Titus 2 Men And Women

It seems that no matter how hard we, as Christians, try or how much we pray more sin pops up.  It’s like an abscess. We may seem to see one spot clear up. And pretty soon it breaks out in another area. This can cause us to get depressed or down in the dumps over the things that are going on around us. We see Isaiah 5:20 coming to life right before our very eyes, and we don’t know what to do about it. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil: that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.”

Everywhere we look we see evil being passed off as good. We read where children are victims of a sin-sick mind polluted by pornography, yet pornography is regarded as art or freedom of the press. Because they are making billions off the weakness of others, no amount of proof seems to be able to convince the publishers that they are at fault. The sad part of it all is that they seem to be getting away with it.

God and the Bible are being thrown out while every vile act the Bible condemns is being uplifted. Do your own thing. It’s your life; nobody has a right to tell you what to do or how to live.

I don’t know about you, but things like this really get me down at times to where I just want to throw in the towel and quit. That’s when I run to my Bible and read Psalms 73. Here Asaph shows his weak side, the same weak side we all have. He starts out recognizing God as good, and we, too, know the Lord has been good to us. Although in our depressed state we somehow lose sight of this fact, we can’t deny it. Asaph tells how he’s become envious of those in the world as he sees all the money and fame they are accumulating. No matter how wrong they are, it seems nothing can stop their success. As we see all this evil going on we wonder why God does not just kill them all. Fortunately for all of us, God us not willing that any should perish, but that all of us should come to repentance as II Peter 3:9 says. Every one of us would be destroyed if this were not the case for all have sinned. We do not think of our own sins when we see all this evil going on, therefore, we don’t understand why perpetrators of evil seem to get away with their sins. They become more proud of their evil deeds and more violent as it looks like they are somehow protected from any forms of punishment. They become corrupt and vile in their language, even boasting of their evil deeds, and how they “got away” with them. There may have been some loophole in the law or an officer or lawyer may have done something to break the criminal’s legal rights so that they have gotten off Scott-free. They may laugh in our faces as they walk off and curse God saying He cannot stop them. At times like these, it seems all our prayers were in vain. That is how Asaph felt. These people are so ungodly, yet they prosper and are made rich from their evil deeds. While here we are, God fearing Christians, struggling at times just to make ends meet. Where is the justice in all of this? We may feel, at times that we’ve kept ourselves pure in vain. We have tried to keep our hands clean, and where has it gotten us? If we do one thing that is not right, we are punished, yet the evil world reaps benefits from wrong. It just does not seem right. In our self-pity, we have forgotten what Hebrews 12:5-7 says because we have taken our eyes off Jesus and are looking at the world.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” Praise God we don’t get “away with it.” I have always told my children and grandchildren I am glad when they get caught the first time, because that makes them realize there is a punishment for wrong, and prayerfully they won’t be tempted to try that again.

As we see all this evil being glorified, we can take on more self-pity. We may ask ourselves, “why am I always getting the raw end of the deal?” “Why do I even try any more?” If we do have these bitter feelings we hold them in, because we do not want to be a bad testimony, especially to our children whom we have tried to raise in a godly manner. If we were to acknowledge these feelings out loud, we feel somehow disloyal to God since we know whatever He allows He will bring good out of it. Yet, we get so frustrated as we do not understand what God is doing. We may have hidden doubts about our children’s future and wonder if God really will take care of them. Thus, we struggle with this inner turmoil. Wanting to be a good example, however, we trod off to church like we should, even though it sometimes isn’t in our hearts. However, it is there, through the preaching of God’s word, that our eyes are opened. We again see the end of all that do not know God as their personal Saviour.

Matthew 25: 41&46..”Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal.”

They do not get away with sin any more than we do. There is a price to pay. Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Jesus paid that price for us, but we must accept His payment, and repent of our sins.We should be ashamed of any emotions of envy or self-pity we may have had as we looked at the world without Christ. It should grieve every one of us to think of anyone being cast into hell. These people are only tools used by Satan. He is trying not only to destroy us but them as well. As long as those who do ungodly deeds are alive we should continue to pray for their release from Satan’s grip, and should be a constant reminder of the love of Christ. We were once in their shoes before we came to Jesus for forgiveness. If we are busy feeling sorry for ourselves over what the ungodly have done or over what they may have gained, then we are about as worthless for doing well as they are. Yet, we all seem to get down at times don't’ we? That’s why Psalms 73 was put into the Bible so that we might see we are not the only ones who get these feelings.

When I realize I have been wondering why some people seem to be getting away with sin, I feel just like Asaph did in verses 16-19 &21-22…”When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.” It is then that I must get down on my knees and ask my Heavenly Father to forgive my lack of understanding and trust in Him. When I fully realize what is happening and turn these feelings over to the Lord, I again recognize God for Who He is and myself for who I am.

God loves us so much, and He wants us to give Him the praise due Him and to realize that without Him in our lives we would do the very same acts of evil that we hate. It is only through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that we can stand before God as pure in His eyes. When we begin to have doubts or start to get depressed over our world situation, let’s hurry to Psalms 73. It has been my lifeboat many a time, and it can be yours also.

Psalm73:28..”But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.” 

This page has been displayed 4 times this month, 36 times since October 12, 2008.