This week's topic is answered by Hayden Collins. 

This can be a very interesting study to get into because we may either hear this quoted a lot, or we may hear the popular worship song called “The Blessing” (Highly encourage you to listen to it). Wherever you may hear this, you may think, " What is this truly talking about? As a huge fan of the song that quotes this, I’ve begun studying this question more deeply as I prepare this study!

The Lord bless you. Many times, we may hear that “God has blessed me,” and it’s mostly in the context of something good from a human perspective happening in their life. When we think of being blessed with a life of comfort and ease, that definitely isn’t for our greater good. God knows how we need to be blessed, even when we don’t. The truth is, the Lord wants to bless his children, but it may not be what we think it should be. The Lord bless you in this time, for they may have meant to give them a good harvest, peace, or even children of their own, and that was considered being blessed. Oftentimes today, we take these kinds of things for granted and instead credit them to doctors, technology, etc. The Hebrew word for “bless” is to kneel or to show great respect, and when I hear this, I picture God kneeling down to our level as a Father would to give his children a gift.

“And keep you.” To be kept by the Lord is a blessing! When I think of people who don’t truly believe in Christ, they are kept in their greed, idolatry, pride, and willful sin. Instead, for people who truly believe in Christ, they get to be kept by the Lord! Some translations of this part say “to protect”, which is still a blessing! This can also be taken in a way that God keeps you as his child! Even when we don’t feel we should belong, when we continually come back to Him, we are told that we are kept by God in the midst of our struggles. What a God we have who wants to keep and protect us even when we fall short of his glory! 

The LORD make His face shine upon you. This is alluding to the sun shining on the earth to take care of the earth and comfort it. We can all imagine a father disciplining his child and getting him out of his presence, and then receiving them back to see their face! This is how God receives sinners who come to Christ! A look of approval from the Lord is the only approval that we should seek. This look of approval gives a deep sense of joy, calm, and peace when we try to seek the approval of everyone but God. Oftentimes, we want to seek approval from the wrong places, and instead God wants us to seek HIS approval and not man’s.And be gracious to you. The idea here is that they ask the Lord to give them mercy and care for His people. At this time, they were still having to make sacrifices and give burnt offerings for the forgiveness of sin. Even in the same way, we do this today when we ask God to give us mercy when the work has already been done! When we repent of our sins, we no longer have to beg and try to plead with God out of fear or desperation. Hebrews 4:16 says, “'Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” This reminds us that even though the work is done, he still wants a relationship and a reliance on Him!

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. A major problem in the Christian social media space is that many “influencers” will tell millions of people to speak this blessing, and they will be blessed. This is trying to force God’s hand and is not the reality of this text. The reality is from this is that God’s plan is much better than ours. Praying and meditating on this doesn’t guarantee the life we all want, but it shows a reliance on God in the good, AND the bad. The reality of this text is that God’s plan...” and “Quite honestly, what God wants is US. When we put our faith in anything but him, there are going to be consequences. Many people want peace, comfort, and the Lord in their favor, but are we doing it to please ourselves or because we really need it?

To listen to the song, click the link 
https://youtu.be/tNk_xCa7zaQ?si=PKC6xxNjJGKKFO21

Before we dive into this topic, I want to make sure that my heart is clearly expressed here. If you have been close to someone who has taken their own life, I am deeply sorry. The pain that you feel is something that I have not experienced, but one that my heart breaks for. The thoughts and questions that are left, the pain the continues on, I truly am sorry and am praying for you. Nobody ever wants to hear that a loved one has passed. Whether we see it coming, or it catches us by surprise, it is never easy. But then the pain hits a deeper level, because on top of the loss, it is revealed that it was self inflicted. Regardless of the method, someone that was loved decided to take their own life. In that moment, and the days and years that follow, questions, concerns, and struggles arise. For many, one of those questions that is asked is, is suicide forgivable? I believe the heart behind that question is is it possible for me to see that person in heaven, because they professed to be a believer. There is a struggle of their hope in Christ and the reality that they ended their life on this earth. So again, the question we face is; is sin forgivable?
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The Bible doesn’t speak about this topic. I can think of three instances in which someone was in such dire circumstances that they desired for their life to end. All three are prominent figures in the Scriptures.
The first one is found in Numbers 11. Moses has been leading the people out of Egypt, and they are now setting out from Mount Sinai. Shortly after, the people begin to complain. Their complaining gets to Moses, in which he then cries out to God, I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness. Moses was consumed by the weight of his circumstances, and desired that God would take his life from him.

The second King David. Some of the clearest passages of emotion in Scripture are found in the Psalms. We see rejoicing, trusting in God, praising God, and then also passages that reveal great pain. Psalm 22, 39, and 55 both express David’s emotions through difficult situations. When David’s son rebelled against him and then was killed, David cried out that he would have died in Absalom’s place. David experienced intense times in which he desired for death to come.

Lastly, the Apostle Paul. In one of Paul’s heavier introductions to an epistle, Paul is writing about the comfort that God gives us in our time of affliction so that we can then comfort those who are being afflicted. Paul has suffered immense persecution for the Gospel. So much so, that he says in 2 Corinthians 2:8, we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

Why do I share these passages? Because these are heroes of the faith, pillars that we stand on what they have written, and even they experienced moments of weakness, in which they despaired of life itself. The point I’m wanting to make is that for someone to take their own life, there is a level of pain and hurt that I won’t even dare to claim I understand. Life is hard. Our world is broken. And whether self inflicted or not, we face struggles of different levels, some way harder than others. Some cause people to seek deliverance through death. This doesn’t even mean a lack of trust in God, but there are moments of weakness, chemical imbalances, biological abnormalities, and mental illnesses that cause someone to go to the extent of taking their life. Does that mean that what they did is unforgivable? We can look at the nature of God and what He tells us about His forgiveness.

• Psalm 103:10-12 — He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
• Titus 3:5 — He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy….
• Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory.

These passages point us to the immense love and forgiveness that God extends to us. Forgiveness that is not based on what we do, but received by faith through His grace. Forgiveness that covers a multitude of sins, which I believe, includes suicide. I believe that if your faith is in Christ Jesus, that is what saves you. That you are sealed with His Spirit, that in a moment of weakness does not nullify His grace.

One last comment, if you are in a level of depression that is considering ending it all, please don’t. There is a hope in Christ. Though suicide is forgivable, it is not right. If you think no one cares, that is a lie from the devil. Whatever is leading you to think such thoughts, God has given you a body of believers, locally at Center, and globally in His Church, to encourage you. If you are struggling, please reach out and seek Godly help.

This past Sunday, we looked at 3 truths that every believer can focus on, regardless of their view of the “End Times”. Those truths are Christ rose from the dead (and we will too), Christ reigns at this present moment, and Christ will returnto bring us into eternity with God. Yet this posed a question, what happens when we die, and the world is still waiting for the return of Jesus?

We are told in Scripture what happens when Christ returns, those who belong to the Lord will receive new resurrected bodies, and He will usher in a new heaven and a new earth.
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51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 52 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. — 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word form the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. — 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16
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Here, Paul uses a word for death, sleep. He is not speaking of soul sleep, which is a view that some hold, where the body and the soul cease to be conscious until the return of Jesus, but rather about the body being asleep. For there will be a resurrected body on the Day of the Lord. And notice what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. If their souls are still at rest with their bodies, then why would Jesus bring them back with Him? Even Jesus, when His body was in the tomb, was not in a “soul sleep” state, yet His body remained there for three days until it was raised from the dead. We are told in 1 Peter 3:19-20, 19 He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey…. Then, when Jesus rose from the dead, He received a new glorified body, not some floating orb, but real flesh. When Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples after His resurrection, He asked them “have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate before them. — Luke 24:41-43 (revealing He was not a ghost), and then He told Thomas “put your finger here, and see My hands; and put your hand, and place it in My side….” (John 20:27). This reveals to us that we will have resurrected bodies. This still leaves the question of what happens between the moment that we die until Jesus returns and we receive our resurrected bodies?

There are three predominant views on this, which we will look at briefly.

The first view is the Soul Sleep view, in which they read into 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as meaning that both the body and the soul are unconscious, waiting for the return of Jesus. This is different than the view of purgatory, in which the soul is conscious and in a state of being cleansed before being able to enter into the presence of God. Those who believe in soul sleep hold that everyone who has passed away and will pass away enter into a state of unconsciousness until Jesus returns, in which they will all be raised again.

The second view is that the body is at rest, but the soul is in the presence of the Lord in an intermediate body, not our physical earthly bodies, but also not our eternal resurrected bodies. There are two forms that this view can take:

1. believers (with conscious souls) are without a body while awaiting their resurrection bodies (more like floating orbs in the presence of God)
2. believers (with conscious souls) receive an intermediate body that somehow differs from their upcoming resurrection bodies

This view receives its support through the interpretation of 2 Corinthians 5:1-5, which states:
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The third view is that upon our final breath on this earth, we immediately receive our eternal bodies because of the nature of eternity, they are currently in their resurrected bodies because they are living in eternity “now”. God is not bound by time, He transcends time, and therefore when a person dies, they immediately are entering into eternity with everyone else. For us it may appear to be time, but for them it is immediate. There is no unconsciousness, there is no lull, it is just immediately in the presence of Christ with their new resurrected bodies.

Those views are all based on interpretation of the Scripture, and some of them leave us with reading into God’s Word what God never put there. What is the condition of our souls between the moment we die and the return of Christ? We don’t know. Charles Spurgeon once said,

If after that you desire to know more concerning this house, I can but give you the advice which was given by John Bunyan in a similar case. One asked of honest John a question which he could not answer, for the matter was not opened up in God’s Word; therefore honest John bade his friend live a godly life, and go to heaven, and see for himself.

But Scripture doesn’t leave us without answers still. Back to the original question, what happens to our souls after we die? Paul answers this question for us in his second letter to the Corinthians. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body (on this earth) we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Paul leaves us with only two options, here on this earth and away from the presence of the Lord, or away from this earth and in the presence of the Lord. He doesn’t leave room for a third option. In Philippians 1:21-23, Paul says 21 for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. Again, Paul sees that to be away from the body is to be in the presence of Christ. And in 1 Thessalonians 5:10, Paul says 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Paul says that even if we are asleep (dead), we are with Him. Based on these passages, we can have confidence that those who have gone before us are in the presence of God, and we will be too after our final breath in this life, immediately before the One who loves us so much that He gave His life so that we can be with God for eternity.

Two last points that we can find confidence in this view that we are immediately with God. In Luke 16, Jesus shares about what happened to a rich man when he died, and Lazarus (not Mary & Martha’s brother) when he died. We are told that when the rich man died, he was buried and was in Hades (Hebrew is Sheol, the place of the dead), and was in torment. Lazarus also died, and was taken to Abraham’s side (aka Paradise). The Old Testament Jews viewed Sheol as a place where all the dead went, for the perfect sacrifice had not been paid yet. In Sheol, the place where all the dead went (for even David mentions Sheol in his psalms), there were two “locations”, Hades (Greek, but what many people consider hell to be at this moment, where the unrighteous went) and Paradise (by Abraham’s side, where the righteous went, those who had faith in the promises of God). When Jesus was on the cross, He turned to the thief who asked Him to remember him when Jesus entered His kingdom, and Jesus replies today you will be with Me in Paradise (Luke 23:43). When Jesus died, He went and proclaimed His victory to all the saints who had died before His sacrifice, the patriarchs, the remnant that held to the promises of God, all those who were in Paradise. He proclaimed His victory, and then opened the access for them to be in the presence of God forever, because their sins were perfectly covered by the perfect blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The thief on the cross was immediately in the presence of the Lord after his death. It is my confidence and belief that since the thief was with Him, why would I have to wait to be with Him after my death?
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Last point, look at the history and character of God. What has God desired throughout all time? He has desired to be with His people. He created Adam and Eve and walked with them. When man rebelled, He picked Abraham to create a covenant with, saying He will be his God. God then told man to build the tabernacle system, so that He could dwell among them. The Temple was built as a permanent (although insufficient) dwelling place for God to be with His people. God sent His Son to live among us, and ultimately die for us, so that we can have a hope to be with God for eternity. Upon the ascension of Jesus, God sent His Spirit to dwell in us, being a guarantee of the eternity we have where we will one day get to look upon the face of God with unveiled eyes, seeing Him in His glory! God’s desire has always been to be with His people. It is my belief and confidence that based on the character of God, and His desire to be with us, that upon my final breath on this earth, I will look upon the face of my Savior, and dwell with Him forever. What form I will be in until my resurrected body, I honestly don’t think I’ll care, my focus will be on Him.

Jesus tells us in John 17:17 "sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth." But there are so many different versions of the Bible out there, with so many times of it being translated, ​how can we know the Bible is true? 

Ultimately it comes down to faith, that we believe in God and believe that He has given us His perfect Word and preserved it throughout the generations, and that it is His Word for us. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 -- 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 4:12 → 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

God has preserved His Word though, and given us evidences throughout His Word that help reassure us that we can trust what it says. 

THE FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY
There are over 57 direct prophecies about Jesus specifically from the Old Testament that He fulfilled in His life on the earth. There are countless references to Jesus coming and time on the earth throughout the Old Testament as well, all of which were written 400+ years before Jesus came to the earth. 

*** The Birth of Jesus Prophesied***
His lineage 

• Seed of a Woman (Virgin Birth) -- Genesis 3:15, Luke 1:26-36, Matthew 1:18
• Promised Descendent of Abraham -- Genesis 12:3, Matthew 1:2
  • Isaac (Genesis 21:12), Jacob (Genesis 28:14), Judah (49:10), David (2 Samuel 7:12) --  Matthew 1:1-17

His Birthplace

• Born in Bethlehem -- Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1-6
• Escape to Egypt -- Hosea 11:1, Matthew 2:15

***The Crucifixion of Jesus Prophesied*** 

• Jesus is the Passover Lamb -- Exodus 12:21-27, 1 Corinthians 5:7 
• No Bones would be broken -- Exodus 12:26, John 19:31-36
• Jesus would be lifted up -- Numbers 21:9, John 3:14-18
• The process of His crucifixion -- Psalm 22, John 19:16-37

Click here for a complete list of the prophecies of Jesus that were fulfilled. 

THE EFFECT JESUS HAS HAD ON THE WORLD 
Think about it this way, Jesus was a carpenter from a town of less than 1,000 people, and He never went more than 200 miles from His home, yet people all over the world know about Him. 

We know about Bethlehem, a town of less than 1,000 people in another country. We know about a carpenter from another country. We know have holidays that celebrate His birth and death and resurrection. Not only do we celebrate aspects of His life throughout the year, but His life has effected how count time. 2000+ years ago, there was something that happened that changed our counting of time from BC (commonly Before Christ) to AD (​anno domini, in the year of our Lord). Even attempts to remove Jesus from time and go BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) still fail to explain what happened 2,000 years ago that would make the shift from BCE to CE. 

THE ACCURACY OF THE TEXT THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES 
In recent history, there have been discoveries that prove the accuracy of the Scriptures from the original writings. God promised this in His Word even, John 10:35, "Scripture cannot be broken", Matthew 5:18, "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." 

In 1947, a set of scrolls was found called The Dead Sea Scrolls. They were hidden in caves by some Jews, and contain manuscripts of every Old Testament book except Esther, and they were 1,000 years older than any existing Old Testament manuscript. So here we have discovered a source of the Bible that was 1,000 years older than any current source we had currently seen, and it proved the accuracy of the current translations that we had. Throughout the centuries of copying the Bible, the text had stayed the same. The only "differences" were minor spelling variations or the transposing of certain words in a few places. 

THE OVERARCHING THEME OF THE BIBLE 
The Bible was written by 35 different authors, spanning thousands of years, but yet their consistency and accuracy throughout that time stayed true. There is a harmony of the Bible, with everything pointing to Jesus. Jesus said this about the Old Testament even, John 5:46, "46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me." Everything in the Bible points to Jesus in some way or another, and the Bible never contradicts itself. It gives different views of what happened, but the overarching theme remains the same. 

There are many other proofs of the accuracy of the Bible, that God has preserved through time. Some other resources that you can look into are GotQuestions and CARM.  
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• Genesis 1:1 -- “1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”
  

At this moment, everything is perfect, and through the course of Creation, the Bible continues to tell us that it was good. God continues to create, and He finally hits the high point, creating man in His own image. 
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• Genesis 1:27 -- “27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” ,
• Genesis 2:18 -- “18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”” ,
• Genesis 2:25 -- “25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

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Through this creation, and everything being good, Adam and Eve were able to stand before God and before each other naked and unashamed. But just like that, one decision sets the world on a chaotic path, heading towards destruction. 
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• Genesis 3:1-7 -- “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.”

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From this point, pain, sweat, toil, ache, and death enter into the world. But there is something interesting in this passage:
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• Genesis 3:1 -- “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?””

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So the question arises here, why did God do this? Why do bad thing happen to good people? Why did God allow evil to enter into the world? 
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Before answering the question, I want to make sure we understand the heart behind the question, in case you are ever asked this question. ‌People usually ask this predominately in association with a devastating event. It comes in connection with the recipient being someone that we feel didn’t deserve what happened to them. We see that in the very fabric of the question, why do “bad” things happen to “good” people?
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We see "bad" as being whatever happened to them that we didn't feel that they deserved (abuse, neglect, death, disease, trauma, etc). We call them "good" because we see them as someone who is nice, kind, caring, compassionate, and maybe even innocent.

The reality is, whenever faced with this question, there is probably not an answer at the moment that would bring relief. Even if God gave you the why behind what is happening, would it really make any difference?
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If God said that the reason you lost a loved one, you went through that trauma, you were abused, you were neglected, whatever happened to you, was because some time down the road it would work out for good, would that make it any better? Maybe, but I’m doubting it actually would. So we have to realize that there is a time to just be present if asked this question, and that there is no answer that will help, but rather we give them someone to hear them out, to just be there for them. 
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But, there is still the question that is asked and people wonder why bad things happen. The simple answer, that is yet complex, is because sin is present in this world. 

• Genesis 3:16-19 -- “16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.” 17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.””
  

The result of sin is that bad things happen. From that moment in time, the earth has been trending toward destruction, awaiting that time to come.

• Romans 8:22 -- “22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”
  

Paul tells us that there is suffering in this life, but he also tells us that it isn't worth comparing to the eternal glory that is to be revealed, and that is what the earth groans for.

• Romans 8:18-22 -- “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.”

Not only does creation long for this time, but we ourselves long for it to happen to. 

• Rom 8:23-24 -- “23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?”
  

As a result of sin in the world, we live in a broken world, in which nature itself heads towards destruction. This is why there are tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods, and earthquakes. 
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Not only do we live in a broken world, we live among broken people, who make bad decisions that sometimes harm other people. Not only are other people broken, we ourselves are broken as well. This is something we need to realize, there are no “good” people in the world, we’re ALL sinners.

• Mark 10:17-18 -- “17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.”
• Romans 3:10-18 -- “10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.””
  

The question may pop in your head, why doesn't God just wipe out all the evil in the world? That day is coming, but think about it a bit deeper. ‌If God wiped out all the evil in the world, that would include US as well. To wipe out evil would be to send people to hell, so if He wiped us out, we go hell, But God in His mercy and grace hasn’t done so, that more may come to repentance and find salvation in Jesus. Because in that, God is glorified, and that’s His goal.

• Isaiah 43:7 -- “7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””

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Here's my view on this, in order for God to be glorified, He has to be chosen. ​A robot cannot bring glory because there is not choice, it is forced to do what it is told. In the same way, love creates a choice, and God gave us the choice to choose Him. In order for there to be a choice though, there have to be two things to choose between. Therefore, we are allowed to choose between God and the world, which is sin. And that's the answer to the question, we choose sin, and our choices have consequences. 

But we can find hope beyond the bad things that happen, because God has given us hope.
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Hope that God can use bad things for good results

• ‌Genesis 50:20 -- “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
• Romans 8:28 -- “28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

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Hope that God’s always good, faithful, praiseworthy

• ‌Job 13:15 -- “15 Though he slay me, I will hope in him; yet I will argue my ways to his face.”
• 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 -- “8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

‌When we have an eternal perspective, it draws our focus to the God who is above, in which we find peace that no matter what we go through, He’s with us

• Hebrews 13:5 -- “5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”” ​
  

Hope that through struggles, it strengthens our ministry‌

• 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 -- “3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”
  

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The events of our lives build our testimony, in which we are then able to help those who go through what we have.

Hope in knowing that Jesus knows what we go through‌

• Hebrews 4:15 -- “15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
• 1 Peter 2:20-23 -- “20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
  

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We don’t have a God who is far off, but one who in Jesus knows what we are going through, and sends help

Hope that we are not alone

• Romans 8:26-27 -- “26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

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Hope that this earth is not our home, we have an eternal dwelling

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -- “16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  
• John 14:1-3 -- “1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
• Revelation 22:20 -- “20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!”

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Jesus has gone to prepare our eternal dwelling,

• Revelation 21:1-4 -- “1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.””
  

Jesus will return to take us home, and there is ONE way to get there

• John 14:4-6 -- “4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
  

The reality of the answer to the question is this: There was only one good person, Jesus Christ, and the worst suffering ever happened to Him, so that through that bad thing, we might experience the greatest thing, eternal life

• John 3:16 -- “16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” ,
• 1 Peter 2:24 -- “24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” ,
• Romans 8:31-39 -- “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

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This is an important question, because there are many people who distort the Gospel of Jesus. This has been the tactic of Satan since the beginning of time, where he was able to take something God said and twist it, thereby deceiving mankind. 
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Jesus promises that the gates of Hades will not be able to overcome the church, so if Satan can’t defeat the church, he will try to become a part of the church, to divide and weaken the church. 
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• Matthew 7:15 -- “15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

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So the question is, how can we tell the difference between a false prophet and a man of God?
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Jesus gives us a warning as to how we can identify a false prophet in the Sermon on the Mount:

• Matthew 7:16-20 -- “16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

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Peter even warns us that they weren’t just during that time, but that they are still going to come: 
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• 2 Peter 2:1-2 -- “1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
  
• 1 Peter 2:12-13 -- “12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme,”
• ​‌1 Peter 2:18 -- “18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”

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During the Tribulation, there is going to be the second beast that will be a deceiver, causing people to make an image to it. 
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• Revelation 13:13-4 -- “13 It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

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So we know they are coming, and we know that we will know them by their fruit, but what kind of fruit is it that we will be able to recognize them by?
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• 2 Timothy 3:13-16 -- “13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

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Paul tells Timothy that they are going to come, and the way to know them by their fruit is to hold firm to what he was taught. What is it that he was taught?
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• 2 Timothy 3:16 -- “16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,”

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God’s Word is the litmus test as to whether a teaching is true or false. Therefore, we hold firm to God's Word.
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There is a time where people will give up on the Bible, seeking higher enlightenment. But what John and the writer of Hebrews tells us, is that it is all about Jesus. He will never change, and He will always be the source of truth. 
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• 1 John 1:1-4 -- “1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” ‌
• Hebrews 13:8-9 -- “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.”

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We are to follow the Word of God over anything that man says, and Paul warns that we are to not follow manmade traditions. 

• ‌Ephesians 5:6 -- “6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
• Colossians 2:8 -- “8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

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So how do we do this? We test what we hear, and make sure it lines up with God’s Word
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• 1 John 4:1-2 -- “1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,”
• 1 Timothy 6:3 -- “3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,”

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Paul & John both tell us that even if an angel preaches something different, it is to be accursed
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• Galatians 1:8 -- “8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.”
• 2 John 1:7-11 -- “7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”

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If you want to be able to tell a false prophet, study your Bible and know what it says. 

In the FBI, they are trained to be able to recognize a counterfeit bill. The problem is, there are hundreds of different counterfeits out there. Instead of studying each different counterfeit bill, they simply study the real bill so well that they know everything about it, so that when they see something that isn't right, they are able to know that it is a fake. ‌
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Are you studying your Bible well enough to be able to tell truth from a lie?
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When Jesus was tempted, He quoted Scripture, and knew Scripture even when the devil tried to manipulate it. This is why it is important to find a Bible believing and preaching church, in which you will be guided in the Word of God. This is why it is important to be a part of Biblical Community, so that you are able to receive Biblical guidance. And this is why it is important to daily be in God's Word, meditating on it daily so that you know what it has to say. 
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God's Word is what will direct you in the path that you are supposed to go, and anything that goes against God's Word should be thrown out as an imposter. ‌
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• Titus 1:9 -- “9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
• ‌2 Peter 1:19 -- “19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,”
• 1 Timothy 1:3-7 -- “3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” ‌
• 2 John 1:9 -- “9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”