Hi Falgn0n,
Well, what has He promised?
This is from ISBE (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) that will give you a good idea of the promises from the NT.
In the New Testament these promises are founded on, and regarded as having their true fulfillment in, Christ and those who are His (2Co_1:20; Eph_3:6). The promise of the Spirit is spoken of by Jesus as “the promise of my Father” (Luk_24:49; Act_1:4), and this was regarded as fulfilled at Pentecost. The promise of a Saviour of the seed of David is regarded as fulfilled in Christ (Act_13:23, Act_13:32, Act_26:6; Rom_1:2; Rom_4:13; Rom_9:4).
Paul argues that the promise to Abraham that he should be “heir of the world,” made to him before circumcision, is not confined to Israel, but is open to all who are children of Abraham by faith (Rom_4:13-16; compare Gal_3:16, Gal_3:19, Gal_3:29).
In like manner the writer to the Hebrews goes back to the original promises, giving them a spiritual and eternal significance (4:1; 6:17; 11:9, etc.).
The New Testament promises include manifold blessings and hopes, among them “life,” “eternal life” (1Ti_4:8; 1Ti_6:19; 2Ti_1:1; Jam_1:12),
the “kingdom” (Jam_2:5),
Christ's “coming” (2Pe_3:9, etc.),
“new heavens and a new earth” (2Pe_3:13), etc.
For “promise” and “promised” in the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) has frequently other terms, as “word” (Psa_105:42), “spake,” “spoken” (Deu_10:9; Jos_9:21; Jos_22:4; Jos_23:5, Jos_23:15, etc.), “consented” (Luk_22:6), etc.
----------------------------------------------------------
He has already pre-ordained what will be in my life tomorrow, what I'm going through now and what the end of it all will be.
I find myself completely inert, and totally unable to find any hope in this life - all I do now, is sort of "hang on" and hope for the best - there is no way for me to know what the end of a matter will be, what the purpose if my trial is, there is no point in pleading with God for understanding, either.
He is Sovereign over every detail of my life (right?) all that I am and do is by His design, how then can I think that I have the power to, through faith or prayer or whatever other means I can think of, change things in my life (wether physical, financial or spiritual)?
Actually you do know what the end of the matter will be;
1Cor 15:28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to Him who put all things in subjection under Him,
that God may be all in all.
All of humanity are to become subject to God and be His children. But first you have to experience all that you need to learn in this life.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
v. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
So to become His children we have to "be like Him" and purify ourselves. This is part of this experience while we are in the flesh, the Elect are going through the purifing process in this life, for the rest it will be in the Lake of Fire.
Understand that this life has a great purpose, we are learning about good and evil, first in the physical carnal sense. For a few He is leading to understand the spiritual truth now in this life, but all will come to this knowledge eventually.
Ecc 1:13 ...it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it.
1Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Now God does work all things (Eph 1:11), but you are the one who will experience these things. It is your experiences that teaches you both good and evil and it is through these experiences that God builds character in us. The world is filled with contrasts that we learn from, by living and doing and seeing these things, we gain a physical knowledge of them.
At some point God will move us on to learning about the spiritual things, but first it is the physical (1Co 15:46). So what I'm saying is these experiences that we are going through in this life are very important, indeed essential. So it will avail you a great deal to seek His will (by study of His Word and prayer) and do it.
Here is an email that speaks about this.
http://bible-truths.com/email11.htm#character -------------
God is SPIRIT. God is interested ONLY in spiritual things. All this physical creation is not something that God takes great pleasure in--it is but a means to an end. Well, what does He want then? He wants CHILDREN! SPIRITUAL Sons and Daughters in HIS VERY IMAGE!
But, how does He get them? Create them? Yes, CREATE them. But how does He create them. Instantly? No. To be in the IMAGE of God means that we will have the very same CHARACTER AND LOVE of God. Character and Love cannot be created instantly; it can only be developed over a period of time under severe pressure and duress. And so God creates severe pressure and duress, which produces GODLY CHARACTER. Imagine creating "patience," INSTANTLY? Why the very thought is self-contradicting. Patience by its very nature means that something must be WAITED FOR even though it is desired NOW.
God knows what He is doing. Now then, there is a second part to all this. We ourselves would never ever really appreciate the qualities of character, virtue, and love, that we will possess if we did not have to "sweat blood" to get them. There is no virtue that you can name that is not the result of overcoming some form of evil. And so this physical, human, temporal existence is as beneficial for US, and it is to GOD.
Hope this helps your understanding a little better.
God be with you,
Ray