This is a series given to us by Mary Ledford. The Warrens lost their adult son to suicide, Rick Warren is a popular pastor and wrote the book, The Purpose-Driven Life. The series starts with this quote from Scripture:
2 Corinthians 1: 3-11: Praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others with the same comfort that we've received from God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we're distressed, it's for your salvation and if we're comforted, it's for your comfort...
Our hope for you is firm because we know that just as you've shared in our sufferings, so also you will share in our comfort.
We don't want you to be uninformed brothers and sisters about the hardships we've suffered...We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life itself. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.
But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He HAS delivered us...and we've set our hope on him that he WILL CONTINUE to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then, many will give thanks to God for the gracious favor granted to us, in answer to your many prayers.
What you know gets you through.
1. Life doesn't make sense, but we can have PEACE BECAUSE WE KNOW God is with us and
loves us.
GOD PROMISES:
Isaiah 43:2: When you go through deep waters I will be with you! When you pass through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned up; it will NOT consume you! (love the exclamation points)
Hebrews 13:5: I will never leave you and I will NEVER abandon you
Isaiah 49:15: Can a mother forget the baby at her breast or the child she has born? Even if that were possible, I will never forget you! Look, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands!
2. Everything on earth is broken, but we can have JOY BECAUSE WE KNOW God is good and has
a greater plan.
Isaiah 24: 5, 19: The earth suffers for the sins of its people, for they have twisted the instructions of God, violated his laws, and broken his covenant. Therefore...the earth has broken down and has utterly collapsed. Everything is lost, abandoned, and confused.
Romans 5:3-5: We can have JOY even in our troubles BECAUSE WE KNOW that these troubles produce endurance. And endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will not disappoint us, because God has poured his love to fill our hearts.
3. Life is a battle, but we can have HOPE BECAUSE WE KNOW there's more to the story.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9,14: We often suffer, but we're never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again...BECAUSE WE KNOW God raised the Lord back to life. And just as he raised Jesus, he will also raise us back to life, and will bring us into his presence together.
1 Corinthians 15:43: Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness but they will be raised in strength!
2 Corinthians 4:18: So we don't focus on the troubles that we see right now; instead we look forward to what we don't see yet. For the troubles we see now are temporary, but the joys to come will last forever.
Revelation 21:4: Then God will wipe every tear from their eyes. And there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will pass away.
My notes:
ministry comes out of pain
not alone
never going to get "why" answered
devastated but not destroyed
explanations don't help with pain
impossible for God to forget you
God knows what it's like to lose a son
God allows us a free choice
Everything is perfect in heaven-here, God's will rarely done
God doesn't need anything
God not author of death and destruction
Life robbed by Satan
-wants to destroy life
-wants to hurt God
Choose Joy
spiritual roots
Options: get mad at God, blame yourself
left with mystery
rebuilding hope
**tensions go down when you know the end of the story**
grieving for yourselves-loved one is fine
get a bigger perspective
loved one having holy moments in heaven right now
biggest problem-hopelessness
real end of the world-when Jesus shows up
live in peace and joy
Stages:
1. Shock: When your world falls apart
2. Sorrow: When your heart is breaking
3. Struggle: When you don't understand
4. Surrender: How to experience peace
5. Sanctification: How God turns bad to good
6. Service: How to use your pain for good
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