Sunday Words of Encouragement November 15, 2015

Last Sunday we continued to study Romans in our Sunday School Class. Our leader focused on Romans 8:28: “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..” (NASB)

Our leader broke this down for us encouraging us to read it in context with the surrounding verses, v 26 and v29-39. He noted that it is not each thing that works for good, but ALL things… for His purposes. V29 states that God foreknew those who love Him (us), He has called us and He is conforming us to be like Christ, His first born. God created men to serve and worship Him. Man was created in the image of God but fell from because of free will and Adam’s sin.

The “good” in v 28 is the act of conforming us to His purpose. The package of good and bad that make up our life journey ends in the “all things”. It is the same as the ingredients of a cake which are not good to eat by themselves, but, when mixed together, result in a good cake. Sometimes God adds, or removes, an ingredient in our lives that is His, not ours, to claim. Joseph went through troubles and struggled for thirteen years for a special propose – to be the forgiving person God could use in the right time. See Genesis chapters 39 through 47.

We must remember that God’s values are not our values. He sees a bigger picture. When we look through His view, then, when it is all said and done, we can “Count it all joy” James 1:2.

I have always loved this song and it repeats the above message.

Verses for Today:
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.

As always I am so Thankful that I can trust God to work all things in my live to good for His glory.