Do you wonder how much longer God is going to put up with the rampant evil in today's world? Has He simply turned His face away from the persecution Christians are going through in so many countries? Does He just not care about the babies being killed while still in their mother's womb? Is He unaware of the spread of pornography, the senseless shootings of ordinary people going about their daily business, the marketplace bombings, the obsession with illicit sex, the unabated drug trafficking? Does God have no concern about evil?
There was once a godly man who, the Bible says, "walked with God" (Genesis 6:9) in the midst of a society that was much like ours. His name was Noah. The description of the people of his day is recorded in Genesis 6:1-13. Here are a few verses from that section:
What Does God Say?
"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart" (Genesis 6:5-6, ESV).
"Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth" (Genesis 6:11-12, ESV).
"And God said to Noah, 'I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth" (Genesis 6:13, ESV)
"Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years'" (Genesis 6:3, ESV).
"He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens. They were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those who were with him in the ark" (Genesis 7:23 ESV).
Notice these facts from those verses:
- God looked at a whole generation's actions, and He knew its thoughts.
- God made a verdict about humanity's guilt.
- God determined to eliminate the entire society.
- God, in His mercy, gave that generation 120 years to repent.
- God carried out His judgment, exactly as He had warned.
My Thoughts
- Re-read Genesis 6:5-6. What do you see there that shows God is concerned with far more than evil actions?
- In Genesis 6:3, what do you see about God's mercy and patience with sinners?
- Look up Proverbs 15:26. What does it tell you about evil thoughts?
- According to Jesus, what is the source of evil thoughts and evil actions (Mark 7:21-23)?
- What did David tell Solomon about God's understanding of our innermost being (1 Chronicles 28:9)?
My Part
If the evil actions of your generation are all traceable to the wickedness of its hearts and thoughts, what should you be doing as a Christian to make sure you are protected from the ravages of evil thoughts in your own life? Here are some pointers on how to deal with God-dishonoring thoughts:
- Recognize that evil thoughts come out of a heart that is not in tune with God (Mark 7:21-23). Make sure your heart is right with God.
- Believe what the Bible says about God's knowledge of all your thoughts and His judgment of your secrets (Genesis 6:5-6; Romans 3:16).
- Make a conscious effort daily to turn your thought life over to God's control; spend time in the Word (Proverbs 16:20) and prayer.
- Fill your mind with good and positive thoughts (Philippians 4:8).
The Bible says this about a person, "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs 23:7). May your New Year be filled with thoughts that please the Lord and give honor to Him!
No comments:
Post a Comment