This is “Where is God”. Suffering will never leave you where it finds you—it will leave you bitter or it will leave you better. Life is like a puzzle—it is always incomplete until the final piece is placed in that final whole. Likewise, as good as a biscuit is, to eat its contents one ingredient at a time would be an awful experience. It’s not until you mix all the ingredients together that you have the taste, texture, and intention of a biscuit. God works ALL things together for good—-but it’s the working of all things together that has to happen for the individual pieces of the puzzle make sense. The full picture is not found in the individual pieces. God is working ALL things together in YOUR life for good (Romans 8:28). Trust God in all circumstances and all situations. He is always there—and He is always nearer than you think.
the following program is sponsored in
part by friends and partners of jensen
franklin media ministries
thank you for joining us today it’s our
prayer and our deep desire that we speak
a message that touches your life today
as you view this program and i agree
with you that you’re going to find god’s
will and god’s next step for your life
listen to this message and let it speak
to you today
[Music]
if you have your bibles i’d love for you
to open them with me please to the book
of job the 23rd chapter and verse 8.
job says i look and i go forward
but he
speaking of god he is not there
and backward but i cannot perceive him
when he works on the left hand
i cannot behold him
and when he turns and i turn and go
right i can’t i can’t see him then
verse 10
but he knows the way that i take
and when he has tested me
i shall come forth
as gold
powerful
powerful
words
it’s obvious that job is in a time in
his life
where he’s saying god where are you
that’s what i’m preaching on where’s god
he’s saying god where are you
he’s saying i’m searching i’m looking
i’m going forward backwards left and
right and i cannot find perceive or see
you at all you seem
unconcerned absent and silent when i
need you
the most
he had lost his family
his children
he had lost his wealth he had lost his
health
he had lost his friends
he had lost everything good in his life
and now in chapter 23 he’s lost his god
he’s lost his god
i mean that’s when you really hit
the place
about as low as you can go when you
can’t find
you you feel like you’re god abandoned
the absence of god it’s unexplained he’s
not there god where are you
listen to his description he said behold
i go forward
but he is not there in other words he’s
saying you know i didn’t turn back when
i got in hard times i didn’t quit i kept
going forward i’m hurting i don’t
understand i don’t know what’s going on
but i’m not a quitter i didn’t abandon
my faith i i haven’t given up i’m moving
forward but he’s being honest and he’s
saying i went forward i’m waiting
everybody told me you know hold on god’s
coming and he said i’m going forward and
i don’t see him anywhere out there and i
haven’t quit i haven’t given up i’m
still moving in the right direction but
he said i don’t see god he said i i just
don’t see him i i just keep going
through it
and then the second point thing he says
is i went backward i thought that was an
interesting way to describe it
he kind of thought well maybe there’s
something in my past that can explain
why i’m here maybe there’s something in
my almost like job lays down on the
psychiatrist’s couch and he says take me
back to my childhood take me back to my
teenage years what happened how did i
end up here what series of events what
did i do that that made me end up in
this place he’s going backwards he’s
saying is there anything in my past is
there anything back there is there
anything in my birth or my uh heredity
you know is there anything in my genes
or what how in the world he goes back
and he can’t find any peace and any
answers he goes forward he doesn’t see
much hope he doesn’t see any change i’m
still trying then he then he really
takes a turn he said i went left did you
see that he said i turned left in other
words i’m going way out in left field he
got aggravated now and he’s saying
you know like some people do i’m going
out in left field i’m just it ain’t
working that ain’t working prayer is not
working god’s not working church is not
working anymore for me faith isn’t
working i’m going in left field
i’m going to try eastern i’m i’m
preaching it my way it’s my sermon i’m
preaching
i’m going to try eastern religion i’m
going to try buddha buddha
i’m going to try i’m going to try
mohammed i’m going to try this i’m going
to try spiritualism i’m going to try
nature i’m going to try i’m not going to
church i’m going in left field i’m going
to try something new i’m going to try
something my friend did yoga and and
that’s their new religion and they’re
getting into this and they’re getting
into that or it may have even been i i’m
going to get way out in left field i’m
going to try
i’m going to try witchcraft or i’m going
to try
spiritual the spiritual world of
chanting and burning incense to
gods and all kinds of religions but you
know what he didn’t find anything out
there
and then he said
lastly i turned back right
i turned back right
he said i went i went on the left hand
and he wasn’t there went before me
behind me and then i turned right on the
right hand
you know you can’t ever go wrong if you
go right
you keep you know you keep doing the
right thing and nothing right is
happening you keep
saying the right thing and you still
aren’t getting the breakthrough
you keep going to church and
doing everything you’re supposed to do
and trying to read the bible but it’s
like it don’t really it’s not
i’m doing the right i went right but
right ain’t right it’s wrong nothing’s
right
y’all act like y’all don’t know what i’m
preaching about but i know what i’m
preaching about
this is right in the bible
but i love what he said at the end of
the conclusion of it all
his conclusion is
i don’t know where i am anymore
i don’t know what’s going on anymore
he said i don’t know where he is
but he knows where i am for he knows the
path
that i take did you hear that verse he
knows where i am even when i don’t know
where he is and i can’t perceive him and
i he knows my name he knows my the
number of hairs on my head he knows my
fingerprint he knows everything about
the path that i am on and then he ends
with a powerful faith confession and
when he has tried me i will come forth
as gold wow
that’s powerful
that’s powerful
i want to tell you about a man in the
new testament and a family that went
through what i just described job went
through
in the old testament
it’s in the
bible in the book of john the 11th
chapter
this family really loved the lord
i mean really
they knew
him meaning the lord jesus christ they
knew him
intimately so much so that when he had
time off
he went to their home
he ate at their table
you don’t get as close
i mean you talk about the inside track
you talk about his clique you talk about
people on the inside of the circle
it was martha
and her servitude
it was mary and
her amazing
love and devotion and then there was
lazarus
lazarus and jesus were just good friends
it clicked you know how it is with a
real friend an old friend you don’t even
have to work at it you don’t care if
they call you and you call them it’s
when you see each other it’s just it’s
just there
and now lazarus gets sick
something is wrong his fever is burning
his breathing is erratic
he’s even
losing
all of his strength he’s dying and they
knew he was dying and they sent for
jesus a runner goes and finds jesus
and says your friend whom you love
is sick even unto death and they need
you and mary and martha you know your
friends the ones that you’re really
close with want you to hurry up and come
heal him
and the bible said that jesus affirmed
that that he was aware and that he would
be there
and the
servant goes back and
all the neighborhood all the community
knew that family has a real relationship
with jesus right there and so we know
jesus is going to come and deliver them
and we’re about to have a praise party
in this city and in this community and
this neighborhood because when jesus
comes
lazarus is going to be healed and so
they’re waiting and they’re waiting in
one hour and they start asking that that
runner you know did when did he say he
was coming yes he’s coming where is he
he’s on the way he’s coming any minute
now a whole day goes by and he’s sicker
and sicker he’s breathing he’s got the
death rattle in his throat
he’s sick
where is he where is he he promised he
would come
where is he
why is he not here they start asking
what did he say did he say he was coming
he said he was coming
but jesus did not show up for days
i want you to understand something
sure he’s coming
you sure he told you i’m sure he told me
you know what we smirk because we know
the rest of the story
we know that he showed up and raised
lasers from the dead no big deal to us
but that family felt like god had failed
them
felt like god was not there that god did
not care
but then john 11 and verse 15
when jesus arrives they kind of are
upset with him and he says these words
and i am glad
for your sake i was not there
when he was sick and dying well wow
isn’t that beautiful thank you jesus
i was glad for your sake that i was not
there
the brother’s sick he stayed away
deliberately for 48 hours until he dies
and when he gets there in the yard he
says i’m glad i did what didn’t come and
give you the miracle that you were
asking for i want to give you a quick
three lessons from this story that you
don’t need to ever forget he’s dead and
i’m glad
for your sake
that i wasn’t there number one
this story teaches us
that god is still working
when you think your situation
is at its last sickening conclusion
they thought it was over he’s dead
he’s buried the funeral is over
there’s nothing good to come of this
it’s finished
it didn’t happen
god didn’t hear us
god didn’t do what we expected him to do
i
i held on
i came to the end of my rope
i tied a knot on the end of the rope and
the knot gave way
and i fail
and it’s finished
this story tells me that when you think
it’s over
god is still working
number two god’s delays are always
deliberate
john 11 verse 5 and 6 and when jesus
knew mary and martha and lazarus and
when he heard therefore
that
that that he was sick he abode two days
in the same place
it says clearly number one he loved them
it says clearly number two to prove it
he stayed away and let them go through
pain and sorrow and heartbreak and
mental
anguish like you could not believe
weeping grieving crying
breakdown
grief
and jesus
did not get there and let them not go
through that
and he loved them
why was he late
because all they could believe
could come good of that was a healing
but he knew and saw beyond the healing
if lazarus suffering
had been averted then the tremendous
miracle of the resurrection of lazarus
he would have been just another healing
that jesus did but i’m standing in a
pulpit thousands of years later and i’m
preaching and telling the testimony of
the of the lord who raised lazarus from
the dead and the only reason
is because
if jesus would have spared
that family from mental anguish they
would have missed
the greater joy of a resurrection that
would touch the community that would
touch the nation and that would touch
the world and outlive their family with
that testimony of all things that god
was doing that they could not perceive
or understand
god’s delays are always deliberate
because he’s going to work a greater
miracle than what you think you need
and you know what if that’s what we have
to go through to get every one of us in
heaven if it absolutely requires us
going through tears and suffering and
yet not missing the thing that matters
which is our soul’s name written in the
lamb’s book of life it’s worth any and
everything you don’t know the mind of
god clap your hands and say amen
but oh this is what touched me
i wish you’d just turn to somebody and
say he’s working something greater for
you i know you’ve been a little
discouraged i know you’ve been a little
down i know you’ve turned backwards and
forwards and tried to figure it out but
he’s working something greater
third
point jesus dwelt
he gets there think about it he knows
that what he’s doing
is greater
it’s going to be bigger than what
they’re even at ask him to do
he allows them to go through mental
anguish and they’re screaming and
they’re crying and god failed us god
wasn’t there where was god why didn’t he
do something how could a good god allow
the where are you
i’m not making fun of you the reason i
don’t preach that’s because that’s me
yeah even preachers struggle
even preachers go through times where
you question everything
oh you you you want a perfect preacher
this one ain’t one look at him my
goodness
but you want a preacher who has a
perfect savior and whose way and that
savior’s ways are right and that
savior’s ways are working for the good
and that savior is faithful and that
savior loves us
[Applause]
i got to keep preaching but i just feel
like shouting i just feel like shouting
i’m not trying to work you up i’m not
trying to
pump you up i’m just here to tell you
today
that god knows
the path
that you take
and jesus wept
he knows
that he’s going to end up doing good
but he weeps because the present plan
for their lives this family
the present plan for their lives
is causing mary and martha heartache and
sorrow
and even though he knows it’s a setup
guys you’re acting crazy i’m about to
bless your sock i’m about to do
something that you cannot imagine but
he’s so caring
that he weeps
and he hurts when we hurt
he knows it’s going to all work out
according to his eternal plan read
ephesians 3 sometime my goodness all
things are working toward the manifold
wisdom of god that will cause even
principalities and powers to marvel the
bible says that according to the purpose
of god he’s preordained everything
it’s like the parts of a puzzle some
some months ago
charisse
got into puzzles
and she started laying this big massive
puzzle puzzle out on the table
and she would put it together piece
piece piece it would take her weeks to
do these she’d just do it when she had
some time
and
and i got in right at the end when there
were just maybe
40 pieces left
and i sat down she said do it with me
one day and so i sit down and
and and i found a piece and she couldn’t
find it and i was so proud of myself and
and i put it she said that’s not the one
and and i said buddy it fit she said
look and and i said they make mistakes
you know it doesn’t have to be just it
really fits and it like kind of lines up
and it’s the same color and stuff it’s
got to be the one we’ve looked at all
these it’s not here
that’s what we do we pick up a piece of
the puzzle and we isolate it and we say
this doesn’t fit
this doesn’t fit in our family this
doesn’t fit in my life how could god let
this doesn’t fit
when it does fit
we pick up one isolated piece
and we say god’s not in it
god’s not in it there was a mistake here
all these other pieces they fit but this
doesn’t see it
all things
the reason that it doesn’t see it is
because it’s not all together but when
you take that one piece that doesn’t fit
and you build everything else you know
what you’re going to find if it’s the
last piece
i couldn’t find it anywhere else but now
that it’s there it fits
it’s not all together yet
that’s why it doesn’t fit when we all
get to heaven on streets of gold and our
families are there then we’ll be able to
say it all fit
he used it for if that had happened
somehow the enemy thought but god used
it for our good
[Applause]
you can stand up
at every campus
every head bowed every eye closed at
every campus
there are young people listening to me
and you i apologize for my generation of
preachers that has not preached enough
truth to you you cannot go to heaven and
live like hell you cannot die in your
sin and expect to end up in heaven
somewhere you’re gonna have to walk
through a sword and say lord i know you
don’t require perfection but i’m not
playing god games i want to serve you i
want to live for you i want to give my
life up so that i can gain my life
has to pray for me
i need god today i’m going through what
you’re preaching i need that savior
that’ll eat with me i need that savior
that will take all things and make it
good i need to know that i’m connected
to his purpose and not far from him
pray for me
i want to get right with god today
pastor pray for me if that’s you in this
house or any of the campuses i want you
to raise your hand high right where
you’re standing no shame in it it’s only
victory in it
oh there’s so many hands every one of
you that got lifted your hand get out of
your seat please don’t try to compromise
walk
into the swinging sword as you get out
of that pew as you get out of that
section and you begin to walk down that
aisle you’re walking into the swinging
sword and the lord says i can set you
free i can cut you loose i can sever you
from your past i can heal you i can help
you i can deliver you come on
come on lift your hands all over this
building come on as they come
come come come
come he loves you he loves you he loves
you come on
right there where you’re watching this
in your homes just surrender just throw
your hands up and say lord jesus
oh god i give you my life oh god i’ll
lay my life down for you you know he
doesn’t want you to die he wants you to
live
he wants you to know hope
no peace no jesus
he’s available call on him
come on anyone else
anyone else this is your auto call
this is your order service
[Music]
now all of you who came forward this
morning
say these words jesus
save me
write my name
in the book of life
set me free
sever
with your holy sword
everything that’s not like you
that’s hindering me
set me free
i receive it
because you love me
i don’t earn it
i don’t have to deserve it you love me
you know the path i take
and you know my name
thank you
thank you for forgiving me
welcome to the family of god
i can’t tell you how excited we are that
you just made the major decision the
most important decision in your life to
follow jesus christ and accept him as
your lord and savior fill out our
salvation form you can go there and
we’ll send you free a 21-day devotional
to help you in your new relationship
with jesus you don’t have to walk alone
and we’ve got online church and online
campus all of that and it’ll feed your
soul and as many of you know god has led
us to work closely with the nation and
the people of israel that border the
gaza strip in an area called eshkel
they’re constantly under attack that’s
why this ministry has been building
fortified buildings for the families of
this region of israel in fact during a
recent escalation on the border of
israel these bomb shelters were used to
keep families women and children safe
will you help me today bring comfort to
the people of israel when you give to
this ministry our pledge to you
is we do three things with the resources
we unashamedly preach the gospel of
jesus christ to 200 nations just like
you’ve heard on this telecast today
secondly we produce inspirational
resources we put out all kinds of
material that encourage people in their
walk with god and thirdly we go above
and beyond to support projects just like
this one in the nations of the world
that need it the most
so today do your part and i know god
will bless you thank you and we’ll see
you next time right here
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you