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| Volume 22 Number 7 July 2020 | Page 13 |
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| Volume 22 Number 7 July 2020 | Page 13 |
Royce Pendergrass
This past week, I heard someone on TV make this statement: “There is no God. What happens to us, just happens to us.” These are probably among the saddest words I have ever heard come out of someone’s mouth. It’s so pitiful to think that anyone could ever believe such a thing, much less to broadcast the fact of their pitiful condition. You see, it is pitiful to think that someone could feel that way and deny God’s existence and any hope of eternal salvation they may have had. By saying, “What happens to us, just happens to us,” leads me to believe this man thinks the world just came to exist from nothing, all on its own. It seems to me that anyone with any common sense can’t possibly believe that the heavens, this beautiful earth and all that dwells therein just came out of nowhere. To me, that is a preposterous concept.
If one believes that life “just happens to us,” that person is in a sad condition, not only in this present world but respecting the one to come after the Judgment. I wonder whether that person believes he could stand on a railroad track with a train bearing down on him and he couldn’t do anything about it. If one just stands there, he is going to die. Somehow, I can’t imagine that scenario as I believe that person will do his best to remove himself from harm’s way if he has any mind about him. Just so, if a person doesn’t do something about his spiritual soul, he is going to die an eternal death.
We read in Mark 3:29, “He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” (NKJV). To blaspheme is to speak evil of God, and to deny His existence is the worst kind of blasphemy. To put one’s whole heart and being into what one can get out of this earthly life is limiting the power of God Who made us! The apostle Paul spoke of those who had ambitions only for their earthly lives as he said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). We must not put our faith and trust in physical and material blessings. All of these things are temporary and can bring no peace of mind or spiritual well-being.
Of course, God’s Word reveals to us the fact that there have always been skeptics about His power and creation. I’m reminded of the story of John 1:46 when Nathanael asked Philip, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” He was speaking about Jesus, and he certainly had his mind changed as he became a believer and a follower of the One about Whom he had been skeptical. The miracles of Jesus and His followers were done so that people might see and believe (John 20:30-31).
Skeptics have included “despisers of good…lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth…men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:3-8). Some of these folks are very well educated, know and understand a lot of things but won’t admit the real truth of the knowledge of God and His Son. These same folks who deny God will face the Judgment. God is all powerful, all knowing and ever present, and He has made this promise: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). All of us have just a short time to show our love and devotion to God. Unbelievers will hear the saddest words ever spoken, “Depart from Me” (Matthew 25:41).
[Editor’s Note: A close family member of mine, now departed, once said that she wanted to go to hell because that’s where all her friends would be. Nothing could be sadder than that, and like the rich man of Luke 16:19-31, I’m sure that her point of view has changed, but it’s too late! ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]
Always in Control
Terry Wheeler
Does anything get by our God? Does anything happen to catch Him off guard or threaten to defeat Him? Of course, the answer is, “No.” When we hurt or get swallowed up in circumstances beyond our control, it is real easy to think that this got past God’s control as well, but nothing could be further from the truth.
He feeds the animals, dresses the grass and runs the heavens. He supplies all His creation with everything it needs all the time. He neither sleeps nor is weary; He is not distracted, preoccupied or enfeebled. He sees everything, is everywhere and knows all. How can anything get past Him? The answer is, “It can’t.”
Does God use trouble and trials for our eternal benefit? Oh, yes, He always has and will continue to as we have need (Romans 8:28). However, will these situations ever get out of His control? Never. How could they? He’s got the whole world in His hands. “The earth belongs to the Lord, and all its fulness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1).