Will Graham: A Story on Social Distancing from the Old Testament, 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 In Rom. God neither causes bad things to happen nor incites others to do what is bad. The colour of my socks? That brings up the age old question: If God is good and He’s in control, why does He let bad things happen? Watch Queue Queue. First, the Bible tells us that evil does not come from God, nor can we blame God for all the evils in the world. Several years ago, I commissioned a national survey and asked people what question they'd ask if they could only ask God one thing. Not that we can bring the new creation by our own efforts—God brings that in God’s time. Problems of all sizes and degrees happen to everyone. Someday all evil will be cast “into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41, KJV). It seems to me that this is what the Church, at its best, is always doing, usually below the radar. God builds the Kingdom, but what we do in present is actually going to be taken up and used within that larger project. Further, a lot of folks are quick to “claim the promise” of “I know the plans I … If He could have sent a miracle. Then all sorts of things come clearer and into sharper focus. You might be much closer to a foundation event, even though it was a long time ago chronologically, it might be much closer to your reality. 1. Is Too Much Expertise Bad For Leadership? Home I once made the mistake of thinking this way about God. Al Mohler Has Made His Christian Case for Voting Trump, John Kingston: 2020 Could Be the Beginning of an American Comeback, All Christians Should Oppose the Death Penalty, 5 Burning Questions We Have About Earth’s Application to the Galactic Federation, Jupiter and Saturn’s Closest Alignment in 800 Years Will Create an Actual ‘Christmas Star’. If He’s really there. Next time you’re approached by a person who’s hurting due to illness, death, circumstances, or a natural disaster, point them to God ’s Word. Why? He offers us blessing and cursing, life and death. Nobody can tell God what He “must” do. But there continue to be horrific tragedies and pain and suffering throughout the world. Third, the Bible tells us that in the meantime, God can give us victory over evil. Jesus himself never answers the question of why bad things happen in this world, other than to confirm that they will continue to happen. Bad things only happen because god is testing us whether it is in a negative way or in a positive way , God does this to see how strong we are as human beings- there is a saying that connotes ” God gives a hard time to his strongest survivors”. Isn’t it better to face life’s problems with God rather than without Him? Too many people get hung up on God’s sovereignty and think it means God “must” control all things. Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426. In the book, you argue that Christians have distorted the Gospel being “good news.” Could you elaborate on that? Billy Graham’s Answers for Hard Times. He has launched His project of new creation. It’s always more puzzling and confusing than that. Why do bad things happen to good people? As Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone” (Luke 18:19). First, God works all things according to his will. We see unjust, uncaring or even clearly wicked people doing things that adversely affect us. I gulped then muttered something about a fallen world, that life will never be perfect on earth regardless of whether we’re good, bad, or somewhere in between. When we ask “why do ‘bad’ things happen,” we are interpreting bad from a very limited perspective. When I discipline my child, it might seem like a bad thing from his vantage point, but it is a good thing from mine. We become mysteriously part of that. If God is in control why do he allow bad things to happen if he can fix it? He says; ‘Stay faithful to the covenant life’, but doesn’t usually hit us over the head with a sledgehammer when we don’t. No, we may not understand everything that happens to us—but when we know Christ, we know we are on the winning side. But let me tell you three very important truths about evil that might help you. We know He is all-powerful. In general, miracles are done with the purpose of displaying God's power and authority. Do we mean that God controls every decision, every event; every single thing that happens? So, Were Mary and Joseph Actually Refugees? And then, as one of Woody Allen’s characters says: “I sort of believe in God, but it looks like He’s basically an underachiever.” In other words, He’s not a very good CEO, He’s not good at running this show. Michael Coren Page 1 of 3. Has He got it wrong?” But no, He’s been in the middle of this mess with us and He’s taken the worst the world can do onto Himself. Part of our trouble is that it’s a feature of the modern Western world that we have forgotten about, as it were, different layers of time. 8:28 we find a famous verse which a lot of Christians know by heart. I’ve been asked hundreds of times why God allows evil to take place, and I have to tell you honestly that I do not know the answer—not fully. If He is, doesn't that make Him evil also? Wright is interested in. Evil comes instead from Satan, and it entered this world when Satan deceived Adam and Eve and caused them to turn against God. 2. This oft-repeated question says nothing about God, but everything about human beings. Every time something bad was about to happen, God would personally intervene and stop it. Sometimes the reason He doesn’t reverse the bad things that happen in your life is because God has three choices. This doesn’t mean bad things will never happen to us—but even when they do, we can know God is with us, and He will give us strength to stand against them. 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