Tag Archives: evil

Charlie Hebdo: Insights

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The terrorist attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical publisher is just that – a terrorist attack. Whether Islam calls for killing those who demean an Islamic prophet (Koran), or not, highly planned attacks are not the solution. Then when a Muslim cleric defends the slaughter in Paris, there are obvious problems with the religion of “peace.”1 That would be like an evangelical pastor who believed someone on death row was innocent and the pastor openly declared an assault on the prison and killing of the guards would be appropriate. Fortunately masses in France are rising up against the attacks, but will the government have the “will” to stand up to the terrorists to not just capture them, but to remove them from being a threat? Continue reading →

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Good People Let Evil Influence Part 4: Insights

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We’ve been looking at Edmund Burke’s statement, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” We saw that that approach to life was not a recent phenomenon, but began with Adam in the Garden of Eden. We saw that the good work a Christian is to disciple others to Christ. However, he first needs to be discipled. People often are not humble enough to go through the process of discipleship, and therefore do not learn how to disciple others. They think they are too busy, or too old, or they’ve been a Christian long enough and they just keep doing what they’ve been doing. What prevents people from starting the process? It is easy, because it is just helping another person grow spiritually. However, it is genuinely difficult, because every Christian has so many distractions away from that good work. Continue reading →

Good People Let Evil Influence Part 3: Insights

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Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” We saw that that approach to life began with Adam in the Garden of Eden. Adam was good, because he had not sinned. He had good intentions, because he did what the Lord commanded him – naming the animals and tending the garden. But Adam momentarily did not act by faith dependence on the Lord and he chose to “go along” with what Eve said and did (Gen. 3:1-6). We also saw in yesterday’s article that the Christian’s good work was to grow to spiritual parenthood and disciple others to Christ. The lack of that fulfillment is the main reason evil is encroaching on all the good in the world today. Can we change so that we do what the Lord directs? Absolutely! Continue reading →

Good People Let Evil Influence Part 2: Insights

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Yesterday, we looked at Edmund Burke’s statement, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” The article said, “It matters that good people do good.” People may disagree with what the good is. Some will say we should be politically active to make good change. I’d agree, but there is something more important. Some will say we need to help the poor. That is important, but there is something more important.

Discernment is necessary and that takes spiritually mature people who are willing to set aside the desires of their flesh to trust God and do what is right in every area of life. Unfortunately, Christians are fooling themselves to think that they are spiritually mature, because they are not doing the big sins and they know a little bit of God’s Word. What is a spiritually mature person? Continue reading →

Aurora

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Aurora

Last night, another tragedy has struck America.  The details will be laid out for us in the days ahead, but in the mean time at least 12 are dead and 50 wounded.  A tragedy like this could happen anywhere and families will become paralyzed with fear and bewilderment.  Take time to think through the repercussions and pray for the families involved.  This is not a game.  Thank God, He is still sovereign, faithful and merciful.

This incident shows the insidious nature of the wickedness of man’s heart.  When man is not in submission to the justice of God, he acts independently and causes havoc in the world mirroring the evil one.  That’s where we Christians, with merciful, open hearts, need to realize our part to set our minds on the things above and set our priorities on building God’s kingdom rather than going about our business thinking this would never happen close to home.  God will have his way and use His people for His glory if we trust Him and reach out to neighbors with the gospel.

Is there someone you know that needs an ear?  Is there a parent you know struggling with his/her child?  Is there a person who is functioning alone and needs the gospel? 

The world will spend inordinate amounts of time trying to define why this happened.  There are a multitude of contributing factors.  The biblical answer is what John wrote, “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.”  (1Jo 3:11-12)   The man killed and wounded because he did evil deeds and would not humble himself before the righteousness of God.

Does that excuse the rest of the world?  No, we all have a part to use our time, talents, treasures and truth to connect people to worship God, equip people to grow into the image of Christ and multiply ourselves to reach the world.  There is one answer to these actions and it is found in humble obedience to God’s word, first in becoming a new creation in Christ and secondly growing into Christ-likeness.  Let us commit ourselves to set our minds on the things above where Christ is and transform our world.  In that commitment, let us use the opportunity to listen to others as they process, yet again, another tragedy.