[HANK]

What has God done to deal with the evil and pain of the world?

HANK :(

[Daniel Herring]

He put us squarely in the middle of it.

[chrisl]

What has God done to deal with the evil and pain of the world?

He has provided for the ultimate removal of evil and pain through the rule of the Messianic kingdom under His son, Jesus Christ. Revelation 21:1-5 gives us a clearer picture:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (NIV)

If you are sincerely looking for scriptural answers to these questions, please ask Jehovah's Witnesses next time they visit your home. Or look through any of their publications on the web, like this one:

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/...article_01.htm

Chris

[NeedKarma]

Nothing.

Thanks for playing Joanne.

[Hope12]

Hello Hank,

Our Creator is the God of all real comfort. He teaches us to be concerned when others experience calamity. He teaches us to “speak consolingly to the depressed souls” and to comfort all who mourn. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) When such help is needed, we provide it for fellow worshipers. We also show love to those outside the congregation, even to those who may not have given evidence of any love for us in the past. Matthew 5:43-48; Galatians 6:10.

Jesus Christ read and applied to himself the prophetic commission: “The spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the reason that God has anointed me to tell good news to the meek ones. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, . . . to comfort all the mourning ones.” (Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:16-19) Modern-day anointed Christians have long recognized that this commission also applies to them, and the “other sheep” gladly join them in that work.—John 10:16.
When disasters strike and people are left brokenhearted, they often ask, “Why does God permit calamities?” The Bible clearly answers that question. However, it may take time for someone who has not been a student of the Bible to appreciate the answer fully. As a start, however, it has proved to be a comfort to some people just to see in the Bible a text such as the one found at Isaiah 61:1, 2, since it expresses God’s desire for humans to receive comfort.

Young people, as well as older ones, need comfort. A depressed teenager in Poland asked an acquaintance for advice. With gentle probing, the friend, who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, learned that the girl was overwhelmed with questions and doubts:
“Why is there so much evil?
Why do people suffer?
Why does my paralyzed sister suffer?
Why is my heart not healthy?

Many of the church’s says that God wants it so. But if this is the case, I will stop believing in him!”

When we seek to comfort others, words of sympathy are certainly in order. We endeavor to convey to the grieving person by word and tone of voice that we deeply care about his situation. This is not accomplished by the use of hollow platitudes. The Bible tells us that “through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

To get the full benefit from the comfort offered, a person needs to know the true God, the kind of Person he is, and the dependability of his promises. When we seek to help a person who is not already a worshiper of God, it is good to explain the following points.

(1) The comfort found in the Bible is from the true God.
(2) Jehovah is the Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth. He is a God of love and is abundant in loving-kindness and truth.
(3) We can be strengthened to deal with situations if we draw close to God by gaining accurate knowledge from his Word.
(4) The Bible contains scriptures that relate to specific trials faced by different individuals.


The lives of countless millions have been marred by violence—criminal violence in a community or the violence of war. How can we comfort them?

True Christians take care that in neither word nor deed do they take sides with one faction or the other in the world’s conflicts. (John 17:16) But they appropriately use the Bible to show that present harsh conditions will not go on forever. They may read Psalm 11:5 to show how God feels about those who love violence or Psalm 37:1-4 to point out God’s encouragement not to take it upon ourselves to repay in kind but to trust in God. The words of Psalm 72:12-14 show how the Greater Solomon, Jesus Christ, now ruling as heavenly King, feels about innocent people who suffer violence.

Some people have lived through one conflict after another as contending factions fought for control. They take for granted that war and its aftermath are a part of life. The only hopeful prospect they see is that things might be better for them if they could escape to another land. But most of them never succeed in doing that, and a number who have tried have lost their lives in the attempt. Those who do get to another land often find that they have simply exchanged one set of problems for another.

Psalm 146:3-6 might be used to help such people to place their hope in something more reliable than emigrating.

The prophecy at Matthew 24:3, 7, 14 or 2 Timothy 3:1-5 might help them to see the bigger picture and the meaning of the conditions they are enduring, namely, that we are living in the conclusion of the old system of things.

Such texts as Psalm 46:1-3, 8, 9 and Isaiah 2:2-4 might help them to realize that there truly is hope for a peaceful future.

Economic ruin has spoiled the lives of many millions of people. Sometimes this too is because of war and its aftermath. At other times, unwise government policies and greed and dishonesty by those in power have combined to wipe out savings and have forced people to forfeit their possessions. Others have never had many of this world’s goods. All such can be comforted to know that God assures relief for those who trust in him and guarantees a righteous world in which people will enjoy the work of their hands. (Psalm 146:6, 7; Isaiah 65:17, 21-23; 2 Peter 3:13 ; Matthew 24:3-14 and Psalm 37:9-11.

When people have suffered for many years or have been disappointed by many hollow promises, they may be like the Israelites in Egypt who “out of discouragement” did not listen. (Exodus 6:9) In such cases, it may be beneficial to highlight ways in which the Bible can help them to cope successfully with present problems and to avoid pitfalls that needlessly spoil life for many. (1 Timothy 4:8b)

Some may view the bad conditions they live under as proof that there is no God or that he does not care about them. You might reason on appropriate scriptures to help them to realize that God has provided help but many have not accepted it.—Isaiah 48:17, 18.
Disaster may strike as a result of a storm, an earthquake, a fire, or an explosion. Grief may be widespread. What can be done to bring comfort to survivors?

People need to know that someone cares. After a terrorist attack in one country, many were left in a state of shock. A number of them lost family members, breadwinners, friends, employment, or whatever sense of security they thought they had. God’s people reached out to those in their communities, expressing sympathy for their great losses and offering words of comfort from the Bible. Many deeply appreciated the concern.

In El Salvador a strong earthquake in 2001 was followed by a massive mud slide that claimed many lives. The 25-year-old son of a man who served God and two sisters of the son’s fiancée were killed. The mother of the young man along with his fiancée promptly got busy in the service of God.

Many said to them that it was God who took those who died or that it was God’s will. God’s servants quoted Proverbs 10:22 to show that God does not want us to have pain. They read Romans 5:12 to show that death was brought through the sin of man, not because it is the will of God. They also pointed to the message of comfort found at Psalm 34:18, Psalm 37:29, Isaiah 25:8, and Revelation 21:3, 4. People readily listened, especially since the two women themselves had lost family members in the disaster, and many Bible studies were started.
When disaster strikes, you may encounter someone who is in need of immediate physical help. This may involve calling a doctor, helping a person to get to a clinic, or doing whatever is possible to provide food and shelter.

Every day millions of people grieve over the death of a loved one. You may meet those who mourn when you are sharing in the Christian ministry or when caring for the affairs of daily life. What can you say or do that will bring comfort?

Is the person in emotional turmoil? Is the house filled with grieving relatives? There may be much that you would like to say, but discretion is important. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7) Perhaps the fitting thing is to express sympathy, leave an appropriate Bible message and then call after a few days to see whether further help can be given. You cannot raise the dead, as Jesus did. But you can share what the Bible says about the condition of the dead, though this may not be the time to try to refute wrong views. (Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Ezekiel 18:4) You can read together the Bible’s promises regarding the resurrection. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) You might discuss what these mean, possibly using a Biblical report of a resurrection to do so. (Luke 8:49-56; John 11:39-44) Also draw attention to the qualities of the loving God who gives us such a hope. (Job 14:14, 15; John 3:16) Explain how these teachings have benefited you and why you have confidence in them.

Being a true comforter implies making yourself available to those who are grieving.—Proverbs 17:17.

Our Creator know we suffer pain, sorrow and even evil attacks by those who have no faith nor believe in him. Yet he has equipped us with hope, love, and help, if we would only reach out and take it. Yes, God is love. (1 John 4:8) May we love Him and all our neighbors and show that love by how we treat other. If we do then God’s love will rule this world instead of the world being ruled by hate, evil crimes, starvation and pain. Soon the kingdom we pray for In the “Lords prayer” will rule this world and with love. May we all be able to share in the fulfillment of God’s provisions for all who will receive them.

Take care,
Hope12
:o

[nikkicute]

WOW!!

AMEN AND AMEN!!

HOPE12 that was an awsome post!
Making me want to cry. LOL

You really have studied the Word. I can tell.
LOVE!
That's what it all comes down to.

This world needs that more than anything.