“For
You formed my inward parts. You covered me in my
mother’s womb. I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Marvelous are Your works … that my soul knows very
well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made
in secret, and skillfully wrought in
the lowest parts of the earth, Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How
precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great
is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psalms 139:12-18)
Sadly, many people refer to calamities as acts of God. Others say that personal tragedies follow along the same line. This line of thinking convinces believers and non-believers alike that bad things can happen because ‘it must be God’s will.” The argument is evidenced with comments like “seeing that God knows all things and didn’t prevent the tragedy from occurring, He must know best.”
I say hogwash! There is absolutely no scriptural basis for this type of thinking. in the New Testament. Indeed, this is a FALSE teaching that has been allowed to fester among the religious community without anyone stating that this teaching is wrong. So, if you haven’t heard this before, please let me be first to proclaim that this teaching is false.
How can I say this? Because our Lord God and Saviour wants only the very best for His people, and He proved His love when He paid the price once and for all on the cross. “No greater love hath no man than this – that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Ephesians 1:11 confirms God’s absolute and never ending love for His people. This verse states:
“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things after the counsel of His own will.”
In whom we have obtained an inheritance.
In whom we have eternal life.
In whom we no longer have condemnation, freed from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2-4)
In whom we have righteousness -- "the righteous requirement of the law that might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:4)
In whom we can experience love, joy and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)
In whom we have life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)
Because we seek Jesus and His righteousness, we ARE the children of God. (Romans 8:14)
In whom we have eternal life.
In whom we no longer have condemnation, freed from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2-4)
In whom we have righteousness -- "the righteous requirement of the law that might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Romans 8:4)
In whom we can experience love, joy and peace. (Romans 8:5-6)
In whom we have life because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10)
Because we seek Jesus and His righteousness, we ARE the children of God. (Romans 8:14)
"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again, rather the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.
And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. (Romans 8:14-17)
The new covenant scriptures radiate hope. This same Word reveals that as believers we are no longer dictated by the constructs of the old covenant (or old testament) “wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster.” (Galatians 3:24-25)
This shows that in Jesus, we have obtained an inheritance because our Saviour willingly endured the cross. No longer is the focus on our transgressions. Rather, God has chosen us to become His sons and daughters because He saw our hearts. Not because of our good works because they are as filthy rags. The Bible states that we have all fallen short of the glory of God -- yes -- but not so that we would remain downtrodden in our transgressions.
The Lord said: “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron [so] I can give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou may know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:1-3)
Our God is so good that He hath surnamed us, even before we knew Him. (Isaiah 45:4)Moreover, the Lord saith, “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8)
This is why -- by adoption -- we have obtained an inheritance that we didn’t deserve. There was nothing we could do. Only He that knew no sin could become sin for you and I. And as a consequence, our Lord God and Saviour has a plan for each of our lives. In this dispensation of grace, He wants only the best for us. Yes, there are bad things that happen on earth that we don’t understand.
And by Him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs -- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. (Romans 8:14-17)
The new covenant scriptures radiate hope. This same Word reveals that as believers we are no longer dictated by the constructs of the old covenant (or old testament) “wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster.” (Galatians 3:24-25)
This shows that in Jesus, we have obtained an inheritance because our Saviour willingly endured the cross. No longer is the focus on our transgressions. Rather, God has chosen us to become His sons and daughters because He saw our hearts. Not because of our good works because they are as filthy rags. The Bible states that we have all fallen short of the glory of God -- yes -- but not so that we would remain downtrodden in our transgressions.
The Lord said: “I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight. I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron [so] I can give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou may know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:1-3)
Our God is so good that He hath surnamed us, even before we knew Him. (Isaiah 45:4)Moreover, the Lord saith, “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8)
This is why -- by adoption -- we have obtained an inheritance that we didn’t deserve. There was nothing we could do. Only He that knew no sin could become sin for you and I. And as a consequence, our Lord God and Saviour has a plan for each of our lives. In this dispensation of grace, He wants only the best for us. Yes, there are bad things that happen on earth that we don’t understand.
But it isn’t God who is causing these
tragedies. In the beginning men and women were given authority over the earth, and in the
years since, we have made a mockery of His creation.
Still, things happen that
we don’t understand, and perhaps, the only way we are ever going to get an
answer for these is when we die. I don’t have those answers and I cannot even begin to fathom where any
good comes from any of these things. But I do know that the Lord is not the
author of calamity this side of the cross.
Jesus never fails and this is why in this dispensation of grace, we as believers in Jesus have obtained His favour. We can trust His promises of peace and joy because of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. This is why I trust my Lord God and Saviour. It is He that sets the parameters of my life. It is He that is the Author – the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Me?
I am such a miniscule part of a book that is still in progress. But I know He loves me. I know His love is enough to carry me through any trial or tribulation that comes my way. I know that even in my deepest hour, I can turn to Jesus and He will guide me in spirit and in truth.
I Corinthians 8:5-6 (KJV) offers a refreshing explanation: “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.”
Jesus never fails and this is why in this dispensation of grace, we as believers in Jesus have obtained His favour. We can trust His promises of peace and joy because of His ultimate sacrifice on the cross. This is why I trust my Lord God and Saviour. It is He that sets the parameters of my life. It is He that is the Author – the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Me?
I am such a miniscule part of a book that is still in progress. But I know He loves me. I know His love is enough to carry me through any trial or tribulation that comes my way. I know that even in my deepest hour, I can turn to Jesus and He will guide me in spirit and in truth.
I Corinthians 8:5-6 (KJV) offers a refreshing explanation: “For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.”
The Bible tells us that
God works ALL things after the counsel of His own will. (Ephesians 1:11) There is only one God through whom ALL things came and that
it is through Him that we have obtained our inheritance. Therefore, God knows our heart’s desire
because He made all things. He made you and I according to the purpose of Him who
works all things after the counsel of His own will.
I cannot tell you why
unexplained things happen in our lives, but He can. I cannot tell you if (or when) the pain will stop
hurting, but I know that He can heal you from all hurts. I also cannot tell you that you will never feel
this way again because, well, I can’t. What I can tell you to do is to take
heart knowing that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to
them who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Most of all, I can tell
you from my own personal journey God is able to make good things happen even
when calamity occurs in this fallen, sinful world. His will for you and I is always
good. He only wants good things for His children. Therefore, trust Him with all
your heart because His purposes for our life and His plans go far beyond what
our minds could ever comprehend.
“For I the LORD thy God will hold
thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” (Isaiah 41:13)
Read the rest of Romans 8 when you have a moment. Stand in the offering plate.
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