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Why is There so Much Evil in the World?

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We live in a troubled and chaotic world. There are shootings, bombings, terrorist attacks, countries fighting countries, and religions fighting religions. There are more famines now than ever. Natural disasters are happening all over the world. Depending on where you live, it can be unsafe to say you are a Christian. You may live in a country where having peace in one’s life seems impossible. What is going on?

Take heart! God is still in control!

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. (Psalms 24:1-2)

In Matthew, chapter 24, the disciples asked Jesus, “What will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?”

“Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24: 4-13)

We can see all these things happening at an unprecedented rate. Earthquakes and natural disasters have greatly increased in number and severity. Famines are more common now than they have ever been in the history of this planet. Wars and attacks are an everyday occurrence. Many religions claim they are the way to heaven, while the attacks on Christianity have dramatically increased. 

Jesus tells us all these things will come to pass as we near the end of time. God gives us prophecy, not to scare us, but so that we can have hope. We can know that these things are temporary.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Deuteronomy 31:8) 

This passage of Scripture assures us that God knows what He’s doing; His thinking is different from ours, and it is so much higher than ours. We may not understand the mind of God when it comes to what is best for us and His ways and everything He allows. However, despite what we see around us, we can take heart in knowing that it is nothing that God can’t handle. Nothing surprises God. Let the “big things” become little in the hands of God.

The evil in this world will continue to increase as we near the end. However, if we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we need not fear. God assures us that we will not be here to endure the wrath. (1 Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9) (Revelations 3:10) All the Christians will be raptured away before then. The Rapture is the next prophetic event to take place. Personally, I can’t wait.

As a child of God, our peace is based on who God is, not on what is happening in the world.

“God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! (Psalms 46:1-3 NLT)

Books by Jerry, many of which you may read for free on Prime: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jerry-Blount/author/B06XK4GJT1

  1. Things You Probably Didn’t Learn in Church
  2. Basic Christianity: Living a Joy-Filled Life and Making a Difference
  3. The End Times: Signs and Prophecy
  4. Noah and the Great Flood: Proof and Effects
  5. Following Jesus and Fishing Along the Way: Stories of God’s Great Outdoors
  6. The Rapture: Coming Soon
  7. Delighting in the Lord: Enjoying a Close Walk with Jesus  

Things You Probably Didn’t Learn in Church

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Many subjects, because of content or length, simply do not lend themselves to a 20-minute Sunday morning sermon. This book offers an in-depth study of many of these. Subjects such as Heaven, Angels, Satan and demons, End Times, Prophecy, and many more. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jerry-Blount/author/B06XK4GJT1

Knowing Peace in Troubled Times

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Throughout the Bible, it speaks of having peace in our lives over and over again. God wants us to have peace in our lives. The last thing He wants is for us to live in fear.

Jesus told His disciples before He left, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27)

If you know Jesus as your personal redeemer, you can have peace in your life regardless of the circumstances. It is a spiritual peace deep within our souls that the world can never know without knowing Jesus.

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)

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When God Says No

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When God says no to our prayers. When it seems He doesn’t hear our petitions, it can really hurt, especially if we are praying for something really big, such as for a loved one..

When we pray and pray for something that seems so important to us, it may even seem like a matter of life and death to us and yet, God doesn’t answer our prayers. It can throw us off guard. We may even have our doubts about God. It may hurt so much that we turn our back on Him.

But that is never the answer.

Consider why God may say no. If you are a parent, then you have certainly said no to your children, yet you want the very best for them. Maybe you said no in order to teach them values, patience, or to set priorities. Maybe the timing wasn’t right, or because you know something they don’t. You can see the bigger picture. 

Those are all good reasons for saying no. Those could all be reasons God is saying no to you. I have used the illustration before that living our lives is like putting a puzzle together without the box top. We have no idea what the finished puzzle will look like until we are near the end. We begin by just putting the pieces of our life together, the best we can. 

Thankfully, God has the boxtop. He knows what our life will look like when the end comes. He can see the big picture that we can’t. This is where faith and trust come in. As hard as it may be, when He says no, we must trust that He knows best. One thing we can be assured of and that God has our best interests at heart. We may not understand why we don’t get the things we ask for. But our heavenly Father promises to always look after us and to provide for us.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. (Jeremiah 29:11)

We live in a broken and sinful world. Even as Christians, we are not going to get everything we want. God is much more concerned about the eternal aspects of our lives than He is with the temporary physical things in our lives.

When we go through difficult times and heartache in our lives, and God doesn’t answer our prayers as we think He should. We can still be assured that He is with us, helping us, and will work everything out in the end for our good.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

When God says no, we need to say yes, God, Thy will be done.

The Shroud of Turin

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Shroud of Turin

The Shroud of Turin, or Turin Shroud, is a length of linen cloth bearing the image of a man who is alleged to be Jesus of Nazareth. The cloth itself is believed by some to be the burial shroud he was wrapped in when he was buried after the crucifixion. The shroud is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy.

The origins of the shroud and its images are the subject of intense debate among theologians, historians, and other researchers. Diverse arguments have been made in scientific and popular publications claiming to prove that the cloth is the authentic burial shroud of Jesus, based on disciplines ranging from chemistry to biology and medical forensics to optical image analysis. In 1988, radiocarbon dating tests dated a corner piece of the shroud from the Middle Ages. Certain shroud researchers have challenged the dating, arguing the results were skewed by the introduction of material from the Middle Ages to the portion of the shroud used for radiocarbon dating.


The image of the “Man of the Shroud” has a beard, mustache, and shoulder-length hair parted in the middle. He is muscular and tall (various experts have measured him as from 1.70 to 1.88 m or 5 ft 7 in. to 6 ft 2 in). Reddish-brown stains are found on the cloth, showing various wounds that, according to proponents, correlate with the yellowish image, the pathophysiology of crucifixion, and the Biblical description of the death of Jesus.

Forensic doctors have interpreted markings on the cloth as follows:

1. One wrist bears a large, round wound, apparently from piercing (the second wrist is hidden by the folding of the hands)
2. Upward gouge in the side penetrating into the thoracic cavity.
3. Small punctures around the forehead and scalp
4. Scores of linear wounds on the torso and legs.
5. Swelling of the face
6. Streams of blood down both arms

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What will be Your Legacy?

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Galatians 6:9 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  It is easy to become discouraged when we are seeing few if any results from our work. If only we could see into the future. This is where we need to trust God and believe that He will bless our efforts, especially when we are doing His will. Like the missionary, Hudson Taylor, we may not see the results of our efforts in our life time, but in the eternal picture, that doesn’t matter. It is enough to know that God is faithful and good and we will eventually be rewarded for our efforts at the right time, even if we don’t see immediate results.

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Getting to Heaven

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Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven.

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14: 2-3).

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Christianity — Living with a Loving God

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Religion is a system of beliefs that leads to worshipping a divine being. Based on this definition, Christianity is a religion. But there are ways in which Christianity is different from all other religions—primarily, the value of the human being in the sight of the Deity. 

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Forgiving Others

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Our forgiving others is absolutely crucial to our physical and spiritual health. We cannot have a healthy relationship with God if we are holding a grudge against another person. It doesn’t matter if we are right and feel that we are justified to be mad at someone.

Forgiving others is not always easy. Sometimes it is impossible without God’s help. It may not be easy, but it is vital to our relationship with Christ. 

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

  “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

  “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

  “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.  He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

  “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

  “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

  “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matthew 18:21-35).

This is an excellent example of someone receiving grace and forgiveness from God, but not willing to offer grace to others. 

God is more than willing to forgive us and extend His grace to us, even though we don’t deserve it. But, He expects us to, in turn, extend forgiveness to others.

Jesus plainly links our forgiveness by the Father with our forgiveness of our fellow man. At the center of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” 

Jesus is clearly saying that if you do not forgive men their sins, the Father will not forgive your sins. The scriptures make it clear that our forgiveness depends on our forgiving others. Grace begins and ends with forgiveness.

“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15).

“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Luke 6:25).

There is another aspect of forgiveness that we need to consider. God tells us that vengeance is His, not ours.

“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord” (John 12:19).

Why does God say vengeance is for Him?  Surely sin always has its consequences, but do you think God wants or enjoys dishing out our revenge?  This statement is not about the one receiving revenge. It is about the one who is angry and wants revenge. God knows the one who is angry towards another, the one who feels they have been hurt or taken advantage of is being hurt by their anger much more than the one they are angry at. A person who is holding anger or resentment towards another is being robbed of their joy and closeness with God. God loves us and knows what is best for us. He is taking the burden of revenge from us.

Anger is not only damaging to our physical health, it is devastating to our spiritual well-being. It may require the love of Christ to be able to forgive, but when we do it will heal and cleanse our very soul. Joy will replace our anger.

It has been said that if you forgive someone, then someone is set free, and that someone is YOU!

Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting. Sometimes we think they are the same. We believe that if we can’t forget then we haven’t forgiven. Forgiving doesn’t depend on forgetting. They are not the same.

We usually can’t forget and sometimes it may be best if we don’t. We may still need to be cautious around someone we have forgiven. Nor do we have to accept or approve of their behavior.

The key to forgiving others is to quit focusing on what they did to you and start focusing on what God did for you. You will never be called upon to give anyone more grace than God has already given you.

Forgiving means that we no longer hold anything against someone. But more importantly, it means we are trusting God with the situation and our life and we are no longer a slave to our anger. It means our relationship with God is healed and we can now enjoy a much closer walk with him. 

Are We a Reflection of Jesus

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Just as the Father is in Christ, Jesus lives in us when we accept Him into our lives.

“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:20)

In verse 9, Jesus tells His disciples that if you have seen me you have seen the Father. Jesus is a reflection of the Father. If Jesus lives in us, should we not be a reflection of Him? Shouldn’t the world see a reflection of Jesus in our lives?

David Jeremiah told the story of four businessmen trying to go from one flight to the next. They only had a few minutes to catch the next flight, as they were running through the airport, they accidentally knocked over a display where a young lady was selling bags of apples. 

Three of the four made it just in time to board their flight home. The fourth man stopped and told his coworkers to go ahead, he would catch the next flight. He then returned to help the girl pick up her apples. Only then, when he saw the girl on her hands and knees searching for the apples did he realize she was blind. He helped her pick up the bags and apples. Some bags were torn and some of the apples were bruised and not good to sell. 

He then opened his wallet and gave her more than enough money to cover her loss He apologized again for the incident and turned to leave. As he was leaving, she called after him and he turned to her, “Sir, are you, Jesus? She had figured since he had helped her as no one else ever had, that he must be Jesus. 

Do people see Jesus in you? Is your life a reflection of Christ? I am not asking this to make you feel guilty or unworthy. I have to ask myself these questions from time to time. We all should be a reflection of Christ if we are serious about our Christian walk. We may be the only Jesus some people ever see.

How do people see Christ in us? It is not by attending church, it is not by talking to them about God, it is not by doing a lot of good works, and it is not by what we do or say, although these things are all good; it is not how they see Jesus in us. Jesus said we should love our neighbor as ourselves. It is only when people see we care about them and love them, that we are a reflection of Christ.

Without love our lives are meaningless. “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing” 1 Corinthians 13:1.

“Jesus said to those who followed Him: “By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

Let the love of Jesus shine through you, it will make you beautiful to those around you.