If God is all powerful and loving, why is there suffering in the world?

[Thiscrosshurts]

There may be some things we have not yet considered.

When the disciples of Jesus asked him why a man was born blind they assumed there could only be two possible answers.
They asked was it because of his sin or his parents sin.

John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 10:8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
The nature of God may not have been correctly perceived or represented by those who came before Jesus.
Jesus hung between two thieves so perhaps those after him may not have a full understanding of the nature of God.
The old testament claims God gave the the commandments but the new testament says it was given by angels.

Jesus is the truth and the truth has revealed that God is love.
God does not change because he is eternal.
Eternal means "no beginning and no end,always was and always will be".

Example:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Jesus often referred to himself as the son of man and even though he was standing before them he claimed he was in heaven.
That does not make any sense in time and space but it makes perfect eternal sense.
Since there can be no change in eternity he could not have left.
So what is more real,that which never changes or that which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Luke 8:52 Meanwhile everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus saw those we would say are living but he called them dead and those dead had their own dead.
He saw the girl that we would call dead and claimed she was not dead but asleep.
he was obviously in tune with a reality that we don't grasp.

Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If Jesus said the blind man did not sin then Jesus must not have considered the blind man to be a body.

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We died and were raised up with him 2000 years ago.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world and that is reality.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Love can see past the illusion of time and space to truth.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Jesus did not recognize the blind man in the flesh but in the glory of God.

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

There may be some things we have not yet considered.

When the disciples of Jesus asked him why a man was born blind they assumed there could only be two possible answers.
They asked was it because of his sin or his parents sin.

John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 10:8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
The nature of God may not have been correctly perceived or represented by those who came before Jesus.
Jesus hung between two thieves so perhaps those after him may not have a full understanding of the nature of God.
The old testament claims God gave the the commandments but the new testament says it was given by angels.

Jesus is the truth and the truth has revealed that God is love.
God does not change because he is eternal.
Eternal means "no beginning and no end,always was and always will be".

Example:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Jesus often referred to himself as the son of man and even though he was standing before them he claimed he was in heaven.
That does not make any sense in time and space but it makes perfect eternal sense.
Since there can be no change in eternity he could not have left.
So what is more real,that which never changes or that which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Luke 8:52 Meanwhile everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus saw those we would say are living but he called them dead and those dead had their own dead.
He saw the girl that we would call dead and claimed she was not dead but asleep.
he was obviously in tune with a reality that we don't grasp.

Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If Jesus said the blind man did not sin then Jesus must not have considered the blind man to be a body.

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We died and were raised up with him 2000 years ago.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world and that is reality.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Love can see past the illusion of time and space to truth.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Jesus did not recognize the blind man in the flesh but in the glory of God.

There may be some things we have not yet considered.

When the disciples of Jesus asked him why a man was born blind they assumed there could only be two possible answers.
They asked was it because of his sin or his parents sin.

John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 10:8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
The nature of God may not have been correctly perceived or represented by those who came before Jesus.
Jesus hung between two thieves so perhaps those after him may not have a full understanding of the nature of God.
The old testament claims God gave the the commandments but the new testament says it was given by angels.

Jesus is the truth and the truth has revealed that God is love.
God does not change because he is eternal.
Eternal means "no beginning and no end,always was and always will be".

Example:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Jesus often referred to himself as the son of man and even though he was standing before them he claimed he was in heaven.
That does not make any sense in time and space but it makes perfect eternal sense.
Since there can be no change in eternity he could not have left.
So what is more real,that which never changes or that which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Luke 8:52 Meanwhile everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus saw those we would say are living but he called them dead and those dead had their own dead.
He saw the girl that we would call dead and claimed she was not dead but asleep.
he was obviously in tune with a reality that we don't grasp.

Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If Jesus said the blind man did not sin then Jesus must not have considered the blind man to be a body.

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We died and were raised up with him 2000 years ago.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world and that is reality.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Love can see past the illusion of time and space to truth.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Jesus did not recognize the blind man in the flesh but in the glory of God.

Brother hello,
This reply is all over the board and makes very little sense at all. You seem to have put scriptures together that do not fit to say something they dont. If I have totally missed what you were saying then please forgive me and show me.

For example you wrote....
(((Luke 8:52 Meanwhile everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus saw those we would say are living but he called them dead and those dead had their own dead.
He saw the girl that we would call dead and claimed she was not dead but asleep.
he was obviously in tune with a reality that we don't grasp. )))

Now then these two scriptures are dealing with two Completely different Senerials.
One jesus is speaking By or With or Through Faith saying the girl is only sleeping.
Then Jesus sent all those with unbelief and doubt away. Took who with Him ? Did what ?

Then you compare let the dead bury their own dead with the other and Jesus was saying here...Follow me. Dont turn back and dont look back, Let the unsaved bury their dead and YOU follow me.
Now then you claim Jesus was intune with a reality that we dont grasp....Yea it is called FAITH. Faith in Gods Most Holy Written Word to us.

When we were born again we became citizens of Heaven. Our citizenship is in heaven. We are no longer from this world or of this world for we have been deployed here to share the love of GOD. God said to come to His thrown room of grace Bodly. So as we do our spirits are in heaven Just as Jesus spoke.

God Bless my friend
James

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

This reply is all over the board and makes very little sense at all. You seem to have put scriptures together that do not fit to say something they dont. If I have totally missed what you were saying then please forgive me and show me.

It does not make worldly sense I agree,not much in the book does.
I chose scripture that does not make worldly sense.

We know all men have sinned but jesus said that neither the blind man or his parents sinned.
Is it possible that he did not see a man when looking at that blind man?
You could say that Jesus was referring to the condition of his blindness not being caused by sin but he did not say that.
He could have said sin did not cause this condition but he said neither this man nor his parents sinned.
Leaving us to wonder if he meant whether they ever sinned.
Is it possible that he saw them as perfect and blameless?
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Is it possible he saw them through the sight/lens of love?


How about when jesus said no man has seen the Father but you see him.
Does that make sense?
Is it possible he was telling them they were no longer men?

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh;
What do you suppose this means?
How should we recognize them?

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

 

[PreciousQueen]

Awesome start. Will give me something to look at this weekend while I am hibernating



Thanks James. There is a lot of thought in this.... I am through this first part, and chewing on it a bit ...but can't get past a little piece. I'm bringing it here cuz I honestly do not understand how it can tie into us today. In Deuteronomy, it is Moses talking to the israelites right? And well, they were under the law .....so isn't using this as comparable to us today as born again believers a bit out of context? I mean, we are to follow God's ways...but we have been saved with the knowledge that we'll never be able to follow the LAW perfectly.... that is why we needed God's Grace and Jesus.

How do I take this in context and apply it here?

If I am too "new" to all this...and you and PreciousQueen would like to continue and I am asking too basic of a question ....with all honesty it would not bother me. I don't want you guys to have to go on a more basic level than you want to. Just let me know ok?

Peace,
Ellie

Super late, but it is fine. It's meant for both of us, and a "refresh" would be nice.

 

[PreciousQueen]

I know this is long and yet I did not even dig as deep into this as I wanted to. It will have to be broken down into sections in order that we may dig into this together from this point forward. I skipped around and tried to cover a little in many area's so as to bring forth truth into the light.

Greetings in the name of Christ Jesus our Lord,
In this post I am going to present some true biblical facts that some will most definitely disagree with for many reasons and with that said I want to say this - Do NOT simply accept what others say or what I say for that matter but take all this to God and pray His word over it and ask Him to lead you into all truth in this. As scripture tells us - "My People perish from lack of knowledge so if you have ears - let them hear.

Why do tragedies happen and bad things to good people and why do some folks seem to get more favor from God then others. These seem to be the questions asked and I pray the gift of repentance unto all that claim God sends things bad things to teach people and God must have a reason for allowing bad things in your life.

You may say why do I need to repent over this ? Well when you grasp that you are accusing God falsely of doing these things - well you might just want to ask Him to forgive you.

Lets start in Genesis - The first Adam Disobeyed God and by doing so allowed sin and the curse into this world. Therefore it will always be here in this world. The worlds system or Babylonian system is simply the way of the world. It is FOUL and evil and YET we as Born again believer do not have to get FOULED with the FOUL.

So lets look at Lets first look in Deuteronomy 30:10-20 KJV
10.....is telling us if we will keep His commandments and walk in His ways and turn to or trust in the Lord thy God with all of your heart and soul.
11-13...is stating that this commandment which He is giving us this day is NOT hidden from thee, nor do you have to go up to heaven to bring it down to hear it nor is it beyond the sea that you have to go get it.

Now 14 is where it gets GOOD !! ; )
14.....But thy word is very NIGH unto thee, In Thy Mouth, and in Thy Heart that thou mayest do it.
His word has been placed all around you. Media and books and churches and Bibles so there is no excuse not to know it.
This is telling us especially for today that His word needs to be in our minds, our hearts and mouth. Why mouth ? Because speaking Gods words bring God results...He is moved by His word and when He is moved by His word He see's to it that it is carried out. BUT it must be DONE IN FAITH !!

Here we go now
15.....SEE I HAVE SET BEFORE THEE THIS DAY LIFE AND GOOD AND DEATH AND EVIL.
16.....In that I COMMAND thee THIS DAY to LOVE the Lord thy God, TO WALK in His Ways, and to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS and His STATUTES and His JUDGMENTS that THOU MAYEST LIVE And Multiply and thee Lord thy God Shall BLESS Thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.

So in these two verses we see several key things.
1...God gives US the CHOICE TO CHOOSE Life and Blessing or Death and Cursing or evil. We choose....Not God BUT we choose...
2...Now in verse 16 we see that GOD is telling us Pick His Way. He says IF YOU CHOOSE TO WALK MY WAY FOLLOW MY COMMAND.....this good life will be yours....
3...So in this Good Life we find several things....First we must make the choice to choose this life....Second which is just as important.....We MUST Choose To Walk This Life His Way Every Single Day Of Our Life in Order to stay in The Good Life of Blessing and protection and every other good thing that is included in Thee Blessing Of Thee Lord.

Ok now lets see how this is done and why some live more blessed then others.

When we are born again we become new creatures in Christ for we are born of Incorruptible seed the ever living word of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 and 1Peter 1:23

Hebrews 6:12 tells us we inherit the Promises of God and this is done through being born again into Christ.

Now these promises simply do NOT just start working in your life. These promises wont manifest their desired results unless you are operating as His written word tells us to. Many Christians think since they got born again then that is all they have to do and now they can claim and expect every promise of God to manifest in their lives and they have to do nothing. That is a religious lie and you know who is behind that one.

Ok lets look at Psalm 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

Now look at this scripture.... Heaven is the Lords or another words God is in TOTAL CONTROL in Heaven. We know there is no sickness or crime or evil and so forth in Heaven.

Now look at the earth - this world is full of evil and crime and disasters and so forth. Look what scriptures says - the earth has been given to men or children of men which means it just keeps on staying this way. Now this does not say God can NOT do things in this earth.

Remember God gives us a choice found above in Deut. Choose His way life and blessing or any other way and get stuck in this worlds system with the evil and death and sickness and so forth. WE CHOOSE.

We know satan is god of this world or rather world system or ways or again the babylonian system. he is in the center of all these disasters and bad. God does not hire out satan to do His bidding in our lives therefore disasters and sickness trials and persecution and so forth are NOT from God.

Ok so we also learned in Deut. 30:16 God tells us to walk in His ways - Keep His ways - dont sway away from His ways and you will walk in His goodness. His written word is full of scriptures telling us this over and over and over.

Why? Because God is trying to tell us if you want to live as I have prepared for you then you will have to live MY WAY which is simply what His word is therefore. To teach us and EQUIP us to do so. Don't ever over look this word (equip) for it is vital in living and dwelling in the kingdom of God. For it can not be done any other way. You are going to have to learn how to live, walk, talk, think and so forth His way. How is this done ? Easy these next three pieces of scripture out line just how we do so.

Galatians 5:16 and Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Romans 12:2 ....
And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

((Get His word in you each and every day and speak His word each and every day))

2 Corinthians 10:4-5
4... For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to pulling down strong holds
5... Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

((Begin to practice the words you speak and thoughts you think for our thoughts and words to control how we act or react and believe. Our own words do more do influence our thinking then most of everything else.))

Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh

(( The more you do the first two the more you will begin to walk in the Spirit and you will be amazed to say the least. ))

All done through the Grace of God - who maketh all grace abound to me.
(2 Corinthians 9:8)

Ok still not seeing this yet.....

Lets look at
James 4:8 Draw nigh (near close) unto God and He will draw nigh (near close) unto you.
Ephesians 4:7 But unto EVERYONE of us is given GRACE (unmerited favor) ACCORDING to the MEASURE of the gift of Christ.

If you put forth 10 percent of your heart to drawing close to God then you will reap 10 percent of God in your life. The degree that we put forth is with in the same degree we will get back.

Look at Ephesians 4:7 - we can read it as - all of us are given unmerited favor in our lives and for our lives ACCORDING to the amount, degree, change or spiritual growth of Gods Word In Us.

This explains why some folks seem to be favored more over others. Don't ever judge your walk in Christ by the appearance of some one else or their statue in God. Many people think others are so Godly or close with God and in all truth are lacking in area's of their life that goes un-seen to others.

So again we see that it is vital to be walking upright in the ways of God in order to see victory and a blessed protected life. Now I have not said we must be perfect in order for God to work on our behalf. God is perfect already and is not looking for perfection but obedience. He is looking for a Willing Heart.

We can be willing and do the best we can in something He has shown us to do and miss it 12 ways to sunday - so we run to grace and God gives us the credit for doing the job even if He has to call some one else in to fix it. He will reward you for your obedience and trying. Now then we Can NOT however simply pick and choose what we are willing to change in us or accept from Him to change. NO! We must STRIVE to be changed from the inside out from the day of our re-birth unto - well forever.

Now lets look at a few things that will stop the flow of favor and blessings and prayers and so forth. I call these type of things blessing blocker.

Doubt and unbelief and UN forgiveness and not walking in love and corrupt communication and so many more.

We are commanded to walk in Love and it pleases God when we do
You can not walk in love and harbor unforgiveness. We are told to Love Evan As Christ Loves and Even as God Loves.

Corrupt communication or perverse speech and so forth is not just bad words as websters dictionary may tell you. No it goes way beyond this for anything OPPOSED to His written word or ways is perverse. Doubt and unbelief is opposed to what His word says.

Now when we get out in these things we actually give the devil right to come into the situation and set up shop and begin to kill, steal or destroy. Now he has a shot at you that he should not have ever had. People like to argue over this from lack of understanding but if you are willing to search His written word with a willing heart to learn even if it ends up being not what you thought or believed then you will come to learn that His written word has something to say about "Our Words". This is vital in living a prosperous life in Christ.

This is only an out line of truth that is found in His word dealing with these things. I wrote this as an eye opener and would enjoy digging even deeper into this and spending more time on truths found in His word.

May God Bless you with a deeper understanding in His word and a hunger to learn more and more of His truth in His word and ways. In Jesus name I pray.
Amen and God Bless
James

I do kind of get it. What about the things that seem so horrid?if God claims us as his children, yet we do stray, what is the point of breaking a person's "legs"? It'll just make them run further away.

 

[rag4aCrown]

There may be some things we have not yet considered.

When the disciples of Jesus asked him why a man was born blind they assumed there could only be two possible answers.
They asked was it because of his sin or his parents sin.

John 9:3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 10:8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
The nature of God may not have been correctly perceived or represented by those who came before Jesus.
Jesus hung between two thieves so perhaps those after him may not have a full understanding of the nature of God.
The old testament claims God gave the the commandments but the new testament says it was given by angels.

Jesus is the truth and the truth has revealed that God is love.
God does not change because he is eternal.
Eternal means "no beginning and no end,always was and always will be".

Example:
John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

Jesus often referred to himself as the son of man and even though he was standing before them he claimed he was in heaven.
That does not make any sense in time and space but it makes perfect eternal sense.
Since there can be no change in eternity he could not have left.
So what is more real,that which never changes or that which is here today and gone tomorrow.

Luke 8:52 Meanwhile everyone was weeping and mourning for her. But Jesus said, "Stop weeping; she is not dead but asleep."
Matthew 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Jesus saw those we would say are living but he called them dead and those dead had their own dead.
He saw the girl that we would call dead and claimed she was not dead but asleep.
he was obviously in tune with a reality that we don't grasp.

Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
If Jesus said the blind man did not sin then Jesus must not have considered the blind man to be a body.

Ephesians 2:5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

We died and were raised up with him 2000 years ago.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain before the foundation of the world and that is reality.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Love can see past the illusion of time and space to truth.

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer.
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Jesus did not recognize the blind man in the flesh but in the glory of God.

Isn't God Amazing. Hang on He is gonna give you more.
I love my Lord so much.
God is Spirit; we have been made one in Him. I do not see the flesh standing before me, but hear the spirit that is speaking. Amen. It is an eternal thing. His heights and depths and.... have no end. God taking you to some deep spiritual revelation. Praise God, brother. I am so excited for you. Amen. All praise, glory and honor be unto God.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

Isn't God Amazing. Hang on He is gonna give you more.
I love my Lord so much.
God is Spirit; we have been made one in Him. I do not see the flesh standing before me, but hear the spirit that is speaking. Amen. It is an eternal thing. His heights and depths and.... have no end. God taking you to some deep spiritual revelation. Praise God, brother. I am so excited for you. Amen. All praise, glory and honor be unto God.

I've been hanging on ever since God derailed my little logic choo-choo and sent it careening of a cliff.
You know the journey,off the edge of the map where it's marked "there be dragons".
The dragons are there because there is the meat.
There are no dragons in the land of milk and honey,only lizards.

The things Jesus said are so far from any kind of human understanding that we can't approach them with a carnal mind at all.

Scripture has it that all things are new and all things are of God.
All things work together for good to those who love God.

Now if all things work together for good and all things are of God then that means nothing evil can be done to me without it
working for my good.So that which seems evil to my natural mind can only be a temporary vehicle for experiencing the goodness.work and glory of God.
My job is to believe on the one whom God sent.How can I see any evil in my own life if I am believing on the one whom God sent accomplished that which he was sent for.he was sent that we would all be restored to the father that we would all be one.

As for the appearance of evil in others that's up to me to decide.
John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
If their sins are remitted then healing begins.
Luke 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
Neither we or God created and maintain evil,but God has given us the power to heal the world.

What created evil? That liar who pretended to be our best friend and told us he was looking out for us.
The ego who fooled us into trading our true glory for death, caused us to our own power to create a convincing lie to imprison the sons of the living God.
Now jesus has exposed him and the scales are falling away from our eyes and we will soon say."all this happened so that we might see the works of God".Then we will all wake up and say to the Father,"wow,I just had the craziest dream".

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

I do kind of get it. What about the things that seem so horrid?if God claims us as his children, yet we do stray, what is the point of breaking a person's "legs"? It'll just make them run further away.

What exactly are you talking about here? Breaking a persons legs?
Blessings
James

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

It does not make worldly sense I agree,not much in the book does.
I chose scripture that does not make worldly sense.

We know all men have sinned but jesus said that neither the blind man or his parents sinned.
Is it possible that he did not see a man when looking at that blind man?
You could say that Jesus was referring to the condition of his blindness not being caused by sin but he did not say that.
He could have said sin did not cause this condition but he said neither this man nor his parents sinned.
Leaving us to wonder if he meant whether they ever sinned.
Is it possible that he saw them as perfect and blameless?
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
Is it possible he saw them through the sight/lens of love?


How about when jesus said no man has seen the Father but you see him.
Does that make sense?
Is it possible he was telling them they were no longer men?

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh;
What do you suppose this means?
How should we recognize them?

Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

[/QUOTE?
Jesus Never said neither he or his parents did not sin. NO sir Jesus it is NOT
BECAUSE of or his blindness is not caused by their sins.

 

[Thiscrosshurts]

"Jesus Never said neither he or his parents did not sin. NO sir Jesus it is NOT
BECAUSE of or his blindness is not caused by their sins."

I am not focusing on the sin but why Jesus saw the tragedy as an opportunity to see the glory of God at work.I am trying to get in sync with his thought process.What was his judgement of this man,how did he view him.


Is it possible he saw the man through the sight/lens of love?

 

[rag4aCrown]

I've been hanging on ever since God derailed my little logic choo-choo and sent it careening of a cliff.
You know the journey,off the edge of the map where it's marked "there be dragons".
The dragons are there because there is the meat.
There are no dragons in the land of milk and honey,only lizards.

The things Jesus said are so far from any kind of human understanding that we can't approach them with a carnal mind at all.

Scripture has it that all things are new and all things are of God.
All things work together for good to those who love God.

Now if all things work together for good and all things are of God then that means nothing evil can be done to me without it
working for my good.So that which seems evil to my natural mind can only be a temporary vehicle for experiencing the goodness.work and glory of God.
My job is to believe on the one whom God sent.How can I see any evil in my own life if I am believing on the one whom God sent accomplished that which he was sent for.he was sent that we would all be restored to the father that we would all be one.

As for the appearance of evil in others that's up to me to decide.
John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
If their sins are remitted then healing begins.
Luke 5:23 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?
Neither we or God created and maintain evil,but God has given us the power to heal the world.

What created evil? That liar who pretended to be our best friend and told us he was looking out for us.
The ego who fooled us into trading our true glory for death, caused us to our own power to create a convincing lie to imprison the sons of the living God.
Now jesus has exposed him and the scales are falling away from our eyes and we will soon say."all this happened so that we might see the works of God".Then we will all wake up and say to the Father,"wow,I just had the craziest dream".

Yes, my brother, all things are of God; and all good things come from God. Now, in the carnal, we look at a tragedy as bad or evil, but is it? Well, in the carnal it is; but did God not use that tragedy to bring more to their (spiritual) knees and CRY OUT ABBA FATHER. The goodness of God brings a soul to repentance. Amen. When one is crying out "Abba Father" things are not so good in our carnal life; tragedy has happened,
Jesus uses carnal examples and blazed a trail for the enlightenment of spiritual manifestations.
Hear with our heart, the spirit that speaks forth. Ye shall know them by their fruits.
All praise, glory and honor be unto God. Amen

 

[PreciousQueen]

What exactly are you talking about here? Breaking a persons legs?
Blessings
James

Not literally break a person's legs, but an event that is so traumatic that it permanently "scars" the person mentally. Why would God not intervene in that?

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

Not literally break a person's legs, but an event that is so traumatic that it permanently "scars" the person mentally. Why would God not intervene in that?

God will intervene in a situation like that - God wants to intervene in a situation like that. It is man who wont allow Him to. If you want God active in your life then you must live by Gods ways. It is as simple as that.

Look back to God said YOU choose His way or any other way. If you choose His way then you will have to live His way. You can be born again and not crave His change in you and miss out on a lot. God decided a long time ago He would do things in this manner. So He spoke them into being. It will stay that way until He calls it done.

It not only takes knowing His word but doing His word. There are a lot of things that hinder things even in the kingdom of God.
God wants to be very active in our lives - He has set forth His laws or ways of doing things. If we refuse to do things in some area's then we limit Him other wise we could all get born again and live and say what ever we please and God would dive right in like a ssuper hero and save the day. Some times you have to simply learn to trust Him and praise Him in the storm. The victory will come.
Blessings

 

[rag4aCrown]

Sister, PreciousQueen, all that has ever come before Him has been broken and damaged by this world, or people in it. God will heal, if we will open our heart to Him and allow Him too. It is our choice. May God bless this situation speedily. Amen

 

[amadeus2]

It is necessary to break bones to build the frame anew and properly when it has healed in the wrong manner. Mankind forgot what happened in Eden or he never knew or understood. He healed in the wrong way [which was not a healing at all, was it?] even as a person with a broken leg healed without first having had it properly set.

Notice that it was prophesied that the bones of Jesus would not be broken and when we see him on the cross they are not. His framework, his pattern, his understanding of God's plan was flawless. Ours, in every case of every other person, is not flawless, but very flawed. Each time we are changed for the better, something has been killed or broken in order to allow a proper growth toward God.

The Baptist said it this way:

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

To increase in us, God must do away with our old ways of thinking and doing things. Paul spoke of putting off the old man's way and putting on those of the new man:

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph 4:21-24

The old man might be that bone structure that needs to be broken whereas the new man has a whole set of bones, bones like those of Jesus which when properly set should never be broken.

Why do people have to suffer? Why do they need to change and how is it that God will change them?

People suffer because from the start they chose to suffer. Even the innocent in the current situation suffer because too many people have been so selfish that they did whatever made them feel good in the present moment with no cares about who was hurt by it. Have parents caused their own natural children to suffer because of the parents neglect? Have the children of parents striving to do it right suffered because so many other people in the world simply did not care enough beyond their own personal comfort zone to do anything about it?

Then the big picture: This natural world of ours is not the final thing. Scripture speaks of time for men with 70 or 80 years or even with 120 years, but what is even 120 years or the 969 years of Methuselah to Life with an end? If we cannot see beyond our short stay here in this corruptible flesh, we have missed the most important thing. Consider the case of Martha and Mary:

"But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:40-42

 

[rag4aCrown]

It is necessary to break bones to build the frame anew and properly when it has healed in the wrong manner. Mankind forgot what happened in Eden or he never knew or understood. He healed in the wrong way [which was not a healing at all, was it?] even as a person with a broken leg healed without first having had it properly set.

Notice that it was prophesied that the bones of Jesus would not be broken and when we see him on the cross they are not. His framework, his pattern, his understanding of God's plan was flawless. Ours, in every case of every other person, is not flawless, but very flawed. Each time we are changed for the better, something has been killed or broken in order to allow a proper growth toward God.

The Baptist said it this way:

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

To increase in us, God must do away with our old ways of thinking and doing things. Paul spoke of putting off the old man's way and putting on those of the new man:

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph 4:21-24

The old man might be that bone structure that needs to be broken whereas the new man has a whole set of bones, bones like those of Jesus which when properly set should never be broken.

Why do people have to suffer? Why do they need to change and how is it that God will change them?

People suffer because from the start they chose to suffer. Even the innocent in the current situation suffer because too many people have been so selfish that they did whatever made them feel good in the present moment with no cares about who was hurt by it. Have parents caused their own natural children to suffer because of the parents neglect? Have the children of parents striving to do it right suffered because so many other people in the world simply did not care enough beyond their own personal comfort zone to do anything about it?

Then the big picture: This natural world of ours is not the final thing. Scripture speaks of time for men with 70 or 80 years or even with 120 years, but what is even 120 years or the 969 years of Methuselah to Life with an end? If we cannot see beyond our short stay here in this corruptible flesh, we have missed the most important thing. Consider the case of Martha and Mary:

"But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:40-42

I love you, my brother, my elder; I praise God for you; may His Spirit continually be upon you. Amen

 

[amadeus2]

@rag4aCrown Simply give God the glory! All of the good that we have and express come from Him. All of the evil that we have and express come from our own twisted ways.

With God's help the evil should be decreasing and the good increasing:

"...there is none good but one, that is, God." Mark 10:18

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

Luke 11:28 But He said, Yea rather, Blessed Are Those That Hear the Word of God, AND Keep It.
Ok
Here we read Jesus telling us or rather showing us who are Blessed - They are the ones who hear and do.
Hearing in scripture is far more then hearing with your natural ears. Any one can do this. No ! Hearing is hearing with your spiritual ears and then keeping Gods word or ways is simply applying them to your Daily Life.
.......God is NOT looking for perfection - He is already perfect. God is looking for a willing to be willing heart. Obedience does not mean getting it correct all the time or doing it with out missing it. No not in Christ. All through out scripture you will find God speaking about willingness.
......if you study kings you will find that there were two kings that God had told to do something.
1 king had a willing heart and messed it up But God gave him credit for it
1 king did not have a willing heart but did it any way and did it all correctly and God gave hin no credit for it.
..........Please think on this........chew on it........pray about it.........

Now read through Luke 6:27-45
Then circle verses 46-49 and read them and think on them - see Jesus is referring to 27-45 in verse 46
Now lets look at something.....

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Jesus is showing us that those who Hear His words and put them forth into practice stand strong BUT those who do not fall or get crushed or washed away. Who is behind the the fall or crushed etc ? God? NO WAY! It is the devil our enemy.
Read the gospels especially Mark and Luke about the praable of the sower
......God is showing us that satan comes right now to steel, kill or destroy the word for the words sake. The devil is behind all persecution and temptations and so forth......

Look at John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
1 we see in Jesus we have Peace
2 we see in this world we have tribulation

Think about it........Jesus is telling us that as long as we are in this world - we will have tribulations or trials and persecution and testing and so forth.
God is not the one who brings these things nor does God sit around and decide what He will allow and not allow. NO! All these things come from the god of this world or better said god of this world system.

Now then Jesus said in Him we have Peace and tells us to be of good cheer for He has already over come this world. So when we strive to be as Jesus is and strive to dwell in this earth according to Gods written word then we to shall be over comers.
look at 1 Corinthians 2:9-16
We have the mind of Christ - However it needs to be PERFECTED more and more each and every day in the things of God through His written word.

Let me ask you this............In times of Distress and trouble, What Will Your Mind Do ? Stand on the Word ? OR Fall into unbelief and fear or even rebellion?

We know Gods will for each of us is the same for it is His written Word. To fulfill His will for our lives we must learn how to dwell according to His written word. THIS CAN NOT BE DONE.....With Out a RENEWED MIND unto the ways of God and His word.
Galations 5:16 AND Romans 12:2 AND 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God..........again Hearing is done with our Spiritual ears and we can NOThear His word with out applying His word for hearing with out doing is worthlessness and a slow death to your Christian walk.
I will add this too....Faith is the SUBSTANCE of things Hoped for but not yet seen. Hope is not wishing or simply believing as we view belieivng in the english language. NO ! Biblical Believing is KNOWING IN YOUR SPIRIT and nothing can shake you from this knowing. Not the devil nor a doctors report or a collection bill etc. Any time you read the word Heart in Gods written word He is talking about your core being wich is your spirit man.

I will end this for now but there is more to be said and shown AND now I am going to explain protical or Biblical conditions for that is what we have just been reading above.

Yes Gods word tells us we have "Inherited" the promises of God and much more.
The problem most beleivers make that cause them to fail is they do not grasp some truth here
Gods word say His people perish from lack of Knowledge or wisdom or understanding ( Of His Ways )
These promises and such do NOT simply go into effect just because you got your self born again. NO! There are conditions that must be met or kingdom protical or another words walking according to Kingdom law which is His word and ways. Gods way of doing things and not ours.
IT IS EASY TO DO THINGS GIDS WAY - THE HARD PART IS NOT DOING THEM OUR WAY.

Look at this simple example...........
There is an old man who is preparing to go home to be with the Lord. He has made a will unto the young man that works for Him. The old man has left everything to the young man and the old man is worth trillions.

Now then you can say this young man is rich for he shall inherit this wealth.
Now it is useless to the young man until the old man dies and the will goes into effect. So then one day the old man dies and the will goes into effect. Yippie the young man is now rich and has anything he wants, Or does he ?

Well it just happens that there are some conditions in the old mans will. See he was a God fearing man and knew that if this young man just got it all right now then it would not benifit him all that much. So this God fearing man has set forth conditions that had to be met. Now then the old man has died and the will went into effect and the young man gets trillions - but this money does nothing for him at this time and if the conditions are not met then it will not ever do him any good.

It is the same with The promises of God.
We must not only hear but do what is written in His word. We must strive to walk in His ways and be willing to change and do things His way even when they do not see to make sense. Remember it is not perfection that God is looking for but a willingness to obey and do.

Things as simple as Mark 11:25 when ye stand praying - FORGIVE - IF YOU HAVE OUGHT AGAINST ANY - so your Father which is in Heaven - MAY forgive you your trespasses. This is not a sugestion or something we can chose to do or not do. NO! This is a direct command and when we do not obey this simple command then it is sin in our lives and we have become way side to this part of Hs word.

Now all disobedience has consequences that we will have to deal with. Now for example unforgivness can and does hinder our prayer life and our faith and it ties the hand of God in moving in your behalf ot through you in this situation and others.
So I hear, man James if you knew what they did to me then you would not ask me to forgive them - I am not but God is commanding us to and when we do it pleases Him and pleasing God is a GOOD thing.

AGAIN God is not looking for perfection but a willing heart. So if you forgive them and then 10 minutes later you find your self mad and chewing on what they did - then RUN to His grace and repent and ask Him to forgive you.
I had a guard at job I onced worked at. She was mean and dishonest and caused problems for many and got many fired. She thought she had me gone many times but God had a different plan there. Any way when it came to forgiving her - oh yea no problem and yet every time I saw her or her car or a thought arose it was anger and here come the words.

Then I learned how important or vital walking in forgiveness really was and I got my heart right real fast and I was willing. Now then at first I might have had to run to Grace and go to God and say I did it again and I would repent and ask Him to forgive me and I was full of peace and then PRAY FOR THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU OR USE YOU. Ok but remember this is not a prayer like God make them change or make them come to me and apologise and so forth. NO! it is praying for them with blessing and love on your mind and in your heart.

Now then at first this would happen 50 times a day and every single time I know that I know God was pleased and filled me with peace and was working behind the scenes and I had no idea. Over time it got less and less and less. Buying her a coffee or jumping in to give her a hand became second nature.
Eveentually since she refused to change God moved in her co - workers and they stood up for me and in the end it cost them the contract and a new security company was hired.

I said all that to let you know I have been there. I have proven it to be truth in my life and I know it works and when we live in such a way - God will move a mountain if He has to in order to bless you in the situation.

Walking in Love is a command - you can not get offended and walk in love at the same time. You can not walk in unforgivness and love at the same time.
I have ONLT touched a couple of area's that reflect on why some seem more favored the others and so forth and I did so for a reason. I hope and pray that some who are eager to learn how to turn things around in their lives will read this and look things up and pray about these things and meditate on them and water them and so forth.

Every SINGLE BORN AGAIN BELIEVER CAN be walking victory to victory - you just have to learn how. As this thread goes on I will be posting TRUTHS found in His word dealing with just that. No I am not perfect nor have I myself arived there but I can say with no problem I am a whole lot further along now then I was a year ago in this.

Lord God in Jesus name I pray that my brothers and sister in here will have ears to hear your truth and I pray that you would fill them with peace and joy and Love and usher them into a deeper understanding of your word. I thank you that you are not a respector of persons and that you can do more with little then any of us can with a lot. In Jesus name I pray......Amen
God Bless
James

 

[rag4aCrown]

Romans 1:18,19
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the Truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shown it unto them.

Does God desire His wrath to come upon us?
NO! His wrath is indeed come down from heaven; why? Because we still have not believed on the only begotten Son of God.

Lets go check out Jonah for a moment. Jonah was a chosen vessel by God, for God. Now, God sent Jonah to preach against it; for their wickedness had come before Him. And Jonah ran from God. Not only was Jonah in (grave) danger, but the entire ship. Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed up by a fish and spit out on the shore.
Jonah cried against the city (Nineveh) and the people believed God, and the king believed. And every creature in the city fasted and prayed and repented of their wickedness.

Here it comes (Jonah 3:10) And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and GOD REPENTED OF THE EVIL, THAT HE HAD SAID THAT HE WOULD DO UNTO THEM; AND DID IT NOT.

Now, Jonah journey continues...
Does God bring forth wrath, death and destruction. Yes He does, Yes He will... Because of our own rebellion against Him; we must repent and believe on the only begotten Son of God.

Now, lets see what is going on in the world around us. Sinkholes swallowing people up fast asleep in bed, hurrican Katrina in New Orleans (yeah, there is no wickedness there). The entire city flooded, except for one little mound. Did the city repent? No, they built it again, and carry themselves to a greater destruction. And those who say they know God is building it back right beside them.
Japan (the giant wave)
Indonesia (the great wave)
Chili (massive earthquakes)
San Francisco (massive quake)
Mudslides engulfing and entire city.
New York and D.C. buried in snow (yeah, there is no wickedness in those places either). Right...

The lies are being exposed.
Wait we haven't done anything! Exactly, nothing.

Preachers at the pulpit continue to appease itching ears, it cost them money if they really preach God. Oh God didn't do this to you. Then who's wrath came down from heaven? Because of our own wickedness and unrighteousness He sends His wrath upon us.

God desires that none parish. How many little warnings will God send before that great and terrible day of the Lord comes back in vengeance and wrath?

They didn't listen to Noah either; eight people were saved by the water. EIGHT!

This time He will send FIRE. God is going to cleanse this earth again. And bodies lay dead so thick that the fowls of the air will feast upon rotting flesh.

Thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me...

Do you know Him?
He has not changed.
And since God has not changed, well we better be looking in the mirror at self. Be Christ like; He will show you the Way, the Truth and the Life, also.

Jeses did not fight back; He knew He had come into the world to be SALVATION unto as many as called upon His name and believe.

God bless us all.
Have mercy upon me Lord, a sinner. Forgive me for running away for awhile Lord. I know my life is not my own, it belongs to You. In Jesus name I pray thee. Thank you Lord for hearing me. Amen

 

[hoghead]

by Matt Slick

It is often asked why is there suffering in the world if God is all powerful and loving. Why doesn't He stop it? Can He or is He weaker than we think? Suffering can fall into three simple categories: emotional, mental, and physical suffering. But, there are a variety of causes for suffering: morally corrupt (evil) people, disease, earthquakes, floods, famine, etc.

There are different explanations for why God allows suffering, but none of them can satisfy everyone. Therefore, I will simply list various reasons offered to account for suffering and evil in the world.

1. Free will
   1. God has given us freedom of choice. Having this freedom means that we can rebel against God and make choices that are contrary to His desires. Since we can say that evil is anything contrary to God's perfect and holy will, then anyone who chooses anything contrary to God's perfection is committing evil. But this is the risk of being able to have freedom of choice. Evil and suffering are the result of making bad free choices.
   2. But how could this account for natural disasters and sickness that brings suffering? Biblically, Adam represented not only all of his descendents, but he was also the head of the created order since he was given dominion over the earth. Therefore, when he fell, sin entered into the world (Rom. 5:12) and with it the effects of being fallen spread to the earth as well as to humanity.
2. God cannot stop evil and suffering because He is powerless
   1. Of course, this does not stand up to biblical truth. God allows evil to occur partly for reasons we do know and partly for those we do not. We know that God uses evil to discipline people (Prov. 3:11) and to teach them (Prov. 15:32). But we cannot know all the reasons that God has for allowing evil and suffering in the world. It is not logically necessary that since God has not stopped evil and suffering in the world, that He cannot. God could be using suffering for His divine plan, in order to teach, for discipline, because people are free, etc. The existence of suffering does not at all mean that God cannot stop all of it. It means that He simply has chosen not to do so.
3. How much evil should be stopped?
   1. The question of stopping evil means that if God is to stop evil, then He must stop all evil. This means that the murderer must be stopped along with the thief. But it also means that thinking evil, which is in rebellion against God, must also be stopped as well; that is, if all evil is to be stopped. Therefore, for God to stop evil and suffering may very well mean that He must remove the ability for people to freely choose what they want to do. So, if God is going to stop evil, is He required to stop all of it or just some of it? If only some of it, then the question would still stand. If He stops all of it, would we be free?
4. Prevention of further evil
   1. It is possible that human suffering (cancer, disease, etc.) can be a means that God uses to remove the person from further suffering, worse suffering, or future suffering. Of course, this does not seem to be a very good option because if God was intending to stop further suffering, why would He use suffering to stop it? Also, what about floods and earthquakes that cause suffering? How would they fit into God decreasing or stopping suffering except perhaps by people's deaths which ends suffering? This is difficult to answer. Though it may be that God might use some suffering to prevent even greater suffering, this explanation cannot answer all issues concerning it.
5. For the greater plan
   1. Undoubtedly, God has a plan. Since God knows all things He is not surprised by the presence of evil and sin in the world that brings about suffering. But if God knows all things from all eternity, then He is perfectly capable of using suffering in the world in His greater plan. The best and simplest example of this is the suffering of Christ at the hands of evil men. It is by Christ's suffering and death on the cross that we are able to be redeemed. It was God's plan from all eternity that Christ die for our sins yet Christ was crucified by evil people (Acts 4:27-28). This means that God had incorporated into His divine plan the reality of evil and suffering in order to accomplish His will. Of course, this does not mean that God is the author of evil, but it does mean that God is above it all and can use it to accomplish a greater good. If this is true on a large-scale, why cannot it also be true on a smaller one in each of our individual lives?
6. For discipline and instruction
   1. The Bible tells us that God disciplines those whom He loves (Heb. 12:6) and that no true child of God is without discipline and instruction. It is obvious that the results of our rebellion against God brings suffering and it is also true that we can learn through our suffering that such rebellion is bad. We then could glorify God during and after our suffering by proclaiming the truth of His word that urges us to follow God and His ways.
      Sometimes we learn our greatest lessons after having suffered the consequences of our actions -- and this is good. If we see that there are consequences through the acts of suffering in this world, it is logical to conclude that there will be suffering in the next as a consequence of our rebellion now. This could easily lead us to conclude that we need to be delivered from our rebellion against God. Of course, Jesus is the answer to this.
7. It is the result of sin
   1. Biblically speaking, pain and suffering are the results of sin in the world. Adam, who represented all humanity as well as creation, rebelled against God and brought suffering into the world (Rom. 5:12). Sin is more than simple rebellion and breaking of God's law. It is permeating throughout all of God's creation bringing imbalance, famine, earthquakes, disease, etc. This does not mean that God created evil. Instead, it is God who is allowing evil and suffering to continue for His divine plan.
8. To serve as a warning
   1. Evil and suffering in the world can serve as a warning against breaking God's law and then people can see the necessity of following God's truth. God's ways are right and good and following them leads to security and safety. The consequences of disobeying God's word are manifested in suffering. Therefore, suffering in the world easily serves as a demonstration of the need to follow God's words thereby vindicating what God has said
9. To make a point
   1. It is possible that God is simply allowing evil and suffering in the world to prove that rebellion against Him brings pain and suffering. God may be allowing sin to take its natural course in the world so that on the day of judgment God can say "Do you see what rebellion against my words brings?" This may seem overly simplistic but it may prove to be one of the reasons that God allows pain and suffering. After all, did He not make us in His image and give us the freedom to choose? And in our freedom have we not rebelled? Yes, we have. Should God then make us robots or restrict our freedom so much that we have no choices at all? Of course not. But since we are limited in our knowledge and have used our freedom to rebel, God allows us to have what we desire and in the end, our sins will prove that God's way is the right way.
10. To serve as a means to bring the Son
    1. The death of the Son is the means by which God has redeemed those who would receive Jesus. This death cannot occur if Jesus were not a man. In order to be a man he had to be born as one. But since Jesus was sinless, death has no power over Him. Therefore, in order to die and in order to redeem us, His death must be at the hands of evil people. But, without sin, suffering, and evil in the world, Jesus could not have been sent to the cross. So, it could be said that suffering in the world is necessary in order to bring about the cross which in turn demonstrates the great and awesome love of God. Jesus said that the greatest act of love is to lay one's life down for another (John 15:13). If God is love (1 John 4:8) and love gives (John 3:16), can it be that God must demonstrate the greatest act of love? If so, it can only be done through suffering in the world.
11. We don't know.
    1. Biblically speaking, pain and suffering are the results of sin in the world. Adam, who represented all humanity as well as creation, rebelled against God and brought suffering into the world. This sin is more than simple rebellion and breaking of God's law. It is an offense against a holy God. Sin is permeating throughout all of God's creation bringing imbalance, famine, earthquakes, disease, etc. This is not how God created things but it is God who is allowing them to continue for his divine plan. Ultimately, we can't know all the reasons why God allows suffering, we just know that He does.

What does the Bible tell us that God has done about evil? It tells us that he sent his son Jesus to die for our sins and to deliver us from pain and suffering. Ultimately, God is allowing evil in the world for a purpose, otherwise, he would not let it exist. Therefore, we must trust Him that He knows what He is doing.

HI, Chad,
Traditional or classical Christian theology certainly doe have in mind a God who is in compete and total control of absolutely everything that happens in the universe. This is especially true in the Augustinian-Calvinistic tradition. However, some definite problems emerge here. First, it is not truly biblical to assume that God has predetermined everything. A very basic biblical theme is that things have not at all gone the way God wanted them to. Another problem here is that of freedom. If we have some real degree of genuine freedom, then it is up to us to decide, God cannot decide it for us. Hence, we are not puppets and God cannot fully control everything that is happening. That doesn't mean God sits back and just allows freedom. God's goal is aesthetic, to maximize beauty. Now beauty means complexity, and complexity means freedom, things can be some other way. Hence, unless, God crated a wholly simple universe, one in which you couldn't even have a rubber fork or build a simple campfire, there is always the possibility of evil. That doesn't mean evil has to happen, jus that it is always possible. The same fire that warms you can destroy you if you mishandle it.