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Theodicy means - a vindication of the goodness and the ways of God in the light of the existence of evil.

We read all over the internet about the evil done to the people in Las Vegas. It’s painful and heartbreaking! And our prayers are to God for the survivors and the families of those who died. It’s tragic.

But I’m afraid that on one hand, we’re getting more and more used to the violence, because of the movies we watch and the music we listen to, both glorifying evil.

And on the other hand, we’re surprised at the evil that’s coming out of human hearts.

Psalms 36:2, "[The wicked] In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin."

When we love self-flattery and the flattery from others it will blind us to see our sin and our need for repentance. Sin will destroy us unless it's forgiven and cleansed by God.

But for that we need to want God to show our sin to us, so we may experience conviction in our hearts and hate it and turn the other way from it, by his gracious help.

I think most us have experienced relationship breakdown. But it doesn't need to be, most of the time.

When does a relationship begin to break down? The breakdown of relationships happens when we live to get rather than to give. When self-protection governs our relationships instead of self-giving and self-sacrifice, that's when relationships begin to break down. So the cause of relational breakdown is inordinate self-love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

Philippians 2:8, "And [Jesus the Son of God] being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"

Jesus Christ the Son of God "who being in very nature God" appeared among us sinners "as a man". "He humbled himself" and in that state of humiliation lived and obeyed his Heavenly Father perfectly in our place. We try to obey God, but sadly fail since God expects and accepts only perfect righteousness. Jesus Christ in his experience "as a man" "became obedient to death", in our place as our representative.

Jesus said,

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

The Gospel of Mark chapter 7 - Outward appearance or inward reality, which one matters more to God?

JESUS AND OUTWARD APPEARANCE

My Christian friend, are you discouraged today because though you want so much to be more like Jesus in his character, but still see so much sin in you? Don't be. I find it in me so too.

And if you wonder, 'but what about other "godly" Christians, don't they struggle with sin less?'. No. None of us are sinless. And if we are honest, all of us would have to admit we struggle with sin in one way or another on a daily basis. But little by little as we trust Christ, we will sin less.

Galatians 3:2
"I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?"

What do you believe in? Or rather I should ask, what message have you heard or are still hearing that you now believe in?

Faith in faith is no faith at all. But equally faith in a wrong message is not the faith that will justify or save you.

In Daniel 2:31-45 the prophet talks about the king's dream, the statue of gold, silver, bronze, iron and clay as the different kingdoms which were and were to come.

And then he mentions a rock that struck the statute, which are all the different kingdoms and crushed them to powder which the wind swept away. That Rock became "a huge mountain and filled the whole earth".

Daniel 2:44-45a says,