, I will conduct a Graveside Service for Kenny and Evelyn’s brother, John Collins.

Last July, Kenny passed away after an extended period of suffering from a disease that he should have never gotten. It is a disease whose very name means, “we don’t know why this is happening.”

Just 29 days ago, Gary Kaalberg, the husband of Kenny’s daughter Cathy died suddenly at home.

Last Friday John died suddenly and completely unexpectedly while working in his yard.

This one dear family has suffered a heart-breaking and mind-boggling set of events that would test the faith of Job himself.

Why does God allow such things as these to happen? Why IS HE allowing your suffering right now?

Looking back; looking around; and looking ahead we see suffering and suffering and suffering.

I must tell you I believe that unless God grants our Nation a broken-spirit and deep heart-felt repentance, we and our children are facing suffering in this Nation such as we have not seen in our lifetime.

The signs of the impending judgment of God upon our sinful Nation are undeniable.

Why?

Why does God allow anyone to suffer? Why does God allow HIS People to suffer?

Why?

The Book of Job, the oldest Book in the Bible, has the answers to all of these questions. As we work our way through many of these passages, I think we will find them. (We will not like many of them; but, we will at least find them.)

I hope you will start reading through this long and difficult Book now. Go slow. Take it all in. Think hard. Think deeply. Pray.

We have suffered. We are suffering. We will suffer yet more. Knowing the lessons from the Book of Job will not exempt us from suffering but it will help us to understand it.

REMEMBER… This coming LORD’s Day (as the LORD allows) will be AWANA CELEBRATION SUNDAY

We will have a Hamburger and Hot Dog Lunch after Church with the Kids and their Families. I hope you will stay for lunch and get to know some of the families who do not attend Church.

Carpe Diem!

A Word from THE WORD

Good Morning Happy Church,

Today is Tuesday, April 26^th, 2016. Today is the 117^th Day of 2016.

There are only 249 days left in this year; and, there are only 11 days left until Mother’s Day!

On This Day in 1877: “Residents of Minnesota observe a statewide day of prayer, set by Governor John Sargent Pillsbury, imploring deliverance from a plague of grasshoppers that has been ravaging their crops. Many families are on the verge of starvation. In the next two days warm weather will cause millions of larvae to wiggle to life and skeptics scoff; but a plunge in temperature on the fourth day will freeze and kill them. A chapel will be built at Cold Spring to commemorate the miracle.” http://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org

On Sunday, April 22^nd, 2007 this dear Church called me to serve you as the 50^th Pastor in the (then) 115-year history of the Church.

9 years… 468 Sundays… over 1,000 sermons and other lessons… miles and miles and miles and miles…

Blessing after Blessing after Blessing after Blessing after Blessing…

A lot of dear ones have come and many have gone over these past 3,287 days. We have shared lots of sweet (and some bittersweet) memories that will last us all for a lifetime.

So here we are today. What would God have us to do?

I believe HE would have us to honor the past, faithfully serve HIM today, and look faithfully for HIS return.

John 4:35
“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”

All around us this week we will see faithful farmers planting their fields. They do this because of one simple fact – no planting, no harvest.

The exact same thing is true spiritually. If we are going to experience a “Harvest of Souls” in the days and weeks and years ahead, we need to start planting the SEED of God’s Word in the minds of people NOW.

While I have ideas in my mind about how many more years I will serve this wonderful Church; all of us know that we do not really know how long we have left to serve Jesus.

I know this. Every day that I can, I want to serve HIM (and you) faithfully and tell others about HIM (and you).

I hope you will join me in this happy work.

I am thankful to God to be your Pastor and your Friend.

REMEMBER… This coming LORD’s Day (as the LORD allows) will be AWANA CELEBRATION SUNDAY

We will have a Hamburger and Hot Dog Lunch after Church with the Kids and their Families.

I hope you will stay for lunch and get to know some of the families who do not attend Church.

Carpe Diem!