Too Much Evil

A common argument for our atheist or agnostic brothers who wish to make our faith seem foolish is that if their was a God, why would he allow such evil and suffering to be in the world. The agnostic of course makes their case for the detached non-caring God through this same argument. I realize that for the average Christian this argument brings several moments of confusion followed by a white flag. Here is a good argument that I have heard presented by C.S. Lewis, and Ravi Zacharias. It made complete sense to me and I believe if presented properly to the hardcore skeptic it would at the very least reveal some weaknesses in their belief system. At the best, it would cause them to begin the path of conversion. First off, God is not evil and cannot have evil in his presence. God would not cause evil. Secondly, we were created with free will so that love could be perfected and true communion between God and man could be established. True evil is generated within the heart of man. The fallen angels are nothing more than stimulants of a free will. With free will man has the capacity of good and evil. Demons simply push man in the wrong direction. Only use this line of argument if they try to use the devil in their argument. Most don't believe in angels, but wish to test your personal knowledge of your faith. I hope you are following the core line of debate here. God cannot cause evil, because evil is imperfect behavior. Man's  dedication to Godlessness has lasted for thousands of years. The statement of action is, "instead of worrying about the evil around you, don't you think that you should be worrying about the evil in your own heart. They are so concerned with blaming God that they fail to realize that the solution is worked through us and He gave it to us. God made it possible for us to fix our own mistakes and renewed to him. Our working is one at a time. You want there to be less evil? Do your part, and start with yourself.

Random Thoughts

Only a FOOL builds an imaginary house when the physical house is falling down around them.

Obsession causes addiction. Contentment causes freedom.

Those who are lazy tend to envy those who work hard. One believes life is owed, while the other believes life is earned. 

You don't deserve God's grace, and you can't earn it.

Most of us lose faith when we lose comfort.

If the blessed, do not bless; then the world suffers.

Do not be ignorant to your environment. Do not be convinced by it either.

You need to know what the enemy is doing to defeat him. You don't need to be contributing to his planning and conference meetings.

 

God Has Made Me A Fool

Some things were going on that were straining my relationship with God. I was going on a routine trip across town to meet my wife with the kids and switch cars. I still cannot figure out what had happened. I'm scared I might have passed out for a few seconds. That probably means nothing however. My pretty blue Expedition was totaled. Everything above the front bumper was pushed back about two feet. She wasn't fancy. She had a DVD player for the kids and lots of room. I sometimes dreaded the gas mileage, but I loved the straight power that big block 351 put out. Totally impractical and totally cool. Well it's gone. I caused the accident so I of course felt every problem with the situation very personally. When we got the rental they told us that we were going to have to fit in a tiny Chevy car because our insurance wouldn't pay for an suv or minivan. He changed his mind at the last minute and gave us an suv for no extra charge. While the insurance company was jerking us around we started looking for another car. We found a great minivan that would be cheaper payments, get better gas mileage and would be comfortable for the family. I told God that I thought this was the one and I really want it so if he would please give us a hand it would be appreciated. Later we became pinched for time when the insurance said payment would be going out and we would owe 10g and needed to return the rental in three days. We could not get approved for the car we wanted. The car we did get approved for we couldn't afford. The argument of course was the fact that we could not simply live with my little paid off hiccuping car. There was no room to carry the family unless I put someone in the trunk. Buying the expensive car was not an option. I thought that was the most irresponsible thing to do. I fought for a week. NO,NO,NO. Un fortunately I was running out of options and that ridiculous offer was patiently waved in my face everyday. I became mad at God. I was enraged. Are you kidding me? I just need a comfortable cheap car, this is a joke, and anyone with common sense would say NO! For my persistence and prudence I was offered the same insane offer that I couldn't accept. The vehicle has a car payment that is 150 less than my house payment. I finally gave in and I became bitter and sarcastic about the whole deal. I was waiting to fall on my face. I am not very good at math but I can do basic addition and this was not going to work. My wife who knows me very well must have not been thinking well, because she gave me all the opportunities I needed to throw some bitter sarcasm at the subject. The most common quip from me was, "God gave us this truck as a surprise for the promotion He's gonna give us." I was very deeply sarcastic. I'm in school and she got a job two months before. So I was completely ready, set up in my lack of faith, and sarcasm, as well as a cheek full of bitterness.  My wife came home on Friday and tells me she got a 13000 dollar raise. As usual I am the fool. How many times will I be a fool? The last three years have been full of these kind of lessons. The way things worked out I should have figured it out, but I was aggravated because it wasn't my way. A fool is so engrossed in the sound of his own voice that he can't hear his heart.    

Stop struggling and know God

Psalm 46 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Psalm 46

God Our Refuge

For the choir director. A song of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth 

 1 God is our refuge and strength,
    a helper who is always found
    in times of trouble. 

    2 Therefore we will not be afraid,
    though the earth trembles
    and the mountains topple
    into the depths of the seas, 

    3 though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with its turmoil.  

          Selah

    4 [There is] a river—
    its streams delight the city of God,
    the holy dwelling place of the Most High. 

    5 God is within her; she will not be toppled.
    God will help her when the morning dawns. 

    6 Nations rage, kingdoms topple;
    the earth melts when He lifts His voice.

    7 The LORD of Hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our stronghold. 

         Selah

    8 Come, see the works of the LORD,
    who brings devastation on the earth. 

    9 He makes wars cease throughout the earth.
    He shatters bows and cuts spears to pieces;
    He burns up the chariots. 

    10 "Stop [your fighting]—and know that I am God,
    exalted among the nations, exalted on the earth."

    11 The LORD of Hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah 

So much of life is absorbed and wasted by the struggles we put ourselves through everyday. I heard a message from Charles Stanley yesterday and the part that really hit home for me was the verse of Psalms 46. I realized that another key had just been added to my keychain. I will master this. Stop struggling and know God. I have focused on just one day of behaving this way and it was freeing. I ran across many problems but they did not ruin my day. I just stopped struggling and asked God for direction each time. Each incident resolved itself better than usual. All my life I persisted in being bothered and stressed, making a big deal out of the smallest things. Be still and know that I am God. He is the mighty Lord of creation; why am I flailing about like a fish on dry land? Be still, stop struggling and know God. It makes sense because if we truly know God we would know that our struggling is a failing in our own personal faith. I am notoriously stubborn, however I have decided to pursue this simple mantra of faith. Stop struggling and know God. 

Killing The Old Man

Colossians 3:1-11 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

1 So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off  the old man  with his practices 10 and have put on  the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of his Creator.  11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all.

I have made great strides in my spiritual life of just over a decade, however I never finished off the old me. I left him for dead and he is greatly weakened. Yet you can still find dark corners in my soul and there he hides. He hangs on and tries to renew his strength while not alerting me to his presence. When I approach him he growls very sinisterly and a voice says wait if you get rid of him how will you defend yourself. Because, somehow at some point I have become convinced that in order to fight and defend I needed that beast inside me. So he stayed secured behind that simple fallacy. Recently I was very sharply reminded of my mortality. This keen awareness of death caused a self inspection that shined a light on the old man. I am shamed at my inability to kill him and the impact he still had on my Christian life. Be vigilant my fellow Christians and make sure that you kill the old you. Our life is with Jesus Christ and we cannot mature past a certain point while the old man still hangs on to life. Trust me when I say it is easier to kill the old self when it is strong and facing you than when it's hiding. 

THE COURAGEOUS OR THE COWARDLY

Hebrews 10:39 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.

About 11 years ago a young lady was sitting next to me in church and she handed me a piece of paper neatly folded in two. Now you need to know I wasn't a Christian yet. I was there checking out women and socializing. So I got excited thinking to myself that I might have hooked a lady. I thought she was flirting. I unfolded the neat little yellow paper and this is exactly what I saw written, "Hebrews 10:39 with a smiley face". Talk about confused. I just stuck it in my bible and forgot about it. A few weeks later I was saved and while doing some daily reading I found the yellow note. I went directly to the passage and read it and I absorbed it as if it had been written for me. It became my motto. I forget other things, but I never forget Hebrews 10:39. During my Christian journey I have had times of cowardice about my beliefs and times of great courage. I will tell you now that I have risked my life for lesser things than Jesus Christ there is no way that I will ever back down again. The courage that Jesus Christ has given me now defines me.

The Hope Of All

John 3:16 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

A famous verse that is known by most of the civilized world. How many people are aware of this statement of hope and yet choose to ignore it? How simple a gift! This is the hope of all mankind and if we are willing to believe in Jesus Christ then we will have eternal life. But, pay attention to the words. You can't simply believe he was real. You must believe in the mission of Jesus Christ. His desire was to be a sacrifice for us all through the crucifixion, defeat satan by being thoroughly victorious with his resurrection, and then to see us adopted as brothers. Believe in the hope of all mankind, Jesus Christ!