By Bob Barney and article by Garner Ted Armstrong
Oh God, Where Were You When I Needed You?
I have run the Garner Ted Article (below) before and do so after many tragedies. Many often wonder how these things could happen in a modern world. People ask, “how could a loving God allow such tragedies?” People blame God, guns, conservatives, the media, and everybody else – other than themselves. Where is God when tragedies like these occur? Where is God when a million abortions a year are slaughtering the innocence in the womb? The Plain Truth is that God is where THEY (YES 'THEY' – as GOD is the English word that means Jesus and the Father) have been for most of the last 6,000 years. God id in heaven, allowing us to run our own lives, follow our own ways, worship our own false gods, and follow pagan holidays that God has nothing to do with. Most people do not want God in their lives. It's a hard simple fact. Most do not want to follow the Law of God when it does not suit their needs. We want to be free to do what we want to do, since the time we first walked up until the time we draw our last breath of life. We want a God of convenience, and not a God who orders us to obey physical and spiritual laws. We want to follow Christmas, not because it is found in the Bible, but because it makes US feel good. We really don't care what God thinks about the holiday – we really don't care, because if we did, very little research would make us draw a conclusion on our lives, that we do not want to face.
We are also in a form a denial. We deny God and God's way. We deny that such tragedies will happen to us. Jesus was asked this question 2,000 years ago. It is in Luke chapter 13! 1-5 “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Repent of what? SIN! And what is the Bible definition of sin? There is one place in all of your Bible that says, “Sin is” – and it is found in 1 John 3:4: “Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Did you read that? SIN IS BREAKING GOD'S LAW! Then the next question, “what law?” The TEN COMMANDMENTS! (John 14:15), one of which is the Sabbath Command. However, for most of the Christian world, “loving Jesus, and believing ON Jesus,” is all we really have to do…. Yet Jesus said, “Why do you call me LORD LORD and not do the things I say to do!” You find here:
Matthew 7 13-28: (NIV version)
The Narrow and Wide Gates
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
True and False Prophets
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
True and False Disciples
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
The Wise and Foolish Builders
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. (like all of those today who love to build their houses on the sand like in Florida, The Outer banks and New York and New Jersey) The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
It's not hard figuring out why God allows tragedies. The majority refuse to obey God, and therefore all of us suffer because of this fact. We want “democracy” and God has allowed us to get what we ask for. Until God returns and establishes THEIR Kingdom, we will continue to experience that fate of those who are in rebellion against God.
Oh God, Where Were You When I Needed You?
The family was shocked beyond comprehension! Caught in a snowstorm in Alaska, they had kept their heater running. The snow had piled high around the car and, without their knowledge, deadly carbon monoxide had seeped into the automobile. The gas—heavier than air—had first reached their twin boys, asleep on the floor Groggy, wondering what was causing their sleepiness, the parents gradually became aware something was wrong. The father struggled to open the windows to change the air! They grasped their twin baby boys-shook them, rubbed their little arms and tried frantically to awaken them. But it was too late! Their cries of anguish were lost in the blackness of that Alaskan night with its billions of softly falling flakes. But WHY? WHY, if there is a loving God in heaven, do such tragedies strike? WHY DID GOD LET THOSE BABY BOYS DIE?
By Garner Ted Armstrong [printer-friendly] [pdf format] {LINK to article ONLINE}
The preceding story was related to me by the father of the boys, an executive in the radio business from Alaska, when he attended the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Chicago, Illinois.
I had been invited to give the invocation at a dinner for about 2,000 radio-station owners and managers from all over the country; the main speaker that day was Paul Harvey.
During the recess after lunch, one of the radio executives asked if he might ask me a personal question. He then related the tragic story of his two baby sons' death. He had already asked his own pastor, or perhaps two or more ministers. He and his wife were searching for some understanding; they needed to know WHY—WHY would a loving God allow this to happen?
How WOULD YOU ANSWER?