Amen Budge,

God does come across as cruel. I will admit that. But, we need to keep in mind that God is a Holy God. He doesn't tolerate Sin.

Another thing is this. What we view God is not what God views as Himself. God is a God of righteousness. All of His righteous judgments endureth forever.

As we see in the O.T., God was protecting His children from certain enemies. We would do the same with our children. If it meant to blow off someone's head to protect our families, then we would probably do it. Is that cruel? Yes! It is! But, we are protecting our own, so to speak. :D

A good verse to show that God's Ways are not our Ways is:

"8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." Isa. 55.

The reason we don't view things as God does is because we are wanting things done in our own natural mind.

But God, who is all powerful, who created us for His pleasure, will have it His Way.

Now, two things we can do.

1. Receive Him as our Lord and Saviour, or

2. Reject Him.

If we reject Him, thus we are children of disobedience. Wrath can come upon us for that rejection. We are endanger of eternal damnation. Because we have Rejected God!

Hey, we get mad when we are rejected! Amen?!

Now, if we receive Him, we have the promises that God will protect us from our enemies, just as He did with the Children of Israel. Amen?!

We are under His umbrella of protection. We won't have to worry about the judgment of Wrath coming upon us.

God is righteous and Holy. And He does demand this from His creation.

We are not of our own, but we were created for Him.

"11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Rev. 4.

But, could you imagine creating something, then have it reject you?

How about having a child and then it rejects you. Doesn't want having anything to do with you. Calls you mean and cruel and hateful.

And all you wanted was for that child to love you. Listen to you. And keep that child from harm. Giving that child the best.

It is the same thing with God.

Comparing the earthly parenthood with God is a good way to show these things.

God isn't cruel, He is Just!

Another way would be using the court system.

Example:

There is a woman who had murdered her husband for abusing her. She took his body, dumped it, and covered up the crime. Thus, she reports him missing, and nobody finds the man.

Later, about 10 years later, they find his body. She denies everything. Evidence is brought up and they discover that the wife actually planned the murder, murdered the man, dumped the body and try to cover it up.

Should she be held accountable for her crime? yes!

Why? Because there are too many out's for abused woman.

Is that Just? Yes, it is!

You can use scenario's as that!

Everything we have in life is relevant in showing our God is righteous and just in all things He does.

And why do bad things happen? Because of Sin in the World, because it might be in God's Divine Plan. His ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. He might have 40 people die, who He knows will never become saved, so that one may be saved through this ordeal! Amen?! That is more important to Him!

But if we are God's, then we don't have anythign to worry about.

In Christ,

Deborah