Phil married the preaches from the previous two weeks, looking at God's goodness in times of suffering.
Please note, the recording starts with Jon's word about us all being on a threshold with God.
Introduction
Marry the last 2 weeks together
God is good all the time - true
In this life we will have trouble - fact
The reality is sometimes Bad things happen to good people doing the right things
Moses had a hard time as did the people of God but they did not understand or know what God was like
The promise was there own land flowing with milk and Honey, Gods plan was good and for their Good. But failed to see that as the Journey to get there was fraught with troubles
Even though they messed up God's goid plan was still going to be fulfilled and it seems it came with greater glory
God's glory reveals his goodness and his goodness is seen in his glory.
It was to the Glory of God that jesus should suffer - there was a bigger picture and redemptions plan would bring greater glory to God.
There are some worship songs that talk about suffering and are easy to sing when your not but very hard to sing when you are
Very often our worship is determined by how we feel and affected by our circumstances
If God is good and always good then he is always worthy and deserves our worship our praise our adoration irrespective of our circumstances or situation
So how can we live in Gods goodness particularly when times as Matt Redman put it "the road
marked with suffering" in his song Blessed be your name?
Songs like this are very often birthed out of experience as this was
1. Does suffering come from God?
We live in a fallen world
Men love evil rather than good so do bad things that hurt people
Our bodies are subject to disease, infection, and decay
Families breakdown
Finances can become tight or non existent
We can fall into sinful behaviour and habits that carry consequences in areas of our lives
The bible says we have an enemy who goes around like a lion seeking someone to devour
To answer the question No it does not and cannot if he is Good all the time. He cannot therefore do bad stuff
2. How to enjoy God's goodness even when life is hard
Psalm 130
Moses experienced Gods Goodness as he passed before him, in chapter 34 God renews the covenant spend 40 days and nights on the mountain with God who descends in a cloud and passes before him
“And he said, "Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.”
Exodus 34:10 ESV
http://bible.com/59/exo.34.10.esv
When Moses comes down the mountain having spent time with God his face is shining and has to cover it.
“Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.”
Exodus 34:34-35 ESV
http://bible.com/59/exo.34.34-35.esv
Moses spent time with God both in the good and in the bad. And his grace shone
not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes
