This week’s devotions are based on the Week 2 “Explore God” – Is there a God? (WATCH HERE)
We have a hard time in our culture today identifying something as evil. In fact, even mass shooters of children are at times “excused” because of mental illness or “insanity.” Mobs of teens and young adults ransack stores and carry out 1000’s of dollars of merchandise and it is dismissed as “They needed it more than the store did.” Even putting drag queens in front of young children is viewed as “normal” to expose them to gender “options” as youth.
Does this all give evidence of God?
Yes.
In central Texas, we have had a very long and dry summer. Some have labeled the time as a period of drought. When there is a drought, there is an absence of water. The lack of water and the ramifications of it speak to the opposite of water and the benefits of it. When water is lacking, drought occurs. If water were not real, neither would be drought.
Evil is the absence of true love and goodness. It is what happens when any awareness of love and goodness disappears. Evil is what happens when any standard of morality is thrown out. Evil occurs when selfishness reigns as the deciding factor of what is good. Evil is the absence of any influence by God in the hearts of people.
Goodness is from God…Evil is not.
3 John 11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
Love is from God…Evil is not.
1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.
Even though our culture has been redefining or eliminating a standard of morality, there is still a general feeling, “This isn’t right.” When stores are moving out of cities because of crime, criminals get back on the street, and child molestation is ok under the auspices of gender exploration, people sense, “This isn’t right.”
It’s not.
Remember our conscience is evidence of God’s reality. It’s a guide of goodness and love and eventually refined by the pages of God’s Word defining goodness and love. When the influence of the true God is in the hearts of people, peace abounds. When the influence of God is absent in the hearts of people, evil abounds.
Galatians 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Even if a person was not a Christian and you ask, “In which setting would you like to live?” one filled with “hatred, discord, jealousy, etc.” or one filled with “love, joy, peace, etc.?” I don’t think a response would take too long. The fact that every person would want the second option testifies to the reality that the soul God created in each one of us and each one of us desires to live in the climate that mirrors the image of God…one filled with his love, mercy, grace, and peace.
Apply: How does evil give evidence of God? Do you agree or not? Share your response.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for revealing yourself as one full of grace, goodness, love and truth. Help me to learn and live in these realities each and every day. AMEN.