Here’s a question to ponder. Does God make bad things happen to people for their bad behavior?

Some people say, that bad things happen in life because sin exists, but don’t believe that specific things happen to specific people because of their bad behavior. Other people believe they disagree.

The bible is very clear in many stories, that God punishes people for their bad behavior.

For example, why did God destroy people during the flood. Genesis 6:5 says, “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth..” verse 7, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth.”

Another example is the story of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19. God destroyed the city due to the people’s wickedness; And the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. They sold some property and told the disciples they were donating all the proceeds to the cause of the early Christians, but they actually did not give all the money but were lying. Both died on the spot.

My conclusion is that, yes, God sometimes does let or cause bad things to happen to people because of their un-repentant sin. This shouldn’t frighten believers, however, because as 1 John 1:9 says, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

As a result, we will try to do God’s will. The bible is also full of stories of people like Rahab, David, Paul, Matthew, and many others who trusted God ,turned from their sinful ways, and became important and blessed people.

Believers will have problems and difficulties “bad things” too. Often these are given to us to make us better, stronger and more faithful, rather than as punishment. However, if the problems draw us closer to Jesus, it is the right result.

Dear Lord, you are active in our world and lives, much more than most of us may realize. Help us acknowledge you in everything we do, thank you for our blessings, and draw near during our trials. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Luke 8:22-25 tells about Jesus and the disciples sailing across a lake. “One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and started out. As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap. But soon a fierce storm came down on the lake. The boat was filling with water, and they were in real danger. The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and the raging waves. Suddenly the storm stopped and all was calm. Then he asked them,“Where is your faith?”

We could read Jesus’ question “Where is your faith?” as a rhetorical question, like a figure of speech meaning, “you don’t have faith.”

However, you could alternatively look at the question as Jesus actually asking the question and expecting an answer. “Where is your faith?” And the answer in this case would be, their faith was in the likelyhood of them drowning. They actually said, “we are going to drown.” Using their words, they were expressing their faith.

I think God is trying to get a message to us with this story. When we say things like, “I’ll never lose weight,” or “I’ll never get out of debt,” or “I am always late.” We are reinforcing a belief, (faith) in those statements.

We need to turn things around and put our faith where it should be, saying things like, “with God’s help, I will be on time.” or “By the grace of God I will lose weight,” or “I am confident God will make this situation work out.”

Dear Lord, We all occasionally have lapses in our faith and trust in you to be with us in all types of situations. Help us remember to speak with faith in your ability to make things work out well. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

You may have heard it said, “You become who you run with, and they become you.” I don’t remember being told this when I was younger, but I must have been, because I remember having thoughts in disagreement with that opinion. I thought, “my character is what it is, and who I hang around with will not change it.” As I got older, I realized my view was not realistic. I also recognized that it is very difficult to evaluate one’s own situation, objectively, while in it.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 says, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning.” The Revised Standard Version translates it, “Bad company ruins good morals.”

It is important to, periodically, evaluate with whom we are spending our time. True, we can be the positive influence on others who need improvement in their behavior, but we should be part of a group that has a high moral standard and the whole group can be the influence on those who need improvement, rather than us, individually, trying to lift up the standards of the rest of the group.

In modern times, it is not just the people we physically spend time with that influence us, it is also the people we follow on twitter, facebook, youtube, TV and radio that are influencers of our character. We need to evaluate these, as well.

Dear Lord, part of the Christian life is choosing those with whom we socialize, and you provide us good guidance in your word. Help us follow our conscience, and avoid the situations and if necessary, the people that erode our good morals and character. in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

There never seems to be an end to the number of books and stories written on Leadership. There are books that advocate any leadership style imaginable, from the Autocratic brutal leadership of ancient warriors, to the softer consensus building leadership styles more common in some modern firms.

Jesus gives his disciples a lesson in leadership in Matthew 10:25-28 saying, “.. whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Leadership is difficult. It is taking on the responsibility for something you cannot do on your own, requiring others’ efforts to complete the objective. Some leaders become demanding and controlling, treating people as just tools to accomplish the leaders objectives. The servant leader, that Jesus describes, serves people and helps carry their burdens, while they all contribute to success.

Few take on the responsibility to lead; It opens us up to criticism and risk, but it also offers the joy of accomplishing more than we can on our own, and the opportunity to share, with others, the love God shares with us.

Dear Lord, there is no better leadership example that Jesus Christ, and no more important mission than the one you gave us in Matthew 28:19, to “go and make disciples.” Help us be leaders in for you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Many people know early in their lives what they want to do as a career, or pursuit in life, but many of us don’t. For many, life becomes a continual process of looking for that mission that we are “supposed” to be on.

The Bible provides some wisdom for those searching for their mission in Ecclesiastes.

Solomon, considered to be the wisest man in history, wrote in Ecclesiastes 11:4-7 “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest. Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another—or maybe both.”

I think the message for those that don’t have a clear idea of their calling, to pick something and work at it, always looking and listening for God’s direction. If we do our best, with faith in God’s direction, he will lead us.

Dear Lord, Thank you that we can have confidence that you have a plan for us. Help us find the paths that you intend for us, and put our trust in your guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.