Myth, 90

 

~ God Doesn’t Exist Since Bad Things Happen To Good People ~

Myth  ~  This deceptive myth essentially says since bad things happen to good people then there must not be a God. 

Reality  ~  This is based on the false premise that there are good people.  “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22b-23).

There has only been one good Person to walk upon this earth and they crucified Him!

Truth  ~  Jesus teaches the opposite of this myth.  “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

Jesus also put it this way, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20a). 

Again Jesus taught His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). 

“And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

The Better Question  ~  Since we are all sinners to the core why does anything good happen to any of us?

The Answer  ~  “But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15).

Take a look at Psalm 136 where the phrase “His mercy endures forever” occurs 26 times. 

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).  Have you repented to God for your sin?

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Fear God, 214

 

~ Lessons from Psalm 34 ~

God does not want His children living in fear.  “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:2-3).  However, God does want His children to have a proper respect and reverence for Him.  We are told in many places in Scripture to “fear God.”  

This Week’s Passage  ~  “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth [1].  My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad.  Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears [2].  They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.  This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him! [3]  Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!  There is no want to those who fear Him.  The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing [4].

“Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.  Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?  Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.  Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it [5].

 

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry [6].  The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.  The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all [7].  He guards all his bones; not one of them is broken.  Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.  The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned” (Psalm 34:1-22).

Important Points  ~  There are a number of important points in this short passage including, but not limited to:

[1]  Knowing God is a continual thing.  It is not an hour on Sunday in your local church.

[2]  God hears the prayers of His children.

[3]  True happiness and joy comes from a relationship with God. 

[4]  Those who trust the Lord will lack no good necessary thing. 

[5]  The person who fears God will have a different lifestyle. 

[6]  God hears and listens to the prayers of those who fear Him.

[7]  Trusting God does not make life on earth any easier. 

Fearing God Results in Salvation  ~  “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).  “A wise person fears and departs from evil, but a fool rages and is self-confident” (Proverbs 14:16).  This does not mean the Christian is to live a fearful life—but a life which reverences God and seeks to do His will. 

Fearing God Results in Fearlessness  ~  “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1).  The answer is: only God.  With the gift of salvation comes responsibility.

Fearing God Results in Witnessing  ~  “Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul” (Psalm 66:16). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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Suffering For Christ

 

~ 6 Aspects of Christian Suffering ~

Suffering For Righteousness  ~  “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed.  ‘And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled’” (1 Peter 3:14-15).

Suffering Because Of A Godly Lifestyle  ~  “Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the Word of God is not chained.  Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.  This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him” (2 Timothy 2:8-10).

Suffering For The Kingdom Of God  ~  “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:3-8). 

Suffering Because You Are A Christian  ~  “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:16). 

Suffering For Christ  ~  “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29).

Suffering And Glory  ~  “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.

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