Does Evil Serve a Purpose?

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“Virtue cannot be destroyed, while evil inevitably destroys itself.”

Does evil serve a purpose? This question has been asked from the beginning of time. And at different times in history, scholars have offered answers. Here are a few thoughts – not a scholarly paper, born of study, but an opinionated response to the puzzle. Perhaps some readers of this article will share my thinking.

Broadly, evil confronts us in three ways:

1) Self-inflicted – when poor judgement shoves us to rash actions. 

2) Beyond our control – when we do not have control over the situation. For example, we incur losses through floods or an earthquake.

3) Perpetrated by evildoers – people who have power over us, through their position or physical power. 

Whatever the source of evil, it is not welcome. What possible purpose does evil serve? Let us examine that question.

1) Without evil we would not fully appreciate what is good.

 Consider the behavior of people – both good and bad. How would we appreciate the loving spouse, the devoted child, the outreaching neighbor, and the understanding boss, if we did not have in contrast the indifferent spouse, the uncaring child, the quarrelsome neighbor and the unfeeling boss? It is the contrast that shows good behavior in good light. The juxtaposing of the two helps us recognize good behavior and praise it. It also brings to the fore another truth – unless we hate what is evil we cannot love what is good.

2) Out of some evil much good comes

Let us look back at our lives – the bad times when we suffered some form of pain. We cursed and bemoaned our misfortune. We hoped it would end quickly. Sometimes it did; at other times it went on. Only in retrospect do we thank God for what was apparently bad – the period of illhealth which restrained us from a dangerous misadventure; the financial squeeze that prevented us from spending money wastefully; the loss of a good job only to find a better one; the breaking of one relationship to discover that we were spared prolonged unhappiness. We become wiser from such experiences – learning that evil has a good side to it.

3) Some good people become better.

Horrified by the ferocity of evil around them, the good choose to become better. Some even become crusaders. Martin Luther King Jr. rose giant-like with the slogan – ‘stone them with love’ – to counter racial discrimination in the USA. Mother Teresa, through compassion, battled the scourge of hunger, pain and destitution. During WWII unsung heroes emerged to carry on their mission of defending and protecting victims of savagery. Today, there are people who are standing up against the violence women and children suffer – raising their voices, mobilizing action and getting some results. They sacrifice time and money, and put in long hours in defending the defenceless. They realize that evil happens when good people do nothing to prevent it. In good people there is a swell of compassion that waters the least expected places to let heroes sprout. There is no doubt that if we cease to be better, we will soon cease to be good. Not to advance is to retreat.

4) A chance to return good for evil.

They say that to return good for good is human, but to return good for evil is divine. When we are confronted by evil from evildoers, we are raised to sainthood by doing them good. We refuse the easy way out of returning evil for evil when we are patient, tolerant and forgiving. The example of Mahatma Gandhi, the frail fakir of India, comes to mind: When he was abused and beaten by the British he would not protest or strike back. His action won him grudging praise even from his tormentors. Meekness is not weakness, but strength harnessed for service.

5) The evil ones find solace in repentance and conversion.

A Sunday school teacher asked a class what the word ‘repentance’ meant. A little boy said: “It is being sorry for your sins”. A little girl also answered: “It is being sorry enough to quit”. The little girl made a valid point – true repentance leads to conversion. Of course, there is the probability that evildoers do not repent at all and persist in their ways, or show repentance with a motive, only to return to their old ways. That evil may continue does not discount the fact that some evildoers could truly repent and mend their lives. The small number of such conversions adds to the number of good people in the world. That is a substantial gain.

6) Those who suffer are drawn to God.

“Man is born broken. He lives by mending. The grace of God is the glue.”  -Eugene O’Neill

When we have suffered from evil, when all else fails, in our brokenness, in the silence of our hearts, where there is only pain, God’s grace works its wonders. He heals our wounds. He fills our souls with a peace that can come only from Him. Only those who have suffered much have experienced this peace; they find God; they discover that to be rich in God is better than to be rich in goods.

Evil in any form leads to suffering in some form and suffering in no form is welcome. Like the slave toiling in the noonday heat longing for sundown, we want to opt out of suffering. Yet, it cannot be denied that much good comes from some evil. As someone remarked, rather seriously, that ‘evil is necessary’ for the best part of man to combat the worst part.

Discussion: What do you think? do you think evil has it's place? What do you consider to be evil? post comments below:

*Editors Note: If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. -Mark 3:5
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. -Luke 16:13

Ignatius Fernandez blogs at:  http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/

Preface by Octavius Miller

By April D. Byrd

If you're a fan of music from Jonathan Nelson, Smokie Norful, Wes Morgan... or just great worship music in general, chances are you'll love Preface, the newly released EP from Prophet and Worship Leader Octavius Miller. The smooth bass and triumphant tone in Miller's voice delivers a powerful impact that makes the listening delightful. 

Moving along with the flow of the spirit in the songs is a light and easy breeze. The tracks are focused and straight to the point causing direct access to praise. "Great Is The Lord" is poignant, but also refreshing. Among other excellent tracks "My Soul Say Yes" is a quick favorite, that emphasizes Miller's vocal talent, and ushers in total submission to God in life and in worship. The tunes and instrumentals in the tracks are beautiful, and they truly make praise clear.

Preface is a fantastic album with a lot of  heart. It has an old school feel with a new age presence. Perhaps that is why the album's title signifies a beginning. Preface is indeed a beginning. It's the start of good, pure gospel music and a great worship experience.

Listen for yourself and Check out a sample of the goodness:

Preface is available on Itunes, CDbaby, and Amazon.com

For more details on Preface and Octavius Miller visit octaviusmiller.com

Maximize Your Personal Development

Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate. – Carl Jung

Most “Millennials” and many close to the generation are being targeted as lazy, but there is power to make a positive difference with the advanced tools and resources in this age, especially in the field of networking and communications. Personal development helps us to realize what we have to offer the world. It gives us a brief estimate of our value and on what exact talents we can place worth on, that can in turn be incorporated into all areas of life and authentic success.

If we want the best out of our lives, it means we should give life the best of ourselves. As William Shakespeare noted:  “This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”  Knowing your authentic self and developing your highest potential is the key behind personal branding and development, it is the essential function that serves our purpose and service to the world.

Consciously achieving your goals means allocating the time to do so. All big problems started as little problems. When left unchecked, simple issues can gradually grow out of proportion. Health is one thing any professional can’t allow to go in the wrong direction. 

Personal development also relies heavily on mental sharpness and acumen. If our perception is limited, the very experience of our life will be too. You can only see the world from your perception, why not make it awesome?!  Your key attributes and your authenticity give life to your personal brand. 

Low self-worth and lack of good communication causes individuals to make bad choices, which leads life into a series of bad experiences. Life is all about communication. How are you relating to everything and everybody else in the world? Self-Investment is the key to increase communication skills and career success.  

More perfect.

by: Alisha De Freitas

A week ago, I had surgery to implant a permacath into my chest. A surgeon made a tiny incision and carefully inserted it into my jugular vein.

Afterwards, I went from Recovery to the Infusion Room in the same hospital for plasmapheresis. For two hours, I laid on a bed while my blood was pulled from my body, filtered through a machine, and then returned. I will repeat this therapy once a month for the rest of the year.

I have Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP). It's an autoimmune disease that attacks my peripheral sensory nerves. In so many ways, it has upended my life. After the birth of my daughter in 2011, it came on so strong I wound up in the hospital for two weeks. I have weekly, at home treatment (IVIG) administered by a nurse. In my fridge, there is milk, grapes and glass bottles of immunoglobin.

Many of my friends have moved out of state, and the ones who remain don't visit too often, if at all. I can't blame them. I don't go to poetry readings, jazz clubs or cafes the way I use to, and I don't visit them much, either. My mother was hospitalized twice in the past month, and I've only been able to visit her once. My brother and his wife are in overdrive, though, managing work, kids and frequent visits.

My almost two year old daughter does not belong to any play groups. We aren't in Mommy & Me or take swim lessons at the Y. I feel exceedingly grateful just managing to take her to the park or Barnes & Noble.

Yet... I am thankful for the lessons I have learned only because I have CIDP. I wanted to share a few here:

• It's helped me get over myself. Sound harsh? Well, it's true. I've struggled with my physical appearance since childhood. I berated my body for it's short stature, small breasts and pear shape. I hated my hips, lips and thighs. I cried over my hair texture and my big nose. I remember a few times, actually allowing overplucked brows or crookedly filed nails to sour my mood. Now, I actually laugh at my former self and my vanity. I have scars a-plenty from IVs and a biopsy. I'll be rocking a patch of bright white bandages for the next six months with a couple of cords (actually called lumen) dangling at the bottom. I now joke that I wish I had one with USB capabilities. In short, illness ain't pretty, and sometimes life isn't, either. It's best to focus on the good.

• I stop to truly appreciate the little things. I love India Arie's "Little Things", extolling the beauty of those things often overlooked in life. When I was working full time, caught up in the grind, I took so much- too much- for granted. A bright sky, a pretty arrangement of flowers, even a great meal would often pass without note. Now? I take it all in. Not knowing when I'll be able to get out again, I take the time to savor a meal at a restaurant instead of scarfing it down. I take my time playing at the park with Zoe, pointing out the colors of flowers and even going on the slide with her. I strike up a conversation with the barista at Starbucks and compliment strangers with cute shoes or a nice hairstyle.

• Not being able to trust myself has quite literally made me dependent on God. Since I was a a teen, I've been pretty self-reliant. I worked steadily throughout college and after, often a couple jobs. I'd pride myself in not taking help. I brought my own clothes, paid my own car insurance, and helped my family pay the bills. I was Neyo's "Miss Independent", not needing a man, family, or friends, and if I'm honest, even God, to keep my day to day on track. There's no wonder then, I eventually found myself drowning in doubt. Now, I know I need God. In the last two years, I almost lost my mother in a fire, watched my health crumble, resigned my job, and lost my sister. St. James tells us:
  

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

          I am being perfected because of my imperfections!

• My life forces me to confront my mortality. Yeah, you read that right. My life reminds me that I'm going to kick the bucket. Pretty morbid, I'll admit, but, yes, I'm thankful for this. Let me make this clear: as far as I know, this illness isn't putting me on the fast track to croaking. My organs are in great shape, so please hold off on the condolences. However, having a tube in my chest, popping handfuls of supplements, and the aches and pains are a very real reminder that this body will not last forever. It has an expiration date. My fried wiring has taught me to live with eternity in mind. This reorientation focuses me on God; the Everlasting, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.

HE DIED FOR US

“The measure of love is to love without measure.” -St. Augustine

In her enthralling book, In My Own Words, Mother Teresa recounts an incident. A woman suffering from AIDS confided in her: “Mother, when I can hardly stand my headaches, I share it with the pain Jesus must have suffered because of the crown of thorns. When the pain moves to the back, I share it with the pain Jesus must have felt when the soldiers gave Him lashes. When my hands hurt I share that pain that Jesus felt when He was crucified.” That was the measure of love one woman had for her crucified Savior. She knew that He loved her not because she was trying to be good, but because He loved without measure. Archbishop Desmond Tutu puts it succintly: “We are loved not because we are good. We are good because we are loved.”

The Gospel writers often make the statement: He died for us. Those words have lost their meaning because we no more reflect on them. It happened 2000 years ago; now, it is not relevant to our daily lifes. We concern ourselves with other things and lose our sense of gratitude to Him who gave His all, loving us without measure.

If only we stopped to think, we would discover that His dying for us was the greatest act of love in history. Let us consider the implication: Jesus is God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, Son of the Eternal Father. He need not have become man and suffered for us. But He chose to suffer to redeem us from the wages of sin; an act of unmatched love for an enormous cause. It is the cause and not merely the death that makes the martyr. And, He chose the most ghastly death in becoming a martyr for humankind. For a moment, let us picture a master choosing to give up his life for his slave. Laudable! We would praise the master and hold him up as a model; the slave would find no words to thank his master. A billion times more significant is Jesus’ death. Yet, do we thank Him enough? His love remains unrequited!

In the Gospels we read of the passion and death of Jesus – the condemnation, the scourging, the crowning with thorns, the carrying of His cross and the brutal crucifixion. Much of what He suffered on the night before His death remains unknown to us. Sister Mary Magdalene ardently desired to learn of His secret sufferings. Jesus fulfilled her wish by revealing to her the fifteen secret torments that dehumanized Him. “They considered me as the most wretched man living on earth”, Jesus said in a deeply sad voice. That is why they struck Him with stones (imagine soliers doing that), and burnt Him with blazing embers and torches. They tied Him to a post and made Him stand, barefoot, on an incandescent metal sheet. They poured on His wounds liquid lead and resin and forced Him on to a chair that had nails sticking out. They found twelve other ways to brutalise Him, revelling in torture that their saddism devised. Did He protest or resist? No, He suffered meekly because of what was at stake – the cause. But, He did lament: “I looked for one that would comfort me, and I found none”. (The devotion to the fifteen secret torments of Jesus has been approved and recommended by Pope Clement II, 1730-1740.)

Why would a man choose to suffer such inhuman punishment? What would prompt him to be reduced to a mass of flesh and blood? Only love. We hear and read of sacrifices made by parents for their children, of spouses for each other, of friends for one another. But they all pale in comparison with the excruciating pain and horrific suffering Jesus took upon Himself to redeem us.

So, the next time we read the words – He died for us – let us stop to ponder the sufferings of the Lord and His love without measure; loving even the unlovable. Then the story Mother Teresa told would be purposeful. That woman offered her pain to her suffering Master – to be one with Him in His pain. Following her example, can we resolve to perform two acts of love: 1) Try not to make much of our discomforts and pain. In perspective, they appear to be no more than pinpricks. 2) Offer that pain – of mind and body – to Jesus, recalling His passion and death? When we have done that our pain would be sublimated and sanctified.

During a drought a tree drives its roots deeper into the soil to find water, so too sufferings push us beyond self-reliance to reliance on God. When we rely on God we shall harvest joy from the field of pain. Another lesson will quickly follow: that pain comes not to obstruct, but to instruct us. In such a state our faith will be confirmed, hope fortified, charity inflamed, and grace infused! Enriched, we will discover that before we are used greatly, we have to be wounded deeply – when God turns our wounds into badges of honor.

Ignatius Fernandez is the Author of the blog: http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/

5 Lessons From The TOP Message

Awesome, Awesome message by Coach Pastor Jennifer today on the Voice Of Wisdom Conference Call line!! The message was so empowering, with great key points that were well worth noting and holding on to. In reference to scripture, Most of her message highlighted Joshua 1:3  which reads:

"Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses."

She dealt with some of the limiting beliefs and factors that keep people from moving forward, and making progress with the success of their lives and purpose. She also explained how the purpose and blessing of God works.

Here are a few key notes that stood out... (or at least what I had enough time to write), ENJOY!!


 God doesn't measure out your blessing, your belief system does.
the blessing of God is unlimited as far as our imagination or belief system can take us that's how far we can go. Don't limit yourself become unlimited.

 God's purpose works in seasons and in times.
we have to line up with purpose, be knowledgeable and adhere to what specific season or time we are in. It is possible to miss out. If we miss a sewing season, then we will miss the  reaping season accordingly. All things work together. Its best to actively engage, to be cognizant and aware.

In order for you to get the inheritance of God you gotta engage choices.
Gods people are not in a time where the word is forced any more, shoved down our throats, or anything is strictly beaten down upon us. Its  imperative to actively engage the move  of God by choice ,understand and know what He has in the best interest for our lives.

If you wanna stop going in circles, stop blaming and begin taking responsibility.
to become unstuck in the maze of habitual monotony and repeated behaviors of our lives that don't serve us. We have to actively engage and start taking responsibility.

Individual portion/blessing depends on character.
the scripture in Joshua 1 reads, every sole the place of our foot treads... and Gods exclaims a blessing, that just as He blessed Moses He would bless His people and continually be with them just the same. However, our individual blessing and inheritance depends on our mindset, and how we honor and obey the Lord. It is possible to suffer through trials and still come out empty handed in the end for failing to step up to the plate and actively be in character, in season.


Overall with every takeaway to be had from today's lesson it is God who always speaks a mighty blessing this one recorded in the Bible. He says that He will be with us, not leaving us, or forsaking us. It is ultimately up to us to believe and actively engage His words and His way, if we want to truly live our best lives.

 "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." -Joshua 1: 5-9

Coach/Pastor Jennifer Turner is the founder of (TOP) Tabernacle Of Peace Ministries International and Voice Of Wisdom Transformational Coaching for more empowering words from her Stay Tuned and feel free to check out this piece on sound cloud: 

https://soundcloud.com/coachjennifer/its-not-personal

Chasing After God

“What you are is God’s gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God.”  -Danish Proverb

At Christmas and Easter time we exchange gifts, as a sign of goodwill. We give and receive gifts on birthdays and anniversaries; and on special occasions. In our families and social circles, gift giving is customary. But with God, how is it? Our hands never weary of receiving gifts from God, but they are seldom proffered with gifts in return. How one-sided can His giving be?

In Luke 17: 11-19 the story of the 10 lepers is told. Of the ten who were healed, only one returned to thank Jesus, the others, rejoicing in their healing, forgot the healer. The same story is told time and again. We ask and receive, yet do not acknowledge and thank God. Perhaps we are yet to learn the lesson that Gotthold Ephraim Lessing has to teach: “A single grateful thought raised to heaven is the most perfect prayer.”

What have we received from God? The list will run into pages. Briefly it will read: life, health and senses, material gifts, family and friends, and the earth with its abundance. Do we really understand our total dependence on God? Do we realize that without Him we are nothing? Do we thank Him enough? Sometimes we try feebly, but fail most of the time. Yet, God does not stop giving. He is lavish in His giving. He does not count the cost of His generosity.

A poor man prayed to God. God surprised him with His presence.

“What do you want, my son?” God asked, with great concern.

“I have nothing. I need money.” The man pleaded.

“How much do you want?” God checked.

Realizing that this was a once-in-a-life-time opportunity, the man pitched: “One million dollars.”

“Isn’t that a lot of money?” God asked.

“I have nothing. Look at John down the street. He has a big house and a big car, although he does not go to Church. I have nothing.”

“Do you really believe you have nothing?” God probed.

“Yes, I am penniless.”

“Well then, if I give you a million dollars, what will you give me?” God negotiated.

“I have nothing to give.” The man protested.

“Suppose I ask for your eyes, would you give them to me?” God tested.

“No. No. I will not be able to see.” The man argued.

“Let us not touch your eyes. If I asked for your hands, would you give them to me?” God continued.

“Not at all. I will not be able to work. I will be helpless.” The man refused.

“My beloved son,” God reasoned, “you refuse me your eyes and your hands because you value them. You value them more than a million dollars. Just think of it; you are already rich with more than two million dollars. With all the other gifts you have you are a multimillionaire. The problem is that you have eyes, but will not see.”

The vision ended abruptly. The man realized that he was not dreaming. He touched his eyes; they were in place. He felt his hands; he had not lost them. He ran his hands over his body; it was the same he had before God’s visit. He appreciated, rather late, that he had gifts with which he could earn an honest living and stop comparing himself with others.

The story is allegorical, but the lesson is profound. In the words of God: we have eyes, but will not see. We have gifts that we cannot put a value to; we have gifts that we cannot count. Like the one grateful leper who was healed, we need to turn to God and thank Him. Not that we can thank Him enough, because we will always be in His debt. We will always have to play catch-up with Him. 

What can we give Him in return for His numberless gifts? Money? No, because He owns the Universe, although He would like us to give our money to the needy. Time? No, because His time is eternity, although He would like us to spend time to comfort the troubled. Effort? No, because He has billions of angels at His command, to carry out His bidding, although He would like us to reach out to those in distress. Will we be giving Him something when we give others in His name? Jesus left no doubt when He said that doing things for others was doing things for Him.

Besides these what else can we give Him? Ourselves. “Give me your heart” is His plea. When we surrender to His holy will and place ourselves at His command, as the angels do, we are giving Him what He wants of us. Because He is God, He needs nothing. But He asks for our hearts for our sakes. When we give Him our hearts we are choosing the highest good – there is no good higher than God. Would the scales be balanced when we give Him our hearts? No, because He is topping His earlier gifts with more and more – each new day with new opportunities is a package of gifts, if only we use our eyes to see. The process will not end; the catch-up process, I mean. Our helpless state, is best described by the poet:

“When I contrive and plot to prove something,

 that may be conquest on my part,

Thou still, O Lord, outstrippest me.” Anon

-"Playing Catch-up With God" Ignatius Fernandez is the author of the blog: http://thechildisfatheroftheman.blogspot.in/