If there is “something” outside of the “ALL Things” that God cannot “Work Together for GOOD” then that “Something” is GREATER than God, and GOD IS NOT GOD!
Do you have that “something?”
The evil one lies to us, the world system lies to us, and even the “traitor” within us lies to us. “But God…” When God says “ALL THINGS” in Romans 8:28, He means what HE says! There is NOTHING, absolutely Nothing outside of His “ALL” inclusive that He will not, cannot take and weave together along with other aspects to draw us closer, conform us to the image of His dear Son, and glorify Himself ultimately!
Think about your sin. How He used it to convict you, draw you and save you! Did He not use even our rebellion against Him and bring about your GOOD in bringing you to the knowledge of your sin against Him and the saving knowledge of Him and saving you! And now He who began a good work IN you-{Read Phil 1:6;2:13}… will not, cannot abandon you any more than the Father CAN abandon His Son now! He was abandoned once and for all to pay the penalty for ALL of your sins, so you would not die in your sins, so as to satisfy the righteous claims of perfection which God demands for a soul to be forgiven and made right with Him and adopted into His family and become one of His children. that you would never be abandoned and die in your sin … He worked it out for your GOOD then and you are benefiting now. And He continues to keep His promise of working “ALL THINGS,” out TOGETHER for GOOD to those who love Him and are the called…! And you do love Him. Why? Because He first loved you!
Take that “Something,” that is bothering, or threatening your peace and give it to Him and THANK Him that this too He in His great mercy and Lovingkindness, and faithfulness to ALWAYS Keep His Word, can and will work it out as part of His “ALL THINGS working together for good!!” The “Good,” is ultimately conforming us to the image of Christ!
Renew your mind by faith taking Him at His Word. Ask Him to help you. The fact you ask is His working GOOD in you by drawing you to trust Him. And when the temptation comes to doubt and ultimately slander Him, which the evil one will bring questions to tempt you to doubt His character, you by His GOOD grace can raise up the Word of God and counteract as Jesus did in Matthew 4 three times when tempted by the evil one said ” IT IS WRITTEN… IT IS WRITTEN… IT IS WRITTEN…” and as He overcame the evil one with The Word so too will you!
Hide His Word in your heart and be thankful that even the present “Something ” will be swallowed up by Him who is Greater! God Himself!
We get it backward, the lie comes and we have God and “ something” in the wrong places. We may say yes “ God….” But this “something is greater” I can’t see how it can work for good!” That’s because you and I are leaning to our own understanding and we are playing “God” at that moment. We have the order reversed we are saying that “there is “something” outside of God’s ability and care to cause to work “ALL THINGS together for my good”
Name that “Something”…
“LORD this______ is Greater than Your Ability to Work out for my Good and Your Glory.“
It is as though we say, “LORD I know You mean well but this is Something not even You can cause to work out together for “good,” and my “Good” in conforming me to your Son’s image and glorifying Yourself!”
We need to speak the truth to ourselves based on Romans 8:28-29…
There is not “Something,” but SOMEONE GREATER… than this “something” and that is GOD!
These all made the sinful thinking display what they thought – the high view of themselves and the low view of God…
- satan thought he was greater and would overthrow God – “For you said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’ Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths.” -{Isaiah 14:13-15}
- Eve thought she could be just like God – “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” – {Genesis 3:5}
- The Babylon Builders thought they Could come to God their own way -“At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words. As the people migrated to the east, they found a plain in the land of Babylonia[a] and settled there. They began saying to each other, “Let’s make bricks and harden them with fire.” (In this region bricks were used instead of stone, and tar was used for mortar.) Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world.” But the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!7 Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.” In that way, the Lord scattered them all over the world, and they stopped building the city.”-{Genesis 11:1-8}
- Nebuchadnezzar thought he was the source of greatness – “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon. 30 As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’ “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom. 32 You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’ “That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.34 “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.His rule is everlasting,
and his kingdom is eternal.
35 All the people of the earth
are nothing compared to him.
He does as he pleases
among the angels of heaven
and among the people of the earth.
No one can stop him or say to him,
‘What do you mean by doing these things?’36 “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” -{Daniel 4:28-37} - King Herod Agrippa is eaten by worms – ” and an appointment with Herod was granted. When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!” Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died. Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers.“-}Acts 12:21-24
In the end, they too would know there is neither “something” or “someone” greater than GOD. For God alone is God!
THERE IS NEITHER “SOMETHING” OR SOMEONE GREATER THAN GOD! GRAVES ARE LITTERED BY THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE!
Romans 8:28-29.Read, reread. Carry these verses with you to look on word for word phrase for phrase as you have the opportunity … and let Him remind, renew your mind with the truth of the SOMEONE who is Greater than the “Something” that seeks to lie to you about God who loves you whose cross has proved to you it is so!
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;”-(Romans 8:28-29)
Be encouraged
Not Something but SOMEONE who is GREATER and causes ALL Things to work together for good…GOD!
God bless and encourage you to Focus on Him and His Promises!
Aidan