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Showing posts with label Evil and Suffering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evil and Suffering. Show all posts

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Macy Day’s Parade and the Brand New Hope on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams – Purity 585

Macy Day’s Parade and the Brand New Hope on the Boulevard of Broken Dreams –  Purity 585

Purity 585 11/25/2021  Thanksgiving - Purity 585 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of the boat launch at the Martin Dunham Reservoir in Grafton NY comes to us from yours truly as I went “off road” for a moment on Monday to capture it and to experience the peaceful stillness of being alone in nature right in the midst of a busy workday.  

Today is Thanksgiving and while most of us will be gathered with friends or family to enjoy a holiday meal, my thoughts turn to those who will be flying solo.  I have a friend who did just that and is enjoy their solitude at a resort in Aruba where the fare is more likely to be jerk chicken than Tom Turkey.  But I also know of others that will be in solitary environments today that will be far less tropical and exotic.   

While we can surround ourselves with others, or choose to be isolated with all our familiar comforts, or take it on the road to some tropical resort to manipulate the conditions to give us peace and happiness, unless we have peace within and can maintain it regardless of circumstances we are apt to experience depression despite our best efforts.  

We can also choose to overindulge with food or alcohol to try to comfort ourselves. With the legalization of marijuana in NY state, you even have the option of making Thanksgiving a “green day” with a freedom that was unavailable in the past.  

As a “Christian with a past”, I can testify that I tried all of the above with zeal but can tell you that all my “experimentation and research” has concluded that substances, no matter how elicit or benign, do not provide lasting satisfaction or fulfillment. Substances will not make you happy and are literally a dead end and many will lose their lives today because of the direct effects of substances or due to their influence on one’s health or decisions.   So be safe.  

I have Green Day on the brain this morning, not because I am going to “blaze up”. But because as I started to write this I was thinking of two of their songs.   

As I contemplated those who will be alone this Thanksgiving I thought about the lyrics from Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and how I once thought that they adequately described my life when the song came out in 2004. They say:

“I walk a lonely road

The only one that I have ever known

Don't know where it goes

But it's home to me, and I walk alone

I walk this empty street

On the Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Where the city sleeps

And I'm the only one, and I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk a-

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

Sometimes, I wish someone out there will find me

'Til then, I walk alone”

It’s a great song, but the problem was that I wasn’t walking alone. I had a wife and a family at the time, a good job at least financially speaking, and didn’t want for anything.  But regardless of the promise of the American Dream to bring happiness, those relationships and all the things I had didn’t bring fulfillment.  I still felt alone.

I also didn’t have a relationship with God as I had suffered through some traumatic losses and chose not to believe in a personal God.  Even though I said I didn’t believe, I was trying to find peace in Eastern Mysticism and Monastic practices that sought to control my experience through meditation and changing my perspective.  Even though I found a measure of peace through those efforts, it was a lonely road and even though I would have never admitted it at the time, my searching and working for peace and meaning were evidence that I really wished that “Someone out there” would find me.   

It being Thanksgiving in 2021, I also thought of Green Day’s Macy’s Day Parade and its somewhat prophetic, melancholy but hopeful lyrics.  The song starts out declaring that:

“Today's the Macy's Day parade

The night of the living dead is on its way”

With the dystopian reality that is present and increasing in the “land of the free”, with:

·        “areas of mandatory, and truly useless, PPE”

“Do you feel lucky, punk? Well do ya? Better mask up!”

I thought Covid was over?

It’s never over! Unless we say it’s over!

·       and now with the mandates that will force people to receive medical treatments to retain employment, by our government and those faceless but oh so politically correct corporations who in the Spirit of Nazi Fascism are making Americans truly understand that “freedom isn’t free” and that your personal choices can and will affect where you can pursue your financial happiness.  

With all of that and the political divide in our country going on it does indeed feel that the “night of the living dead is on its way” and if we consider the disengagement of people who are captivated by their cell phones we could make a case that – the night, dawn, and day of the dead has already come.  

But before I get too grim on “Turkey Day”, too late?, Let’s move on to the more hopeful parts of Green Day’s Thanksgiving Holiday song that could inspire us to look past the present days of confusion and past all the things that the world tells us will make us happy. The song goes on to say:  

“Give me something that I need

Satisfaction guaranteed

'Cause I'm thinking 'bout

A brand new hope

The one I've never known

'Cause now I know

It's all that I wanted”

The Brand New Hope, who is Jesus Christ,  found me in my darkest days of walking down the boulevard of my broken dreams as I walked “alone and now I know that my wish for “Someone out there” to find me has been granted. 

Because of the reality of life and death, the only satisfaction that is guaranteed is going to have to be one that goes from here to eternity. That guarantee is found in John 3:16, that says:

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

When you put your faith in Jesus, you receive the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and your everlasting life begins.   In Christ, you are forgiven of all your sins and are reconciled to God.  In Christ, we become adopted sons and daughters of the Creator of all things and receive meaning and purpose for our lives as we are called to represent and serve God’s kingdom through sharing His love though good works and by making disciples.   

It's Thursday, and I shared today’s photo because it features a pathway of sorts and I do that to encourage people to get on the path of Christian discipleship that starts with faith in Jesus Christ and continues into God’s will and purpose for our lives.  

So as we gather together to give thanks for all that we have in life today, or if you find yourself alone, remember that in Christ you are never alone for God will never leave us or forsake us when we decide to walk with Him.  

Whether you are in Christ or are just wishing that “Someone out there” would find you, I encourage you to keep seeking the Lord because the peace that God wants you to have doesn’t lie in substances to consume, things to accumulate, or even in our earthly friends and family.  

Ultimate satisfaction that is guaranteed requires a search for the Truth, the Way, and the Life that God has provided.   Christ came to save us and make us new.  So keep walking and talking with God and He will show you where to go and when you find your place in his kingdom you will realize that you have found all that you wanted.  

God bless you all and Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Today’s Bible verse is drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verses are:

Romans 11:28-29 (NLT2)
28  Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
29  For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.

Today’s verses speak of the harsh spiritual reality that the very people that received the word and blessings of God the Father have turned a blind eye to the Messiah’s coming and that “outsiders” like you and me, us Christians, have benefited from it.  

However, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are still loved by God and the word of God indicates that all the true spiritual sons of Israel will see the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and make Jesus their Lord and Savior someday,  the ones that will live anyway.

Yeah, Revelation paints a disturbing picture that reminds us that only those who stand with Jesus will stand for all eternity and scripture indicates that we must be spiritually born again through faith in Christ to become the children of God.  

That’s enough end times for now. Let’s focus on the good news for today. Although Christ’s return is the best news, the future fulfillment of His coming kingdom and turmoil and devastation that will usher it in may make us lose our appetites this Thanksgiving. 

Instead let’s focus on the thing that can sustain us today and everyday until the day of the Lord: the love of God and the fact that His “gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.”  

When we make Christ our Lord and Savior, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence as children of God.  Nothing we do will change our relationship with God, we are forgiven of all we have ever done or will do, and nothing can separate us from His love, even when we fall into sin or make other colossal errors in judgement.

But enough about me, ha ha, God’s gift of salvation to us is guaranteed and His call on our lives to be fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ is continuous.   So let the love of God rule in your heart and mind to give you peace and to empower you to courageously offer the truth of the gospel to others and to discover and to answer the Lord’s call for your life.

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s “Evil and Suffering… Why? Is God Fair?

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work.

D. What Does "Theodicy" Mean?

If it is true that "Life is full of suffering, and then you die," what is the purpose of living at all? This life, however, is but a fleeting training ground for the life to follow—eternal life that will go on forever. God will use the sufferings in this life for our eternal good if we choose to rely on Him.

While this is not the best of all worlds, it is the way to the best of all worlds! Only by giving control of our lives to our Lord and Savior in this life can we be given the next life God has prepared for us.

"Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

  • The word theodicy is a theological term used in apologetics (a defense of the faith) to vindicate the goodness, justice, and existence of God in the face of all the evil and injustice in the world. Those who are convinced that God is absolutely just know that His reputation is not at stake and can state with absolute confidence...
        "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." (Psalm 89:14)
  • The Greek word theos means "God," and the Greek word dike carries the idea of "justice." As you increasingly come to know the Lord God, you increasingly have confidence in the character of God.
        "He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he." (Deuteronomy 32:4)
  • Theodicy is a logical defense of the goodness of God despite the existence of evil in the world. Because logical reasoning can be effective in presenting truth to those who have not heard the truth, we are told...

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." (1 Peter 3:15-16)


Biblical Counseling Keys: Evil and Suffering... Why?: Why God? Why?.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

 

Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Forgiveness and the License to Love – Purity 584

Purity 584 Podcast


Forgiveness and the License to Love –  Purity 584

Purity 584 11/24/2021  Purity 584 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of the surf and fading sun from the shores of Myrtle Beach comes to us from a friend’s late October trip there to get some R&R with some family which included “getting high” via a helicopter tour of the South Carolina shore area.   

Don’t freak out but it’s official Thanksgiving Eve!  Yep it’s that day when people all across the country will be taking planes, trains, and automobiles to reunite with family and friends to celebrate our national holiday of feasting in the spirit of gratitude.  As some will be travelling today, others will be cleaning the house and making deserts and other treats in preparation of tomorrow’s festivities.  

As we travel and meet up with friends and family tonight and prepare our homes for tomorrow’s day of thanks, I would encourage my friends to also prepare their hearts as we come together and will officially be entering the Holiday season as Santa will be coming to town as part of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  

Let’s be sure to prepare ourselves emotionally and mentally for tomorrow by reminding ourselves that the people we will be seeing and who may be testing our patience at times are our loved ones and that we will not have them in our lives forever.  

If we remember the brevity of life and all that we receive through our relationships, we can appreciate our family and friends and be thankful for them in our lives.

Let’s also be aware that some of the people in our circle may not be so thankful because of recent traumatic losses and other difficulties of life.   

Try to be compassionate with those who are suffering by being present with them and sensitive to their needs for patience, understanding, and love.   Reach out to those who have suffered losses in the last year to let them know you are thinking about them and offer to spend some time with them or to help them in whatever way you can. 

And finally let’s also endeavor to listen to the commands of Jesus in the Lord’s prayer to “forgive those who trespass against us”.   

A lot can happen in a year in our relationships and the changing circumstances of our lives.  Our relational interactions are not always smooth and by the time Thanksgiving rolls around we could be harboring a lot of bitterness, envy, or offense because of what people have said, done, or caused us to make us feel criticized, rejected, or unaccepted in some ways. 

This morning as I started to prepare for a holiday meal for me and my children and was gathering the documents I need in order to pick up the license for my upcoming marriage, I felt convicted in my spirit to “get right with God”.   

Through all the changes and twists in turns of my life in the past several months, there has been many instances where I have felt offense or sensed difficulties in several of my relationships. 

The Holy Spirit convicted me to get cleansed of any bitterness or animosity that I was holding on to that was subtly influencing how I was feeling about various people in my life.

So this morning I pulled out a copy of The Steps to Freedom in Christ and decided to recommit myself to following the Lord by doing a spiritual housecleaning that includes forgiving others from the heart.  

As I went through the various prayers I was amazed at how much I had to process with the Holy Spirit as the list of people I need to forgive was quite extensive! Any slight, offense, or less than harmonious feelings toward others came to the surface and regardless of whether I was sure of someone’s intentions or not, I put them on my list and forgave each and every one of them.   

People don’t always react the way we expect them to or support us in the ways we would like and while we may adjust to disappointments and overcome to move on, those offenses and disappointments that we experience can build up and cause us to make our view of the other people suffer. 

Instead of forgiving our friends and family that offend us, we re-categorize them as people who “don’t really love us” or as people we can’t trust.   It is one thing to protect ourselves and to be aware of other people’s limitations and it is another thing to draw away from them relationally and hold attitudes of contempt towards them.   As much as we may think we are protecting ourselves by keeping others at arm’s length, those feelings of bitterness or attitudes of rejection that we are holding onto towards others actually hurt us.  By not forgiving from the heart, we hurt ourselves. 

So to thoroughly enjoy tomorrow’s holiday of Thanksgiving and to walk into the holiday season beyond with joy, choose to forgive from the heart all those who have offended you in the past year by following this simple prayer drawn from the Steps to Freedom in Christ.  Make a list of all the people you need to forgive and then for each one pray:  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

I choose to forgive _(person’s name)____   for ___ (the offense)___ because it made me feel _(share the painful feelings – hurt, rejected, unaccepted, belittled, angry etc. )__.

After you have gone through everyone on your list, pray the following prayer:

Lord Jesus,

I choose to not hold on to my resentment. I relinquish my right to seek revenge and ask you to heal my damaged emotions. Thank You for setting me free from the bondage of unforgiveness. I now ask You to bless those who have hurt me. 

In Jesus’ name I pray,  Amen.  

When we forgive others and release them from our feelings of resentment, we set our selves free to live and love the way God wants us to.   We are never more like God when we choose to forgive. 

Forgiveness gives us a license to love. 

Chances are that you picked up some bitterness and resentments over the last year and the Lord can give you the power to unburden yourself of them and to experience a renewed sense of peace and freedom. So keep walking and talking with God, and you will continue to discover the new and abundant life is something we can progressively experience when we walk in His ways.  


Today’s Bible verse is drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verse is:

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NLT2)
23  Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
24  God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

 

Today’s verse speaks of the spiritual reality that the work done in us to make us holy is performed by God.  

One of the biggest spiritual misunderstandings that exists in the world and in some parts of Christendom is the idea that we have to work to be approved by God.   

Ephesians 2:8-9 make it clear that we are saved by grace and that our salvation is not a reward for the good things we do. Our salvation is a gift from God, a gift we don’t really deserve.   Our salvation is a work performed by God.  

Likewise the process of sanctification, where we become holy, is also a gift from God.   Today’s verse tells us that God will make us holy because He is faithful, not us.  

After coming to faith in Jesus Christ, we are made spiritually alive by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we are given eternal life and the power to say no to sin.  

As much as we may pride ourselves on our newfound abilities to overcome the sin that had entrapped us, we should realize that we are only exercising the gift that the Lord has given us and that we should thank Him for the power we now have.  

Our power of sanctification lies in faith.  We have an increased ability to overcome sin and negative mind states that is directly proportional to our belief that we have been given the victory. If we believe it, we receive the victory over anything that would entrap us or hold us back.  

While we must agree with what God has said about us in His word as His adopted children, and we must act according to that truth, it is still God who is the One who gave us the power to be sanctified.

God will make our sanctification happen because He is faithful. If you are His, He will perform your sanctification even if it isn’t realized until your glorification.  Your sanctification is going to happen one way or another, whether you resist it or not. 

But the thing is that our faith is not a religion, our faith is a relationship. So because God has already given us the victory and promise of sanctification, we can choose to cooperate with God and experience our sanctification sooner rather than later.  While we won’t necessarily be sinlessly perfect, we can enjoy an increasing measure of sanctification if we decide to live according to God’s word.  

So thank the Lord for the gift of our ultimate sanctification. Rejoice! But while your rejoicing, make the decision to accept your gift of sanctification now by turning from the world’s ways and by living for God and His kingdom by believing what God’s word says and by choosing to live by it.  

The gift of sanctification is ours.  So let’s open it up by believing God’s word and walking in the way we should go.    

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s “Evil and Suffering… Why? Is God Fair?

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work.

 

C. Key Questions and Answers about Salvation

Question: "Since the greatest good for mankind is that all people be saved, how can a good God send anyone to hell?"

Answer: God does want everyone to be saved. However, for people to be saved, they must freely choose to put their faith in Christ.

  • Because God has given you free will, it would be impossible for Him to force you to place your faith in Him.
  • People cannot be free and forced at the same time because that is a contradiction, making it an absolute or intrinsic impossibility.

While God desires that no one should perish, God has given you the free choice to repent of sinful ways and yield your life to Him. The Lord Jesus lamented ...

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37)

 

Question: "Why are some people saved and others lost?"

Answer: God's desire is that everyone would come to salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This point is made plain in 1 Timothy 2:3-4, "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." Yet God will not force Himself on anyone. Everyone has the opportunity to accept or reject His free gift of eternal life. God clearly states ...

"You will seek me [God] and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13)

 

Question: "Would God send someone to hell who never heard of Jesus Christ?"

Answer: All human beings receive "a candle of light" from God.

  • If you refuse to respond to the natural revelation of creation made by a God of intelligent design, your heart could become darkened and you may not be receptive to more light.
  • If you respond to general/natural revelation of creation, He will illumine the revelation of Himself. Light rejected brings darkness and judgment. Light received brings the promise of more light. (Read Psalm 9:10; Psalm 19:1-6; Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 12:47-48; John 3:19-20; Romans 1:18-20; 10:14-15.)

"The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men ... The Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." (Titus 2:11; 1 Chronicles 28:9)

 

Question: "How can a good God send people to hell who do not want to go there?"

Answer: Those who go to hell choose to go there by the decisions they make regarding God and their relationship to Him. God then honors those choices because He cannot do otherwise. C.S. Lewis wrote, "There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'Thy will be done.' All that are in hell, choose it."

"The Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment." (2 Peter 2:9)

Question: "Wouldn't a fair God give people a second chance to believe in Him after death?"

Answer: God gives second and third chances—in fact, He gives many opportunities in this lifetime. But realize...

  • Salvation is based on faith—choosing what is unseen, not what is seen.
  • After death, you immediately see the consequence of your choice because the Bible says when Christians are "absent from the body," we are "present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV). Death eliminates the need for faith.
  • "Saving faith" willingly bows the knee to Christ when the option is available to do otherwise.
  • Even up to the last minute on earth, everyone has the option to receive Christ. However, at death, every knee will bow, without an option to do anything else. In order be totally fair, God plainly communicated His plan in the Bible. There are no first or second chances in the next life. Hebrews 9:27 says ... "Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment."

Question: "How can I escape suffering throughout eternity?"

Answer: No one can escape evil and suffering in this life (John 16:33). You can and should expect trials and tribulations, problems, and pain. Yet God, because of His compassion, promises to be your "ever-present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

But make no mistake: Your suffering is designed to be temporary—to come to an end. While there is a suffering that lasts throughout eternity, He has a plan to save you from that suffering. Eternal suffering takes place in the "eternal fire"—a place called hell (Matthew 25:41).

  • Those who never want to be with God in this life have, in fact, already chosen to live without God in the next life. And those who choose not to live God's way in this life have, in fact, already chosen not to accept God's way into the next life.

His perfect plan, however, is that we all escape such suffering.

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Biblical Counseling Keys: Evil and Suffering... Why?: Why God? Why?.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts

(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Is it getting hot in here? – Everyone's Dystopian Present for Christmas – Purity 583


 Is it getting hot in here? – Everyone's Dystopian Present for Christmas –  Purity 583

Purity 583 11/23/2021  Purity 583 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of dried up forest with two evergreen trees was taken by yours truly near the Martin Dunham Reservoir in Grafton NY is shared today to display the undeniable fact that fall has indeed fallen. Yesterday’s photo displaying the bright colors of Autumn in the Adirondacks was taken about a month ago. This was yesterday and you can see that the forest here resembles the proverbial dry bones that we hope will spring to life again, God willing.   The grass has faded, and the leaves have fallen and if it weren’t for those two evergreen trees there wouldn’t be any signs of life at all.  But those evergreens are there, and they will stay that way through the cold and forbidding months that lie ahead, come what may.   

It's Tuesday, and as we draw ever closer to Thanksgiving, I am increasingly thankful for my Christian faith because although the circumstances in this world may change, God stays the same and His word promises:

·       eternal life to those who place faith in Jesus Christ in John 3:16

·       that He will actively work all things for good to those called according to His purpose, in Romans 8:28

·       and that He will never leave us nor forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. 

These promises strengthen our walk and encourage us to be content and be thankful for what we have.  They also comfort us in times of loss. 

The Bible also warns us of perilous times for the Christian in

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV)
1  But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3  unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4  traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5  having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

 

And in

 

Revelation 13:16-18 (NKJV)
16  He causes all, both small and great, rich, and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17  and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18  Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

 

Now while I am far from a prophet of doom, I would say that we are in the midst of the perilous times, and probably have been for decades, that is mentioned in 2 Timothy 3, and that we are increasing moving  towards Revelations 13. 

 

Some have said that the Covid-19 is the mark of the beast and if that is the case I am in big trouble.

 

I believe in body autonomy, and I believe in free will.

 

When faced with the choice to get the shot or not, I was concerned about the possibilities of this indeed being a delivery system of what scripture warns us about.  

 

My relationship with God is the most important thing to me and I didn’t want to do anything that would separate me from Him or to disrupt the harmony of our relationship.  

 

In my walk and in my testimony, look it up, there have been instances that I have “led by the Spirit” to do all kinds of things: including praying for people, doing ministry work, going into the mission field, and making decisions that didn’t always make sense to me but resulted in “blessings” and good consequences.   So when I say that I “prayed about” my decision to get the vaccine, you should understand that it wasn’t anything I did lightly.  

 

Admittedly, I did not do an overabundance of research regarding the shot. If I had I imagine I would have had even more misgivings about being vaccinated but regardless of how much information I would have gleaned from the world, the final result would have been the same: I would have gone to my heavenly Father in prayer and would have acted out of my conscience.  

 

The issue at the forefront of my mind when I considered getting the shot, besides possibly receiving a measure of protection from a potentially deadly disease, was my freedom to move and bring the gospel wherever I go.   

 

I prayed extensively about being vaccinated with the end result being that, for me, vaccination was permissible, apparently.  Whatever actions we take in life are our decision and we will live with the consequences.  Unless the Lord has some sinister plans for me, which I don’t believe at all, the vaccine was “okay” for me to take.

 

As I believe that God has individual callings for each of us, I also believe that it is quite possible for it is “not okay” for someone else to get the shot.  

 

God puts varying levels of conviction on our hearts regarding sin based on our experience, wisdom, and His purposes.  The discourses on having freedom but having to deal with the “weaker brother” indicate this.  In terms of the Covid-19 vaccine, I might be the “weaker brother” that gave in to receive it or be the “stronger brother” to exercise his freedom in an area that wasn’t prohibited, or let’s face it – worst case scenario - I could be one of those who at the judgement seat of Christ are told that He never knew me and be cast into hell because I received the mark of the beast.      

 

Now I included that last possibility for arguments sake, but I have as much certainty about my living relationship with God because of my faith in Christ that I can possibly have. I have been increasingly led by the Lord to follow Him continuously since being saved in 2010 and it has resulted in personal sanctification, good works for His kingdom, and experiences of the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit. 

 

I can only trust the Lord and when I asked in prayer about the Covid-19 vaccine, I perceive that I got a green light.  I trust my relationship with Him that He would have convicted me in my spirit, as He has on other occasions, if it wasn’t permitted.  

 

So if things in our society continue to become more dystopian, as they are becoming more and more each day, I won’t be restricted from access if the only criteria is the shot. 

 

With all that said, I also believe in everyone’s right to say no to the shot and to control what they have done to their bodies.  

 

Forced medical treatments is something that should be associated with the nightmare of Nazi death camps and not something that should determine if someone can work in their chosen profession.  

 

I know several people who are convicted not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and are making a stand on their principles and are choosing to find work elsewhere or changing their careers rather than to doing something against their conscience.   I don’t need to know their personal reasons for why they don’t want to put something into their bodies to support their decision not to.   

 

I am very proud of those who have convictions and who are willing to suffer the consequences for them and choose an alternative path when faced with a moral dilemma where they remain true to their choice of character.    

 

Now while I believe the Covid-19 vaccine is not the mark of the beast, I have to admit that these mask and vaccine mandates and the fearful insistence of trying to establish safety and security at the cost of personal freedoms could be the preliminary measures that the enemy will take advantage of to institute the one world order that is prophesied to come to past under the rule of the coming Antichrist.    

 

Like the proverbial frog in a pot who is boiled to death as the temperature is slowly risen, these government and corporate mandates that are forcibly telling people where they can and can not work are the first measures of what will eventually be the fulfillment of Revelation 13, where people will not be able to buy or sell without the mark of the beast.    

 

The fact that time is increasingly bringing us closer to the end times described in Revelation makes it easy to see that things are getting worse, and that these measures that are supposed to “make us safe” will be the measure used by the demonic forces of darkness to force people to choose between the Anti-Christ and eternal life.

 

I don’t think we are there yet but the dystopian society we live in today, yes today, will become more dystopian in the future. 

 

Yesterday, I was banned for life from r/Christianity for the messages that I post. I encourage people to have an authentic walk with God that preaches the exclusive need for Jesus as Lord and Savior. I also warn people about the spiritual reality of demonic forces. 

 

Yesterday’s, message that resulted in my being banned for life warned of the enemy’s use of offense to cause negative mind states and to cause division. I recommended a course of Bible study, prayer, and continuous gratitude to combat the enemy.  That was all. 

 

Meanwhile r/Christianity allows posts that celebrate sin and encourage doubt and disbelief.  I can’t see how my encouraging messages were a threat to their community, but I can understand that biblical Christianity is a big offense to the enemy and to the hearts of men that are compromised by him.  

 

Not long ago I started saving all of my messages because I realized that there will come a day that my encouraging Christian messages will be banned everywhere.  And with the latest moves of our governments and corporations to deny people their livelihood over receiving a medical treatment that has objectionable ingredients and questionable usefulness, I understand that those dark days are getting closer and closer. 

 

But even though the landscape is dark doesn’t mean that we should stop shining the light of truth that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Just like in today’s photo where all the rest of the landscape is dried and dead, those two ever green trees refuse to follow suit.  So be “green” and share the life that only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. 

 

Stand on your convictions as the Lord leads you, because I believe He has different purposes for all of us, that will all contribute to the fulfillment of His plans and be for the ultimate good for those who love Him. 

 

Keep walking and talking with God. Because you were called for such a time as this to be a light in the darkness, and an example vibrant spiritual life among the dry bones of humanity.

 

 

(There is more content to help you walk out your journey of faith at MT4Christ dot org. You can also subscribe to the mt4christ247 podcast to hear this message, our discipleship classes, and our weekly Bible Study, on Apple, Google, Spotify, and Amazon Podcasts, as well as Audible and Podbean).

#Christian #christianity #encouragement #freedominchrist #christiancounseling #jesuschrist #mt4christ #discipleship #victoryoverthedarkness #Evil #Suffering #mt4christ247podcast 

Today’s Bible verse is drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verse is:

1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT2)
7  A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

Today’s verse speaks of the purpose of God’s gifts to men.  

 

It is clear that God gives gifts to be used to help others.  A list of spiritual gifts drawn from scripture and from an article on BibleStudytools.com, (https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/a-comprehensive-spiritual-gifts-list-to-discover-your-gifts-and-calling.html) includes:

·       Leadership: encouraging and helping others to build the kingdom of God (Romans 12:8 NIV)

·       Administration: helping with long term goals and remaining on task ( 1 Cor. 12:28 NIV)

·       Teaching: instructing in truths and doctrines of God’s Word

·       Knowledge: teaching and discipleship. The ability to learn, know and explain God’s Word

·       Wisdom: the ability to discern works of the Holy Spirit and apply teaching and actions

·       Prophecy: proclaiming the Word of God with boldness (Romans 12:6 NIV)

·       Discernment: being able to recognize the truth about a situation

·       Exhortation: people with this gift are enthusiastic about the Lord and they can motivate others

·       Shepherding: looking out for the spiritual welfare of others

·       Faith: trusting God to fulfill His plan. People with this gift are encouragers

·       Evangelism: the building up of the church so others will be led to Christ

·       Apostleship: motivators, church planters, missionaries: people who look beyond the walls

·       Service/Helps: helping those in need of practical assistance (Romans 12:7 NIV)

·       Mercy: The person with this gift shows acts of compassion

·       Giving: People with this gift will give freely and with joy to further His kingdom

·       Hospitality: Making people feel welcome, appreciated, and wanted (1 Peter 4:9 NIV)

While I could go on a long discourse on the various spiritual gifts and possibly cause a controversy with what my view is regarding what gifts are currently being distributed by God, I think today that we will just focus on the purpose of God’s gifts to men.  

As today’s verse says: “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” 

Spiritual gifts are not given to impress one another. 

Spiritual gifts are not to be used for financial gain. 

Spiritual gifts are not to be used to create division of the have’s and have nots. 

Spiritual gifts are not to create confusion. 

Spiritual gifts are not to lead to sin.  

Spiritual gifts are given by God for His glory, His purposes, and to help His people.  

So seek out and pray to discover your  spiritual gift. Ask the Lord to assist you to understand and use the special gift He has given you to help those around you.   

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s “Evil and Suffering… Why? Is God Fair?

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work.

 

IV. Steps to Solution

After Job passed through his severe trial, he came to the realization that God was still there, still loved him, and was still providing for all of his needs. He saw beyond his circumstances and grasped a new vision and insight into the fairness of God. In Job 42:5-6 he states, "My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." Sometime later, Job comes to the point of fully accepting God's sovereignty. (Read Job 42:7-17.) Instead of questioning the goodness of God by asking, "Why do good people suffer?" Job spent the rest of his life humbly trusting God ...

"Then Job repled to the Lord, 'I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted ... Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.'" (Job 42:1-3)

A. Key Verse to Memorize

"Those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19)

B. Key Passage to Read and Reread

Romans 8:18-25

We can never attain a thorough understanding of the reasons for all the evil and suffering in this world. Yet as Christians, we do have God's own Word (the Bible), which speaks of some of the reasons for His purposes in allowing human pain and suffering. Our first clue is revealed in Genesis, where Adam and Eve live in a state of bliss, yet by their own choice defy God's only command. Does their disobedience not demonstrate that when left to its own devices, the human spirit will not surrender self-will to its Creator as long as "all is well"? This being the case, does suffering not then become a "gift" from God that allows us to experience the depth of His love that a life of ease could never conceive? Pain and suffering may take a hardened heart and point it to the inevitable truth that "all is not well," thus opening the door to the profound reality that nothing that happens in this life will ever compare to the happiness and joy awaiting those who become children of God.

In spite of your present suffering...

  • Realize: Nothing will compare to the glorious future God has planned for you.... v. 18
  • Realize: All that God has created eagerly awaits the glory that will be revealed in you as a child of God.... v. 19
  • Realize: You see a world contaminated by sin, but God's plan is for you to be liberated from your present bondage and brought into a marvelous freedom that is yours as a child of God.... vv. 20-21
  • Realize: It is plain even now, when you have eyes to see, that all living things are waiting for that day of deliverance.... v. 22
  • Realize: Even when you have just begun to know Christ, you can now eagerly await the day when you will be free of all suffering and living in the fullness of Him.... v. 23
  • Realize: You are saved by your hope in Christ, yet the meaning of hope is to wait and count on that which you cannot yet see.... v. 24
  • Realize: If you hope for that which you cannot see, you
    must then wait eagerly, but with patience and endurance.... v. 25


Biblical Counseling Keys: Evil and Suffering... Why?: Why God? Why?.

---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

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(https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

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Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship