Tough Questions with RC Sproul

Why does God let random shootings, fatal accidents, and other horrible things occur?

 

Since we believe that God is the author of this planet and is sovereign over it, it’s inevitable that we ask where he is when these terrible things take place.

I think the Bible answers that over and over again from different angles and in different ways. We find our first answer, of course, in the book of Genesis, in which we’re told of the fall of humanity. God’s immediate response to the transgression of the human race against his rule and authority was to curse the earth and human life. Death and suffering entered the world as a direct result of sin. We see the concrete manifestation of this in the realm of nature, where thorns become part of the garden and human life is now characterized by the sweat of the brow and the pain that attends even the birth of a baby. This illustrates the fact that the world in which we live is a place that is full of sorrows and tragedy.

But we must never conclude that there’s a one-to-one correlation in this life between suffering and the guilt of the people on whom tragedies fall. If there were no sin in the world, there would be no suffering. There would be no fatal accidents, no random shootings. Because sin is present in the world, suffering is present in the world, but it doesn’t always work out that if you have five pounds of guilt, you’re going to get five pounds of suffering. That’s the perception that the book of Job labors to dispel, as does Jesus’ answer to the question about the man born blind (John 9:1-11).

On the other hand, the Bible makes it clear that God lets these things happen and in a certain sense ordains that they come to pass as part of the present situation that is under judgment. He has not removed death from this world. Whether it’s what we would consider an untimely death or a violent death, death is part of the nature of things. The only promise is that there will come a day when suffering will cease altogether.

The disciples asked Jesus about similar instances—for example, the Galileans’ blood that was mingled with the sacrifices by Pilate or the eighteen people who were killed when a temple collapsed. The disciples asked how this could be. Jesus’ response was almost severe. He said, “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish,” again bringing the question back to the fact that moral wickedness makes it feasible for God to allow these kinds of dreadful things to take place in a fallen world.

 

– Now, That’s a Good Question! Copyright © 1996 by R. C. Sproul

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Lots of things you can subscribe to, like Bible reading plans, Devotionals, words of promises, and even jokes. I personally am receiving words from Max Lucado, a world best-selling author and some devotions.

 

 

Friendzoned

Syntax Error

 

for me the term ‘friendzone’ is an error on its own.

for me this term cannot mean anything other than what other terms already mean.

 

whoa what?

 

i mean that everything we think friendzoning means, we actually can explain it more accurately with other words.

so we dont NEED this word friendzone.

in fact, all it does is create more vagueness and irresponsibility.

 

i mean seriously.

you categorize someone you treat as a friend as friendzoned?

then what about strangers?

strangerzoned?

 

and so what if i WAS friendzoned?

does that mean that i wont have the chance to be in a “more than friends” relationship with that girl?

does that mean that a strangerzoned person will always be a stranger?

 

didn’t we all start as strangers?

all my bestfriends weren’t my bestfriends from the moment i met them.

 

and as a term, the word “friendzone” sucks because the meaning just depends on who is saying it.

and that person STILL has to explain what his version of friendzone is anyways.

its like saying “oh i friendzoned you because i think we cant be more than friends yet we can be friends”.

why don’t you just say “oh we can be friends but not more than that”?

its more simple.

 

simple. straightforward. honest. no beating around the bush.

 

 

New Shalom – Lecrae

Acts 16:25-34

Freedom!

 

It was before midnight when I did my third round of checks. I made sure all doors are locked, no suspicious activities, and all the prisoners are accounted for. All was in order, except maybe a prisoner who was biting at his cell bars. But that was neither suspicious nor uncommon. Time to get back to my post at the gate. As I was walking the corridors, I heard singing. Again, not suspicious. Just like me, convicts do live a human life. They get happy and sad. They did grow as a kid, play, love, and they do feel disappointment. And most importantly, they have issues in life that they haven’t dealt with, which mostly are the main reasons why they end up here. But the more I spend time with these imbeciles, the more I realize that I’m an imbecile too. I have stuff I have not dealt with that are still problem in my life. Just that I’m lucky I haven’t been caught yet. Not like I’m some sort of sick criminal, I love holding up justice. It’s just that if you dig deep into the root of the problem, you will find that I’m not less of a sinner than they are. I’m not less trapped and less in trouble than they are. We can see eye to eye and they will probably be able to see through this mask I’ve been constructing. The singing got louder. Also not suspicious. However, something about it was uncommon. Was it the tune it was being carried in? Was it the joy that can be felt in the strength of which it was sung? Or was it the silence in which all the other prisoners made. Listening to the sweet sound of Hope. Yes. It was the Hope and the Joy in which it was sung that was uncommon, bouncing off the walls of my jurisdiction. I too felt lifted slightly. I recognize from which cell the radiation was coming from. How could Paul and Silas be joyful in hope? They, the most unfairly treated. Ones who has given up all to benefit our society. What is it that they found which could cause them to sing in joy and freedom? A real joy from within, not a happiness from without. What was the secret to being joyful in freedom, even in chains? That sounded like a crazy question. Well, whatever it was, I was glad. Today has been a good day. No housekeeping issues. Good prisoner peace, compared to the rowdiness and general unhappiness found here. I think I deserve a nap. Just a short one.

I felt the ground drop from under me and then it came rushing up again, then I heard a loud crash. Sounded like my keys. I must’ve had a long nap, I opened my eyes, rubbed them, and saw my keys on the ground. Another nightmare of falling, I thought, but brought to another level. I reached down to pick my keys up when the ground dropped from my feet again. Okay, not a dream. I lost balance and the ground came up to meet head first. But before I could recover, it happened again, and again. I couldn’t keep my balance. Or my wits. I saw the table topple, and a wall rip open. Then I closed my eyes and covered my head in fear that the roof may cave in. The earth tossed everything around for a few good minutes. Then it stopped. Just as suddenly as it came. With weak legs I stood, and saw all the jail cells open. This was bad. My first thought was “maintain prisoners safety and detention!” No prisoner will stay inside when the bars are open. My duty has failed. I was not able to stop freeing men who need to be punished for their crime. Head warden will not be happy. Nor will my superiors. My life is end here. I will not allow my life and my family’s to be humiliated. No, my family will only escape if I am part of the casualties. I knew what that means. My trusty sword was always at my side. Smoothly, my blade was unsheathed. It was a comfortable action. One that I’ve trained myself for for battle. It did not take long for me to accept my fate and point my blade right below my rib cage.

I prayed for heaven to accept me when I heard a shout “Do not harm yourself! We are all here!” It was Paul. How could this be? How could he, the most unfairly treated by my peers and my people, want me to be spared? Suddenly, I remembered what they have been preaching before they were caught. Suddenly, I remembered what they were singing when they were caught. And suddenly, I understood what Paul was trying to bring to me right now. Freedom! While Paul and Silas were in prison, there were free; while I was their warden, I was bound. I ran, yes I ran, trembling, and bowed before them. They did not accept my worship for it was not them who saves. I needed to know, so in exchange, I thought I would risk my life by letting them go. Outside, I asked “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Believe. It was so simple that I was shocked. Inside of me, something sparked. It was a beautiful spark. One of joy, peace, revelation, release, and a passion to see others come to know this freedom within. That day, I brought Paul and Silas to my family to teach. Then, while I was washing the wounds of the apostles, the Spirit came down upon my household and baptized us. They all believed in God and we had a meal to celebrate. I was filled with joy, and finally I understood this joy that the apostles had while they were chained.

 

That’s my story. What’s yours?

 

Acts 13 & 14

Mission Training

 

hey all i know its been awhile since i updated.

hehe.

some stuff went wrong.

and now situation is even better than before. so it’s all cool.

 

anyways,

before i go into my devotion, i need to give you an aaron version summary of Acts 13 & 14.

(since some of my loved ones always complain that i write too much)

 

here’s what i understand happened:

God, through the Holy Spirit, asked the church to let Paul and Barnabas go. At that moment of time, Paul and Barnabas was going around the early churches encouraging them and helping the church to grow. And that was right after persecution of the church, so i can imagine that they were actually needed.

In Acts 13:2, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Which i think just means “find other people to do what Barnabas and Saul are doing now, i need them for other stuff”.

And so Paul and Barnabas set off. Their mission, to make Jesus known. Their guide, The Holy Spirit. Not the easiest type of Global Positioning system to follow.

They preached in the temple. They preached to the big crowd. They preached to one man. They healed the lame. They preached to the Jews. They preached to the non-Jews. They were ridiculed. They were hated. They ran from a potential mob attack. They continued to preach after that. Then Paul was stoned and the people even thought he had already died. Paul was rescued by other believers.

Then they went back to their church and reported about what happened.

 

this made me think.

Did God make sharing the gospel easy?

no He didn’t.

no wonder we’re always so scared to tell our friends the gospel.

no wonder we don’t like to be chosen to go on mission trips.

it’s not easy!

Barnabas and Paul was already pulled out of their comfort zone.

Barnabas and Paul’s journey was not planned out or written on paper.

They probably didn’t know what to bring and how much.

That’s against all the rules in my Travelling 101 book.

They had to talk to strangers.

and still they got hated.

 

God wants to be known.

You know that guy who sat beside you in class last year?

God wants to have a relationship with him.

Everyone you watched your last movie in the cinema with,

God wants to love them and show them His amazing love.

Your colleagues, your friends, your family, your strangers.

God desires for them to be friends with Him.

But how will they know if God is not revealed to them?

There is only TWO things you can do about this.

Pray they don’t go to hell, and TELL them about Jesus.

 

not many Christians have responded to this call because of the hardships they know that will come with it. Even I have a hard time sharing with my friends what I think about God or Jesus or the Word. But we have to suffer for them. For the freedom of their spirit and soul.

 

God has called us.

 

But if we, the few, do not answer His call and do it,

who will?