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2. Welcome to the directors cutHad I two hours, I would have wanted two and ahalf, so I grabbed four more examples for thewebsite.Most links go to an online, parallel Bible. Mouse overthe link, and Ppt will take you there. Sometimes,Ive linked an entire chapter, sometimes theindividual verse.In writing this, I am assuming a familiarity with thecitations. 3. Elijah 4. ElijahSarcastic. Bold. Unkempt. When I think prophet,this is the image. Elijah is that.On Mt. Carmel, he issues a challenge to the prophetsof Baal. 450 of them. (1Kng 18:16-45)He mocks all of them during the challenge.A personal hero. 5. ElijahYet a few days later, he runs and hides in a cave fromJezebel and considers himself a dead man.He thinks he is alone, but God informs himotherwise. He finds Elisha and is able to confronthis fears. Elijah needed that teammate. 6. Joseph 7. JosephJoseph was certainly up and down.Sold into slavery by family and became Potipharschief of staff. A false rape charge to two years inprison (after the cupbearer leaves)Pharaohs dream released Joseph from prison. Hethen rose to Vice President of Egypt (Gen 41:41-43).Following, he gave his family great wealth in afamine. (Gen 42-45). His decision to toy with themwas brilliant. 8. JosephJosephs life looked like a stock chart. Gods greaterplan needed Josephs life to look like this, to get theIsraelites into Egypt in the first place.Does God need our lives to be bad sometimes for Hisgreater Calling?God gives wisdom liberally to those that ask.Proverbs mentions patience. Godll give youwisdom, alright. Dont ask if you dont want it! 9. Gideon 10. Gideon5 times in Judges does Gideon ask (and tell) Godthat hes not the man for the Midianites. It is forthis reason He picks Gideon: No one can takecredit! (If you are still scared, take your servantPurah).God only gives Gideon 300 people. God throws the180,000 Midianite army into disarray. Gideon does,literally, nothing! 11. GideonAs reluctant as Gideon is to take on any leadership, hedoes take leadership. He then is judge of Israel for 40years, many wives and children.For an example of this, read Parable of the Two Sons (Mt21:28-32) 12. Esther 13. EstherEsther won a year long Miss Persia contest (Es 2:12). She was confident, intelligent, beautiful.Esther showed up at the kings door, uninvited, at the behest of cousin Mordecai. Xerxes is pleased, if not for the bravery alone.To ask the question to save the Israelites (up for genocide), she gets Xerxes drunk, twice. (Es 5:6-8, 7:1-10) 14. EstherGod works throughout the situation on all factors. In economics, it is similar to the invisible hand of the marketplace (see the notes at the bottom).*While God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, she is clearly operating on faith alone and taking advantage of her unique circumstance.You always take an opportunity. The answer is either, Yes orNo. God will bless our choice; we must not allowindecision to handcuff us. 15. In closingWe hold Bible characters on a pedestal sometimes. The disadvantage to having print is that we lose the emotion these real people had.The Bible is not some theological book. Its a history book, with archaeological evidence. We must read it and remember all this stuff happened.The Wednesday night lesson follows. Thanks for reading. 16. When asking God, Why?To summarize my people:1. Jesus is credible. He gets it.2. Job recognized Gods sovereignty.3. David knew God was listening.4. Paul was thankful for forgiveness and guidance. 17. The question: Why, God?1. God already knows the answer.2. God already knows the question.3. The precedent has been set.If youre going through hell, keep going. WinstonChurchill 18. Come on, God. Really?I dislocated both shoulders in an accident at thealuminum factory in college*. God was testing myresolve & my faith. I am certain I still benefit today.Life isnt what happens to you. Its what you doabout it. 19. God wants His people to ask.Church has become a collection of clichs and missionstatements. Its too nice. It has lost that strength with whichit was designed. The American way has become I want itnow, and this idea of entitlement has crept into the church.Weve lost patience with God.God is not our employee. He does stuff for our own good. 20. Jared Mtn. 21. Jesus 22. JesusJesus asked Peter, Why, why did you doubt?(Mt14:31)Jesus wanted an answer from Peter, and I think Heslegitimately unhappy with Peters doubt. He doesacknowledge that Peter has little faith, unlike his 11counterparts, who had none.Consider the chronology: What happened six hoursbefore? Did Jesus not feed 5000? Nay. This numbersonly men. Lets say a wife and 8 kids come50,000+? 23. JesusMy God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Mt27:46.Has that question ever crossed your mind? It crossedJesus. Jesus knew the heart of everyone around Him.How can He wonder if God is listening?Hebrews 2:14-18. Jesus gets it. On the day ofJudgment, He will tell God, Ive been there. 24. Your Savior knows how you feel!Jesus felt abandoned, because God had to leave.If Jesus felt like this in His life, you will, too. 25. Job 26. JobJob had a list of questionsI, too, would have manyof these questions.Job says, I am innocent,but God denies me justice. (Jb34:5 to Elihu)Job 38-42, God chews Job out, as the next slide willshow. 27. Job 40:1-71The LORD said to Job: 2 Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer him! 3 Then Job answered the LORD: 4 I am unworthyhow can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth.5 I spoke once, but I have no answer twice, but I will say no more. 6 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm: 7 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. 28. Job, paraphrasedJob: Youre right, God. You are in control. You arejust.God: Youre interrupting. I wasnt finished.You can read this exchange on your own. Its intense. The Brick Testament 29. JobGod was angry with Job for questioning Him, no doubt.Notice He didnt kill Job? In fact, Job got double what he had.All because he recognized Gods sovereignty. God toldJobs frinemies, Let Job pray for you, because he told thetruth about me. I might listen to him concerning you three.God will not zap you because you cant see into the future. Hedidnt create us with that feature, for a reason. He will bemerciful with you. Ask Him with humility and knowledgethat its been worked out already on your behalf. 30. David 31. DavidDavid started as a great person, and ended as aterrible person. Murder, lying, stealing, adultery,cover ups, chasing women. The guy defined scandal.Yet the Bible presents him as an ideal?He was merciful to others, because God was mercifulto him. Thats why he was a man after Gods ownheart. Thats why God thought so much of him,compared to other humans. (Hs 6:6) 32. David Ps 13:11How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?3 Look on me and answer, LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,4 and my enemy will say, I have overcome him, and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.6 I will sing the LORDs praise, for he has been good to me. 33. DavidDavid is king over the premier nation of its day. Hesasking God this question?David cant see the forest for the trees, but he knowsGod is on the other side, somewhere. Davidrecognized that God knows the end of the story. 34. Paul 35. Paul Rm 7:21-2521 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in Gods law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!His body and his mind are at war, with the body winning. Hes struggling, but thankful Jesus is there to forgive. 36. Paul - Phil 4:12-1312I know what it is to be in want, and I know what itis to have an abundance. In any and everycircumstance I have learned the secret, whether I amwell-fed or hungry, have plenty or am in need. 13 Ican do all things through the one who strengthensme.Jesus is here to help. The Holy Spirit will guideyou. 37. James 1:2-42 Consider it sheer joy, my brothers, when you encountervarious kinds of trials, 3 because you know that the testing ofyour faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance carry outits work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking innothing.Thats a true message, but its not fun. To have life make somesemblance of order, we must realize that life is a hoop tojump through.For salvation, God says, Trust Me and do what I tell you.Thats it. But we have to level up to continue. 38. HaloAt TN Tech, we gathered at church on Friday andSaturday nights and played Halo.We had to defeat the Covenant. Itsa team effort to beat Satan, also.You cant be by yourself. 39. SuggestionThe Bible is grouped by theme and not chronology. Ihave enjoyed my chronological Bible, compiled by F.LaGard Smith. Fine local book retailers have them. Itssplit into 365 sections. Feb 29, you get the day off.If you make it through the Law, youll cruise. 40. PeopleThe Bible is full of people asking hard questions: Elijah,Peter, Gideon, Moses, Abraham, Jonah, Thomas, theentire nation of Israel (they complained, a lot). God haslistened for thousands of years. He wont quit listeningnow.32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for usallhow will he not also, along with him, graciously give usall things? Romans 8:32 41. ReferencesEph 3:11-13 Is 41:13Exo 14:13-14Acts 9:13-161 Cor 1:9Mt 11:2Mt. 6:25-341 Kng 18:16-19:182 Tim 1:7Job 2:10Eccl 8:12