Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Sep 17th, 2013 JUST FOR LADIES – BY CAMILLE STAHL

Today’s Passage – Daniel 7 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – click here to view the text from the Blue Letter Bible website)

(Second Milers also read – Hebrews 5 – 8; Psalms 81 – 85; Proverbs 17)

Scripture Memorization for August – Psalm 1

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song – Proverbs 27:15

Read a great article by Cary Schmidt – “Blessing the Bruised Generation“

Read the “0917 Evening and Morning“ devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

A Bible Study For Women

Why Is God Allowing These Bad Things To Happen?

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.” (Daniel 9:3-6)

“O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.” (Daniel 9:8-11)

In the past several years, we’ve seen so many disasters happen.  Through them many people were killed.  The first question everyone asks is “If God is love, powerful and in control of everything, why is He allowing these things to happen?  We blame Him for everything.  Well I would like for you to come with me back 51 years ago.  Although this was not the beginning we’ll start there.

1962 – Prayer was removed from public schools.

1963 – The Bible was taken out of public schools

Starting with the 1950’s – Music, need I say more.  If you noticed, people degenerated with the music in the way they acted and dressed.

Late 1960’s – Abortion.  Some laws were past to protect the health or life of the mother.  My question is what happened to the right of the health and life of the baby?

1973 – After two separate court cases, a woman could get an abortion right up to birth.

1960’s – Alcohol and drug use was a popular pastime, and still is.  The Sexual Freedom Revolution was also popular.

1980’s The 10 Commandments were taken out of public schools.

2013 – Gay marriages.

As you may have guessed, these are just a few things stating how we are running from God.  There has been talk about taking God out of our Pledge of Allegiance and money.  We are pushing God out of our lives more and more.  We are not obeying the voice of the Lord.  And we cry “Why does God allow these things to happen?”  It’s is amazing that He doesn’t allow more, and someday he will, not that I would wish it.

So what can I do?  I’m just one person.  David is the perfect example of what can be done.

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:” (Daniel 9:3)

As Christians, we need to forsake sin and get back to the basics of serving our God.   We need to search our own hearts to see where we failed God and confess it to Him then make a change.  We should alway make a stand for right no matter the cost.   The voices of the wicked are louder then the voices for God.  Pray and fast for our country as Daniel did for Israel.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2Chronicles 7:14)

This verse is talking to God’s children.  Yes Israel, but those who have Christ are also His children – “my people”.

So the answer to our question, Why is God allowing all these bad things to happen?  Because we threw Him out.

Thank You

1 John 5:13