How Do I Know God Loves Me?

Welcome to worship and the word with pastor. We just started a new series called how do I know Pastor Robert Scheer's answers to common questions about the Bible and how God feels today's message is about how we can know God loves this message is powerful and encouraged. So what's joining I will messages. How do I know God loves me and I want to remind you what I'm saying is, how do I know, so I'm telling you how I know for my study of Scripture through my personal experience how I know God loves me what I will do is take you back to the story of John chapter 11 is the raising of Lazarus from the day on John chapter 11 and I want to show you some things may be, never saying all right. John 11 verse one now certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped his feet with her hair. His brother Lazarus was sick.

Therefore the sisters same thing I'm saying I want watch what they said, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.

I just want to stop for a moment just noticed they didn't even say Lazarus now he knows it's Mary Martha singing the sword through messenger.

But they said he whom you love is sick so he knew it was Lazarus but also what you notice that Jesus loved Lazarus, feeling your love so full again. Now verse four when Jesus heard that, he said, this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God that the son of God may be glorified through the next two verses are extremely important verse five now Jesus loved Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

Now look at verse six carefully so when he heard that he was sick, he rushed right over that your Bible sets know it says he stayed two more days in the place where he was.

I wanted just notice that that sentence makes no sense in the natural. It doesn't say so. He loved them. He loved what he loved Lazarus, Mary and Martha so we heard we sick he just went immediately immediately doesn't say that it says he stayed two more days. It's it seems like it should say he loved them, but he had to stay two more days but doesn't say that it says he loved them so he stayed two more days. Now that makes me wonder why did he stay two more days and why would it say he loved them so he stayed to work nicely. I think so many times in Scripture we read over things like this so many times for reading log in Scripture and we see something like this and we just keep going and we just think I would only look at the wording, but the Bible is God's word.

I want to talk about that next week. And so when we see something that says he loved them so he stayed two more days even rush when he dashed herself what so there's first couple things I want you notice I there's an earthly conversation in the heavenly conversation going on. There's always an earthly conversation and a heavenly conversation going on. The problem is like in this virus right now in this pandemic we get caught up too many times in earthly conversation when the business owner open back up Wednesday, going to spring back when they got to find a cure or vaccine instead of the heavenly conversation someone show you how clear it is. The next two verses are rate next year versus John 11 verse 11 these things he said and after that he send them our friend Lazarus sleeps date heavenly language for his dad.

That's what that is but he's using handling language, our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up. Okay, let's heavenly language for raise the dude from the dead. That's what that means. Raise the dude from the bad that's straight other great bodily funeral, that I may wake him up. See the heavenly language then his disciples said will Lord to be sleeps he will get well okay that's earthly language. There their own earthly plane. Right now Jesus only heavenly plate. However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought he was speaking about the rest and sleep.

Then Jesus said to them plainly, Lazarus is not gonna want to reset idiots know me just last day at his dad up you not listening you're not following me right now, here's the reason I'm saying that I think we have a tendency to have earthly discussions about heavenly issues. Now I want you to think about what we just read it says that Jesus loved Lazarus and Martha and Mary but when he heard he was sick, he stayed two more days actually said.

So we are in state. I'm wondering if years later when they got to heaven Mary, Martha, Lazarus, and their talking to John who wrote the book of John and they John say my say so when Jesus heard. I guess he was busy because he didn't show up immediately give little while to get there. So what what what what what what what was he doing in John Cena. We know Jesus was, the crusade was over.

We gently when you set around for today suite, etc. and wondered if Mary and Martha, and Lazarus found Jesus one day and said they no hard feelings because I know you raised him from the bed and everything turned out okay but nowhere talking to John and John said you didn't rush right over and you're busy and John said y'all just set around for two days and so we just wanted to ask you about that. Why did you do that. So here is what Jesus would've said if they would've said why did you wait two more days is what Jesus was set because I love you.

That's what the Bible says we just read John chapter 11 verse five and six. Jesus love them so we heard he was sick. He waited two days because I like that's what here's what I'm saying all this on take a long time before he would get my ports one US Jesus what you doing in my life right now with all the stuff in the business. What are you doing in my heart when either my life and let me tell you why he's doing because electric Lazarus by the way, Jesus did something for him that he didn't refer any person who's ever lived.

Now I know you think you got me. But you know your thinking what he raise other people from dad. Yes he did but not after four days Lazarus is the only person he raised from the dead after four days of the son of the widow he raised on the day.because Jewish custom to burial in the daily.Jesus is burial day.they did you have time him on the body, slicking back on Sunday to do that course hubris, so there in the funeral procession. It's the son of a widow Jesus raises them from the bed on the day that Jesus raised Jarvis's daughter on the day she got.

She's in the same room and their own. The way she sick a master comes as no bother.

The featuring more the little girls.

They had Jesus said only believe I get there. He races Jarvis's daughter from on the bench.listen, Jesus didn't even raise himself. After four days, he raised himself after three here's the reason. By the way, if you don't know this corruption sets Ian on the fourth of we would call it putrefaction.

Today will help. Martha set it in the old King James when Jesus said roll away the stone. Martha said, behold, he speaketh that I was her way to say it's too long to roll away the stone Lord Fordyce G. The reason he waited two days. It's a it was a day's journey from where Jesus was poor Lazarus was LLP 11 confused Jesus was in Bethany but there to Bethany's. He was in Bethany on the other side of the gallantly and this was Bethany were Lazarus was a mile and 1/2 from Jerusalem chosen days jury were from where Jesus was. So when the messenger came to tell Jesus that Lazarus was sick when he left the house and took the day's journey, Lazarus.when the master what it took the messenger a day to get there. They waited two days and limited Jesus so they get there. That's how you Fordyce. You know what Jesus waited two days because he wanted to do something for Lazarus that was incredible.

By the way, Jesus raised other people from the dead, walk on the water. He fed multitudes. The raising of Lazarus is what sealed his fate. This is where the chief priests and scribes said we have to kill them because too many people were believing in it says very clearly.

John 12. Many people believe because Lazarus was Rachel it because he was raised for dates after. So Jesus wanted to do something that was unprecedented and in the end it was on. Great for Mary, Martha, and Lazarus just wonder Jesus is doing something now. This unprecedented, but were still having earthly conversations, so I got three questions that I want to ask God and their tough questions, but then lead us how we know God loves us right so here's question number one. Why did you create patent I'm asking God why did you create patent as a venture because I love you because 11 now know your thing no understand pain is to help us or keep us from hurting ourselves more subtle things will today we have the sliding glass doors and I was holding something I was gonna closing it like this, and I felt a little bit of pressure on my little finger and realize all my fingers and there so I pulled it out just a little pressure but I felt it pulled out and then shut the sliding let's work you know what that little pressure did Me from hurting myself more because I couldn't feel that I just closed the door and probably broken about Jim St. Joe pain keeps you from what he supports me tell you who really did the breakthrough discover list Dr. Paul Brand. He's from India and he worked for 20 years in a leprous area hospital treats leprous. Our people have Hansen's disease for thousands of years. They believe that the bacteria that causes leprosy would eat away at the flesh thousands of years. They have lepers in Jesus day and they found skeletal remains from 2000 years BC a people they say have leprosy died from leprosy and so it would.

They believe that the bacteria would eat away the flesh, but that's not what happens.

What happens is the bacteria eats away the mirrors so that you can't feel pain, and these people because it couldn't feel pain were doing things and injuring himself because I can fill pipe. There was a man that was working with a hoe and his flesh were just being torn completely up in late realized that there was a nail sticking out of the handle of a hoe and every time you do it. He was just cutting his hand but he can fill thing.

Saw Dr. Branson on the discovery sought bacteria eating away the flesh gets it's them injuring themselves in the flesh, then getting infected and the infection eating with the flesh, but there's another part of this. This is gonna tough to tell you, but let me tell you, sometimes I would note that this is four years lepers would lose their appendages fingers and toes and I thought it was the bacteria doing it, but it wasn't. It was the infection from imparting himself because they couldn't feel pain, but then there were times when they go to bed at night have that much of a finger missing the thing wake up in the event that much more famous more than figure and so this was in the 1970s, and they put cameras in the ratings and I know this will be tough to hear but they discovered that rats were coming into the rooms and eating their appendages at night.

As the leper slipped and that lepers open Philip so they would go to bed with 1/4 of her finger missing and we don't have to figure missing Dr. Branson on the discover that by the way he was a Christian. And so he prayed inside.what we did what we did and God gave them the answer and so every leper got a cat. God provided for rats with Rats Sets. What captured good okay them, but every leper got That the care of the rats come and the arrangements so use more examples are right one of an NBA player that he party cycle before the tangent gave Mrs. several years ago and he wanted to play so you have the doctors put painkillers in his ankle and he went out to play the jam ship date. He came down on his ankle the wrong way it broke a bone in it, but because he couldn't feel the pain to play. He ran up and down the court.

Two more times and then broke his ankle so bad that the injury was permanent that he could never walk straight again. He can play for the rest was like that because he can build see the pain he was selling something wrong. By the way, Dr. Brandon inventing gloves for the lepers to try to give them file or somehow let them know when they were hurting themselves holding something too tightly or cutting themselves, and at first it would make a noise but they were just keep working through the noise.

So then he had it hooked up where would shock the back of her neck. That's the last place they would lose feeling so would see end and the little shot to the back of her neck and then the lepers would just turn it off so he fixed it with a penny parted off and then they would just unplug and this is what Dr. Branson a conclusion once he said I fear that our society does the same thing that something happens and we use medicine to turn the pain off instead of asking our bodies. Why do I have this thing. I member. After reading this book, learning about this. I member few weeks later I got a headache and went to get some Tylenol. I thought white white light was my body trying to and I thought you didn't sleep very well last night. So instead of taking Tylenol. I went took a nap milled the day woke up. It is just amazing.

When we start listening to our bodies.

I just want to say one more thing, but the lepers because, why did God create pain.

Dr. Brennan also discovered that the suicide rate was astronomically high among lepers compared to the rest of society. And here's the reason why is he begin here feel psychologically to find out because they couldn't feel pain. They couldn't feel pleasure like you feel if someone hugged them and they can fill.

Someone gave him a pat on the back. The same errors that allow them to feel pain left and feel pleasure to God designed her body, and you start so my first question is why did you create pain.

God's answer be because I love you I want you hurt yourself.

So my second question for God is this why did you create suffering. Why did you create suffering. Okay, here's God's answer.

I did an increase of suffering entered the world when sin when CM entered the world, sickness, disease, poverty, war, injustice, red 19.

Everything came in the world that's evil when sin came in the world. God did not create program that's not sending note that that onus is judgment. God did not come to condemn the world is so clear. John three rated he sent his son not to condemn the world, but to forgive the world that the world through him might be saved. God is not trying to continue. He loves us.

He wants to save us. He loves us from God did not create suffering. Here's what's on my part, but atheism and agnosticism less what is what some people say you don't believe in God. They look around at the injustices and also the world's or the like is this the best document because it is the best God can do not want to know. While in all instructors report you would say to me, is this the best he can know this is the best we can. If God made a mistake when he created us and he didn't. He did, but if he did, it would've been giving us a free will. That's what caused the problems were an ophthalmologist among say straight out if your business partner did you wrong is because he is a free will, because God your ex-spouse is a free will. Your children have free will. Sure parents effort. Wilshire phrase have free wills suffering comes because mankind has free of free will and chooses not to give thoughts what so all of these things that I'm just telling if you ask God why did you do this to make. Sometimes the answer is because I love you but sometimes answers I didn't do that some of you know, in March I had a fever for 23 days was a COBIT 19 is just another box of gold around 23 days at a fever, and sometimes I wake up just a pool of sweat, and I nearly always wake up with a song going through my mind nearly everyday I wake of the song going through my soul one day when I had this paper I woke up with the song going from mouth among us shock you little bit. It was an old song, but it was from City Hall from November year member of the television show. He all picketing agreement, sure that with the buckling son, Roy Clark okay and this is a song that was going through my mind when I woke up with fever, glue, despair and agony only if it weren't for bad luck. Great grandma but what if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all. Glue, despair and agony will make us of the Lord, Lord, I wanted a different song for today. Please.

And just like that, here's a song came on. Jesus loves me this on for the Bible tells me so. See, Jesus wasn't giving me that fever, but he loved me anyway and he helped me get through that time. So why do you create suffering and here's my third point why did you suffer. This is one of the greatest truths in the Bible the create tour became the creation and he didn't exempt himself from suffering. So here's his answer God, why did you suffer his answer because I love you I want you to hear me. I'm giving you two answers today for three questions but to answers because I love you and I didn't know what you think about this. Those two answers will answer almost every why question that you have.

Why did you do this God hears his answer. Sometimes I did. I did not do that.

And here's another one God, why are you allowing this to happen because I love you I'm telling you, I know some of your out of work. I know your business is enclosed. I know you're going through a tough time I'm so sorry.

I promise you were praying for you everyday were praying for you but I want to remind you, God loves you. God loves I have a pastor friend of mine called many years ago I was going through a tough time really tough. I mean this hard to describe how tough it was and had a pastor friend Michael Mintz and Robert, I just felt like I supposed to call you and tell you this story that the subject are just below heart.

He said years ago I had a faction in the church coming against me. Now that wasn't what was going on at Gateway but I just had some trouble going. Note my life and some hurt all sorts of things, and I admit that community come against me and he said I had about 200 people in the church that were mad at me and come against me and he said, and at the same time that that was happening. My mother tried to commit suicide. She wasn't saved and then he said my wife got shipped by an 18 wheeler exam in the hospital I go to hospital and they won't even let me stay in the room with my wife.

She's bloodied and bruised.

I got in for about one minute and they told me to leave and set out. I walked out I went to the waiting room is all by myself. That point and I just walked on the corner Nessa.they try to tell me something the Lord said, I am so what is some drunk sailor said is this how you trying to tell me said no, no, son. I didn't do any of these problems. I didn't do any of this. This all comes from living in a fallen world. But I am trying to tell you, even in the midst of all this. I'm trying to lose wife was okay only one broken toe through the whole thing.

She got out recovered.

He let both of his parents to Christ they would set in the parking lot an hour and 1/2 before church. So excited about church. These 200 people that were mad and left went somewhere else and he said, and I look back on that time and that's the time when pastoring change for me from being a burden to being a blessing. I'm wondering if right now. Something in your life change from being a burden to being a blessing might depend on how you got didn't do it, but we would take him to think about pastor average and listen to with the Holy Spirit to you if you want to connect with us or check out some of pastor Roberts other messages visit Pastor Robert.com if you haven't already, go follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter so we can be part of your community.

So glad that you joined us today.

Next time, Pastor Robert is going to discuss how we can know the Bible is true.

We pray you have a peaceful