The Scripture says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
I was reading about Saul and his conversion to the apostle Paul.
Everywhere Paul went, the Bible shows us, he was tormented in some way or another. People protested against him, they threw him in prison, he was bit by a snake, he was bound, he was tortured, he was imprisoned, beaten, and the list goes on. (Side note: Yet he continued in his mission for the Lord… how many of us would have abandoned ship at the first sign at any one of these?)
But we know that God changed his name, because he before he became Paul, he was Saul. And the Bible says that Saul went around breathing threatenings and cursings. Saul went around tormenting people, in particular Christians. So some of the same things that were now being to him as Paul, he already did to others.
Sounds a lot like sowing and reaping. God’s Word is true. Whatsoever a man soweth, THAT he shall also reap. And just like the Word said Paul reaped what Saul sowed.
Yet God is good, in that while the enemy meant it for Paul’s bad, God turned it around for his good. All things work together for the good. The enemy’s intentions were to take Paul out. To steal, to kill and to destroy him. It did not work, because God said not so and the Word says, “all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord,…” It appears pretty obvious that Paul loved the Lord, willing to do His will and most of all willing to die doing it. (Can that be said of us?... hmmm)
So while Paul went through ALL these things he yet lived to be able to go and share the gospel so many other places, because ALL things work together for the good… even the way he was. And even the way we were.
Whatever we've done in the past or whoever we used to be, that very thing God will turn around and make it work for the good... according to His purpose.
Yes, God is real. And so is His Word.
A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E
http://butgodisreal.blogspot.com
http://www.ongoodground.org
I was reading about Saul and his conversion to the apostle Paul.
Everywhere Paul went, the Bible shows us, he was tormented in some way or another. People protested against him, they threw him in prison, he was bit by a snake, he was bound, he was tortured, he was imprisoned, beaten, and the list goes on. (Side note: Yet he continued in his mission for the Lord… how many of us would have abandoned ship at the first sign at any one of these?)
But we know that God changed his name, because he before he became Paul, he was Saul. And the Bible says that Saul went around breathing threatenings and cursings. Saul went around tormenting people, in particular Christians. So some of the same things that were now being to him as Paul, he already did to others.
Sounds a lot like sowing and reaping. God’s Word is true. Whatsoever a man soweth, THAT he shall also reap. And just like the Word said Paul reaped what Saul sowed.
Yet God is good, in that while the enemy meant it for Paul’s bad, God turned it around for his good. All things work together for the good. The enemy’s intentions were to take Paul out. To steal, to kill and to destroy him. It did not work, because God said not so and the Word says, “all things work together for the good for those who love the Lord,…” It appears pretty obvious that Paul loved the Lord, willing to do His will and most of all willing to die doing it. (Can that be said of us?... hmmm)
So while Paul went through ALL these things he yet lived to be able to go and share the gospel so many other places, because ALL things work together for the good… even the way he was. And even the way we were.
Whatever we've done in the past or whoever we used to be, that very thing God will turn around and make it work for the good... according to His purpose.
Yes, God is real. And so is His Word.
A servant of the Lord,
Sis. E
http://butgodisreal.blogspot.com
http://www.ongoodground.org