I have a rather flippant answer for why does bad stuff happen. I don't mean for it to be flippant but I'm certain it sounds that way. However, I get the answer straight from the Bible.  Here is the answer: to know God, really KNOW God. Many places in the Bible, things happen that are not "good" by our standards. Job lost his wealth and if that wasn't bad enough, he lost his children too. There was nothing (apparently) good about the situation. However, because of his great loss, he was able to gain strength in his knowledge of who God is and in his own trust in a good God.  As early as Exodus 4:5 , God states His reasons for doing something. " This ", said the LORD, " is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers -.....has appeared to you." In Exodus 8:10 , God, through Moses says "It will be as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God." Deuteronomy 4 :35 states that ...

Job 35:6-8 If you sin, how does that affect him [God]?    If your sins are many, what does that do to him [God] ? 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him [God] ,    or what does he [God] receive from your hand? 8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,    and your righteousness only other people. Have you thought about how your sin affects God?  On some level, I know that God doesn't like it when I sin. It is abhorrent, a slap-in-the-face to God. I hadn't thought about it to understand that the reason God doesn't want me to sin is for me and other people, not for God.  God doesn't need me.  God's plan will be made complete with or without me because God has no needs, certainly none that people can meet.  But God cares about me and about you. That's why he doesn't want me to sin. God knows the ramification of my sin. He knows how I will feel when I sin. The shame. The embarrassment. The physical...

ExpressionsbyD 2 Corinthians 4:1 1 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body. I was contemplating this sentence from my readings today ( 2 Cor 4:7-12 ) . "Always being given over to death"  is the part that I was having trouble with. I do not die every day. I don't even get close to death (as far as I can tell). What does "given over to death" mean? I thought about this and reread it several times. Then my recent study on Job popped into my mind.  In Job , chapter 1 verse 8, God draws Satan's attention to " my servant Job ". Job 1 :  7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”    Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”   8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” ...

I've been studying the Book of Job . I've always hears that it is a really depressing, sad story.  I find it to be the exact opposite. Yes, there is a lot of depressing stuff.  Job loses his family (except wife) and all his livestock, much of his possessions and likely the respect of others. But much of Job is about how great God is. There are tons of questions that we can't answer about how the world is built and how it operates. These questions are to expand our minds to accept how really big and magnificent God is. Here are some examples: Job 5: 9-11 He [God] performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,    miracles that cannot be counted. 10 He provides rain for the earth;    he sends water on the countryside. 11 The lowly he sets on high,    and those who mourn are lifted to safety. Job 7:17-18 “What is mankind that you make so much of them,    that you give them so much attention, 18 that you examine...

http://www.praisephotography.com/photo_list.php?category=Scripture+Images Job 19:27 I myself will see him        with my own eyes—I, and not another.        How my heart yearns within me! Job is suffering terribly but in the midst of it all, he clings to the knowledge that he will see God - and seeing God gives Job hope.  I don't know how Job knows he'll see God. I don't know if they had a theology about life after death during Job's life . We do have a theology of an afterlife, where we'll see God, talk with Jesus, be represented at our judgment by Jesus. If this idea gave Job such hope that his heart yearned within him, how much hope should we have? We are Easter people.  We have Jesus' teachings to draw upon.  Our hearts should yearn for God too.  We should be hope filled, and never hopeless.   When times of trouble abound, we must look to God and ask that He fill us with the spirit that w...

Earlier this week I woke up singing "Breathe on me Breath of God ". I don't know many of the words but know the tune, so I'd sing what I knew and hum the rest. I really have no clue why I had that song on my mind. We haven't sung it in church recently. I didn't spend much time trying to figure out why I woke with that tune on my mind.  I just hummed along until I was no longer humming it. http://www.jesusrministries.org/breath.htm Today, part of my reading included this verse from Job. In the middle of one of his discourses, he said " As long as I have life within me, the breath of God is in my nostrils." ( Job 27:3 ) I'm not sure if humming that song earlier this week, then reading this verse today has a connection for me or not. I'm not sure what the message might be. I'm not having any breathing problems. Maybe that's it. I haven't adequately thanked God for not having breathing problems and for having His breath in me. At l...

Job 12:14-23 14 What he tears down cannot be rebuilt;        the man he imprisons cannot be released.   15 If he holds back the waters, there is drought;        if he lets them loose , they devastate the land.   16 To him belong strength and victory;        both deceived and deceiver are his.   17 He leads counselors away stripped        and makes fools of judges .   18 He takes off the shackles put on by kings        and ties a loincloth around their waist.   19 He leads priests away stripped        and overthrows men long established.   20 He silences the lips of trusted advisers        and takes away the discernment of elders.   21 He pours contempt on nobles        and disarms the migh...

Job struggled under the weight of Satan.  One day the angels presented themselves to God and Satan tagged along.  Job 1:7-8 T he LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil."  Now this concerns me. I know, it is God and we can trust Him completely but really!  God just dangles Job in front of Satan like a carrot in front of a horse. God almost dares Satan to try something. Satan has a quick comeback, chiding God (Job 1:9-11): " Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out your hand ...