Download
1 / 58
580 likes | 764 Views
Why Haiti ?. How many Christians died because of this earthquake?. 150 in one congregation. Most of the 40 building of the Church of Christ where destroyed. Delmas Church of Christ - Haiti. Delmas Church of Christ - Haiti.
E N D
Why Haiti ? How many Christians died because of this earthquake?
150 in one congregation Most of the 40 building of the Church of Christ where destroyed
Some of the 31 children that live at the Son Light Children’s home. Sponsored by the Estes Church of Christ - Henderson, Tennessee This is the home of Roberta Edwards – Port au Prince, Haiti
What about those devastated by Katrina? Why Me Lord?
I walked a mile with PleasureShe chatted all the way,But left me none the wiserFor all she had to say.I walked a mile with SorrowAnd ne’er a word said she;But oh, the things I learned from herWhen Sorrow walked with me!
Atheism alleges human suffering is an argument against the existence of God or a loving God How can God be all powerful and all loving and allow suffering?
God has an expression of his love 1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Free Will enables humans to make their own choices Foolish choices can have devastating consequences
Therefore our responsibility for unwise choices is man’s not God’s So do bad choices cause God to bring about “Earthquakes”?
Genesis 6:5 And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Genesis 6:6 And it grieved Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him in his heart.
Genesis 6:7 And Jehovah said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the ground; both man, and beast, and creeping things, and birds of the heavens; for it sorrowed me that I have made them.
Why did God destroy Earth? Because of “Sin”
Facts:Prior to the Flood No Rain, No Hurricanes, No Tornadoes, No Earthquakes
The Flood caused all these terrible things to happen Thus it was “Sin” that brought God to cause the Flood
Sin caused God to bring about the Flood, and with the Flood mans earth now has many problems
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Since we have all “sinned”, we all must take on the aftermath of what caused the Flood Sin caused God to bring about the Flood, and we all must bear the consequences
So what can we do about suffering? We must turn to the loving God who created us
What are the Benefits that suffering brings to mankind
Suffering: Insight into Sin The Bible clearly teaches that this planet has been heir to suffering as a consequence of man’s sin.
Romans 5:12 Therefore, as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin; and so death passed unto all men, for that all sinned.
Suffering: A Reminder of Our Infirmity Suffering highlights that we are frail human beings. We are not God
From the words of the infidel William Ernest Henley “We are the masters of our fate, and the captains of our souls”
When we suffer, we are forced to focus upon our own weakness It is hard to be haughty when you are hurting. Pain can be humbling
Suffering: A Reason to Call upon the Lord Suffering can draw our interests toward the true God
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Psalms 18:6 In my distress I called upon Jehovah, And cried unto my God: He heard my voice out of his temple, And my cry before him came into his ears.
Suffering: Real Value of Things Suffering aids us in seeing the real worth of things
As the poet John Dryden said: “We, by our suff’rings, learn to prize our bliss” He that hath an ear, let him hear what suffering whispers to the soul.
Suffering: The Seed of Compassion Suffering prepares us to be compassionate to others. There is an old saying “Do not judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes.”
I suggest another proverb: “One cannot comfort effectively until he has lain in the bed of suffering.”
Hebrews 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to aid them that are tempted.
The song lyric “Are you weary? Are you heavyhearted? Tell it to Jesus; tell it to Jesus,” Can we truly say: Been there, done that!
Suffering: Making Us “Homesick” Suffering sharpens our awareness that this earth is not a permanent home.
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims, to abstain from fleshly lust, which war against the soul; Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us.
Suffering: Teaches Us How to Pray Praying is an instinctive human response to severe hardship. But effective prayer is a learned exercise.
Luke 22:44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.
When do we see people most often in prayer? When suffering occurs A song Suggest: “Pray when you’re happy; pray when in sorrow.”
Suffering: Grooming the Soul for Eternity Suffering tempers the soul and helps prepare it for eternity.
1 Peter 1:6-7 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, ye have been put to grief in manifold trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold that perisheth though it is proved by fire, may be found unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ:
