Job 42:7, 8 - "...He [God] said to Eliphaz the Temanite [Job's friend], 'I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right...' " (NIV) Let's keep this verse in mind while you read this....
I just received an e-mail today that said some "judgment from God" was coming to New York. It is supposed to be a prophecy from a minister. That e-mail brought me back to the years in Hispanic churches where the topic of the day was always judgment. If you don't do this, God is going to punish you; if you don't do that, God is going to kill you; you cut your hair, you are going to hell, you wear pants, you are going to hell, etc, etc, etc. At the time I didn't know any better, so I believed it. With that, came a life of stress, anxiety, and fear. God was not a person to love, but to fear; and I don't mean giving God the respect and commitment that He deserves, I mean the terrible feeling that comes when you are never good enough. The danger of this is that frustration sets in, and you, somehow give up.
Well, I am not the person I once was. I know the Bible inside and out, and my cup is overflowed with experience and the Spirit of God. You want to try and fool me, you better think twice. I know this sounds arrogant, but I am sick of people talking out of both sides of their mouths, and tired of seeing Christians, just seating in churches "swallowing" everything that comes from the pulpit. Why? Because the person has a title, whether pastor, evangelist, prophet...??? I say am a princess...does that make me one? GOD asked us to DISCERN and DISSECT what we hear, not just accept it as truth because it comes from whoever that goes on a pulpit, radio, or TV. People hear these things, prophecies, etc. and go around running like a chicken with her head cut off, meaning in panic, crazy.
All I am hearing today is a lot of contradiction between the God that is being preached and the God of the New Testament. Yes, God hasn't changed, but the way He deals with man has.
GOD IS THE GOOD GUY!!! THE devil IS THE ONE responsible for EVERYTHING bad that happens in this world. I hear the WORLD being submissive or mad when tragedies or natural disasters occur. Those ARE NOT "acts of God", they are "acts of the devil" or just nature. When SIN entered the world, everything was distorted, damaged, changed; nothing works the way it is supposed to, the land produces weeds, and every man..."By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground" (Genesis 3:19 NIV). Nature is not any different. TURN to God when you see this happening, BUT don't blame HIM.
John 10:10 says: "The thief [devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full". (NIV)
There is another verse that I want to share with you in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". (NIV)
Let's put those two verses together and tell me WHO is responsible for the bad things that happen in this world or to you. You guessed right...either the DEVIL or YOU, paying the consequences of sin. If you are going to be afraid of something...BE AFRAID of the consequences of a sinful life, because when you sin, YOU are just opening the door to the devil to have a field day with you. GOD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE. He gave us the freedom to choose the kind of life we want to live. If we STRAY from GOD, anything can happen. It is NOT Him punishing you....It is YOU living the consequences of your sin, whether as an individual, a city, a country, or the world.
I AM TIRED of hearing Christians blaming God for everything. If he didn't do it, He allowed it...Bull crap!!! Would YOU see your sons/daughters in the verge of hurting or killing themselves and stand there and do nothing? Aren't you as guilty for "allowing" it to happen? You would certainly be guilty in our law system, that charges and condems the person that kills, and the ones that are accessories to the murder. By our standards, God would be serving 100 life sentences for the things we accuse Him of, that if He would still be alive, because I have the feeling that we would have condemmed Him to the electric chair or lethal injection, or something like that a long time ago. Are we better parents than God? Do we love more? Now, THAT IS arrogance!!
The situation with us and God in the NEW TESTAMENT is a little different because He gave us FREE WILL. He is NOT going to stop us, because He would be violating His rules for us. He probably does not agree with what we do, BUT He respect us, and respect our wishes. YOU want to do something? Go ahead. No one is going to stop you, but in your way there, STOP and think what you are doing, and the possible consequences for your actions, because as surely as the sun will come out every morning, so will come the consequences or rewards for your actions (behaviors, decisions). He is not "allowing" anything...He is just letting you be.
With God, it is always a matter of what you want to do. He wants you to come to Him willingly, because YOU love HIM. Show Him a life that makes Him proud, and you will NEVER have to worry about "judgements" or "fire" or diseases, stress, or fear.
GOD IS THE GOOD GUY! GOD IS YOUR FRIEND! HE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU, EVEN WHEN YOU FAIL. HE LOVES YOU!
If you, unfortunately, need disasters and tragedies to come closer to God, then He is always there for you, BUT He DID NOT cause it.
James 1:16, 17 says: "Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows". The Contemporary English Version says: "Don't be fooled, my dear friends". So, what is it going to be? Are you going to believe the nonsense (not to say something else) that people, including ministers, say and preach about God? Don't be fooled; ONLY good things come from our father in heaven. Anything BAD, He would have to steal it from the devil to give it to you. :-) There is NOTHING bad in heaven. Some people will say to you..."but our God is a consuming fire"...Let's read it in context...it is in Hebrews 12: 28, 29: "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." (NIV) In no way, shape, or form does this mean that He will physically destroy anyone. If you read the entire Chapter 12, you wil see that the passage refers to eternal damnation for those that do not believe in Him who speaks from heaven.
I remember some time ago, a popular Christian singer lost his daughter to a terrible accident...He said: "I don't know why God did this, but He must have a plan". What sounds like a humble, faith-filled statement, it's just plain and utterly defiance and disrespect to a loving God. First...God did not killed her or allowed it either; BUT God CAN certainly turn a tragedy into an opportunity for your faith to grow and to bless you and others in the process.
The next time you want to blame God for something OR accuse Him of anything, REMEMBER THIS: When you follow the flesh, and give in to SIN, you and only you open the door to the enemy (the devil, Satan).
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW! TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT!!
Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. (Galatians 6:7 NIV)
Job 42:7, 8 - "...He [God] said to Eliphaz the Temanite [Job's friend], 'I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken of me what is right...' " (NIV)
I am trying to speak of God WHAT IS RIGHT...Do you?
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