Suffering

Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 2022 by

Restore Us, Lord

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 5:1-22 (SOAP: 21)

Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you;
renew our life as in days before,
Lamentations 5:21

But You, O LORD

Don’t miss the “but You” moment in verse 19. Similar to that of chapter 3, verse 21 – where in the throes of lament Jeremiah says – “But this I call to mind”. Here, he is lamenting the degradation of the city and the plight of the people when it seems the knowledge and the faith of his hope turn his inward thoughts back toward God. This time he says, “But You, O LORD, reign forever. Your throne endures from generation to generation. Remembering these truths seems to prompt both the question and the plea that follow and the words you can almost hear him stammering over in verse 22, “unless You have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure”.

The Confusion and questions

Because Jeremiah knows the goodness of God and His faithfulness to all generations he cries out hoping to understand why God hasn’t come to their aide.

Why do You keep on forgetting us? Why do You forsake us so long?
Lamentations 5:20

The Plea!

In response to his own questions Jeremiah prays a prayer of restoration and renewal and includes a purpose that he knew would align with God’s will for his people and the city. “Bring us back to Yourself, O LORD, so that we may return to You;” – not just to what we knew but first and foremost to You. He went on to pray, “Renew our life”. The plea is not for God to create a new life for them but specifically for restoration to “as in days before” – days when they had a crown and their city stood strong, when they were joyful and dancing. Restored to a time when their elders sat in the city gates and their young men played music. They longed to go back to the day when they weren’t hungry or in danger or living enslaved but to a day when they knew prosperity and success and respect for who they were.

What Can We Learn? – The Application –

What can we learn from these statements of prayer and truth? I think we can take a lesson from Jeremiah’s reasoning and pray prayers that keep God first. I think we should be inspired to watch that our desire is return to Him when we have fallen away, and to pray big prayers without letting them become greedy prayers.

Prayer Prompt

Father, when I lament may my mind and eyes and heart always return to or stay on You. May my chief desire be You and my heart be for ‘renewal’ rather than bigger and better.” Let me not lose heart but when it fades, help me remember You reign forever and Your throne from generation to generation.

Go Deeper

Don’t forget to checkout today’s LGG Blog Post and explore their site to see what God is doing through them.

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 2022 by

Restore Us, Lord

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 5:1-22 (SOAP: 21)

Bring us back to yourself, O Lord, so that we may return to you;
renew our life as in days before,
Lamentations 5:21

But You, O LORD

The Confusion and questions

Because Jeremiah knows the goodness of God and His faithfulness to all generations he cries out hoping to understand why God hasn’t come to their aide.

Why do You keep on forgetting us? Why do You forsake us so long?
Lamentations 5:20

The Plea!

What Can We Learn? – The Application –

Prayer Prompt

Go Deeper

Don’t forget to checkout today’s LGG Blog Post and explore their site to see what God is doing through them.

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 12, 2022May 12, 2022 by

The Depths of Suffering

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 4 (SOAP, 4:17)

Our eyes continually failed us
as we looked in vain for help.
From our watchtowers we watched
for a nation that could not rescue us.
Lamentations 4:17 NET (KJV)

This fourth lament moves through a depiction of Jerusalem’s devastating suffering. From the loss of all they had and were, to starvation of women and children, punishment that exceeded that of Sodom, appearance that went from white as snow to darker than soot, and the thought that those who died by the sword were better off than those wasting away from hunger. With these pictures in mind is it any wonder that Jerusalem continually watched for an ally, most likely Egypt, to rescue them from their suffering? Yet, as Jeremiah had predicted they watched in vain for a nation that could not protect them.

What Happened?

What happened to this once thriving and powerful city and people? Scripture answers this for us in Lamentations 1:5, “The LORD afflicted her because of her many acts of rebellion.” God’s will is for us to not sin but to love Him and obey His commandments, John 14:15. Our acts of rebellion against the LORD our God will always have disciplinary consequences because He is a good Father who despises sin, (John 3:16), and loves His children, (Hebrews 12:5–6; cf. Proverbs 3:11–12); (Hebrews 12:8) and (Hebrews 12:10).

How Do We Apply This Verse?

Of course we cannot directly apply this passage of Scripture for we do not live in exile waiting to be rescued. However, we certainly have problems that cause us, from time to time, to watch and wait and hope that someone will come to our rescue. We would be wise during these times to set our eyes continually on the Lord, the only One who can truly help us. Watching for Him to rescue us will never be in vain. The One who made us and calls us His own will never turn His back on us. He is our protector and does not sleep or become too busy to notice we have need of His help. In Psalm 118:13-14 The Psalmist said that he was pushed back and about to fall but the Lord helped him, and he went on to say that He was his strength and salvation.

I lift my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
2My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3He will not allow your foot to slip;
your Protector will not slumber.
4Indeed, the Protector of Israel
does not slumber or sleep.
5The Lord protects you;
the Lord is a shelter right by your side.
6The sun will not strike you by day
or the moon by night.
7The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
8The Lord will protect your coming and going
both now and forever.
Psalm 121:1-8

Prayer Prompt

God, You are a good good father. This doesn’t mean you will overlook our sinful behavior but that You love us enough to deal with it according to Your steadfast love. Throughout Your Word we are told to keep our eyes on You. Help us to do this continually, not only when we are in trouble but when we are tempted to sin, for we know that it will not be in vain. For Your Word promises that when we are tempted You will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear but you will rescue us by showing us a way of escape so that we can remain faithfully obedient to You.

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 7, 2022May 7, 2022 by

Weeping and Destruction

Today’s Reading: Lamentations 2:1-22 (SOAP 2:11)

My eyes are worn out from weeping;
I am churning within.
My heart is poured out in grief
because of the destruction of my dear people,
because children and infants faint
in the streets of the city.
Lamentations 2:11

Destruction Takes a Toll

Jeremiah weeps at the destruction but he isn’t simply crying. He is physically and emotionally impacted because of the destruction of his people. This is personal and Jeremiah is greatly affected.

Applying the Word

Like Jeremiah, we should be greatly affected when God’s people or His work are impacted by suffering, regardless of where the suffering comes from. We should mourn and experience great emotional and even physical unease. Jesus taught in Matthew that those who mourn like this over sin will be blessed, Matthew 5:4. Whether it is over our own sin or the sin of others we should be broken by anything that breaks the heart of God. When we mourn like this we will find ourselves caught up in the lament and we will be moved, like Jeremiah, to pray or to call on others to pray.

Prayer Prompt

Father, break our hearts for what breaks Yours! May we not fail to pour ourselves out before You – for only You can heal and make right ! We believe this in Jesus Name, Amen!’

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 7, 2022May 7, 2022 by

The Lord’s Anger

Today’s Reading: Lamentations chapter 1:1-22 (SOAP/FOCUS: 12)

“Does it mean nothing to you, all you who pass by?
Look around and see if there is any suffering like mine,
which the Lord brought on me
when he erupted in fierce anger.
Lamentations 1:12 NLT

Background

It is impossible to understand this one verse without first taking in all that came before it.

First of all Lamentations is a book of 5 laments or poems. In this first poem, Jeremiah, the assumed author, is lamenting the fall of Jerusalem and the burning of the Temple by the Babylonian Army. To grasp the true devastation of this we must remember that Jerusalem wasn’t just another city it was known as the city of God and the Temple there as His dwelling place. Each verse in chapter 1 is divided by the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, a structure known to denote completeness.

On behalf of the city Jeremiah bemoans loss after loss after loss, including her standing among the nations, being abandoned by her allies, and becoming an easy prey. He laments the loss and observance of the prescribed and cherished festivals and names the LORD as the one who afflicted Jerusalem, attributing the blame to Jerusalem because of her rebellious acts. He lamented not only the abandonment of allies but that of her own leaders . Perhaps the most devastating thing to deal with was hearing Jerusalem’s enemies gloating over her – and know that she was no longer the prided Temple of God.

Is There Anyone Who Understands?

When we come to the 12th verse, Jeremiah’s heart break and desperation are really evident as he pauses, hoping to find someone – anyone – who seems to understand what he is experiencing and how it hurts. However, it has become evident by now that there is no one.

How Do We Apply It?

To be sure, there is something poetically beautiful and teachable about Jeremiah’s emotional lament for Jerusalem. He calls out from the depths of his heart, he calls out with his eyes not only on what they had lost but aware of why and how. He calls out with hope that God will see them and remember them, and yes – he calls out for God to visit His wrath on the nations who had maliciously raged against Jerusalem and their God. I believe we should lament over our sins, the sins of our country, and over the sins of the world. Clearly in light of the verses that lead up to verse 12 we should also be consciously aware of our actions and any sins that tempt us – staying alert to God’s will and the consequences that could come should we choose to rebel. We should also be careful not to let this make us fearful of God’s wrath but look at the reason that His wrath was incited and steer clear of those repetitive and rebellious actions that by their own admission deserved God’s wrath.

As for the actual application from verse 12, what struck me was that Jeremiah was so consumed with the loss and the subsequent lament that he was crying out to people on the street for pity. Yet perhaps as some suggest not only for pity but also that they would see what God will do even to those closest to Him when His anger is so stirred by sin. Matthew Henry, in his “Concise Commentary” said this about verse 12: “Sorrow for sin must be great sorrow, and must affect the soul. Here we see the evil of sin, and may take warning to flee from the wrath to come. Whatever may be learned from the sufferings of Jerusalem, far more may be learned from the sufferings of Christ.” Should we suffer due to sin and rebellion, as Jerusalem, may we remember well the price Christ paid on the cross for us and let it be our warning of encouragement to remain faithful.

Prayer Prompt

Father, help us first of all to learn to consider the consequences of our actions, especially of our sin. Thank you for Jesus, the Redeemer of our sins – but O Father, let us not forget the hatred you have for sin so that we do not become rebellious and find ourselves in the place of Jerusalem and her people, weighed down by the consequences. Help us to love you more than self and to lament and turn from those things that break Your heart. Help us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, rather than the people and the “nations” around us.

More ….

Don’t miss the Love God Greatly blogs M, W, F for some wonderful insights into the text of this study. On Tuesday’s you will find testimonials from missionaries and others God is using to translate His Word and these studies into every language, so that women every where have the opportunity to read and grow from the teaching of God’s Word.
Love God Greatly

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 3, 2022May 1, 2022 by

Why O LORD?

Today’s Reading: Psalm 10 (SOAP: Psalm 10:1)

Lord, why do You stand so far away?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
Psalm 10:1 HCSB

Where are You God?

Have you ever been going through a time of suffering or some kind of trouble and felt like God was no where to be found? You tried to pray but felt like He wasn’t listening or you waited for Him to show up or answer but it was like He didn’t even know you were in trouble? If we’re honest most of us have felt this at one time or another, and it’s exactly how David was feeling when he wrote Psalm 10.

So What Do We Do?

We may feel like David, we may even pray like David but the bottom line is – we trust. Like Asaph in Psalm 77, we resolve and choose to remember the faithfulness of God in times past and specifically, in this situation, the promise of God to never leave or forsake His children.

Prayer Prompt

Father, sometimes You have seemed “far off” or as though You’re paying no attention – when these times come God, when I can’t see Your hand please help me to remember your promises and to trust Your heart.

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on May 2, 2022April 30, 2022 by

Remembering His Faithfulness

Today’s Reading: Psalm 77 (SOAP: 77:10-11)

Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought
that the Most High might become inactive.
I will remember the works of the Lord.
Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago.
Psalm 77:10-11 NET

Asaph’s Confidence

I love the heading for this Psalm in the Holman Christian Standard Bible, “Confidence in a Time of Crisis”. It is certainly fitting from start to finish of this Psalm of ‘lament’ by Asaph and I think an equally fitting way to start this study on “Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering” (by LGG).

Suffering is part of the believer’s life and to survive it we must learn how to deal with it in a godly way. While we most often learn best from experience it is beneficial and God’s plan according to (2 Timothy 3:16-17 to learn from the examples in His Word. Today’s reading provides one such example. Let’s take a look.

The Lament

Asaph’s lament begins in verse 1 with no clear reason what prompted it but clearly he is facing a crisis of some kind. Notice though from the get-go, even in the throes of the crisis his faith is active. He didn’t run from or turn from God but ran to Him and was resolved to cry out to Him in prayer and thought and faith.

I will cry out to God and call for help.
I will cry out to God and he will pay attention to me.
²In my time of trouble I sought the Lord.
I kept my hand raised in prayer throughout the night.
I refused to be comforted.
³I said, “I will remember God while I groan;
I will think about him while my strength leaves me.” (Selah)
⁴You held my eyelids open;
I was troubled and could not speak.
⁵I thought about the days of old,
about ancient times.
⁶I said, “During the night I will remember the song I once sang;
I will think very carefully.”
Psalm 77:1-6 NET

From Lament to a Song of God’s Extraordinary Deeds

However, don’t miss that the longer Asaph cried out with the problem that was causing him to “groan”, the more panic and heartache seemed to rise within him. In turn these created the threat of doubt and the fear that God would cease to be active in his life. This is where we find him in our focus/soap passage today. He couldn’t bare to think that God would become “inactive”, to the point that it “sickened” him. Yet, this is the very thing that turned his lament into a new song of God’s goodness and activity in times past. Asaph resolved to recall God’s greatness and power over all things. With this resolve, Asaph’s cry changed from “I will” to “O God, Your deeds are extraordinary … You are the God who does amazing things! You have revealed Your strength … You delivered Your people … You walked through the sea; You passed through the surging waves … You led Your people like a flock of sheep …”

The Change

It’s important as we move forward in “Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering” to notice the change came with Asaph’s resolve to remember and what he chose to remember. He made the choice to fix his mind – not on the ‘crisis’ or the rising doubt and fears but rather on “the works of the LORD …” and this seemed to change everything – well, perhaps not the ‘crisis’ (Scripture doesn’t make this clear) – but certainly his reaction to the ‘crisis’ changed. Perhaps this is an example of why Paul taught the Philippians to fix their thoughts on things that are excellent and worthy of praise, Phil 4:8.

What this mean for us: The Application

I believe this is where we find our application today, choosing to fix our mind on the things of God and not the things of the world that make us anxious and problem centered rather than God centered. This is not to mean that we can’t pray or cry out to God in lament. Actually, looking again to Paul’s teaching in Philippians 4:6-7, we see that when he warns the believers not to be anxious about anything he also says, “instead, pray about everything and thank God for what He has already done.” He says that when they do this they will experience the peace of God which exceeds anything they can understand. I can tell you from experience – when you apply the power of truth that is in these verses to your life it changes everything.

What’s Your Plan?

What is the resolve of your life? What will you do when the crisis comes? Clearly Scripture teaches us to have a plan that is rooted in God (Father, Son, and Spirit) and in His Word. Here are some helpful tips …

Know Him – this comes from prayer and staying in His Word daily
Don’t trust, lean on, or stay in your own emotions but trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Sing of His goodness (what we listen to guides our thoughts)
Write down what He’s done (have journal or use your phone at the end of each day to write down 1-3 things that you saw Him do or remember He has done in the past … something as simple as a much needed parking space to His amazing gift of salvation, acts of grace or mercy, His forgiveness for the unspeakable things of your life, His love despite those unspeakable things, His Spirit’s power in You, your hope of eternity, and any number of amazing deeds you have witnessed from Him)

Prayer Prompt

Father, help us to turn our laments into songs of joyful praise. How often have I lamented before You – crying out for You to hear, waiting on You to answer, trusting You to not forget or become inactive. Like Asaph I have found myself clinging to You through the waves and heard You whisper – “Be still and know that I am God”. How many times You have used the words of Paul to cause me to choose to recall Your goodness, grace, and mercy and to resolve to fix my thoughts on things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Thank you for the history of Your goodness and the evidence of Your love and the faith on which I stand. In Jesus’ Name – Amen!

Love God Greatly
If you would like more thoughts on today’s reading please click the link for today’s blog post from the LGG Team.
https://lovegodgreatly.com/lgg-blog/

Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study

Posted on April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 by

Materials Now Available for Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering!

We are one week away from our next study, Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering! This is a 4-week study by Love God Greatly that I will be sharing/hosting here at Mefomthensideout.

Whether you’re joining me for the live study on Monday, May 2, 2022 or some date beyond that I’m so glad you are here reading this and hope that you will join me for the journey. The beauty of an online study is it can be done any time from any where, alone or be brave and ask a friend, a neighbor, or family member to join you and see what God does. Who knows, you might be an answer to someone’s prayers! Scriptures are provided but I would suggest grabbing your Bible and the LGG study journal and come explore God’s Word with me as we embark on this journey where we will discover what it means to trust God, even in the middle of deep pain and suffering.

Here’s how it works … I will provide daily (M-F) readings, my thoughts, and links to the daily post from Love God Greatly. You can simply go solo, reading and journaling one on one with God, or you can gather with a group or participate here by leaving comments – which I will happily engage in. The choice is yours and I pray abundant blessings will be as well. Once you’ve finished this study be sure and check out the past studies or see what’s coming next.

Take your Bible study to a deeper level through the Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering study journal!

Bible study, LGG Study

The Gospel of Mark: Week 6, Monday – Jesus the Messiah

Posted on April 19, 2021April 18, 2021 by

Read: Mark 14:22-52; SOAP: Mark 14:36-38

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” ³³He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. ³⁴He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁵He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. ³⁶“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

³⁷Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? ³⁸Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

³⁹Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. ⁴⁰When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.

⁴¹When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴²Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

To understand the real reason for Jesus’ agony over what was to come
read today’s devotional

Today’s reading includes other details you won’t want to miss

Peter’s denial predicted (27-31)
Judas’ betrayal (43-45)
Jesus’ arrest (46-52)

Jesus’ greatest act of love and sacrifice was about to change the world.
Read today’s LGG Blog

REFLECTION QUESTION: WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT JESUS FROM HIS PRAYER IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE? (share your answer in the comment bar)

Bible study, LGG Study

Shame Breaker, WK2-Thursday Beauty In Brokenness

Posted on January 14, 2021January 13, 2021 by

Today’s Scripture – Isaiah 50:7; 2 Cor. 4:10-12 (S.O.A.P. 2 Corinthians 4:10-12)

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. ⁹We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. ¹⁰Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. ¹²So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

LGG Devotional

We are pressed on every side by trouble but we are not crushed. We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down but NEVER ABANDONED by God. We get knocked down but we are not destroyed! 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
This was Paul’s testimony – considering Eternal Life for someone else worth danger and even the threat of death for himself – “So that the life of Jesus would be evident -“
Me – From the Insideout