Hello John and welcome.
When we get to the core of the matter is not all that we are and where we all are heading not coming from The Lord as a work in progress,as you say? Rest assured,
all is of God, and the fact that we sometimes don't realize it does not take away from our Lords awesome Sovereign Love. It is an experience of evil that we all must live in order that we may be humbled and broken and ground to powder.
Ecc 1:13
I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens:it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to
humble them by it.
Mat 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
Your sexual preference is but one form of evil that all of mankind must experience.The flavors are endless it seems, but they are from the Lord.
Exo 4:11 And the LORD said unto him,
Who hath made man's mouth? or
who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind?
have not I the LORD? Does not The Lord refer to all of these evil
ailments of mankind, evil, as in 'evil spirits.' This c
ondition that we experience is all part of Gods plan and purpose. Who's will was being done here? Joseph's brothers? Or Gods.
Gen 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me;
but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day,
to save much people alive.
Again,who commands evil spirits when the time comes for
His action.
Mar 9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together,
he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit,
I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
There are certainly different
manners of evil that are being used according to Gods purpose for whatever condition the Lord sees fit.
1Ki 22:19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on
his left.
1Ki 22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and
fall at Ramothgilead? And
one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.1Ki 22:21 And there
came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said,
I will persuade him. 1Ki 22:22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and
I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he [Christ] said,
Thou shalt persuade him, and
prevail also: go forth, and do so.1Ki 22:23 Now therefore, behold,
the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
1Ki 22:24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
1Ki 22:25 And Micaiah said, Behold,
thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an
inner chamber to hide thyself.
1Ki 22:26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
1Ki 22:27 And say, Thus saith the king,
Put this fellow in the prison, and
feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.1Ki 22:28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said,
Hearken, O people, every one of you.It seems clear that the Lord works with mankind in the physical realm
through His spiritual realm for His Supreme outcome,in all things. And for what reason is there certain methods to be used? Because...
Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance,
being predestinated according to the
purpose of him who
worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will: So that...
1Co 3:13
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and
the fire shall try every man's work of
what sort it is.
What we ultimately have then is there is no free will, and as Ray teaches, cause and effect is what will humble people into giving an account of
their willful participation in evil deeds which were caused by circumstance that are beyond our control. All will be made right according to His purpose.
All Praise and Glory to The Most High...
I hope this helps some.
Peace...Mark