Origins and Influences

The Lake Faith Podcast with Pastor Paul Stead

Origins & Influences – “If God is a God of love, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?”

God is NEVER under any circumstances the author of evil!

1 Jn 1:5 God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. {Note: 2 Cor 6:14 “... what fellowship has light with darkness?”}

James 1:13-15

Jer 7:30-31 AMPC nor did it come into My mind or heart. {See also JER 19:5, JER 32:35.}

God did not, cannot, and does not ever conceive evil in his heart or mind.

God is the Author of all that is good

Deut 32:3-4 NKJV

Matt 5:43-45 For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

JAS 1:16-17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,

Rom 10:12 AMPC He generously bestows His riches upon all who call upon Him [in faith].

The Kingdom of Darkness

Adam handed over the authority of the “kingdoms of the world” and Satan became “the god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4).

Luke 4:1-6 authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will.

Delivered - 3860 paradídōmi – properly, to give (turn) over; “hand over from,” i.e. to deliver over with a sense of close (personal) involvement. {Note: Berean Study Bible – “relinquished”}

1 Jn 5:19

EPH 6:10-13 the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood,

Wrestle: 3823 pálē – a wrestling bout: in which each opponent endeavours to throw the other, and which is decided when the victor is able to hold his opponent down with his hand upon his neck.

John 10:10

The devil doesn’t necessarily have to be present to kill steel and destroy...

Matt 13:24-25

If the devil has had the opportunity to plant his seeds of destruction into our hearts, we can experience the evil manifestation of his kingdom without him even being present at the time. The Evil Nature of Fallen Man

Fallen man has taken on the nature of their father – the devil – so that humanity is capable of unspeakable perversion, and of inflicting the most unimaginable atrocities upon other people.

Gen 6:5,6 ESV every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil,

Eph 2:1-3 the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience

Rom 1:29,30 ESV inventors of evil

Matthew 18:7 NIV the man through whom they come! Believers can also be influenced by the devil in their words and actions.

Mark 8:33 “Get behind me, Satan!

Acts 5:3 NIV how is it that Satan has so filled your heart

Becoming a Target for by Standing for Righteousness

Ps 34:19 2

Tim 3:12

Sowing & Reaping

We must face the fact that whether we like it or not, we reap what we sow... the consequences of both what we do, and what we leave undone.

GAL 6:7-8

JAS 4:17

Time & Chance

Ecc 9:11 time and chance happen to them all.

Luke 13:1-5 God is at work in you

HEB 13:20 may he work in us what is pleasing to him,

PHIL 2:12 works in you God always has our best interests at heart

ROM 8:28-29 YLT because

ROM 8:31-39

HEB 13:5

John 10:27-29

JER 29:11