The Terror of Bushfires
We form our own opinions of a person from the information we have gathered from others. But when we meet that person and get to know him, we realise that many things we had heard about him were false! It is so also with GOD. Do you know GOD? It is possible to know Him for yourself personally! It is important to know Him so that you may know how to conduct this life that He has given you!!
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 2 Peter 3:1-13
The Bible says that GOD is love. Why then does He bring about or permit such sufferings for humanity?
As a parent, would you simply leave your child to progress on a destructive path without counselling him firmly and if necessary discipline him harshly? If your little child puts his finger into electric sockets that can endanger him, would it not be wise for you to spank him? That little pain of the spank associated with putting the finger in the electric socket will make him think twice before doing it again.
Our Heavenly Father's love is purer and stronger than the love of any earthly father.
You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
Hebrews 12:4-7
A little child will not understand why his mother takes him for a vaccination and makes the nurse give him a painful needle prick. The mother knows the long term benefit of the momentary pain her child has to endure.
Similarly, the people of the world do not understand 'The Big Picture'! Eternity is a reality. This earthly life is short and insignificant compared to eternity. If some painful experience we are put through, can benefit our spiritual life preparing us for eternity, it will be well worth it!
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
We look at disasters like bushfires and our hearts go out for people who have suffered much loss. We think that we are compassionate and we look at GOD as though He is a hart hearted, fierce terror! Let us know the truth! It is man who has broken his relationship with GOD. It is GOD Who is seeking for man to restore this relationship for eternity, forever. GOD revealed Himself to Moses.
Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord.
And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."
Exodus 34:5-7
He is the same yesterday, today and forever!
Although we have fallen and continue to fall short of His standards, He is very gracious. He has made a way for our salvation through His own Son, JESUS, Who came down to earth as a living sacrifice. JESUS, through His suffering and death on the cross, paid the price for all the sin of mankind. Thus GOD Himself has made a way for us to be restored to Him and to live with Him eternally!
The devil, who caused the fall of man, continues to oppose every good GOD has for human beings. Man has made the devil 'the prince of the air' by obeying him. Each of us has the choice to either obey the devil or obey GOD, Who has a good plan for us. Our fallen nature tends to follow the devil and his evil and wicked ways. If we repent of our sins and give our lives into GOD'S hands, the Holy Spirit of GOD comes into our hearts to strengthen us and to guide us in the path of truth and eternal life. He also speaks to us through His written word, the Bible.
Imagine a vast area of land that is dangerous to walk on, with one narrow but clean and clear pathway across. If the one who constructed that pathway gives you clear instruction to keep to that path of safety, whose fault is it if we neglect such clear instruction?
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
Hebrews 10:26-29
GOD does not punish the way we deserve to be punished and He blesses us more than we deserve to be blessed!
during the bushfire crisis, an urgent plea was made by the authorities to those who were in danger areas. The message was, "Please heed our warnings and do not refuse to move out if requested to do so."
For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
(For they could not endure what was commanded: "And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow."
And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.")
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, "Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven."
Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
For our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12:18-29
It is the responsibility of those of us who know GOD and understand His ways and are under His covenant of grace, to humbly stand pleading for His mercy on those who are yet to receive GOD'S salvation. Although GOD is a Holy GOD and a consuming fire, His heart is full of love. His heart is to save and not to destroy. Therefore He is looking intently down for an intercessor, so that He might save!
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads," says the Lord God.
Ezekiel 22:30-31
