Do All Things Occur As God Plans?

 Some Christians don't believe that God's will is always done.  They believe they can frustrate God and defy His will. It is true we can break God's laws and not obey Him, but this is known as the preceptive will of God or that will revealed to us. But there is another way to look at God's will: the secret, decreed, and ultimate will of God that we do not know till it happens. God is known for orchestrating history as He wills to glorify Himself per Eph. 1:11 where it says God works all things in conformity with His will. That means God is sovereign, and if He is not Lord of all, He cannot be Lord at all. There can be no  maverick molecule in the cosmos.  No  grain of sand outside His will. It was one grain of sand in Oliver Cromwell's kidney that stopped a war! God was working!  Job said we cannot frustrate or thwart God's will in Job  42:2. 

Some believers think that when bad things happen, they cannot be God's will or when men sin that God didn't decree to allow it to happen or  even direct it into being. The crucifixion is the most wicked event in history perpetrated by man and Acts 4:28 says that it went according to God's predestined plan and will. Now, when God says not to steal and I do anyway, I am breaking God's Law and preceptive will. But God may allow it to happen for He intends good out of evil. As Joseph said to his brothers, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Gen. 50:20  John Wycliffe, first translator of the Bible into English, made the famed dictum: "All things come to pass of necessity." 

That means God has a  purpose for everything happening and God even has a purpose for allowing evil according to Prov. 16:4. God is the Potter and we are the clay; we cannot complain to the Maker why we are made so. Some people are vessels of honor and some of dishonor, but all serve God's higher purpose. God used Judas to do the dirty work of betraying Jesus, yet Judas did it completely of his own initiative without God  impelling or compelling him. Judas went as it was written of him.... 

We pray that God's will be done and this means on earth as it is in heaven, to be done willfully and cheerfully from the heat and not forced to do it. God is stronger than our wills as Jeremiah found out in Jer. 20:7 when he said that God had overpowered him and he felt defeated by God who prevailed.  We know "that a man's way is not his sown; no one who walks determines hi sown steps." Jer. 10:23 and "A mans steps are determined by the LORD so how can anyone understand hi sown way?" Prov. 20:24 and "A man's heart plans his way but the LORD determines his steps." Prov. 16:9 We are not fully in control of our lives; even the king's heart is controlled by God as He controls a river's course per Prov. 21:1 and in Prov. 16:33 it says God controls the toss of the dice.  Soli Deo Gloria!

In God's Economy

"... God, be merciful to me the sinner" (cf. Luke 18:13, emphasis mine).  

The kingdom of God differentiates itself from the ways of the world in manifold ways.  They say you should stick up for yourself and defend yourself at all cost, and bully your way to the top of the dog-eat-dog world, but in God's economy the way up is down, just as John predicated, seeing Jesus:  "He must increase, but I must decrease," (cf. John 3:30, ESV).   The question is not how high we can aspire to and how high our dreams or aims are, but how low can we go in Christ's name--can we share in His humiliation? The world measures a man by how many people serve him, but God does by how many men he serves. 

Faith alone pleases God and it's given, not achieved; however, we must put it into practice! NB:  In God's economy, there's purpose and design, and everything is done in a "fitting and orderly way" [or decently and in order] (cf. 1 Cor. 14:40).  As is said, it is in giving that we receive, and in dying we live!  In admitting our failures, we find success.  As Socrates said, that we must first admit our ignorance to begin learning.  In humbling ourselves, we're exalted.  It seems like God's economy is antithetical and a paradox.

The ironic thing about the rat race, according to Lily Tomlin, is that even if you win it, you're still a rat!  And who wants to be the top dog who wins in the law of the jungle and the survival of the fittest by applying the Iron Rule when the leadership class eventually develops.  These social Darwinist theories don't jibe with Christian dogma and in God's economy the weak are taken care of by God and the job of the mighty and noble is to look out for the destitute and needy--the less fortunate, for God made the rich as well as the poor and it's an insult to our Maker to despise anyone in God's image.  We may not have a social gospel to preach but the Christian social commission to aid the needy has not been rescinded.   In the ways of the world, one learns to brownnose and curry favor by flattery and bribery--saying just the right things to gain approbation.  Even lying is a way of gaining an edge and advantage over one's competition or political opponent--what politician is known for being aboveboard nowadays?

Also, in God's economy (spiritually speaking), emptying comes before filling; i.e., we must confess our sins and seek the filling of the Holy Spirit--it's not a given regardless of our conduct and behavior.  To meditate on Christ, we must forget about ourselves!  When we look at Christ all else fades in comparison. We must walk the walk, not just talk the talk (being sensitive to the presence of God and the Spirit) and practice what we all preach or profess in Christ's name, not to be nominal Christians in name only.  Ethics or praxeology (right behavior) is the practice of our orthodoxy (right belief).  How can you find yourself in God, but by losing yourself?  We find out that we must die to our dreams and then our meaning in life is hidden with Christ in God according to Colossians 3:2 as quoted in paraphrase; i.e., we die to self in order to live and lose our life to find it!  Most people don't know that it's not about them and it doesn't occur to them to get their eyes off themselves and to stop focusing on self and living selfishly.

In God's economy, we never make a real sacrifice--Christ made an infinite one for us.  Whatever we do we are rewarded for and God makes up for bad or hard times with equal good times and blessings. We never come out the loser in God's economy. He is on our side--we cannot lose; He believes in us--our situation is never hopeless; He is with us--we are never alone.  Jesus paid the price and the battle is already won through His work.

Also, in God's economy, it pays to give and it is in blessing others that we are blessed in return.  We can never out-give God and this is a true test of our faith to see if we will trust Him for His daily bread or provision.  In God's economy, He promises to meet all our needs, but not our felt needs or wants.  He promises to withhold nothing good, but that isn't the same as having everything, for some people, are doubly blessed, but all are blessed--for God is good to all in some ways, and to some in all ways, and everything in the continuum.  There are so many resources God entrusts to our accountability and we have made stewards over, such as time, talents, gifts, ambitions, property, relationships, opportunities, testimony, witness, and hobbies or pastimes, and so forth.  Let us all seek to be a blessing, for this is the very purpose of our calling and salvation that brings God glory (cf. Zech. 8:13; Isa. 43:7).

But it's a bleak outlook with no real hope in a belief system without God in the equation or economy!  Remember, the greatest in the kingdom of God is the one who can humble himself as a child (cf. Matt. 18:3), not exalt himself, for whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled and whosoever humbles himself shall be exalted.   For God "resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (cf. James 4:6).  We share in His glory and will be glorified in heaven because He has given us this moral compass and code to share as examples of Christ to the world as we are the feet to go where needed, the voice to speak for Him, the heart to share His love, and the hands to help those in need.

On the other hand, the Eastern faiths believe in karma and don't want to interfere with anyone's karma--Christians alone are known for their charity and good deeds as well as noble social movements and reforms in Christ's name.  We must stop thinking like the world, which is so pragmatic (the ends justify the means and only results, not truth matter) and practical (how it works for us), and they think something is true because it works (a la yoga as faith, not an exercise, TM, meditation, horoscopes, et al.), but Christianity works because it's true--just the opposite (but we must find out for ourselves--as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating--and "taste and see that the Lord is good" according to Psalm 34:8; 1 Pet. 2:3!).

In God's economy, salvation is free but not cheap--it will cost you everything (surrender of the ownership of your life)--you can never pay it back, you don't deserve it, and cannot earn it because it's grace.  When we realize that life comes from death and the old can be reborn, our eyes are on their way to enlightenment and our souls to regeneration. NB:  Christ is not against our works, just ones done in the flesh!

A FINAL WORD TO THE WISE:  IN GOD'S ECONOMY SUFFERING BRINGS CHARACTER AND CROSSES BRINGS CROWNS.   Soli Deo Gloria!

Answering God's Call...

"So he will do to me whatever he has planned.  He controls my destiny" (Job 23:14, NLT). 
"My times [future] are in your hands..." (Psalm 31:15, NIV).  
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you" (Psalm 32:8, NIV).  

God revealed Himself to Samuel through His Word (cf. 1 Sam. 3:21), because visions were rare in those days. In fact, it could have been God's judgment on the land (cf. Amos 8:11) for their inclination to do what they saw fit (cf. Judges 17:6; 21:25).  Samuel broke the mold and pleased God and became the last of the judges and founded the school of the prophets.  Samuel became obedient to the heavenly call and offered no excuses as Moses did, was eager and willing to do God's will.  Consider Paul's attitude:  "I am obligated ...I am so eager ... For I am not ashamed..." (cf. Rom. 1:14-16, NIV).  He was prepared and ready, and he felt indebted to God!

We must realize that none of us can depend upon our own strength to do God's will, for apart from Christ we can do nothing  (cf. John 15:5).  Don't confide in your own strength!  All that Samuel did was only what the Lord had done through him (cf. Isa. 26:12).  Paul had the same attitude in saying that he would not venture to boast of nothing but what the Lord had accomplished (cf. Rom. 15:18).  God isn't interested in our achievements, but our obedience and trust--trust and obey, there's no other way, the hymn goes. 

Samuel's call proves that God always has His witness and a way to speak to mankind, even in the darkest of times.  Solomon asked God for wisdom, and Paul asked that a thorn in his flesh be removed, but in the end, they were blessed by God and enabled by grace to do his bidding.  After all, we are God's masterpiece and workmanship (cf. Eph. 2:10), ordained to do good works in His name.  In other words, bloom where you are planted and don't look for greener pastures!

We are all called by God according to His purpose and will (cf. Eph. 1:5) and God has a plan for each of us.  Paul's only aim was to complete the task the Lord had given him (cf. Acts 20:24).  "The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me..." (cf. Psalm 138:8, ESV).  God has not made us automatons without a will of our own, but we are to cooperate in doing His will and bringing glory to Him through service manifested by faith.  The key to service is to be equipped in your gift and to reach out.  We will never find our gift without a servant's heart! 

Therefore, a non-serving Christian is a contradiction in terms. We are to "spur one another toward love and good deeds" (cf. Heb. 10:24, NIV).  Mother Teresa said that "true holiness consists in doing the will of God with a smile."  The greatness of our service is not our natural abilities, but our surrender and commitment to Christ, as we will be judged by our faithfulness; however, don't get into the "let's compare" game and belittle one another's gift.

There are several calls for the Christian to answer:  to salvation, for service, choosing a mate, finding a church home, choosing a pastor, a vocation, an avocation, a ministry, a mission, one's witness and testimony, a fellowship or inner circle, and good deeds to do.  God's not looking for resumes but faithfulness and too many divorce faith from faithfulness.  The only resume we need is that we know God and walk with Him in fellowship. There is a place for everyone in the church to contribute and to feel at home in the body, which is an organism of living beings, not an organization of impersonal ones.  The righteous will live by faithfulness (cf. Hab. 2:4) and walk by faith and not by sight (cf. 2 Cor. 5:7).          Soli Deo Gloria!