Shared with us…
Is Your God Too Big?
At the risk of sounding like a heretic, I believe one of the biggest deceptions in the world of Christianity is the concept of God controlling all things. It seems to be the default response for anything in life that we don’t understand. For every sickness, natural disaster and political upheaval, there is a religious cliché ready to go. “God moves in mysterious ways.” “There is a purpose in everything.” “God is testing us.” “God is judging us.” “I’m like Job.” “This is my thorn in the flesh.” And the list goes on and on.
Isn’t it funny that so many are familiar with those clichés, but have no idea what the Word of God says? There seems to be a place in the heart of most humans that wants to deflect all blame to God and excuse themselves from wanting to understand His ways. This belief system leads to a God that allows/permits/orchestrates tragedies, war, murder, rape, child porn, drug addictions, car accidents, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, floods and all kinds of human misery. And the response to such events is that “God is in control.”
The New Testament refers to Satan as the “god of this world.” What does he do if God is behind all human suffering and world events? Does Satan have a house at the beach? Is he on vacation?
1 John 3:8 declares that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. What works? Why did Jesus come to destroy the devil’s works and commission His church to do the same, if God is actually controlling all of the events on this planet? Why did He give his church His authority, His Name, His armor, His Spirit, His faith, the keys of His kingdom, the power to bind and loose, His better covenant, better promises, His blood and the commission to do “greater works,” if we are to simply sit by and watch the enemy destroy lives while we yawn and say that God is in control?
What if He isn’t in control? What if we are?
The heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to the children of men. (Ps. 115:16)
What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You attend to him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, (Ps. 8:4-6)
✍🏻Barry Bennett ✍🏻