Hi Christoggers!
Did you ever wonder why the Israelites had to pass through the Red Sea on the sea bed? If God could part the Red Sea for them, he could very well have built a bridge over the sea, allowing them to simply walk over. Immediately after this, the Lord could have simply demolished the bridge in order to prevent the Egyptians from getting across - easy, peasy, lemon squeezy! If only life were that simple!
I have often heard that what God allows or permits to happen in our lives, he has a purpose for. This means he uses our situations, good or bad, to our advantage in the end. That said, there is a distinction between what he allows and what he 'makes happen'. What God allows is what he does not stop from taking place. An example of this is a person who decides to jump down from a 50-storey building, just for the fun of it. God will not stop or prevent it because he has given us a free will that allows us have complete authority in our decision-making. Simply put, God has allowed this. If this death-daring jumper gets hurt, (even with safety nets etc. in place), we cannot ask, "Where was God? Why did he allow this person to get hurt?" The answer to the first part of the question is that God was watching from above as we were probably watching from below :). In answering the second part, I would suggest that God allowed it because he could not stop or over-rule the person's decision to jump. As a result, God could not stop him getting hurt. In conclusion, God did not 'make this happen'.
Now, since God has permitted this, (and it could very well be something not so dramatic as the example given but one as simple as going on a journey), the question would be the purpose of it. What could very well be the purpose of allowing a person to take such a dangerous jump or to go on a journey that resulted in an accident or the Israelites having to pass through the Red Sea on the sea bed? You could very well ask what God's purpose is in you taking seven days and not just one day to recover from a cold or being without a job for a year and not just a month. There are many more examples I could give and I'm sure you could to.
The best example would be the story of Job. The devil wanted to prove that the only reason Job was faithful to God was because he was 'living the good life' which God gave him. (We have experienced this as well, haven't we? When all is well with us, we could sing and dance all day long, praising the Lord.) Then, the situation got worse; the attack on Job was not only emotional but now physical. He felt the pain of his sores every minute of the day! God had allowed this and the question of Job's trust in God was now in question. How could he still trust in God while suffering from this affliction? "What", we may very well ask, "...is the purpose of his torture?" The answer is quite simple. It is the same answer to our questions when we too become 'afflicted'. Our faith, our trust or better said, our HOLD on the word of God is exactly what is being tested.
When situations go from bad to worse, do we still hold on to the Word or do we reach out for something else? Do we lean on the Word or do we become lean in the Word? What does it take to say what Job said (Job 13:15; Spirit-filled Bible):
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him...
How on earth could Job go through such an experience and still hold on to God? The answer is three-fold. Firstly, God was with him! Secondly, God's word was in him. Thirdly, Job held on to the Word. Despite his complaints, he held on to the fact that God was just and faithful.
The book of Isaiah pre-prepares us in chapter 43:1-4 for trials and tests and begins by telling us not to be afraid. (The enemy within, Mr. Fear, has a part in this again! See last week's article: Wednesday, 4 January 2012). Verse 2 starts by stating: When you go through... When, not if!
WHEN you go through deep waters and great trouble, I WILL be with you.
'When' already tells us that we WILL be going through. God will allow us to go through - not just waters but deep waters, not just trouble but great trouble. Not so comforting, I know but there is a catch: "HE WILL BE WITH YOU". Verse 2 continues:
...WHEN you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! WHEN you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (New Believer's Bible)
Firstly, how does anyone walk through fire? You would RUN through and not walk. Secondly, how could you not be burned up and thirdly, if you walked through, how could you not be consumed? The reason you can do all these is the same reason Job was able to endure all he did without committing suicide - God with you, God in you and a very firm hold on God. God knows you'll have to go through but with him as your shepherd guiding you through these deathly valleys, you are much safer than the 50-storey death-daring jumper with the fire brigade's safety nets beneath him! What you need in those deep waters and rivers of difficulty are the same things you need to protect you from the fire of oppression. Psalm 91:4 has the answer:
...His faithful promises are your armour and protection. (New Believer's Bible)
God being with you is one thing but without his word in you, he can't do much. He can only respond to what you have in your 'Word' account and how much you believe it. God's promises in Isaiah 43:1-4 for example, are your armour and protection, IF you hold on to them! God uses all that he allows you to go through to build you up. Even if the experience is a bad one, he'll make sure you come out positively (See article: Wednesday, 2 November 2011).
Go through all you need to go through, bearing in mind, that with each experience, there is a lesson to be learnt. Do remember that, for each lesson, you take a step nearer to being transformed into the complete person God needs you to be - a vessel of honour unto him. Jesus came through for you to ensure your victory; you need to go through to claim your victory. Till next week, keep walking in Christ.
Yorz-in-Christ,
Lahyorz
P.S. If this article has blessed you, share it with someone by e-mail, facebook, Twitter, Messenger or SMS. Would love to hear from you so, do leave a comment.
Did you ever wonder why the Israelites had to pass through the Red Sea on the sea bed? If God could part the Red Sea for them, he could very well have built a bridge over the sea, allowing them to simply walk over. Immediately after this, the Lord could have simply demolished the bridge in order to prevent the Egyptians from getting across - easy, peasy, lemon squeezy! If only life were that simple!
I have often heard that what God allows or permits to happen in our lives, he has a purpose for. This means he uses our situations, good or bad, to our advantage in the end. That said, there is a distinction between what he allows and what he 'makes happen'. What God allows is what he does not stop from taking place. An example of this is a person who decides to jump down from a 50-storey building, just for the fun of it. God will not stop or prevent it because he has given us a free will that allows us have complete authority in our decision-making. Simply put, God has allowed this. If this death-daring jumper gets hurt, (even with safety nets etc. in place), we cannot ask, "Where was God? Why did he allow this person to get hurt?" The answer to the first part of the question is that God was watching from above as we were probably watching from below :). In answering the second part, I would suggest that God allowed it because he could not stop or over-rule the person's decision to jump. As a result, God could not stop him getting hurt. In conclusion, God did not 'make this happen'.
Now, since God has permitted this, (and it could very well be something not so dramatic as the example given but one as simple as going on a journey), the question would be the purpose of it. What could very well be the purpose of allowing a person to take such a dangerous jump or to go on a journey that resulted in an accident or the Israelites having to pass through the Red Sea on the sea bed? You could very well ask what God's purpose is in you taking seven days and not just one day to recover from a cold or being without a job for a year and not just a month. There are many more examples I could give and I'm sure you could to.
The best example would be the story of Job. The devil wanted to prove that the only reason Job was faithful to God was because he was 'living the good life' which God gave him. (We have experienced this as well, haven't we? When all is well with us, we could sing and dance all day long, praising the Lord.) Then, the situation got worse; the attack on Job was not only emotional but now physical. He felt the pain of his sores every minute of the day! God had allowed this and the question of Job's trust in God was now in question. How could he still trust in God while suffering from this affliction? "What", we may very well ask, "...is the purpose of his torture?" The answer is quite simple. It is the same answer to our questions when we too become 'afflicted'. Our faith, our trust or better said, our HOLD on the word of God is exactly what is being tested.
When situations go from bad to worse, do we still hold on to the Word or do we reach out for something else? Do we lean on the Word or do we become lean in the Word? What does it take to say what Job said (Job 13:15; Spirit-filled Bible):
How on earth could Job go through such an experience and still hold on to God? The answer is three-fold. Firstly, God was with him! Secondly, God's word was in him. Thirdly, Job held on to the Word. Despite his complaints, he held on to the fact that God was just and faithful.
The book of Isaiah pre-prepares us in chapter 43:1-4 for trials and tests and begins by telling us not to be afraid. (The enemy within, Mr. Fear, has a part in this again! See last week's article: Wednesday, 4 January 2012). Verse 2 starts by stating: When you go through... When, not if!
WHEN you go through deep waters and great trouble, I WILL be with you.
'When' already tells us that we WILL be going through. God will allow us to go through - not just waters but deep waters, not just trouble but great trouble. Not so comforting, I know but there is a catch: "HE WILL BE WITH YOU". Verse 2 continues:
...WHEN you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! WHEN you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (New Believer's Bible)
Firstly, how does anyone walk through fire? You would RUN through and not walk. Secondly, how could you not be burned up and thirdly, if you walked through, how could you not be consumed? The reason you can do all these is the same reason Job was able to endure all he did without committing suicide - God with you, God in you and a very firm hold on God. God knows you'll have to go through but with him as your shepherd guiding you through these deathly valleys, you are much safer than the 50-storey death-daring jumper with the fire brigade's safety nets beneath him! What you need in those deep waters and rivers of difficulty are the same things you need to protect you from the fire of oppression. Psalm 91:4 has the answer:
...His faithful promises are your armour and protection. (New Believer's Bible)
God being with you is one thing but without his word in you, he can't do much. He can only respond to what you have in your 'Word' account and how much you believe it. God's promises in Isaiah 43:1-4 for example, are your armour and protection, IF you hold on to them! God uses all that he allows you to go through to build you up. Even if the experience is a bad one, he'll make sure you come out positively (See article: Wednesday, 2 November 2011).
Go through all you need to go through, bearing in mind, that with each experience, there is a lesson to be learnt. Do remember that, for each lesson, you take a step nearer to being transformed into the complete person God needs you to be - a vessel of honour unto him. Jesus came through for you to ensure your victory; you need to go through to claim your victory. Till next week, keep walking in Christ.
Yorz-in-Christ,
Lahyorz
P.S. If this article has blessed you, share it with someone by e-mail, facebook, Twitter, Messenger or SMS. Would love to hear from you so, do leave a comment.
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