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practical Bible Principles For Living Where is God when it hurts, is a lestion that is often asked in the jck of our minds when we, or our ,ved ones are paining and iffering too much for whatever le reason. It is no secret here, God is in the jire place when your loved ones hurting and suffering as when [s Son, the Christ, was hanging on it cross dying in pain for our sins, iod at that time was not hiding, but oly silent. Maybe it is God’s ilsnce, when we are hurting, that jascs us much concern. It is thai tiing of being abandoned by the iod who promised to love us (read ilatlhew 27:46). When we feel bandoned by God, we quickly jnclude that God really didn’t )ve me and/or that I haven’t been enough for God to take the aic to love me and take away my iffering and pain. Read Job 6:1-4, id understand Job’s feelings when I was experiencing his physica' id emotional sickness. Remember iw, that Job was no stranger to iod, for Job worshipped God :gularly (read Job 1:1-8). Some of us are not as faithful in torshiping God as the servant Job. oday’s fast "goings" and comings" have gotten many kreh goers and practicing fhristians into such faster paces Ian they need to be traveling, tereforc, they have suayed away om the basic requirements of iiivatc and collective prayer, and in tuned" worship attitudes. Often dies in the midst of today’s "rat ice,” we feci separated, and far moved from God. We feel rtward and unassured when we Where Is God When It Hurts? By J.L. Caldwell, Pastor New Jerusalem Baptist Cathedral attempt to call on God when suffering and pain comes. We begin to feel guilty in calling on God in our times of need because we do not feel we have done our part in keeping in touch with God. It can almost be like calling on a stranger. Our spiritual estrangement and knowledge of our nonperformance in staying in touch with God, often adds to the real on going suffering that we may be experiencing at that time. So then, we have a tendency to pray not in faith, as required, but pray as a whining child, hoping that our whining will get God’s attention (read James 1:6-7). We must pray in faith and not in whining and wishing that we may be able to attract God to heal our hurt and pain. Pain and suffering are not the same. Suffering is the experiencing of guilt, low self-esteem, anxiety, worry and disobedience, resulting from the violation of spiritual, physical and social moral standards. Pain is the physical and mental discomfort that serves as a warning flag that tells us that something is out of balance. As practicing Christians, we know that God still loves us when we pain and suffer (read Romans 8:28). God, Almighty, never designed us to experience pain and suffering. Pain and suffering is the direc: result of sin. This is why we need a Savior to save us from out suffering (salvation). There are basically two reasons why we may suffer p,tiysically and mentally in . pain, Fkstv.God allows suffering to fall upon us in order to test our faith and dependence upon Him (James 1:2-4; I Peter 1:3-9; and I Peter 4:12-13). Second, suffering comes to us as the direct result ol the choices we make for ourselves. This particular suffering must be borne by us and is usually most painful to us regardless of its character. This type suffering is the result of our making decisions without seeking God’s wisdom ir the issue through faithful praying. Instead, we listen to well-meaning friends, our insecure feelings, desperate emotions, and even our own incorrect knowledge and wisdom (read Proverbs 14:12; James 1:5; and I Peter 3:17). Some of us mistakenly replace God and His wisdom with our limited, accumulated, worldly humar knowledge (read John 3:27 and John 15:5). Unknowingly, much of the source of our worldly suffering is found in the spiritual realm of our lives. Thu is an often neglected part of oui conscious thinking. For all wt know there may be no such thing as a spiritual realm (I Peter 5:8 and Ephesians 6:11-13). In this last verse we are told to prepare for the on-coming spiritual attacks from "unseen" powers. In short, satan wishes to destroy us as he promised God he would do, providing God would remove His love and caring hands from us. This, we must remember, was the primary issue between God and satan over the servant Job. Are we so worthy to God that satan would want to have us for himself so that he can heave the pleasure of destroying us with pain and suffering as he attempted to do to God’s servant Job? God has put pain and suffering here among us for a good reason. All of God’s reasons are good whether we agree with them or not (Psalm 18:30). We tend to judge how good God is by our own human standards and expectations. Don’t forget, we’re human, God is Spiritual (John 4:24). Only when we train ourselves to think like God and Christ will we know what is right and why certain things happen to us for the good or bad (Romans 8:27; I Corinthians 2:16; and Philippians 2:5). When we pit our minds against God to determine who is right or why am 1 hurting and you don’t believe God should allow you to hurt, you have then re created the old theological argument of "duality." Meaning, God should do things the. wayj.see* « them and not allow things to take place that bring about unbearable suffering and pain. Thus, when God doesn’t stop the pain at our command, we get angry and upset We stop going to church, we stop praying, we stop ushering and singing in the choir and we don’t perform our faithful duties as officers in the church. Why? Because we’re mad at God. We are then like children acting out toward our parents because we didn’t have our way. Job got himself in deep trouble with God in a similar situation (read Job 38). As we often go to the doctor for relief of physical and mental suffering, God has designed our souls to cry out to him when we hurt. For it is God who has made us and not we ourselves (John 1:3). Our sins bring about pain and suffering. Christ took all of our sins that created hurt and pain to Him, and carried them to the eross with him. We, ourselves, should have experienced suffering this hurt and pain, and rightfully so. For we have sinned and should pay the painful price of eternal death and not Christ. Hurt and pain brings us to God. It was the hurt and suffering that were experienced by Christ on the Cross of Calvary that purchased our redemption from sin and satan. It may sound crazy in the human realm, but in the spiritual realm this makes sense. It behooves us to get tuned in to God and stay tuned. And besides, the "golden rule” applies here. He (God) who has the gold, makes the rules. What God does is always right! His power testifies to this fact God wili not remove pain and suffering from us until an appointed time. God has appointed a time to take all suffering and pain away from His creation (read Revelation 21:4). If there is anything we as humans understand, it is pain and suffering. Pain gets our attention. Whether it be on the job, in the home or in the hospital, does God get our attention when we are suffering and paining? God is the same God in our good times, when we have no pain, as weU as when we’re having our bad times and filled with suffering. Being day or night doesn’t change God and who He is. God changes not (Malachi 3:6). It is we who change under the pressure of stress, hurt and pain. What God wants us to do in the middle of our suffering is to exercise our faith in Him and prove Him and see if He doesn’t care for us (Malachi 3:10). God is still loving and kind when we’re suffering. It is our responsibility to call on our Creator in our time of St. Joseph’s AfVIE Church !521 Fayetteville St. Durham, N.C. VV.W. Easley, Jr., Minister SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25.1990 3:00 A.M.—Worship Service 9:30 A.M.-—Sunday School 11:00 A.M.—Regular Worship Each Wednesday Prayer Service—Noon Jr. Church—Wednesday—6:00 P.M. MOUNT GILEAD BAPTIST CHURCH 404 Dowd Street Durham, N.C. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 SUNDAY WORSHiP 8:00 AM Morning Worship 9:30 AM Church Schooi 11:00 AM Morning Worship Transportation is provided to ail services. Cail 688-6052, 682-7160 or 688-6474. Rev. Leroy E. Davis, Pastor Rev. Jackson C. Truitt, Asst. Pastor THE HERITAGE BIBLE SATURDAY NOVFMBFR 24. 1990—THE CAROLINA TIMES-, need. It is then we’ll be practicing and exercising our salvation — whereby, Christ saves us from all of the unnecessary hurt and pain that would separate us from God. And at the same time allow that suffering that will draw us close to Him. Otherwise, we would have a tendency not to draw right to God on our own and when things are going well with us. God has His ways to get our attention so that we tan experience His true love for us. lust like birth pains bring forth new life, there is a blessed gift for us ^ch time we experience suffering and pain. The gift is always there and it is our responsibility to find it (read II Corinthians 4:7-12). Remember Christ warned us of the pending chance that hurt and suffering may befall us (Matthew 24:16-21). But we shouldn’t be afraid of suffering, especially for Christ’s sake (Philippians 1:29 and Romans 8:18). One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is long suffering — enduring and persevering (Galatians 5:22). Pain is here to stay, but God does not want suffering to remain with as for a life time. God’s Grace is sufficient and is always available to His children (read II Corinthians 4:7-11). * Did you know that Moses' wife was a black woman? * Why did previous editions of the Holy Bible place emphasis upon paintings showing Bible people as Europeans? * This Bible has the answer to all our social and personal problems. * The Heritage Edition Is a perfect gift for all occasions. Dorothy Murphy Christian Books 683-8725 New Jerusalem Baptist Cathedral John L. Caldwell, Pastor "A Church Family That Loves And Grows In Christ At The Corner of Old Oxford Highway And Danube Lane (Duke Lane) Phone: 471-9051 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 9:30 A.M.—Sunday School 11:00 A.M.—Worship Service Children’s Church Schooi Prayer Service: 7:00 p.m. (1st & 3rd Wednesdays) Bible Study: (2nd and 4th Sundays) TOPIC: Seeking Practical Solutions To Life’s Problems HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH 1400 South Alston Avenue Durham, North Carolina 27707 (next to Chidley Hall) Father Bruce Bavinger, S.J., Pastor MASSES FOR SUNDAY on Saturday at 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday at 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. For more information call 682-4852 Progressive Holiness Church, Inc. An Apostolic Church Bishop H.L. Brown, Pastor SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 9:30 a.m. — Sunday School 11:30 a.m. — Morninf* Service 6:30 p.m, — Mid-Week Service (Wednesday! 8:(K) p.m. — Kvangelistic Service (Sunday) 8:00 p.m.)— Missionary Service (Tuesday) 8:00 p.m. — Bible Teaching (Thursday) 7:30 p.m. — Voulh For Christ (Friday) If you would like to attend our services and need transportation, please call. 1203 Holloway Street Durham 688-3309 White Rock Baptist Church 3400 Fayetteville Street Durham, North Carolina 27707 (919) 688-8136 LORENZO A. LYNCH, PASTOR SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1990 Worship Assembly 10:55 A.M. Worshin (pS 102) Again" The Pastor Ushering Lsadlng the Singing JUNIOR USHERS GOSPEL CHOIR i”pa.X'sa.sx’“'°" .*a transnortatlnn . f. ”7'"h ''«ii aner me 10:55 a.m furnished to school, etc. Call 788-8137. Sunday worship, Sunday Mount Calvary United Churchy of Christ 1715 Athens Avenue Durham, North Carolina 27707 Tel: 688-5066 "On The Move For Cod" J. Cecil Cheek, B.Th., M. Div., Pastor "Mt. Calvary Church Family Cordially Invites You to Worship With Us." SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 Prayer Service.. 7:00 P.M. The Franklin Center and Scholarship Committee Sponsor a breakfast at the church between 8-9 a.m. each 4th Sunday of the month. Sus Service for Church Sunday School and Morning Worship Services. Union Baptist Church The Church of the people, by the people, for the people and for Cod. 904 North Roxboro Street Durham, N.C. 688-1304 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 9:30 A.M Sunday School 11:00 A.M Worship Service Sermon 7:30 P.M ...Prayer Meeting (Wednesday) Bus Transportation Available St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church 531 South Roxboro Street Durham, N.C. 27701 Reverend Howard E. Haggler, pastor SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 25,1990 St. Mark Is Celebrating 100 Years of Service "The Church That Cares” You Are InvHed CHURCH CALENDAR Sunday School... 9:30 A.M. Morning Worship 10:SS AM. Sunday School Tsachara Meeting Wsdnaaday, 7 P.M. Prayer Service ...Wednesday, 8 P.M. Tranaportallon la available. For Information call; 688-2002 or 889-2022
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Nov. 24, 1990, edition 1
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