# 9 - What Can You Count on God for?

Life is not easy. A relative is diagnosed with cancer. Financial

worries. Relationships not working.
Maybe youre facing something right now. If not, the future is
unknown. Hope life goes smoothly for you. But if not, its nice to
have an approach, a way to handle things no matter what life
throws at you.
When really hard times hit, do you ever wonder, what exactly can
you count on God for? If you knew him, what would that be like?
What difference would it make knowing him?
Heres an article that directly answers that question:
http://www.everystudent.com/features/tragedy.html

WHERE IS GOD IN THE MIDST OF

TRAGEDY?
Ever ask, "God where are you?" What exactly can you
count on God for?
ByMarilynAdamson

TowhatdegreecanwerelyonGodtobewithus?IsHereallysomeonewecanturntoat
all...intimesofcrisisaswellastimesofcalm?

Who is God?
GodistheCreatoroftheuniversewhoyearnsfor
ustoknowHim.Thatiswhyweareallhere.Itis
HisdesirethatwerelyonandexperienceHis
strength,love,justice,holinessandcompassion.So
Hesaystoallwhoarewilling,"CometoMe."
Unlikeus,Godknowswhatwillhappentomorrow,
nextweek,nextyear,thenextdecade.Hesays,"I
amGod,andthereisnoonelikeme,declaringtheendfromthebeginning."1Heknows
whatwillhappenintheworld.Moreimportantly,Heknowswhatwilloccurinyourlife
andcanbethereforyou,ifyou'vechosentoincludeHiminyourlife.HetellsusthatHe
canbe"ourrefugeandstrength,aneverpresenthelpintimesoftrouble."2Butwemust

makeasincereefforttoseekHim.Hesays,"youwillseekMeandfindMe,whenyou
searchforMewithallyourheart."3

Where Is God in Difficult Times?

Thatdoesn'tmeanthatthosewhoknowGodwillescapedifficulttimes.Theywon't.
Whenaterroristattackcausessufferinganddeath,thosewhoknowGodwillbeinvolved
inthatsufferingalso.ButthereisapeaceandastrengththatGod'spresencegives.One
followerofJesusChristputitthisway:"Wearehardpressedoneveryside,butnot
crushed;perplexed,butnotindespair;persecuted,butnotabandoned;struckdown,but
notdestroyed."4Realitytellsusthatwewillexperienceproblemsinlife.However,ifwe
gothroughthemwhileknowingGod,wecanreacttothemwithadifferentperspective
andwithastrengththatisnotourown.Noproblemhasthecapacitytobe
insurmountabletoGod.Heisbiggerthanalltheproblemsthatcanhitus,andwearenot
leftalonetodealwiththem.
God'sWordtellsus,"TheLordisgood,arefugeintimesoftrouble.Hecaresforthose
whotrustinhim."5And,"TheLordisneartoallwhocallonhim,toallwhocallonhim
intruth.Hefulfillsthedesiresofthosewhofearhim;hehearstheircryandsavesthem."6
JesusChristtoldHisfollowersthesecomfortingwords:"Arenottwosparrowssoldfora
cent?AndyetnotoneofthemwillfalltothegroundapartfromyourFather.Butthevery
hairsofyourheadareallnumbered.Thereforedonotfear;youareofmorevaluethan
manysparrows."7IfyoutrulyturntoGod,Hewillcareforyouasnooneelsedoes,and
inawaythatnooneelsecan.

God and Our Free Will

Godhascreatedhumanitywiththeabilitytochoose.Thismeansthatwearenotforced
intoarelationshipwithHim.HeallowsustorejectHimandtocommitotherevilactsas
well.Hecouldforceustobeloving.Hecouldforceustobegood.Butthenwhatkindof
relationshipwouldwehavewithHim?Itwouldnotbearelationshipatall,butaforced,
absolutelycontrolledobedience.InsteadHegaveusthehumandignityoffreewill.

Naturally,wecryfromthedepthsofour
souls..."ButGod,howcouldYouletsomethingof
thismagnitudehappen?"
HowwouldwewantGodtoact?DowewantHim
tocontroltheactionsofpeople?Inthecaseof
dealingwithaterroristattack,whatcouldpossibly
beanacceptablenumberofdeathsforGodto
allow?!WouldwefeelbetterifGodallowedonly
themurderofhundreds?WouldweratherGod
allowedonlythedeathofoneperson?YetifGod
wouldpreventthemurderofevenoneperson,thereisnolongerfreedomtochoose.
PeoplechoosetoignoreGod,todefyGod,togotheirownwayandcommithorribleacts
againstothers.
Thisplanetisnotasafeplace.Someonemightshootus.Orwemightbehitbyacar.Or
wemighthavetojumpfromabuildingattackedbyterrorists.Oranynumberofthings
thatmighthappentousinthisharshenvironmentcalledEarth,theplacewhereGod's
willisnotalwaysfollowed.Yet,Godisnotatthemercyofpeople,buttheotherway
around.WeareatHismercy,fortunately.ThisisGodwhocreatedtheuniversewithits
uncountablestars,simplybyspeakingthewords,"Lettherebelightsintheexpanseof
thesky."8ThisisGodwhosaysHe"reignsoverthenations."9Heisunlimitedinpower
andwisdom.Thoughproblemsseeminsurmountabletous,wehaveanincrediblycapable
Godwhoremindsus,"Behold,IamtheLORD,theGodofallflesh;isanythingtoohard
forMe?"10SomehowHeisabletomaintainthefreedomofsinfulhumans,yetstillbring
aboutHiswill.Godclearlysays,"Mycounselshallstand,andIwillaccomplishallMy
purpose."11AndwecandrawcomfortfromthatifourlivesaresubmittedtoHim."For
Godopposestheproud,butgivesgracetothehumble."12

Where Is God When We Reject Him?

Manyofusno,allofuschooseattimestostiffarmGodandHisways.Comparedto
others,certainlycomparedtoaterrorist,wemightconsiderourselvestoberespectable,
lovingpeople.Butintherawhonestyofourownhearts,ifweweretofaceGod,itwould
bewiththeknowledgeofoursin.AswebegintoaddressGodinprayer,arewenot
caughtshort,pausedbythesensethatGodiswellawareofourthoughts,actionsandself
centeredness?Wehave...byourlivesandactions...distancedourselvesfromGod.We
haveoftenlivedlikewecouldrunourlivesjustfinewithoutHim.TheBiblesaysthat
"Weall,likesheep,havegoneastray,eachofushasturnedtohisownway."13

Theconsequences?OursinhasseparatedusfromGod,anditaffectsmorethanthislife.
Thepenaltyforoursinisdeath,oreternalseparationfromGod.However,Godhas
providedawayforustobeforgivenandknowHim.

God Offers Us His Love

Godcametoearthtorescueus."ForGodsolovedtheworld,thathesenthisonlySon,
thatwhoeverbelievesinhimshouldnotperish,buthaveeternallife.ForGodsentthe
Sonintotheworld,nottocondemntheworld,butthattheworldmightbesavedthrough
him."14
Godknowsthepainandsufferingweencounterin
thisworld.JesusleftthesafetyandsecurityofHis
home,andenteredthehardenvironmentwelive
in.Jesusgottired,knewhungerandthirst,battled
accusationsfromothersandwasostracizedby
familyandfriends.ButJesusexperiencedfarmore
thandailyhardships.Jesus,theSonofGodin
humanform,willinglytookallofoursinon
Himselfandpaidourpenaltyofdeath."Inthisis
love,thathelaiddownhislifeforus."15Hewentthroughtorture,dyingaslow,
humiliatingdeathofsuffocationonacross,sothatwecouldbeforgiven.
JesustoldothersaheadoftimethatHewouldbecrucified.Hesaidthatthreedaysafter
HisdeathHewouldcomebacktolife,provingthatHeisGod.Hedidn'tsayHewould
reincarnatesomeday.(WhowouldknowifHeactuallydidit?)Hesaidthreedaysafter
beingburiedHewouldshowHimselfphysicallyalivetothosewhosawHiscrucifixion.
Onthatthirdday,Jesus'tombwasfoundemptyandmanypeopletestifiedtoseeingHim
alive.

God Invites Us To Be With Him In Heaven

Henowoffersuseternallife.Wedon'tearnthis.ItisagiftfromGodofferedtous,which
wereceivewhenweaskHimtoenterourlives."ThegiftofGodiseternallifeinChrist
Jesus."16IfwerepentofoursinandturnbacktoGod,wecanhavethegiftofeternallife
throughJesusChrist.It'sprettysimple."Godhasgivenuseternallife,andthislifeisin
hisSon.HewhohastheSonhaslife;hewhodoesnothavetheSonofGoddoesnothave
life."17Hewantstoenterourlives.
Whataboutheaven?TheBiblesaysthatGodhas"seteternityintheheartsof
men."18Maybethatmeansweknow,inourhearts,whatabetterworldwouldlooklike.

Thedeathofpeopleweloveconvincesusthatthere'ssomethingverywrongwiththislife
andthisworld.Somewheredeepdowninoursouls,weknowthattheremustbeamuch
betterplacetolive,freefromheartwrenchingdifficultiesandpain.Tobesure,Goddoes
haveabetterplaceHeoffersus.ItwillbeacompletelydifferentsysteminwhichHiswill
isdoneallthetime.Inthisworld,Godwillwipeeverytearfrompeople'seyes.There
willbenomoremourning,crying,deathorpain.19AndGod,byHisSpirit,willdwellin
peopleinsuchawaythattheywillneversinagain.20
Theeventsofaterroristattackarehorrificenough.Refusinganeternalrelationshipwith
God,whichJesusoffersyou,wouldbeworse.Notjustinlightofeternallife,butthereis
norelationshipwhichcomparestoknowingGodinthislife.Heisourpurposeinlife,our
sourceofcomfort,ourwisdominconfusingtimes,ourstrengthandhope."Tasteandsee
thattheLordisgood;blessedisthemanwhotakesrefugeinhim."21
IthasbeensaidbysomethatGodisjustacrutch.ButitislikelythatHeistheonly
reliableone.
Jesussaid,"PeaceIleavewithyou;mypeaceIgivetoyou;notastheworldgivesdoI
givetoyou.Letnotyourheartsbetroubled,neitherletthembeafraid."22Forthosewho
willrelyonJesusduringtheirlives,HesaysitislikebuildingyourlifeonaRock.
Whatevercrisesattackyouinthislife,Hecankeepyoustrong.

Where is God? He Can Come Into Your Life

YoucanreceiveJesusintoyourliferightnow."ToallwhoreceivedHim,tothosewho
believedinHisname,HegavetherighttobecomechildrenofGod."23ItisthroughJesus
ChristthatwecancomebacktoGod.Jesussaid,"Iamtheway,andthetruth,andthe
life;noonecomestotheFather,butthroughMe."24Jesusoffered,"Behold,Istandatthe
doorandknock;ifanyonehearsMyvoiceand
opensthedoor,Iwillcomeintohim."25
RightnowyoucanaskGodtoenteryourlife.You
candothisthroughprayer.Prayermeanstalking
honestlywithGod.Atthismomentyoucancall
outtoGodbytellingHimsomethinglikethisin
sincerity:
"God,IhaveturnedawayfromYouinmyheart,
butIwanttochangethat.IwanttoknowYou.I

wanttoreceiveJesusChristandHisforgivenessintomylife.Idon'twanttobeseparated
fromYouanymore.BetheGodofmylifefromthisdayonward.ThankyouGod."
HaveyoujustnowsincerelyaskedGodintoyourlife?Ifyouhave,youhavealottolook
forwardto.Godpromisestomakeyourpresentlifeoneofgreatersatisfactionthrough
knowingHim.26WhereisGod?HepromisestomakeHishomeinyou.27AndHegives
youeternallife.28
Nomatterwhathappensintheworldaroundyou,Godcanbethereforyou.Though
peopledonotfollowGod'sways,Godisabletotakehorriblecircumstancesandbring
aboutHisplananyway.Godisultimatelyincontroloverworldevents.IfyouareGod's,
thenyoucanrestonthepromisethat,"Allthingsworktogetherforgoodforthosewho
loveGodandarecalledaccordingtoHispurpose."29
JesusChristsaid,"MypeaceIgivetoyou;notastheworldgives,doIgivetoyou.Let
notyourheartbetroubled.Intheworldyouhavetribulation,buttakecourage;Ihave
overcometheworld."30Hepromisesnevertofailusorforsakeus.31
I just asked Jesus into my life (some helpful information

follows)...
I may want to ask Jesus into my life, please explain this

more fully...
I have a question or comment...
(1)Isaiah46:9
(2)Psalm46:1
(3)Jeremiah29:13
(4)2Corinthians4:89
(5)Nahum1:7
(6)Psalms145:1819
(7)Matthew10:2931
(8)Genesis1:14
(9)Psalms47:8
(10)Jeremiah32:27
(11)Isaiah46:11
(12)James4:6
(13)Isaiah53:6

(14)John3:1617
(15)1John3:16
(16)Romans6:23
(17)1John5:12
(18)Ecclesiastes3:11
(19)Revelation21:4
(20)Revelation21:27;1Corinthians15:28
(21)Psalm34:8
(22)John14:27
(23)John1:12
(24)John14:6
(25)Revelation3:20
(26)John10:10
(27)John14:23
(28)1John5:1113
(29)Romans8:28
(30)John14:27and16:33
(31)Hebrews13:5