Daily Archives: April 22, 2020

Weekly Devotional 3-30-20 Does God Work That Way?

Concerning hardships accidents, pain, illnesses, sorrows, storms, and even death, I have heard some say; God caused this or that to teach us something, test us, or grow our faith. Still, others have said, God prevented this or that (such as being involved in an accident), but does God work that way? We live in a two-dimensional world, the physical realm, and the spiritual realm. As to the physical realm, catastrophe struck when Adam disobeyed God and took of the forbidden fruit. As a result of that disobedience, God cursed the earth. That curse opened the door to deterioration and the eventual death of all living things. We read from Genesis 2:8-10 and 2:15-17:

“8 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil….15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

We know from the account (Genesis 3:1-7) that Adam did take and eat of the fruit and died toward God spiritually in the instant that he took of it. But also, physical death was commenced in him, not immediate death but a progression of death. We also read that because Adam disobeyed God, God cursed the earth. Consider Genesis 3:17-19: “17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. 18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.” 

Pain, sorrow, hardship, and physical death were/are resultant of that judgment. The first thing we read about after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, is Cain killing Abel (Genesis 4:1-15).  Then jumping ahead a few years, we read that man, following the desires of his fallen nature and the enticements of Satan (who is at war against God and man), turned their backs on God, becoming so wicked that God destroyed them all except eight persons. He did this by causing it to rain torrentially for 40 days and a breaking up of the earth’s crust, which allowed trapped waters to gush forth. this changed the topography of the planet, causing continual shifting of wind currents (the jet stream), extreme fluctuations of temperatures, and a weakening of a protective layer (the ozone layer) that protected man from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. 

Eight persons survived the flood, however, they had the same fallen nature that possessed their fallen fellows and history witnesses to what that fallen nature has produced, i.e., adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.; (see Galatians 5:19-21).  These things cannot be laid at the door of God but at the door of fallen man.

Something else followed Adam’s disobedience; God removed His protective hand from man to a certain extent, allowing Satan to bring all sorts of harm upon them. A Biblical example of this is the sufferings of Job. (I suggest that you read the Book of Job). It is true that hardships, pain, illnesses, sorrows, storms, accidents, wars, and even death are indirectly a result of God’s cursing the earth and man but not directly caused by God. An allowance of God, yes, but not God’s direct cause.

As to God allowing these things, He has a purpose, the purpose of creating in man the desire for relief. If everything were without calamity, man would not consider God, as he ought. Thus God permits these things as He wants to be considered by man, but more than that, He wants to be worshiped by man.  To accomplish this, God allowed/allows the calamities mentioned above. Consider, however, that before His creation of the physical world, God planned to intrude into that world with the glorious purpose of restoration.

Thus, in a sense, there are two parallel kingdoms, the kingdom of this world and the kingdom of heaven. All persons are born into the temporal kingdom-the kingdom of this world, which is ruled by and subject to the powers of spiritual darkness. The second kingdom, however, the kingdom of heaven, is a spiritual kingdom and can only be entered into by a second birth, a spiritual rebirth. When one is born into this kingdom, he becomes a changed person. However, the physical world in which he lives does not change, it is still subjected to accidents, hardships pain, illnesses, sorrows, storms, molecular breakdown, and even death. But as mentioned above, there must be a desire created in man to want spiritual rebirth. Thus the allowed calamities.  The natural man (unredeemed man), which is all persons before spiritual rebirth, has no real desire of God, in truth, man is alienated toward God.

But God, because of His love for man, creates that desire in man, and He does this in various ways. His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) witnesses to man; God witnesses to man through nature about His Person and His goodness; and His provision is seen in the earth’s abundances. But He also allows accidents, hardships, pain, illnesses, sorrows, storms, and even death to cause man to want relief.

For some, those who will recognize and turn to God as a result of these various testimonies, there will be “1 a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4). Hallelujah. 


Weekly Devotional 4-6-20 Not the Cause but Active In

Last week we suggested that God does not cause the many things that plague man, i.e., illnesses, hardships, pain, sorrow, disasters of nature, earthquakes, strife between persons, wars, and even death. We suggested that disasters of nature and earthquakes are resultant of the worldwide flood of Adam’s day. That flood changed the topography of the earth, altering earth’s phenomenon, and reduced the density of the ozone layer that surrounded (surrounds) the earth. We suggested that many of the illnesses that plague man are resultant, in one way or another, to these changes and are not direct causes of God. Indirectly yes, but not directly. God did curse the earth and man because of Adam’s sin (See Genesis, Chapter 3) not in vengeance but in love of man. God knew what would result from man separating himself from Him i.e., adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like (See Galatians 5:19-21) and determined that man would not be allowed to live separated from Him forever. He could have ended Adam’s life immediately when Adam sinned and started over, but that would not have satisfied his love for Adam nor Adam’s offspring, humanity.

To satisfy His love of man, He allowed Adam to disobey Him, bringing all the above mention tragedies but had preordained that He would sacrifice Himself to undo man’s separation from Him and bring an end to sin and its consequences. He predetermined that He would become a man and die as a man to redeem man back to Himself. The gospels of Matthew and Luke tell us how God became that man and the apostle John in his gospel, elaborates on His life. More importantly, he elaborates on His death. This is capsulated by verses 16 and 17 of chapter 3. He wrote: 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. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” And we read from the book of Romans 5:8-19

“8 But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned– 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

In His love for man, God gave Himself in the person of Jesus Christ for man’s redemption and justification. But, man in his fallen state (the indirect result of Adam’s sin) has no desire for true God but is self-centered and self-willed. He wants to be autonomous (self-directed) under no authority but his own. The problem is, he is a creature with a fallen nature, a nature that is motivated by selfish desires, not being able to recognize God. Man’s fallen nature and selfish ambition is what is behind all the motivations mentioned above (Page one-paragraph one). But still, God loves man and desires that man be in a right relationship with Him. But unless man’s desires are changed, that cannot be realized. So, as mentioned last week, God works among and in man to create that desire. He does this in various ways. He has given His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) as a witness to man; He testifies to man through nature and His provision, and He also allows accidents, hardships, pain, illnesses, sorrows, storms, and even death to cause man to want relief.

Certainly then, God wants persons to turn to Him for restoration (for salvation) so that He may shower them with His love. Consider 2nd Peter 3:9 and 1st Timothy 2:1-4).

 2nd Peter 3:9 “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.”

1st Timothy 2:1-4  “1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

So yes, God wants and is active in the salvation of lost man. He first creates in man a desire, He speaks to them of His being through nature and catastrophes, and by his Spirit. This creates in man, even though not necessarily recognizable, a void. And lastly, but not least, He reaches out to man by proclamation. The proclamation of man himself. That is, by redeemed persons.

Redeemed persons cannot keep silent. We find burning within us a desire to tell others about Jesus, our redeemer. The apostle Paul is an excellent example of this. Consider, for instance, an excerpt from his letter to the Romans; “1 I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Romans 9:1-3).

It is the goodness of God that created this desire in Paul, and it is the goodness of God that creates this desire in all those whom He redeems. 

So dear friends, God is not the cause of disasters, of hardship, pain, sorrows, strife among men, wars, nor even death, but He is active in those things to bring us to Himself. Hallelujah.

Weekly Devotional 4-13-20

What About Us Christians, Doesn’t God Care

It is certain that Christians suffer much that non-Christians suffer. Earthquakes and Tornados, for instant, are not selective but devastate the lives of both. Sickness and viruses attack both. Cancer, heart attacks, and strokes are the experiences of many, Christian and non-Christian alike. Doesn’t God care about us, His children? Yes, He does, but being a Christian does not reverse the effects of God’s curse of the natural (physical) realm in which we live. In our last two works, we considered the curse, man’s sin and its effects, and God’s purpose of allowing the ravages of that curse. We found that being reborn into the spiritual realm does not exclude one from the ravages of the natural realm. And, we considered that God’s intent of cursing the earth and man wasn’t/isn’t punishment, but a means of causing man to seek relief from its effects.

Moving to a conclusion of these thoughts, we should remind ourselves that God loves the whole of humanity; this is stated best in the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus: Jesus said: 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17). God so loved man that he sent His only begotten Son into the world to bring salvation, not eternal condemnation. But, because man loved the experiences of his unregenerate old nature, he would/will not respond to God’s loving offer, even after God sacrificed His Son on the cross for them. Unrelenting, God sent His Spirit (The Holy Spirit) into the world to convince and convict man of his sin and his need of salvation (See John 16:7-8). Still, man, even after he was convinced and convicted of his sin, would not turn to Him. But because He continued to love man and because He would honor the sacrifice of His son, God commissioned His Spirit to regenerate new spiritual life in those He (God the Father) would call because of that honoring. In regards to this I would draw your attention to the afore-mentioned conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus said to him: “4 Assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God….5 assuredly I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:3…5-7). What tremendous love; impossible for us to understand unless we consider it in light of Paul’s words found in his first letter to the Corinthians:  “4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails” 1(1st Corinthians 13:4-8). [Even though Paul is addressing a different issue in this passage the point  is applicable—this kind of love reflects God’s love].  

God so loved man and wanted/wants to have an eternal relationship with them that He satisfied the requirement for that relationship, the sacrifice of Himself, in the flesh of His only begotten Son, and He sent His Spirit into the world to bring man unto Him. Still, man refused/refuses to respond, so God, via His Spirit, births in some persons new spiritual life, assuring that they will turn to Him.  Again turning to the writings of the apostle Paul we read from his letter the Ephesians: “1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

But, God didn’t stop there; we read from Paul’s letter to the Romans that He has predestined, those whom the Spirit regenerates, to be conformed to the image of His Son so that they and He will have sweet fellowship throughout eternity. Consider: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs–heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Nothing can separate a Christian from God’s love. So Yes, God cares for us. We can rest in this truth.

Weekly Devotional 4-20-20

Does God Work That Way, Conclusion

Even though God ultimately controls the affairs of the world, it should not be claimed (as some do) that He directly causes all things, i.e., hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, accidents, disease, congenital disabilities, etc. He may, in fact, cause some of these things at various times, for reasons only known to Him, but who can emphatically claim that God caused this or that, or did this or that? In our latest devotional we suggested that congenital disabilities, disease and even death are a result of God’s cursing the earth and the lessening of the ozone layer that surrounds the earth when the canopy that surrounded the earth was opened, and the earth was deluged with rain for 40 days and 40 nights. This opened the door to ultraviolet rays which affects/ affected the molecular structure of the cells of all living matter.  The worldwide deluge of rain also changed the topography of the earth resulting in a constant shifting of earths tectonic plates which caused/causes earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The formation of mountains, valleys, and the pooling of large bodies of water (oceans) affected/affects wind movements and temperature changes hence storms of various magnitudes. These may be indirect causes of God but not necessarily direct cases, who can rightly say?

One thing is definite; God is at work in all things to bring about His intended purpose. If one grand of sand was not under His sovereign authority, He could not be God, for that one grand of sand would be superior to Him. However, He is sovereign and ultimately rules in both the temporal kingdom (the kingdom of this fallen world) and the spiritual kingdom of heaven. As to the temporal realm of this world, we read from Daniel 2:21 that God controls the course of world events; He removes kings and sets up other kings. He sets time limits on their kingdom, and He takes their kingdoms away. He does this by allowing man to follow the dictates of his fallen nature, giving them a certain amount of latitude.  As He is at work in the temporal kingdom of this world, He is also at work in the parallel spiritual kingdom of heaven. As to the kingdoms of this world, one only has to consider the unredeemed citizens of Nineveh and How God caused the reluctant Jonah to bring God’s message to them. How He raised up Esther to preserve Israel when evil Haman sought its annihilation. And He sent His Spirit into the world of fallen man to convince and convict them of sin and regenerate many to newness of spiritual life. As to the kingdom of heaven, God adds to its populace via the preaching of the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. We read from the book of Acts that God added to the church daily (Acts 2:47). He continues that work today. 

Once regenerated to new spiritual life, the Holy Spirit continually works in the believer’s life, conforming him or her into the image of Jesus Christ, God the Son, (Romans 8:28-30).

It is the conclusion of this writer that God doesn’t directly cause all things that happen, but certainly He is engaged both in the world of the non-Christian and in the world of the Christian. I pray that this entire series titled “Does God Work That Way’ has blessed you in some way or another.

Steve

stevelampman.com

Transforming power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man

Leave a Comment

Filed under Devotional