Jesus said, “Can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other?” (Luke 14:31, The Message) Giving consideration to the context of this statement, it is clear that Jesus is speaking to the subject of discipleship – specifically, the cost of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Discipleship. What exactly does this entail? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. In its simplest form, the word means to be a follower of someone. There are those who are disciples of certain philosophers, or certain politicians, or political systems, or religious systems. In other words, they follow the principles of these entities. So, from this most simple definition, a disciple of Jesus Christ would be one who adheres to His teachings.

Now, one can be a follower of another’s teachings and simply espouse those teachings from his/her personal “pulpit”, or platform. In other words, they can present the arguments of the one they follow. They may be able to quote certain statements, or have a systematized presentation of their mentor’s teachings. One can be this sort of disciple without ever really committing themselves to those teachings. For example, one might become a disciple of the teachings of a certain political philosophy, such as communism, without ever becoming a communist. They may be able to give a detailed speech espousing the basic tenets of communism, making such a persuasive argument for this philosophy that many in their audience embrace it. However, the one presenting the speech is a disciple of communism only in the sense that they have studied it and are able to explain it in a clear, concise way.

In the verse quoted above, Jesus is saying that it is not enough to be able to say that you are a disciple, or even to be able to give a clear, concise explanation of the basic tenets of the Christian faith. He is saying that it is essential to count the costs of being a disciple, before one actually becomes a disciple. And in this particular statement on the subject of discipleship, He says that there is a cost involved. In essence He is saying that being His disciple is not an easy path to follow. To make sure everyone would understand the costs of discipleship, Jesus made some of the most difficult statements you can find in the Bible. Allow me to share a few just so we grasp the gravity of this subject.

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters – yes, and even his own life – he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26,27)

“No one who puts his hand to the plow, and looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

“Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)

This is just a small sample of the many verses in which Jesus described the subject of discipleship. To follow Him one can not only embrace His teachings intellectually, but one must commit to His teachings, giving careful consideration to the extreme costs involved.

To be a follower of Jesus Christ means that we are willing to engage in spiritual warfare. The teachings of Jesus go against the grain of secular reasoning. One cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ while at the same time embracing the things of this world. Paul admonished his readers to be “in the world, but not of the world.” We are in the world by necessity, but we embrace the world by choice. If I claim to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, then I am in a spiritual battle against the things of this world. The Apostle John said that the world is already in a state of passing away. He warned us against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These are all part of the world that is passing away. If we embrace the worldly philosophical thoughts of men, then we find ourselves in opposition to the teachings of Jesus.

Thus, the battle. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must understand that we are in a battle with spiritual forces. We must have on the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6 for a description of this armor) if we are to be successful in the battle. We cannot fight this battle in the power of our humanity. If we strive to do this, we will surely and utterly fail.

So, are you ready for battle? Have you made an all-out commitment to be a follower of Jesus Christ, regardless of the cost? Have you considered the gravity of your commitment, and are you willing to stand for Jesus regardless of the spiritual forces of darkness that might assault you? Jesus said that there would be many who will stand before Him at the judgment, and recount for Him all the things they had done for Him. However, many will hear the sobering words, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I never knew you.” There are many who profess His name, but are not true followers. They blended in with the world. When the spiritual battles ensued around them, they just blended in with the crowd. They traveled the broad road that leads to destruction.

Only those who truly commit to Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior are the ones who travel the narrow road that leads to life. If you are traveling that road, you will be called upon to show your true commitment. Are you battle ready?

Mark Twain is quoted to have said, “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

Those words probably ring amazingly true in the lives of most. They certainly are for me. My memories of childhood are scattered at best, but as I think about that period of time in my life, one thing is crystal clear: I thought my father was as much out of sync with the times as anyone could possibly ever be. He was, at least according to my way of thinking, an old man – not necessarily in age, but in his way of thinking.

Now, please don’t take this the wrong way. My father was a very good man, an extremely good man as a matter of fact. He provided for our family the best he could. He and my mother both worked jobs that were physically taxing. They provided for us, even when at times it meant they went without. I did not realize the sacrifices they made for me and my siblings until I was a young adult.

However, to my own shame, I never gave my father the thanks he deserved. As a matter of fact, I did just the opposite. For some inexplicable reason, I took it upon myself as a young teenager to make life miserable for him. As I look back to those years, I remember vividly how I rebelled against pretty much everything my father tried to teach me. Just a few examples of this rebellious spirit will suffice to make this point. I remember at the age of 12 my father telling me that he hoped I would never start smoking, so the very day he said it, I smoked my first cigarette. Again, at the age of 15, he warned me against the dangers of alcohol, and that very day I drank my first beer. This proved to be a pattern for me. It seems that every time he tried to warn me against some form of dangerous activity, I purposely did exactly what he warned me against.

Yes, during my teenage years, I certainly thought that he was a dumb old man. I no longer feel that way. I haven’t felt that way for some time now. Let me tell you why.

My father and mother were very good people. In all honesty, you would have a difficult time finding better. I was reared in what I refer to now as an Ozzie and Harriet home – a home in which no profanity was spoken, no alcohol was consumed, no loud arguing was ever heard. I was reared by parents who lived  out their Christian beliefs. Now, admittedly, there was still shortcomings in their child-rearing activities. Even though they did strive to live by solid Biblical principles, and encouraged us to do the same by taking us to church regularly and being involved in church themselves, they still did not have devotions with us, or spend time personally talking about Scripture. But, I truly believe they did the best they knew how.

As a teenager, I didn’t like that. I rebelled against it. I quit going to church as soon as I could, and began doing things my way. My cigarette smoking turned into pot smoking. My beer drinking turned into drinking more potent alcoholic beverages. My lifestyle was anything but the lifestyle I had witnessed in my parents.

It was not until my mid-twenties that I finally realized that my father was not the dumb old man I had previously thought, but was actually a very, very wise man. A man who not only believed, but also behaved, according to strong Biblical values. He always had my best interest in mind, even though I thought at the time he was being cruel by not allowing me to do some of the things I saw others doing. And even after my rebellion began, he never turned his back on me. He never gave up. He and my mother continued to pray for me, and to strive to encourage me to embrace truth.

I must bring this blog to a close, but I can’t before I tell you the end of the story. After living in rebellion for more than a decade, I finally understood the truth behind my parents belief system. I came to know their Savior as MY Savior. I attribute much of my conversion to the efforts of my parents, even though I had rejected their efforts for so many years.

I will never forget the day after I was saved by the grace of God. My father and I were not close, due to my rebellious spirit, not because of anything he had ever done. I turned my life over to the Lord Jesus Christ on September 13, 1977. On September 14 I went to visit my parents to share this news with them. I walked in the back door of their home. My father turned to look at me. No words were exchanged. Nothing at all was said. But something was vastly different. He walked over to me, put his arms around me (I honestly don’t know how long it had been since we had embraced), began to cry, and said, “You’ve been saved.” How did he know? I have no idea. But he did. And I hoped that this would begin the process of healing in our relationship that had been so strained for so long.

However, it did not. Fourteen days later, on September 27, 1977, my father passed from this earth, and took up residence in the presence of his Savior. Eight of those last fourteen days were spent in the hospital. So, there was no time to make amends for the many hours, days, weeks, months and years of heartache I had caused in his life. But yet, it was all good, because he knew before he died that I was finally where he had long prayed I would be: in a relationship with our Father in heaven.

Let me close by encouraging you to let your father know how much you love and appreciate him. One day, it will  be too late. Don’t let that happen to you.

When faced with choices, how does one decide which choice is right? How do we sort through the options to determine which path we should take? Life is filled with what we might refer to as forks in the road, at which we must decide which direction we will take. Is there some magic formula to use which will result in showing which fork is the right one? What if we take the wrong fork? How do we know, after making the choice and heading in a certain direction, that we have, indeed, chosen the right path? One doesn’t have to live very long before coming upon such a fork.

Teresa and I have chosen a new path. It was not that we all of a sudden came upon a fork at which we needed to make an immediate decision. No, this particular fork in the road has been in sight for quite a long time (for more insight on this topic, see my blog entitled “Things They Are A’changing” published on Feb. 4). You reach a certain point in life at which you begin to realize that you need to be making plans for the future. That point began to take focus for us approximately ten years ago.

It was at that time that Teresa and I began to look to the future. Not that we were looking to make an immediate change – as a matter of fact we knew that what we were beginning to envision was for a future time, and the exact timing of that was not at all certain. As we began to pray, dream, discuss options, and narrow down all the possibilities, we began to get excited about the prospects for our future. At the time, we were completely satisfied with our place in life. I was pastor of New Horizon Community Church, and was completely confident that NHCC was the place I was supposed to be. And, up until about a year ago, I knew that I was to be right there.

But then, God began to move in my heart and spirit, and I began to realize that my tenure as pastor of this great church would soon be coming to a close. I still didn’t have any idea exactly when this would happen, I just knew beyond any doubt that God was leading in this direction. I began to share with the leadership of NHCC that Teresa and I felt that it was time for us to begin the process of helping the church prepare for this coming transition. During this time, God also led us to begin making plans for our lives once our time with NHCC would come to a close.

Well, that time has now arrived. Through the providence of God, and the prayers of God’s people, NHCC has now called their next pastor. I have had the great pleasure and privilege of serving this church family for more than 12 1/2 years. I have so many cherished memories that I will now carry with me as Teresa and I make plans to say our final goodbyes to our friends and family. Now, please understand that we will continue to maintain contact with NHCC, but no longer as an active part of the congregation. My time as pastor of NHCC has come to a close, and Bryant Blakley is now privileged to serve in that capacity, and he doesn’t need the former pastor looking over his shoulder.

Teresa and I now have a new home, a new ministry, and a new mission field. We are praying for God’s guidance in seeking out new opportunities of ministry for our future. We are asking that you would pray with us and for us in this matter. I will certainly welcome any opportunity to fill in on Sunday mornings for pastors who need a supply as they are out of their pulpits on any given Sunday. I will be available for revivals and Bible conferences, as I have been privileged to share in these ministry opportunities in the past. And, the one area of ministry that Teresa and I are most excited about is the possibility of leading in marriage retreats for churches that are looking for a renewal weekend for their church families.

Would you please join us in prayer for the NHCC family as they welcome their new pastor, Bryant Blakley, his wife Kristen, and their children Brynlee and Carter. Would you pray for the transition period as he begins his duties. I know they would be greatly appreciative of your prayers.

And, finally, if you live in the Lancaster area, why not visit NHCC and see what God is doing with this great church family. I know you would be blessed.

In future blogs, I will be sharing with you occasionally what God is doing in our lives as we embark on this new adventure in our life journey. In the meantime, let me encourage you to seek God’s guidance as you look to your personal future. It is always an exciting prospect as we travel through life with God as our Guide.

via Providence, or Coincidence?

Those who know me well have heard me say on many occasions, “I have removed the word, ‘coincidence,’ from my vocabulary, because I don’t believe anything happens by coincidence.” So, that being the case, why would I entitle this blog, “Providence, or Coincidence?”

Well, what has got me thinking about this subject once again is a couple of situations with which I am personally acquainted. Allow me to share.

One has to do with my church family. New Horizon Community Church has been my church home for more than twelve years. I was blessed to be part of a small group of believers who felt that a new church was needed in the Lancaster, SC, area. Not that there was not plenty of churches already in this area, but that a non-traditional Southern Baptist church was needed. Thus, we embarked on a journey that has now lasted these twelve plus years. I could share with you story after story of the providential hand of God we have been privileged to witness during this time.

However, I will skip over all that (perhaps that will be a topic of a future blog) for the sake of time and space, and focus my thoughts on the recent past. Last summer, our NHCC family was enjoying one of our Summer Family Fun Days, at which Bryant and Kristen Blakley joined the festivities. Bryant had been serving in Alaska with Alaskan Missions. While he was serving there, Kristen came from Texas to serve as a summer missionary. Bryant and Kristen served together that summer, and ultimately developed a relationship which resulted in their marriage. The Blakley’s then served together in Alaska.

At this family fun day, Bryant shared with me that he and Kristen felt that God was leading them to move back to the Lancaster area. I shared with him that I had felt led of the Lord to begin the process of sharing with the leadership at NHCC that I was planning to transition out of full-time pastoral ministry into semi-retirement. Thus began the journey that has led the pastor search team at NHCC to recommend Bryant be the next pastor of this church family.

I have greatly abbreviated this story, leaving many related points of interest out for the sake of time and space, but I share this to ask the question: was it coincidence that Bryant was serving in Alaska, and that Kristen came to that exact location in Alaska as a summer missionary? Was it coincidence that they developed a relationship which ultimately led to their marriage? And was it coincidence that they felt led of the Lord to move back to Lancaster at the same time NHCC was beginning the process of transition? I, for one, think not. I believe firmly that all of these events were guided by the providential hand of God.

Second scenario. My wife and I were having lunch with our daughter and her husband. During the course of conversation, Charity, our daughter, said that if she had gone straight into EMT training and work (which she is now planning to do) and not to pursue a four year degree in criminal justice, then she would not have had the opportunity to work at Carowinds during the Scarowinds season. Had she not worked at Scarowinds she would not have met Patrick, who eventually became her husband. Wise observations, to be sure.

To the casual observer, both of these scenarios could easily be attributed to chance, or coincidence. But could there be some other explanation? Could there not be the reality of the invisible hand of an almighty God who orchestrated these events to get people into places of His choosing, so that through the long chain of events He might bring them to make life choices that are in accordance with His will? Those who believe in coincidence would say that all of these events, and the uncountable associated events that were part of bringing this to happen, were coincidental.

I choose to believe that there is a greater purpose to the events of life. Am I suggesting that every event of life is pre-determined by God, and then carried out by His irresistible will? No, at least not necessarily. I am suggesting that there is a great and grand scheme being played out, and it is directed by the hand of almighty God. We are led in life to make certain choices, and God works in those choices to guide us to fulfill His will. Can we make mistakes along the way? Can we choose to go in a way other than that which He desires? Yes, we can make choices that are contrary to His will. But, as Paul says in Romans 8:28, God works in all things for the good of those who love Him. God can actually bring good out of bad choices I might make along life’s journey.

In my next blog, I will share my personal journey, which includes a lot of trial and error (too much error!), and yet as I look back over my journey, I see the finger-print of God. He was guiding when I was totally unaware of His presence.

Does God work this intimately with each of us? Absolutely! We may sometimes wonder where He is and why He has left us to make choices without His guidance, but rest assured, He is guiding us when we can’t see His hand. Bryant and Kristen, and Charity and Patrick, have experienced the providence of God. They may not have been aware of it at every moment of their journey up to this point, but it was providence that led them to make choices which have now led them to their present station in life.

Will you, today, acknowledge God’s guidance in your life? Will you thank Him that He is so much a part of your life experiences, and then thank Him for the provisions of His providence? He loves you, and has the best in store for you. We may not always think we are experiencing the best, but rest assured, He always knows what is best. Trust Him, and enjoy the journey!

There are times and occasions which are so explosive with meaning that it is difficult to find the right words to say. The death of the Rev. Billy Graham is without doubt one of those occasions. Our English language has no words to convey the feelings, the emotions, the grief as well as the joy, that this news brings to our hearts and minds.

I cannot claim to have had a personal relationship with Rev. Graham, even though my wife and I did have the tremendous privilege of meeting him and speaking with him on a couple of occasions. One was at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention in New Orleans, and the other was at a BGEA crusade in Charlotte. I am so thankful that we were able to meet him personally, but that is not the topic of this article.

The Rev. Billy Graham has impacted and influenced more lives than could ever be counted. Having preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ in more than 180 countries, and to countless millions of individuals, his far-reaching ministries have certainly reached more with the message of salvation than any other human in all of church history. From such meager beginnings, no one would have ever thought that the young Billy Graham would ever become the spiritual giant which history now reveals.

God gave Rev. Graham an audience with everyone from the lowliest, poverty-stricken individual to the courts of presidents and kings. However, he never let his audience influence his message. To some, his message was quite simple. If you listened closely to his sermons – which so many have done – you would notice a clear pattern. He would take a passage of Scripture, give clear explanation of the text, and then go straight to Jesus Christ. His messages were not deep in theology. He very seldom focused on doctrinal issues that faced the church. He did not try to answer all the burning questions of societal ills. He just preached Jesus.

In a very real sense we could say that he followed in the footsteps of the great Apostle Paul, who stated on one occasion, “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” And on still another occasion Paul said, “For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” To all who have observed Billy Graham through the years of his ministry, we would all have to say that he, as Paul, knew nothing more than Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And now, he can also say, “to die is gain.”

The psalmist exclaimed, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Certainly, the death of the Rev. Billy Graham was precious in the sight of the Lord. There is a beautiful picture in the book of Acts concerning the death of Stephen, the very first martyr for the Christian faith. As he was being put to death by a riotous mob, Stephen gazed into the heavens and saw Jesus, standing at the right hand of God. It was as if Jesus stood to honor this man who was literally laying down his life for his Lord, Jesus. I imagine that perhaps the Rev. Billy Graham received such a welcome as he closed his eyes in death and opened them in the presence of his Lord.

We see him as he goes, and we say, “Well done, faithful servant of the Lord. Farewell.”

God looks at him as he comes, and says, “Well, done, good and faithful servant. Welcome home.”

Life is filled with surprises, uncertainties, changes. The surprises and uncertainties come with not forewarning. They catch us off-guard and unprepared. Some are minor disturbances which result in nothing more than a slight deviation from the norm. We deal with them as they come, oftentimes with almost no effort, while others are life-altering.

Changes are somewhat different. Some of the changes are expected and planned, while others are completely unexpected and unplanned. Some are the result of long-term dreaming and planning, while others are more spontaneous. The spontaneous changes can result in nothing more than a sudden decision to take an unplanned mini-vacation to your favorite get-a-way spot, or an on-the-spot decision to go out for a movie. Those keep life adventurous, and are the special moments that you learn to cherish as you share them with the ones you love.

The type of change I want to focus on in this blog is the type that comes from long-term dreaming and planning. My wife, Teresa, and I have been married 44 years. Through the years, and especially for about the last 10 of those years, we have been dreaming. A lot. Those dreams have taken us in many imaginary directions. From moving to the majestic mountains of western Wyoming, to moving back to Texas to be closer to kids and grandkids, to purchasing a bed and breakfast somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains, to becoming full-time campers working at an amusement park. Wow! I read that sentence again and think, “You don’t know what you want, do you?”

Well, you see, that’s the adventure of dreaming. Dreams may or may not come to pass. But they are so much fun, and are such good topics of conversation. Just to sit and talk with your spouse about the adventure of doing certain things, and dreaming about the many possibilities the fulfillment of that dream might bring about. For us, dreams have kept the spark burning brightly in our relationship.

And now, the dream, through the years, has narrowed. As a matter of fact, through the passing of time and the filtering of those dreams through day to day life, the many dreams have now morphed into one. We are now on the verge of seeing our dream become reality. And we can hardly contain our excitement.

Teresa and I are now in the beginning stages of a major life transition. I have been in pastoral ministry since 1979. I have loved this calling of God in my life, and Teresa has been a source of consistent support in the fulfilling of this calling. I have now served New Horizon Community Church since its founding in 2005. This church family is OUR family. We love each member of this church family deeply and dearly. Many of them have been with New Horizon from its inception, while others have joined this family along the way. They will continue to be our church family for the foreseeable future. However, we know that there will come the day when we will say our goodbyes, and another pastor will assume the pastoral duties. But, NHCC will still be our family. There is a relationship that runs much deeper than blood, and that describes our NHCC family.

We will then move to a new field of ministry: Carowinds Amusement Park. We are in process of putting our house on the market. We have just this past week made a purchase of our dream home: a beautiful Montana fifth-wheel camper (didn’t make it to Wyoming, but will be able to live in Montana!!!). Teresa and I have always been amusement park junkies, and both of us have worked at Carowinds. Teresa just received news that she has been hired for a job in the human resources department at the park, and I will be returning to work with the Carowinds family as well. The dream is coming true!

But, some will be wondering about my calling. Am I turning my back on the calling of God on my life that has truly BEEN my life for these almost 40 years? It might appear that this is the case. But nothing could be further from the truth. I will continue to fulfill my calling – just in a different location, and utilizing different methods of reaching people for Christ.

Teresa and I have felt for quite a while that this is what God was leading us to do together as we entered into our “retirement” years. Neither of us have any plans to retire – life has just too many opportunities to continue to bring glory to God through the various avenues He opens before us. We simply feel that this is the new direction from God to provide us with continuing opportunities to bring glory to His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Now, in closing, might I be so bold as to ask a favor? Would you please keep us in your prayers as this transition begins to unfold. We are super excited, and yet there is a degree of anxiety as we move into this new chapter of our married life. We have absolutely no doubt that this is God’s will for us at this juncture of our adventure called life. Pray that God will always be honored as we strive to serve Him.

Once again we are in the throes of the hectic pace of the Christmas season. Festive lights and decorations; selecting the perfect gift for the perfect (or imperfect) person; the sights and sounds of the season; all these things and much more make the season what it is.

Or do they? Is this really what the season is all about? Is it really about the lights, the decorations, the presents, the family get-togethers, and all the other happenings during this time of year?

For those who embrace the Biblical understanding of Christmas, it is much, much bigger than all the aforementioned traditions of this time of year. It is a story so big, in fact, that it changed the course of history. So momentous is the event being commemorated that it actually split time. The dating of time is now centered around the birth of a baby boy in the town of Bethlehem. Time is now reckoned as before this birth, and after this birth.

Yes, the birth of Jesus Christ brought a division of time. But it also brought a more serious division: a division of humanity. There are so many man-made divisions. There are social divisions, and racial divisions, and ethnic divisions, and socio-economic divisions, and religious divisions, among many others that could be mentioned. But the birth of Jesus Christ brought about a division that separated all of humanity into two distinct groups: Christians and non-Christians; believers and non-believers; those who embrace the gift of Christmas, and those who reject it.

All of the man-made divisions mentioned above fade into insignificance in light of this division of humanity. The divisions of race, ethnicity, society, and any other that can be named loses meaning (or at least it should) in light of the gift of Christmas. True believers come in all varieties of humanity. Yes, red, yellow, black and white are all precious in His sight, and once one has embraced the gift, racial distinctions should be erased.

Part of the Christmas story as recorded in Luke’s Gospel speaks of the fact that Jesus would bring peace into the world. This is not a promise of world peace, and should not be thought of as such. It is peace that is established between an individual human being and God. Jesus provides the means of sinful man being made at peace with God through the redeeming grace of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.

This also means that every true believer in Jesus Christ should now be at peace with every other true believer. All the man-made divisions are destroyed. Red, yellow, black and white become one family of faith.

So, peace is established between sinful man and holy God, which results in peace between all true believers, but it still does not guarantee peace in the world. As a matter of fact, Jesus promised His followers that they would have trouble in this world. He also said that the peace He gives one individual would actually cause a lack of peace between that individual and others, perhaps in his own family, who do not share that peace. Families are sometimes destroyed due to the divisiveness caused by one family member embracing this amazing gift of peace while other members of the same household reject it.

If you are wondering why the message of peace in the Christmas story seems to be a fairy tale, then please remember this. The peace Jesus Christ had with His Father did not spare Him from the horror of crucifixion. The peace He had, and the peace He gives, is not shelter from the storms of life, but rather peace in the midst of the storm.

So, this Christmas season, remember that you are offered peace with God, which will result in you experiencing the peace of God in every circumstance of life. And as you enjoy the festivities of the season, let it all remind you of the real meaning behind it all: the Son of God took upon Himself humanity so that He could offer humanity, HIMSELF! Merry Christmas, and may you experience the fullness of His blessings in your life.

The news feeds continue to report the evil actions of individuals and groups who are bent on carrying out their evil intentions in wreaking havoc on unsuspecting targets. Today, we are hearing the reports of the mass shooting in a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, where 26 people are dead and more than a dozen others wounded. The reports of such incidents seem to be growing with each passing week.

What is the answer? Is there an answer? I would address these questions specifically to those who identify themselves as Christians: can you offer a word of consolation, a word of hope, in the midst of such wickedness?

I am reminded of the words of the psalmist, in Psalm 143, where he cries out to God for His intervention at a time of crisis: “My enemy has chased me. He has knocked me to the ground and forces me to live in darkness like those in the grave. I am losing all hope; I am paralyzed with fear.”

All hope lost; paralyzed with fear. I am sure the people of Sutherland Springs are feeling those same emotions today. And not just those who are personally affected by this act of insanity, but everyone who has a heart of compassion in times such as this. This act has shown us that there is no safe place – nowhere that we can feel completely out of harm’s reach. That fact could very easily cause us to lose hope.

Have you ever lost all hope? Have you ever been paralyzed with fear? It is so easy for us, in the face of such hatred and violence, to lock ourselves away, to arm ourselves with an arsenal of weapons, to install extra security in our homes, to do everything within our power to make sure we will not be the next victim. But this act is a graphic reminder that there is no safe place. As a matter of fact, the past few attacks have shown clearly that attacks are now in the most vulnerable of places. A concert in Las Vegas, a public street in New York, a Wal Mart in Colorado, a group of worshipers in church. There is no safe place. Anywhere, everywhere, is a target for those who are intent on carrying out acts of evil.

So, let’s get back to the question posed in the title of this blog. Will it ever end? The answer, short and simple, is, no. There have always been acts of evil, and there will always be. And those episodes in which evil produces such horrific results as those mentioned above always leave us in a state of bewilderment.

Just as the psalmist. Hope lost. Paralyzed with fear. Confused. Perplexed. Once again reeling in the aftermath of evil personified. Wondering what, if anything, can be done to protect against this onslaught.

Well, actually, the answer is found in that same psalm quoted above. After making the assertion that he had lost all hope, and that he was paralyzed with fear, the psalmist went on to say, “I remember the days of old. I ponder all your great works and think about what you have done. I lift my hands in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain.” The psalmist realized that there was really no answer he could offer for the evil he was witnessing, but he knew that he had a place of refuge to which he could turn. That refuge was in God – his only hope, and the only One who could overcome his fearful paralysis.

This is where faith comes in for the believer. The psalmist actually goes on in this particular psalm to state further his battle with depression, but he asks of God, “Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning.” Faith is believing, even when you can’t see. It is seeing beyond the visible into the invisible. It is embracing the TRUTH of God’s love even when you can’t SEE that love. It is holding on to the truths of Scripture, even when you have every reason to turn your back on God and walk away.

Today, we are praying for the people of Sutherland Springs. Just as we did for Las Vegas, and New York. We keep our eyes on the only One who can give us the grace to keep going even in the face of the another stark reminder of the presence of evil. If you have not already done so, please turn to Him for grace to face the difficulties life throws our way. He is the light in the midst of this darkness of evil. He is our Hope, our Peace, and our Salvation.

Source: Just How Good is God?