One thing that confuses non-believers is, if there is a God, and God is good, why do so many bad things happen in the world? This question assumes that God’s intent is to make everything nice and pleasant for people on earth, and if that isn’t happening, then God must not be in control.

Psalm 119:91 says, “Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.” the NIV version puts it this way, “Your laws endure to this day. For all things serve you.”

God is in complete control of what is happening in our world, and as has been described in many cases in the Bible, God’s plans often include things that are not very pleasant for some people. Some examples include the Great Flood, the Babylonian captivity, the martyring of believers, etc. In our world today we see government tyranny, domestic violence, wars, diseases, and natural disasters, that cause terrible pain and suffering for people. We don’t always know why God is letting these things happen, but we need to keep our faith and trust in God’s plan, and remember there is something much bigger and more significant beyond the horizon of our life on earth.

I like the expression, “We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know who holds the future.”

Dear Lord, Help us remember that you created all things for your purposes and your plans, not ours. We need to remember our part is to accept your gift of Salvation, bring glory to you, and to love our neighbor. If we keep these things in mind, we can have peace knowing that you have everything under control and as Paul wrote in Romans 14:8 “If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Sometimes we get things a bit out of perspective, and think that we can make deals with God, like we might do with a friend. For example, we are getting pulled over for speeding and say, “God, I’ll go to church if you prevent me from getting this ticket,” or “God, if you help me make this sale, I’ll put more in the offering plate.”

We sometimes forget the incredible difference there is between us and God. Isaiah writes God’s words in chapter 66:2-3, “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool: What Temple can you build for me as good as that? My hand has made both earth and skies, and they are mine. Yet I will look with pity on the man who has a humble and a contrite heart, who trembles at my word.”

The NET translation finishes this verse like this, “I show special favor to the humble and contrite, who respect what I have to say.”

We need respect the awesome power of God; Power to destroy as He chooses, but also power to bless those He chooses.

Dear Lord, You are Power and Love. We thank You for loving us enough to save us through Jesus Christ. Help us look to You with humble and contrite hearts and do what you direct us to do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

In Genesis 12:2 God tells Abram (whom God subsequently renamed Abraham) “I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.”

This is how we should look at the blessings we receive as well. Our intelligence, people skills, and success, or the promotion, pay raise, or bonus at work, are not just things to let us enjoy our lives, they are blessings from God so that we can be blessings to others.

Dear Lord, you have blessed us all with incredible things, our talents, intelligence, wisdom, fame, relationships, families, financial resources, and many other blessings. Help us remember that these are given to us for ourselves, but also so that we may be blessings to others. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I have heard it said that there is really only one sin, and that is the sin of Pride. All others sins result from this one. Pride is the desire to satisfy our self-centered focus above all other things.

There is a difference between the pride of feeling good for accomplishing something, or the pride in the success of our friends and loved ones and Pride of superiority. The problem occurs when, like many good things, the pride it is distorted and becomes above everything including God.

Pride was the cause of Satan’s fall. He was originally one of the angels, Lucifer, star of the morning. Isaiah 12:13 says about him, “You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God” Ezekiel 28:17 writes about Satan, “Your heart was filled with pride because of all your beauty. Your wisdom was corrupted by your love of splendor.”

We rationalize our sins when we put our love of ourselves, our pride, above God. “I want this or that,” gives us the reason, for greed, envy, lust, hate, etc.. Psalm 10:4 writes, “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”

I believe the antidote to this sinful pride is gratitude, or thankfulness. It is very difficult to be self-absorbed and be truly thankful at the same time; Particularly, we need to be thankful to God for all he has given us.

Dear Lord, everything good that we have comes from you. Help us remember to give our thanks to you for our success, intelligence, health, strength, family, friends and all good things, and protect us from the devils lure toward sinful pride. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Yesterday the forces of evil came out of the darkness to kill and injure college students in Michigan. This battle with evil has been going on since Adam and Eve, and will continue until the Lord returns. We may think that these evil acts are the result of the few bad people who inflict them, but Paul tells us otherwise.

He says in Ephesians 6:12, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The Evil One, as the Bible describes the Devil, is manipulating people to turn them from God, harm others, and destroy themselves. He is a master of tricks and lies to convince people to do evil.

We must constantly be on our guard and put our faith in God to give us strength and to protect us. We must also remember not to allow the evil done against us to be used to manipulate us to do evil as well.

Dear Lord, though we may see and experience acts of evil in our world and not understand why, we can know that with faith in you we do not need to fear. Give peace to those affected by these events and hope in the knowledge of your Salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.