HOW CAN A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUFFERING?
“INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW”
2 Corinthians 5:7- March 2, 2014
OUR MISSION THIS MORNING IS TO EXAMINE THE
NATURE OF GOD:
HIS SOVEREIGNTY, HIS LOVE AND HIS JUSTICE
IN THIS FALLEN, SINFUL WORLD. AND THEN, WE WILL
CONSIDER HOW GODLY PEOPLE FIND STRENGTH AND
HOPE WHEN SUFFERING OCCURS.
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY: IS GOD ABLE TO PREVENT
SUFFERING BECAUSE HE IS ______ __________________
AND ________________________?
JESUS ASKS GOD TO SAVE HIM FROM SUFFERING ON
THE CROSS:
Mat 26:39 NIV Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.“
JESUS SPEAKS OF GOD DOING WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HUMANS:
Mat 19:24-26 NIV Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (25) When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
(26) Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
GOD’S LOVE & JUSTICE: DOES GOD ______________
______________ OUR SUFFERING? IS HE ______________
IN ALLOWING US TO SUFFER?
GOD PERMITS _________________, BUT LONGS FOR
__________________:
Eze 18:31-32 NIV Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you

HOW CAN A LOVING GOD ALLOW SUFFERING?
“INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW”
2 Corinthians 5:7- March 2, 2014
OUR MISSION THIS MORNING IS TO EXAMINE THE
NATURE OF GOD:
HIS SOVEREIGNTY, HIS LOVE AND HIS JUSTICE
IN THIS FALLEN, SINFUL WORLD. AND THEN, WE WILL
CONSIDER HOW GODLY PEOPLE FIND STRENGTH AND
HOPE WHEN SUFFERING OCCURS.
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY: IS GOD ABLE TO PREVENT
SUFFERING BECAUSE HE IS ______ __________________
AND ________________________?
JESUS ASKS GOD TO SAVE HIM FROM SUFFERING ON
THE CROSS:
Mat 26:39 NIV Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.“
JESUS SPEAKS OF GOD DOING WHAT IS IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HUMANS:
Mat 19:24-26 NIV Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." (25) When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?"
(26) Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
GOD’S LOVE & JUSTICE: DOES GOD ______________
______________ OUR SUFFERING? IS HE ______________
IN ALLOWING US TO SUFFER?
GOD PERMITS _________________, BUT LONGS FOR
__________________:
Eze 18:31-32 NIV Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you

die, people of Israel? (32) For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
GOD’S NAMES (HIS CHARACTER) INCLUDES
“_______________________”-
Isa 33:22 NIV For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.
Isa 54:5 NIV For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD
Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR TESTIFIES ABOUT GOD’S
____________________AFTER HE HAS REPENTED OF HIS
PRIDE & RECOVERED FROM HIS LYCANTHROPY:
Dan 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
CONSIDER HOW JOB FOUND COMFORT IS HIS
DISTRESS:
Job 42:1-6 NIV Then Job replied to the LORD: (2) "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
(3) You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. (4) "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' (5)
My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. (6)
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
JOB CONCEDES THAT BECAUSE GOD HAS PROVEN HIS
_______________AND __________________ IN CREATING
THE UNIVERSE, HE CAN BE TRUSTED WITH OUR
_____________________.
2Co 5:7 NIV For we live by faith, not by sight.
DO YOU HAVE “__________ ________________” FAITH?

die, people of Israel? (32) For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
GOD’S NAMES (HIS CHARACTER) INCLUDES
“_______________________”-
Isa 33:22 NIV For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.
Isa 54:5 NIV For your Maker is your husband-- the LORD
Almighty is his name-- the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth.
KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR TESTIFIES ABOUT GOD’S
____________________AFTER HE HAS REPENTED OF HIS
PRIDE & RECOVERED FROM HIS LYCANTHROPY:
Dan 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
CONSIDER HOW JOB FOUND COMFORT IS HIS
DISTRESS:
Job 42:1-6 NIV Then Job replied to the LORD: (2) "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
(3) You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. (4) "You said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' (5)
My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. (6)
Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."
JOB CONCEDES THAT BECAUSE GOD HAS PROVEN HIS
_______________AND __________________ IN CREATING
THE UNIVERSE, HE CAN BE TRUSTED WITH OUR
_____________________.
2Co 5:7 NIV For we live by faith, not by sight.
DO YOU HAVE “__________ ________________” FAITH?