Feeling Hopeless? How To Have Hope

Feeling Hopeless? How To Have Hope

by: Darrell G. Young
Focus on The Bible

Many people are feeling hopeless today. There are many reasons for this sense of hopelessness. The chaos in the world, the anxiety over the economy, and a deep seated sense of foreboding over the perplexity of today’s conflicts. 

It seems that even the usually most faithful and optimistic people today are struggling with seeing any reason for being hopeful. Even the ever faithful Job in the OT found himself battling with a personal loss of hope!

Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

Even for us as Christians, as we observe the calamitous clouds of trouble on the horizon in these Last Days, we too can lose our sense of a very present hope! Yet, even as evil men wax worse and worse, and the traditional morals about right versus wrong are being reversed in our society, we do well to remember these words from the prophet Jeremiah, who also lived in troubling times. 

Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

Nonetheless, Most people understand the word hope as being a type of wishful thinking, as in "I hope something will happen." This is not what the Bible means by its usage of the word hope. 

1 Peter 1:3-4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a “lively hope” by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

The Greek term for “hope” in this passage means “an eager, confident expectation.” This hope of the believer is not only “living” but “lively.”

People cannot survive long without hope. Hope keeps us going through painful experiences and fear of what the future may hold. In a fallen world where people face poverty, disease, hunger, injustice, disaster, war, and terrorism, we all need a “lively and living hope.”

No one likes waiting. It feels good to get what we want. But when our expectations are delayed for a long time, we can experience disappointment, disillusionment, and a severe loss of hope. As we eagerly hope for something important, and it keeps being postponed, the longing that we feel in our hopelessness can make our heart sick.

Hope deferred can lead to depression, anxiety, and actual physical sickness. When we wait for a good thing for so long, that desire and expectation can often turn to hopelessness. In situations like this, we can even become spiritually dried up and vulnerable to the enemy’s attacks.

Dashed hopes sickens the heart, and the higher the expectations, the greater the frustration. So much so, that we often blame God for betraying our hopes. 

The Bible has quite a lot to say about hope. Biblical hope has as its foundation faith in God. The word hope in English often conveys a doubt in the outcome! 

In the Old Testament the Hebrew word batah and its relative use involved the meaning of having confidence, security, and being without concern; therefore, the concept of doubt is not part of this word. 

The Biblical concept of hope is a confident expectation or an assurance based upon a sure foundation. That “certainty” of future hopes becoming a reality is grounded upon the word and promises of Almighty God; who of course cannot lie. 

So then, the Biblical hope is a reality and not an emotional feeling. Biblical hope carries absolutely no connotations of doubt. Thus Biblical usage of the word hope is built upon a sure foundation upon which we base our lives, believing that God always keeps His promises.

Many people when asked if they think that they will go to heaven when they die; usually respond like this: “I hope so.” That kind of “hope so” response does not infer any foundational certainty about their wishful desires to go to Heaven. It is a vain hope! 

In this natural world, when our hopes and desires are fulfilled, we are refreshed. When our prayers are answered, we are immediately encouraged. When we obtain the good things that we desire, we undergo a seeming reviving of genuine hope.

But much too often, when things don’t go our way, when things seem to just never work to our desire, and we desperately try to cling to a sliver of hope, we lose all hope. 

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

We are all too often blinded to the fact that our unfulfilled desires and deferred hopes can lead us to rich encounters with our Savior: “The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD”. The Lord alone is the true fulfillment of our longings.

Lamentations 3:25-26 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

Faith and Hope are distinct from one another and yet they are related. That there is a difference between faith and hope is evident in I Corinthians 3:13 “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Two of the three greatest gifts are faith and hope, listed separately. That faith and hope are related concepts is seen in the old lines from Hebrews 11:1. “Faith is confidence in what we hope for.”

Faith is a complete trust or confidence in something. Faith involves intellectual assent to a set of facts and trust in those facts, and especially to the one faith is expressed in. 

And Biblical hope is built on this kind of faith. Hope is the earnest anticipation that comes with believing something good. Hope is a confident expectation that naturally stems from faith. Hope is a peaceful assurance that something that hasn’t happened yet will indeed happen.

Someone has wisely stated that: “Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” For Hope to endure and last, it takes a little Faith! 

Romans 8:24-25 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Faith and hope are complementary actors! Faith is grounded in the reality of the past; Hope is looking to the reality of the future. Without faith, there is no Hope, and without Hope there is no true faith. 

Christians are people of Faith first and Hope thereafter! We have “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” 

This type of Faith never leaves one Hopeless! It provided for a Living hope that is anchored in the past; as sure as Jesus rose from the dead. It continues in the present; as sure as Jesus is alive. 

And this kind of Hope endures throughout the future; just as surely as Jesus promises concerning eternal Life and resurrection.

This Living Hope also enables us to live without despair as we encounter suffering and trials in this present life: Therefore we do not give up; because we have a Sure Hope! Even though our lives are being destroyed, our inner person can strive on, being supernaturally invigorated day by day, through this Lively Hope we have in Jesus!

Jesus Christ is our Savior, our salvation, and our Living Hope.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of HOPE fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in HOPE, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Dealing With Disappointment

Dealing With Disappointment

One of the unfortunate byproducts of living in a sinful, fallen world is that every person, Christian or not, experiences pain and suffering and disappointment in this life. From failed relationships to unfulfilled dreams, life can be filled with sorrow and disappointment. 

In fact, Jesus assured us of it: “In this world you will have trouble”. No one is immune.

First, even though we cannot eliminate suffering or disappointment this side of heaven, we must keep uppermost in our mind that no amount of suffering or disappointment we experience in this life can ever undo what God has already done for us in Christ.

There is no psychology or philosophy that can offer a sufficient explanation for how God can resolve our disappointments. No social science can work restoration on the soul; only God can do this. The truth is, our trials and disappointments, though we may not like them, do serve a purpose. It is through trials that we learn patience and humility, endurance and trust—virtues that strengthen us and develop godly character.

Secondly, it is during the difficult times that we learn to rely on God and experience firsthand the absolute trustworthiness of His Word.As  A. W. Tozer once observed, “If the truth were known, the saints of God in every age can only become effective after they have been wounded.”

Third, as Christians, it is important that we maintain our perspective on our eternity. Our time on earth is an incalculably small fraction of our eternal journey. We can do this, when we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but rather on what is unseen, our heavenly home!

It is faith that allows us to see the unseen. That’s why faith is such an indispensable element of the Christian life. Scripture teaches that we live by faith and that without faith it is impossible to please God. We know that, as followers of Christ, we will experience disappointment and endure trials where our faith is often put to the test. And the Bible tells us we should “consider it pure joy” when we face these trials, as this is how our faith strengthens and we mature as Christians.

It also helps to remember the absolute sovereignty of God. Everything occurs either by His prescription or permission and in perfect accordance with His sovereign purposes and unfathomable ways. Prayer is the ultimate acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty. In the midst of our trial and disappointments, prayer gives us strength.

And finally, by being a child of God, it that means you are never alone in your disappointments and trials. God gives us the strength and grace we need to endure any circumstance and to overcome any disappointment. God gives us the strength and grace we need to endure any circumstance and to overcome any disappointment.

Philippians 4:6-8 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 
7. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Dealing With Grief

Dealing With Grief

Grief is a deep and powerful motion caused by the loss of someone or something we love and held dear. Grief is the price we pay for loving and engaging with life. Every emotionally healthy person will experience seasons of grief because death and loss are a part of this transitory life.

To be prepared for the world that God is preparing for us, where no grief can ever come, is the fundamental key to enduring the grief that is common to this world.

It is sin’s presence in the world that makes grief a common experience. And, even though God never intended the human heart to suffer grief, He has included instructions and promises in His Word to aid the human heart in dealing with grief.

Psalms 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

While in the custody of his enemies, David wrote, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle.” David was, at the time he wrote this psalm, a prisoner of war, and he had reason to cry and be sorrowful.

Psalms 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

God may not have an actual bottle where our tears are kept or a literal book where sorrows are recorded, but He nonetheless remembers all the things that happen in our lives, including the suffering endured for His sake. The fact that God remembers us and our sufferings should be very comforting.

Our grief and tears are not futile. God knows each of His children intimately, and every tear we shed has is important to Him. He remembers all of our sorrows as if He kept each tear in a bottle. In the end, He will share His joy with us when “‘He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

The idea behind the keeping of “tears in a bottle” is remembrance. David is expressing a deep trust in God, and knows that God will remember his sorrow and tears and will not forget about him.

There is nothing wrong with grieving. First, we know that times of grief serve a purpose. Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” This verse implies that grief can be good because it can refresh our perspective on life. 

Secondly, we remember that feelings of grief are temporary. “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). There is an end to mourning. Grief has its purpose, but it also has its limit.

An important part of dealing with and overcoming grief is expressing it to God. When we commune with Him, we are able to open our minds to the truth that He loves us, that He is faithful, that He is in control, and that He knows hows He is going to work it out for our good. We can give our hurt to Him because He cares for us; and we can rely on him to help through the storms of life in this fallen world; filled with Grief. (1 Peter 5:7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Darrell G. Young

The Wrath of God

Why Does The Bible Speak of the Wrath of God?

It might seem like a contradiction that a God who is love can also be a Good of wrath. No one should be surprised to learn that God hates some things. He created us with the capacity to both love and hate, and we acknowledge that hatred is sometimes justified, because we all naturally hate things that destroy what we love. This is part of our being created in the image of God.

The wrath of God is a fearsome and terrifying thing. When the Bible speaks of God’s hatred, the object of His hatred is sin and wickedness. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things the Lord hates: pride, lying, murder, evil plots, those who love evil, false witnesses, and troublemakers. 

Notice that this passage does not include just things that God hates; it includes people as well. The reason is simple: sin cannot be separated from the sinner except by the forgiveness available in Christ alone.

The judgment of God highlights another truth about what He is like: He is a moral being. And just as there exists observable laws of nature (gravity, entropy, etc.), there are also observable laws of morality. 

Justice is one of God’s wonderful attributes and flows out of His holiness. Try to imagine a world without the prospect of perfect justice. To ever have "perfect justice" you'd need a "perfect judge." Since righteousness is the quality or character of being right or just, it is another attribute of God and incorporates both His justice and holiness; and why he must execute his wrath and vengeance on the doers of wickedness.

God’s holiness is the reason for His being often portrayed as a god of wrath, as he is against anything that is unholy. The holiness of God is that part of His nature that most separates Him from sinful man, and why we need a special pardon!

We cannot begin to understand God’s justice unless we first understand sin. Sin is lawlessness. Thus, sin is a crime against God! It is the ultimate crime against GOD!

Wrath is generally defined as “the emotional response to perceived wrong and injustice,” often translated as “anger,” “indignation,” “vexation,” or “irritation.” Both humans and God express wrath. But there is vast difference between the wrath of God and the wrath of man. God’s wrath is holy and always justified; whereas man’s anger is never holy and rarely ever justified.

In the Old Testament, the wrath of God is a divine response to human sin and disobedience. The Old Testament prophets often wrote of a day in the future, the "day of wrath". God’s wrath against sin and disobedience is perfectly justified because His plan for mankind is holy and perfect, just as God Himself is holy and perfect.

The New Testament also supports the concept of God as capable of being a God of wrath, because He is the one who ultimately judges all sin. God alone is able to avenge sin's evils because His vengeance is perfect and holy. 

Thankfully, All the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus, so that those who belong to Him, and receive his forgiveness, would not have to suffer the same fate as Satan.

Simply stated; God hates Sin! If God hated us because of our sin, He would have wiped out Adam and Eve when they disobeyed Him. But, because God had already created them with an eternal spirit such as He has, He wanted them to be with Him forever. 

So God entered their world (in the form of Jesus Christ) and did for them what they could not do for themselves—He covered their sin through the blood sacrifice of his own Son.

Darrell G. Young

Who Created God? Where Did God Come From?

“Who made God?” Everyone knows that something does not come from nothing. So, if God is a “something,” then He must have a cause, right? 

That is the skeptic's of a Creator God point of view! But God documents in his word, that he made everything that exists from nothing! Yet for someone to create all things existent from nothing, he'd have to possess all the attributes of God; and had no cause. 

We know on the human plane that from nothing, nothing can come. So, if there were ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence, then nothing would have ever come into existence. But things do exist. This fact cannot be denied. Only created things could have a creator, so it's improper to lump God in with his creation.

If a creator God needs to have been made by a creator, that creator would also need a creator who needs a creator; like an infinite chain of toppling domino gods, which is an impossibility.

Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing, something had to have always been in existence. That ever-existing thing is what we call God. God is the un-caused Being that caused everything else to come into existence. God is the un-created Creator who created the universe and everything in it.

In Hebrews, Paul explains that the Creator God, who is outside of the creation (omnipresent) spoke of the things in his mind, and in so doing brought into existence everything through the immense power of his word.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Psalms 33:6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

Ex nihilo is Latin for “from nothing.” The term creation ex nihilo refers to God creating everything from nothing. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1). Prior to that moment, there was nothing. God didn’t make the universe from preexisting building blocks, or raw materials. He started with nothing!

We human beings require materials from which to build something. God is not so constrained. This idea that God created everything from nothing is not natural to us. It’s not natural at all, it’s a supernatural concept.

The cause of the universe must have been non-material because if the cause was material / natural, it would be subject to the same laws of decay as the universe. That means it would have to have had a beginning itself and you have the same problem as cycles of births and deaths of universes. So the cause of the universe’s beginning must have been super-natural, i.e. non-material or spirit—a cause outside of space-matter-time. Such a cause would not be subject to the law of decay and so would not have a beginning. That is, the cause had to be eternal spirit.

Furthermore, the cause of the universe had to be an incredibly powerful force or being; the sheer size and energy seen in the universe together speak of that power; there had to be a sufficient cause. That sounds like the God of the Bible to me.

God is not and cannot be defined in the category of things that are created or caused. God is uncaused and un-created; He simply exists and has always been.

Everything that is created requires a Cause! The created universe requires a cause because it had a beginning. Human beings require a cause. But God, unlike the universe, or us, had no beginning, so He doesn't even need a cause. 

Revelation 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

Our finite minds, being confined to created things and places find it hard to comprehend that before the universe was created, God existed. So, before time even existed, which by the way; God created; God existed in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 

Darrell G. Young

Can Satan Read our Minds

Can Satan Read Our Minds?

First of all, it is important for us to remember that Satan is not omnipresent, he cannot be in more than one place at a time. Only God is everywhere, and only God knows everything, while Satan must rely on his army of demons to do his bidding. Yet, in spite of these limitations, Satan does operate the most sophisticated intelligence gathering spy ring in the world!

Can Satan and/or his demons read our minds? Absolutely not. The scripture from I Kings 8:39 says that God alone knows every human heart. There is no one else who has that ability. God knows what we will say before we can even say it, while the thought is still formulating in our minds. (Psalms 139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.)

It would take omniscience for Satan and his demons to read our minds, which is a power that they do not have. Albeit, Satan and his demons have been observing and tempting human beings for thousands of years. They have become expert in the art of reading human body language. Surely, they have learned a few things about us all over the years. Even without the ability to know our thoughts, they can make a well-educated guess as to what we are thinking and then attempt to use that to their advantage; by observing our habits, noting what our eyes are drawn to, and studying our passions and emotions.

Satan has immense power both in the heavenly realm and on earth, and his capability should not be underestimated. Satan has been continually “walking up and down” on the earth from the beginning of time, and is more knowledgeable about human behavior than anyone, except God.

Does God Get Angry? With Us?

Does God Get Angry? With Us?

Recently I wrote an article about being "Angry With God." That article, surprisingly turned out to be one of the most popular writings I have ever done. It seems that many people have experienced frustration and anger with God.

So, I thought I would turn the tables on our anger, and write about God's anger. Does God get angry with us? It seems to me that this question is of a much more serious matter. Afterall, the Bible explicitly informs us to "Fear God." And considering the fact that God is all powerful, I think it is much more concerning for each of us to worry about what makes God angry, than to be preoccupied with our disappointments in him.

(Ecclessiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.)

Yes, God does get angry; there are many examples in the Bible of this. He “displays his wrath every day." (Psalms 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.) Yet, thankfully God's anger isn't the petty type of anger that we humans experience. And also, we should be thankful that God is slow to anger!

(II Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.)

As God cannot sin, we know that His anger is a righteous type of indignation, unlike the common experience of anger we ourselves so readily vent. Human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.)

God will get angry when there is a violation of His character. God is righteous, just, and holy, and none of these attributes can God allow, especially out of his own people. In the New Testament, Jesus got angry with the religious teachers and leaders of that day for using religion for their own gain and keeping people in bondage.

So even when God gets angry at the wickedness in people, He acts out to oppose their wickedness in an effort to turn them from evil, that they may find true life and freedom in Him. Even in His anger, God’s motivation is love for people; to restore the righteous relationship that sin destroyed.

While God must bring justice and retribution for sin, those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior are no longer under God’s wrath for sin. Why? Because Jesus experienced the full measure of the wrath of God on the cross so that we wouldn’t have to.

Righteous anger and indignation are justly expressed when we are confronted with sin. So it is with God! He cannot abide unrighteousness in us! There are listed six things in the Bible that God hates. And if God hates something, we can rest assured these things will make him angry.

(Prov 6:16-19 These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18. An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19. A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.)

In closing, and reflecting back on how we might sometimes get angry with God, and blame him for our disappointments in life, maybe we should consider how we may have disappointed him, and whether or not he might have cause to be upset with us! The Fear of God, should always be uppermost in our attitudes!

Darrell G. Young

 

Why Didn't God Just Kill Satan?

Why Didn't God Just Kill Satan?

One of the greatest mysteries of the Christian life is why God didn’t destroy Satan immediately after Satan sinned. We know that God will one day defeat Satan by throwing him into the Lake of Fire where he will be tortured day and night forever, but sometimes we wonder why God hasn't destroyed Satan already, and prevented all the evil that has occurred in our world.

To be assured, God is all-powerful and could have destroyed Satan immediately, or at any point in time. Since He has not destroyed Satan yet, there must be some reason for his continued existence that ultimately serves as part of God's perfect plan for humanity. 

We have to remember that simply because God can do something does not mean God has to do it. And God has always known everything, from the very beginning of creation, and he also knows the best way to deal with everything.

God is the absolute sovereign over all creation, and this includes Satan. So then, Satan's fate has always rested in God's hands, as does our own.

For the Christian, “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Whatever God has planned for us is the best plan possible. Likewise, whatever God has planned for Satan, that plan will be the best one possible.

Next, we know that to question God’s plan and its timing is to question God Himself, His judgment, His character and His very nature. It is never wise to question God's right to do exactly as He pleases. The psalmist tells us, “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30). Whatever plan comes from the mind of the Almighty God is the best plan possible.

How could anyone really know for sure that God’s way was best? At the beginning, no one had dared to try an alternative. But God gave Satan a chance to demonstrate his system to all the creation, angel and mankind. That’s why Satan was given an opportunity to make his pitch to Adam and Eve. 

So, in essence this planet has become a testing ground, for all to witness the character of Satan and the nature of his kingdom as contrasted with the character of God and the nature of His kingdom.

Also, the possibility of sin must exist to allow humanity to have free will. That very same free will was accorded all the angels. The only difference of the free will of angels and the free will of man, is the fact that the angels existed outside the "time domain" that humanity is born into. 

Free will is required for the existence of genuine choices, including the choice to love God. Even if Satan had not existed, we would still have had free will and the opportunity to commit sin. As it turns out, sin entered through Adam and Eve, aided by the actions of Satan. But this doesn't mean sin could never have entered some other way.

Also, Satan's existence and evil system serves as part of God's redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. When Jesus came to earth, He was tempted by Satan. God sent his Son, Jesus to demonstrate to mankind his system of genuine love, by Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. ,So you see, even though Satan's intentions are evil, God is able to use them in order to further His will.

God's system of government rests upon love. If God ever chose to act arbitrarily and exercise superior force, there would be a danger that He would have to rule by fear, rather than love. 

So, by utilizing and allowing Satan a certain amount of leeway, He is permitting the exercise of free will on the part of one of His created beings. He is carrying forth a drama on earth that is cosmic in nature, whereby men and women, created in the image of God, freely choose to serve Him.

If God just reached out with His power and struck Satan, other created beings could say He did it because He could not win by love, and so He had to resort to force and fear. God's plan for the triumph of love over hate is breathtaking. 

God placed on earth a being--man, who was made in God's image. Then He permitted Satan to tempt man, and man gave in to bring about his own downfall. Then before all of the angels in heaven, there unfolded the drama of redemption whereby God Himself sent His Son to die for fallen man

But, in a very real sense, Satan is already defeated. God has acted already to destroy Satan. His sentence is sealed. His execution date is set. But in the interim period, all mankind, confined in earth's process of time, is being allowed his "free will" decision to make.

And it has taken time for everyone to really grasp how disastrous Satan’s alternative actually is.

But in the case of God's timing for Satan’s demise, it has to be the best possible plan; for it involves the test of Love .

After everyone understands the deadly nature of sin and the destructive nature of Satan’s philosophy, God can, and will destroy Satan and sin. Sadly, God will also have to destroy those who stubbornly resist His grace and cling to Satan’s alternative.

Lastly, Heaven would not be Heaven, unless those who enter therein, for all of Eternity, knew just how much God Loved them; and thereby transforming our nature to live in a place like Heaven!

Darrell G. Young

Dealing With The Devil

Can You Make a Deal with the Devil?

What if Satan offered you a temping deal? What if he even promised to give you anything your heart desires, wealth, power, beauty, fame, great skill, etc.—in this life. In exchange, you would have to sell your soul to Satan for all eternity.

The whole idea of making a deal with the devil was made popular by the classic legend of Johan Faust, an alchemy cult magician, who made a bargain with a demon named Mephistopheles.

In any case, the idea of bargaining of one's own soul in a deal with the devil is much more cultural and literary than it is biblical. In fact, the Bible never records an account of a human being bargaining with Satan or demons.

However, The Bible does depict the devil as a trickster kind of deal-maker. In the Bible; Satan is shown attempting to make deals even with God Himself as opposed to mere mortals. In the book of Job, for instance, Satan proposes a kind of deal challenging God; relative to Job's faith. 

Concerning Job, whom Satan obviously had a previous history of antagonizing, Satan approached God to arrange permission to allow Satan to cause great suffering for Job, Satan argues, Job would surely curse God to His face. God, for his own providential reasons agrees to allow that to play, and out with surprising results.

Job 1:6-11 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them. 7. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 9. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

Much later in human history, (probably 2000 years or so) the devil attempts to make a deal with Jesus, at the end of His forty days of fasting in the wilderness. After showing Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;” Satan offers a deal to Jesus; all the kingdoms of the whole world to if he will bow down and worship him. Jesus sends Satan away with a swift rebuke from God’s Word.

Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Throughout history, some people have attempted to make such a bargain unilaterally, pledging themselves to Satan in hopes of receiving some special favors back from him. That’s the nature of idolatry and witchcraft as described in the OT. When a pagan worshiper dedicated a sacrifice to his gods, he hoped for something in return, fruitful crops, victory in battle, power or success. 

King Ahaz is one such example.

II Chronicles 28:22-23 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord: this is that king Ahaz. 23. For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him: and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. 

It has always been a favorite tactic of Satan to use sorcery, the occult, witchcraft or a whole host of human emotions, such as depression, greed, insecurity, lust, glory seeking or love of money to fake supposed deals with unsuspecting victims.

Satan does offer many enticing "empty deals" to people. He may even arrange for you to gain a status in this world that would greatly please you, at least for awhile, but at the end of the deal, there will be hell to pay.

From the Bible’s perspective, making a deal with the devil would not make any sense for several reasons:

First, the Bible reveals Satan to be a liar. His greatest weapon is deception. The Devil is “the father of lies,” and the devil is always shown taking what is true and twisting it to corrupt and destroy human beings. Anyone who would attempt a deal with such a being is simply being played for a fool.

Second, while Satan may have some power as the “prince of the power of the air” and as the "god of this present world," the Bible never shows that his power is an absolute power. His power, though great, is limited, thanks to God.

Finally, Satan cannot own human souls. Neither can he make binding deals with anyone regarding their Soul. All souls belong to the God who created them in the first place. In fact, no person owns their soul. We all became a "living soul" by the creative mind and breathe of God. The Soul that is contained within each and every living human body, is in reality the actual being, and not his body.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; 

Another point to ponder: What would Satan want with anyone's Soul? Why would he make deals for people's souls? What's his motivation in making deals?

Well, the fact of the matter is simply this: Satan only desires to destroy what God has created! And the Souls of humanity is what God Loves most of all, for we alone, were created by him, in his own image! Since Satan cannot harm God, he seeks to harm what God loves! Souls!

Hell is not Satan’s kingdom. In spite of a million jokes and theories to the contrary, Satan does not and will not ever reign as the master of hell, exerting his power over human souls! Satan is not even in Hell at this moment! He is right here in this world, working his maniacal madness, even faking all sorts of provocative philosophies, ideas and deals. 

Most importantly, according to God’s Word, every human soul is already bound for hell. So, in truth, the devil doesn't have to go about seeking to strike "deals for souls" to ensure that fate for people. Because of our sin, and our associated rebellion with Satan against God, we are already in league with Satan and “by nature deserving of God's wrath. We stand “condemned already.” (John 3:17-18 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.)

Without God's offer of grace, all our souls would end up in hell; without our ever having to make a deal with Satan. Satan's greatest "deal of deception" is blinding people to the Truth of a "Deal that God is offering to every Soul in the world." His Deal will set you free from Satan and Hell. His glorious deal is obtained through his Son, Jesus Christ!

Angry With God?

Angry With God?

Being angry at God is something that many people, both believers and unbelievers, have wrestled with throughout time. When something tragic happens in our lives, we ask God the question, “Why?” because it is our natural response. What we are really asking Him, though, is not so much “Why God?” or “Why me, God?”

Frustration with God, His ways and His dealings with us can be a stumbling block for Christians. God could easily handle this problem—why doesn’t He? God knows I have a need—where is He? 

These responses indicates two flaws in our thinking. First, as believers we operate under the impression that life should be easy, and that God should prevent tragedy from happening to us. When He does not, we get angry with Him.

Secondly, when we do not understand the extent of God’s sovereignty, we lose confidence in His ability to control circumstances, other people, and the way they affect us. Then we get angry with God because He seems to have lost control of the universe and especially control of our lives. 

When we lose faith in God’s sovereignty, and get angry or frustrated with God, it is because our frail human flesh is grappling with our own frustration and our lack of control over events.

When good things happen, we all too often attribute it to our own achievements and success. Often we don't even bother to give God praise and thanks when things are going well for us, even as we endure in this evil, cursed world, and dying world.

Oh but when bad things happen in our lives, however, we are quick to blame God, and we get angry with Him for not preventing it, which indicates the first flaw in our thinking; that we deserve to be immune to unpleasant circumstances, simply because we accepted him as our Lord.

Tragedies bring home the awful truth that we are not in charge. All of us think at one time or another that we can control the outcomes of situations, and live in a world where we have an adversary that is seeking our destruction.

Any of us can become angry with God for many reasons, but we all have to accept at some point that there are things we cannot control or even understand with our finite minds. Our understanding of the sovereignty of God in all circumstances must be accompanied by our understanding that God knows the end of all things, and is endeavoring to work all things out for our Good. 

While God indeed does have a perfect plan and purpose for us which cannot be thwarted, that plan of his will never intervene in other peoples sovereign will. He will not force people to please us or placate or own desires for our happiness.

We also know from Scripture that this life will never be one of continual joy and happiness. Rather, Job reminds us that “man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7), and that life is short and “full of trouble” (Job 14:1).

Just because we come to Christ for salvation from sin does not mean we are guaranteed a life free from problems. In fact, Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble,” but that He has “overcome the world” (John 16:33), enabling us to have peace within, in spite of the storms that rage around us, making us miserable (John 14:27).

A point of serious consideration. Ungodly anger is self-defeating, gives the devil a foothold in our lives, and can destroy our joy and peace. Holding on to our anger will allow bitterness and resentment to spring up in our hearts.

The question becomes; can we trust God with everything, our very lives and the lives of our loved ones? Of course we can! Our God is compassionate, full of grace and love, and as disciples of Christ we can trust Him with all things. When tragedies happen to us, we know God can use them to bring us closer to Him and to strengthen our faith, bringing us to maturity and completeness. Then, we can be a comforting testimony to others. That is easier said than done, however; and it requires a daily surrendering of our own will to His.

Anger at God is a result of an inability or unwillingness to trust God even when we do not understand what He is doing. Anger at God is essentially telling God that He has done something wrong, or isn't being true to his promises.

Frustration with God could be evidence of a lack of trust in Him or a misunderstanding of who He is. If God is perfect, and the Bible says He is; then He has perfect intentions for us, with perfect timing, perfect methods, and perfect results. As we focus our minds on the Lord and trust in Him, we will know peace, not frustration.

Our frustration with God could be a byproduct of our own stubbornness. When our ambitions conflict with God’s purposes, we will naturally be frustrated. It is never advisable to fight against God.

Moses is a great example of a man getting frustrated and angry with God. Moses became angry with God because of the obstinate attitudes of God's own Chosen people, Israel.  instead of following God's specific instructions to strike the rock one time while in the desert, so the people could be refreshed with water, Moses defied God by bashing the rock twice with his rod, an act of intense anger with God.

Numbers 20:9-13 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him. 10. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 11. And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. 12. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them. 13. This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.

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