Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" [fn]

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Jeff Marshalek

Again Poonen exhorts us...

"But Paul never complained; and neither need we?"

I listened to this song this morning by Casting Crown...



"Stained Glass Masquerade"

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay



If we seek to do what Poonen encourages we too become "happy plastic people."

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Jeff Marshalek

I get troubled whenever I see OT saints placed in a distinct category – as if they were less spiritual and that explains their emotional eruptions.

About 70 % of the psalms are called Complaint Psalms. They are beautifully crafted, with evidence of exceptional literary skill. These very psalms became used for singing in religious gatherings. The experiences, distresses – as expressed in the psalms were offerings acceptable to God – and had a purpose in the life of God’s people.

These OT saints who complained bitterly knew their God, and they found their hope in God’s unfailing promises – eternal redemption. THAT is what gave them hope. Their complaints always moved them towards hope. “I will yet praise him”. This is no doubt why they became holy writ. At the core, they were prophetic.

Imagine: If the NT took as long to write as the OT – and if it covered as wide a range of history and life experience, we’d see just as many complaint psalms.

It is OUR pampered culture that has conditioned us to deny the strong expression of negative emotion. And that is at the root of many emotional disorders. People stay stuck hiding behind the "Stained Glass Masquerade". Our culture has become adept at denying and suppressing negative emotion – like grief, sorrow, anger, fear, etc. And when people crack, we call the psychiatrist. What a sad commentary on our societal values.

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Consider the cursing psalms. We don’t hear these in church - especially words like: “O God, break the teeth in their mouths” from Psalm 58:6. These prayers can be disturbing. They may sound self righteous or paranoid, or even vengeful. Yancey sees these utterances as “samplings of private spiritual journals of people struggling with what they believe.” God is the intended audience. The words are honest expressions, so they ring true. What’s important is that, even when everything is going badly and life is falling apart, the psalmist is still talking with God and he has not turned his back on God.

The cursing psalms teach an important lesson: When things get unbearable or injustices assail us - when life is more than we can bear, we can still face our heavenly Father. He can handle our rants. We vent our pain and process our thoughts in his presence. But we don’t turn our backs on God by taking vengeance in our own hands or by suppressing our fear, grief, and rage. We realize that we are utterly dependent on God, and are convinced that God will come through for us. We know he himself will avenge evil. Rom. 12:19

At the end of Psalm 58, we see that the psalmist has settled down. He says, “Surely the righteous will be rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” Ps. 58:11 These words reveal a sense of hope.

Our complaint prayer can be like that for us: We wrestle through with God. We utter all our disturbed and chaotic thoughts – maybe by journaling, poetry or art; or we let Scriptures express for us what we can’t. Then after the storm we become silent in God’s presence … breathing quietly with the Spirit … waiting … resting peacefully again.

Diane

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Diane

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Diane

The Lord is not fragile. He can handle our strong emotions and "complaints" to Him.

I think Job is one of the greatest saints. But why do we compare ourselves among ourselves and measure ourselves by ourselves?

The reason anyone overcomes is because of Jesus Christ.

No many can say with all their heart what Job said, in the very thick of his trials. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him"

James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Pilgrim

pilgrim777 wrote:

"No many can say with all their heart what Job said, in the very thick of his trials. "Though he slay me, yet will I trust Him"


Scripture teaches us that men like Job and Paul have traveled a long time with the Lord prior to what we might see as extreme trials and tribulations. God has done a great work in these men. By walking with God for so long, these men have learned by faith, that the grace that they have experienced, has always been given to tear down what was not of God and then to build up and to strenghten one for the next day.

It is the sum, of this personal knowledge received in training, that creates in us the trust of God of our lives. The goal of God is to create in us, His children, a love for Him.


So it is wrong to teach that everyone should not complain as Job or Paul. For those who try to live up to this teaching will most likely find themselves in a "Stained Glass Masquerade."


This is how we should live...


Hbr 12:12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,

Hbr 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

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Jeff Marshalek

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Diane

In the book of 1 John we find that John makes a distinction between maturity levels in believers. He like Paul recognizes that there are children, young men, and fathers amongst the brethren. Knowledge and understanding is what seperates the children from the young men, the young men from the fathers of the church. Likewise, mercy should also be the dividing mark between the children, young men, and fathers. What I mean by this, is that the father has traveled far with the Lord and thus has experienced a greater mearsure of mercy from the Lord. A man or woman who has traveled this path has the knowledge and understanding of how the Lord works in the life of the believer. And as the Lord has extended His mercy to him or her, through love one must extend that same mercy to the little ones of the flock.

Listen to this testimony of a father of the congregation...


Psa 119:57 HETH. [You are] my portion, O LORD; I have said that I would keep Your words.

Psa 119:58 I entreated Your favor with [my] whole heart; Be merciful to me according to Your word.

Psa 119:59 I thought about my ways, And turned my feet to Your testimonies.

Psa 119:60 I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.

Psa 119:61 The cords of the wicked have bound me, [But] I have not forgotten Your law.

Psa 119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

Psa 119:63 I [am] a companion of all who fear You, And of those who keep Your precepts.

Psa 119:64 The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes.

Psa 119:65 TETH. You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word.

Psa 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments.

Psa 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.

Psa 119:68 You [are] good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes.

Psa 119:69 The proud have forged a lie against me, [But] I will keep Your precepts with [my] whole heart.

Psa 119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease, [But] I delight in Your law.

Psa 119:71 [It is] good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

Psa 119:72 The law of Your mouth [is] better to me Than thousands of [coins of] gold and silver.



Search out the testimony of this man's understanding "after" he had been "afflicted" by the Lord. A immature believer does not have the knowledge and understanding that would enable him rejoice when trials come upon him. An immature believer has not yet experienced this precept which we find in the book of Hebrews...


Hbr 12:11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hbr 12:12 Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,


A young believer has just entered boot camp. We who have more seasoning should be the one's who sow and water, yet it still remains, that only the Lord gives the increase.

A young believer cannot fathom this...

Psa 119:71 [It is] good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

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Jeff Marshalek

Psa 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word.

Psa 119:71 [It is] good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.


This man has said that the affliction brought about understanding. Listen to what this understanding meant to him...


Psa 119:75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments [are] right, And [that] in faithfulness You have afflicted me.


The Lord is faithfull to those who are afflicted. Now listen to what Job has to say to his friends who added to his affliction...


Job 6:14 "To him who is afflicted, kindness [should be shown] by his friend, Even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.


Kindness should be shown to those who are suffering affliction. But his friends forsook the fear of the Almighty.


So then how do we show kindness to those who are suffering?

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Jeff Marshalek

"So then how do we show kindness to those who are suffering?"


Psa 119:76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to Your word to Your servant.

Psa 119:77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law [is] my delight.


To start....

This man knows the Lord is merciful, His ways are tender and kind.


So if we say to our brother or sister according to Poonen...

"But Paul never complained; and neither need we."

Is this the way of the Lord?


How does the Lord minister His tender mercies and kindness?

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Jeff Marshalek