LIFE IS FAIR BECAUSE GOD IS GOOD!
6/91
--Comments on Robert Schuller's Easter Sermon
DO 2773
(Intro: We had the opportunity to watch a video of an Easter sermon by Dr. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. His services are broadcast all over the world each Sunday. It was of interest because of what we know of him and our experiences with him and being thrown out of his church, as related in Letters such as "Huntington Beach Church Invasion!" ML #1845, etc.!)
1. Just now as I was looking at Robert Schuller in his big, fancy cathedral, I was thinking, "Wow, Lord, just think of the tremendous work he is accomplishing in that gorgeous Crystal Cathedral with those huge crowds of thousands! We won't have any big fancy glass temples or crystal cathedrals to show to You when we get to Heaven." And instantly the Lord said: "They're getting their glory now--from man! You're going to get your glory in Heaven--from Me!"
2. And as I continued listening to him preach, I was asking the Lord, "Lord, can this be good? What about this show and this man and his work?" And instantly I got the scripture: "Thou sayest, `I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;' and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked! (Weeps) Therefore I will spew thee out of My mouth!" (Rev.3:16,17). (Maria: It's a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof! [2Tim.3:5].)
3. (Techi: There are probably some sincere people there.) (Maria: Yes, of course.) I'm sure even Schuller's sincere, but sincerity is not enough. The people the Lord talks about who will kill you, thinking they're doing God service, are also very sincere, but sincerely and horribly wrong! (Jn.16:2). (Maria: He's talking about his properties now. That's a confirmation of the scripture you got, that they're "rich and increased with goods!")
Schuller's Sermon
4. ("Schuller: I have one simple message this morning, I don't think you'll ever forget it. That's quite a claim, but I don't think you will: Life isn't fair, but God is good!") (Maria: Did you hear what he said?! He said, "Life isn't fair, but God is good." What a horrible thing to say!) How can life be unfair if God is good? If God is good, then He is fair. And if He is fair, then He cannot create a life that is unfair. He's preaching life's not fair, giving the example that there are beautiful children living in rich homes who have all they want, and then there are the poor abused children who don't have anything.
5. What a big murmur against God! (Maria: It's like he's saying that there's nothing good in poverty and persecution and heartache, completely ruling out that the poor are more than compensated by the fact that they have received the gift of meekness and humility, and are often much closer to the Lord through their desperation and turning to Him for help! And besides, they may not have as much in this life, but they will be more than compensated in the next! [Mat.5:3-5]. Everything will be balanced out. God knows what He's doing and it's always fair.)
6. Life is fair and God is fair! If you say life isn't fair, you're saying God isn't fair. And if God is not fair, neither is He good. So if you really believe that God is good, you must then conclude that He made life fair. By saying that life is unfair, by logical inference you must conclude that if God created life, that He too must be unfair. Because how could a fair God create an unfair life? Wow, what a doctrine of the Devil to preach that life is unfair!--Because the minute you do that, then people will automatically blame it on God.
7. What a terrible message to give people!--"God is good but life's not fair. He didn't make a fair life. He's not fair to people." (Maria: By saying life isn't fair, he's saying that all the tribulations and tests and problems and difficulties and afflictions in life are bad; they're not fair! They're wrong; they're not good!--So contrary to the Word that constantly says that all these things are good and they are for our good! [See Psa.119:67,71; Jer.18:4; Job 23:10; Jn.15:2; Rom.5:3-4, 8:18; 2Cor.1:4, 4:17, 12:9,10; Phil.2:13; 2Tim.2:12a; Heb.5:8, 12:6,11; Jam.1:2-4; 1Pet.1:7, 4:12,13; Rev.7:14].) Amen! "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord!" (Rom.8:28). God makes life, He even made the Devil for a reason.
8. Life is fair, and God is fair! If he'd said, "Sometimes life doesn't seem to be fair," that would have been better. But how can God be good and not create life to be good? He repeats that over and over and over and he says, "This is something you're never going to forget!" (Maria: Most people already have that pretty much in their mind that life isn't fair, and now to have it confirmed by this very powerful, famous preacher that, "Yes, it's true, life isn't fair," then the logical deduction they have to make--and what the Devil wants them to make--is that God isn't fair! Yet God is the one who made life, so if He made it not to be fair, then He's not fair and He's not good. So that's a diabolical message!) Yes, because life is good, and God is good!
Prayer
9. (Prays:) Well, Lord, You see their hearts. While we just look on the outside, You look on the heart (1Sam.16:7). He has thousands of members, Lord, and we hope they're saved, and He does mention You, Jesus. He preaches all over the world on his TV show in over 20 countries and reaches millions upon millions of people, so we suppose, Lord, that's why You've blessed him and allowed him to continue, because he does at least believe in You. However, we imagine, Lord, that that big church and its great fame and ministry has probably drawn a lot of people unto it.
10. Thank You Lord for the verse You gave about them! Thank You for the truth! They are great today and they are certainly rich and increased in goods and believe that they have need of nothing, Lord, but You said they are wretched and naked and blind; therefore You will spew them out of Your mouth! It doesn't necessarily mean they're not saved, Lord, but "spewing out" is an expression of contempt, and there will be a lot of people in Heaven who are in contempt--in contempt of Thy court--and will not be shining stars (Daniel 12:2).
11. These people are shining stars now. He's a shining star of California now, but I really believe, Lord, that we've done a greater work than he has. We have not built a physical temple, but we have built a temple of living souls that will be forever in Heaven!--"Lively stones built up into a spiritual house!" (1Pet.2:5). His temple will soon be gone--crushed, shaken apart probably, fallen, "in the days when the towers fall," as You said (Isa.30:25).
12. Well, Lord, continue to help Schuller to be a blessing to whoever he's reaching. We hope he's not leading too many people astray and that some people are finding You through his ministry. Help his ministry to have some real genuine fruit that he'll see in Heaven someday--we hope. That's some little pitiful handful while we'll have millions! There will be a lot of people in Heaven when we get There who are There because we just gave'm God's love!
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More on Schuller's Sermon
(Later, talking to Mama:)
13. The more I think of Schuller's sermon, the less I like it! That Crystal Cathedral is just the kind of church the Devil would love, one of the largest churches in the U.S. What an example of "I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing!"--"Thou art wretched and naked and blind and I will spew you out of My mouth!" (Rev.3:16,17). That's some scripture I got for him!
14. (Maria: It was an eye-opener to see how blatantly they come out with doctrines of devils! That kind of thing is so blatant and there's so much Word against it, that in some ways it's not as bad as the more subtle things that are not so out on the surface and that you can't see the problems with as easily. I was glad that I was here too and we both could be speaking against the lies. There was so much truth to confront the lies, so Techi had to sit up and take notice! It's such a good sample of what you've always preached against the churches. I think it's good even for our people to see how bad off those church Christians really are! It's a sample of how terrible church people, supposed Christians, can be when they reject the truth!
15. (On one hand you've got these liberal churches who have almost no acquaintance with the Lord or the Word at all and are just going through the motions, but on the other hand you have those who really are Christians and are conservative, evangelical, born-again people and do have some acquaintance with the Lord and the Word and some knowledge of it and some kind of relationship with Jesus, but don't use it to help others or live for others or live for Jesus. They just go their own way and use their relationship with the Lord strictly to benefit themselves and to make themselves feel good and to try to improve their own personal image. These are the ones that I think you've blasted the most, because they deserve the most condemnation, since they do have the Lord in their hearts but they're not being obedient children. It's a sad, sad situation! It makes you feel like the verse, "The whole world lieth in darkness," and it pretty much does! [1Jn.5:19].)
16. That sermon didn't leave you with a thing! His final appeal was: "Make your thinking big enough to make room for God!" No altar call, no actual question asking for a decision. That's the closest he came to asking for a decision, "Make room in"--not even your heart--but "make room in your thinking for God." In other words, "Try to squeeze a little of God in somehow."
17. What lies he's preaching!--Outright lies! He's obviously glorying in his building and his shows. Can you compare Schuller and his church to the Apostle Paul and his ministry? (Maria: Paul said that "all things work together for good," and that he "gloried in his afflictions that the power of Christ might rest upon him" [Rom.8:28; 2Cor.12:9].) Yes. This guy's saying it's not fair! He's certainly not "glorying in affliction!" (Maria: Paul said, "When I'm weak, then am I strong" [2Cor.12:10]. They think that when they're strong in the flesh and in material things, then they're strong.) But the Lord said, "My strength is made perfect in (your) weakness." They're really glorying in the flesh. (Maria: Yes, and didn't Paul say "that no flesh might glory"? [1Cor.1:29].) Yes. (Maria: It's a good comparison.) You can see why Schuller didn't use much scripture, because almost any scripture he would use would be contradictory to what he's saying and practicing!
18. He sure is off the track! He was not preaching Jesus at all! He had one little thing to say about Jesus, something like, "What a terrible life He had to live--suffering, crucified, dead and buried!" (Maria: He said, "That was so unfair!") He never even brought out why! It was as though he didn't even see anything good about the life of Jesus! Schuller's idea is that life was even unfair to Jesus. That would certainly be saying God was unfair to Him.
19. But we know that life is fair, and God is fair! If, like Schuller, you say life is unfair, who's going to believe you when you say, "But God is good"? The Word teaches you to see something good about everything, really, if you love the Lord. The Bible really says all things are good! When you say that "all things work together for good to them that love the Lord," you're saying that all of life is ultimately good and good for you! (Maria: It also says, "He doeth all things well" [Mk.7:37].) There are so many scriptures contrary to that sermon! No wonder he couldn't quote a scripture; there's no scripture in the Bible to support it!
20. He definitely wasn't preaching the Word, that's for sure, and he wasn't preaching Christ either! The whole thing was a fake and a phony! What's the big attraction there?--Not the truth, but the show and the buildings! (Maria: "The deceitfulness of riches!" [Mk.4:19].) Yes, exactly! They think they're rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, whereas in the eyes of God they're wretched and naked and blind! It makes Him sick at His stomach so that He'll spew them out of His mouth!
21. Well, I'm glad we finally got to see the sample and know the truth about Bob Schuller and his Crystal Cathedral! Thank God for the temple we're building in Heaven with living stones of souls that will never pass away!--Real life, millions saved! Thank You Lord!
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Maria's Talk to Techi--Trials Are a Blessing and Privilege!
(The next day:)
22. (Maria:) I know the Devil fights you a lot and you might think that's not fair! "Why do I have to keep having all these tests and trials?" But the Lord evens things out. Look how many blessings and privileges you have! Look at the Family the Lord has placed you in! You probably have more blessings than most! Maybe you have more battles too, but the Lord's fair. So it evens out! So if you think sometimes you have so many terrible battles, well, just praise the Lord for all the blessings He gives you. "To whom much hath been given, of the same shall much be required" (Luk.12:48).
23. I think the Lord's very fair, and through all these trials and tribulations He's going to give you wonderful victories! And do you know what? In the Bible there's nothing but good said about all these trials and tribulations and tests and afflictions and difficulties. That would be a good Word study for you to do sometime, to look up all those verses!
24. Bob Schuller's absolutely crazy to say that "Life isn't fair because people have all these tests and trials and afflictions and difficulties and poverty!"--Because the Bible says that all those things are for our good! In other words, the Lord is blessing you and privileging you with those things!--Not underprivileging you like he was saying. That was a really crazy sermon, wasn't it? You could quote a lot of verses, and every verse where the Lord talks about afflictions and difficulties and trials and tribulations, it's in a positive way, it's in a good way! So he was just completely cracked, deceived by riches (Mk.4:19), deluded by the Devil! He refused the truth, therefore he believed the lie! (2Th.2:10-12). Because all those things that he's saying are unfair are wonderfully fair, they're a privilege, they're a blessing to be able to have those! (Fam: "Count it all joy!") Yes, "We glory in our afflictions" (Jam.1:2; 2Cor.12:9).
25. Those trials and tribulations are wonderful! They're the things that help us and that make us what we are. Remember, all great saints have suffered, that's what made them great!--That's what made them pure, made them beautiful, made them wonderful! So the Lord's really privileging you when He gives you all these tests, trials, weaknesses and even physical afflictions. See? At least you can say yes by faith, because the Lord said it in His Word! So you're privileged to have all this.
26. So you shouldn't say, "Why me? How awful!" But you should say, "Thank You Jesus! Thank You for this, because it's making me what You want me to be! It's making me pleasing to You and it's growing me up and it's teaching me lessons and it's doing all these wonderful things for me!" They don't feel very wonderful, but we don't go by feelings, do we? We go by faith in the Word, in what the Lord says, not by how we feel! "Now no chastening (or trial or test) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: Nevertheless afterward it yielded the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby" (Heb.12:11). PTL!
(For confirmation from the Word that life is good and life is fair, see the scripture compilation which follows.)
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LIFE IS GOOD AND FAIR!
--Because God Is Good and Fair!
--From the Bible!
Jn.10:10 I am come that they (His children) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Psa.145:17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
1Chron.29:14 All things come of Thee, and of Thine Own have we given Thee.
Ezra 8:22 The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him.
Psa.23:1,6 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psa.84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Psa.85:12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.
Psa.145:15-16 The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
Psa.146:7-9 The Lord executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners: The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous: The Lord preserveth the strangers; He relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked He turneth upside down!
Isa.1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.
Zech.9:17 How great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty! Corn shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.
Mat.5:45 Your Father maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Acts 14:17 He left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
Mark 7:37 He hath done all things well.
Rom.8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.
AMEN! Life is fair and God is good!
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family