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Rocky Mountain Ministries Articles
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Don and Wendy Francisco
This myth does not come from Christianity but from eastern thought. It has become a very popular phrase lately. The implication is that all things-- good and bad-- are caused by the Creator. Therefore, we should accept things the way they are and be at peace.
When His disciples encountered a blind man, they questioned Jesus saying, "Was he born blind because of his sin or the sin of his parents?" Jesus countered their theology by declaring that the man was born blind to demonstrate God's glory, and then He healed Him. Jesus was not intending to convey that the man's blindness was a good thing, or that it had been caused by God. He was showing that He would not take the works of the kingdom of darkness lying down-- and that is the response that all Christians should have.
Jesus said that we have an enemy who comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but that this enemy has now been defeated. Because a Christian has God dwelling within, we are to turn the pain and suffering of this world around for God's glory just like Jesus did.
Jesus also taught that we bring a lot of bad things on ourselves by living unwisely or outside of God's principles. These are natural conse-quences, and they are not doled out by God. We have been forgiven through the Cross and God's desire is to restore and bless our lives.
A missionary friend of ours who went to the streets of Calcutta said that people who lay dying in the gutters refused help, believing that their cruel fate was somehow deserved, or intended by God. This is the deadly result accepting this myth to its fullest.
Romans 8:28 says "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose". Bad things can be turned around for God's glory. Jesus' healing of the blind man is a perfect example of this.
There is still much superstition in the Body of Christ. Some churches who see people suffering repeated trials reject them, believing they are experiencing the judgment of God. Real Christians should stand in the gap for each other, praying until the difficulties are overcome, and teaching people that they are more than conquerers in Christ.
Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus was a perfect representation of God on this earth, and He never inflicted anything bad on any person. He blessed and healed everyone who could accept good things from Him.
Jesus was not a wimp. He never backed down from our enemy by saying, "Oh, well-- everything happens for a reason."