Hacked and Triggered – Thank God for The Goodness of God - Purity 1540

Welcome to the MT for Christ 24/7 podcast. I am M.t. Clark, and this is today's photo. To see today's photo, go to mtforchrist.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter, or watch us on YouTube. Good morning. Today's photo of a large steel power transmission tower and the sun setting on the horizon comes to us from Erich Strohling, as I was pleased to see the sun again while out walking down Waite Road yesterday afternoon. Well, it is Friday, and even though I have been on vacation since last Friday afternoon, let's thank God anyway, because his goodness is something we can count on even when we aren't experiencing sunny skies. And because TGIF sentiments aren't just for work weeks, I have to thank God every day because of who he is and because of what he has done for, uh, what he's done for me and he continues to do for me. The Lord is my rock. And as we stumble through life or get tripped up by our fellow men, it really is important to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who will one day judge the living and the dead and reclaim all of existence to usher in his eternal kingdom. While I try to give thanks to the Lord while I am when I'm not experiencing problems. When I run into various trials, his presence can really save me because of the 6, you know, save me from those big 6 negative emotions: anger, anxiety, sadness, shame, disgust, and despair. I recently shared how a recent dental appointment caused me to lament over the difficulties of human relationships and how our bodies break down over time, and how a couple of observations about life caused me to have a brief depressive moment where I woefully wondered, why does life have to be this way? I suspected demonic interference as a possible source of this negative disposition, prayed, cast out the enemy, and shifted my perspic— my perspective to the joy of the Christmas holiday that was upon us and walked away content and jolly. Overall, I had a wonderful Christmas, but as I relaxed on Christmas Day and the day after Christmas, I was bothered by constant emails from Meta Platforms Inc. Informing me of charges for my Facebook ad campaigns for Celebrate Freedom Online, the online Christian recovery group coaching event that I felt called to launch, and quickly was alarmed at the frequency of the charges. As far as I knew, I had only authorized a couple of campaigns to boost my— boost the event and a post that explained, you know, who I was. But as the emails kept coming in, I realized that something was wrong. Long story short, I got hacked and I took the precautions to change my password and stop the ad campaigns. Apparently the hacker was posting Skechers sneakers videos to my business page and launching ads for them. And after much frustration this morning, I believe I've finally secured my account and complained to Meta about the unauthorized ads and charges. I was so angry and quite frankly saddened by this scam that I began to start the slow roll into despair. Why does life have to be this way? I mean, I can barely understand how someone could benefit from hacking my account and launching ads like this. It points to a systematic problem, um, or a systemic problem, um, with the advertising market in general that it somehow rewards people for bringing attention to a client's business regardless of the legitimacy of the ads that bring the business. The love of money is the root of all evil, and somehow the person or persons who did this, uh, will presumably benefit from taking Meta's online ads in my account and exploiting them for their own gain. And they don't care. And they don't care. Uh, what they are doing is wrong. Somehow this advertising game is rigged in a way where it doesn't matter how business is generated as long as sales are made. Advertising sucks. Businesses suck. People suck. Pardon my outrage, but that's how I feel. The theological explanation for this, of course, for why these things happen and will continue to happen is that we live in a sinful world. The reason people suck is because of sin. And as upset as I am over the evil that was done to me, I realize that my being hacked is nothing compared to the evil that others have suffered. But just because evil is prevalent doesn't make it right. My sense of outrage is only legitimized because there is a God who has revealed to us what goodness and justice is. God has revealed himself to man to tell us who he is and to teach us right from wrong. Without God, who's right and what is wrong could just be an opinion or a matter of debate. But because God is sovereign, even though we suffer at the hands of evil men, we can be assured of two things that can give us peace. Number 1, God cares. We don't have to wonder, um, when we are wronged. God's word reveals to us that the evil that was done to us, um, shouldn't have happened. It is sin. God's law forbids the evil that men do to one another. So God's commandments show themselves, show us that God cares about us. But beyond the law, God sent Jesus to fulfill the law. To live a sinless life and to receive our punishment for the things that we have done to break God's law. While we will all be victims to someone else's sin in life, none of us can claim that we were completely innocent, uh, because we all fall short of God's glory. And while we would like to judge and condemn those who do us wrong, we have more in common with them than we do with the Lord. As we are both in need of God's mercy and grace and the solution that only he could provide. Our sins are forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ, which brings us to our second point. And, and that number two is God will make it right. God will avenge all the sins that were committed. God will make things right in the end. The sins perpetrated against mankind will either be covered by the blood of Jesus, or they will be paid for by punishment and eternal separation separation from God in hell. So as upset as I can get when I think about the ways— way things fall apart, or how relationships with others can be difficult, or how our fellow man will sin against us, I can eventually move beyond these— those big 6 negative emotions: sadness, anger, despair, shame, anxiety, and disgust, and return to peace and joy because I know how God how good God is. I know he cares. Christ's sacrifice on the cross shows us that God loves us, and the fact that Jesus rose from the dead shows us that God will also make things right one day. Sinners will throw themselves on the mercy of God by putting their faith in Jesus, or they will pay for their sins through judgment in hell. And when I think about that, I'm not so angry towards those who have done evil against me. I worry about their souls, and I pray they find the Lord. Jesus also offers us a narrow way, and broad is the road that leads to destruction. And when I think about how I was on that highway to hell, I can let go of my anger and disgust over the evil of other men, and I can release it to the Lord to deal with it. Jesus told us that apart from him we can do nothing. We can't save ourselves, and we don't even— we won't even think of doing anything right without God compelling us to repent. So as much as I was triggered and angry, when I think of the goodness of God, I can forgive those who sin against me and find peace knowing that I can count on the Lord because he cares for me and will one day make all things right. Today's Bible verse comes to us from A Quick Scriptural Reference for Counseling by John G. Cruis. This morning's meditation verse comes from the section on humility, or Pride. And, uh, today's verse is Proverbs 21:4, which says, haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, are sin. Today's verse— today's verse is the fourth of fifth passages of, of five passages from scripture that fall under the first point of our Counseling Reference Guide's resource section on pride or humility. That first point is humility is a virtue most pleasing to God. Pride is a grievous sin in his sight. Today's Bible verse illuminates the lamp of the wicked for us to expose the telltale signs of sin, uh, sin within: a proud heart and haughty eyes. Our sins come from desperately wicked hearts, and so it should not surprise us that subtle, uh, look in the eyes, or even unseen things, the depths of one's heart, can reveal our sin within. Our attitudes and beliefs have to be grounded in the truth of God's word, or we will think that we are our own authority, or that we are somehow better than everyone else. We have to be careful about how we look at our world and how we see ourselves. If we see ourselves in relation to our fellow man, we may believe that— believe the lie that we are more righteous or better than others and that we don't need the Lord. Pride is a sin because it causes us to trust in ourselves rather than the one who made us, who cares for us, and who will make all things right. As always, we encourage everyone to go to mtforchrist.com, where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from Day by Day Along the Way by J.E. Adams. It's a 365-day devotional, and we're on day 39, where Adam shares a portion of 1 John 2:3, which says, by this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. And J.E. Adams writes, how are we sure that we know God? Hunches, strong feelings, or warm glows? John says that you can know that you know him if you keep his commandments. The Great Commission ends with the words, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. Jesus was interested not only in making disciples but in seeing them live according to his commandments. His yoke is easy to wear and his burden is light. His commandments aren't annoying. Then why should you shy away from, from his yoke? It will not wear and rub against your neck as the yoke of the law did. As Paul said, why are you testing God by putting on the disciple's neck a yoke that neither our fathers nor we had the strength to tolerate. Christ has set you free from all the outward ordinances that shaft the Israelites. You walk in the ease of the gospel with the Lord himself. His way is light. Walk with him gladly, therefore, by faith. And I say amen. You know, um, and we always ask the question, have you fully surrendered to God? That's what Adam is pointing to. Surrendering, not to try to keep it all perfectly, but to walk with a heart that wants to do what the Lord would have us do, to do what's right. While we might not work— walk it out perfectly, when we walk in the perfect love of Christ, we'll definitely make progress. And, you know, as upsetting as the world can get and the things that people do to one another, we're not without sin, and we need the love of the Lord to forgive us and to guide us in the way we should go. So we recommend following the Lord and living according to his grace and mercy, and he'll not only help change you from within, he'll also give you a purpose. And part of my purpose is leading the Celebrate Freedom support group, uh, at Star Point Church on Wednesday evenings. We'll begin our sessions again on January 8th. Happy to announce we got new registration this morning, so I'll be sending out a welcome email to them. But, uh, this is my welcome to you, um, for anybody in Upstate New York who can get to Clifton Park on a Wednesday night. We invite you to come out for our Christian Recovery and Discipleship support group, where you can learn to walk in the Spirit and, uh, um, start to experience that peace and joy that the Lord has for you by doing what's right. Um, beyond that, we're offering the same group online come Monday, January 6th. Uh, we're, we're moving the, uh, the support group online for anyone who in the continental US or anywhere. It'll be available 6:30 PM Eastern Time Mondays, and we're going to go through the entire battery of Celebrate Recovery teachings to record them and have them available for future use for anybody who needs help, who doesn't have access to a Christian recovery program. They can watch the videos and be coached. You know, you'll hear the lessons and you'll get encouragement for me. Beyond that, it's, it's vacation. So we would just say, if you can't go in either one of those groups, we do offer our, our playlist, uh, on YouTube, um, where you can help find or increase your freedom in Christ by watching Victory Over the Darkness, The Bondage Breaker, Freedom in Christ, or one of the other playlists we have. As, uh, we've discovered the new life that Christ has for us, and it's a good one. It might not always be easy, but it's one that'll give you peace and joy when you walk in the Spirit. And that's why we ask the question: Are you empty for Christ too? You surrendered to the Lord? Are you trying to follow him with the way you live your life? Are you turning from your sin? Are you becoming more and more like the person God made you to be? If so, we say awesome, that's great, keep on walking and talking with God. If not, we encourage you to pray because we know that prayer works, and that's why we pray every day, like right now. Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank you for another day in your kingdom. Thank you for all you've done for us, Lord. We thank for your goodness in the face of evil. Um, we thank you for your mercy and your grace that we desperately need. We're not perfect people, Lord, we're not even close. That's why we pray. We ask you to help us today. Open our eyes to the things you want us to do and lead us in the way we should go, because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom, Lord, and we, we need a lot of help with that. Lord, we also pray for anyone who's reading or watching or listening to this message, that they'd be blessed, that you'd come alongside them and their prayer requests and their walk of faith and help them too. We all need you, Lord, and, um, we thank you for your goodness and grace to give it. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.