Thanks for the great reminder. I tend to be one of those people that God’s working on in the area of pride. Not that I think I’m so great but I have a tendency to see my faults constantly (not in an Eeyore type of way – just in wishing I kept my house cleaner, was better with time management, etc) – which truly is pride because it comes from a sinful desire for perfection. Only God is perfect and He will work through our weaknesses. Thank you for the great encouragement to focus on being available rather than being _____ (fill in the blank). It is easy to spend all day with our kids (or any loved one for that matter) and yet not really be there.

Thanks again.

God desires that none should perish, but sometimes people do.

I’d like to hear the rest of Dr. Baucham’s sermon (if that’s where he said it) where he says why does God allow anything good at all.

Is this the angle he’s using to make a point that God is good and then go onto explain?

What I’ve learned is that GOD is a GIVER and He’s a rewarder to them who deligently seek Him.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only begotten Son, that whosoever BELIEVES IN HIM should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Mother of Dog,
You are asking a very good question. We ALL had to ask that question ourselves. We all have to come to terms with who God is and “why”. Even the Biblical prophets of the Old Testament asked it. (Habakkuk, Job, Jeremiah)

However Let me give a little scenario.

You call God abusive. But do you not admit the hypocrisy of one who says that it’s ok for a woman to choose death for her unborn child, yet slanders a God who allows death? One who thinks this way has in her mind boxed God in to fit her own self imposed (or culturally imposed) views of morality. What defines morality if one doesn’t believe or trust in a lawgiver?

God is holy and God is the author. (Holiness is not to be confused with man’s self-imagined morality.. think of that cannibal who thinks it is ok to eat another person… think of the horrible Holocaust).

When there is an Author, there is a Script. When you understand the story, you understand the discord. God said “obey me”, but when we who turn our backs on God, ***discord*** breaks out. Sin mars and bruises… even the innocent. Yes, sin is the problem.

The human heart is fallen; and regeneration through Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY to redemption. John 14:6

God has made us for Himself (worship), and our hearts are restless until we find Him. Jesus Christ is not competing with anyone; He is the only ONE who offers freedom and a personal relationship. No other religion offers this type of salvation. All others are based on personal merit (but how can you know if you have ever or will ever *do* enough? How can one ever have peace?). Christ offers forgiveness and salvation as a free gift. The only way to peace is complete forgiveness of sin (Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith [2] into this grace in which we stand, and we [3] rejoice [4] in hope of the glory of God. 3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Won’t you accept His love for you?

Yes, that’s the loving God–hte One who doesn’t owe us anything and yet continually pours out His abundant grace…who is so holy He cannot look on sin, and yet because of the blood of His Son who paid the price for sin, considers us spotless before Him.

That God is “longsuffering, desiring that none should perish” when we really all deserve no mercy.

I’m overwhelmed at this loving God…the God who gives us each breath we take–and everything else we don’t deserve.

Why does He allow anything good at all? That’s the loving God you worship? Doesn’t that seem odd and somehow…well…abusive?

Is this really a Christian viewpoint?

I replied to your comment but it wouldn’t post it ??? I’m trying again…

Yes I do think of the tragedy you mentioned often. I grew up with a house full of children who were unwanted and/or abused by their parents. (My parents ran a children’s home.)

I asked myself the same question. I don’t know the answer. We could ask ourselves why horrible things happen to godly people, or anyone at all–it’s like Dr. Baucham said, the question isn’t “why do bad things happen” but “why does He allow anything good at all?”

I know somehow it all fits into his master plan–the one we don’t understand but must trust. In the mean time, we are called to “trust and obey”. That’s all we can do.

I love adoption and I think some are called to adopt, while others may be called to financially/physically assist them.

That’s the best answer I can give…if you want to call it an answer