How To Complain To God 2

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Speaker 1: So happy Easter Sunday, twenty twenty six. Most are fitting this season thinking about the Cross and Jesus's bold choice of suffering and meekness, silence and redemption atone that resurrection as it should be. But I'm going to fill in the nasty, dirty crack of the cross. How Jesus suffered as a model for how we should deal with our times of hurt, that he never really come to us. How are we to complain to God when the bottom drops out, when the sky goes dark, when it's still raining Johnny Lang song, when we are broken and can't get up, when we feel such pain we can't breathe. I'm going to tell you in this talk We've got this. Welcome to Gospel We Podcasts and doctor Bill Sineard YouTube channel. I'm your host, Doctor Bill Sinyard. We are free wherever you get good podcasts, of course on YouTube as well, so please subscribe. One of the fastest ways you can help us grows by leaving your comments below. If you're on YouTube. Thanks sincerely. Also thanks for making Gospel Rant podcast one of the top ten percent podcasts in the world. Thank you for listening every week. We hope that it helps to regularly hear about God's love that loves the unlovable, love the unlovely, the unworthy and likely, and now loves the hurting, the abandoned, the ones that are suffering. That's all of us are any given day. If we're just a little bit honest, Well, I want to get right to it. After a brief word from our sponsors, we will be right back. So did you check out Johnny Langs Still Raining? I just I love that song. I don't know where Johnny went. He's one of the best. Well, here's the lyrics again. Clouds, one by one fill the sky, just like these tears that fill my eyes. I know by now she ain't coming back. So abandoned my portrayal, and I watch my world slowly say the black. Look out my window, it's still raining. They say that time heals everything. Well, I know the pain, honey, that love can bring. It don't get no better with each passing day, every hope I had slowly slipping away. Look out my window and it's still raining. I thought the morning would rescue me, But the rain keeps falling so endlessly. Sometimes I wonder what will become of me. There ain't much left of what I used to be. Her love shown on me just like the morning light. But here I am alone again tonight. Look out my window. It's still raining and it's strange, I mean, maddening, wonderful. Biblical narratives is such amazing good news for those of us who are disenfranchised, abused, beat up her to the point of betrayed, treated with the justice real people. Right now, let me be clear, I'm not saying that the words and actions of Christians are necessarily good or even helpful for hurting people. I'm not saying that the institutional churches always help either necessarily. This is brain stuff, This is hard stuff, this identity level stuff, subconscious stuff. God's got this. The Holy Spirit of your inn being being's powerful enough. I am saying that the Biblical revelation is amazing, so amazing, especially for hurting people. And even if you don't accept it as truth, if you were honest and objective, you would certainly be able and willing to say that you hoped it were true. There's really no good alternative that holds a candle to this. Again, if it's true, what do you think? This is not a strict apologetic for the Bible by that on ironclad proof, rational proof that it's true. I'm just telling you the way it says, the way it is, and you have to determine whether you believe it or not. Faith. For me, I believe, and I do this, I complain to God. The first thing to a call for the previous message, the previous podcast and YouTube show, is that the Bible is starkly honest about our day to day situation. It freely acknowledged you our pain, our hurts, our disappointments. There's no sugarcoating here, no rose covered glasses. There's no spin in order to supposedly protect the reputation of the creative God. The world's all fall in place. Bad things are gonna happen. We really do get hurt, and it seems to linger. We get angry, we want revenge, and we can't seem to stop it by choice. This is relevant stuff for real people. In fact, the Bible does one better or worse. It reveals that our situation here is even worse than we might have thought. We're designed to be vessels of glory, of honor and value, the Bible says, so it's to be beat up by creation or to be not honored by creation is even a greater offense to our sense of identity and worth. Our hearts. Don't miss that nuance. This is one reason why we can be so hurt, so tired, so vengeful, so depressed, so unforgiving. The injustices are that big, bigger than we thought. Doesn't explain a lot of human history, personal history, right, maybe you're today. Secondly, the Bible also boldly proclaims God's sovereignty and goodness. His goodness is of such goodness that we can hardly use a human word to describe it. He has the substance and capacity to save us from this mess, but chooses not to. Well, that's maddening. And it even gets more maddening. The reason that he does not is that he would give us the path of highest glory as his child by adoption based upon Jesus' perfect, completed work on the Cross. God has covened it, promised and assured me of immense glory, and you too, Not that you deserve it, but that's his choice. In fact, only the highest and most perfect path to optimm glory is good enough for me and you. Christian. But I like to say out of that, but I don't like the ramifications of the implementation the strategy. See, this path is dark path filled with injustices, abuse higher than any other for you, including taking you and me to heaven right now. In fact, if God answered all my prayers for me to help, it will leave me of the pain injustices. Now he could later be accused of short sheeting in my glory bed. And third, that's okay for the day that my glory is revealed. But hey, I'm not there. I'm here now, I'm human. What about my pain that's driving me crazy? Am I left alone? Do I gird my lullins and do my best without any help from the heavens? No, not at all. God has also ordained a process even now, in the midst of the valley of the shadow of Death, where I can begin to act like a prince, a son or daughter of the Great King, heir of all blessings, and I'm permitted, encouraged, commanded to openly complain to the King. So picture a courtroom scene. I'm going to use a modern context since that's what we're familiar with. This is not a private trial, It's a trial before the universe. The courtroom is filled with press and cameras internationally televised. The plaintiff in this case, David or in my case me crumpled and beat up. I rise to the stand to give testimony against the defendant, and of course the defendant and the judge in this case, in this nasty public trial, is none other than the creator, God of the universe. There's been a crime, a wrong, and a justice. There may be many defendants, many people and institutions to blame us cause, but in the end there was only one defendant, only one, and this particular defendant had promised to protect, to honor, to value, to give glory, and it would appear from my limited keyhole subjective view of the world, it looks like he hasn't. He claimed to be good, but he certainly looks to be void of good. He claims to love, but appears indifferent. You may at first be taken aback by the scene. You may have been taught that you can't treat God way, that it's a sin, and to meaning to God, Oh yeah it is, Yeah, you're right. The problem is that your heart's doing it already. You've just been in hypocritical denial and by the way shame and guilt, because somewhere you know it, and even more importantly, the world is doing it all around you. We're just verbalizing what unbelievers have suspected. Anyway, you better believe that they're interested in the outcome of this trial. So the plaintiff's testimony in Psalm twenty two, Verses one to two, sixty eight eleven or twenty one. They're without a hope of relief. They're forsaken by God. They're despised by man. They are warm, reproach, despised, sneered, taunted, in great danger of harm. They're surrounded by vicious animals, surrounded by evildoers, emotional, physical exhaustion. They're groans like wars. They're bones are out of joint, their hands and feet are pierced. Death is sure, clothes divided, they're headed for the grave. The charge against the God of the universe from the Psalmist betrayal, lying, breaking covenant, being unjust, failure to hear and redeem God based upon appearances is unfaithful. It's not true. That's what you feel. Right. God is in no way guilty, He's absolutely faithful, He's perfectly honest. He doesn't lie. God is compassionate. God promises to be a shield to his people, you and me. God is working all things together for good, and he loves you and me now is always as much as he loves his own son. But at those moments and his son on the cross, boy, I sure think that he's absent on looving, disson and even mocking me. So I C. S. Lewis put it. God is in the dock as defendant, the builder of this entire court house down publicly and embarrassingly on trial, the writer of the law, the rules of conduct, the court procedures, his fractured image bearer me is standing in the witness box accusing and defaming his glory. It's what a scene. This level of a loud honesty deeply glorifies who. Yeah, this is one of the goals of God for us to see what we're worth, because it actually glorifies and honors us. We're saying, oh no, no, I'm God's son. That means something, that's a gospel presentation, actually giving it to my midbrain. So you and I are the plaintiffs. God is an offendant, and here's the good news. He's also the judge that's the hope. The charge against God will be heard and adjudicated by God. God has, after all, entered into legal binding covenant with the plaintiff me. You. God's good, he loves me, you as much as he loves his own son. And yet my life has fallen into an escapable pit. Judge, do you see the problem I'm having here? Yeah? Yeah, there's some philosophical options for you. Human Option A, there's no God, only fate, random sisselessness. Religion is a crutch right atheism. No hope for deeply crushed to abuse people other than their own strength. No hope for many who are indeed helpless against disaster, abuse, bigotry, and fanticide, disease, trafficking. Option B. You know, if God's unloving or not as strong as you think, or indifferent or bribable. Sure, yuck. That's the option that's very popular day, even among evangelicalism. Why do bad thing happen to good people? He just you know, he's not as powerful as you would think, or not as good as you might think. Option See. God has made a promise and he's keeping it. You and I are on a path of highest glory, higher than being in heaven, because otherwise God would take us. Though for the life of us we can't see it. There's no way for us to see it. Our brains aught that big God's covenantal promise of optimum glory. For me, this is it, and for you. All the bumps the grinds that are dishonoring to me are going to be accounted for. They're going to be paid for to my heart satisfaction. All the betrayals, wounds, abuses, losses are all going to be fully and perfectly accounted for and fully and completely paid to my satisfaction, every single one. There's an ultimate judge. This is not anarchy, not at all. The plan of my life is not random, perfectly constructed by the heavenly Spielberg for his optimal glory and mind and yours, assuming that you are with his son. There's no possible way for you and I to get out of that pit in the valley of the shadow of death, no possible human way apart from cheap denial or repression. What the path who often feels like is anarchy and random surd evil. But it is not, And so we're taught as a type of a means of grace of all things, to yell at God, to argue with God, to challenge him legally. Job did it? And God said twice he said everything right. God, you said, I don't get it. I don't believe. I'm tired. What do you think I would be saying? Hope? Well, in a Stephen King novel like Twist, the plaintiff, after making an airtight case for God's unfaithfulness, then turns and begins to make the case for the defendant. It's very cool. You can hear the Holy Spirit's gentle urgings even in the midst of the turmoil, you know, the still small voice. And here's the argument, my God, verse one and two and ten. In spite of the agony and pain, the plaintiff still says of God that no matter how about the pain, yahweh is still my God. It's a bold statement of painful faith. See, I have learned that this is such a bold statement of the Gospel. I have learned to really appreciate the faith of those that I have known in devastating situations as they yell at God and begin, My God, you said, I believe it and I'm not getting it. So God, what do you turn that's faith down deep. They believe at a core level. In fact, the angrier they are, the greater their belief in God and his promises. It's the apparent betrayal that is the most agonizing. Show me a supposed Christian who doesn't get angry at God in similar situations, who doesn't argue and pray and lash out. I'm gonna show you someone who doesn't really believe at that moment. I'm not saying they're not heaven bound. I'm saying, at that moment, there's the heavenly faith is not kicking inside of them, right Job nineteen twenty five On the ash Yep, he says, you know, I know my Redeemer lives. I know this will be redeemed faith. That's not reasonable. See. I don't like this stuff in my life, partner, because I believe I'm helpless in your hands God, and it hurts I'm yours, which right now is my biggest problem. It seems argument number two my Father's God versus four to five. See, I'm also convinced by the data, by the history of your dealings with your people over time. I've seen and heard of the testimonies of the Saint I've seen what you did with even your son. He went through more hell than I'm going through, and yet you raised him to a measurable glory afterwards. Faith, you went from an apparent child of User on the cross to the greatest of all fathers. I see that. I believe that's what you're going to do. I don't like that, but I believe. See you are alone of the king Upistow's immeasurable glory on your son, the greatest of all givers Argiven. Number three. You've proven yourself since my birth Verses nine to ten. See, I can testify that you've resurrected me from death, pulled my bacon out of the fire, over and over, time and time again. Argument four. And you hear yours who are afflicted Verse twenty four. Exous thirty four. Godom of all things is the compassion of God. Hurt where else you're going to go to yourself a favor? So as I come before the throne of God, honest, as I am bold, really wrestling with the Gospel, as I understand it, with the heartfelt questions against God. As a defendant to God, the judge, I begin to spiritually did it a little the spirit begins to give me the Gospel again a little, and I shift from tragic to spair to a pained hope. Right, this isn't Hallmark, this is a pained hope. I'm still in the ash heep. Well, the situation doesn't necessarily change perfectly. I am now more willing to possibly believe that in the end it's faith, heaven born faith. God's going to do something to straighten out what's been bent, sometimes by his own hands. Job. I'm not dancing, but maybe I'm taking a breath. Or maybe you're able to testify to an alien faith energized by an in dwelling alien holy spirit, an alien heart fruit that really can say, at least from the moment in time, I know that my Redeemer lives, or the equally alien. Not my will, but your will be done prayer of Jesus. Do you wonder where that's going to be in my top ten New Testament prayers starting next week. The worst possible scenario is that there is only served evil, you know, evil without a purpose. That's what that means. Bad things just happen, which, by the way, is the majority of you out there. Scientific humanism, humanism evolutionism, whatever you want to call it, is good news. If it's true. There's just you're on your own this evolution. By the way, is Christianity a crutch? Is this? Yeah? Hell yeah? If I got a problem with a crutch, I mean people use as crutches. When you're hurting, in pain and weak, you need a crutch, and Christianity is that and more. Now if you mean it, human beings made it the story up in order to cope with the world that continually has problems. Nah, that kind of crutch. Do you think that humans made up this God? A sovereign figure? Look, do you even think that humans made up such a god, a sovereign figure who allows being accused and being yelled at? Nah? In fact, this process as it is is an amazing gospel to the world. The world sees us being honest and God loving us so much that he would allow such lambasting the God of the universe and the doc What an amazing picture. That's not the God of human construction, who would construct that. We don't have any view like that. Honesty for people in pain and confusion, that's great news. We think that we need to protect God against these kind of charges today. David didn't have such qualms. Jesus didn't. Neither sought to cover up their relationship with God or his sovereignty in the mess. Is it this harmful? No, God's ways are higher than we can ever imagine, and our brains are pea brains. Remember the soldier at the base of the cross. Why would anyone believe in a God who let his son just die? But the soldier saw it all and heard Jesus cry out, my God, my God, why have you're forsaken me? And he believed It's it that he had never heard of a God who allowed such honesty. I don't know it's faith. So in closing, for those of you who are skeptics and seekers, or if you're just hearing this, where else would you go? If we made God up, then there is no God and therefore you have no hope. Here's the thing. This is not a scientific proof of the validity of God. It is a human appeal for you to at least hope that what the Bible says is true, for there is hope in the revealed God of the Bible. God is in so many ways strange and wonderful, compassionate, and horrible, you know, terrifying. He's immense and maddening to us. And here's the strangest thing about it all. His plan of highest good and glory is to ultimately align himself and his glory with the likes of us. Let me say that again. His plan of his highest good at glory is involved with intimately aligning himself and his glory his named with us, the perfect, married to hypocrites and unfaithful. Really, who would make this up? It's hard enough to believe as it is. I want to give you a helpful thing that you can do, so stick around after a word from our sponsors. Well, just to let you know, last summer I did a series of top ten prayers for the Old Testament. It was a great hit, lots of controversy and dialogue. Beginning after Easter next week I'm going to book in that with my list of top ten prayers the New Testament. It's hard choices. I think you'll like the list. I don't think you'll agree with all of the number one prayer started at number fourteen or fifteen, And in my studies and my contemplating and praying about this, it made it all the way up to number one. I think you'll be interested in that. Yep. So follow me on Gospel Ran add Doctor Bill, send your on YouTube starting next week. Let me know what you think. Bill at gospeldeshapp dot com or here's the application. Learn to boldly wrestle with God. Be honest about your pain and anger, revenge blaming, bring them to the feet of God. In fact, charge God with unfaithfulness. Mean the court case, place your case. It's not true, but hey, your heart's doing it anyway. Walk, hit the ground, pray in the showers at a prayer station. And as you're doing this, but be honest with God. Don't vent it out on others, on family of friends. Don't kill them with your hurt. They can't handle it. The relationships can't handle it. Your hearts will kill and deceive, and your pain will not be diminished. Only God has come out of this approach. Use the psalm so's your voice, Psalm twenty two I Love, Psalm eighty eight. Save them aloud, and then apply them to your situation. You will be amazed. It could take time, it could take days of week, but keep doing it. Watch and be amazed that the Holy Spirit breaking in and saying things my God, my father's God, the God of my youth, and so on. These words pop out of your mouth. He may bring versus memories. People just take them in ponder journal. Next, don't worry about saving God's reputation. His reputation is fine, but the world hear you. They're thinking about it anyway. It will certainly raise your credibility in their eyes of being honest. But on the other hand, also be public about your eventual praise with God. Next, learn that the solution is not something, it is some one. For believers, that's someone in Jesus Christ, and he dwells within us his spirit. For the non believer, he must first be sought with all their strength. And here's another one. It's not just about you. The gospel is by nature missional. It's about others. Through you, Jesus thought of others. It's about life for the other Do we get that your suffering has value to the extent that it leads to life for others. Think about that. That's part of your glory. Is not just about you. You are in the heaves of labor pains for the sake of others, and this lends to your glory. Look around and see you who have suffered long look at new birth of life, and others have great expectations for suffering. More life expected, more glory. I gave you a song in the last talk. This time, check out Lauren Daegels Rescue. Maybe that will bring some soothing for your pain or be used by the Holy Spirit to make you feel true hope from Him when hope from you lack. All Right, next time the number ten of the top ten prayers to the Old Testament. I can't wait for this. It's so much fun. See you then, take heart, child of God.