A Loving God & Suffering

“A loving God wouldn’t allow bad things to happen”

The scenario has occurred too many times to count. We open our Facebook or Twitter accounts and discover a well-known Christian is battling cancer, or we read about a teenager who dies unexpectedly, or maybe it’s a Christian family killed in a car accident. Christians from coast-to-coast begin sharing these tragic accounts with requests for prayers as we watch the story unfold online. For the next few days Christians scour both social media sites as well as the main stream media to learn details and to try to answer the question, “Why?” These particular scenarios hurt the worst because they hit so close to home. These people were a part of the church—and the stories remind us how mortal we are and how fragile life can be. No matter what the cause, a common question that rings through out such tragedies is “Why Lord?”

As texts and social media posts go on through the night and news crews scramble to provide details about such tragedies many individuals began to question: “Where was God, and why did He allow this to happen to such a good family?” Did God momentarily turn His back? The Israelite Gideon asked, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? (Judges 6:13). King David, asked: “Why do You stand afar off, O Lord? Why do You hide in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1). Christians need to understand it is not wrong to ask the question “Why?”. The problem comes in how we deal with the evil, pain, and suffering that affects us.

I suspect there has never been a bigger weapon in the atheists’ arsenal than the problem of evil, pain, and suffering. Wielding it like a club, men like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett ridicule Christians—pointing out examples of suffering all over the world. These attacks have taken their toll, as many Christians question God’s existence during times of trial. Rather than leaning on Him during times of sorrow, they abandon Him and become bitter.

The appeal is simple enough to understand: “If there really is a God, then why do so many congregations experience these horrendous nightmares?” Many skeptics ask it this way: “If God is a loving God then why do bad things happen to good people? This simple question frequently becomes a stumbling block for some individuals—who end up making a conscientious decision not to believe in God. Unfortunately, all too often it is during pain and suffering that we forget that God is in the same place now that He was when His own Son was being maliciously nailed to an old rugged cross almost two thousand years ago. And how thankful we should be that on that grim day, God did remain in heaven as the sin of all humanity was placed on His Son’s back and nailed to that cross! Had Christ not died for our sins, we would have no hope of inheriting heaven (1 Corinthians 15). We must remember that while we may not understand every facet of human suffering in the here and now, we can explain enough to negate the charge that misery is incompatible with the existence of God.

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Some suffering comes from previous generations

Much of the suffering present in the world today is a direct result of the misuse of the freedom of choice of past generations. Aside from Adam and Eve, we are currently living with decisions our forefathers made that have greatly impacted our lives. Who knew fifty years ago that filling our schools with asbestos and painting our homes with lead paint would cause cancer? Who knew that spraying our troops in Vietnam with Agent Orange (in an effort to kill the foliage) would have mutagenic effects? Who knew that treating pregnant women with thalidomide would produce infants with gross deformities? Past generations have carried out actions that result in suffering, even today. This does not mean we should blame people of the past or toss up our hands and “give up.” Rather, it simply explains why we see some of the evil, pain, and suffering around us today.

Some suffering is our own fault

But do not think that all the pain and suffering in this world can be blamed on past generations. Each one of us makes wrong decisions and incorrect judgments, and in doing so, we frequently inflict pain and suffering upon ourselves and upon others. Thanks to God’s incredible love (1 John 4:8), humanity has been endowed with free will (see Genesis 2:16-17; Joshua 24:15; Isaiah 7:15; John 5:39-40; 7:17; Revelation 22:17). God loves us enough to allow us freedom of choice. However, consider the young man who decides to “sow his wild oats” eventually will learn that every person reaps what he sows (Galatians 6:7).

Many destitute people have awakened in a gutter because they freely chose to get drunk the night before. And many drunk drivers have killed themselves, their passengers, and innocent victims, because they chose not to relinquish the keys. All of us must understand that actions have consequences! What we do today can (and often does) determine what our life will be like tomorrow. God will allow us to be forgiven of our sins, but He will not always remove the painful consequences of our actions. Let’s face it: much of the pain and suffering that we experience in this world is our own fault!

Some suffering comes from natural laws

Evolutionists are quick to ask why, then, didn’t God reach down and save Christian teenagers on their way home from a mission trip? Why didn’t He just stretch out His almighty arm and cradle those faithful believers in the palm of His hand? As odd as it may sound at first, God did not act in such a fashion because He loves us! We live in a world regulated by natural laws that were established at the creation of this world. For example, the laws of gravity and motion behave consistently. Thus, if you step off the roof of a fifteen-story building, gravity will pull you to the pavement beneath and you will die. If you step in front of a moving bus, the laws of motion will keep that bus in motion, even though it will result in your death. But individuals still ask, “Why?” Why could not God intervene to prevent such disasters? Think for just a moment what sort of world would this be if God directly intervened, suspending His natural laws, every time a human encountered a life-threatening situation. This would cause indescribable chaos and confusion all over our planet. This chaotic, haphazard system would argue more for atheism than it would for theism!

In Luke 13:2-5, Jesus told the story of eighteen people who died when the tower of Siloam fell on them. Did they die because they were wicked or more deserving of death than others around them? No, they died because of natural laws that were in effect. We know that God is “no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). Fortunately, natural laws are constant so that we can study them and benefit from them. We are not left to sort out some kind of random system that works one day but not the next. Once a car crosses the center line, laws of nature take over—and oftentimes death is the result.

Some suffering may be beneficial

Furthermore, there are times when suffering is beneficial. Think of the man whose chest begins to throb as he begins to have a heart attack, or the woman whose side starts to ache at the onset of appendicitis. Pain often sends us to the doctor for prevention or cure. Without that pain, these individuals would never have their ailments tended to. Also, tragedy can help humans develop some of the most treasured traits known to mankind—bravery, heroism, and self-sacrifice—all of which flourish in less-than-perfect circumstances.

Some suffering is hard to understand

But sometimes there seems to be no logical explanation for the immense suffering that a person is experiencing. Take the Old Testament character of Job as an example. He lost ten children and all of his wealth in a few short hours. Yet the Bible describes him as upright and righteous. Why would God allow such a man to suffer? James 1:2-3 helps us see the answer: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” Jesus Christ was the only truly innocent individual ever to live; yet even He suffered immensely. The fact is, pain and suffering have benefits that we sometimes cannot see and therefore do not appreciate. But God knows what is best for us in the long run.

Instead of blaming God for pain, or denying His existence, we should be looking to Him for strength, and let tragedies remind us that this world never was intended to be our final home (read Hebrews 11:13-16). James 4:14 instructs us regarding the fact that our time on this Earth is extremely brief. The fact that even the Son of God was subjected to incredible evil, pain, and suffering (Hebrews 5:8; 1 Peter 2:21ff.), proves that God does love and care for His creation. He could have abandoned us to our own sinful devices, but instead, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Remember, God is still in control and knows everything

When Naomi returns to Bethlehem with Ruth, the women of the city are excited and ask: “Is this Naomi?” “But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me” (Ruth 1:20). Think about it:

Naomi and her husband had to leave their homeland and move to a pagan land because of a famine.

Naomi’s husband, Elimelech dies.

Naomi’s two sons, Mahlon and Chilion die.

Naomi has nothing to offer daughter’s in law.

This is a woman who is in the pit—the valley of her own existence; so much so, that when the women of Bethlehem call her by her name she corrects them and asked to be called Mara (or bitterly). Yet, how do you think Naomi would have felt in that moment if you could have grabbed her by the shoulders and told her that one day through her lineage a man named David would arise and serve as king. But not just David. What about the fact that Jesus would one day come through the same lineage. God was still in control and He was using Naomi, even at her weakest point. So the next time you experience evil, pain, or suffering, remember Jesus Christ and the suffering He endured for you, and ask yourself how God may be using this tragic event for good.

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We All Make Mistakes

The Great Perfection Deception

What do faithful Abraham, mighty Moses, King David, and the beloved Apostle Peter all have in common besides the obvious? What do these great leaders and devoted servants of the living God share in common, that we seldom seem to consider when contemplating their cumulative legacies? Every single one of them, without fail or exception, made major miscalculations and mistakes in their reasoning and leadership decisions.

Take for example, the great patriarch Abraham. God promised him an heir, a son from his own loins even though Abram was advanced in age. God made this covenant agreement with Abram, even informing him of future events which would take place hundreds of years later, all by the almighty hand and providence of none other than the Lord God Himself (cf. Genesis 15). However, despite the infinite power God possessed to bring about exactly what He had promised – even centuries into the future – Abram somehow saw fit to factor into his thinking that perhaps his wife Sarai had a point, and that God might need their humanly-devised assistance to actually bring about His promise (cf. Genesis 16). And so, heeding his wife’s urging, Abram “went in to Hagar, and she conceived” (vs. 4 NKJV). The ensuing heartache and subsequent suffering which surely must have affected every life in the group of those whom Abram led at the time, as well as setting the stage for the untold lives lost and blood shed throughout the centuries ever since due to the Middle Eastern conflicts which have come about continually as a result of the fallout from this fatal decision, bear witness to the fact, that although Abraham was indeed the ‘father of the faithful’ (Romans 4:13-18) and was referred to as “the friend of God” (James 2:23), he was by no means without fault or infallible.

And then there was one of God’s greatest servant-leaders of all time, the mighty and magnificent Moses. He who led the Lord’s ungrateful, rebellious, and always griping congregation throughout the wilderness for some forty years; praying, pleading, and interceding for them when they were about to be destroyed; and teaching, leading and seeking to reason with them and keep the peace when they wanted to destroy him. Eventually it appears that he became so frazzled, fatigued, and frustrated with those whom God had given him to lead, that he lost sight of the Lord’s commandment and struck the rock instead of speaking to it – a fatal decision which cost both he and his brother Aaron entrance into the promised land along with the congregation of God’s people (cf. Numbers 20:1-13, 24; Deuteronomy 32:48-52).

David, the eighth son of Jesse and direct descendent through whom the Messiah Himself would eventually come (Isaiah 11:1, 10; Matthew 1:5-6), enjoys the unique distinction of being the only servant in all Scripture of whom it is said, he was a man after God’s own heart. This description was delivered by two faithful and divinely-inspired men of God who were no insignificant servants themselves, in Samuel and the Apostle Paul (cf. 1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22-23; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). But this divinely-inspired term of endearment and dedication was certainly not because David never made a bad, or emotional, impulsive or biblically-uninformed decision as we all know. In fact, David’s legacy of leadership errors is legendary. From his seeking to transport the Ark of the Covenant in a perhaps more convenient as opposed to the commanded manner (which ultimately caused the death of one under his leadership in Uzzah – I Chronicles 13:1-14, 15:11-16:1); to his adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite, and all the subsequent death, devastation and destruction that that emotion-driven decision would bring upon both his family and his kingdom for decades to come (cf. 2 Samuel 11-19), David, as a leader, certainly made his share of severe mistakes.

Peter’s ‘pre’ as well as post-crucifixion presumptions and pitfalls are also preserved for the ages within the pages of the sacred text. For example, it appears to have been only a very short time after his being the first disciple to confess and be commended for recognizing that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16), that he impulsively rebuked and even sought to correct the all-knowing Son of God he had just confessed to knowing as such (vs. 22)! Also, his ‘pre-garden of Gethsemane,’ ‘final hours’ claim that He would never deny Jesus no matter what the others did, was exposed to both them and for the whole world to forever remember before the sun rose the following morning (cf. Matthew 26:31-35, 67-75).

But probably one of the most troubling scenarios and errors of Peter for us to keep in mind, occurred post-crucifixion. Jesus had been resurrected from the dead and appeared to His apostles – including Peter – over a period of forty days before ascending back to heaven (Acts 1:1-14). It was Peter who subsequently stood up and led this little group of disciples in their discussion and decision to replace Judas (1:15-26). Peter also preached the very first gospel sermon ever recorded, on the Day of Pentecost, 33 A.D. That day, three thousand souls believed the word Peter preached, repented as a result, and were baptized into Christ specifically for the forgiveness of their sins, thus being added by the God to His Son’s church (Chapter 2). It would be none other than Peter who would then go on to face the full-blown force of the assembled Sanhedrin, preaching how these Jewish leaders needed to obey Jesus and no other in order to be saved (Chapters 3-5). It would be Peter who would receive a vision directly from God Himself, illustrating for Peter in preparation for his visit to Cornelius’ house, how the Gentiles were no longer to be excluded in any way, shape, or form as they had been under the Old Covenant (that being for the Jews exclusively and those who might proselyte), from their participation and acceptance in the gospel. It was Peter who then went to the house of the Gentile Cornelius and explained how he understood that all men – Jew and Gentile alike – were now acceptable and inseparable under the New Covenant. It was Peter and those few with him who experienced God’s direct and miraculous sign of His inclusion of these Gentiles, and then once again Peter, who went back to the Jewish congregation of the Lord’s church in Jerusalem and explained it all outright so they could understand this truth too (Chapters 10-11).

After all of that, what does Peter do? In the church at Antioch, he differentiates, draws back, and doesn’t even eat with the Gentile Christians anymore, but only with those Christians formerly Jews, thereby giving his approval (in practice) exclusively to only them! How is that even possible? Because Peter – despite all the leader and Christian, Apostle and elder he is – is still ‘just a man’ (See: Acts 10:25-26).

And this is precisely the point. Peter was an elder in the Lord’s church (1 Peter 5:1), as well as being an Apostle and a respected Christian leader otherwise as well, everywhere he went. And yet, despite even those credits and credentials, his decisions and actions were not always correct and in line with the commandments of God. Sometimes he suffered from errors in judgment; sometimes he misunderstood; sometimes he made wrong decisions; all these despite even occasional divine intervention! Because when all was said and done, he was still only a man. And this is the one thing we must always remember about our leaders in the Lord’s church.

Elders, preachers, deacons, bible class teachers, and even the leading men, women, and families within our congregations today, we sometimes seem to want to hold up to a perfect and flawless standard that not even Abram, Moses, David, Peter, or the rest of the prophets and apostles could ever hope to attain and/or maintain. Our leaders in the vast majority of our congregations today are surely, for the most part, good, God-fearing, word-honoring, and Christ-following people. But that’s the point: They’re still only people. People with flaws, faults, weaknesses and shortcomings just like you and I. People who can’t be in two places at once even though sometimes they’d like to be. People who sometimes think they understand what God wants, and then see what they perceive to be a ‘window of opportunity’ to ‘help’ Him accomplish it, similar to Sarai and Abram. People who sometimes get tired and frustrated and make rash leadership mistakes just like Moses. People who, acting on emotion or impulse, sometimes fall into temptation and desperately need to repent just like David did. Human beings who, even though baptized and seeking to serve the Lord and His people, and despite the best of intentions and instructions, sometimes make ill-informed decisions and take ill-advised actions, just like the apostle, elder, and preacher Peter. If these great and faithful men of God could and did err, how is it we sometimes expect more out of our leaders today than even those great men and servants of God could ever hope to accomplish?

Before we judge them too harshly, maybe we ought to really go back and honestly study and reconsider familiar passages like Matthew 7:1-5, and 12; maybe re-cover Ephesians 4:1-3, 29-32, Philippians 1:27-2:17, and Colossians 3:12-17 and meditate upon how they apply not only to my attitudes and interactions with some, but instead with all of my beloved, beleaguered, and embattled brethren – including especially my congregational leaders.

On the other hand, God left us no doubt as to His will and desire when it comes to exactly how we are to treat those leaders specifically: “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves” (I Thessalonians 5:12-13). “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).

What makes great men of God, great leaders of God’s men and women, is not that they never make mistakes – quite to the contrary as we have seen. What makes great men and women of God truly great, is the same thing that made erring David, even after his heinous sin surrounding Bathsheba, still “a man after God’s own heart.” And that is that when they fail to fully live up to God’s perfect and flawless standard – as they inevitably will despite their best efforts at times – they admit their mistakes, confess their sins, throw themselves on God’s mercy in sincere and heartbroken repentance (Psalm 51), and get back up by the grace of God and go on to serve, and to live, and to fight the good fight of faith for their King and His cause another day: “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter (2 Corinthians 7:9-11).

If that truly describes the type of congregational leadership, and membership, we enjoy in our local fellowship, then we are blessed beyond measure and need to do everything in our power to see that we stay that way. Because the congregation will remain that way, if each member will remain that way, one imperfect, well-studied, “golden-ruled” and schooled servant at a time!

 

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Judgment is Coming

The Judgment is Coming

Sometimes, we forget about the importance of studying the Old Testament because of the New Testament (cf. Heb. 10:9). However, Paul penned, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4). Furthermore, the New Testament is the development and outgrowth of the Old Testament. Therefore, a study of the Old Testament, such as the book of Amos, can be very enlightening.

judgment is coming

Are you dreading or looking forward to judgment?

The book of Amos will not only have to do with Judah and with Israel (cf. 2:4-6), but it will also have to do with several Gentile nations. While Judah and Israel were religious people, their religions had not molded or changed their lives to have the right attitude towards other people. Therefore, when we compare Judah and Israel with these pagan nations, their religions did not influence them to maintain godly qualities either!

Is it not strange that God would inspire an Israelite to prophesy to pagan nations? Why would Amos prophesy against these pagan nations, just as Jonah would prophesy against Assyria? We understand the reason for this when we understand the sovereignty of God (Psa. 22:27-28, 67:4, 98:9). Therefore, it is interesting that we do not find the phrase “God of Israel” one time in this book. This indicates that Amos is not simply writing to Israel or Judah, but to all the nations around them. In other words, God is not only the God of Israel and Judah, but He is the God of all the nations, just as we see in Amos 1-2: Syria (Damascus), Philistia (Gaza), Phoenicia (Tyre), Edom, Ammon and Moab. These nations are not only quarreling with one another, but they had the opportunity to know that Judah and Israel were not ordinary nations. We would think that Judah and Israel would influence these nations through godly living, but sadly, they do not (cf. Psa. 83).

Of course, Amos indicates the time of this prophecy—he prophesied during the reign of Uzziah in Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel, during the time that Israel reached its heights of prosperity (1:1; cf. 2 Kings 14:23-29). In Amos 1:1-2:3, we have judgments from God among Gentile nations, and in Amos 2:4-16, we have an introduction to judgments upon the people of God—Judah and Israel, with Israel being the most prominent in the book. Therefore, when we get to Amos 3, Amos will begin a series of three addresses against Israel, establishing their guilt and pronouncing judgment against them—“Hear this word” (3:1, 4:1, 5:1). This language from God ought to wake anyone up to stop and listen to what God has to say! As Amos cries for the judgment to come upon Israel, let us glean some rich lessons from Amos 3.

First, note the remembrances to validate the judgment (3:1-2). Amos takes them back to the unified nation before its division—“the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt” (3:1). He continues, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities” (3:2). This does not mean that God forgot everyone else or that there was no hope for any other people (cf. Gen. 12:3; Psa. 145:9; Matt. 5:45). However, Amos alludes to the fact that God knew Israel in a very special way as opposed to the other nations (cf. Deut. 4:5-10; 2 Sam. 7:18-24; Psa. 147:19-20). Therefore, because of this special relationship that He had with them, they were without excuse (cf. Exod. 19:1-5). They had the word of God, and it is in this sense that He knew them and did not know the other nations. He gave His word directly to Judah and Israel, and they were to influence the other nations through their actions. Thus, Amos reminds them of their special relationship with God to show that they are without excuse in God pronouncing judgment upon them. What a valuable lesson for us to remember that we should never fail to remember our blessings! Do we appreciate our ancestors who threw off the creeds and doctrines of men?

Second, Amos gives illustrations to announce the judgment that God will use to deal with their sins so that they can repent, change their ways and not continue the way in which they currently are (3:3-8). The first illustration has to do with the relationship between God and His prophets (3:3). In other words, Amos is showing the agreement between himself, representing the prophet, and God. Thus, when Amos announces judgment, it is because Amos has agreed with God, and although the nation would think that Amos and God disagree, Amos says that this is not the case. This is why they carefully ought to hear what he has to say (3:1). The background behind this familiar statement is likely Leviticus 26:23-24. Moses warned Israel that when they would disobey God, then He would bring judgments upon them. Therefore, they are walking contrary to God and not in the agreement between the prophet and God. Notice some principles that are fundamental to walking with God.

  • For one to walk with God, one must have the same purpose as God. I cannot walk with Him if I have one purpose, and God has another. For example, we learn in the book of Jonah that he did not have the same purpose as God did. Unfortunately, Amos would later state that Israel had one purpose and God had another (cf. 8:4-5). What is the purpose that God has for my life? Is it to bring glory to Him through the church that Jesus built (Eph. 3:21)? Is this for what I live?
  • For one to walk with God, one must walk as God walks. God said, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (1 Pet. 1:16). The words “holy,” “holiness,” and “sanctify” have a double significance—separated from something to something. Therefore, one must separate himself from the world (church—ekklesia) to serve Almighty God (1 Pet. 2:5, 9). God expected them to follow this principle, and God expects us today to follow this same principle. Therefore, we cannot live as the world lives and walk with God.
  • For one to walk with God, one must understand that his pattern for life is not simply an occasional thing. For example, First John 3:9 does not conflict with First John 2:1-2 because sinning is not the pattern of his life. One does not walk with God when the pattern of his life is sinful and unholy.
  • For one to walk with God, one must do so willingly. God does not force people to walk with Him, although He has the power that He could force us. Yet, that is not His desire; He wants willing service. When I walk with God under force of pressure, then God will not accept that service.
  • For one to walk with God, one must do so with proper understanding—“agreed.” Knowledge and appreciation is important in walking with God.

 

Therefore, the method of God in revealing Himself is through the prophet (3:7), who is nothing more than a spokesperson for God (e.g., Noah, Abraham and such like). Jesus revealed Himself to His apostles (John 13:19, 14:29), and we have the revelation of these secrets in the New Testament. The New Testament uses the word “secret” with reference to the term “mystery.” In other words, God did not use feelings or urges, but He spoke to them through the prophets. The book of Amos underscores the importance of a prophet, beginning with Samuel all the way to this time. Yet, the nation had a careless regard for what the prophet had to say. The tendency of humanity is to get to the place where we become so familiar with what God has said that we tend to drift away and do not pay any attention at all to it. In fact, Amos will later record them telling him to go back home because they do not want to listen to him anymore (cf. 7:10-13).

The second illustration has to do with a lion (3:4, 8). Whenever a lion roars, he is about to jump on his prey (cf. 1:2). The third illustration has to do with a bird caught in a snare (3:5) and the fourth illustration has to do with trumpets blown in the city (3:6).

Third, note the reasons that Amos gives to explain the impending judgment (3:9-15). He begins with the fact that they “stored up violence” (3:10; cf. Rom. 2:5; James 5:1-6). Moreover, God judges them because of their improper outlook on material things, highlighted by the prosperity of the nation of Israel and the luxury they were enjoying—“palaces” (3:11). Yet, God did not intend for them to lavish themselves with luxuries, but to be a light to the rest of the nations, which they were not (2:11-12). Therefore, what will God do now that Israel has become so corrupt? He cannot overlook sin. Therefore, the judgment upon His own people would be a witness to the surrounding nations—He would not react to sin in Israel any differently than He would to anyone else. Therefore, captivity will be the result, but a remnant will come out.

This is a hard lesson for us to learn. The fact that I obeyed the gospel does not give me a license to do what I want to do, live and act in any way that I choose, as those in the world do. Yet, I believe sometimes that this is the impression we tend to leave on people. We need to realize that religion is not an escape from judgment, but it is an opportunity to glorify God by the right kind of living. When religion does not do this, then it fails in its purpose and is of no profit at all!

To conclude, what determines strength today? God determines strength, but prosperity and numbers do not determine strength. Character and righteousness reflect strength of the individual, congregation or nation. Can we not see this in our own country? So many surrounding countries despise America, and yet, look at the lack of moral fiber in our nation. The word of God is becoming more and more despised everywhere we turn. Crime and sin increases. How long will it be before the iniquity of America will be full (cf. Gen. 15:16)?

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Profitable Exercise

Some Exercise is Profitable

America seems to be obsessed with physical fitness. There is obvious profit in getting our bodies fit, but when compared to getting our souls fit, there is little profit. Paul said, “Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things” (1 Tim. 4:8). However, the Bible does show that sometimes running is truly profitable. Look at the following.

Exercise

Exercise Your Feet and Run from Sin!

“But he left his garment in her hand and fled and ran outside” (Gen. 39:12). Bible students will recognize these words describing how young Joseph dealt with the temptation of sexual sin. He knew what sin was and literally ran from the arms of the woman trying to seduce him. So many lives would be so different if men ran away from sin. Running can be profitable sometimes.

“They ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver under it” (Josh. 7:22). The Israelites had just come from destroying Jericho. When Achan took God’s treasures and hid them in his tent, disaster struck. When it became obvious what Achan had done, righteous men ran to deal with sin. We need to learn the immediate danger of sin and deal with it as soon as possible. We need to learn to run and deal with ungodliness in the midst of His people.

“Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it” (Hab. 2:2). Habakkuk, the messenger of God, was sent to deliver heaven’s message to the Jews. God told him to write the message so plainly that when men heard the message they would immediately flee from the coming judgment. Two points become obvious. First is the importance of Christians clearly presenting God’s message. Political correctness never works when it comes to heavenly truths. The second point can never be forgotten. When we learn of the coming judgment of God against sin, we must turn away and run from it. Running can be profitable.

“So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah . . .” (Acts 8:30). The man from Ethiopia was seeking for God, and Philip ran to teach him. Think about this for a moment. What is the only response we should have in trying to take the gospel to the lost? Running can be profitable.

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1). The Jewish Christians addressed in this book had begun their walk with the Lord so well, but after time passed, their devotion cooled. The Spirit’s message to them was to remind them of the only race which truly matters. Hence the words “run with endurance.” We must never give up in this race. Running can be profitable.

May we run the race that ends with a crown of life!

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Holiday Gatherings

Enjoy Holiday Gatherings

This Holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year Celebration), a great number of families and friends will gather together. Some celebrating for secular reasons others for religious. Some of the greatest joys and disappointments are experienced this time of the year. Here are three suggestions to aid your holiday experience, so the entire celebratory package may be opened with joy. Remember your gathering is not a courthouse, a tennis court, or Golgotha.

holiday

Is Your Holiday Experience Like A Courthouse?

Courthouse
Leave your judicial robes in the closet. A holiday gathering is not the time for judgment and conviction. You have all gathered together at your own will. This is a time for patience and peace. The scriptures use the word “longsuffering”, which may be more appropriate in your case. Yes, your relatives may do or say things that drive you crazy. You are different people and different people have different lifestyles. However, you have not gathered together to ruin someone’s special day by telling them what is wrong with their life. There are other times to have those discussions. Realize these are people who are in the same crazy life that you are. They want the same thing you do, to have joy, which the world tries to steal away as often as possible.

Hebrews 12:14 – Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:

Tennis Court
There are going to be comments made during the gathering that may be an irritant or even hurtful. Yes, you want to bring out your backhand… don’t do it. Do not engage in a volley of words. At first, it seems as if these things are subtle barbs, a little poke in the ribs. Perhaps no one notices, but you do. So you launch another comment back. Before you know it a full scale match of words is going on. You are each serving up one mouthful of pain after another. Is that why you are gathering? Is that going to make the others around you feel good? You don’t get set, point, match by seeing who you can hurt the most at a holiday gathering. The issue is one of humility. No one likes to be put down. To counter it, our conceit, or ego swings back. Instead, let us swallow our pride and take up the matter at a more private time and in a mature fashion.

Galatians 5:26 – Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Golgotha
Golgotha is the place to where Jesus carried His cross and died. First, you are not going to die at your holiday gathering. You may pass out from food consumption or get salmonella eating Aunt Hilga’s deviled eggs, but the chances of you dying are extremely small. Second, carrying your cross of burden and suffering can create a lot of damage around the house (think of the small amount of space in the kitchen!). Seriously, there are many folks each holiday season that act as if it is the biggest burden they have every engaged in by gathering together. The house is too full, the turkey kept them up 9 hour last night, there is dirt on the front door rug, there aren’t enough pickled beets for everyone, where are all the pies going to go, and oh, the dirty dishes – and they have to take care of it all! “Woe is me! Look how much I have to put up with to make this all happen.” Yes, someone out there is carrying an awful big cross. In the midst of a party, they are working hard to fill everyone up with a big, hot, steaming plate of guilt. Don’t let this be you. Remember, serving others is something we do out of kindness and love. Can you imagine Christ carrying his cross to Golgotha and complaining all the way? Christ did indeed suffer, but was silent as a lamb led to the slaughter. What he did, he did out of love. Perhaps, you can remember His Words if you really feel you are suffering by serving:

Luke 23:34 – And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Friends, if you gather during this time of year, remember this is a time you can lead by example. Make your example one of peace, humility, and love. You are not at a courthouse, tennis court, or Golgatha. There is a connection to those with whom you are gathering together. These are family and friends who want to have the best of the day for themselves, you, and the rest of those gathered. In the best of all worlds, your example allows you to influence hopeful future heirs to the kingdom of God (Revelation 21:7). In the least, you make it through your gathering and don’t leave with mash potatoes thrown into your hair.

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