John 16:33 (all scripture ESV) I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. Phil 4:7 The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts & your minds in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 26:3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. — Shalom in Hebrew means Peace with a full meaning of calm, tranquility, serenity, harmony, reconciliation, wholeness, completeness, & well-being. The peace of God is perfect & total calmness that surpasses all understanding! Love Mel
The Name of The Lord is a Strong Tower – The Righteous Run In and Are Safe
Prov 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, & is safe. Psalm 61:1-3 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelter for me, & a strong tower from the enemy. Joel 2:32 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. — One of the most powerful things we can do is CALL on the NAME! Our CALL is our STRONG TOWER! A STRONG TOWER is a place of advantage & safety in the storms of life! Our cry to our Father is where we find the safe place with The Lord! Run to Him, His arms are open wide! Love Mel
The Question of Why Suffering and Evil
This discussion is not meant at all to minimize the unbearable, sometimes lifelong pain that people feel in certain kinds of sickness, death or loss. Tragedy seems to be a common occurrence for many around the world. Many have sought to answer the question of “why suffering”. Since great people have failed to give an exhaustive treatise on this subject, I only hope here to mention some of the arguments I have heard or thought of that seem to make the most sense.
Suffering in almost all cases originates from the existence of evil. So then, the question becomes “why evil”. Since God is good and He created beings that are free moral agents, the possibility of evil enters the picture. Evil in this case defined as beings not choosing to do things God’s way. Therefore, since God has existed from the beginning, as soon as He created other beings the possibility of evil enters the picture and therefore, we can say that evil existed from the beginning as well. It was not, per se, created by God. It is a function of choice.
Why choice? The creator God desires followers and worshippers who choose Him out of free will. There is no true love apart from choice. The first man and woman were Adam and Eve according to scripture, and they were given dominion over all the earth. Since the first major bad choice occurred in the Garden of Eden made by Adam and Eve, we see dominion over the earth being handed over to Satan. Sickness, sin, death, and evil enter into the world at that point. At THIS point (now) these forces are fully incorporated into the world and take many forms.
There is one sense in which evil is allowed in order to bring about the plan of God. For example, if it were not for Goliath, where would David be? And as Joseph said in Genesis when confronted by his brothers who tried to kill him and failed, Gen 50:20 (KJV) “And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” The evil done unto Joseph caused him to be placed into prison in Egypt, to be brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream, and eventually to be the second in command of Egypt. While second in command he save the Israelite nation by providing them food and shelter. Its and amazing story.
In another sense in which evil is allowed that God may show His power and glory. There are so many Biblical examples of God showing His power which could only have been demonstrated as a result of the defeat of evil. The primary example of course being Jesus Christ. The Son of God was sent to earth to live and die a miserable death at the hands of torturers. As a result of that death, and His subsequent raising from the dead, God has orchestrated the taking back of earthy dominion for believers in Christ and the salvation of the world for those who will place their trust in Him. There are of course many other Biblical and extrabiblical examples of great evil being turned to miraculous victory so that God will get the glory. Our Father in heaven is worthy of glory, and honor and praise and He loves to strike major blows in defense of His children.
Finally, I would offer the notion that God allows evil so that he can sanctify and prepare His children for eventually ruling and reigning with Him. As James says in Chapter 1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
Learning to trust God in the good times and the bad times is most important. This is preparation for ruling and reigning with Christ in the future. Romans 8:29 KJV says “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” The way we are conformed into His image is through the trials and tribulations of life.
In sum there is “evil” in the world’s physical makeup such as weather patterns, there is evil in the hearts of man, and there are evil forces at work in the spiritual world. Any or all of these can affect people in negative ways.
To those who have been damaged or emotionally destroyed by the horrors of evil, I beseech you not to give up. Because you have been touched once by evil, it does not require that you will be touched again and again.
Pray hard, make good choices as best you can, and trust in God to make all things right – even the terrible events.
He alone has the ultimate power to turn even death into victory – like He did with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15 (KJV) says: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
I Am Who I Am – He Always Was, Is, And Always Will Be
Ex 3:14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” & he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you. John 8:58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection & the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. John 8:12 Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, & whoever believes in me shall never thirst. Rev 21:6 He said to me, “It is finished! I am the Alpha & the Omega, the beginning & the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment! — THE I AM is the answer, no matter the issue! Love Mel
The Most Important Thing to Know – God REALLY Loves You (a chapter from my book)
Scriptures are from the KJV
Ephesians 3:14–19: “14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
One day it finally dawned on me that, despite the mixed messages that we hear all around us, God really loves us. He does not want to send us to hell. He is not looking for reasons to condemn us. Instead He is looking for the reason to accept us. He acts and feels and thinks much like a perfect human father would. God loves us, and if we accept His gift of love and grace in Jesus Christ, we will be with Him forever. Just give Him a chance. Accept the gift of Christ in faith and believe in the Lord for eternal salvation. Let the love of Christ be revealed to you. Realize and know that He loves you and wants you to be with Him forever. He has even given us the only way for this to occur — by sacrificing His beloved Son for us.
Ephesians 1:3–6: “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
He chose us before the foundation of the world! That’s pretty amazing. This should inspire you to love God with all of your heart. This is the narrow road. You must know that God loves you and accepts you. It is revealed to you by God Himself. If you do not have that revelation, then ask God for it. He gives it to the sincere seeker. As profound and vigorous and complete was His hatred of sin, as seen in the Old Testament, equally profound is His grace and mercy toward us who have accepted the great gift of Jesus, His Son, sacrificed for us. God now accepts you as His own son or daughter. Live and love in that great revelation. It will change your life — as it changed mine. Night to day. Death to life. God really loves you. He has made the way. “Walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
