Why do we not live in a perfect world?  Everyone has their personal views on what would be the ideal life.  Our ideals are not being met but we desire to see them fulfilled.  There is no ‘Fountain of Youth,’ but everyone would like to live forever in the vigor of youth.  All desire to see abundant love among all men, and yet selfish behavior is the dominant force in man's relationships whether of family, friends or marriage because of the selfish conditions placed on them.  And everyone desires to live in a world with universal peace, but utopian life does not exist on Earth with the unceasing cruelty we see and hear about every day. 

            There are several reasons why utopia remains far from our reach.  But the leading reason is due to the cruel ambition we see throughout our society.  The heart’s call to moral integrity is denied through the immorality permitted and even encouraged within governments, businesses, religions, medicine and science.  There is no station in life that has not been infected by the insatiable lust of ambition.  The result is that the philosophy today allows the sacrifice of innocent life on the altar of ambition.  And while hiding behind a façade of care and security this immoral behavior is viewed as an acceptable means of upholding day-to-day living.  But if moral standards in courteous behavior were honored, every man, woman and child could live in an environment of true justice, mercy and love; and thus most of society’s problems would disappear.

1. Why has GOD allowed hardship in nature?

Genesis 3:17  And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground _____  ______  _________; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.

         Unless GOD allowed a degree of hardship to exist none would see the dangers or results from sin.  GOD has paved the way for His children to walk in which our safety is dependent.  But when we stray from GOD’S way, He has placed obstacles in our path urging us to return to the safe path that GOD has charted for our salvation from sin’s dominion.

2. What was the moral consequence of Adam’s decision to

     sin against GOD?

Genesis 8:21  And the LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for _____  _________________ of man’s heart ____  _______ from his youth; neither will I smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

            After the flood of Noah’s day the LORD stated the basic character of mankind.  It is this sinful character inherent in all men that prevents any real reforms in our society that could reverse the tide of man’s destructive ways.

3. Who is responsible for all sin, war and destruction

     causing every heartache, toil and death?

Revelation 12:12  Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. _____  ____  _____  ______________  ____  _____  ________ and of the sea! for _____  ________  ____  _______ down unto you, _________  _________  _________, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

            The source of every crime against humanity and life in general can only be explained by the presence of Satan and his angels who exist in a physical dimension outside of our own.  They rely on this hidden dimension to blind our discernment and afflict us with temptations that lead to both self-destruction and harm to others.

4. What is man’s only source of deliverance from sin?

Psalm 107:18-20  Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.  _______  _______  _____  _______  ______  _______  ____  ______  ____________, and _____  _________  _______ out of the their distresses. He sent His word, and healed them, and ____________ them from their destructions.  

Psalms 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; _______  ____  __________  __________  _____  ___________.

            GOD’S Word assures our success when we take to heart it’s wisdom, as it is written, “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail. Isa.34:16.

5. Is there any way to lessen the hardships of life?

Deuteronomy 7:12-15  Wherefore it shall come to pass, ____  _____  _____________ to these judgments [GOD'S counsel], and _______, and ____ them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers: And He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which He sware unto thy fathers to give thee. [v.14] Thou shalt be _________  ________  _____  ___________: there ______  _____  ____ male or female ______________ among you, or among your cattle. [v.15] And the LORD will _______  ________ from thee _____ sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee [inspiring their actions, even through jealousy, to follow the counsel providing good health].” 

         Bible Guidelines have been set forth describing every safe path: everything from diet to morality: even making apparent the result of those actions in how they affect our relationship with GOD, with one another, and with the life on our planet.

6. What are these “judgments” that we are admonished by

     GOD to keep for our mutual welfare?

Ecclesiastes 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: _______  ______  ______  _______  ______  __________________: for this is the whole duty of man.

Revelation 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and ______  _________  _____  _____________.  

         The principle is very simple: if the world's population cherished the Ten Commandments of GOD there would be no crime or wars or locks on doors.  Prisons would be turned into gardens and every weapon of war dismantled.  GOD’S Law also provides boundaries of jurisdiction where He has the legal right to protect and hold back Satan’s works of destruction.  Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 declare that any nation who comes under the umbrella of GOD’S jurisdiction will be exempt from all natural disasters, famine, war and disease.  But to stand outside of those boundaries GOD is legally helpless to intervene, for He cannot be an accomplice to the choices of men that foster sin, and thus make GOD a contributor to their harm.  His Holy Law forbids anything that obstructs His work of saving man from sin’s dominion. 

         GOD’S Word teaches that if men honored His laws preserving the security of life, established kingdoms and nations would never have fallen.  We have been given a sense of right and wrong to appreciate the morality that insures justice, mercy and love.  Each of these virtues stems from the foundation of GOD'S Holy Law.  The manner in which we educate our sensibilities determines our level of achievement in both our understanding and good deeds toward our fellow man.

7. What verses of the Bible teach that godliness in a nation

     determines its preservation or its destruction?

Proverbs 14:34  Righteousness exalteth a nation: but ______  _____  ____  ______________ to any people.

Proverbs 20:28  _________  _____  _________  ______________  _____  ________: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

Jeremiah 12:17  But ____  ________  ______  ______  _________, I will __________  __________ up and ___________ that nation, saith the LORD.

Matthew 12:25  And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, ________  ___________  _________  ________  _______  ___  ___________  ____  _____________; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.

8. Does GOD mourn when the chosen path of His children

     works against their own safety and even salvation itself?

Genesis 6:5,6  And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that He had made man on the earth, and _____  ____________  ______  _____  ______  __________.

Lamentations 3:33 For ______  ________  ______  ____________  ________________ nor grieve the children of men.  

Ezekiel 18:32  ______  ____  ________  _____  ______________  ____  ______  _________  ____  ______  _______  _________, saith the LORD God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

 9. What assurance is there that life’s injustices will one day

      be done away and replaced with one that meets our

      fondest hope to live in utopian happiness?

Revelation 21:4,5  And God shall wipe away _____  _________ from their eyes; and there shall be ____  _______  _________, neither ____________, nor ______________; neither shall there be any more __________: for the former things _____  _________  ________.  [v.5] And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold,  ____  _________  ______  ___________  _______. And He said unto me, Write: for _______  ___________  ______  ________  ______  _____________.

Isaiah 35:10  And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion _______  ________  ______  _________________  ______ upon their heads: _______  _______  ___________  ______  _____  ______________, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.