Charles Capps - How you can avoid tragedy and live a better life

Contents

Introduction

This book is not intended to be the total answer to the question of tragedy in Christian lives. It is a scriptural help to understanding some unanswered questions in the minds of many.

There are some questions that only God can answer. Some may not fall into any of the categories referred to in this book, but many will.

It is not meant to condemn or belittle anyone, but to help you avoid the things that would bring tragedy to your life.

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

The Destroyer

It was late afternoon. Birds were singing; kids were playing. Suddenly, the serenity was broken by the sound of squealing tires and a loud crash. There was silence for a few minutes, then the familiar sound of sirens filled the air.

Tragedy had struck! Two people were dead; others were injured.

As people gathered around, doing what they could to help, bits of conversation could be heard:

"Isn't that Brother and Sister So-and-so? I just talked with him yesterday."

"They were such good people. What a tragedy!"

Then the inevitable question is askeda question that will be asked many times, before and after the funeral:

"Why did this happen to them? They were such good Christians!"

It is best not to try to answer such a question. The answer could be harder to believe than the accident itself. In this life, no one may ever know the true answer for sure.

Most people try desperately to help God out of what appears to be a bad situation by giving their own opinions, based on their religious ideas.

They very often come up with such statements as:

"Well, God knows best. You know what the Bible says, All things work together for good to those that love God.

This is too often the case, and God is left looking like a killer. Small children grow up believing that God is responsible for such tragedies.

What does the Bible really say?

Is God the destroyer?

Is God a killer?

In answering this, the words of Jesus ring very clear:

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

(John 10:10).

The Greek word translated destroyer means "miner; specifically, a venomous serpent."

Satan Is the Destroyer!

In such tragedies, it might be years later before some important information comes to light. No one mentioned it at the time because they thought it unimportant; but a distant relative casually mentions that he remembers hearing them say they prayed that they would die together.

This then raises another question: Did God answer that prayer; or did they open the door to the destroyer?

The Need for Knowledge

John Osteen made a statement that I will never forget.

He said, "God's people don't need so much inspiration as they need information." What a profound statement for the day in which we live!

In Hosea 4:6, God said:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Here God reveals the major source of destruction: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

A person cannot believe any further than he has knowledge. He can have great zeal; but without knowledge to go with it, his zeal will be misdirected.

Lack of knowledge is probably the number one reason tragedy comes to many Christians. This lack of knowledge causes people to fall into needless problems, troubles, suffering, sickness, and destruction.

Second Peter 1:2 tells us that grace and peace are multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.

Grace is God's willingness to use His power and His ability on your behalf, even though you do not deserve it. According to this verse, God's willingness is multiplied to an individual as he gains the knowledge of God.

Verse 3 says:

...According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us to glory and virtue.

All things that pertain to life and godliness are already ours; but in order to enter into these things that pertain to life, we must have knowledge of it.

...Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4

It is by the divine promise that we are made partakers of the divine nature of God.

Again, verse 3 says, His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. It is God's divine power that gives us these things. How? Through the knowledge of God.

These things come by knowing, believing, and acting on these promises. Then you partake of God's divine provision.

Know it. Believe it. Act on it. Receive it. God has offered it to you; but if you don't know that, you will not enter into it. You may believe the lies of Satan and fall into needless problems, hurt, harm, and trouble.

Without the knowledge of God, you will believe the things you have heard through religious circles: that God sometimes sends tragedy to teach you and make you stronger. This will seem right to you, but it is not right. It is not what God's Word says.

Someone has made the statement: "The devil is no more than an unwilling servant of God." In other words, the devil is performing God's work, causing people to grow stronger by tempting, testing, and trying them.

That same individual said, "God never did promise to deliver us out of troubles. He always send troubles to make us stronger and more like Jesus."

This kind of thinking sounds good to the religious mind, but it is a lie of the devil!

Psalm 91:7-10 brings light to this subject.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Some people do not know that God is their habitation, that God is the deliverer.

The individuals who believe that the devil is doing God a service are opening the door to tragedy and inviting Satan into their lives. There is no defense for them.

They reason this way: If Satan is doing it for God, then who am I to resist God?

But, Satan is not doing it for God; he is doing it to destroy God's creation. He is an enemy of God and man.

There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

For he shall give his angels charge over thee , to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: and I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 91:10-16

Certainly, God said He would deliver us out of trouble. That is the will, the purpose, and the plan of God for our lives.