WHY, GOD?
Tract
Terrorists kill thousands in senseless
attacks. Wars force tattered families—crippled seniors and helpless
infants—from their homes. Teenagers murder their classmates. Children
disappear.
In the midst of the world's carnage, it
is only natural to wonder, Where is GOD in all this? Why doesn't He do
something? Why does He allow this to happen?
As difficult as it may be to understand, God already has done something. He sent His Son to save us. But Jesus Christ did not enter this world to thwart criminals or overthrow governments. He came to change our hearts.
Even the people of Jesus' day thought their Savior had came to liberate them from oppression. But He did not. He told them, "My kingdom is not of this world...."1
This world—with all its godless wars, murders and inhumanity—exists under the dominion of Satan. Though the Bible clearly states the absolute authority of God, Satan has been given much power, and the evil in this world is under his control.2 That's why the apostle Paul asserted, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against...the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."3
Satan was the first one in history to openly defy God. He also started a philosophy of life that was self-centered and rejected God's authority. That was the birth of sin. Sin assumes a self-designed life plan rather than one purposed by the Creator. Today sin affects the entire human race. We are all guilty of it, and therefore all deserve sin's penalty. "For the wages of sin is death...."4
According to the Bible, peace on earth will not come until after God's final judgments and Christ's Second Coming.5 But peace with God is available now for all who faithfully accept Jesus' death as payment for their sin. "Since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."6
Yes, God permitted evil to be present in this world. He gave
all of us, including Satan, free will. He allows us to choose whether or not we
will follow Him. If God forced us to love and worship Him...that wouldn't be
love. He lets us make up our own minds. Satan and death were defeated when
Jesus Christ rose again after dying on the cross.7
Satan has no reprieve. But you still have a chance. You can come to know "the peace of God, which transcends all understanding"8 by acknowledging the sin in your life and believing that Christ's death on the cross paid sin's penalty for you and that His resurrection offers you new life.
We will never know all the answers to the question,
"Why, God?" But when you open your life to Jesus Christ, He promises
to walk with you through this world's troubles. You will begin to see the world
through His eyes. And He will birth new feelings inside you that you may not
have felt for a long time, if ever...feelings like love, joy, hope...and peace.
Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that
in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!
I have overcome the world."9
This from NEWS BYTES & PROPHECY UPDATES:
19 "Now there was a rich
man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in
splendor every day.
20 "And a poor man named Lazarus (19)
was laid at his gate, covered with sores,
21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were
falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and
licking his sores.
22 "Now the poor man died and was carried away
by the angels to (20)
Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried.
23 "In (21)
Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and
Lazarus in his bosom.
24 "And he cried out and said, '(22)
Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip
of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in (23)
this flame.'
25 "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that (24)
during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad
things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
26 'And besides all this, between us and you there
is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you
will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.'
27 "And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that
you send him to my father's house--
28 for I have five brothers--in order that he may (25)
warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29 "But Abraham said, 'They have (26)
Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.'
30 "But he said, 'No, (27)
father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!'
31 "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen
to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises
from the dead.'"
One day it rained and rained until all the streets flooded. The water kept rising and rising, there was a man standing on his porch. He noticed that the water was about to enter his house, so he prayed with all that he had. “GOD please save me I put my trust in you.”
Right then a boat came by, a voice from the boat said to the man “get in the water is still rising and will flood your house.” But the man answered back, “No GOD will save me”. The water rose to the second floor of the mans house and another boat came by and another voice said. “Get in the water is going to flood your house”. The man again said, “No GOD will save me”. The water rose even further pushing the man to his roof. Right then a helicopter came by, a voice from the helicopter said “grab the rope and we will take you to safety”. The man again replied, “No GOD will save me” So the helicopter moved on. The water rose so high it covered the mans roof and him and he drowned. When he came before GOD, he said to GOD “I put my faith in you to save me from the flood, so why did you let me drown?” GOD said, “ I sent you 2 boats and a helicopter what more did you want?”
In what way do you perceive GOD to help you? Should it be your way? Has mans way been the best way?
You have the instructions why not read them. Will they get
in your way?