Our Sovereign God

Life is good. Sometimes I’m excited to get out of bed in the morning, looking forward to what God has in store for me today.

Life is hard. Some mornings, I would rather not get up. It would be nice if I could just hide out from or escape the things that look too difficult for me to handle.

This is life for every one of us—sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s not. All of us, every day are coping with uncertainty. We all know that we are not in control. If we were able to control all the events of life, our lives would probably look a lot different than they do.

This study of Trusting God, Even When Life Hurts is challenging. It brings up questions that we admit are hard to understand. Some of us realize that though we’ve been in church for many years, some of the concepts in this book are things we’ve not been taught. The important thing we need to keep in mind is the teaching on the sovereignty of God is not Jerry Bridges own thoughts. He is merely presenting us with the truths of Scripture.
An observation we came to at our study is that we tend to give God credit for the good things in our lives while we attribute the bad things in life to Satan. While there is an element of truth in that belief, these Scriptures seem to complicate that simplistic understanding:

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the One who does these things. Isaiah 45:7
Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what He has made crooked? Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life. Ecclesiastes 7:13,14

Does the fact that God takes credit for both good and bad things in life surprise you? Believing that God is sovereign means that we believe that there is nothing more powerful than Him. That means that when something bad happens, God is not caught off guard. He is not idly standing by, viewing the bad things in life and wishing He could do something about it. No, God is in control—everyday, all the time, everywhere in the world. Augustine said it this way: “Nothing, therefore happens unless the Omnipotent wills it to happen. He either permits it to happen, or He brings it about Himself.”

It’s not just a couple of isolated verses that state this truth. I appreciate the many Scriptures Jerry Bridges points us to in his book. He helps us with this understanding by saying:
“The sovereignty of God is asserted, either expressly or implicitly, on almost every page of the Bible. Rather than being offended over the Bible’s assertion of God’s sovereignty in both good and calamity, believers should be comforted by it. Whatever our particular calamity or adversity may be, we may be sure that our Father has a loving purpose in it.”

As we work through this book, we need to remind ourselves often of this statement:

“God’s plans and His ways of working out His plans are frequently beyond our ability to fathom and understand. We must learn to trust when we don’t understand.”

Accept the fact that our human understanding is limited. Our finite minds can never understand God’s infinite mind. There are some things that may never make sense to us till we get to heaven. We must choose to trust God, even when we don’t understand.

Isaiah 55:8, 9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

If you are doing this study with us, I want to encourage you to keep going no matter how difficult it may seem. From my own experience, I can say that God used this study to increase my faith and to give me a deeper sense of awe in who He is—our all-powerful, all-knowing, always loving God!

Trusting God Even When . . .

Trusting God Even When Life Hurts
Well, we are starting into the third week of our study, so I have some catching up to do on this blog!

Jerry Bridges states that he has two purposes for this book:
1. He desires to glorify God by acknowledging His sovereignty and His goodness.
2. He desires to encourage us by showing from Scripture that God is in control of our lives, and that because of His great love for us, He will work out all the circumstances of our lives for our ultimate good.

Often during the hard times of our lives, it’s easy to doubt that God is in control and that He loves us. The easiest thing to do when something bad happens is to judge the situation by what we see and how it makes us feel. That perspective can make us come to the wrong conclusions about God. If God loves us and if He is in control, then why does He allow us to experience pain and trouble? That’s a question we all struggle with, and the question that this study will tackle.

Throughout this study, we will be examining Scripture to support these three essential truths that we must believe in order to trust God during adversity:
1. God is completely sovereign.
2. God is infinite in wisdom.
3. God is perfect in love.

“God in His love always wills what is best for us. In His wisdom He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about.”

I don’t know what struggles you are facing now. Maybe there are things in your life that you would never have chosen for yourself if you were in control. Life consists of circumstances we can’t predict and situations that are out of our control. That’s why it excites me to have you join us as we work through this study—making sure our faith is solidly planted on the truths of who God is and how He works in our lives. The better we know Him, the more we’ll trust Him!

“God is the blessed controller of all things, the King over all kings, and the Master of all masters.”

1 Timothy 6:15 Phillips Translation

Trusting God even when we can’t understand

I am excited to share with you the study “Trusting God Even When Life Hurts” by Jerry Bridges. If I were to choose one book that has had the biggest impact on me, (other than the Bible) it would be this book. Rick told me that it was one of the required books he had to read in a seminary class on the problem of evil and suffering. It’s considered one of the best writings to help Christians get some understanding of God’s perspective on suffering because it is so practical and easy to follow. It’s full of well-explained Scripture, and Jerry does a great job of helping us apply God’s Word to our own questions and struggles.

My excitement at sharing this study with you is tempered a bit by the complexity of it. There are no easy answers to why suffering exists. It may not give you all the answers you hope for. Personally, this study has given me a deeper level of peace with questions that have no answers. We must learn to trust a God that we will never be able to fully understand. As someone shared yesterday during our study time, it helps to keep telling ourselves that “God is God, and I am not!”
Isaiah 55:8, 9 – “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
This Scripture gives us one answer to “why, God?” — we do not think like He does! Since our thoughts are not like His, it makes sense that His actions will not be what we would have done if we were in control. There is an enormous gap between His thoughts and mine. That’s what makes the Bible so invaluable! God has given us His Word to bridge that gap.

This study is going to point us to Scriptures where God shows us the truths we must believe to be able to trust Him in the midst of our troubles. I encourage you to get this book if you haven’t yet. Life will always give us reasons to fear or worry. With this study, you’ll find that our God really can be trusted, even when life hurts.

Fall Study begins September 10th

I’m excited about the study I’ve chosen to do with you for this fall. Jerry Bridges is one of my favorite authors, and his book “Trusting God Even When Life Hurts” is one of those books that was a life-changer for me. The circumstances of life are so unpredictable, and it seems that fear and worry can easily dominate our thoughts–especially if we watch the news! Every life has uncertainty, difficulties, and can sometimes be painful, but this study really changed my perspective on God’s sovereignty over everything. In this study we’ll see the scope of God’s power over nations, nature, and the details of our individual lives.

“Trusting God does not mean we do not experience pain. It means we believe that God is at work through the occasion of our pain for our ultimate good. It means we work through the Scriptures regarding His sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness and ask Him to use those Scriptures to bring peace and comfort to our hearts. It means, above all, that we do not sin against God by allowing distrustful and hard thoughts about Him to sway our minds. It will often mean that we have to say, “God, I don’t understand, but I trust You.” Quote from Trusting God by Jerry Bridges

For those of you who can attend our study on Wednesday mornings, we meet at the Cottage at Sycamore Grove from 10 to 11:30 a.m. If you want to order a book, let me know. Books are $10. There will be a come and go coffee on Wednesday Sept 3rd from 10 to 11. You’ll come to pick up your book then, so that you can complete Chapter One by September 10th.

If you can’t attend but want to do the study along with us, you can order the book at Amazon or Westminster Bookstore online. We are using the discussion guide for the study. It is written as a Bible study or workbook with questions. There is also a book by the same tittle to read. You only need to buy the discussion guide, but if you want more insight you might also like to read the book.

I’m looking forward to doing this study with you!

What can I give Him?

I know I haven’t written for a while, and I feel like a school girl who didn’t turn in an important paper! Probably most of you know that Rick had an unexpected surgery Monday, and he was dismissed from the hospital on Wednesday night. He really didn’t feel well from the Thursday before his surgery, and now he will now need a few weeks to recover. So life has not been ‘normal’. I really appreciate Michelle Yoder and Nancy Steele filling in for me for our Wednesday Bible study. I’ve heard good reports, and wish I could have been there!

Chapter 9 in our study, called “The Good Competes with the Best” was a helpful lesson on learning to use our time in ways that glorify God, and to learn that sometimes we have to say ‘no’ to things that take us away from God’s best. The key verse was Romans 12:1– And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Romans 12:1

This Scripture tells us what it looks like to worship God. It involves giving ourselves to Him. So often we think our spiritual life is dependent on what we can get from God, but actually it’s dependent on what we give to Him.

Our culture has programmed us to think that life is all about what we can get, and we have to be careful that we don’t transfer this attitude to our relationship with God. There is a direct correlation to our spiritual health, and our level of joy and peace, when our outlook on life is centered on giving rather getting. When I’m focused on what I need God to do for me or on what I want Him to give me, I’m not nearly as joyful as when I’m focused on what I can do for Him. As a concept, I’ve known this for a long time; but If only I could remember to start each day with the attitude of “what can I do for You today, Lord Jesus?!” How different my days look when I spend my day looking for ways to praise and glorify Him!

The first thing we is should do each day is to give ourselves as a living sacrifice. This is the kind of worship that honors Him. How else can we thank Him for all He has done for us?!

May you joyfully celebrate Jesus and His power over death this weekend. Happy Easter!

Chapter 8, The Sacred Present, encourages us to focus on making each day the best it can be. It reminded me of a quote I wrote in my Bible years ago.

“The genuine Christian lives for God. He makes the first object of all that he does the glory of God. What can I do today in this place, to make it better, to make it happier and holier, that Jesus may be seen and known?”

This should help us focus on the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. whatever I do today, focus on doing it in a way that makes Jesus look good. 1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whatever you do .. . do it all for the glory of God!

Time is a Gift

Most people I know struggle with the feeling that there just is not enough time to do everything they want. This morning I want to share several statements from Chapter 8, “The Sacred Present” that may help to take the tension out of our time. They encourage us to look at time as a gift.

“Those who sanctify time and who give time away– who treat time as a gift and not possession have time in abundance.” (pg. 85)

Our compulsion to multitask is causing us to lose our capacity for deep, sustained focus. (pg. 86)

“One way to redeem and sanctify time is to be fully engaged when conversing with a friend. I want to honor whomever I am with by showing them that my time with them is a gift I give to them and to myself.” (pg. 92)

“Life is too short and fleeting to live it unwisely.” (pg. 92)

“I have always been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I slowly discovered that my interruptions were my work.” (pg. 92)

“Choosing to be fully present in the moment is a vital part of becoming a woman of simplicity. This simplifies life because our energies and attention are focused in the present.” (pg. 93)

I especially appreciated her prayer at the end of the chapter (pg 93) I see my need for this prayer. I will pray that God will help all of us who are working through this study to view time as He does.

O Lord,
Impress upon my heart how short life is. Give me wisdom to live as You intend. Let me be a woman who engages people and tasks wholeheartedly for Your glory. Help me know how to deal with each day’s distractions. Give me wisdom in knowing how to respond to interruptions. May I be fully present in Your Presence and focused on anyone who crosses my path. May I learn to value each moment, for it is a gift. May I sanctify each day by living in simple and pure devotion to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen”

Life is Short

Chapter 8 of our study has us looking at the brevity of  life and how we view the time God has given us. Several times the author reminds us that time is a gift.

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.    Psalm 90:12 NLT

 Many of the Scriptures in this chapter are pointing us to our need to pursue wisdom.  The Hebrew idea of wisdom is the ability to apply God’s truth to the situations of real everyday life. Wisdom is the ability to see something from God’s viewpoint and to respond accordingly.

Moses is the author of Psalm 90. Notice that this is a prayer.  I love seeing prayers written in the Bible.  I believe God put them there to show us what He wants us to pray for. Moses is praying for two things in this Scripture.

1.  Teach me to realize the brevity of life. I find it interesting that Moses prays for this. I have to admit that this isn’t something I’ve prayed for.  Teach me to realize how short my life really is.  He saw his need to not get so wrapped up in the present that he overlooked the big picture of life. Moses doesn’t want his present circumstances to block his view of what really matters from the perspective of eternity. Compared to eternity, this life is really short.
2. So that I might grow in wisdom.  Do you see the connection between having an eternal perspective and having wisdom?  If I don’t keep eternity in view, what I choose to spend my time on will be solely about what matters to me. To be wise is to see life from God’s perspective and to value what He values.  Is growing in wisdom one of your main pursuits?  Is it something you pray for?

 Just this one verse, this prayer of Moses, shows me I need to pray more about how I view and understand my life. This is a prayer I need to remember when I am making choices about how to spend my time.  God is so good to have written down in His Word what He wants us to pray.  These are the prayers we know He will answer!  Father, teach me how short my time on earth really is, and help me to use the days You’ve given me wisely.

 

Is He my Lord?

 We’re on Chapter 7—The  Freedom of Abandonment.  I’ve been working through the Scriptures in this chapter all week, and finding that Jesus said some pretty hard things.  Not just hard for me to grasp and understand, but hard to do!  It’s not too hard to be a “hearer of the Word” (James 1:22)—the hard part is to be a “doer of the Word.”  We have to make a conscious effort to apply the Word to our lives, and not merely agree with it!  Agree and apply . . .

So the other day I was rather casually working through my study.  Sometimes when I’m studying I find my mind is distracted, and I’m not really seeking Him with my heart.  Then I read Luke 6:46, and I was immediately humbled –“Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?”

Next I read the commentary on this verse by Matthew Henry: (born 1662 – died 1714; an English Presbyterian minister):

“It is putting an affront upon him to call him Lord, Lord, as if we were wholly at his command, and had devoted ourselves to his service, if we do not make conscience of conforming to his will and serving the interests of his kingdom. We do but mock Christ, as they that in scorn said, Hail, King of the Jews, if we call him ever so often Lord, Lord, and yet walk in the way of our own hearts and in the sight of our own eyes. Why do we call him Lord, Lord, in prayer (compare Mat_7:21, Mat_7:22), if we do not obey his commands?”

Matt 27:29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand;  they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

You might have to read Matthew Henry’s commentary several times to grasp what he is saying.  His wording is ‘old English’, and I have to read it slowly to get it.

This is one of the Scriptures in this chapter that my heart is struggling to take hold of.   “Why do you call me Lord, Lord?”  Matthew Henry says it is as if I am mocking Christ, as those who scorned  Him on the cross, when I call Him my Lord (which means Master), and then don’t do what He says . . .there’s not much I can say after reading that .

Forgive me, Lord . . .

 

 

 

A Solid Foundation

Chapter six of our study is entitled “Living in the Basement”.   The author encourages us to make our own list of basement verses—Scriptures that form the foundation of our faith; verses that encourage us and assure us of our eternal hope.  I want to encourage you to do this.  When the winds of change and storms of life come (and this happens in every life!), these are Scriptures that will hold you steady and keep you from falling away.

Our author meditated on her key verses for at least a year so that they were in her heart and readily accessible for the Holy Spirit to use when she needed them.  Mediation on Scripture is necessary to building a strong foundation of faith in your heart.  I like this description of what it means to meditate by George Mueller:  By meditation, Mueller means“not the simple reading of the word of God, so that it only passes through our minds, just as water runs through a pipe; but considering what we read, pondering over it, and applying it to our hearts.” 

Two ideas I had for my list of basement verses:                                    1. Choose 12 verses. Take one verse each month and spend a month memorizing and mediating it.  Read your verse every morning, put it on an index card and keep it in a place you will see it every day.  Put it next to your bedside lamp so that you can read it and ponder it as you go to sleep every night.  If you meditate on one verse every day for 30 days, it should be solidly set in your heart!

2. Choose 30 verses.  Put each verse on an index card, and use a small file box (recipe box) to keep them. Number your verses from 1-30, and each day meditate on that numbered verse.  (For example, today I would meditate on verse 28).  This way you are reviewing your verses every month, and at the end of this year you will have 30 verses solidly stored up in your heart!

The number of verses you choose for your ‘basement’ verses really doesn’t matter.  You may have your own system of memorizing Scripture.  The point is to not just think about doing it, but to actually do it!