Back in 1975…well-known PGA golfer Lee Trevino was struck by lightning while playing a tournament in Illinois. Being the funny guy he was, and a crowd favorite, a story evolved suggesting that at some point leading up to that incident, he had quipped that if you ever get caught in a lightning storm…”wave a 1-iron because even God has trouble hitting it.”

I’ll leave it to you to sort the truth from fiction from that urban legend, but I only bring that story up to say this: That is not the way God’s ‘wrath’ works (usually). Let’s be honest though…how dumb would it be to ‘tempt God’ in such a way? (1 Cor. 10:9)

We’ve been spending some time delving off into scripture in both the OT and the NT to gain a better understanding as to what this subject of God’s ‘wrath’ is all about. I continue to make the case that our lack of understanding and knowledge of it has led to much needless suffering for so many people, especially those who claim to be a part of God’s household, or ‘family of faith’ (Hosea 4:6).

IF….God’s wrath was something people of faith need not be overly concerned with today, then why did Paul make the case in 1 Corinthians 10 that all those examples of God’s anger being unleashed back in the OT…were written down as warnings and examples for us today, ‘upon whom the end of the ages have come’? (5-11). In fact, in the very next chapter there, he even points out why 'many' of those Corinthian believers had fallen under God’s ‘judgment/discipline’ and ended up becoming ‘weak, sick, and even dying’ (30-32).

Are you ready for that ‘good news’ I promised yesterday that was coming today? Here it is:  People don’t have to suffer in many of the ways they do today, because God sent a Savior to redeem mankind and to ‘save them from His wrath’. (John 3:17-18; Luke 9:56; Romans 5:9). But He does require one thing from us in order to escape the wrath that is already here; it's called 'repentance' (Matt. 4:17; Luke 13:1-5).

We're told this world is under the sway, or influence of the ‘wicked one’, who ‘deceives the whole earth. (1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:9; Eph. 2:1-3). We are told his sole purpose is to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ (John 10:10), which is why we need to be ‘mindful’ of him, but not overly pre-occupied or obsessed with him (1 Pet. 5:8-9; James 4:7; Matt. 24:42-44). And these ‘powers of darkness’ from who Christ is supposed to have ‘delivered us from’ (Col. 1:13; Eph. 6:12) still ‘roam about the earth’ freely, like a ‘roaring lion’ as Peter pointed out.

Guess what? God has no problem with them, but anyone who is not truly abiding in Jesus... does, and that is the gospel truth.(John 3:36; 1 John 5:18).

Now it’s easy oftentimes… to just automatically assume every time you hear of some natural disaster like earthquakes, hurricanes or tornados…or maybe raging wildfires and tsunamis…that God’s ‘wrath’ is being poured out on the earth. Friends…these type of ‘natural disasters’ have been occurring on the earth for centuries, and for a host of good ‘natural reasons’. And while I’m not about to proclaim that God has ‘nothing to do’ with any of those ‘events’, may I encourage you to redirect your attention to far more serious concerns which are more ‘spiritual’ in nature.

It would appear that the way God has designed, or ‘allowed’ this to play out…is more like a ‘gradual’ increase of affliction, where it is at times described like the destruction that ‘rust or moths’ bring about, if that makes sense? In other words…God is not trying to ‘take us out’ in one fell swoop because He’s just reached His limit and has anger/rage issues. His hope is that through our needless suffering…we will turn to Him…with ‘all our hearts’ so that we can be healed. (Jer. 24:6-7; Deut. 30; Matt. 13:15). You might also look at 1 Cor. 5:5. Again…Jesus did not come to destroy us, but that through Him we might be saved/healed/delivered (John 3:17-18; Luke 9:56).

The sticking point, it would seem though…is man’s reluctance to ‘turn to Jesus’ on His terms, which includes a total heart surrender; and frankly…this is where most of us fall short, for a host of reasons. (John 3:19-20; 5:40; Matt. 23:37). And therein lies the cause of so much unnecessary suffering. We seem to want to proclaim we ‘love Jesus’…but when the light of His word begins to reveal our hearts…it turns out there are ‘other things’ we love more.

Do you remember that phone conversation that got a lot of attention year ago with talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres and some elderly woman in Austin, TX? The lady on the phone quipped how she “loves Jesus but she likes to cuss a little too’. I know…it’s a funny line, and one most of us can relate to; but perhaps it’s time we examine our hearts once again to see if maybe there are ‘other things’ that we are loving more…than God? What would you replace the word 'cuss' for in that statement? (2 Cor. 13:5). Did Jesus not say what one would do if they really 'loved' Him? (John 14:15)

You might be surprised to discover that some of those ‘issues’ that have been a source of pain and suffering in your life for so long now…are not because the devil 'attacked' you because you tithed regularly or did some other noble deed for God’s kingdom. On the contrary…there’s a good chance that ‘doors were opened’ for the enemy to come in to ‘devour and destroy’. Do you remember what the source of that woman’s affliction was in Luke 13:10-17? And what did Jesus teach might happen if/when we do open that door by ‘sinning’? (John 5:14; Matt. 12:43-45) You might also jot down Leviticus 26:18-21.

But please be assured…that God is not wanting any to perish…but for all to ‘come to repentance’ (2 Pet. 3:9). James makes it clear that a remedy is at hand…if we’ll just line up and do things God’s way (James 5:13-16).

So what about all those sincere people who ‘thought’ they have been doing it God’s way, but things still seem ‘out of whack’ and life is not as ‘rosy and abundant’ as Jesus seemed to promise? Well…maybe that is why we are exhorted to ‘humble ourselves’ before God, and to ‘consider our ways’ (Hag.1:7). There’s never anything wrong with taking periods of time to do some self-reflection and examining our hearts and walks. Usually, when we have something that doesn’t seem to be ‘working for us’ correctly…we begin to do what is known as ‘troubleshooting’, where we go down a list of possible reasons why things may not be working according to what the 'good book' states. Perhaps we can begin doing that tomorrow, Lord willing. But just be prepared to know that sometimes…it means going back to ‘Square 1’.

In other words…it can be a rather ‘simple fix’. What is the first thing the IT people will tell you to do to resolve most issues on your smart phone, or computer when its acting up? Re-boot it, or unplug it and then plug it back in. Yeah…I know…amazing, is it not? Join me tomorrow?