Glorious Things

"... to make us happy where we are."

“By trust, Abraham—when God provided him with an opportunity for victory over fear and self-promotion—chose to trust God and offered Isaac as a sacrifice.” (Hebrews 11:17, Remedy)

ABRAHAM had Ishmael, through his own self-effort to fulfill God's promise. And he loved Ishmael. But any way he viewed him, Ishmael was not Isaac. He feared for him, pleading with God on his behalf (Genesis 17:18), but what God had done couldn't be undone, wouldn't be undone. God had spoken.

We see this incorrectly when it is us involved. God becomes stubborn in our view. But His plan is always for our benefit. In spiritual growth. We know Him more. In physical circumstances, He has proven time and time again that He will provide glorious things. And in our mind. God heals, corrects, and satisfies the soul.

The problem with this is it involves our emotions, our personalities, our dislikes. We enjoy certain things and can't see why God won't let us have that. Our correct response to His way ought to be obedience. He works in us for our good (Romans 8:28). For our freedom. But instead, we bend and stretch the circumstances to make us happy where we are.

The apostle Paul was highly educated and at the top of his peer group. The apostle Paul was also cruel. Murderous. Then Jesus spoke, and he became brand new. Compare him now to Judas, whom Jesus loved. Judas gave into hate, it says Satan filled him (John 13:27), and in the end, he was destroyed. God wrote half the New Testament through Paul. He mourns still for Judas.

Who do we want to be? Is your hate for Muslims, for Israel, for a certain political party really worth it? And is your behavior towards them like Jesus? Because God is not violent nor angry. What the Word calls God's anger isn't an emotion but instead, the absence of Him. Satan fell like lightning (Luke 10:18) and did not gain prestige. He didn't gain a throne, the dominion of it, nor a kingdom with beings giving fealty. This is seen wrong in all dominations. One side places him in power, as ruler (which is not the meaning of the King James word). The other fights a continual battle that Jesus already won. No, the devil has been rendered useless (Hebrews 2:14, destroyed).

What we are supposed to be doing is spreading the gospel. Telling people Jesus loves them. In peace. The entire gospel is peaceful. God is the God of Peace on repeat. He is also the God of all Comfort so that the comfort we find in Him, we can share (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and the Holy Spirit, my sweet Papa, is the Spirit who brings Peace (Galatians 5:22). Not as an option, a choice we can make, but as the entire Presence of God. He is peace. He declared peace at Jesus' birth and now asks us to grow up and be peaceful. Peacemakers (Matthew 5:9).


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com