March 2020 Words of Life (Week 2)

Why are Bad Things Happening in the World? (Part 1)

Before I was afflicted I went astray… Psalm 119:67a

          If you watch the news, you will probably see all the bad things that are happening in the world today.  WHY?  It is important to realize that God is NOT the reason for all these bad things.  Jesus was clear in John 10:10, “The thief [Satan, devil] does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”  Jesus is not the reason for the stealing, killing, and destroying.  You can also look at John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” Or 1 John 3:8b, “The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”  From these verses, God had a purpose for sending His Son, Jesus, back to this earth; to save us, make our lives safe and sound, to bring us abundant life, and to destroy the works of the devil.  Nowhere does it say God wants, or is the reason, for bad things.  God loves YOU and wants the best for you!

          James 1:17a says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.”  Every good thing in your life, on this earth, is from God!  If you choose not to walk with God, He will not force Himself upon you.  He will remove Himself.  Imagine every good thing being removed from your life.  This is what Hell will be like.  This is not what God wants.  2 Peter 3:9b says He is, “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  As we repent and obey God’s Word, Psalm 84:11b says, “No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”  God will not withhold any good thing from us, if we walk uprightly, obeying God and His Word.  As we do this, His Holy Spirit will warn us of any danger that would cause us to divert or change our path (John 16:13).  If we obey God and His Word, we will be protected.  However, if we walk in sin, we will be afflicted.  Psalm 119:67 says, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.”  Psalm 107:17 says, “Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted.

Why are Bad Things Happening in the World? (Part 2)

…I will . . .  heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14b

          If we walk in righteousness, God can and will protect us.  Walking in righteousness is obeying God’s Word.  We must do this in every area of our lives.  When our leaders do something we do not agree with, we should not protest them.  We should not speak badly of them.  We should pray for them.  1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”  We must realize that our battle is not against a person or a group of people.  Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”  We can fight in the flesh all we want, but it will be unfruitful and end up causing strife and division.  Jesus gave us authority over all the power of the enemy in Luke 10:19. He did not give us authority over people, but the enemy.  This is great news because our battle is not against people (Ephesians 6:12), it is against the enemy and this battle will be won in our prayer closet.

          When we fight in the flesh we are leaning to 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”  This is fighting with carnal weapons, but 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.”  Our weapons and authority are exercised when we humble ourselves and pray.  2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  If we turn from our wicked ways and pray for our country and leaders, God will heal our land.

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