Romans 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.
DO WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD, OR IS IT JUST THE EVENTS THAT MAKE SENSE TO US?
When my brother drowned, and I was in charge, my mom blamed me for his death, did that work out for good? When I got fired from my job, and I had a very young family to support, did that work out for good? When I did an extensive landscape job, and the client chose to only pay half of it, meaning he still owed me $40K and it was Christmas time, and I wondered if I would be able to give my employees their Christmas bonus, let alone their paychecks (this has happened twice to me, and both at Christmas) did that work out for good? Or the struggles we all face in our family, at times very painful, do they work out for good?
My mom, 90, recently fell and broke her pelvis, so I have been flying to Orange County on the weekends to care for her. Is that working out for good? And when my daughter’s to-be-fiance Matt, a police officer, while helping in a traffic situation on the freeway, was struck and killed by a drunk driver, did that work out for good? He does say “all things,” and to me, all means all, like in everything. Is it true? Let me give you only one answer on how God has interceded. Parker, my son-in-law, and a great one at that, and my daughter Jessica’s firstborn is a son, Austin. He’s all boy, and we love him so much. He was born on the same day and almost to the minute that Matt was killed. Who could coordinate a birth to coincide with death? From death bring life, from tears of grief bring tears of joy; only God can, only Him! He did it with Jesus, and He does it every time we are willing to put our limitations aside and put Him in charge so that He can bring His life into us (I can hardly type right now, I can’t see through my tears). His faithfulness is undisputed in my heart.
So the expression “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD” is something that is an absolute truth. I’ve seen it and lived it. For some things, I’m still waiting to see His promise fulfilled, but I have no doubt that He’ll complete what He’s started. Most of the time, God has to completely remodel the “landscape” within our soul for us to be able to see His hand.
What He does reminds me of what we do in landscaping. We come in and basically remove everything and then start over, literally from the ground up. We enrich the existing soil with topsoil blend and till it in. God seeks to do the same via His truths. He deals with our sinful nature by giving us His truth and then brings trial and hardship so that His truth gets tilled into our souls. This process happens for the whole of our life, and if we do it in tandem (agreement) with Him, progress is seen more readily, and the trials that seek to bring righteousness to our soul have a greater purpose. The real question is, when life gets really painful, do we still believe God’s promise, or is it something that we just quote to others?
Without faith, we are no different than Israel. They wandered for forty years because they did not believe God. Yet God was clear with them. Through Moses, He told them they were GOING TO THE PROMISE LAND, therefore all the obstacles, lack of water, lack of food and facing hostile nations, etc., these were ALL obstacles to test their faith. They were going to conquer it all. However, they made the journey painful by their lack of faith and ultimately disqualified themselves because of it. They would have conquered had they believed. God said they were going to the promised land, period. We have obstacles today where we need to believe God, and there are believers today that remain immature in Christ; they are continually doubting God. Therefore they never enter into a life of peace and joy walking in harmony with God’s Spirit. By now, they should be teachers.
Hebrews 5:12-14
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, — neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as “mere” men?
Only the Lord can look at us and say, you are here spiritually, but you should be here. Only He knows us, our strengths, our weaknesses, and will always have the proper expectation. It is so easy to compare ourselves to others and either feel superior to them or be intimidated, but it is not for us to say. Our only role “Is to seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33),” and within each command is given the ability to fulfill it when our faith is added to His promise. And adding faith to His promise is not automatic. We need to go after it, “seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be open.” In Greek, it is written in the present imperative, keep seeking and keep knocking. We must take these scriptures and pray them into our lives and claim them; do battle, but its there for us to “pull them down,” from Heaven from a Father whose is wanting well-trained sons and daughters who know how to conquer and inherit the promised land, the land that exists in each of us. From the wilderness of sin and self to a land that is filled with promise because it comes under the rule of the King.
Matthew 7:11
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Therefore if we are like a “yo-yo” in seeking God, we can and should pray that the Lord makes us more hungry for Him, so we become more consistent. He will allow difficulty to arise to humble us and cause us to see our need for Him, which is a good thing. We all have our own time, and each issue (struggle) takes its own time to resolve. Our Heavenly Father mirrors the father in the parable of the prodigal He is patient. We do not know how long the prodigal was in the world, but when he came back, he was loved as if he never left. Please note there is not one word of condemnation or “finally you see your error,” nothing. The story is of a Father hugging his returned son and loving him. It is beautiful, especially for what was NOT SAID, and how the Father interceded for his son, explaining to his oldest son the reasons for his actions.
Luke 15:30-32
But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'”
So if you have wandered and are embarrassed or ashamed to return to Him know, that that is of the Devil who wishes nothing more than to keep you in a place of guilt and shame, but this is not of your Heavenly Father as you can read.
Now back to Romans, “According to His purpose?” There must be a conscious effort of less of me and more of Him in my life. By knowing His purpose to use all things ( blessings and struggles) for our sanctification (less of me and more of Him), we can join Him in the process. By yielding, seeking, and trusting Him, we can move ahead instead of fighting Him. For often, without knowing it, we live in opposition to His purpose. Some of us have issues with obedience, “my way first then maybe I’ll consider God’s way.” That’s a great way to kill or limit any blessing God would have for you. We become like the lamb that wanders from the fold and strays into dangerous territory, so much so that the Shepherd has to leave the 99 to save the one. It’s dangerous and foolish to insist on my own way when the Lord has designed us with the capacity to know Him, to know His peace, love, and joy; why would we fight that? No other creation has been given this great privilege. Let’s not be stubborn and foolish and insist on our own way. Pride needs to die.
Proverbs 18:2
A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself (focus on my wants).
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 4:5-7
Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
Hence the greatest security is found in the wisdom that God gives.
Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house (your life); and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock (Christ). And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
By this simple story, we understand the folly of building our house (our life) on anything other than Christ. The ultimate end of a life that fails to follow Christ is an utter ruin, a destruction of a life that is so beyond our imagination. Conversely, the life that follows and obeys, suffering and enduring the consequences that come with a life of faith, will be blessed beyond what can be imagined- a life rich in the abundance that the Lord has stored up for his kids. To steal a phrase, “a land (life) filled with milk and honey.”
The promised land is equivalent to a life filled with the Holy Spirit. As Peter said, “silver and gold I have not but such as I have I give onto you . In the name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk ( Acts 3:6)”.
It takes time to manifest the Spirit as such, and we must pass through many hard and difficult trials to free us from our flesh and our pride, so we can “steward” well ( Matt. 25:14-30) life in harmony with the Holy Spirit where His manifest presence and gifts are seen in and through our life.
For the promised land to become a blessing to the people of Israel and not a curse, much of the fulfillment rested on Joshua’s shoulders, a man of great courage, conviction, and faithfulness. His legacy of obedience to the Lord is hard to beat, and the same is true now. For the Spirit-filled life to be all that Christ intends it to be for us much is reliant upon our obedience, “Seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open, ask and it shall be given unto you,( Matt.6:33).” What is it that we are seeking, what is it that we are knocking to have open, and what are we asking for? What do the scriptures say? Before I quote the scripture, think of this. If you gave a nice thing to your child and that good thing got in the way of your relationship would you regret giving it? If you knew beforehand that they were not mature enough to handle the blessing, putting it before your relationship, would you give it? Of course not. So do we experience unanswered prayers because we seek to spend it on ourselves, placing it before our Heavenly Father?
James 4:3
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
Contrast that with Christ words, “Matthew 6:32-33
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.
We seek “things” because, in them, we believe we will find fulfillment and happiness. Yet without a life that seeks God’s Godliness, which is God’s way of protecting us from ourselves, helping us find true life and joy, “seeking all these things” trap us. How does a life of Godliness begin? What would you say to a new believer? The answer is as old and as tried and proven as the stories in the Old Testament. I am continually using these scriptures to bring to our awareness our need to read and meditating upon the scriptures. Without them being not just read, but ingested we will struggle needlessly. So through the frequent study of God’s Word, we line our lives up with the Lord. That way, He is able to bless us, and we can experience victory in this life. Monetary provision is only one of many of God’s blessings. To have Christ, I have more than enough. And this journey begins…
Joshua 1:8-9
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make — thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I COMMANDED thee? Be strong and of good courage. Be not fearful or dismayed, for the Lord your God goes before you.
IN ALL OF LIFE HE GOES BEFORE US, DO WE LIVE AS SUCH?
What God commands for one, He commands for all. What was true for Joshua to lead successfully is also true for me and you to live successfully. As believers, we are to conquer our sinful nature as well as be a light and an example to others. Said in another way, people who see us and get to know us, our life should be their personal invitation to know Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
If we would but commit to obedience, we would understand and experience the joy and the assurance of a life of the Spirit. A life of abundance. A life of peace, joy, provision, faith, etc. Staying connected to the Source of Life has more true abundance than the wealthiest of people. Just imagine God as your bank; you need joy, seek Him; his touch brings all the joy we need. You need strength; He’s the master of strengthening the inner man, follow His commands given to Joshua, or read Psalm 1. If we need wisdom, read Proverbs and pray for wisdom and then live according to His principles, etc. If we need finances, pray and be a good steward of what He has given you and tithe, “for He knows your needs,” and test God read Malachi 3: 6-11.
I liken therefore seeking the “Kingdom First” to an arrow directed to the bull’s eye of growing in Christ. Though there be wind and turbulence, however because of the arrow’s design (our faith), it will pass through the resistance. Therefore if you are the stronger believer in your family, continue to seek the Lord, for you are the tip of the arrow. Your family will follow though they may not be following right now, but by your example and prayers, they are being set apart and will, in time, follow. Be confident that your example and the expression of Christ through you will woo them over to Him.
1 Corinthians 7:14
For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. Otherwise, your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.
1 John 1:3-4
that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ ( this is were our strength comes from). And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
This ultimately is what the Lord wants for all of us, a communing spirit with His Holy Spirit where at a whisper, we hear, we obey, and are blessed. Blessed because we are giving access to the Spirit to mold us, change us, forgive us, and mature us into a life of faith, courage, and confidence. If perilous times come, we will be ready. Otherwise, the surprise and lack of preparedness will be on us, and what kind of foolish decisions will we make because of our lack?
The circumstances of this life, regardless of what they are, will be unable to thwart us if we see that Jesus is the Rock we run to. Just like David didn’t see Goliath’s size, instead, he saw the size of his God. We need to have the same vision and see that no matter the giant we face that our Father is always bigger. Now let’s get back to our story from our last Vida and see how Hezekiah handled this Goliath type problem.
2 Chronicles 20:20 -23
And they rose early in the morning and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets ( which represent His Word, which we now have in print) so shall ye prosper.
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of ( HIS) holiness, as they went out BEFORE the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever ( take note: this praise was a step of faith, before anything had occurred. However, it was based on the prophecy that was given, God’s Word spoken. There is power in the declared Word of God when joined with the faith of His people).
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy another.
By faith, I praise Him, acknowledging that regardless of how the situation looks right now, He is still in charge, and victory will be had. Regardless of how bad the diagnosis is, or how many bills I can’t afford to pay, none of these things moves God. He is not at all worried about it. He’s not thinking; boy Arthur got himself into a real mess this time; I’m not sure I can help him. No, faith-based praise says just the opposite, my God is Greater Still. Faith acknowledges the problem but doesn’t see the problem with carnal eyes. How many examples do we have of potential tragedy in the scriptures?
Trapped at the Red Sea, Pharaoh’s army closing in, who would have thought that God would part the waters? Quail out of nowhere to feed millions of people who were complaining. Water from a rock, no less in the middle of a desert again for people who were complaining. And then Peter who says “silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give I unto you, in the name of Jesus Christ get up and walk” and the lame man jumped up and praised the Lord! To walk in harmony with the Holy Spirit invites the best life one can have on this side of Heaven; there is no richer life!
This also is how the Jerichos in our life crumble. Do we not know that God humbles us to test our hearts? To reveal to us our need for change. Never to shame or condemn but to show us what He already knows about us and to give us the opportunity to repent and seek change. Will we complain or trust in Him? My faith is being refined as I cry out to a God who seeks my passionate attention.
Also, there is another great example from Hezekiah when facing the threat of Assyria.
2 Kings 19:14-19 Hezekiah’s Prayer
Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said: “O LORD, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O LORD our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.”
2 Kings 19:35
And that night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies.
Hezekiah doesn’t ignore the truth that Assyria has been victorious, but he acknowledges why. The gods of the other nations were not gods but the works of man’s hands. Therefore if we get a bad diagnosis, or lose our job, or experience what seems like a tragedy, don’t ignore it, acknowledge it, but ALSO acknowledge that Our God is Still Bigger, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and able to save.
As the Refiner’s work is having its way in me surrender bleeds out my old ways. I start learning to drink from the well that never runs dry….the water of the Word and of the Spirit, and my confidence grows. My inner strength grows as more of me is beginning to rest and trust in all of Him. If you note in scripture that God shows up in crisis. Think of every great miracle in the Old Testament or New; it’s in the context of a crisis. God has to show up, or we are done. Do not let suffering or hardship intimate you, but also do not let it get wasted on you. Let it drive you into the Word Of Grace and find the comfort and assurance that only Christ in a crisis can provide. It forces us to get real with Him.
Jesus once asked the disciples who do people say that I am, and then He made it personal, who do you say that I am? If I was to ask you, what would you say? Would it match what the Lord says about Himself?
Exodus 34:5-7
“And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him ( Moses) there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty;”
Or what David said…
Psalms 86:2-6
Preserve my soul; for Thou Art Holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant:
for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive;
and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
So how did you do? Did you describe the Lord as He did? Do we know the Lord like David knew the Lord? If not, do we want to? Are we willing to pay the price? So let’s be super clear here and not get into legalism. WE CANNOT CHANGE OUR HEART, NO MORE THAN WE CAN DO HEART SURGERY ON OURSELVES, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO is show up for class, listen, and be taught. Every day that we miss time in the scriptures, we miss a day that the Teacher could have brought us closer to Him. Our job is to POSITION ourselves for His workings in our life. Just like a heart surgeon cannot help us if we do not show up, so by avoiding time with the Lord, little to nothing is changed in us.
In conclusion, if you struggle with knowing how to pray, praying the Psalms to the Lord is a great way to kick start your prayer life. This Psalm is one of many that can be read back to the Lord as a prayer.
Psalms 86: 7-11
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee ( in the future), O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name (this should be our daily praise and prayer).
Father,
Thank you for your greatness and loving-kindness. Help us to press into You more, give us eyes that truly see. Thank you for this teaching.
Amen and Amen
Go in the Hope that His Grace provides,
Arthur