Ed Horak's Blog

January 2010

Earthquake rocks Haiti! Tens of thousands dead and injured! Suffering and tragedy abound!

 

When something bad happens, whether it is a personal family tragedy like a car accident or someone being diagnosed with cancer, or a national tragedy like the World Trade Center airplane crashes, people often ask questions about God’s integrity. “How come an all loving, all powerful God would allow such a thing to happen?” they ask. Or maybe:  “If God is sovereign, how come things like this happen? In this blog we look at who is really in control and what part we actually play in life’s drama.

 

Every year hundreds of thousands of people are killed as a consequence of drunken and irresponsible driving. Also, it is estimated that millions of babies worldwide are killed through abortion each year. Who is responsible for all these tragedies?

 

Think of it this way. When someone dies or is injured in a drunken driving incident, does the head of that nation’s Department of Transport get blamed for the irresponsibility of the drunken law breaker? Of course not! Why then should the loving God in heaven get the blame for irresponsible people breaking His commandments? It is only because of His common grace to everyone, that more people do not get killed and maimed each day.

 

The big and small picture…what Jesus’ temptations tell us.                                

In church circles it is popular to say when something is going wrong, that ‘God is in control.’ This is both true and untrue depending on the scale of things. What do I mean by ‘scale of things’? Overall, in the big picture, God is in control. When you read the beginning and end of the Bible you see God creating everything, and it was good. At the end of the Bible, He wraps things up and it is all restored to being totally good again. This is the big picture. Yet, between the beginning and the end at a smaller scale, our scale, things go wrong all the time. We mess up, and the Bible is full of stories of God rescuing us from ourselves! The problem of sin is still being worked out in our time.

 

Let’s take it a bit further. Remember there is another player here. Satan. Let’s look at the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness at the beginning of His ministry.

 

“Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.  And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”  But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”   Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Luke 4:1-7

 

Satan gets to the core of the control issue up to that point. He offers Jesus the kingdoms of this world if Jesus would only bow down and worship him. Could it be that he satan was actually in control at that point and his offer a legitimate one? I think so. Jesus is undergoing a genuine temptation. He had been sent to earth to buy back or redeem mankind through His life death and resurrection- God’s chosen path of submission. Yet here satan is trying to deceive Jesus into bowing His knee to him, something he had craved for so long. He was the anointed cherub seeking to exalt his throne above that of God’s. Worship is the key ingredient in submission. He was using his classic bait and switch tactic. Bait Jesus with what He wanted: the kingdoms of the world, but switch things when He fell to the temptation. Thank God Jesus did not fall for it and resisted him with the written word! He went on to regain all authority on earth, under the earth and in heaven, restoring order in the spiritual realm with satan on the outside looking in, stripped of his authority defeated at his own game.

 

“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” Col 2:15

 

Life is all about authority in four realms: heaven, the heavenlies and on earth….and under the earth. Jesus’ obedience protected Him so that He could fulfill His purpose to restore creation back to God’s perfect plan. God had given it to Adam in the garden, but he messed up, allowing satan to gain illegal control and use disobedient men to further his diabolical schemes. God had to establish His covenants with obedient men to restore and build His everlasting kingdom whilst satan worked with disobedient men to set up his opposing and counterfeit kingdoms, which he offered to Jesus at the wilderness temptation.

 

Sure the earth belongs to God. But the earth He gave to man!

 

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s;

But the earth He has given to the children of men. Ps 115:16

 

The Dominion Mandate

Man was to be the overseer of the earth under God in the Genesis dominion mandate.

 

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Gen 1:26

 

When Adam sold out his authority to satan at the fall, he set in motion all the sin and suffering that followed. Before the fall all was good. No sickness, no suffering, murder, and no strife. The record shows that things began to unravel only after Adam sinned. The source of all suffering is sin, and satan is behind all sin, not God! God is not to blame. Only God is perfectly good, and He was needed to restore goodness to that earth in Jesus. That restoration process has been in motion throughout the ages, and is still playing out today.

 

All authority was restored to Jesus through His obedience and sacrifice at the cross. Matthew records Jesus’ declaration of authority this way:

 

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Matt 28:18-20

 

Authority is Delegated Back to Man

He was in effect delegating His newly purchased authority to His disciples. They were to go in His name and enforce satan’s defeat. This enforcement still takes place in our day where it is our responsibility to exercise authority over satan in all his ways. We are to use the name of Jesus to oppose sin sickness and poverty in all its forms. If we don’t, who will? Only where the gospel is preached taught accepted and lived do people enjoy the benefits of Jesus work on the cross. God’s protection, provision, forgiveness, health and peace is not automatically falling on people all around the world. It has to be received.

 

God is building His kingdom. Our part is to pray that His kingdom comes into our sphere of influence. Jesus taught us this in what is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer recorded in Matthew’s Gospel Chapter Six. Our prayer must be followed by obedience to stop the illegal insurgencies of satan and his demonic cohorts. Although defeated, mopping operations are still needed. So the war continues at an individual level. We have to submit to God and resist satan. If we will not do it, not even will God override our will and do it.

 

“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” James 4:7

 

Notice that the devil will flee from us! Submission to God empowers us! Some folk expect God to do what they are supposed to do. The Bible teaches that we are to exercise authority over satan whose mission as the thief is to steal, kill and destroy. He has to be resisted, otherwise he will have free course to do his dirty work and God will get the blame. Satan will take advantage of people who don’t know God’s nature and or way of doing things.

 

We live by faith ‘within’ the boundaries of God’s sovereignty. Jesus will come back at His return and every tear will be wiped away and all evil finally and fully banished never to be experienced again. Till that time however, we have responsibilities to perform and boundaries not to cross.

 

Boundaries

When we cross the boundaries of God’s loving protection through our disobedience or ignorance and into satan’s destructive realm we become exposed to his devices. Life is not a haphazard guessing game of chance. When we obey God we can expect His covenant protection and provision. When we disobey Him, we open the door to our adversary who takes advantage of the broken chain of order and authority. When we know and obey God’s covenant commands, we close the door to satan’s opportunism.

 

As a Christian we are instructed to regularly examine ourselves to see whether we have crossed any boundaries into enemy territory.

 

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.” 1 Cor 11:28-31

 

We cross back under God’s covenant covering when we examine and adjust our lives in the light of His word’s demands.

 

Special Promises for Special People

 

“As for God, His way is perfect;

The word of the LORD is proven;

He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”  Psalm 18:30

 

It is said that God does not have favorites. This is true at one level. He pours out His common grace and love on all people equally. He loves all people with a passion, enough to send Jesus, His only begotten son, to die for all mankind (John 3:16). The Bible says that the rain falls on both the just and unjust (Matt 5:45), and God is kind even to the unthankful (Luke 6:35). The Bible even says in Psalm 145:8-9, that He is good to all. If He weren’t good to all men, life for many would be even more miserable! We are all given opportunity to see Him for who He really is, change our thinking, repent and return to Him.

 

The problem is some folk simply do not take the opportunities given them, and continue to rebel against Him. They stubbornly hold on to their ideas, and their pride stands in the way. However those that accept Him can get in on His family protection plan. These family benefits are accessed through His promises, which must be known, believed and acted upon. Trust God and have Him as your shield.

 

The future is both uncertain and certain. It is uncertain because of what we don’t know, and certain because of what we do know. The future will come, there’s no doubt about that. The big question to resolve however is this: are there some things that you can do to determine a better future, or do you have to simply wait upon it as it rushes towards you?

This is not about predicting what will happen prophetically in a few years but takes the position that there are things you can do, and choices you can make to ensure that your future will be better than if you simply let the future come at you.

The decisions you make today can and will affect your future. No matter what has happened to this point in your life, there is still hope. To know where you are headed, there is no need to look to anyone else but God and yourself. Together, God and you are a majority, greater than anything you will ever face, and the only limits are those you put on yourself. Of course other people play a part and can either help or hinder your progress, but as a later chapter shows, with God’s help you can turn any setback into a stepping stone.

Attitude is a choice, so is commitment to a worthy goal. Courage and passion depend on the character choices you make in the face of difficulty. No one can make these for you. Thankfully, God has promised to strengthen us in all things. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our strengthener, and He live is us (John 14:16-17).

The things we face right now are only temporary. They will pass, and when you begin to see difficult circumstances in the light of eternity, your perspective will change. You will be able to overcome the moment and see with new clarity. Life will take on a new and motivating meaning, and you will begin to discover and understand truths that will set you free from what holds you back from a brighter future.

Enjoy the journey, it’s your choice.

How to Be Certain In Uncertain Times

Matthew 24:1-8, 14

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

 3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows…

 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

In this account, Jesus first highlights the impermanence of what we see naturally in Vs 1-2. The disciples saw the huge structures of the temple as permanent. Jesus spoke prophetically about the near destruction of the buildings in AD 70. What seemed permanent would suddenly fall. In our century for example, many have looked at the world economic meltdown that began to manifest in 2008 in this light. Things that seemed so secure turned out to be quite fragile. With all this uncertainty, we live personally, nationally and historically on the precarious edge of eternity.

 

Jesus then gave pointers (signs) to alert His disciples, and us, to future danger in Vs 3.  As a caring father will not leave his children in the dark about situations to come, so does the savior of the world and friend of sinners, warn those who would listen of impending dangers.

He continues to give the gift of His perspective on time and events in Vs 4-8. He points out the proper response to deception, troubling wars and unsettling natural calamities. He speaks stability into unstable times teaching us that when you put your life in the hands of certainty Himself, then the world’s uncertainties will not shake you. His wisdom is about where you put your trust.

He then concludes this important passage with a prophecy of the most definitive sign of all in Vs 14. The gospel of the kingdom will first be preached around the world and then and then only will the end come. Only when you come into alignment with this grand purpose will you experience supernatural peace and certainty in an uncertain world.

In short, the only way to be certain in uncertain times is to put your trust in Jesus alone. All else is changing around us all the time and cannot be trusted. People used to accept that when you buy a house and hold onto it for a long time, it will build equity. Unfortunately in many places, that is no longer true in real terms. This world and its systems have never been and never will be a trusted source of security.

God encourages us to look to the Lord who is the author (originator) of our faith. When we keep our eyes on the eternal we are not easily ‘moved’ by negative circumstances in the here and now. As we will see later in the book, faith is not some ‘pie in the sky’ dynamic, but a vital ingredient in accessing God’s promised future.

The Blessings of Hope

God is the God of hope (Romans 15:13), and His people are characterized by hope. Bible hope is not empty wishful thinking, but a confident expectation that what God has promised, He will bring to pass. Bible hope has a supernatural element to it. It comes from God, and is the connector between our faith and our future.

Hebrews 11:1

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith is planted in the soil of hope, and without hope we have no expectation of a preferred or better future. Because God loves us and we love Him, hope will not disappoint. He has spoken what He wants for you in His Word. ‘Feed’ your faith by constantly looking into what God has planned for you as His child. You do this by thinking about His promises. His promises have to with the future. One key promise is this: the good work God has begun in you, He will see to completion.

Philippians 1:6

6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

On the journey towards that final day of reckoning, we plow and sow with a confident expectation that God rewards those that diligently seek Him (1 Corinthians 9:10 & Hebrews 11:6). When we keep our eyes on Him despite distracting difficulties, we will enjoy our final reward. On the way there, hope serves to anchor the soul (Hebrews 6:29). Hope keeps us steady, so learn to hold onto hope.

You have the power to choose whether to be depressed by circumstances, or hopeful as you look to God. He is your way of escape in the midst of any trial.

Psalm 42:5

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him

For the help of His countenance.