We must be more attuned to the effects of sin in our world and boldly proclaim the power of a Savior who will not only instantaneously forgive our transgressions, but will one day reverse all the systemic consequences of sin.
We must always remember that the biblical Jesus is an offense to the world so that we can remain joyful and resolute when our alliance and loyalty to him cause conflicts with non-Christians.
If God is a good and loving God, why is there evil, pain and suffering in the world?
If God is a good and loving God, why is there evil, pain and suffering in the world?
A common question for Christians is, “If God is so good, why is there evil in the world?” Pastor Mike tackles this question in this installment of Bible Answers with Pastor Mike.
We should boldly, confidently, and prayerfully trust God is working out a good plan in utilizing our lives in a specific way for his glory regardless of how daunting the opposition might be.
When we experience the inevitable betrayal from those we trusted, we must give ourselves to prayer as we trust our loving and attentive God will eventually make things right.
The present world will be filled with injustice that will often touch close to home and should rightly make us indignant, but we should not despair, but rather pray, knowing God’s coming justice is certain.
Though painful circumstances and personal opposition may tempt us to doubt God’s care, we must recall his promises and his faithfulness and choose to live confidently as we rest in his good plan for his kids.
The wise men, who sacrificially left their country to worship the Christ child, provide us with an exemplary motivation to sacrifice the world’s pleasures and comforts to follow and serve Christ.
We would do well to keep this sinful world and our eternal salvation in perspective, pitying the lost and joyfully anticipating the return of our glorified and exalted Savior.
We must remember and wholeheartedly affirm God’s good management of all things in history, in life, and the future, confident that all things work together for good.
We ought to expect a turbulent and hostile experience as we seek to stand with Christ and advance his cause in this world, remaining resolute, unafraid, and confident in God’s promise of ultimate deliverance.
Though the arrival of Christ’s visible kingdom is yet future, his kingly reign has begun over his people now, and so we must endure the present age with anticipation, devotion, and an evangelistic drive.
Because following Christ and living for him will inevitably give rise to criticism and slander, we must prayerfully discern when to respond and how to answer with wisdom and integrity.
Even as regenerate children of God we should not be surprised at the pain and suffering in our lives because we live in a fallen world, which thankfully will one day be made perfect by the exercise of Christ’s power.
While one day all pain and problems will be behind us, for now we must draw strength from God’s family as we endure the sting of strained and fractured relationships that are inevitable because of our alliance with Christ.
Though in our fallen world we are not exempt from violent crimes and deadly persecution that will perennially threaten our well-being, the reliability of God’s good promises can enable us to renounce our fears.
It is easy to fool ourselves (and others) with the words we use to express our loyalty to Christ, what matters is possessing a faith that expresses itself by a willingness to follow him despite the costs.
We must be prepared to incur the kind of rejection Christ and the Apostles regularly encountered, knowing that it is not our job to retaliate but to seek peace and entrust ourselves to a just God.
God is sovereign, always working out his good plans, in, through, and around our lives – our call is to trust him even when those plans surprise us with unexpected turns and painful experiences.
We need a wholehearted reliance on all the promises of Christ, knowing that past experiences won’t be enough when trials come to test our faith.
When times get tough Christians need to rely on the unchangeable realities that are guaranteed to us because of the grace provided to us in Christ.
Difficulties in life can tempt us to doubt Christ’s power, concern and sovereignty, but we must trust him, remembering the proof of his credentials which reassure us of his coming kingdom.
We need to consider the relative unimportance of our pain and loss associated with standing for Christ, and focus instead on the conversion of our opponents.
We must allow the benefits of standing with Christ and his people to overshadow the painful relational consequences that will inevitably come from doing so.
Though the next life will be characterized by happiness and joy, for now, because of sin in our world and in our lives Christians will have plenty of grief and a lot for which to mourn.
Pastor Mike answers questions on the Bible, God and Christianity Questions in this service: When do we invite someone to come to a church service when we are evangelizing? In creation, are the 6 days actual days or some kind of extended period of time? Is anointing with oil something Christians should be doing today? …
We will experience a variety of sorrows on earth while we await Christ’s return, but our pain is mitigated by our anticipation, and the many foretastes of the kingdom which God supplies.
We must get used to the tension that results from keeping God & his agenda supreme in our lives while attending to this life’s legitimate obligations & responsibilities.