Hi all,
I’ve been sharing heaven’s perspective these last 2 weeks, first about being 1 family no matter if that family is in heaven or still on earth, then how the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, present both in heaven and earth, and faithfully communicating what the Father and Lord have for us, and us to them. Today:
If God is in charge then why does He allow such horrible things to happen?
What does the Bible actually say? This week and next are three areas He rarely becomes involved in, unless asked by individuals.
Nature
We know that God is the Creator, and retains control over His creation. We are told in Hebrews 11:3 that the Person of the Living Word – the invisible Word – created the visible realm. Romans 1:20-21 says that He is Creator and even the invisible things about Him can be discerned by studying His creation. Jesus demonstrated His Lordship over creation in at least 3 areas: He commanded wind & waves and they obeyed Him, He walked on water, and multiplied loaves of bread (plants) and fish (animals). These 3 acts demonstrate His continued Lordship over the earthly elements and plants and animals. (We could add turning water into wine)
Jesus’ demonstrations for the purpose of showing who He is in those moments does not mean He intervenes nor interferes with nature as a rule. The balance is Romans 8:19-23 which reveals creation has been subjected to sin and groans and travails (birth contractions) as it waits for the ‘manifestation of the sons of God’. That means the establishment of Jesus’ Kingdom on the earth and the lifting of the curse that accompanies that Kingdom – the reign of the righteous over earth. We might say Jesus’ demonstrations of His Lordship over creation was given as a preview of what earth will be like with the curse lifted, but nothing more than a preview.
This means there is a tug of war going on between God’s creation which wants to obey God and His people according to how it was originally designed, and the sin under which it has been placed. The elements of nature chafe against the burden of sin on the planet and as such groans and travails awaiting deliverance. This is why there are tragic earthquakes, volcanic events, tornadoes and hurricanes in which God does not intervene as a rule.
Even The Revelation (8:7-13) highlights 2 main natural events that come upon the earth in the last 7 years of the age – a double asteroid hit, one on land and one in an ocean. And yet still, man as a whole doesn’t repent. (I have a CD/MP3 series entitled ‘The Natural Disasters of The Revelation’ if interested in learning more)
The question as to why God allows natural disasters is found in the short paragraphs above – the earth was not subjected to sin without hope, but like us, has been promised a time of release from sin. God does not step in to interfere with this process for what has been set, has been set from long ago and must take its course.
Families
God invented the family, making Adam and Eve, assigning stewardship over the physical planet, meaning my point above flows directly into families. Adam and Eve first and then to others and eventually to us, were to share about the Creator and stewardship of creation – Families are God’s delegated authority in the earth by which a mom and dad share responsibility for passing on stewardship over God’s creation, and to walk with Him and know Him as they walk through life.
When the Lord and 2 angels had a meal with Abraham in Genesis 18, after they ate the angels went to Sodom to rescue Lot and his family, but the Lord lingered behind saying to Himself: “Shall I hide from Abraham that which I’m about to do, for I know him, and that he will become a great and mighty nation and raise up his children and his household in the ways of the Lord…” The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was by a natural event – the place blew up, most think now the gathered methane and bitumen and other explosive elements around the Dead Sea were set off (in natural terms) by an asteroid hit or some other ‘spark’. But again, we see the Lord wanting to reveal facts about a soon coming natural event to a man. (He would have saved any righteous people if He could have. Lot and family)
Notice that the Lord based His reasoning on sharing with Abraham what His plans were (and what natural event would happen) because of Abraham’s family walking with Him. The reverse would also therefore be true: He would not reveal His plan to (Abraham and family) if the family wasn’t walking in the ways of the Lord.
Let me ask this – how many families who are not walking with God do you know have God speak to them about what He is doing in the earth, their community, and their own lives? How much did you know of God’s will before you were born again? If that mom and dad don’t want Him, then He doesn’t get involved. To whom does He reveal His ways and plans? Family members who walk with Him. If you are in Him, you have revelation. If you aren’t in Him, you have no revelation.
Warning: The following 3 paragraphs will kill religious thinking and might cause you to rearrange your priorities
The family and its members remain the primary way His will is done on earth – not apostles, not prophets, not buildings called church, not pastors. That is auditorium thinking brought about by man in the 300’s AD that you’ve been infected with. God invented mom and dad and children long before He made apostles and prophets – in fact Adam and Eve, and therefore moms and dads ARE apostles and prophets, pastors and teachers, and evangelists to their children. The greatest use of ‘the 5-fold’ started with Adam and Eve, and is today a mom and dad living for God and teaching their children by example and word, how to walk through life with Him. In our New Testament times that flow of mom and dad 5-fold extend outward to the larger family of God 5-fold that meets in homes in a network of relationships. As a result, any charismatic gifts, any ministry gifts (like 5-fold), any energy/motivational gifts present in a gathering of believers flows from healthy and balanced believing families who first live in these things.
My mom was an evangelist to me. She was my first teacher, pastor, certainly prophet, and for sure apostle in that she started the work of God in my heart – followed very quickly by a high school friend, Janny, who remains a close friend to this day with Barb and me, who was all those things to us as well. Reset your understanding of ‘the 5-fold’ and the gifts of the Spirit. They are first found in families, for that is what God established first, and all else flows from family.
Over the years I’ve seen men and women, husbands and fathers, wives and mothers, chasing this convention and that conference praying for God’s will to be done, praying for revival including revival in their families – all while they have spent thousands of their family’s dollars and left their family’s for several days to pray for their salvation, instead of walking in God’s highest and best and original call, to be husband and wife, mom and dad, and being the 5-fold to their children.
And each person I talked to in detail about their priorities in life expressed frustration with God because He didn’t seem to be moving in their family. My advice remains consistent through the years – the primary way God moves is through families, so go and be a family and leave your religious face at the door – and just be there, living God’s ways and fellowship quietly. God only labels the manifestations of what He does for our benefit, but being meek and lowly in heart, He doesn’t think in terms of labels and titles, He just does what He does – and that can mean giving a mom or dad words of wisdom or knowledge, a miracle for their child, special faith, and certainly they are pastors and teachers and the rest – BE that person with meekness and humility within your family.
I’ve run out of space this week, but will start next week by asking and then answering the question: Where is God when children become victims?
Until then, nest week! Blessings,
John Fenn
