THE
SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD: The steps of a good man are ordered by the lord. “Ordered” is from the Hebrew word “kun” and
means “to establish, to prepare, fixed, set in place”. If such a small thing as
a step is controlled and ordained by God, there is nothing in our life He is not sovereign over, concerned about, and
involved in - absolutely nothing! (Psalms 37:23)
THE
NARROW GATED DIFFICULT WAY: Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we
not accept adversity?
“Adversity” is from the Hebrew word “ra/raah” and means “the entire spectrum of
bad.” Adversity is God’s judgment on mankind, a reality of life. (Job 2:10; Matt. 7:14)
THE
WORK OF GOD: Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has
made crooked? In the day of prosperity
be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, so that man
can find out nothing that will come after Him (i.e., know what is to happen). God “appoints” through willing good and
allowing bad. (Ecc. 7:13-14)
COUNT
IT ALL JOY: Though the fig tree does not
blossom and there is no fruit on the vines, Though the olive crop fails and the
fields provide no food, Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in
the stalls, Yet I will be jubilant in
the Lord, I will rejoice in the victorious God of my salvation. Rejoice...
In everything give thanks. (Hab.
3:17-18; James 1; 2-4; Rom. 5:3-5; 1 Thess. 5:18)
GOD
TURNS BAD INTO HIS GOOD: He knows
the way I take, When He has tested
me, I shall come forth as gold.
My foot has held fast to His
steps; I have kept His way and
not turned aside. I have not
departed from the commandments of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. Only melted purified gold is minted! All
things work together for our good. (Job
23:10-12; 1 Peter 1:6-7, 4:12-13; Rom. 8:28)
GOD’S PURPOSE... OUR PERFECTION: The Lord God is my
strength, my personal invincible army; He makes my feet like the
feet of deer, And enables me to walk
over my “mountain” of trouble and suffering, And to make spiritual
progress. Therefore, you shall be perfect... spiritually mature... Christ-like.
(Hab. 3:19; Matt. 5:48)
ADVERSITY, GOD’S SCULPTURING TOOL: We are predestined to be
conformed to the image... nature, of Christ, for God loves us to much to leave us the way we are. The purpose of trials
and tests is to teach us faith. The purpose of tribulation, the pressures of
life, is to teach us godly character... Christlikeness, through patience
endurance. The purpose of chastening is to teach us obedience. The purpose of
reaping what we sow is to teach us dependence on God. The purpose of demonic opposition is to teach us grace.
The purpose of persecution is to teach us godliness, filling up in our
bodies what is lacking in the suffering of our Lord. All of life’s difficulties work together for
good in the believer to bring forth the implanted nature of Christ and teach us
how to rest in the Lord... the peace of God. (Rom. 8:29; 1 Peter 1:6-7;
Rom. 5:3-5; Heb. 12:3-11; Gal. 6:7; 2 Cor. 12:2-10; Col. 1:24; 2 Tim. 3:12)
ALL DIFFICULTIES ARE WITHIN GOD’S PURPOSES
