A new focus...
So I was thinking about something. I think it's kinda funny how we attribute bad things to Satan so often. This is the way I am thinking about this. If Satan was in control of causing pain and evil to come about, how could we rely on God's grace and provision. I mean, if God is not the one with the ultimate say of what goes on in both heaven and earth, how can we faithfully trust him. We have no assurance of an eternal victory if he does not control every aspect of the world. Because if there was something that He did not control, then you are saying that there may be a time when God can't help you. Because if he can help you through a situation, then He is in ultimate control of it, otherwise there are no guarantees that it will work out for good. And since Rom 8:28 states that ALL things work out for good for those who love God, then he has to control every event that transpires on earth. These pasages I find very helpful.
Lamentations 3:37-38
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That both good and ill go forth?
Job 2:10
But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Isaiah 45:7
The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing well-being and creating calamity;
I am the LORD who does all these.
Jeremiah 32:42
"For thus says the LORD, ' Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.
When is the last time that you thanked God for giving us trouble? When is the last time you honored Satan by cursing his name for affliction? We worship the same God of Joseph. Joseph was plotted against and sold into slavery by his brothers. And when they found him in Egypt later, he glorified God and gave God the glory for the sin done to him: (Gen 50:20) "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Now shall we say that God sinned against Joseph? Surely not. God sent him to Egypt, and he did it by means of sinful man. Does that justify the actions of Joseph's brothers? Surely not. However, it was not his brothers who were responsible for him being in Egypt, God was the one who ultimately made the choice of what would happens. While Satan may do his worst, it is a great assurance to know that it is ultimately God behind everything that happens to us, and that He is not doing this, or letting it happen (if you don't like viewing God has actively doing "bad" things, which he does not...but another issue) for no reason at all, and that he intends it for good. This is the ultimate faith and hope we have in the God who promises that He will never leave nor forsake us. We can have faith that everything that transpires is from the loving hand of our God and is meant to help us and not hinder us. God is great."
Lamentations 3:37-38
Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass,
Unless the Lord has commanded it?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High
That both good and ill go forth?
Job 2:10
But he said to her, "You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Isaiah 45:7
The One forming light and creating darkness,
Causing well-being and creating calamity;
I am the LORD who does all these.
Jeremiah 32:42
"For thus says the LORD, ' Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.
When is the last time that you thanked God for giving us trouble? When is the last time you honored Satan by cursing his name for affliction? We worship the same God of Joseph. Joseph was plotted against and sold into slavery by his brothers. And when they found him in Egypt later, he glorified God and gave God the glory for the sin done to him: (Gen 50:20) "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." Now shall we say that God sinned against Joseph? Surely not. God sent him to Egypt, and he did it by means of sinful man. Does that justify the actions of Joseph's brothers? Surely not. However, it was not his brothers who were responsible for him being in Egypt, God was the one who ultimately made the choice of what would happens. While Satan may do his worst, it is a great assurance to know that it is ultimately God behind everything that happens to us, and that He is not doing this, or letting it happen (if you don't like viewing God has actively doing "bad" things, which he does not...but another issue) for no reason at all, and that he intends it for good. This is the ultimate faith and hope we have in the God who promises that He will never leave nor forsake us. We can have faith that everything that transpires is from the loving hand of our God and is meant to help us and not hinder us. God is great."