The US is now in the spotlight. Racism, protesting, rioting, and looting is happening because of suppressed grudges that were kept for far too long. The wrath of the oppressed was exposed as violence and chaos erupted. Some people are shouting for order, others for justice, and some are fighting for the right to live.
When you are a regular person like me, you would think that there is nothing you can do to help. However, I am here to remind you that prayers work. We can pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering in the field.
I am praying for the US to find a peaceful resolution to this issue. I think that innocent people have suffered enough.
Even though we are not amid the suffering, we are affected by these circumstances. That is why I encourage everyone to pause and take the time to read the Bible and pray.
This week my devotional reading is:
1 Romans 18
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
Here are my takeaways from the verse:
1. God has wrath.
I have encountered this verse before. Reading about the wrath of God again made me think about people who find It hard to accept that God is love when the Bible says that God raged because like what I said in the beginning, wrath is not pretty.
Let us try to understand more about God's wrath.
Matthew 10:28
English Standard Version
28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Based on the verse above, God's wrath is the destruction of a person's body and soul. Let us talk about them separately.
Destruction of the Body
Obliteration of the flesh could mean a lot of things, here are examples:
Addiction
Sexual immorality
Sickness
Suffering
1 Corinthians 5:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
Based on the verse above, God's wrath that leads to the destruction of the body means removing his protection from the works of Satan. The verse also says that God allows this to happen so that He could save our souls.
I remember the flood that destroyed my livelihood in 2011. The flood damaged my house immensely, destroyed my office, ruined my band studio, and forced my kids and me to move to the city and start a new life.
Looking back, I knew that if that flood did not happen, I would not have learned the skills that I needed to fulfil God's purpose for me. I would not have created High3r.com and published books.
God will allow bad things to happen to us because it will empower us to fulfil our purpose in life. It is an act of love.
Destruction of the Soul
Psalm 9:17
King James Version (KJV)
17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.
Hell is a place of eternal damnation. A lake of burning sulphur and flesh-eating worms that do not die.
The Bible says that judgment will come to those who will not seek God, and hell will be their final resting place. Hell is where their souls will be destroyed infinitely.
God does not want us to suffer in hell, but the rules are in place, and God is righteous enough not to break them. Instead of violating the laws He put in place, He chose to sacrifice His only Son to fulfil the requirement of the law and save us. Jesus is the ultimate act of love.
2. The Gospel reveals God's wrath.
John 3:36
King James Version
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
The Gospel proclaimed that those who accept Jesus as their Saviour will receive immortality and live abundantly in heaven. At the same time, those who reject Jesus as Lord and Saviour will be cast into the lake of fire. The Gospel exposed God's wrath.
No one is above God. When judgment day comes, people will be judged accordingly, and exploited people will finally receive justice. The wicked and the oppressors will be sent to hell to suffer for all eternity.
3. The truth is suppressed by wickedness.
What is this truth that wickedness is trying to hide? The reality that there is life after death.
1 Corinthians 15:12-14
New International Version (NIV)
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
Wicked people want to believe that there is no resurrection of the dead. For clarification, I am not saying that those who do not believe in God or resurrection are wicked, I am saying that those who do evil wishes that there is no life after death. They want to believe that their actions here on earth will not have any consequences. Unfortunately for them, the Bible says that hell is real and that those who reject Jesus will end up going there.
Let us sum it Up
God's wrath is physical and spiritual—Destruction of the flesh and the soul.
Destruction of the flesh is when He allows bad things to happen if they will help us achieve our purpose in life. It is better for us to suffer for a while on earth than to suffer in hell for eternity.
Destruction of the soul is eternal suffering in the lake of fire.
God has wrath, but He is still good all the time. It is God's fury that revealed His unconditional love for us since He gave up His only Son Jesus to save mankind from His rage.
Prayer of Salvation
Friend, if you want to know Jesus, but you are unsure of your standing in faith, say this prayer. God sees your heart, so say the words with conviction and faith.
"Father, I am a sinner. Forgive my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross so I could live fully on earth and in heaven. Change my heart and mind according to your will. This I pray, in the mighty Name of Jesus, amen."
Friend, if you prayed this prayer in faith, I believe you have set things right with God.
If you want to grow in faith, find a Bible-based church. You can also reach out to me through my social media platforms and this website, www.high3r.com. I would love to hear from you.
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