We recently spent a week with friends in Colorado near where the wild fires were spreading rapidly. We could actually see the smoke climbing up hillsides dotted with houses as we made our way home down I-25. It was so hard because you knew someone’s home or business was about to be destroyed.
It is truly heartbreaking when we see pictures and videos of devastating fires, earthquakes, floods and other calamities on this planet.
I understand how people are questioning the “why” of it.
When tragedy strikes we often hear (well meaning) folks attribute these events to the “Sovereignty of God.”
And it is truly a tragedy that this ideology is mainly coming from the church, the body of Christ. That God is responsible for, or at the very least, agreeable to all the bad things happening in the world.
I believe that much of this doctrine arrives from the “Sovereignty of God” teaching that I grew up with, and is still so prevalent in many churches, and it is considered sacrilegious to even suggest otherwise.
Yet, it is on my heart to counter this teaching with the Word of God. His truth. His heart.
And the truth is, God is good, and the Devil is bad. Jesus declares in John 10:10 that, “The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that may have it more abundantly.” Notice that He didn’t say, “that they WILL have it more abundantly…” Jesus has provided it, but we have free will to believe, choose and act on our beliefs. Why is that?
In the Old Testament we were under a different covenant with God. Even though in Gen. Cpt. 1,God had given mankind dominion over the earth that He had created, we turned that God given authority/dominion/power over to Satan in Gen. Cpt. 2.
Now God IS sovereign in the sense that He IS GOD and there is NO other! But in His sovereignty He gave us dominion over the earth, and free will to choose. Life or death. Blessing or cursing. Deut. 30:19 And “He honors His word above His name.” Psalm 138:2
But in His foreknowledge He knew what Adam and Eve would do, and that we would need a Savior. But He had a plan.
He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in our place, took all of our sins upon Himself and made a way for us (mankind) to be reconciled back to God through Jesus. His precious blood paid the price for our redemption, God made peace with the world, but that does not mean that every person will choose to make peace with God. Every person who chooses to become a child of God, (John Chapter 1), will receive eternal redemption in Christ Jesus.
Now, we still live in a fallen world, and men’s hearts are evil, and even though the Lord made away for mankind to be redeemed in the Spirit, the world has not been redeemed yet. The earth is not evolving into better, no on the contrary, the earth is breaking down, things are growing out of control. (I am not even going there about global warming.)
We are in a spiritual battle. Now, not everything that happens is spiritual, but neither should we attribute it all to just the physical realm. You know, Jesus rebuked the storm that threatened the lives of the disciples, if God was behind the storm, then Jesus would not have been right to rebuke it. “Satan cannot cast out Satan.”
God/Jesus knew how he created the elements of the world and He called it “good.” Maybe, we need a refresher course on what the difference is between “good and evil.” (You know, sickness is not a blessing, but that’s another column.)
The earth is now out of order, and the Bible describes it as birth pains growing more severe as we approach the end of the world. (Matt: 24:7-9)
As well, the hearts of men are inherently evil, born with a sin nature, and the love of many will grow cold. Thus, today we read about the acts of evil. Not the acts of God.
Listen, I do not have room in this column to expand on this, but God is doing everything within His will to help us, without over powering our own free.
In truth, through the atonement of Christ He has already provided for all of our needs here, complete salvation which includes healing, deliverance, provision, and for the born again children of God- filed with His Holy Spirit- the power and authority to rebuke the works of darkness.
I have dear friends who live in Clearwater Florida, and when they were under the threat of Hurricane Milton they were able to evacuate off of the beach a little farther inland, yet they were still facing a life threatening 10-15 ft. storm surge prediction. We (and many others), prayed against the power of the Hurricane, and rebuked that storm surge, and that wall of water did not happen. Praise God! (Now, I am still growing in the knowledge of what God has provided for us here in His promises, and learning how to exercise my faith to see it come pass, but I am believing for it.)
You know, Hosea 4:6 declares that we are perishing for lack of knowledge about what His promises that are in His word. There are many churches teaching sound doctrine of God’s love, grace and mercy, along with our responsibility to know His word and act on it. Rebuke the Devil when he tries to trespass on our freedoms in Christ.
No weapon formed again us shall prosper and we shall condemn ever evil spoken word …
You know, I have heard many testimonies from people who did not go into the office on 9-11. For different reason they choose not to go. On the other hand, I have also read other instances where people said they knew that the Lord had put it on their hearts not to go or do something but didn’t listen and Satan, not God was able to “steal, kill and bring destruction” in their lives.
Praise God for His mercies are new everyday because non of us are doing life perfectly.
The bottom line is “God is love” and His love never fails!
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
