What about the bus crash with believers returning from a Gospel Concert?

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Permalink Reply by ribbon on October 3, 2013 at 10:50pm

This is sad Richard.. The thing that pops to my mind is "be ready". I don't know how that fits in scripture but I believe it does somewhere.  I hope they were ready.

 

Just the other day ,  the mention of God came up between my son and me. Your above question  "Why would God allow this to happen to His children"  was very similar to my sons question... he asked why does God let children die? He then said why for instance the 9 11 attack and the ones who survived the Christian call it a miracle from God ? He asked why didn't God give the miracle to everyone why did others die in the towers but God only gave some miracles. I didn't know what to say to him... I just said that I thought the bible said there was a time to die and so it must have been theirs. I so hope I am not off topic.

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on October 4, 2013 at 5:41am

Hello Janie,

If a person is born again, they are ready. That is the only thing that matter at time of death. Was the person born from above or not, if they were, then they are ready for heaven.

>>"Why would God allow this to happen to His children"

I turn that question around and ask "Why wouldn't God allow that to happened," under the current circumstances that we live in. This is a fallen world with people who hate God. To die is to be in the presence of the God, so there is absolutely no loss there for the person dying. Those living are reminded that this life is not it. This is not it. This is but a flower in the field. A children dying, again forgive my redundancy, is perfectly ok, they are going to be with the Lord, if they were not accountable for their sins yet.

The issue is that most of us love this life, not saying you do or you don't Janie, just saying. We love this life in an unhealthy way. We are to love, but to love God above all other things first.

>>why didn't God give the miracle to everyone why did others die in the towers but God only gave some miracles.

Because God is God and this is his universe. We do not sustain it. We can't even sustain ourselves. Every breath we take  is a gift from above. God does not owe us Anything!!!!

Your answer was awesome beloved. There is appointed to all men to live and to die and then the judgement.

Love you!

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Permalink Reply by ribbon on October 3, 2013 at 10:54pm

Richard my son claims that  God doesn't exist. He was just trying to convince me that I believed in an unfair and non existent God .

 

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Permalink Reply by Carla on October 4, 2013 at 1:21pm

Janie, 

Bless you for taking on talking to him...  I truly understand how discouraging and disheartening it is to try to talk to someone who wants to deny God.

 

There are many things to remember when it comes to speaking with an atheist.

Here are a few starting points:

1) we will never argue anyone into the Kingdom.  I'm not saying you are arguing...  but it kind of naturally turns into that as we discuss God's existence with someone who just doesn't want to hear it.  Both parties want to get their point across....so we can end up pushing the point home.. Jesus never did that, He just walked away from people and let them to their own way. 

 

2) it is a 'spiritual discussion', therefore it must be fought from a spiritual perspective (in prayer) with the whole armor of God. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

 

3) when we pray, pray from the true confidence and trust in God that He hears you and also the acknowledgement, perspective and understanding that God loves your son and wants him to be saved even more than you do.

 

4) Matthew 7:6 

“Don’t waste what is holy on people who are unholy.fn Don’t throw your pearls to pigs! They will trample the pearls, then turn and attack you.

 

5) read Romans 1:18-25

 

6) It's not personal.  It's not about us....at all.  The rejection isn't personal, and the acceptance of salvation isn't personal.  It's not about us.

 

7) Hand your son over to God and leave him there at the foot of the cross.

 

8) God will open doors/opportunities for you to talk to him.  If Richard asks you a direct question, it is important to qualify it.. Such as, ask him "Why do you want to know?".  This may help you determine if he just wants to argue or if he is genuinely wanting an answer.

 

9) Less is more...  Keep all answers short and to the point....keep him hungry for more.

 

10) Make sure you are personally prepared to talk to him when the time comes.  It won't be believable for him if you are not personally prepared and confident in what you believe.

11) Most importantly, The Holy Spirit has to be moving in on the person we are talking to or nothing is going to happen...  We can answer questions according to what the scriptures are saying... But we have to pray for God to reveal Himself to this person.  ...even then, the person may still reject His gift of Salvation due to human pride.

 

Please trust that God is already working...  I don't doubt that with my husband.  We can't always see things in the natural world..  Which brings us back to point #2...  It's 'spiritual' not 'natural'...  We walk by faith not by sight.

 

Thoughts??? Questions???

 

Love you, Carla

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Permalink Reply by Mischelle on October 4, 2013 at 2:01pm

I agree with you Carla. My oldest son says God does not exist. He likes to try to get me to argue with him about it. I refuse to. I did however challenge him to do his own independent and unbiased study of God and His existence. Not sure if he has taken the challenge, but he has not tried to argue with me about it.

Lord's blessings,

Mischelle

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Permalink Reply by Carla on October 9, 2013 at 7:23am

Janie,

I was rereading my reply, and I noticed an inconsistency in my response.  In point #10 I said this:

10) Make sure you are personally prepared to talk to him when the time comes.  It won't be believable for him if you are not personally prepared and confident in what you believe.

 

BUT.. above in point # 6, I had already said this:

6) It's not personal.  It's not about us....at all.  The rejection isn't personal, and the acceptance of salvation isn't personal.  It's not about us.

 

SO... I am retracting what I said in point #10.... If point #10 were true than it would somehow be about us... but it's not... The Holy Spirit moves in on people with the message of the gospel.

 

Please accept my apologies for being careless and possibly bringing confusion into the discussion.

 

Blessings, Carla

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Permalink Reply by ribbon on October 9, 2013 at 10:41am

10) Make sure you are personally prepared to talk to him when the time comes.  It won't be believable for him if you are not personally prepared and confident in what you believe

Carla, It was actually point 10 that I pondered on the most. What came to my mind when reading that was.... get in the word.. know the word... The verse "my people parish from lack of knowledge" came to mind.  I then thought I need to read. Then my thoughts went to asking myself why. I wont understand it. Anyway thank you for taking time for me.

 

6) It's not personal.  It's not about us....at all.  The rejection isn't personal, and the acceptance of salvation isn't personal.  It's not about us.

 

about number 6.

I wrote a blog the other day for myself about this. If you do read it you may not see it as #6 but that was what I was trying to say.  My oldest gets mad at me more than even my son when I try talking about God and says some ugly stuff to me about me. It hurts... and then I start feeling so stupidly redicoulous so I shutup. I try to keep in mind that this isn't about me.

Thank you for helping me understand. I am a slow learner...

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Carla on October 9, 2013 at 1:02pm

Janie,

 

What came to my mind when reading that was.... get in the word.. know the word... The verse "my people parish from lack of knowledge" came to mind.  I then thought I need to read. Then my thoughts went to asking myself why. I wont understand it.

 

It is so important to read the word and know the word..  I need to get better at this also.

This verse you are referring to is Hosea 4:6.  In context it is referring to Israel.  Here are the verses before and after:

 

The Charge Against Israel

1Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,

because the Lord has a charge to bring

against you who live in the land:

“There is no faithfulness, no love,

no acknowledgment of God in the land.

2There is only cursing,^a lying and murder,

stealing and adultery;

they break all bounds,

and bloodshed follows bloodshed.

3Because of this the land dries up,

and all who live in it waste away;

the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky

and the fish in the sea are swept away.

4“But let no one bring a charge,

let no one accuse another,

for your people are like those

who bring charges against a priest.

5You stumble day and night,

and the prophets stumble with you.

So I will destroy your mother—

6my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.

“Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also reject you as my priests;

because you have ignored the law of your God,

I also will ignore your children.

7The more priests there were,

the more they sinned against me;

they exchanged their glorious God^b for something disgraceful.

8They feed on the sins of my people

and relish their wickedness.

9And it will be: Like people, like priests.

I will punish both of them for their ways

and repay them for their deeds.

This is referring to God's Law.  It's God Law that they have no knowledge of.

Incidently, The verse which says "So I will destroy your mother—" verse 5...is referring to the Nation of Israel.  The people are the children.

 

My oldest gets mad at me more than even my son when I try talking about God and says some ugly stuff to me about me. It hurts... and then I start feeling so stupidly redicoulous so I shutup. I try to keep in mind that this isn't about me.

 

You are not ridiculous..  although the enemy of your soul would love for you to believe that.  The ugly stuff that is being said could either be an enemy attack, or it could be coming out of your sons own sinful nature, but it is most definitely not from God, nor is it God's voice.  The enemies ebjective is always to steal, kill and destroy.  Jesus came so that we could have life abundantly.  You're not a slow learner.. You actually write very well, clear and concise, I have never had a hard time understanding you.....and NO I'm not just being nice.  You know me well enough by now to know that I am very direct and I don't make things up.  Stop condemning yourself beloved.

 

Lots of love to you as always,

Carla

 

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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on October 4, 2013 at 5:48am

Psalm 116:15  

I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.

16 O LORD, surely I am Your servant, I am Your servant, the son of Your handmaid, You have loosed my bonds.…

1 A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.…

Deuteronomy 10:14"Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. 15"Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day.…

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Permalink Reply by Tammy on October 4, 2013 at 10:21am

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Ro 8:28

Psalm 30:5b Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

 

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Permalink Reply by Carla on October 4, 2013 at 10:24am

Hey Richard,

A thought provoking question... 

I believe when people say 'Why would God allow this to happen to children' it's a question which is ruled by emotion.  It's an emotionally driven perspective designed by the enemy of our souls to keep our eyes off of the ONE who has given us life.

 

This is a world where bad things happen---we're all in agreement right.

 

SO-- to the question "Why would God allow this to happen to His children?'

 

The best answer I have is 'Jesus'... Allow me to elaborate.

God came to earth as a human being in order to relate to us personally and experience our suffering directly so that we will know we have a God who is personal and intimately related to us in deep and meaningful ways.

God doesn't desire for us to suffer any longer..  He has given us Himself so that when we go through these deeply hurtful troubling times we will draw closely to Him and allow Him to walk with us through it.  He strengthens us, gives us peace and fellowship.  We also know that this isn't the end.  Every person here on earth has the opportunity to accept or reject this free gift of salvation which He offers.  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved.  This life here on earth is not the end... There's more.  It's our duty/responsibility to tell people about Jesus and what He has done.  It's good news...With Jesus there is no fear in death.  Death has lost it's sting.

 

This response will likely bring about more questions...  which is exactly where we want to be.  Keep people talking and lead them to the Lord.

 

Blessings, Carla

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Amanda on October 4, 2013 at 10:55am

Many horrible things happen to all people regardless of their age or whether they are saved or lost. All we know is that God will accomplish His objectives. I have often said the rain falls on the just and the unjust but a few days ago I was listening to Matthew 5 on Hear the Word Audio Bible during my devotion time, and these words really stood out for me: "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" ESV.

It isn't just that the rain falls and the sun rises -- It is that God makes His sun rise and sends rain.

We can be sure that God is in control. I've struggle with these questions as well, especially after my oldest sister's four year old grandson was badly injured in a house fire at Christmastime in 2009. He barely survived and while he was at Shriners Hospital, I saw many children in the same or worse condition, even infants, and there was one ten month old baby who had second and third degree burns over 98% of her body because her mother's boyfriend threw her into a tub of scalding hot water for crying.

One five year old came in after being caught on fire from throwing gasoline on a bonfire and he was hurt so badly that several of his organs were burned and he would have to have transplants if he survived. He was still alive on life support 19 days later, when my great nephew was released to go home, and I never learned after that what happened to the little five-year-old, but I will never forget walking past his cubicle in ICU and seeing him through the window, or seeing his mother crying.

But I think Matthew 5 is talking about God giving good things to both the evil and the good, and I'm not really sure about the bad things that come to us.

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