Why do bad things happen to good people?

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Let's see. What else I think that's it. Yeah, I think that's it. So if you read the Hey Ramses. I hope you guys we're gonna be praying for you and your wife. I hope you guys are doing well. I hope you're doing okay.

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So if you if you read the the heading the title It leading up to tonight's video. Want to continue hopefully. More videos maybe Tuesday nights that we want to discuss Living in that victory of Christ.

If you recall at the end of the videos if you ever make it all the way to the end of any of my videos. You'll you'll remember that I say Jesus is King go live in that victory and we want to continue to go out and proclaim the gospel.

Because he's he has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. And then he's given us a mandate to go make disciples of all nations and so we want to go out there and make disciples our King has authority wherever we go and We want to do that.

So I want to discuss different ways that we can be living in that victory of Christ. Tonight is is one of those ways. If you read the topic leading up to tonight.

It said.

Which is it's a popular question, it's a very popular discussion. Why do bad things happen to good people. So we want to we want to look at that and we want to look at what Jesus says about who we are and what our purpose is.

And so we want to look at that tonight and It's interesting. What what we want to do and and hopefully learning to live in the victory of Jesus Christ. In tonight's study We will be reminded that we need to align our our thinking with what scripture says.

So that is that is a major part. That is one part of living in the victory of Christ is aligning our thinking aligning our mind our mindset.

How we.

Digest things in our in our mind that how we make our decisions. Everything that we do Should line up with scripture. But so often we are so heavily influenced by our culture our circumstances. Where we live where we grew up the the sayings that we hear.

It's it's so interesting and I'm sure I'm sure most of you have have heard these before but these are interesting to look at. I look this up on the internet and There's several articles that you can find and I don't think any of the articles are exhaustive and cover all all these issues, but this is interesting and funny how we because of our culture like I said and and the things that we hear get implanted in our mind and so our thinking in our mind our mindset is lined up with How we grew up or what we've heard growing up or what we hear from the culture instead of lining up with scripture and so because of that what happens is.

There's a lot of us who have heard things that say, you know, the Bible says this but in reality what? Bible doesn't say that and We're really really surprised because when when someone brings that to our attention, what do we say?

I've heard that all my life. Right. I've heard that all my life. I really thought that was in the Bible. It's because we we are so heavily influenced by our culture and where we grow up instead of Aligning and realigning ourselves with the Word of God and with scripture.

And so.

Let's just look at some of these that are in this article. Just to give credit 11 things you think are in the Bible, but really aren't. I think the Alyssa comes from lively facts and trends and it's actually the first by Aaron Earle's the first article that pops up.

Actually when you when you search it And you can just quickly Go through these. It's a really short article really quick article but number one they say an apple in the garden speaking of the Garden of Eden and a lot of people have heard and it's ingrained in their mind that The the forbidden fruit was an apple, but in reality it doesn't tell us what the fruit was.

It just says fruit but we we hear and Think that it was an apple. Number two that there were three wise men. Bible doesn't say that there were three wise men. It says that there was Gold frankincense and myrrh and I think that's that's where we come up with the idea that there were you know Three wise men, but the Bible never describes or tells us that there was Just three or only three.

Number three a whale swallowed Jonah. Many people have heard that all their lives, but actually it just says what a big fish, right? It doesn't say and and of course a big fish could be a whale. But it doesn't say a whale swallowed Jonah.

It says a big fish one of those things that we have heard for so long. But just isn't in the Bible number four money is the root of all evil. It's quoted so often so much that money is the root of all evil.

But what does the verse actually say? It's the love of money. That's the root of all evil so we just Quote it incorrectly. I'm not going to read the explanation for number five. But how often have you heard this and and how many of you have ever Thought this is actually in the Bible number five.

It says Quote this too shall pass is a Bible verse. That's what we think.

But.

The article is telling us that that is actually not a Bible verse that this too shall pass those Those words that that's not in Scripture that this too shall pass. Isn't that interesting? Number six, this one's very popular.

Cleanliness is next to godliness not in Scripture. But we've heard it a lot. We've heard it for many years. Number seven. God works in mysterious ways. Have you said that. Have I said that. Have you heard that.

I'm sure we've all heard it. But it's not a verse in the Bible and we may think that it is. People often say this. Number eight love the sinner but hate the sin. Not a Bible verse. It's not in the Bible.

Isn't that interesting number nine? This one's kind of this one may throw you for a loop. Number nine. Be in the world, but not of the world. The article here says that that that is not a verse in the Bible.

It says that there are parts of the Bible that that carry those sentiments, but Those specific words in that order. That's not in the Bible. Interesting, huh? Number ten. We've got two more. God will not give you more than you can handle a verse that's not in the Bible.

And number 11 God helps those who help themselves a verse that's not in the Bible. And so I just wanted to share share that with you. I.

Don't normally do that.

But I wanted to share that with you as an example of how we are influenced so much by our culture so much so that we we believe what we've heard from the culture and Think because we've heard from the culture that it's true or that the culture tells us that it's in the Bible that it really is and we don't we don't dig in we don't research and Realign our mind and our thinking with scripture.

It needs to work just the opposite way, right? We need to to align our thinking and our mind with scripture and then We need to therefore Influence the world in the culture. So it needs to flip-flop, right?

It needs to flip-flop. I've got my Bible open up here to Ephesians and I forgot to quote our our theme verses is truth and love and our Our theme verses Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15, and we're actually going to read that verse later on.

But speaking the truth and love we are to grow up in all aspects into him. Who is the head even Christ? We we want to make sure that both are present in our daily walk truth and love and We don't want to neglect one and and Lean heavily on the other we don't want to fall in either ditch we want to have both truth and love because scripture scripture teaches us to and he says that's how we Grow up in all aspects not just one aspect, but all aspects in into him who is our head, which is Jesus Christ.

That's our goal. And that's our aim as we study God's Word together.

Um.

If you just joining us, please let me know that you're watching. Say hello if you want if you're so inclined to Lock arms with me as we reach our community. You're welcome to share the video if it's an encouragement to you and you think of me encouragement to someone else.

We just want to get Jesus out to our community and get his word out to our community because we we love Jesus. And and we love our community. We love our love people. So moving right along. First first that I want to look at is is John 3 6.

And It's because we we need to see. Where we are, where do we live? We live in two realities we live we have a flesh and we have a spirit and.

And.

So.

John 3 verse 6 says that which has been born of the flesh is flesh and that Which has been born of the spirit is spirit. We have we have two different realities that we we currently have to deal with and often fight against one another but the problem is that the the flesh side of us and and when scripture speaks of the flesh it Represents death what eventually happens to any flesh our flesh it will die.

The flesh desires its self-seeking it seeks its own so that which is evil that which is self-seeking and Self-centered it comes from the flesh and and every aspect of the flesh will eventually die.

But but Jesus says that that which is born of the spirit is spirit. So so when we become born again, when when he makes us born again, we're born of the spirit. The spirit represents life. So there's that struggle with the two realities that we live in is that one side of us is Pulling us to the side of death even though it's camouflaged so often.

It sin is camouflaged and we ignore the consequences, but our flesh continues to pull us toward Death and destruction because of the direction that wants us to go but the spirit is pulling us to life and and we will eventually Be sanctified and glorified and we will live forever.

And that's the difference between the spirit and the flesh is that the the flesh dies. For the flesh produces evil and the spirit produces righteousness and the spirit produces life. And that's the reality that we that we live in and so we want to tackle We want to tackle those two questions.

First. I want to end up in John chapter 6 and address a third question similar to Why do why do bad things happen to good people? It's similar we We have a certain mindset Way we view things the way we comprehend things and we're going to address that third thing in John chapter 6 at the end but we want to start with Why do bad things happen to good people and number two What does Jesus say about us and and what are his promises about us?

So we want to learn those two things and answer that question and why do we want to do that because the the culture where we grew up the things that we've heard Have influenced us to ask ourself that question Our culture our flesh outside of Christ outside of the spirit.

That's where that question comes from. Why why do bad things happen to good people? And so We're beginning with these two questions, well, why does bad things happen to good people and What does God what does Jesus Promise us and what does Jesus say about who we are?

We want to start there because Learning to live in the victory of Christ. We've got to turn this ship around to where we are letting go of the things that we've Been taught Ingrained in us just because of the culture that we live in, you know, nobody intentionally Told us wrong.

It's just you you hear it and you repeat it and that's just the way it is that's just and that's just the way it's repeated and and passed down and so Not pointing any fingers. It's just how our culture is and and we rest in that instead of Reorienting our mind Realigning our mind with scripture.

So we want to turn this boat around to get us back into or to Get us moving into where we're living in the victory of Christ. So, what about that question, what do you think about that question question, um, why do bad things happen to good people if we are moving our ship back into Aligning our thinking with Christ and we we look at scripture to get the answers.

How does scripture answer that question? Can we even get that question from scripture? Let's look at a few verses. Mark chapter 10 verse 18 now remember the question as we read the verses remember the question Why do bad things happen to good people but Jesus said to him?

Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. It's that and that verse is self-explanatory. Jesus is speaking to what they call the rich young ruler and he says good teacher. What must I do to be saved and Jesus says why do you call me good?

No one is good except God alone. And he's speaking about all all of mankind. No one is good. So with that very verse One verse we can see that question doesn't come from scripture so that helps us to release it once we see that that that's not in scripture just like um These 11 things that were in this article when we begin to see that What we have held on to or what we may have thought was in scripture and we see that it's not in scripture.

We can then begin to release it and say that they come from the culture it came from tradition and and I just held on to it and I and Father I'm sorry Help me to learn from scripture. So there's there's Mark chapter 10 verse 18 and then Romans chapter 3 verses 10 through 12.

It says as it is written. There's no one righteous not even one. There's no one who understands. There's no one who seeks out God. They have all turned aside together. They have become corrupt. There's no one.

There is no one who does good. There is not even one so there there again a second passage of scripture. Showing us that that we can't get that question From the Bible why do bad things happen to good people?

The reason you can't ask ask that question that way is because scripture teaches us that there there are no good people. There so the question itself is just in invalid and what this does Helps us to release and realign our thinking and our mind and our life with scripture and with Christ and then we can Continue and build on living in that victory that Christ has.

Earned.

For the glory of God and for our benefit. Let's look at John chapter 16 verse 33. It says these things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace in.

The world.

You have tribulation but take courage. I have overcome the world. So now we're moving into what does Jesus say about us and and who we are and here's one example of What Jesus is is saying to us about who we are and and what's gonna happen as as we live in This world and we're still we're still in our flesh and we're still living in this world.

And he says as you're living in this world He's spoken to These things I've spoken to you so that in me you may have peace but in the world that we're still in You will have tribulation but take courage.

I've overcome the world. We will have tribulation. There we will have trials and tribulation and difficult times That is promised to us in scripture. We can bank on it. We can count on it. God's Word is true.

So that's that's one of the things That that we can learn about who we are and and the promises That are true from scripture about who we are and what we will Deal with and go through here in the flesh and in this world, we will go through and have tribulation and trials.

And.

Hang on to to that thought and these other thoughts as we make our way down. Because they're gonna tie into John chapter 6 at the end and help us answer that question. What does Jesus say about us? We will have tribulations.

We will have trials.

Luke.

Chapter 6 verses 20 through 24, and this is Luke's account of the the Beatitudes and I'm gonna turn there in my Bible. Actually, I think it may help me but it's it's interesting. It's interesting what's going on here in in Luke and in the Beatitudes.

We're gonna start in verse verse 20 and and Luke through 24. And we're trying to build as we go through the verses. We're trying to build on What we've learned already, so there's no one good. No, not one.

There's No one that does good not even one and that in this world. We're gonna have trials and we're gonna have tribulations. So and then the first thing that we learned is that we have two realities going on.

Currently within us our flesh that's of this world. That's self-seeking that's selfish that seeks its own and the spirit that is pushing that flesh further and further away and giving us life. And growing us in Christ.

So Luke the Beatitudes. Luke chapter 6 starting in verse 20. It says I'm turning and turning his gaze on his disciples. He began to say Blessed are You who are poor? For yours is the kingdom of God. Now Jesus is speaking to two different people.

Remember we spoke of two different realities. Jesus is speaking to two different people. He's speaking the two different realities that they're living in. He says blessed are you who are poor and you've heard people say that he's not speaking of material things.

But he's speaking of spiritual things and and to take that a little bit further. What is Jesus saying? By that. When he says blessed are you who are poor in a spiritual sense it puts me in mind of Philippians.

I'm I'm teaching through Philippians here in this video series and and at church. They are also going through the book of Philippians and it's such a powerful Philippians chapter 2 is so powerful. And I think we're going to look at that here in a second part of Philippians.

But but Paul tells us in Philippians. Do not seek your own interest but the interest of other. Empty yourself as Christ is your example and how he emptied himself. Empty yourself. So blessed are you who are are poor?

You you are Empty you do not need Material things to satisfy you if you remember what's going on. I'm getting my I'm getting my studies mixed up. We're going through the the book of John in another Time of devotions and and we read through when Jesus fed the 5 ,000 with The 5 ,000 men and then it included women and children with five loaves and two fish and they ate till they were full and then had 12 baskets left over right and Then what what happened after that?

They departed it was night. Jesus sent the disciples across and Daylight come the crowd woke saw that Jesus wasn't there and they ran to they ran to find him.

And.

When they did Jesus called him out. Basically. He said You you are looking for me Because I fed you. You you want you want me to feed you again? You you're you're looking for that temporal satisfaction.

You're you're you're trying to find what I can do for you to satisfy you here in this world satisfy your flesh. This temporal satisfaction and that's the opposite of what Jesus is saying here in the Beatitudes.

He says blessed are you who are poor who have emptied yourself and have no attachment to any material thing. Because those who are emptied Are able to receive the Lord. He says for yours is the kingdom of God.

So you have you have two different realities. Going on here and he's gonna speak to those verse 21. Blessed are you who are hungry now? For you shall be satisfied when shall you be satisfied. And he's speaking spiritually, right?

Those of you who are hungry Spiritually, you will be satisfied when? We have the the flesh in the world and we have the spiritual reality, right you will be satisfied. Back to verse 20. In the kingdom of God when you're saved.

When you're his when you're born again when you're in that kingdom of God. You will be satisfied. You may be hungry now, but when you come into the kingdom of God, you will be satisfied. So their mindset.

Is on.

You know future circumstances their own their own their mindset is on the good of others. And and the consequences of their actions the consequences of their actions here is. We may be hungry now but we are hungering and thirsting for the right things the kingdom of God and when we're in that kingdom of God we We will be satisfied and he says in the same verse blessed.

Are you who weep now? For you shall laugh when in the kingdom of God in the kingdom of God. When you when you weep you're sorrowful you're you're releasing. You're releasing it to the Lord and then entering into his kingdom.

You will be satisfied. You you you are hungry. But you come to him to feed your inner man and you enter in the kingdom. This is about belief in Jesus Christ. You will be satisfied and then verse 22 blessed are you when men hate you and Ostracize you and cast insults at you and spurn your name as evil for the sake of the Son of Man.

Let listen to this verse 23, he said be glad in that day. Be glad. What what just happened that you should be glad for? Blessed are you when men hate you ostracize you cast insults at you spurn your name as evil.

For the sake of the Son of Man you have to you can't leave that out for the sake of the Son of Man. He says be glad in that day and leap for joy. For behold your reward is great in heaven. So that their mind is on the Lord their mind is on heaven.

I can be glad Here in my circumstances. I can leap for joy here in my circumstances. Because these people that hate me these people that ostracize me these people that cast insults at me. These people who spurn my name as evil.

Have no bearing on my satisfaction in the kingdom. In that right? They have no bearing and carry no weight on. Where my joy is my joy is in Jesus Christ and my satisfaction is in him. And Verse 24 is just an example of where Jesus goes for the next few verses.

So I'm just gonna read the one verse. Because he begins to speak of the the other folks. But woe to you who are rich. It doesn't say now, but he's speaking, you know rich now. For you are receiving it's happening right now.

Your comfort in full if you are finding your satisfaction like like they were running after Jesus because they feel he filled their belly and They wanted it full again and The the rich young ruler. He came to Jesus and he said what good good teacher.

What must I do to be saved? Jesus said you know the law and the rich young ruler said I've kept all these from my youth. Then Jesus said sell all you have and then come follow me and The the man walked away sad because he had much wealth.

He didn't he had to he had the this attachment to his flesh. To his earthly possessions to this world. He didn't want to give it up. He didn't empty himself as Philippians talks about. So that Jesus could fill him and he could be satisfied truly in him.

Because we'll never be truly satisfied With anything in this world anything that our flesh longs for will never bring Satisfaction it will actually only bring death. But the Spirit brings life and righteousness.

So what does the Spirit do? What what is God doing in us? Philippians 1 verse 6. So we've talked about the flesh we're familiar with the flesh and what and what it does and how it leads to destruction.

What does Jesus say about the Spirit and and what the Spirit does and the Spirit speaking? Giving us life giving us eternal life. Let's look at these few verses to Rejoice and worship God and what the Spirit is doing in our lives.

Philippians 1 verse 6. For I am confident in this very thing that he who began a good work among you Will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus he who began that good work. Let's say he who began a good work among you and some translations say in you in you among you and Who is doing the work?

Did you notice that? For I'm confident of this very thing that he who began a good work Our is that's just the opposite of our flesh. Our flesh is us doing the work us Satisfying ourselves us trying to please God on our own all the things that that our flesh tries to do.

It's us working us working us working. And Philippians chapter 1 verse 6 says That he who began a good work Will complete it. He began the work he does the work and he will complete the work. God does the work not us so he gets the credit he gets the glory.

Amen first Peter 2 2 and Like newborn babies long for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation. So we are growing in the Spirit the Spirit grows us Through the word and with the word and by the word.

And we and we are too long for it. Ephesians 4 15 through 16. And and this is our theme verse and it's good that we're reading the the verse after it so we can get more of the context. Especially with it with the topic tonight.

Ephesians 4 15 16. It says but speaking the truth in love. We are to what's the Spirit doing? Grow up in all aspects. The Holy Spirit is growing us up in all aspects and he's not going to leave anything out.

We are growing up in all aspects into him. And do you see the difference? It's the the Spirit is concerned with the inner man. The flesh is concerned with the outer man the material things the world. The Spirit is working on the inner man.

We are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head that is Christ verse 16 from whom the whole body being fitted and held together. By what every joint supplies according to the proper working of each individual part.

Causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. The Holy Spirit is about growth. The flesh is about death. Philippians 2 verse 13. For it is God who is at work in you both to desire and to work for his good pleasure.

It's God again. Same thing is in Philippians chapter 1 verse 6. Philippians chapter 2 the verse 13. It's God who is at work in you both to Give you the desire and to do the work. For his good pleasure.

Isn't that amazing that that which we are unable to do. God does it for us? That's amazing. And then John chapter 15 verse 5. Jesus says I'm the vine and You are the branches the one who remains in me.

We're talking about the things that are going on. Inside we are. Christ is in us and we are in him if those who remain in me and I in him they bear much fruit. For apart from me he says you can do nothing if we stay in the flesh we live in the flesh.

We stay apart from Christ. We don't abide in him. We don't remain in him. We can do nothing. It tries to Satan and and we ourselves try to camouflage it and and ignore the consequences and Ignore where this road leads us and it leads us to death but ultimately.

Apart from Christ we can do nothing. That's basically what we're doing over here in the flesh is is nothing of value. Our wrath righteousness is as filthy rags to Christ. Scripture says.

Now.

It's time we go to to John chapter 6. John chapter 6 verse 58 through 65 and we're gonna we're gonna look at that last question that third question.

That um.

We get from our culture we get from You know different places where we grow up from tradition where we get it from. This is this is another Ingrained fault that we have that doesn't line up with scripture and remember Everything that we've discussed so far Is linked and this tied together and it builds upon Everything else that that we talked about.

So try to remember the all those things that we've discussed. So John chapter 6 Versus if I can get there versus 59.

59.

59 through 65. These things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples When they heard this. This is a difficult statement. Who can listen to it. What was the statement Jesus was there teaching them?

You must eat my flesh and drink my blood and.

That.

Does hit the ears funny and it hit their ears funny and it says. But Jesus conscience that his disciples grumbled at this so they were grumbling and Before because Jesus was equating himself with God and calling himself the Son of God and saying that he came from heaven the Jews The Jewish leaders that John calls the Jews They were grumbling as well and they were Beginning to plot to kill him.

So everybody seems to be grumbling at Jesus because what he says and and how he says it's hard to understand.

But but Jesus.

Gives an explanation here. Does this cause you to stumble? Verse 62 what then if you should behold the Son of Man ascending where he was before. And listen to verse 63 he gives us an explanation to help them understand and help us understand.

It is the Spirit and we've been talking about the Spirit all night who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. What does that mean? What when we speak of spiritual things.

We speak of the inner man got our soul God saving our soul and the Holy Spirit working on our inner man our character. Who we are on the inside and and then you Paul speaks in Philippians work out your salvation.

So it's. It's that which happens here on the inside and then it begins to come out and and work out in our lives. But it's but it starts here and Jesus says it's the Spirit who gives life and the flesh profits nothing.