May 31, 2019 THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Really? In everything give thanks? If we do not know the heart of God for us; if we do not know in our innermost being His love for us; and if we do know His purposes for us as believers, then this verse makes no sense. Let us start by accepting the fact that it is God’s will for us to give thanks in all things; let us stop debating and questioning, or trying to explain this verse away. There are two factors that we must have as a bedrock of what we believe concerning the work of God in us and the world around us. First, is to know that God created Adam and Eve for fellowship with each other and with Him, and He was very pleased with them and all of His creation. However, and no surprise to God, Lucifer (Satan) rebelled against God in heaven and was cast down to Earth-you know the story-He tempted Adam and Eve and they sinned against God. When sin entered the world, everything changed-for the worst-it even affected nature. God was not caught off guard when Adam and Eve sinned-He already had a plan, and that plan was His Son coming as a man and bearing the sin of man, giving His life as the perfect sacrifice. Here’s the point we must not overlook: Even though man can be saved and transformed through the work of Jesus, the earth is still suffering as a result of sin entering the world; there is still suffering, sickness, wars, and the like in the earth. In God’s timing, the earth and all of creation will be transformed and will be a beautiful place once again. The second factor we must not forget is that in the meantime, while we live in a fallen world, there is purpose being unfolded. As believers, we have been transformed, BUT the transformation is not yet complete. It is in the midst of all of our troubles and trials that we learn how to be overcomers-and that is God’s desire for us. Just as Jesus overcame the world, so must we. I’m sure it breaks God’s heart to see a fallen creation and it grieves Him to see His children living it a fallen world-BUT, He knows that that is a part of our transformation process. No one likes the sickness, the brokenness, the strife, the tragedy that is a part of life; yet, in the midst of all of this, we can know God’s presence, His peace, His power, and we can know that we do not have to be defeated by the world, but can learn how to be overcomers in this present world. Satan is indeed behind all the strife in the world, HOWEVER, he can do only what God allows him to do. Someone rightly said that Satan is a tool in the hands of God. It is the very heart of God that we overcome all of the schemes of Satan-that brings glory to God and it lets us know the power of God at work in us. So, let us understand why the world is like it is and let us know that God is at work even in the midst of trials.
1 John 5:4 “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
1 Peter 1:6 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.
Blessings,
Buddy
1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
Really? In everything give thanks? If we do not know the heart of God for us; if we do not know in our innermost being His love for us; and if we do know His purposes for us as believers, then this verse makes no sense. Let us start by accepting the fact that it is God’s will for us to give thanks in all things; let us stop debating and questioning, or trying to explain this verse away. There are two factors that we must have as a bedrock of what we believe concerning the work of God in us and the world around us. First, is to know that God created Adam and Eve for fellowship with each other and with Him, and He was very pleased with them and all of His creation. However, and no surprise to God, Lucifer (Satan) rebelled against God in heaven and was cast down to Earth-you know the story-He tempted Adam and Eve and they sinned against God. When sin entered the world, everything changed-for the worst-it even affected nature. God was not caught off guard when Adam and Eve sinned-He already had a plan, and that plan was His Son coming as a man and bearing the sin of man, giving His life as the perfect sacrifice. Here’s the point we must not overlook: Even though man can be saved and transformed through the work of Jesus, the earth is still suffering as a result of sin entering the world; there is still suffering, sickness, wars, and the like in the earth. In God’s timing, the earth and all of creation will be transformed and will be a beautiful place once again. The second factor we must not forget is that in the meantime, while we live in a fallen world, there is purpose being unfolded. As believers, we have been transformed, BUT the transformation is not yet complete. It is in the midst of all of our troubles and trials that we learn how to be overcomers-and that is God’s desire for us. Just as Jesus overcame the world, so must we. I’m sure it breaks God’s heart to see a fallen creation and it grieves Him to see His children living it a fallen world-BUT, He knows that that is a part of our transformation process. No one likes the sickness, the brokenness, the strife, the tragedy that is a part of life; yet, in the midst of all of this, we can know God’s presence, His peace, His power, and we can know that we do not have to be defeated by the world, but can learn how to be overcomers in this present world. Satan is indeed behind all the strife in the world, HOWEVER, he can do only what God allows him to do. Someone rightly said that Satan is a tool in the hands of God. It is the very heart of God that we overcome all of the schemes of Satan-that brings glory to God and it lets us know the power of God at work in us. So, let us understand why the world is like it is and let us know that God is at work even in the midst of trials.
1 John 5:4 “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”
1 Peter 1:6 “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials.
Blessings,
Buddy
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