Are you tuned in?

 

The closer you come to God the more attuned you will be to the evil around you. Evil in the world, in society in general and certain people in particular. You will even notice the evil in yourself.

Do not be distressed by this. Having come nearer to God's love and mercy you are now becoming more aware of the lack of such qualities in others. Even yourself.

You are now becoming more aware of your own shortcomings and sins. Let each reminder of such failings be an opportunity for you to confess to God, repent and seek His forgiveness. This will bring you even closer to His divinity.

And as you reflect on the evil in others around you, hand them and their situations over to God in the sure knowledge that He is in control and will overcome evil in His way and in His time.

We live in an evil world, and your closeness to God is making you more aware of evil's influence in every sphere of life. Resist it in your own life.

Ask the Holy Spirit to descend on you and to guide you and protect you.

Seek God's love in tribulation

The world is in a bad place right now. Perhaps more so than at any time in history. Some would argue that it is a different type of bad place we are in. But at least we would agree that we are experiencing very difficult times albeit we may have different views on the causes and the remedies.

As we progress and "mature" in our Christianity, we become more aware and increasingly sensitive to the wrongs around us. 

What in the past we merely observed as a wrong done by others, we now feel deeply the wrongs that surround us and the way they affect others. Even if we are not directly involved in others' suffering, and we are mere spectators, our closeness to Christ makes us feel and share the hurt done to people we have never met directly, but have only heard about them in the news.

So in sharing with their grief, albeit privately, and in feeling helpless perhaps in our ability to change the situation; where does that leave us in terms of Christ's commandment to love one another? 

Love for the "victim", the needy, the destitute and the oppressed in the wrong-doings may come naturally to us. But what is our obligation to love the cause of the wrong-doing. Whether it be an individual, or a situation or circumstances?

Central to all occurrences in this world is God's love. 

As a caring Father He loves His creations whatever the circumstances and whatever our behaviour and conduct. He is well aware that individuals, whilst exercising their freedom to choose, have chosen the wrong path, more likely influenced by the evil one. Yet, despite the transgressions of such people, He still loves them as would any parent whose children have wandered off to follow their own path.

God's love is never changed or untouched by the events of this world or the behaviour of the human race. It is this very love that allows some to wander from the path of righteousness and follow their own will. To do otherwise would mean to interfere with the very gift of self-will which He has bestowed upon us.

God's love is a place of safety for every trusting soul whatever the power of darkness can manifest on this world. 

Our sensitivity to such darkness should be tempered by the knowledge and conviction that God's love will conquer in the end; indeed, has done so already at the Cross when Christ had overcome the world. 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) 

The quest for evil

 

It's a while now since we've had a serious discussion on this blog. Exchanging views and opinions, even if we don't exactly agree 100%. Or where our views differ a little.

So here is something that has been exercising my mind lately. 

Are some people destined to be evil? To spread evil? To promote and encourage it in others?

Let's look at this another way. 

Some people believe in God, or indeed in other religions. They believe in doing good towards others and live by that maxim.

Most people, I think, want the same things from life. To live peacefully as best they can. To have the wherewithal to look after themselves and their families. To have food, shelter, health and so on.

Few people set out in life with the whole purpose of causing havoc, suffering and pain to others. 

Yet, the world has known some really evil people through the ages who, for various reasons, have wreaked havoc far an wide.

My question is: Are/were these people destined to follow the path of evil? Are they in this world to be receptive to the call of evil, (Satan), and to do his work? Or did they freely choose that path, and the devil took advantage of their direction in life and helped them along the way?

In summary: pre-destined or free choice?

^"And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one. While I was with them, I kept them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me. I protected them, and not one of them was lost, except the man who was bound to be lost—so that the scripture might come true. (John 17:11-12)

Was Judas, (and others like him since then), destined to do evil? Or did he/they have a free choice to choose to do good instead?

Would you play poker with the devil?

Would you play poker with the devil?

The question is somewhat academic since the devil would not engage in such a discussion or game-play with you. And in any case, in this day an age not many people believe in him anyway; (to his undoubted delight). They see him as a euphemism for evil rather than an actual living being, albeit in a spiritual sense.

The devil exists all right. We cannot possibly believe in God and not believe in the devil. But he is cunning in camouflaging his existence from a sophisticated modern world which does not know what to believe any more.

The devil will use your past and your future to ruin your present.

He will take an instance or an event from the past and let it prey within your mind weighing down your progress and enjoyment of life today. Say for example you have had a disagreement with someone in the past. Something serious that has hurt you badly and has been left unresolved. The devil will use such hurt to make you resent what has happened and perhaps withdraw any forgiveness you might have given. Or, if you have indeed forgiven, he will use such hurt to remind you that the other person has never sought, nor cared for, your forgiveness. This is particularly poignant if such a person has passed away and therefore there is no opportunity for reconciliation.

But you must remember this, such a person is now in another spiritual world and has seen the instance of disagreement in all its clarity. If indeed he has been in anyway remiss, this is now a matter between him and God; and has nothing to do with you. There is no profit in allowing the devil to torment you further. If, on the other hand, some blame is attributable to you, then admit it and seek forgiveness from God; and accept such forgiveness lovingly given. To do otherwise would allow the devil an opportunity to overcome you; for our regrets of the past are the toys he uses to suppress us.

As for the future, we all have our doubts, fears or concerns as to what will happen then. Be they worries about old age, sickness, or our fears for the safety or well-being of our loved ones. This too is fertile ground for the devil to manipulate and lead us astray from God our Creator; and to spoil our enjoyment of the present. Giving way to such fears is both playing poker with the devil and a great disservice to God Himself, since it betrays a lack of trust and faith in Him on our part.

Christ too was tempted and tormented by the devil many times. He overcame such attacks through prayer and strengthened faith in God His Father. Let that in itself be an example for us.

The devil will never show his poker hand, but rest assured he is holding at least five aces!