WEBVTT
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If God exists and if
God is a God of love,
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why is there so much
suffering in our world?
00:06.439 --> 00:09.075
Is He powerless
to stop it?
00:09.142 --> 00:11.945
This challenge is often
thrown up by atheists,
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agnostics, and also
sincere individuals who
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struggle to understand.
00:16.850 --> 00:19.252
How can a loving God
permit wars that
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kill, maim, and
destroy property?
00:22.021 --> 00:24.491
Why diseases, famines,
and other so-called
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natural disasters?
00:26.493 --> 00:30.964
Some smugly ask these questions in an attempt to dismiss God.
00:31.030 --> 00:34.033
Others sincerely look at
the cruelty in the world
00:34.100 --> 00:36.169
and wonder, why?
00:36.236 --> 00:39.672
Why doesn't a loving
God stop war, disease,
00:39.739 --> 00:43.543
natural disasters, and cruelty
toward women and children?
00:43.610 --> 00:46.813
On this Tomorrow's World
program, I'll give you three
00:46.880 --> 00:50.650
reasons why a loving God
allows pain and suffering.
00:50.717 --> 00:54.821
Yes, there is great suffering found everywhere and you may
00:54.888 --> 00:58.358
personally be going through
a painful trial yourself.
00:58.425 --> 01:02.128
But our Creator is a God of love, and that's why I'm
01:02.195 --> 01:05.031
offering a free resource
that explains His great
01:05.098 --> 01:06.833
love for you and me.
01:06.900 --> 01:10.336
John 3:16--Hidden Truths
of the Golden Verse
01:10.403 --> 01:13.573
explains far more
than most realize.
01:13.640 --> 01:17.977
Yes, John 3:16 explains
God's love for mankind,
01:18.044 --> 01:22.081
despite the hardships we
currently see, but within it
01:22.148 --> 01:25.418
are truths not generally understood, so be sure to
01:25.485 --> 01:28.621
have writing material available to take down our contact
01:28.688 --> 01:32.959
information so you can
receive your free copy of
01:33.026 --> 01:37.163
John 3:16--Hidden Truths
of the Golden Verse.
01:37.230 --> 01:41.201
Now stay tuned as I'll be
back in 5 seconds and give
01:41.267 --> 01:44.571
you three reasons why a
loving God allows such
01:44.637 --> 01:47.173
great suffering on
this troubled planet.
01:47.240 --> 01:53.546
♪
01:53.613 --> 01:56.816
A warm welcome to all of
you from all of us here at
01:56.883 --> 01:59.986
Tomorrow's World, where
we fearlessly take on the
02:00.053 --> 02:03.022
hard questions and tell
you the plain truth
02:03.089 --> 02:06.125
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
02:06.192 --> 02:09.362
Atheists and agnostics
think they have the perfect
02:09.429 --> 02:12.365
argument against God's existence, when they ask:
02:12.432 --> 02:15.768
"How can there be a loving
God when children are abused,
02:15.835 --> 02:20.006
women are raped, people die
from excruciatingly painful
02:20.073 --> 02:23.610
diseases, and innocent
people are displaced and
02:23.676 --> 02:25.545
killed in war?"
02:25.612 --> 02:29.449
There are answers and I'll
give you three of them today,
02:29.516 --> 02:32.252
but there are two aspects
to this question:
02:32.318 --> 02:34.954
Number 1: Does God exist?
02:35.021 --> 02:37.056
And, Number 2, if He does:
02:37.123 --> 02:39.993
Is He truly a God of Love?
02:40.059 --> 02:42.929
Please bear with me as
I address the question
02:42.996 --> 02:44.531
of God's existence.
02:44.597 --> 02:47.667
Frankly, dear friends,
that is not as difficult
02:47.734 --> 02:49.969
as some make it out to be.
02:50.036 --> 02:53.306
It comes down to this:
Either the vast universe
02:53.373 --> 02:57.143
and life on this planet is
the result of blind chance,
02:57.210 --> 03:00.613
or it is the result of an intelligent Designer,
03:00.680 --> 03:03.049
in other words, God.
03:03.116 --> 03:07.086
Setting aside the huge question of how the universe came to be,
03:07.153 --> 03:10.690
let me get to the crux of
this issue of life itself.
03:10.757 --> 03:14.761
Could life arise from non-
living matter by chance?
03:14.827 --> 03:18.364
Evolutionist Bill Bryson
addresses the unlikelihood
03:18.431 --> 03:22.035
of life arising as a result
of chance when discussing
03:22.101 --> 03:26.239
proteins--the building
blocks of cellular life.
03:26.306 --> 03:30.276
As all knowledgeable people know, proteins are made up of
03:30.343 --> 03:34.881
long strings of amino acids connected in precise meaningful
03:34.948 --> 03:39.018
ways--similar to the way
letters form sentences.
03:39.085 --> 03:41.921
You cannot throw vowels
and consonants randomly
03:41.988 --> 03:45.024
together and form
meaningful sentences.
03:45.091 --> 03:47.493
Nor can you throw
amino acids together
03:47.560 --> 03:50.997
randomly and form
functioning proteins.
03:51.064 --> 03:54.033
As an example, Bryson
speaks of the most common
03:54.100 --> 03:58.304
protein found in all
of us--collagen:
03:58.371 --> 04:03.676
"But to make collagen, you need to arrange 1,055 amino acids in
04:03.743 --> 04:06.112
precisely the right sequence.
04:06.179 --> 04:10.450
But--and here's an obvious
but crucial point--
04:10.516 --> 04:12.085
you don't make it.
04:12.151 --> 04:16.089
It makes itself, spontaneously, without direction,
04:16.155 --> 04:19.192
and this is where the
unlikelihoods come in.
04:19.258 --> 04:23.563
The chances of a 1,055
sequence molecule like
04:23.630 --> 04:27.200
collagen spontaneously
self-assembling are,
04:27.266 --> 04:29.869
frankly, nil.
04:29.936 --> 04:32.872
It just isn't
going to happen."
04:32.939 --> 04:35.274
What an amazing admission.
04:35.341 --> 04:38.878
But collagen is only one
protein needed for life.
04:38.945 --> 04:40.747
As Bryson points out:
04:40.813 --> 04:43.950
"No one really knows, but
there may be as many as a
04:44.017 --> 04:46.786
million types of protein
in the human body,
04:46.853 --> 04:50.156
and each one is a
little miracle.
04:50.223 --> 04:55.495
By all the laws of probability proteins shouldn't exist."
04:55.561 --> 04:58.598
Now why does he call
them little miracles?
04:58.665 --> 05:01.367
And why shouldn't
they exist?
05:01.434 --> 05:04.871
Bryson explains the laws of probability and points out
05:04.937 --> 05:07.940
that the odds of a more
typical 200 amino acid
05:08.007 --> 05:14.847
protein self-assembling
is 1 in 10260.
05:14.914 --> 05:20.820
That is a single chance in
1 followed by 260 zeros.
05:20.887 --> 05:23.122
About which Bryson states:
05:23.189 --> 05:27.393
"That in itself is a larger
number than all the atoms
05:27.460 --> 05:29.062
in the universe."
05:29.128 --> 05:30.697
Think about that.
05:30.763 --> 05:35.301
This is only one typical protein, of which there may be
05:35.368 --> 05:39.172
as many as one million different types in the human body.
05:39.238 --> 05:42.842
But my favorite Bryson quote
comes from his book, The Body,
05:42.909 --> 05:44.310
in which he explains:
05:44.377 --> 05:47.280
"You could call together
all the brainiest people
05:47.346 --> 05:51.684
who are alive now or have
ever lived and endow them
05:51.751 --> 05:55.088
with the complete sum of
human knowledge, and
05:55.154 --> 05:59.258
they could not between them
make a single living cell,
05:59.325 --> 06:04.831
never mind a replicant Benedict Cumberbatch [a British actor]."
06:04.897 --> 06:08.434
Who is it now who
believes in miracles?
06:08.501 --> 06:11.971
Bryson's comments mirror
those of Michael Denton,
06:12.038 --> 06:13.806
PhD, in biochemistry.
06:13.873 --> 06:18.144
We often hear the term
"simple cell" thrown about.
06:18.211 --> 06:21.814
Here is what this biochemist says about that so-called
06:21.881 --> 06:23.616
simple cell:
06:23.683 --> 06:27.887
"The complexity of the simplest known type of cell is so
06:27.954 --> 06:31.224
great that it is impossible
to accept that such an
06:31.290 --> 06:34.994
object could have been thrown
together suddenly by some
06:35.061 --> 06:38.798
kind of freakish, vastly improbable, event.
06:38.865 --> 06:43.069
Such an occurrence would
be indistinguishable from
06:43.136 --> 06:44.170
a miracle."
06:44.237 --> 06:47.173
He explains what many
scientists are coming to
06:47.240 --> 06:50.743
understand and why former
evolutionists are changing
06:50.810 --> 06:52.979
their minds on
the subject.
06:53.045 --> 06:55.715
"Although the tiniest
bacterial cells are
06:55.782 --> 06:57.283
incredibly small...
06:57.350 --> 07:01.988
each is in effect a veritable micro-miniaturized factory
07:02.054 --> 07:05.024
containing thousands of exquisitely designed
07:05.091 --> 07:08.594
pieces of intricate
molecular machinery...
07:08.661 --> 07:13.199
far more complicated than any machine built by man and
07:13.266 --> 07:17.236
absolutely without parallel
in the non-living world."
07:17.303 --> 07:21.874
The evidence for intelligence-- that is God--as the cause of
07:21.941 --> 07:25.278
life is massively compelling
for anyone willing to look
07:25.344 --> 07:26.612
at the facts.
07:26.679 --> 07:30.016
So, why do we have terrible suffering in our world?
07:30.082 --> 07:35.188
If God is all-powerful, why can't He, or why won't He,
07:35.254 --> 07:39.425
put an end to all the awful suffering that is here on earth?
07:39.492 --> 07:41.928
I'll give the first answer
to that question in the
07:41.994 --> 07:44.463
next portion of this
Tomorrow's World program,
07:44.530 --> 07:48.167
but first, I want to tell
you about today's free offer.
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Perhaps the most well-known verse in the entire Bible
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is John 3:16...
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"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only
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begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should
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not perish but have
everlasting life."
08:03.616 --> 08:07.286
This verse proclaims
God's boundless love.
08:07.353 --> 08:10.256
Yes, He cares for mankind
to a degree that is
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remarkable beyond our
imagination, but how much
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do you know about this
verse that is painted on
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rocks and displayed on
billboards and hand-held
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signs at sporting events?
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Our booklet, John 3:16--
Hidden Truths of the Golden
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Verse explains eight
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universally unrealized.
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I can almost assure you
that our resource will
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So, to gain a full
understanding of this
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famous Scripture, order your free copy of John 3:16--
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Hidden Truths of
the Golden Verse.
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And when I come back
after a short break,
08:50.997 --> 08:54.233
I'll give you the first
answer to the question,
08:54.300 --> 08:58.271
"If God is love, why do we
see so much suffering?"
08:58.337 --> 08:59.138
♪
08:59.205 --> 09:06.212
For today's free
offer call...
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Or go to...
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This clear and
straight-forward resource
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will help you understand
this vital truth--
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straight from the
pages of the Bible.
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If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
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Call today and join
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Call now!
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Or go to...
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♪
09:58.664 --> 10:01.167
Before the break I said I
would give you the first
10:01.233 --> 10:02.668
answer to the question,
10:02.735 --> 10:06.639
"If God is love, why do we
see so much suffering?"
10:06.706 --> 10:09.842
As we have seen in the previous portion of this program,
10:09.909 --> 10:14.080
The answer is not that
God does not exist.
10:14.146 --> 10:16.882
It is not that
He is too weak.
10:16.949 --> 10:20.052
And: It is not that
He does not care.
10:20.119 --> 10:22.121
No, God exists.
10:22.188 --> 10:23.889
He is all-powerful.
10:23.956 --> 10:27.059
And He truly is a God
of love and compassion,
10:27.126 --> 10:30.730
as the resource we are
offering today explains.
10:30.796 --> 10:34.066
So I urge you to take us
up on this free offer:
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John 3:16--Hidden Truths
of the Golden Verse.
10:38.070 --> 10:40.606
But again, we wonder:
10:40.673 --> 10:44.944
"If God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son"
10:45.011 --> 10:49.181
that we might have life, why does He allow war, children
10:49.248 --> 10:52.618
to be abducted, women to be
raped, and people to die
10:52.685 --> 10:56.022
from long-lasting
and painful diseases?
10:56.088 --> 10:58.424
Let's ask a relevant question:
10:58.491 --> 11:01.193
Are we looking in the wrong direction by placing
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blame on God?
11:03.129 --> 11:05.498
The answer is yes.
11:05.564 --> 11:08.467
So, the first reason for
suffering here on earth is:
11:08.534 --> 11:12.071
#1: We are doing
it to ourselves.
11:12.138 --> 11:13.472
Consider this.
11:13.539 --> 11:17.443
A teenage boy is told by
his parents not to smoke,
11:17.510 --> 11:21.680
as smoking can cause lung
cancer, oral cancers, heart
11:21.747 --> 11:25.684
disease, emphysema, and
a host of other maladies.
11:25.751 --> 11:29.188
His parents dearly love him
and they don't want him to
11:29.255 --> 11:33.059
hurt himself, but as with
so many teens, he rejects
11:33.125 --> 11:36.495
his parent's loving advice
and chooses rather to
11:36.562 --> 11:39.865
follow his friends
and his own judgment.
11:39.932 --> 11:44.036
He takes up smoking, or
more likely today, vaping.
11:44.103 --> 11:47.606
Of course, he doesn't think
he will be addicted, nor
11:47.673 --> 11:50.543
suffer the consequences
he's warned about.
11:50.609 --> 11:54.146
No, he thinks he's
the exception.
11:54.213 --> 11:56.982
But 35 years later he
comes down with lung
11:57.049 --> 12:00.319
cancer and his life,
his hopes and his dreams,
12:00.386 --> 12:03.689
are cut short by a
long, painful death.
12:03.756 --> 12:05.524
Whose fault is it?
12:05.591 --> 12:06.926
His parents?
12:06.992 --> 12:10.896
No, they did everything they could reasonably do to
12:10.963 --> 12:13.933
prevent him from picking
up the dangerous habit.
12:13.999 --> 12:15.935
Is it God's fault?
12:16.001 --> 12:20.473
Why blame Him when God commanded him to obey his parents?
12:20.539 --> 12:23.342
And note this additional
warning to everyone not
12:23.409 --> 12:25.411
to trust one's own heart:
12:25.478 --> 12:28.848
"There is a way that seems
right to a man, but its
12:28.914 --> 12:30.649
end is the way of death."
12:30.716 --> 12:34.687
That's from Proverbs 14:12,
and the warning is so
12:34.753 --> 12:38.924
important that it is repeated
in chapter 16, verse 25.
12:38.991 --> 12:42.328
Can we not make the
rational judgment that
12:42.394 --> 12:44.163
it's his own fault?
12:44.230 --> 12:47.666
Even though he was warned
by parents, by God, by
12:47.733 --> 12:50.369
the Surgeon General, and
probably numerous others,
12:50.436 --> 12:53.439
the immediate pleasure of
fitting in with his peers
12:53.506 --> 12:57.576
was more important than what might happen decades later.
12:57.643 --> 13:00.012
Trusting our own ways,
what seems right in
13:00.079 --> 13:02.715
our own eyes, and
short-sightedness,
13:02.781 --> 13:05.484
have been man's problem
from the beginning.
13:05.551 --> 13:09.922
However, the problem does
go deeper than that.
13:09.989 --> 13:13.159
When God created the first
man and woman, he placed them
13:13.225 --> 13:15.895
in a beautiful garden filled with the most delicious
13:15.961 --> 13:20.166
organic fruits and vegetables that one could ever imagine.
13:20.232 --> 13:23.569
In this garden, He planted
two special trees.
13:23.636 --> 13:27.106
We read of them in
Genesis 2:9,
13:27.173 --> 13:30.209
"And out of the ground the
Lord God made every tree grow
13:30.276 --> 13:33.179
that is pleasant to the
sight and good for food.
13:33.245 --> 13:36.382
The tree of life was also
in the midst of the garden,
13:36.448 --> 13:39.785
and the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil."
13:39.852 --> 13:42.188
These two trees
were symbolic.
13:42.254 --> 13:46.158
To eat of the tree of life was the choice to trust God for
13:46.225 --> 13:49.795
determining right and wrong,
and to live accordingly.
13:49.862 --> 13:53.365
But to take of the other tree was an act of rebellion
13:53.432 --> 13:57.670
against God's rule, symbolizing man choosing for himself to
13:57.736 --> 14:00.039
determine good and evil.
14:00.105 --> 14:03.576
We are not animals that
act according to instinct,
14:03.642 --> 14:06.445
but God made us
free moral agents.
14:06.512 --> 14:09.949
We must make moral choices
and His laws reveal which
14:10.015 --> 14:11.550
choices are right.
14:11.617 --> 14:14.119
And He informs us that
there are consequences
14:14.186 --> 14:15.921
for our decisions.
14:15.988 --> 14:19.992
Deuteronomy 30:19 tells us:
14:20.059 --> 14:23.696
"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you,
14:23.762 --> 14:27.399
that I have set before
you life and death,
14:27.466 --> 14:32.037
blessing and cursing;
therefore choose life,
14:32.104 --> 14:34.807
that both you and your
descendants may live."
14:34.873 --> 14:38.444
There was no ambiguity
here: blessings and life
14:38.510 --> 14:42.514
on one side, curses
and death on the other.
14:42.581 --> 14:46.986
So why do we blame God for the choices that we freely make?
14:47.052 --> 14:50.689
Just as with a rebellious teenage son, we think
14:50.756 --> 14:51.957
we know better.
14:52.024 --> 14:54.994
We think God is keeping
something good from us
14:55.060 --> 14:57.696
because there is a
temporary benefit.
14:57.763 --> 15:00.633
For the teenager, the
vanity of being accepted
15:00.699 --> 15:03.102
and looking good in the
eyes of his friends,
15:03.168 --> 15:06.939
seems worth taking a risk on
something that may or may not
15:07.006 --> 15:08.674
happen in the future.
15:08.741 --> 15:11.744
Is it not the same with
us who are adults?
15:11.810 --> 15:16.382
No, God is not to blame for
the choices that we make.
15:16.448 --> 15:20.052
While He does not remove every natural consequence for our bad
15:20.119 --> 15:25.024
decisions, He will forgive us upon repentance, as our resource
15:25.090 --> 15:29.094
John 3:16-- Hidden Truths of
the Golden Verse explains.
15:29.161 --> 15:32.598
This resource can be
yours free of charge.
15:32.665 --> 15:34.600
All you have to do is ask.
15:34.667 --> 15:37.903
No one will hit you up for
a donation and your name
15:37.970 --> 15:39.638
will not be sold to others.
15:39.705 --> 15:42.808
You have nothing to lose
and everything to gain.
15:42.875 --> 15:47.579
So, order your free copy of
John 3:16--Hidden Truths
15:47.646 --> 15:50.482
of the Golden Verse
and do it today.
15:50.549 --> 15:53.152
And when I come back,
I'll explain why we make
15:53.218 --> 15:56.288
wrong choices and
suffer as a result.
15:56.355 --> 15:57.389
♪
15:57.456 --> 15:59.358
This clear and
straight-forward resource
15:59.425 --> 16:01.827
will help you understand
this vital truth--
16:01.894 --> 16:04.930
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
16:04.997 --> 16:05.898
Call now!
16:05.964 --> 16:10.569
Or go to...
16:10.636 --> 16:11.837
♪
16:11.904 --> 16:15.341
On this Tomorrow's World program, I'm asking and
16:15.407 --> 16:16.475
answering the question,
16:16.542 --> 16:20.012
"If God is love, why
so much suffering?
16:20.079 --> 16:23.148
Why war, famine,
and disease?"
16:23.215 --> 16:25.651
As I've shown in the
previous portion, to
16:25.718 --> 16:28.887
anyone with an objective
mind, the blame for our
16:28.954 --> 16:31.824
pain and suffering is
our own, not God's.
16:31.890 --> 16:36.128
He made us free moral agents and leaves it up to us to choose.
16:36.195 --> 16:38.630
Still, people argue,
16:38.697 --> 16:42.267
"An all-powerful loving
God should stop it."
16:42.334 --> 16:45.838
Now let us consider how God
would stop us from making
16:45.904 --> 16:49.742
bad decisions and suffering
the consequences of them.
16:49.808 --> 16:53.479
God would have to take
away free moral agency.
16:53.545 --> 16:57.716
In effect, He would have to force us to make right choices.
16:57.783 --> 17:01.353
But our first parents said,
by rebelling against God and
17:01.420 --> 17:03.222
taking of the forbidden tree,
17:03.288 --> 17:05.824
"God, stay out of our business.
17:05.891 --> 17:07.626
Don't tell us what to do.
17:07.693 --> 17:10.095
We want to do our own thing."
17:10.162 --> 17:14.266
And if we're honest with ourselves, we must admit
17:14.333 --> 17:15.334
we're no different.
17:15.401 --> 17:18.237
Yes, we may rationalize
that we are different,
17:18.303 --> 17:21.807
but we deceive ourselves,
as Jeremiah told is in the
17:21.874 --> 17:24.209
17th chapter and verse 9:
17:24.276 --> 17:29.214
"The heart [that is the mind of man] is deceitful above all
17:29.281 --> 17:32.885
things, and desperately wicked;
who can know it?"
17:32.951 --> 17:35.954
Wars are fought between
nations, between neighbors,
17:36.021 --> 17:39.224
and even in homes between husbands and wives.
17:39.291 --> 17:42.661
Whether it is domestic violence or whether it is one nation
17:42.728 --> 17:47.599
warring against another, the result is pain and sorrow.
17:47.666 --> 17:50.869
When there is conflict between individuals or nations,
17:50.936 --> 17:53.071
there are causes.
17:53.138 --> 17:58.944
And one cause is revealed to
us in James 4, verses 1-2:
17:59.011 --> 18:02.014
"Where do wars and fights
come from among you?
18:02.080 --> 18:05.150
Do they not come from your
desires for pleasure that
18:05.217 --> 18:06.819
war in your members?
18:06.885 --> 18:09.121
You lust and do not have.
18:09.188 --> 18:12.191
You murder and covet
and cannot obtain.
18:12.257 --> 18:14.726
You fight and war."
18:14.793 --> 18:19.865
Selfish desire, lust, and
greed end in conflict, but
18:19.932 --> 18:22.768
we learn elsewhere another
cause of conflict, and
18:22.835 --> 18:24.837
that is--human pride.
18:24.903 --> 18:26.939
Notice these Proverbs:
18:27.005 --> 18:29.741
"By pride comes
nothing but strife,
18:29.808 --> 18:32.444
But with the well-
advised is wisdom."
18:32.511 --> 18:35.347
That's chapter 13 and verse 10.
18:35.414 --> 18:37.549
"Pride goes before destruction,
18:37.616 --> 18:39.818
And a haughty spirit
before a fall."
18:39.885 --> 18:43.055
That's chapter 16 and verse 18.
18:43.121 --> 18:46.692
"He who is of a proud
heart stirs up strife,
18:46.758 --> 18:49.595
But he who trusts in the
LORD will be prospered."
18:49.661 --> 18:53.365
That's from Proverbs 28:25.
18:53.432 --> 18:57.236
As we see, human nature
involves lust, greed, pride,
18:57.302 --> 18:59.671
and selfish desire.
18:59.738 --> 19:02.441
To put it another way,
we want what we want
19:02.508 --> 19:06.345
and dismiss God's law
of outgoing concern.
19:06.411 --> 19:10.516
The end result is conflict, misery, and sorrow.
19:10.582 --> 19:14.820
Only the most calloused among
us wants to see anyone suffer,
19:14.887 --> 19:18.423
especially innocent
children and animals.
19:18.490 --> 19:23.462
How easy it is to blame God
when the problem lies with us.
19:23.529 --> 19:26.465
In the last portion of this program I'll give you
19:26.532 --> 19:29.301
two other reasons for
suffering, but let me
19:29.368 --> 19:32.704
remind you once again
about today's free offer.
19:32.771 --> 19:36.341
John 3:16 declares how
great God's love is for
19:36.408 --> 19:39.878
humanity, but there are
other messages in this
19:39.945 --> 19:42.848
pivotal verse that you
need to know and that
19:42.915 --> 19:45.217
is why we are offering
this important resource--
19:45.284 --> 19:49.388
John 3:16--Hidden Truths
of the Golden Verse.
19:49.454 --> 19:52.558
This easy-to-read booklet
can be yours with a simple
19:52.624 --> 19:54.993
call to the toll-free
number shown on your
19:55.060 --> 20:02.367
screen, or by going to
TWTV.ORG/John316.
20:02.434 --> 20:06.405
Now if the phone line is busy,
wait five minutes and try again,
20:06.471 --> 20:08.240
but order it today.
20:08.307 --> 20:11.176
And when I come back,
I'll give you two more
20:11.243 --> 20:13.045
causes of suffering.
20:13.111 --> 20:13.979
♪
20:14.046 --> 20:21.186
For today's free
offer call...
20:21.253 --> 20:26.358
Or go to...
20:26.425 --> 20:28.894
This clear and
straight-forward resource
20:28.961 --> 20:31.530
will help you understand
this vital truth--
20:31.597 --> 20:34.866
straight from the
pages of the Bible.
20:34.933 --> 20:37.302
If you're calling for the
first time, you will also
20:37.369 --> 20:40.205
receive a free annual
subscription to Tomorrow's
20:40.272 --> 20:41.707
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20:41.773 --> 20:45.243
Six inspiring issues
discussing news, science,
20:45.310 --> 20:48.013
and modern culture will
help you make sense of
20:48.080 --> 20:51.683
your world from a
biblical perspective.
20:51.750 --> 20:54.586
Call today and join
millions around the world
20:54.653 --> 20:57.222
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
20:57.289 --> 21:03.028
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
21:03.095 --> 21:04.363
Call now!
21:04.429 --> 21:08.934
Or go to...
21:09.001 --> 21:13.472
♪
21:13.538 --> 21:18.276
Our belief in God's existence stands on firm ground and
21:18.343 --> 21:21.113
makes far more sense than
a world of wondrously
21:21.179 --> 21:25.484
complex beings coming into
existence by blind chance.
21:25.550 --> 21:29.454
And the Bible tells
us that God is love.
21:29.521 --> 21:31.390
Before the break, I
said I would give you
21:31.456 --> 21:34.459
two more causes of
suffering on earth.
21:34.526 --> 21:37.663
As explained earlier,
rather than blaming God,
21:37.729 --> 21:39.197
reason Number 1 is:
21:39.264 --> 21:42.267
We are doing it to ourselves.
21:42.334 --> 21:46.938
Blaming God is easy,
but it's wrong-headed.
21:47.005 --> 21:50.876
Most of our trials are a direct result of our own actions.
21:50.942 --> 21:54.279
How can one blame God for
lung cancer if we refuse
21:54.346 --> 21:55.881
to heed the warnings.
21:55.947 --> 21:59.885
The same can be said for wars, accidents, and injuries.
21:59.951 --> 22:01.653
So don't blame God.
22:01.720 --> 22:04.489
The fault is with
human beings.
22:04.556 --> 22:07.426
But there are other reasons
for suffering as well.
22:07.492 --> 22:11.663
Number 2: God is a loving
parent who occasionally
22:11.730 --> 22:14.332
punishes us for our good.
22:14.399 --> 22:17.536
Not only has God put in
place natural consequences
22:17.602 --> 22:20.739
for disobedience, but
He also steps in as a
22:20.806 --> 22:25.177
loving parent to remind
us when we go astray.
22:25.243 --> 22:29.381
This is explained in Hebrews
12, beginning in verse 5:
22:29.448 --> 22:32.617
"And you have forgotten the
exhortation which speaks
22:32.684 --> 22:37.155
to you as to sons:
"My son, do not despise
22:37.222 --> 22:40.892
the chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you
22:40.959 --> 22:45.664
are rebuked by Him; For whom
the LORD loves He chastens,
22:45.731 --> 22:49.201
And scourges every son
whom He receives."
22:49.267 --> 22:53.839
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons;
22:53.905 --> 22:57.743
for what son is there whom
a father does not chasten?
22:57.809 --> 23:01.046
But if you are without
chastening, of which all have
23:01.113 --> 23:05.884
become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons."
23:05.951 --> 23:08.854
God is looking
at the long-game.
23:08.920 --> 23:11.156
Suffering, whether as
a result of our own
23:11.223 --> 23:15.827
foolishness, that of others,
or discipline from God,
23:15.894 --> 23:19.531
produces character needed
to be in God's family.
23:19.598 --> 23:23.301
As we read in
Hebrews 12:11,
23:23.368 --> 23:27.005
"Now no chastening seems to
be joyful for the present,
23:27.072 --> 23:30.842
but painful; nevertheless,
afterward it yields
23:30.909 --> 23:33.011
the peaceable fruit
of righteousness to
23:33.078 --> 23:35.313
those who have been
trained by it."
23:35.380 --> 23:38.016
And this brings me to the
most important reason
23:38.083 --> 23:39.284
for human suffering.
23:39.351 --> 23:44.289
Number 3: God desires for us
to live forever in His Kingdom
23:44.356 --> 23:46.658
as His children.
23:46.725 --> 23:50.629
Most people have no
idea why God created us.
23:50.695 --> 23:53.565
To them, we're here to
cram into life as much
23:53.632 --> 23:57.702
happiness, fun, and success
as possible before we die.
23:57.769 --> 24:01.773
They see this life as the
dessert, and anything
24:01.840 --> 24:04.743
that comes later
as the broccoli.
24:04.810 --> 24:07.946
Few understand what is
at stake: a few years
24:08.013 --> 24:11.449
on earth, or life
for eternity.
24:11.516 --> 24:13.952
And what kind of eternity?
24:14.019 --> 24:16.021
The Bible is clear.
24:16.087 --> 24:20.458
Scripture after Scripture speaks of us becoming children of God.
24:20.525 --> 24:24.863
The Apostle Paul even calls us "joint heirs with Christ".
24:24.930 --> 24:29.801
Notice Romans 8:14-17:
24:29.868 --> 24:32.604
"For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God,
24:32.671 --> 24:35.073
these are sons of God.
24:35.140 --> 24:38.643
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear,
24:38.710 --> 24:42.681
but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out,
24:42.747 --> 24:46.418
"Abba [or that is
Daddy], Father."
24:46.484 --> 24:49.154
The Spirit Himself bears
witness with our spirit
24:49.221 --> 24:54.092
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs--
24:54.159 --> 24:58.897
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, [now notice this]
24:58.964 --> 25:02.834
if indeed we suffer with
Him, that we may also
25:02.901 --> 25:05.103
be glorified together."
25:05.170 --> 25:07.873
This is the context in which
he puts in perspective
25:07.939 --> 25:11.176
the temporary suffering
that comes with this life.
25:11.243 --> 25:13.445
Continuing in verse 18:
25:13.511 --> 25:16.648
"For I consider that the
sufferings of this present
25:16.715 --> 25:19.451
time are not worthy to
be compared with the
25:19.517 --> 25:21.853
glory which shall
be revealed in us.
25:21.920 --> 25:25.790
For the earnest expectation
of the creation eagerly
25:25.857 --> 25:29.361
waits for the revealing
of the sons of God.
25:29.427 --> 25:32.564
For the creation was
subjected to futility,
25:32.631 --> 25:36.868
not willingly, but because
of Him who subjected it in
25:36.935 --> 25:40.372
hope; because the creation
itself also will be
25:40.438 --> 25:43.441
delivered from the bondage
of corruption into
25:43.508 --> 25:46.544
the glorious liberty of
the children of God."
25:46.611 --> 25:49.481
In light of this, consider
the common refrain:
25:49.547 --> 25:51.816
"No pain, no gain."
25:51.883 --> 25:54.319
Yes, this temporary
existence with all
25:54.386 --> 25:57.889
its trials, no matter
how severe they may be,
25:57.956 --> 26:00.625
is nothing in comparison
to what the future holds
26:00.692 --> 26:04.095
for those who learn
to put God first.
26:04.162 --> 26:06.231
This is why Paul also said,
26:06.298 --> 26:09.200
"And we know that all things
work together for good
26:09.267 --> 26:12.203
to those who love God,
to those who are the
26:12.270 --> 26:14.773
called according
to His purpose."
26:14.839 --> 26:18.276
That's from Romans 8:28.
26:18.343 --> 26:21.613
There is much suffering in
our world--some excruciating
26:21.680 --> 26:26.418
and long-lasting--but blaming God is wrong-headed.
26:26.484 --> 26:30.055
He's given us free moral
agency to make decisions.
26:30.121 --> 26:34.292
Most of the heartache we suffer is the result of bad decisions.
26:34.359 --> 26:38.596
Sometimes it's the decision of others that cause us grief,
26:38.663 --> 26:40.832
but much of the
time it's our own.
26:40.899 --> 26:45.270
Some suffering is a direct
result of God stepping in as
26:45.337 --> 26:50.008
a loving parent to let us know we are on the wrong track.
26:50.075 --> 26:51.643
He wants us to succeed.
26:51.710 --> 26:54.279
He wants us to be
in His Kingdom.
26:54.346 --> 26:59.117
And a few years of pain now can yield far greater reward.
26:59.184 --> 27:02.687
As it tells us
in Psalm 16:11,
27:02.754 --> 27:05.156
"You will show me
the path of life;
27:05.223 --> 27:07.692
In Your presence is
fullness of joy;
27:07.759 --> 27:11.796
At Your right hand are
pleasures forevermore."
27:11.863 --> 27:14.566
All suffering must be
understood in the context
27:14.632 --> 27:16.668
of John 3:16,
27:16.735 --> 27:19.671
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only
27:19.738 --> 27:23.008
begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him should
27:23.074 --> 27:27.278
not perish but have
everlasting life."
27:27.345 --> 27:31.149
To learn more about God's love, order your free copy of
27:31.216 --> 27:35.286
John 3:16--Hidden Truths
of the Golden Verse.
27:35.353 --> 27:37.956
And be sure to come back
next week when Richard Ames,
27:38.023 --> 27:42.127
Wallace Smith, Rod McNair,
and I share with you the
27:42.193 --> 27:45.530
good news of the coming
Kingdom of God, the meaning
27:45.597 --> 27:48.967
of life, and the prophecies
of what's ahead.
27:49.034 --> 27:50.735
See you next time.
27:50.802 --> 27:51.569
♪
27:51.636 --> 27:58.343
For today's free
offer call...
27:58.410 --> 28:03.081
Or go to...
28:03.148 --> 28:06.151
Call today and join
millions around the world
28:06.217 --> 28:09.120
who are turning to
Tomorrow's World for
28:09.187 --> 28:12.824
truth, prophecy, and hope
in these confusing times.
28:12.891 --> 28:17.962
♪
28:18.029 --> 28:20.165
The preceding program
is produced by the
28:20.231 --> 28:21.900
Living Church of God.
28:21.966 --> 28:24.903
♪