Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God.

1. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • What appears to be unfair always needs to be seen in light of eternity.

2. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • What appears to be unfair always needs to be seen in light of eternity. • David briefly thought that serving God was in "vain" until he though further. (Psa 73:11-17)

3. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • (Psalms 73:11-17 NKJV) “And they say, “How does God know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?” {12} Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches. {13} Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, And washed my hands in innocence. {14} For all day long I have been plagued, And chastened every morning.

4. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • {15} If I had said, “I will speak thus,” Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. {16} When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me; {17} Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.”

5. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • We too need to be careful not to jump to conclusions when adversity comes into our lives. Our God is alive and active!

6. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Ted Turner, founding genius of Cable News Network, millionaire, and sportsman spoke recently in Orlando. As he received the award for "Humanist of the Year" he shared a very emotional story. Turner mentioned that he was raised in a God-fearing family and had a sister who was ill. Her illness progressed; she became critical. He prayed desperately the Lord would spare her life and make her well. She died.

7. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Then Ted told the audience that from then on he knew, even as a kid, there was no God up there. What kind of loving God would have allowed his sister to suffer and die? Turner indicated he had lived the rest of his life depending on himself, not on an unfeeling, phantom-being that did not exist. There was wild applause.

8. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Still there are situations that cause us to reflect.

9. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Consider a child born into the world with an illness that bankrupts his parents and the child dies. Why does this happen?

10. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Consider a child born into the world with an illness that bankrupts his parents and the child dies. Why does this happen? • We need to understand that our inability to find answers does not deny the existence of God! There are many things that God has not reveled to us. (Deut 29:29)

11. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • (Deuteronomy 29:29 NKJV) “”The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.”

12. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • We need to have the wisdom of Job and never blame God. (Job 2:9-10)

13. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • (Job 2:9-10 NKJV) “Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!” {10} But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

14. Some looks at the suffering of this world and conclude there is no God. • Consider some truths we do know that will help explain suffering.

15. God has given man free agency. • Man has the power of choice.(Ecc 7:29; Josh 24:15)

16. God has given man free agency. • (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) “”And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.””

17. God has given man free agency. • (Ecclesiastes 7:29 NKJV) “Truly, this only I have found: That God made man upright, But they have sought out many schemes.””

18. God has given man free agency. • God in His wisdom chose to make man with a free will. We are not robots.

19. God has given man free agency. • God in His wisdom chose to make man with a free will. We are not robots. • The ability to choose holds both great blessings and great dangers.

20. God has given man free agency. • God in His wisdom chose to make man with a free will. We are not robots. • The ability to choose holds both great blessings and great dangers. • For those who trust God the Bible tells us how to choose!

21. God has given man free agency. • God has not foreordained all things.(Jer 32:35)

22. God has given man free agency. • (Jeremiah 32:35 NKJV) “’And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’”

23. God has given man free agency. • The very presence of evil should show us that God in making man with a free will allowed for the possibility of sin.

24. God has given man free agency. • The very presence of evil should show us that God in making man with a free will allowed for the possibility of sin. • God does not bring about sin! (Jas 1:12-13)

25. God has given man free agency. • (James 1:12-13 NKJV) “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. {13} Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.”

26. God has given man free agency. • God does however use sinful men in their craftiness to accomplish His will.

27. God has given man free agency. • (Romans 9:17-18 NKJV) “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” {18} Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.”

28. God has given man free agency. • (1 Corinthians 2:6-8 NKJV) “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. {7} But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, {8} which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

29. God has given man free agency. • (1 Corinthians 3:19-20 NKJV) “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; {20} and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.””

30. God has given man free agency. • Satan and the sin he introduced is the source of all suffering.

31. God has given man free agency. • Satan and the sin he introduced is the source of all suffering. • God made this world free of sin and good. (Gen 1:31)

32. God has given man free agency. • (Genesis 1:31 NKJV) “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”

33. God has given man free agency. • After the introduction of sin both man and creation were changed. (Gen 3:16-19)

34. God has given man free agency. • (Genesis 3:16-19 NKJV) “To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”

35. God has given man free agency. • {17} Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. {18} Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.

36. God has given man free agency. • {19} In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.””

37. God has given man free agency. • Satan makes full use of man's vulnerability to capture them to his cause. (Heb 2:14-15)

38. God has given man free agency. • (Hebrews 2:14-15 NKJV) “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, {15} and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

39. God has given man free agency. • Those who are in fellowship with God have God's protection from Satan.

40. God has given man free agency. • (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV) “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

41. God has given man free agency. • (Job 1:8-12 NKJV) “Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” {9} So Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?

42. God has given man free agency. • {10} “Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. {11} “But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!”

43. God has given man free agency. • {12} And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.”

44. God has given man free agency. • "A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears."

45. God has given man free agency. • "A man who fears suffering is already suffering from what he fears." • God will bless in eternity those who choose Him in this life. (2 Thess 1:6-7)

46. God has given man free agency. • (2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 NKJV) “since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, {7} and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,”

47. God has given man free agency. • This life is not fair! But to the Christian this is not the issue.

48. God has given man free agency. • This life is not fair! But to the Christian this is not the issue. • We choose to let God even things out in the judgment.

49. There are several reasons for suffering. • When physical law is violated.

50. There are several reasons for suffering. • When physical law is violated. • God does not suspend physical law that man may avoid the consequences!