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Adrian on BBC’s Songs of Praise – Finding God in Times of Turmoil

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:49:46 GMT

If you stop believing in God, it doesn’t take away the pain, it just takes away the hope

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Is God the Author and Orchestrator of all our Suffering?

accountingstaff@lifestream.tv (Devin Stewart) — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:34:04 GMT

The Bible does not shy away from the reality of suffering. In fact, it is one of the most common themes throughout Scripture.

Some Christians believe that God is the author and orchestrator of all our suffering. They believe that God allows suffering to happen for a reason, even if we don’t always understand what that reason is.

From the book of Job to the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, we see that suffering is a part of the human experience. It is time I get back to my series on the Suffering Spectrum and how Christians have different views on the way in which God is involved in our pain.

But how do Christians understand suffering? How do we reconcile the existence of a loving God with the reality of pain and evil There is no easy answer to these questions. We will explore some of the different ways that Christians have tried to understand suffering. There is no one right answer to the question of why suffering exists. But by exploring different perspectives, we can gain a deeper understanding of God’s love and compassion on the one hand, and his sovereignty and purpose on the other.

Suffering is a difficult subject to talk about. But it is an important one.

By exploring different perspectives on suffering, we can gain a deeper understanding of God’s love and compassion. And when we do, we can find hope in the midst of our pain. There is no easy answer to these questions. But there are a few different ways that Christians have tried to understand suffering.

It is helpful to learn more about some of the theological labels we look into during this series, but we need to understand that many authors may actually find themselves somewhere along this spectrum and possibly even seem to contradict themselves at different points of their writings.

The view that God is in charge of suffering is often based on passages like Job 2:3, which says, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.'”

In this passage, God seems to be saying that He allowed Satan to test Job’s faith. This seems to suggest that God is ultimately responsible for all suffering. This leads us to the sense that God is at work behind all our sufferings, has a purpose for it, and therefore in some way suffering is part of his plan for our lives.

In James 1:2-4, it is written: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”

This passage suggests that suffering can help us grow in our faith and become more mature in our relationship with God. By depending on Him during difficult times, we can learn to trust Him more and find strength and comfort in His love.

But the concept of God directly sending us troubles to teach us a lesson can be an incredibly difficult idea to get your head around, especially in a time of great personal pain, and even leads to some losing their faith altogether , but some Christians find great comfort in it:

“God never wastes a hurt.”

This is a common saying that suggests that God can use our pain and suffering for a greater purpose. Bing’s AI tool found several references that discuss this idea.

One reference is from Proverbs 31 Ministries, where Glynnis Whitwer writes about how God can use our pain to bring about good 1. She explains that when we are honest about our struggles and rely on God, He can use our pain to bring about healing and transformation in our lives 1.
Another reference is from Jim Reeve’s book “God Never Wastes a Hurt” 2 . In this book, Reeve shares stories of people who have experienced hurt and how they responded to it. He suggests that when we trust in God and allow Him to work in our lives, He can use our pain for our good and for the good of others 2.
Pastor Rick Warren also discusses this idea in one of his daily devotions, where he writes that “God will never waste a hurt” 3. He explains that God can use our suffering to build endurance, help others, and bring about good in our lives 3.

Many Christians cling firmly to the view that God must have a master plan for our lives which includes suffering, and that all suffering somehow has a good purpose. This could at one extreme lead us to even thank God for sending suffering into our lives.

Spoiler alert: Personally, I am not willing to go that far, preferring to thank God IN my suffering not FOR it.

Similar ideas are found in many Christian writings.

“If I could talk to my younger self, I would just say that the path to great things is filled with a lot of stumbles, suffering, and challenges along the way. But if you have the right attitude and know that hard times will pass – and you get up each time – you will reach your destination.” Jonny Kim
“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” Helen Keller

I have worked with ChatGPT, Bing and Bard to help produce these articles. I take responsibility for the final form, but acknowledge their help much as I would a co-author. As I discussed in a post ranking Christian books on Suffering , ChatGPT and other AI tools are great at making up quotes often accurately matching the style of authors, their theological ideas, and even summarising their books. The following quotes do not as far as I am aware come from any book or websites by the authors the AI attributed them to.

AI Generated quotes created in the style of Christian authors (Note these are not quotations from those authors but intended by the AI to reflect and summarise their ideas).

“In the darkest depths of suffering, when the shadows of despair seem unyielding, I have witnessed the unfathomable presence of God. In the heart of the death camps, where humanity’s cruelty knew no bounds, His grace shone as a beacon of hope. Through it all, I learned that even in the most brutal of trials, God is not absent but ever near, weaving His love into the tapestry of our suffering, promising ultimate redemption for those who endure with unwavering faith.”
Inspired by the faith and experiences of Corrie ten Boom, and surely representing this view of God as present and somehow behind our suffering.
“Suffering is a call for us as believers not to try to have everything figured out, but to trust in the God who does.” Tim Keller
“Suffering is a mystery. We don’t always understand why it happens.” – CS Lewis
“Suffering is a part of life. It is something that we all go through at some point. Suffering is not a punishment from God, but an opportunity for growth and transformation. When we suffer, we are forced to rely on God more than ever before. And when we do, we come to know Him in a deeper way.” – Billy Graham
“Suffering is never easy. But it can be a powerful force for good. When we suffer, we are reminded of our own weakness and our need for God. And when we turn to Him, He can use our suffering to bring about His purposes in the world.” – Rick Warren
“Through the crucible of suffering, we discover the profound depths of God’s providence and His unwavering love. In the furnace of affliction, our faith is refined like precious gold, and we emerge as vessels fit for the Master’s use, bearing the scars of our trials as a testament to His sustaining grace.” – Wayne Grudem
“Suffering, though painful, is a divine canvas upon which the sovereign hand of God paints the masterpiece of His glory. In our afflictions, we glimpse the radiant beauty of His redemptive plan, for it is through our tears that the joy of His salvation shines most brilliantly. Embrace the paradox, dear friend, for in suffering, we taste the sweetness of His supremacy.” – John Piper
“Suffering is a mystery. We don’t always understand why it happens. But we can trust that God is with us in our suffering. He will never leave us or forsake us. And He will use our suffering for His glory.” – Max Lucado
“Suffering is a gift from God, because it teaches us to depend on Him.” – Oswald Chambers
(see also Piper’s The Unwelcome gift of suffering.)
“Suffering is a refining fire that purifies us and makes us more like Christ.” – A.W. Tozer.
The concept of suffering as a refining fire is a common theme in Christianity. The idea is that just as a refiner uses fire to purify precious metals like gold and silver, God uses suffering and adversity to purify and strengthen our faith, making us more like Christ 1 .One well-known reference to the refiner’s fire can be found in the Book of Malachi: “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver” (Malachi 3:2-3) 1 .

These quotes offer a similar perspective on suffering, they all point to the same truth: that suffering can be a powerful force for good in our lives. When we suffer, we are forced to rely on God more than ever before. And when we do, we come to know Him in a deeper way. We are also reminded of our own weakness and our need for God. And when we turn to Him, He can use our suffering to bring about His purposes in the world.

Suffering can be a way for God to teach us and grow us. When we go through difficult times, it can help us to learn more about ourselves, about God, and about the world around us. It can also help us to grow in our faith and trust in God.
Suffering can be a way for God to draw us closer to Him. When we are hurting, we are more likely to turn to God for help and comfort. This can help us to build a stronger relationship with Him.
Suffering can be a way for God to use us to help others. When we have gone through difficult times, we can often offer hope and encouragement to those who are going through similar experiences. We can also share our stories of how God has helped us through our pain, which can give others hope that God can help them too.

Suffering is not easy. But it can be a powerful force for good. When we suffer, we can trust that God is with us, and that He will use our suffering for His glory.

But does that all this mean God is actually the source of our pain?

Pros of this view:

It can provide comfort to those who are suffering, knowing that God is in control and has a plan.
It can help people to grow in their faith and trust in God.
It can lead to a deeper understanding of God’s character and love.

Cons of this view:

It can be difficult to understand why a loving God would allow suffering to happen.
It can lead to feelings of anger and resentment towards God.
It can make it difficult to have hope in the midst of suffering.
It has led many to reject their faith altogether as they are unable to resolve the idea of God as the author of suffering and him being loving and all powerful.

There is much more to be said about the idea of God as the author of our pain. Some Christians accept the premise but have a more nuanced way of understanding what it means. Others as we shall see later reject it altogether and see God as somehow simply observing our pain and entering into it. We will not come to a single clear answer. But we will explore in the coming series of articles how different Christians have tried to reconcile these apparently conflicting ideas of God being Sovereign but also understanding and somehow sharing our pain when we suffer.

Here is a prayer that you can pray if you are going through a difficult time right now. Remember that understanding what is going on and why is not as important as learning to trust God in the midst of doubts, uncertainties and fears:

Dear God,

I am hurting right now. I don’t understand why this is happening to me. But I know that You are with me, and that You love me.

Please help me to trust You through this difficult time. Help me to grow in my faith and to draw closer to You. And help me to use my suffering to help others.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

10 Things You Should Know about the Resurrection

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 16:30:37 GMT

1. The resurrection is the core of the Christian message and should never be neglected or assumed.

Sometimes today, when we hear the gospel preached, the focus is on the cross. The resurrection is often ignored, assumed, or mentioned only in passing. In contrast, the preaching recorded in the book of Acts emphasized the resurrection of Jesus, and barely mentioned his death. The apostles were preoccupied with the resurrection and emphasized it much more than the cross.

Sadly, the church only seems to get excited about the resurrection once a year at Easter time. In reality, every Sunday should be Resurrection Sunday. The reason why the early church began to meet on the first day of the week was to celebrate Jesus’s defeat of death. Imagine what church would be like if we consciously gathered every week to celebrate the resurrection?

2. Belief in Jesus’s physical resurrection is the defining doctrine of Christianity.

It is surely a remarkable thing that every Christian denomination—from the Orthodox to the Catholic, from the Pentecostal to the Reformed Baptist—all believe one simple truth: the tomb was empty. There is very little else we all agree on! Only some liberals deny the physical resurrection of Jesus. Surely they thereby forfeit the right to call themselves Christians at all.

In my book, Raised With Christ, I offered the following definition of a Christian: a Christian is someone who believes in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, and lives in light of the implications of that event.

This is based on Paul’s clear promise: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” ( Romans 10:9 , emphasis added).

3. The resurrection demonstrated to the whole universe the deity of Jesus and God’s love for him.

Jesus was, “declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead” ( Romans 1:4 ).

It is the resurrection of Jesus that reveals his true nature to all who will see: “God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance . . . and forgiveness of sins” ( Acts 5:30-31 ).

4. Without the resurrection, there would have been no church at all.

After Jesus’s arrest and death, the disciples were lost, helpless, and afraid. Peter denied Jesus, whilst the rest ran away. It is hard to conceive of anything other than the resurrection of Jesus that would have led to this rag-tail bunch of people sharing the message of Jesus in such a way that it grew into the largest religious movement ever known to man.

Without their unwavering confidence in Jesus’s resurrection, would the disciples have risked everything, and in many cases been killed for their faith? People do die all the time for falsehoods that they themselves genuinely believe to be true. It is, however, impossible to believe that all of the disciples would die for something they knew to be a deliberate deception.

The church did not create the resurrection stories; instead, the resurrection stories created the church.

5. Our neglect of Jesus’s resurrection may be one of the reasons our gospel preaching is so powerless.

Spurgeon examined the preaching of his day and felt the reason for its lack of power was its lack of emphasis on the resurrection. Spurgeon determined to emphasize the message of the resurrection, and saw thousands of conversions as a result. If we choose to neglect the preaching of the resurrection, should we be surprised if we don’t see similar results?

When Paul spoke about the gospel, he always meant the announcement of the glorious victory of the risen King. It is this gospel that is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” ( Romans 1:16 ).

6. The resurrection purchased our justification.

When you ask most Christians about justification, they move straight to the cross of Jesus paying the price for our sins. But if justification simply means an absence of guilt, then we have a blank slate and have to spend the rest of our lives worrying about if we will mess it up again. Paul tells us in the contrary: “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” ( Romans 4:25 ).

What this means is that when Jesus rose again he was declared to be righteous—not just lacking any sin, but embodying holiness. The credit of Jesus’s perfection outweighed the debt of our sins. And now, the Christian is counted as righteous. Not “just as if I had never sinned” so much as “just as if I had already lived a holy life.”

Without this wonderful truth, we will not fully grasp the joy of salvation. Jesus was our obedience substitute during his life, our punishment substitute in his death, and our rebirth substitute in his resurrection.

Jesus was our obedience substitute during his life, our punishment substitute in his death, and our rebirth substitute in his resurrection.

7. The resurrection gives us the joy of knowing that Christ is with us today!

He has promised that he will be with us to the end of time. This changes everything. A dead hero in the grave is no help to us. But a risen Savior in heaven gives us great confidence!

Because the tomb is empty and Jesus is on the throne, we can know for sure that we will be victorious irrespective of what is happening in today’s world. Jesus said, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” ( Matthew 16:18 ).

8. The resurrection gives us hope that goes beyond the grave.

We live in a broken world. Every Christian will at some point in their lives know the pain of grieving for a loved one. When Paul told us not to ‘”grieve as others do who have no hope” ( 1 Thess 4:13 ), he did not mean that we would not experience sadness.

But because Jesus conquered the grave, we have confidence that one day we too will rise, and so meet both Jesus and our believing loved ones again. This changes everything when we come face to face with death.

What impact should Jesus’s resurrection have on individuals and churches? Popular Christian blogger and teacher Adrian Warnock urges Christians not to neglect the implications of the resurrection.

9. The resurrection unites every Christian with the life-giving force that raised Jesus from the dead.

It is through the resurrection that, “the last Adam became a life-giving spirit” ( 1 Cor 15:45 ). Paul tells us, “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” ( Romans 8:11 ).

This amazing power is available to transform, equip, and empower us: “What is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead” ( Ephesians 1:19-20 ).

10. Because of the resurrection, we can know that Jesus is personally coming back to judge and rule the world.

It is a source of great joy for the Christian that Jesus will return. But it should also cause great concern for those who are living estranged from him. Because of the resurrection, we can be sure that this same Jesus will return again:

THE TIMES OF IGNORANCE GOD OVERLOOKED, BUT NOW HE COMMANDS ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE TO REPENT, BECAUSE HE HAS FIXED A DAY ON WHICH HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS BY A MAN WHOM HE HAS APPOINTED; AND OF THIS HE HAS GIVEN ASSURANCE TO ALL BY RAISING HIM FROM THE DEAD. ( ACTS 17:30-31 )

London:Toothache? Call us immediately

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:38:06 GMT

Tootaches can be a minor irritation, or they can be an indication of something much more serious. If you're not quite sure how serious something is, set an appointment with us.

Speak to your audience

You know your audience better than anyone else, so keep them in mind as you write your blog posts. Write about things they care about. If you have a company Facebook page, look here to find topics to write about

Take a few moments to plan your post

Once you have a great idea for a post, write the first draft. Some people like to start with the title and then work on the paragraphs. Other people like to start with subtitles and go from there. Choose the method that works for you.

"We had a very pleasant experience with Dr. Johnson and her staff. My daughter was very anxious about having the procedure, but Dr. Johnson was so patient, and spend a lot of time keeping her calm and relaxed. The staff was very helpful. "

Jillian Monroe

Don’t forget to add images
Be sure to include a few high-quality images in your blog. Images break up the text and make it more readable. They can also convey emotions or ideas that are hard to put into words.

Edit carefully before posting
Once you’re happy with the text, put it aside for a day or two, and then re-read it. You’ll probably find a few things you want to add, and a couple more that you want to remove. Have a friend or colleague look it over to make sure there are no mistakes. When your post is error-free, set it up in your blog and publish.

London:Electric toothbrushes

accountingstaff@lifestream.tv (Devin Stewart) — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:38:04 GMT

Investing in an electric toothbrush may be one of the best investments you ever make. It can prevent tooth decay, bad breath and more, helping you avoid cavities and more.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

I want to express my great appreciation for all the staff at Dent Clinic. You gave me excellent and extremely professional service. I really appreciate it. Thank you!

Rhonda Forester

Russia:This week, police respond to protests in the downtown

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:25:09 GMT

The Refuge and Migration Policy is not working

It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise. Many times, breaking news is used after the news organization has already reported on the story.

Government proclamations, concerning royal ceremonies, laws, taxes, public health, have been dubbed news since ancient times. Humans exhibit a nearly universal desire to learn and share news , which they satisfy by talking to each other and sharing information. Technological and social developments , often driven by government communication and espionage networks, have increased the speed with which news can spread, as well as influenced its content.

The genre of news as we know it today is closely associated with the newspaper. Another corollary of the newness of news is that, as new technology enables new media to disseminate news more quickly, ‘slower’ forms of communication may move away from ‘news’ towards ‘analysis’.

Russia:When to replace your toothbrush

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:25:08 GMT

This week, police respond to protests in the downtown

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:05:15 GMT

The Refuge and Migration Policy is not working

It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise. Many times, breaking news is used after the news organization has already reported on the story.

When to replace your toothbrush

accountingstaff@lifestream.tv (Devin Stewart) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 18:48:53 GMT

Unlike good wine, toothbrushes don't get better with age. Make sure you replace your toothbrush every three months, and more often in cases when it is looking worn with wear.

Electric toothbrushes

accountingstaff@lifestream.tv (Devin Stewart) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 18:48:53 GMT

Investing in an electric toothbrush may be one of the best investments you ever make. It can prevent tooth decay, bad breath and more, helping you avoid cavities and more.

Here are some reasons to make blogging part of your regular routine.

Blogging is an easy way to engage with site visitors

Writing a blog post is easy once you get the hang of it. Posts don’t need to be long or complicated. Just write about what you know, and do your best to write well.

Show customers your personality

When you write a blog post, you can really let your personality shine through. This can be a great tool for showing your distinct personality.

Blogging is a terrific form of communication

Blogs are a great communication tool. They tend to be longer than social media posts, which gives you plenty of space for sharing insights, handy tips and more.

It’s a great way to support and boost SEO

Search engines like sites that regularly post fresh content, and a blog is a great way of doing this. With relevant metadata for every post so search engines can find your content.

Drive traffic to your site

Every time you add a new post, people who have subscribed to it will have a reason to come back to your site. If the post is a good read, they’ll share it with others, bringing even more traffic!

I want to express my great appreciation for all the staff at Dent Clinic. You gave me excellent and extremely professional service. I really appreciate it. Thank you!

Rhonda Forester

Toothache? Call us immediately

accountingstaff@lifestream.tv (Devin Stewart) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 18:48:53 GMT

Tootaches can be a minor irritation, or they can be an indication of something much more serious. If you're not quite sure how serious something is, set an appointment with us.

Speak to your audience

Take a few moments to plan your post

"We had a very pleasant experience with Dr. Johnson and her staff. My daughter was very anxious about having the procedure, but Dr. Johnson was so patient, and spend a lot of time keeping her calm and relaxed. The staff was very helpful. "

Jillian Monroe

godveo-website

Adrian on BBC’s Songs of Praise – Finding God in Times of Turmoil

If you stop believing in God, it doesn’t take away the pain, it just takes away the hope

Is God the Author and Orchestrator of all our Suffering?

The Bible does not shy away from the reality of suffering. In fact, it is one of the most common themes throughout Scripture.

Some Christians believe that God is the author and orchestrator of all our suffering. They believe that God allows suffering to happen for a reason, even if we don’t always understand what that reason is.

Suffering is a difficult subject to talk about. But it is an important one.

“God never wastes a hurt.”

﻿

Many Christians cling firmly to the view that God must have a master plan for our lives which includes suffering, and that all suffering somehow has a good purpose. This could at one extreme lead us to even thank God for sending suffering into our lives.

Spoiler alert: Personally, I am not willing to go that far, preferring to thank God IN my suffering not FOR it.

But does that all this mean God is actually the source of our pain?

10 Things You Should Know about the Resurrection

1. The resurrection is the core of the Christian message and should never be neglected or assumed.

2. Belief in Jesus’s physical resurrection is the defining doctrine of Christianity.

3. The resurrection demonstrated to the whole universe the deity of Jesus and God’s love for him.

4. Without the resurrection, there would have been no church at all.

5. Our neglect of Jesus’s resurrection may be one of the reasons our gospel preaching is so powerless.

6. The resurrection purchased our justification.

7. The resurrection gives us the joy of knowing that Christ is with us today!

8. The resurrection gives us hope that goes beyond the grave.

9. The resurrection unites every Christian with the life-giving force that raised Jesus from the dead.

10. Because of the resurrection, we can know that Jesus is personally coming back to judge and rule the world.

London:Toothache? Call us immediately

"We had a very pleasant experience with Dr. Johnson and her staff. My daughter was very anxious about having the procedure, but Dr. Johnson was so patient, and spend a lot of time keeping her calm and relaxed. The staff was very helpful. "

London:Electric toothbrushes

Russia:This week, police respond to protests in the downtown

The Refuge and Migration Policy is not working

It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise. Many times, breaking news is used after the news organization has already reported on the story.

Russia:When to replace your toothbrush

This week, police respond to protests in the downtown

The Refuge and Migration Policy is not working

It could be a story that is simply of wide interest to viewers and has little impact otherwise. Many times, breaking news is used after the news organization has already reported on the story.

When to replace your toothbrush

Electric toothbrushes

Toothache? Call us immediately

"We had a very pleasant experience with Dr. Johnson and her staff. My daughter was very anxious about having the procedure, but Dr. Johnson was so patient, and spend a lot of time keeping her calm and relaxed. The staff was very helpful. "