[Faith-talk] FW: [thefamilyoffaith] All things work for good by Joyce Meyer

[Eric Calhoun]

Original Message: 
From: Donna Kiser <kiserdonna57 at gmail.com>
To: thefamilyoffaith at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [thefamilyoffaith] All things work for good by Joyce Meyer
Date: 
Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:43:00 -0500

 All Things Work for Good by Joyce Meyer - posted January 25, 2012

*We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all
things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for
those who love God and are called according to [His] design and
purpose.*-Romans 8:28

After John 3:16, Romans 8:28 is probably the most-quoted Bible verse
among
Christians. Paul's words bring comfort and peace to many of us in our
difficulties and hardships. They give us hope that no matter what hurts
and
disappointments come in our lives, everything will eventually work out
for
our good.

The two verses preceding Romans 8:28 talk about prayer. They say that
when
we don't know how to pray as we ought to, the Holy Spirit comes to our
aid
and prays through us. It is through these Holy Spirit-filled prayers that
all things work together for good, no matter what they are. Not all things
that happen to us are good in and of themselves, but God is good and He
can
cause them to work toward our good if we trust Him.

Continuing to trust God is the key to victory in painful and seemingly
unjust situations. Faith and prayer move the hand of God. If we continue
believing, He promises to continue moving in our behalf to work everything
out for good.

God makes this promise to those who love Him and are called according to
His purpose. We must love God with all of our hearts, and we must want His
will. We must be willing to submit to His plan at all times.

The plan that God has for us eventually changes us into His image. We are
destined to be molded into His image. That may sound spiritual, but in
reality, it usually hurts. I often think of clay being pressed into a
mold,
and wonder how the clay would feel if it had feelings. Being changed into
an entirely different shape would probably be painful. If we take a lump
of
clay and press it into a mold, there is always too much clay to fit, and
some pieces must be discarded. I found that there was more of me than
would
fit into the mold of Jesus Christ, so many of my thoughts, words, and
actions had to be discarded.

We must go through things that are difficult and learn how to respond to
them the way Jesus would. We must not give way to the fearful thoughts and
feelings that attack us. We must learn to remain steadfast, knowing that
no
matter how things appear now, God will work them out for our good-and in
the process, He will use them to make us better people.

God's purpose in everything that happens is to make us more like Jesus
Christ. Jesus was the totally obedient one. "Although He was a Son, He
learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered" (Hebrews
5:8).

We also learn through what we suffer. We learn from God's Word and life's
experiences. Because of our sinful nature, we tend to fight God at every
point, but this only makes the process longer and more painful. Learn to
surrender quickly, and save yourself a lot of agony. I've learned that God
gets His way in the end, so why prolong the process?

Where the mind goes the man follows. Keep your mind going in the right
direction, and your life will catch up with it. A person who has their
faith firmly planted in God cannot be defeated. The Bible says that
Joseph's brothers hated him, but God was with him. God gave him favor and
promoted him, so we see that his faith in God lifted him above his
circumstances.

Some terrible things happened to Joseph. His brothers sold him to slave
traders and told his father a wild animal had killed him. He was betrayed
by those whom he served and tried to help, but God was watching him all
the
time. God had a good plan for Joseph, and it came to pass. He ultimately
said that although the things that happened to him were originally meant
for harm, God intended it for good.

This same thing is true for all of us. Satan cannot defeat us if we keep
believing that God is working for our good, and that we are being
continually transformed into His image.

*All wise and loving God, make me more like Jesus. I don't like to
suffer,
and I hate to fail, but through Jesus Christ, I ask You to teach me and
enable me to understand that, because of You, everything truly works
together for my good. Amen.*

*[image: Donna kitty.gif]*

*
*