Making Godly Sense Out Of Disaster

There has been a lot of chatter lately, mainly by the reprobate, that God is punishing certain people with these recent hurricane events. Evil will always try to convict, confuse, stir up feelings of guilt and punish the saints. Don’t buy into their vile attempts.

God does however, allow adversity to happen. Why? Simple. Man left to his own devices will always retreat into himself. He will worship the works of his own hands, credit himself, and worship self. God gets forgotten and sin and unrighteousness flourishes. The end of sin is always death. God wants us to live!

“But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.” (Jeremiah 7:23-24)

Man must be constantly reminded of the following:

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” (Psalm 46:1-3)

God reminds us of His power and omnipotence through adversity. Is it punishment for sin? No, it’s a wake-up call to depart from sin and a reminder of his amazing grace and mercy.

“When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.” (Ezekiel 18:26-28)

If God only punished and never corrected us for our sin and disobedience, then everyone on earth would be dead and gone. It’s as simple as that.

“The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.” (Psalm 46:6)

But, the Lord is righteous and forgiving to His saints!

“The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17). The kingdom of God is in righteousness and we are to seek it. Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33).

Through adversity, we are reminded of our departure from the pursuit of righteousness, God’s kingdom and from our dependence on Him. We discover our rebellion of self-reliance and entrance into sin. God loves us and wants all to live. Man has to be constantly reminded of this. Unfortunately, man can only learn through adversity.

God made it crystal clear, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” (Ezekiel 18:31-32).

Adversity is our wake-up call to turn back to God and righteousness and live!

Bill Hitchcock