Devotions

It can be confusing at times what role God plays in pain, hardship and suffering versus what is sin or the fall.

We see in scripture that God created a good earth and that everything he’d created in those six days was good. Then sin enters the scene, and much of the good is spoiled. Satan’s evil is part of this. I believe Satan has been given some leeway under the authority of God. God doesn't cause any of the evil that Satan does, but he has given Satan some leeway to have that hostility.

The evil of sin in the world isn’t just because of Satan, though. God specifically said to Adam and by extension all mankind, "…cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life. …By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:17-19, ESV).

Because of Satan's evil and man's sin, God in his sovereignty allowed for an environment where there's going to be danger and chaos. He also made a plan for redeeming us and the world through us. “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21).

When I read this passage, I see God’s lordship and good eternal purposes still being enacted through a fallen world. I believe what happened in Genesis 3 was not an accident or plan B. I see it as a part of God's sovereign plan in order to manifest his fullness to humanity. Why? Because just one verse earlier, Paul wrote, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).

When we contemplate suffering in the world, we must never lose sight of the fact that God doesn't exist for us. We exist for God. Because of this, he is glorified as we grow through sorrow and pain to better understand and worship the perfect goodness of who he is.

There was a time when I was pastoring in Canada, and an associate pastor told me that the motor in his car had just blown up. He sat across the desk from me, saying, “I don’t know what I am going to do. I don’t have any savings. I don’t know how I am going to buy groceries.”

“Well, let’s pray,” I so kindly offered. All the while, I was well aware that I had $6,000 in the bank. As I began to pray, this voice in the back of my head said, “You hypocrite! Stop praying. You know very well that you have what this man needs.” To be honest, I tried very hard to fight that thought. I attempted to keep praying, but it was as if my mouth was full of molasses that was getting thicker by the minute. Here was my brother in Christ, a godly man who was in need, and I had exactly what would help him. In my mind, I argued, “But, God, this money is all I have. What if I need it for my children? What about my car? It’s not new. What if it breaks down too?”

Finally, the Lord got a hold of me, and I went to the bank. I ended up withdrawing my savings, and I gave the funds to the associate pastor. I would like to be able to say that I left with joy after I put the money in his hand, but I didn’t. I simply did it by faith and in obedience to what I knew the voice of God had said.

It was soon after this that I left for eastern Canada and came back to find my house burned to the ground. So now I had lost my home, plus I had given my money away. Yet I chose to trust God, and he provided for my family.

You do not have to fear investing in other people. God will supernaturally feed you. He will be your source and your strength. He will always be sufficient no matter what our need is, and he will always give us all that we need to accomplish what he calls us to do. Not only that, he will take the little bit that we have and multiply it, not merely for own sake but for the sake of others.

^{Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001. In May of 2020 he transitioned into a continuing role as General Overseer of Times Square Church, Inc.}

Forgiveness is a way of life, meant to bring us into every blessing in Christ. “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” (Matthew 5:44-45, NKJV).

Forgiveness isn’t a matter of picking or choosing whom we would forgive. We can’t say, “You’ve hurt me too much, so I’m not forgiving you.” Christ tells us, “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46).

It doesn’t matter whom our grudge might be against. If we hold onto it, it will lead to bitterness that poisons every aspect of our lives. Unforgiveness brings on spiritual famine, weakness and a loss of faith, afflicting not just us but everyone in our circle.

Over the past fifty years of my ministry, I have seen terrible devastation in the lives of those who withheld forgiveness. I have also seen the glorious power of a forgiving spirit. Forgiveness transforms lives. It fills our cup of spiritual blessing to the brim with abundant peace, joy and rest in the Holy Ghost. Jesus’ teaching on this subject is very specific. If you want to move in this wonderful realm of blessing, heed and embrace his words. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Make no mistake. God isn’t making a bargain with us here. He is not saying, “Because you’ve forgiven others, I will forgive you.” We can never earn God’s forgiveness. Only the shed blood of Christ merits forgiveness of sin.

Christ is saying here, “Full confession of sin requires that you forgive others. If you hold on to any unforgiveness, you haven’t confessed all your sins. True repentance means confessing and forsaking every grudge, crucifying every trace of bitterness toward others. Anything less isn’t repentance.”

This goes hand in hand with his Beatitude, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Forgive others, so you can move into the blessings and joy of sonship. When you forgive, you’re revealing the Father’s nature to the world.

In ancient Israel, the ark of the covenant represented the mercy of the Lord, a powerful truth that came to be embodied in Christ. We are to receive his mercy, trust in the saving blood of his mercy, and be saved eternally. You can ridicule the law. You can mock holiness. You can tear down everything that speaks of God. When you mock or ridicule God’s mercy, however, judgment comes and swiftly. If you trample on his blood of mercy, you face his awful wrath.

That’s exactly what happened to the Philistines when they stole the ark. Deadly destruction came down on them until they had to admit, “This isn’t just chance or happenstance. God’s hand is clearly against us.” Consider what happened when the ark was taken into the heathen temple of Dagon to mock and challenge Israel’s God. In the middle of the night, the mercy seat on the ark became a rod of judgment. The next day, the idol Dagon was found fallen on its face before the ark, its head and hands cut off (see 1 Samuel 5:2-5).

Beloved, this is where America should be today. We should have been judged long ago. I say to all who mock and challenge the mercy of God, “Go ahead. Try all you want to bring Christ’s church under the power of secularism or agnosticism. If you mock the mercy of Christ, God will cast all your power and authority to the ground.” Jeremiah says, “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not” (Lamentations 3:22). When men make a mockery of that great mercy which is Christ, judgment is sure.

It is only the mercy of the Lord that delays judgment. Right now, America is benefiting from that mercy. Incredibly, our country is in a race with the rest of the world to remove God and Christ from society. The Lord’s mercies endure forever, and he loves this nation. I believe that is why he’s still pouring out blessings on us. His desire is that goodness will lead us to repentance (see Romans 2:4).

We are not to despair over the present condition in America. We grieve over the awful corruption, mockery and sin, but we have hope, knowing God is in full control. We know the mercies of God endure forever.