God is the master of all things and in control of all things. God is Sovereign. God is also a jealous God. "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." Deuteronomy 4:24. God hates it when we think we are stable in our own strength. God hates it when we put other things above Him.
God is so jealous for our attention He says, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:5-7 )
Also God did say He was a Consuming Fire. God will consume, in many ways. He consumes things and destroys things in our lives that separate us from Him. God is not safe! But He is good! God is Just and Righteous! So, what does this mean for us? It means if we do not turn from our evil wicked ways God will also consume us in the same way He consumes sin. He will burn us up! For God does not only hate sin but He hates the sinner. "The LORD tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence." (Psalm 11:5)
But if we fall to our knees, not just figuratively, but literally fall to our knees and plead to Him; God will consume us with His Holy Fire. His Holy Fire of LOVE!
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the daylong;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God IN Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31-39)
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. (Romans 8:28-30 ESV)
There it is, "we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28) God is the master of all things and in control of all things. God is Sovereign. He works ALL things, ALL THINGS together for GOOD! He does not just casually work some things together or only the good things but ALL THINGS! Even the bad things in our life, He works all things for GOOD!
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25-34 ESV)
So we must fall on our knees FOR REAL! Cry out to God and confess that we are sinners. We must "Trust in the LORD with all our heart, and do not lean on our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6) We must trust Jesus 100%!
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah (Psalm 46:10-11 ESV)
You say, “Amen” or “Hallelujah” or “That’s right!” But our response to God when He separates us from our friends, family, and loved ones is typically like this: Doesn't He see how hard that is?! How frustrating!! Doesn't He know that hurts?!?
What have you done to deserve any of that?? How good and righteous are you to have any of that in the first place? People in the New Testament tried that with Jesus..
As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:57-62 ESV)
You have to ask yourself this question everyday "Why did God allow you to wake up this morning and give you breathe? Why didn't God kill me last night in my sleep because of my sin? He has every right to do it! NOTHING is stopping Him from doing that except His Grace and Mercy on you. He can kill you right now because of your sin and be perfectly good and just and righteous in doing so. LET ALONE let you have the friends and family you have/had.
If I am not wrong was it not GOD who gave His ONE and ONLY SON to DIE on a cross after being tortured and beaten for dead worms like us who hate Him and are enemies of Him and are Hostile to Him?
“When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.”
No comments:
Post a Comment