FACING THE ISSUES OF LIFE

No matter what your religion or spiritual belief system is, it logically must bring you to the intellectual and philosophical conclusion that there has to be a creator and a Sovereign manager over it all. For instance, reincarnation is a complicated process, if it were true. If you believe in reincarnation, I would have to ask you, “Who manages and directs it? Where did the spirits come from that keep reincarnating upward or downward? Who does the evaluating regarding good and bad and which ones move upward and which ones move downward?” You always come back to the necessity of a creator and manager. Even the dynamics of pantheism that pervades eastern religions and the New Age movement require the existence of an all-powerful, higher power to create and manage the processes.  Therefore, all religions bring you back to the need for a personal God who created and manages His creation. However, all “roads” and philosophies do not lead to God, but all “roads” point to the fact that there is a God.

 What about the secular humanist and atheist? Even if you believe in evolution, you still end up with “how did it all get started?” All the known elements of “creation,” the laws of nature, laws of the universe, down to the complex systems in the human body, and human consciousness had to have a starting point. They did not create themselves into being. Creation itself shouts the existence of a creator. “Its orderly perpetuation, its smooth and precise functioning shouts the existence of a higher power who manages it all.

 Like the unbelieving scientist and philosopher, I cannot comprehend eternity past. How can God exist eternally past? I can logically understand eternity future, but the past is impossible to understand. But I resolve that question by looking at the present. The evidences of God Almighty and intelligent design are clear and plain when you look at all the systems in the human body, when you look at the order and precision in the universe, when you look at the glory of nature and the beauty of flowers. All the evidence gives logical proof that there is a Creator. The existence of life, consciousness, and the amazing perpetual orderly functioning of all creation shouts that there is an intelligent designer who manages it all.

You need God in order to face the pain, grief, perplexities, unexpected loss, and troubles that often arise. You will sooner or later face circumstances that seem too great to bear. This is why so many pursue pleasures to drown the realities or commit suicide, turn to drugs, or abuse alcohol. The various pleasures we pursue do not remove the monsters we face; they only temporarily anesthetize us to the pain. Sooner or later, we have to face the realities before us.

If you reject God and the Bible, you will have to come up with your own philosophy. But like all philosophies without God, it will prove empty when it counts, when you really need help, assurance, and rescue. Most of us sooner or later face issues, pressures, grief, and trials in which we need help beyond our own ability and resources to stand. And even if life is good to you and you have no worries, you will eventually have to face the “day of the Lord” and give account to God.

You may be among those unbelievers who prosper, have good health, and are very comfortable with life. You may be among those who are “at ease,” unconcerned, and satisfied. But without God, you are standing in slippery places and could be brought to desolation in a moment. The passengers on the Titanic and the citizens of Pompey were carrying on life as usual until the very moment disaster hit. In the days of Noah before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage right up until the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and took them all away. In these situations, no one was expecting the iceberg, the eruption of the volcano, or the flood.

My message is this. We need God’s presence and help through the normal, everyday issues and experiences of life. We need His presence and help when the big, unexpected traumas and tragedies fall upon us. Beyond that, we need to be in right relationship with God when we inevitably stand before Him when we die.

If you have not surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you are in this world without hope. Your joys and pleasures will be fleeting and short-lived and prove empty. We were not created for this world and this age alone.  God made us for eternity, and we find our fulfillment only in Him.

 I am not suggesting you look to religious rituals. I am encouraging you to gaze into the heavens and call upon God Himself. My life-changing experience with Jesus Christ came when I sat on a rooftop and cried out to God. Jesus revealed Himself to me, and I gave myself to walk with Him and to know Him.

Without Christ we are lost and without hope and headed for eternal judgment.  It is in Him we find inner peace for this life and hope for eternal life. In Him we find strength to face life and all that it might “throw at us.”  Jesus bore our sins on the cross. He arose from the dead, ascended to the Father, and rules as Lord of Lords and King of kings. In Him you can find peace and be prepared for eternity. Call upon Him today. He will reveal Himself to you.