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God's Blueprint
hillsbororiver:
There have been many things going on with me recently, I posted about the anxiety involved in this company downsizing and the effect it has had on some folks I care very much about. There have also been some personal trials involving family that I am sure are beneficial lessons for all involved but I just don't see them yet, I am sure the Lord will reveal them in His good time.
Yesterday I had some quiet time to sit in the backyard watching the river flow by and the birds go about their business as well as catch up on a little reading. I was struck by a statement in an article about a severely handicapped man who raised his son as a single parent, it was an incredible story about overcoming and not wallowing in self pity, it underlined to me the plan and purpose for our experience here on earth and how God is using our brief time here to prepare us for the unimaginably wonderful life that is our ultimate inheritence.
Here is the quote;
"Let him grow intimate with weakness so the strength he gains won't be hollow."
It made me think about how so often it is said (or felt) that God could have created us perfect Sons and Daughters from the very beginning without the pain and suffering this earthy experience can and does provide.
God saw fit that His children will really know and appreciate the goodness and love that is Him by seeing firsthand how disobediance and serving oneself leads to misery and unfulfilment, once He is finished creating us in His image we will not be shallow even spoiled children only knowing good experiences but we will thoroughly know without a doubt how truly perfect His plan really is/was/will be once we contrast it with the selfishness which is sin.
His Peace and Wisdom to you,
Joe
Kat:
Hi Joe,
This life can really throw us some hard stuff. I hope things are beginning to be worked out in your situation. Your post reminded me of a part of the Nashville conference, I thought I would post that part here.
posts 5-6 (audio 08) 'IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS.'
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,4472.0.html ---------
So this is the best that God can do , but it’s not pretty and it’s not fancy and it’s not always happy. It’s painful and sad and much of our lives are misery, you know, laughing on the outside and crying on the inside. It’s not always happy happy happy, but it’s necessary. Is it right, that God should put us through something like that?
We have no say about it, we didn’t ask to be born and we didn’t ask to get lung cancer or whatever. We didn’t ask for this, God puts us through it. Is it fair for Him to do that? Why is it fair? Well there is something good in store. But is it necessary that we would have to go through all of this bad first? It’s true, you have to have the contrast.
He sent Jesus Christ to go through the same stuff we go through and that’s why I wanted to bring these out today. Because most of you never knew that. Jesus Christ lived a pretty painful life. Paul lived a pretty painful life, he said I learned to be content in all things. God put His Son through what we have to go through, because He loves us! He didn’t have to.
God wants creatures, He wants children, He wants sons and daughters. He has a desire to have something like Himself. But for us to be like Him, we have to go through some pretty tough stuff. So He sent His Son as an example, as how you can go through it and never get angry or upset with God. And to never turn against your fellowman, because of what you have to go through. He lived a perfect life, of the perfect man, sick and diseased, in pain and He lived it perfectly. But God was living in Him, the Father was going through it just as much as He was, you see.
Christ had to die, it said He had to die for our sins. That’s true, that’s the scripture, Christ died for our sin. But then we have a scripture here that doesn’t mention sin.
John 3:16 "For God so(thus) loved the world,”
Thus or in the manner, a lot of people think it’s saying He loved us so much, but that is not what this is saying. What this is saying is God loved us, in this way. This is the manner and way in which He loved us. In this way He loved the world.
“…that He gave His only begotten Son,”
Ok, He died, they killed Him on the cross, He died.
“…that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Of course the Bible is written so man don’t understand it. That’s why some of these things are put in there, “that who-so-ever believes.” God knows and now we know, everybody is going to believe. So the ‘who-so-ever’ is going to be everybody, ok.
But He gave His Son, now here’s the point I want to make and that is this, why did Christ have to die? Why? Why did the Father sacrifice His Son? Why did He have to do that? HE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT! He didn’t have to do anything, HE’S GOD! Why did He?
Because whether you recognize it now or later in life or those in the resurrection to judgment or for the rest of eternity, we are going to know it for sure. That God died for us for no other reason than to show us that HE LOVES US! He did not have to die. He said, I will do it to show them. How can I show them that what I am putting them through has real value? What can I do? I can promise them the world, I can give them mansions and youth and joyful life. I have all that to give, but they will say, you are only giving out of your abundance, of what you have. What can I really do, that you will know that I really love you? And God said, I will DIE!
But God can’t die, He’s eternal, He has immortality, deathlessness. If you have immortality you can’t die.
So He made a Son. He made Him great. And to show us how great He was, He said, let Me show you what I can do when I make a Son. Ok, Create the universe first, now become a man, and now die.
Then they will know We love them.
Then they will know.
-----------------------------------------------------
mercy, peace and love
Kat
Deborah-Leigh:
I think our Lord sent you that message to encourage you Joe. Just think how that artical began in His eyes. He knows the beginning from the end and knew you would read it at the time you read it and be caused to see that quotation He knew you would post here in the Forum for us!
You are not alone in your suffering.
What strikes me about my sufferings is that others appear to have far worse trials and agonies that they endure compared to mine sometimes. I liken soul pain with gout. It is unrelenting and does not go away. Yet my cross is light and easy to bare by comparison yet it feels like I am yelling the loudest in my soul against the goads. It brings home the fact that I shouldn't be so feeble and that the error is that I do not recognise my blessings enough, I give up too easily, I desire death too readily (not in a suicidal way but in a rest in peace sence :) ) and that my trust of God and His perfect way is something to be corrected and repented. I feel like a real wimp and know I should not have my sense of peace so anchored to my circumstances.
Knowing that we are blessed – regardless of what the circumstances may be……our circumstances are not the blessing but our condition in the circumstances is. If we yield that is good. If we fear not, that is good. If we give up...is that good?
The other day I gave up and the very next day a huge cloud appeared over our house in the shape of a hand. This cloud formation was very clear and took up the entire sky above where I live. Is the external manifestation of God's hand over all of our lives necessary to help me to not give up....is the line in an article necessary to lift your heart again...is the ability to enjoy a perfect creation necessary to our strength to carry on....is pain necessary to strengthening us....is loss, grief and agony necessary to God's way to make us into the image of His Son...Yes....and we do have this comfort that we are not alone
Hebrews 2 : 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15. and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham's descendants. 17. For this reason He had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18. Because He himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
As Kat posts this reminder, I can see again the too easily forgotten truth that our trials are really a share in His trials that He has overcome. Through our griefs we are drawn to that future intimacy with Him when He comes again because what will the person who has only known comfort, ease and absence of trials have to talk about with Him who has died a horrible unjustified humilitation and death on Calvary?
Peace to you
Arcturus :)
That river in your back yard sounds heavenly! He has given me a rose garden and oh so much more!
ciy:
Arcturus,
You said:
I should not have my sense of peace so anchored to my circumstances.
Knowing that we are blessed – regardless of what the circumstances may be……our circumstances are not the blessing but our condition in the circumstances is. If we yield that is good. If we fear not, that is good. If we give up...is that good?
This is great stuff and so true. Our joy is in the Lord. The circumstances are of the world and we are to give up this world. If we let circumstances rule our lives then our circumstances are our God or idol. If we really know God, then we will rejoice and count it all joy knowing that our time here is short and will be looked upon some day as we look back at our time in high school.
Nothing of this age is of great importance except to realize that it is all of God. It is a rehearsal for the great opening night play. Count the ups as joy and count the downs as joy for they are.
Have patience and wait on the Lord.
Better yet:
"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14
CIY
Deborah-Leigh:
Thank you for the response ciy.
God is making us into His image, through all this pain and suffering and everything. It all has a purpose whether we understand it at the time or not. It all has a purpose and it’s making us better and stronger and so on, for the end result. http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,5417.0.html
Makes me feel that we should rejoice rather in our sufferings and consider all gain loss but for the gain of Christ when our circumstances present no pressure or challenge. Easier said than done! :) but seeing it said and written is a comfort and reinforcement for the soul and those quiet time outs that our Lord gives us are precious to our knowing Him I believe.
Peace to you
Arcturus :)
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