I Was Tagged By The Chad, You Might Be Too!

I got tagged by The Chad.  The deal is, I have to find a book with at least 123 pages and cite the first three sentences from the 123rd page.  The Chad has already tagged the people I know have blogs so...they are double tagged!  And Dan, you are tagged too.

"In 1961, the Foreign Assistance Act replaced the Mutual Security Act and created AID as the administering agency for economic assistance.  Development capital and technical assistance were given greater emphasis than defense aid and the Alliance for Progress was launched an attack on incipient revolution and communism in the Western Hemisphere.  The prevailing thought was that aid would contribute to economic development in the newly emerging nations of the Third World (as the Global South was then called), which would foster stable democratic governments."

From: American Foreign Policy by Eugene Wittkopf, Charles W. Kegley Jr., and James M. Scott

Depth

It is not surprising that many moral people are not choosing Christianity today. When you look at the church through the lens of someone who has not been a part of it for years and years, you can see why. We're so shallow. I really mean that. Our view of life is hardly any deeper than a secular moralist.

We are very hesitant to dig deeper. We box in our religious convictions to our assemblies as if they were some sort of "safe zone." And even then, I feel as if they are shallow. We sing, without really singing to each other Paul tells us we should do, in a dreary half alive fashion. Look from the front on a song service and you would think everyone was a zombie. Then the part we've all been waiting for...a man with a formal theological education comes and tickles our ears. When we leave, we talk about what a good speaker the preacher is. Hardly the stuff that will get us through the attacks of Satan.

What do we talk about when we meet with other churchgoers? "Hey Bill, how's your tractor runnin'?" "Oh good."

I believe people are starving. We try to fill ourselves but we are so afraid to.  We are far too content with the shallowness of our relationship with God.  Do you think God sent his son to the earth so that we can meet every first day of the week, eat a cracker, drink grape juice, sing five songs, and listen to a preacher?  Ridiculous.  

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.  Honor one another above yourselves."  Romans 12:10

The Nature of God

If only people had the proper idea of God, how many more people would come to know him. It is only the work of Satan that so many do not understand who God is.

How could God send people to Hell if he is the God of Love? Why can there be so much suffering in a world created by God?

To answer the first question, God does not want to send anyone to Hell. However, you have to understand God to understand why people go to Hell. God is perfect. He is absolutely pure. Impurity cannot dwell in his presence. Someone might ask, "But I thought God could do anything?" You are right. God sent his son to the earth in order to free us from our sin, the very impurity that separates us from God. When he, the perfect man, rose from the dead, he conquered death. Death is separation. Separation from the body, separation from God. God is actively doing everything he can to bring us to him. We have to accept him.

Suffering is attributed to God more than it should. Satan is the ruler of the world and he would love to have the damage he inflicts placed on God. Sometimes God allows Satan to cause suffering in order to humble men and women before Him. Pride is a barrier between God and men. I imagine when we actually see God, we will understand why we had no reason to ever be proud. God gave us everything we have. If we attribute the good things of this life to ourselves, we belittle God and sin. God allows Satan to inflict suffering to bring about eventual good.

Both of these issues are major obstacle for many people. The proper perspective on the earth and universe are required to see through to the truth. Pray that God allows you to see the truth. Study his word. Speak to those who have found the way. These are the most important questions you will ever ask. They are too important to wait.