The Mysterious Lord God

newton3005

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Romans 8:28 says, “...for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Many times, God’s Purpose isn’t clear. Some have encountered disaster, misfortune or grief, And the victims of those may ask “Why?” And for some of those, for whom things turn out looking up in the end, they might look back and even ask “Why not?”

But the Lord is not transparent; many of His Plans are unknown until they come to pass. Many of His Plans are a work in progress, whatever they are. Whatever they are, Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever...” Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

But for those who love God, all things, whether good or evil, are orchestrated by Him, that good may come of it. Look at what happened to Joseph in Genesis. His brothers, out of jealousy, left him on the side of the road for dead, for all they cared, and they even led their father Jacob to believe that their brother was killed by a wild animal, as it infers in Genesis 37:33. If this isn’t evil, I don’t know what is. Ironically, Jacob’s children deceived him just as Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him Isaac’s blessing instead of giving it to Esau, but that’s a different story.

What Joseph’s brothers did to him and impressed on their father was surely disaster and grief. But what became of it? Turns out that wasn’t the end of all things here. For some travelers pick Joseph out of the ditch he laid in, alive and well, and they bring him to Egypt. And in Egypt he ends up prospering and is appointed to oversee the land. And under his administration, Egypt prospered in the midst of the neighboring famine, and Egypt was able to share their wheat with neighbors, including Joseph’s family, which consisted of the future Twelve Tribes of Israel, who had none.

And what did Joseph say to his brothers when they reconciled? He says in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant EVIL against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” And it was seen, in that time, the result of things working together for good under God.

The Lord says in Isaiah 14:24, “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have PURPOSED, so shall it stand...” And the key thing is, as said in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
 
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SANTOSO

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Romans 8:28 says, “...for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Many times, God’s Purpose isn’t clear. Some have encountered disaster, misfortune or grief, And the victims of those may ask “Why?” And for some of those, for whom things turn out looking up in the end, they might look back and even ask “Why not?”

But the Lord is not transparent; many of His Plans are unknown until they come to pass. Many of His Plans are a work in progress, whatever they are. Whatever they are, Deuteronomy 29:29 says “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever...” Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

But for those who love God, all things, whether good or evil, are orchestrated by Him, that good may come of it. Look at what happened to Joseph in Genesis. His brothers, out of jealousy, left him on the side of the road for dead, for all they cared, and they even led their father Jacob to believe that their brother was killed by a wild animal, as it infers in Genesis 37:33. If this isn’t evil, I don’t know what is. Ironically, Jacob’s children deceived him just as Jacob deceived his father Isaac into giving him Isaac’s blessing instead of giving it to Esau, but that’s a different story.

What Joseph’s brothers did to him and impressed on their father was surely disaster and grief. But what became of it? Turns out that wasn’t the end of all things here. For some travelers pick Joseph out of the ditch he laid in, alive and well, and they bring him to Egypt. And in Egypt he ends up prospering and is appointed to oversee the land. And under his administration, Egypt prospered in the midst of the neighboring famine, and Egypt was able to share their wheat with neighbors, including Joseph’s family, which consisted of the future Twelve Tribes of Israel, who had none.

And what did Joseph say to his brothers when they reconciled? He says in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant EVIL against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” And it was seen, in that time, the result of things working together for good under God.

The Lord says in Isaiah 14:24, “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have PURPOSED, so shall it stand...” And the key thing is, as said in Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Dear one,
Are you concerned for those who grief ? How do all things work together for good for those who love God and called to His purpose? Are God’s purpose clear ? Will His purpose remain a mystery?

This is what we have heard:
MAKING KNOWN TO US the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ -Ephesians 1:9
as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. -Ephesians 1:10

So here, we understand from what apostle Paul have said that God is willing to make known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose; that is His purpose set forth in Christ or in union with Christ.

Likewise, God is willing to make known to His plan. This is how we can understand. Being read in this manner :
MAKING KNOWN TO US the mystery of His will, as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth.

For us, who grief — this is the grace that we have heard:
For since we BELIEVE that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. -1 Thessalonians 4:14
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.- 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

The grace of God is this :
God through our Lord Jesus Christ will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.

This is our assurance that God work for good for us who live and those who have fallen asleep — who love Him according to His purpose.

What is His purpose? This is set forth in Christ; that part of His plan in the fullness of time to unite all those who have fallen asleep and those who are still alive at His coming to be united in Christ Jesus.

For this is what we have heard:
Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved His appearing. -2 Timothy 4:8

Beside the crown of righteousness, our Lord’s appearing bring us to meet those who have fallen asleep who love us and inasmuch we also love them.
 
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SANTOSO

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Dear one,
you may ask how about those who encountered disaster. How do our Lord work for good for them who love Him and called according to His purpose? This is the grace of God that we heard :

1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.- 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10

This is what God has prepared for, also for those who encounter disaster who loved Him and called according to His purpose ; that they have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For they are further clothed. God has given them His Spirit as a guarantee.

Likewise, this is what we have heard about the grace of God :
So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. -1 Corinthians 15:42
It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.
It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
-1 Corinthians 15:43
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. -1 Corinthians 15:44
Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. -1 Corinthians 15:45

The last Adam is our Lord Jesus Christ who became a life-giving spirit to those who encountered disaster who loved Him and called according to His purpose — what is raised is the imperishable, glory, power — they are raised with spiritual bodies.
 
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