Trust & Obey

God Uses the Environment

for Believers’ Good
January 24, 2021
Romans 8:28
And we know that all things work together
for good to those who love God, to those
who are called according to His purpose.
 God Uses the Environment for
Believers’ Good
GOD CAUSING ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD
TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM
We have verse 28 which says, “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 the purpose.” The Holy Spirit groans within us, interceding for us,
and God the Father answers this intercession by causing all things to work
together for good. In Greek the word translated “all things” means all matters,
all persons, all things, all in all. God the Father is sovereign and He arranges
everything. He knows how many hairs you need (Matt. 10:30) and how many
children you should have. Do not complain about your children, for God will
not give you more or less than you need. He is sovereign. He knows.
He knows whether you need obedient children or naughty children. He
knows whether you need boys or girls. Again and again I say that He knows.
He causes all things, all matters, and all persons to work together for your
good. It seems that God sacrifices everyone for you. To the wife her husband
is a sacrifice, and to the husband his wife is a sacrifice. To the children the
parents are a sacrifice, and to the parents the children are a sacrifice.
Who can do such a work? Only God. I have told the Lord, “Lord, why do You
sacrifice everyone just for me?” I have the inward sensation that all the
brothers with whom I coordinate and even all the churches are sacrifices for
me. Nevertheless, when you suffer, I suffer more. When the wife suffers loss,
the husband suffers more, and when the children suffer, the parents suffer
more. Praise the Lord that God causes all things, all matters, and all persons
to work together for good to those who love Him and who have been called
by Him to the end that He may fulfill His purpose.
 GOD’S INTENTION BEING TO ACCOMPLISH HIS
PURPOSE
God has determined our destiny beforehand, and this
destiny can never be fulfilled without the divine
arrangement which causes all things to work together for us.
Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of the firstborn
Son of God. We are not yet fully in the image of the firstborn
Son of God, but God the Father is planning, molding, and
performing by causing all things to work together for good.
Praise the Lord! While we are growing, He is molding.
We all should be comforted. If you have a nice wife, praise
the Lord for your nice wife. If you have a difficult wife, praise
the Lord even more for your difficult wife. Whether you have
a nice wife or a difficult wife, a nice husband or a difficult
husband, obedient children or naughty children—whatever
you have you should be comforted.
You should tell the Lord, “Lord, I can make and I have made
many mistakes, but You can never be mistaken. Even my
mistakes are in Your hands. If You do not allow me to make a
mistake, You just move Your little finger and change the
situation and I will not make one. Everything is in Your
hands.” Therefore, we all must be comforted.
 NEVER PRAYING FOR SUFFERINGS TO COME,
BUT PRAYING TO THE FATHER TO BE DELIVERED FROM
SUFFERINGS
However, do not be so spiritual that you go to an extreme and pray
the Father to give you suffering. Do not pray for sufferings. Instead
you should pray, “Father, deliver me from temptation. Deliver me
from all manner of sufferings. Keep me away from every kind of
disturbance.” Although you pray in this way, some hardships and
afflictions will visit you. When they come, do not complain and do
not be troubled, but say, “Father, thank You for this. Father, if it is
possible, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, Father, not my
will but Thine be done.”
This is the proper attitude. Never pray that sufferings come, but pray
the Father to keep sufferings away from you. However, when the
sufferings come, do not be disappointed; accept them and continue
to pray, “Father, if possible take this away. Keep me in Your
presence, away from every trouble and distraction.”
On one hand we must pray in this way; on the other hand we must
be happy with all that the Father gives us, because we know that
everything is in His hands and comes our way that we may be
conformed to the image of His firstborn Son. This conformation is
the preparation for our glorification.
 TRIBULATION BEING THE INCARNATION OF GRACE VISITING US
If we say that we appreciate grace but not tribulation, it is like saying
that we love God but not Jesus. However, to reject Jesus is to reject
God. Likewise, to reject tribulation is to reject grace. Why was God
incarnated? Because He wanted to come to us. The incarnation of
God was His gracious visitation.
Surely we all love such a visit from God. If we love His visit, we must
love His incarnation. It is the same with grace and tribulation.
Tribulation is the incarnation of grace visiting us. Although we love
God’s grace, we must also kiss the tribulation, which is the
incarnation of grace, the sweet visitation of grace.
Madame Guyon said that she kissed the crosses given to her. Many
people dislike the cross because it is a suffering, a tribulation.
Madame Guyon, on the contrary, kissed each cross, waiting for more
to come, because she realized that the cross brought God to her.
Madame Guyon said, “God gives me the cross, and the cross brings
me God.” She welcomed the cross, for when she had the cross she
had God. Tribulation is a cross, and grace is God as our portion for
our enjoyment. This grace mainly visits us in the form of tribulation.
 APPROVEDNES BEING AN APPROVED QUALITY RESULTING
FROM THE ENDURANCE OF TRIBULATION AND TESTING
Endurance produces approvedness (5:4). Approvedness is an
approved quality resulting from the endurance of tribulation and
testing. Thus, approvedness is a quality or attribute that can be
approved. At times, it is difficult for young brothers to have the
approval of others. They need the endurance which produces a
quality that is easily approved by others. Tribulation issues in
endurance, and endurance brings forth the quality of approvedness.
Some versions translate the Greek word here as “experience.”
This is correct, for approvedness includes experience. However, it is
not primarily the experience itself, but the attribute or virtue which
is acquired through the experiences of suffering.
The more you suffer, the more you have endurance, and the more
the virtue of approvedness will be produced. Approvedness is not an
attribute we have by our natural birth.
Consider the example of raw gold. Although it is genuine gold, it is
raw and unattractive. It needs the purifying fire. The more the gold
suffers the burning of the fire, the more an approved quality will be
produced. After burning and trial, the gold acquires a quality that is
easily approved by everyone. Perhaps, many of the young people
are like raw gold. They do not need polishing or painting; they need
burning.
Some of the saints who love the Lord have an amount of life and
light. Because they have these things, they think they are suitable to
work for the Lord. However, they lack approvedness. On the one
hand, they can be productive wherever they go; on the other hand,
they are raw and lack the virtue which makes people happy, sweet,
and comfortable. They have the opposite of approvedness, what we
may call disapprovedness.
Why was your situation so good at the beginning, but quite poor
after a period of time? It was good at the beginning because of your
gift and the light you had. It did not continue well because you were
so raw, lacking the quality of approvedness. If we have the virtue of
approvedness, we will not be a problem to others. We all must pray,
“Lord, grant me approvedness.”
Amen!