NOTES:

What is the belief of the skeptic?

How did Pastor Paul respond?

How would you respond?

Prayer Requests

Y Gloria (Erika Dochniaks mother)

having surgery to remove kidney
stones.
Y Donna (friend of Heather Butterfield)
having surgery; pray for success and
to be healed.
Y Rosie Johnson (Heather Butterfield
friend) has stage 3 cancer (guardian
for a 1st grader). Pray for miracle and
healing.
Y Jim (friend/co-worker of Ginnelle
Edgett) diagnosed with prostate
cancer.
Y Isaac (Ericka Dochniak brother) pray
for his marriage, for God to bring the
miracle of love and understanding.
Y For Chris Audets courage, to reach out
to friends to talk about believes and
God, and to reach out and build a
bridge with his (estranged) brother.
Y Pray for Alice Nybergs knee surgery
this week.
Y Donald (son of John & Gloria Ivers) who
is dealing with severe depression and
anxiety.
Y Kate H. (friend of Sally Leitch, whose
kids are playmates of Owen & Miles
Leitch) as she enters hospice due to
brain cancer.
Y Ran (Randy) Ritmiller (Jason Blairs
band leader/friend) had surgery to
repair a disc in his neck; also suffering
from complications from previous
cancer surgery.
Y Dan Johnsons (Jason Blairs bass
player/friend) wife Robyn was
diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in her
Liver.
Y Mike Malinovsky (Joe Malinovskys
brother) is suffering with advanced
cancer.
Y Julie Fjeld (Jennifer & Mike Huehns
neighbor) as she starts a trial cancer
treatment.
Y Karen Halloway (friend of Gloria Ivers)
has pancreatic cancer.
Y Scott Berg (relative of Rochelle Carrick)
has cancer.
Y Bill Ward (friend of Pastor Paul) who
was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Y Sandee Lansburg (Pastor Pauls friend)

who suffers with cancer.
Y Ruthann Coburn living with health
issues.
Y Donna McCullen (wife of Ken McCllen)
living with cancer.

Chain of Lakes Church

10130 Davenport Street NE
Blaine, MN 55449
763-208-8049
www.colpres.org

Weekly Devotion
The book of Job is one of the most
challenging and provocative books of
the Bible. Job was a man who was doing
very well by human standards. Then he
suffered terrible tragedies. These
tragedies caused him to question God.
This week in the devotion we have the
opportunity to read and reflect on some
of Jobs questions. His questions are the
ones that many people in our culture
have today. Besides reading the
questions we are going to reflect on how
we would respond to these questions.
Enjoy! Comments about the devotion
can be
E-mailed to pastor@colpres.org
Monday, September 21
Read Job 3:20-26
In these verses Job ask the question that
many people have asked, why do bad
things happen to good people and why
do good things happen to bad people?
Often times the person who is asking
this question is hurting deeply. So to
even try to answer the question would
be harsh. What the person really needs

more than an intellectual answer is

someone who demonstrates, I really
care about you.
When Jobs friends saw the suffering the
he was in they sat on the ground with
him for seven days and seven nights.
(Job 2:13)
You probably know of someone who is
currently suffering. What could you do
for that person today? The person is
probably not asking for you to solve his
or her problems. But being present in a
compassionate way would be the best
way to demonstrate the love of Christ.
Tuesday, September 22
Read Job 7:17-21
In this passage Job directly addresses
God. Job accuses God of causing his
suffering. Job sees God as his
tormentor.
Again it could be mean to have a
conversation with a person who is angry
with God. However its worth knowing
that God is not the cause of suffering.
Some suffering
Some suffering
Some suffering
Some suffering
we make

is
is
is
is

caused
caused
caused
caused

by nature
by humans
as an accident
by the choices

You could add more to this list.

As you pray today, pray for people who
are angry with God. Pray that somehow
they can let go of their anger. Help
them see that God is not the cause of
their pain, but instead is the source of
their healing.
Wednesday, September 23
Read Job 9:13-24
Job has given up on the world. Look at
what he said in verse 24:

3
The earth is given into the hand of the
wicked; he covers the eyes of its judges
if it is not he, who then is it?
It is not hard to see that a person who is
suffering can then project that pain onto
the entire world. I am hurting deeply
and the entire world is not even worth
my care. The world is going to Hell!
Its not easy to respond to such degree
of cynicism. Our first response is
compassion. Let someone know that we
are sorry. We are sorry for their pain.
And then gently share that their own
pain does not mean that the world is not
a beautiful place. The sun will still set in
a gorgeous way; places like the Grand
Canyon will show the beauty of nature;
humans will do extraordinary acts of
kindness and love.
As you pray today, pray for people who
are cynical. Pray that the source of their
cynicism doesnt overwhelm them.
Thursday, September 24
Read Job 13:20-28
What Job expressed in verse 23 is a
common response by people who are
suffering.
How many are my iniquities and my
sins? Make me know my transgression
and my sin. Job 13:23
When Job lived people believe that
suffering was the result of a persons
sin. Suffering was sort of like an
engineering formula. If Im hurting, then
I have done sinned.
We know differently today. Our own
suffering is not the result of a sin that
weve committed.

However people who suffer will often

look for the cause of their suffering.
When someone commits suicide often
times the people who know the person
will blame themselves for not doing
more. The guilt of not preventing such a
terrible tragedy is overwhelming.
Ultimately accepting that life happens
and that we are not being punished by
God is true freedom.
Pray for people today who are hurting.
Pray that they can experience this
freedom.
Friday, September 25
Read Job 16:9-14
Here Job shares an issue that is hard for
us to get our head aroundthat of
divine violence. Could God really be so
violent to Job? Job thought so.
Sure now God has worn me out;
He has made desolate all my company.

He has torn me in his wrath, and hated

me;
He has gnashed his teeth at me;
My adversary sharpens his eyes against
me.

I was at ease, and he broke me in two;

He seized me by the neck and dashed
me to pieces;
He set me up as his target;
His archers surround me.
He slashes open my kidneys, and shows
no mercy;
He pours out my gall on the ground.
Job 16: 7, 9, 12-13
Perhaps the best response to reading
Jobs words is silent. Sit in silence today
and think about the many people who
are suffering and even dying today. God
not cause this pain, but many people
might believe so.

2
Saturday, September 26
Read Job 21:7-15
Again Job questions why the wicked
achieve prosperity and those who serve
God dont. The ultimate question was in
verse 15, What is the Almighty that we
should serve him? And what profit do
we get if we pray to him?
Think about how Jesus would respond to
this question. He taught his followers
that the way to follow God was to love
God and to love our neighbor as we love
ourselves. When we love we become
less concerned about who has what and
who is succeeding. Instead we are
focused on spreading and sharing this
powerful spiritual force. When love is
our criteria, then we arent concerned
about who has money and health.
You might know of someone who is
caught in the line of thinking that others
are doing better than themselves. Pray
that this person can capture a vision of
Gods love. Perhaps even share with the
person how Gods love can change their
perspective.