*
Nothing brings God’s
sovereignty to the forefront like a “season of suffering” or a test. Believers
know God is sovereign, but don’t usually experience it until something happens
for which they have NO control.
God’s sovereignty means
God and God ONLY has complete, supreme authority, power, and control over
everything (past, present and future), everybody, every event, and every “season
of suffering.”
As the ultimate ruler
of the universe, God has the RIGHT to set in order ALL things, events, and
people, according to his holy, divine will. “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was
blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil”
Now
there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among
them. And the Lord said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then
Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and
fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that
there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Then
Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God
for nought? Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and
about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands,
and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and
touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only
upon himself put not forth thine hand.,,”(Job
1:1, 6-12 KJV).
In the book of Job God
demonstrates his sovereignty over Satan by setting boundaries regarding Job. God
also demonstrates his sovereignty over events, people, and “seasons of
suffering.”
Therefore, God set
these events in motion when he says, “…Hast thou considered my servant Job, that
there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God, and escheweth evil? …”
(Job 1:6-12 KJV).
The most asked question
is “WHY?” God said Job “…was blameless—a
man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil” (Job
1:1 KJV). God also said, “…Hast thou
considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect
and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he
holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without
cause” (Job 2:3 KJV).
Even though, we may ask
“why” God said there was no reason. “…although thou
movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause”
(Job 2:3 KJV). This is hard to accept. There is NO answer to why. There was NO cause
for it, according to God’s own words. Now what? Job wasn’t guilty of anything.
He wasn’t being chastised.
Job “…was blameless—a man of complete integrity.
He feared God and stayed away from evil” (Job 1:1 KJV). “Without cause,” Job went through a
horrendous “season of suffering.”
In God’s sovereignty he
permitted Satan to be an instrument for Job’s, - a man of integrity- suffering.
The book of Job was written for our learning and our admonition (Romans 15:4
& 1 Corinthians 10:11). Job’s story was written for our knowledge and as a
warning.
“…For whatsoever things were
written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience
and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4 KJV).
“Now
all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV).
It is crystal clear that there was no
cause or any other sufficient basis for Job’s suffering as far as God was
concerned. However, Satan had a cause and that was to prove Job would curse God
through these trials. Further, Satan “…intended
to harm [Job]…, but God intended it for GOOD…” Genesis 50:20 NIV).
Job never once cursed God and he
maintained his integrity. Satan’s accusations were unfounded. There truly can
be found no basis for Job’s suffering in the whole book. Only Satan was his
accuser. “…for the
accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and
night” (Revelation 12:10 KJV).
During the “season of suffering” Job gave no
proof of cursing God or casting away his integrity. “…And he has
maintained his integrity…” (Job 2:3KJV). He was clearly not the person Satan accused him of being.
Yet it seems Satan had “…movedst [God]…
against him, to destroy him without cause” (Job 2:3 KJV).
The bible says God
doesn’t change therefore Satan can’t truly influence the unchangeable,
immutable nature of God. “…I am the Lord, I change NOT…”
(Malachi 3:6 KJV). Satan did proposition God in regard to Job and God, in his
own sovereignty allowed and permitted it, which was strictly an act of his own
divine will. “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
No one counsels God to
do anything. “…O the
depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind
of the Lord? Or who hath been his
counsellor?” (Romans 11:33-34 KJV).
Satan went like a roaring lion to
“swallow” Job up alive and literally destroys him to the brink of his soul,
which he couldn’t touch. Job became a man “undone” by all his had lost and this
“without cause.”
The sovereign God allowed it and the
sovereign God permitted it. Does God owe us an explanation? “…All
the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the
earth. No one can hold back
his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4
NIV).
“All the peoples of the earth
are regarded as nothing.
He (God) does as he pleases (not mankind) with
the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say
to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4 NLT).
“Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
It is hard to truly
comprehend God’s sovereignty until you come face to face with it. “…O the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways
past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his
counsellor?” (Romans 11:33-34 KJV). “…he
does whatever pleases him” (Psalms 115:3 NIV).
When you go through
“seasons of suffering” it is not unusually for you to question God’s
sovereignty, especially when you don’t understand it. Or when you don’t
understand what has happened, or what is currently happening and it makes no human
sense. Nonetheless, “…he does whatever pleases him”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
Like it or not, “..,[God]…
does as he pleases (not mankind) with the powers of heaven and
the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say
to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4 NLT).
The only thing that is
absolutely sure is that God does what he pleases with “….the powers of heaven and the people of the earth,…” (Daniel 4 NLT).
God’s allows or permits suffering because it is his sovereign right to do as he
pleases and “without cause” either.
No matter what the “…people of the earth...” think of what he
allows or permits they are warned: “…Woe
unto him that striveth with his Maker!” (Isaiah 45:9 KJV).
God is sovereign, holy,
wise, kind, merciful, full of grace, good, “…[and]… great
is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD” (Psalms 117:2 KJV). “…Thou
are GOOD and doest GOOD…”(Psalm 119:68
KJV).
The bible also says: “…for the lord is GOOD…” (Psalm 100:5
KJV). “…Oh how great is thy GOODNESS…
(Psalm 31:19 KJV). “…for he is GOOD…”
(Psalm 107:1 KJV). “..The lord is GOOD…” (Nahum 1:7 KJV). “…GOOD and upright is the Lord…” (Psalm
25:8 KJV). “…For thou, Lord, is GOOD…” (Psalm 86:5 KJV). “…O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is GOOD… ” (Psalms 106:1 KJV).
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is GOOD; for his mercy endureth for ever” (1 Chronicles 16:34 KJV).
We are not to question
his GOOD, sovereign decisions, but trust them. Maybe there is no available or
ready cause for certain “seasons of suffering,”
but “…as
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are [God’s]… ways higher than your ways
and [God’s]… thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah. 55:9 KJV).
If
God chooses not to give a preferred,
human reason for suffering; it is his prerogative. “…he does whatever pleases him”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
God is good and is not trying to harm you
through “seasons of suffering,” but he promises you “hope” and a “future”
(Jeremiah 29:11 KJV). “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah
29:11 KJV).
God has the sovereign
and divine right to do as he pleases in heaven and on earth. . “…The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell
therein…” (Psalm 24:1 KJV).
The
people of the earth have a will, and understand
to some extent, what it feels like to do as YOU please. God’s divine will is
His right and your human will is His privilege to you. “…I lay down my life. …I have authority to lay it down
…. This command
I received from my Father” (John 10:17-18 KJV).
God has the right to
bestow the privilege of a will on mankind and he has a right to revoke that
privilege if he wanted to. “…I lay down my life. …I have authority to lay it down …. This command I
received from my Father” (John 10:17-18 KJV).
However, God gave and
created mankind in his image, which included a “will” similar to his. God “…created all things [including the human
will], …for [his] pleasure
..." (Revelation 4:11 KJV).
You, therefore, have been given the privilege
to make unrestricted, independent choices that allow you to live and do as you
please. “… I have
set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and
thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV).
The human will can
create problems between God and the believer. Satan was kicked out of heaven
because he forgot his will was a privilege and not a right. His “will” made him
think he could be as sovereign as God. “How
you are fallen from heaven, O shining
star, son of the morning!
…For you said to
yourself, ‘I will…”
(Isaiah 14:12-15 NLT).
“How you are fallen from
heaven, O shining star, son of
the morning! You have been thrown
down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the
world. For you
said to yourself, ‘I will ascend to heaven and set my
throne above God’s stars. I will preside on the mountain of
the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest heavens and be like
the Most High.’ Instead,
you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down
to its lowest depths” (Isaiah 14:12-15
NLT).
Satan, “the shining star, son of the morning” was cast out of heaven (Revelation
12:4, 9; Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12). Obviously, the “will” can fill you with
pride and puff you up with arrogance. Like Satan, you may begin to think you
can also, “…climb to the
highest heavens and be like
the Most High.’ ”
(Isaiah 14:12-15 NLT).
We have the privilege,
given by God, to have a “will,” but we don’t run the show. The human will wants
to run the show, or be in control, or do it their way, but God is the ONLY one with
a sovereign will. “…he does whatever pleases him…”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
And more often than
not, God will use a “season of suffering” to demonstrate his ultimate
sovereignty. “…those who walk in pride…
[God] is able to humble”
(Daniel 4:37 NIV). If you read my last book, do you remember willful
Nebuchadnezzar, who was full of pride?
“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home
in my palace, contented and prosperous.
I had a dream that made me afraid. So
I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret
the dream for me, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came into my presence and I told him the dream.
“This
is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar (another
name for Daniel),
tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it
for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
Belteshazzar
answered, “My lord…The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top
touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, with beautiful leaves
and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals,
and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— Your Majesty, you are that
tree!
You
have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the
sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. “Your Majesty saw
a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree
and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass
of the field, while its roots remain in the ground.
Let
him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals,
until seven times pass by for him.’ “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty,
and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: You will be driven away
from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox
and be drenched with the dew of heaven.
Seven
times (years) will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is
sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. The command
to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be
restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.
Therefore,
Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being
kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.”
All
this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Twelve months later,
as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal
residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”
Even
as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is
decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from
you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild
animals; you will eat grass like the ox.
Seven
times (years) will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is
sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.”
Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled.
He
was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched
with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and
his nails like the claws of a bird.
At
the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my
sanity was restored. Then I praised the
Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an
eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from
generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he
pleases with
the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say
to him: “What have you done?”
At
the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned
to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I
was restored to my throne and became even greater than before.
Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise
and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does
is right and all his ways are just. And
those who walk in pride (self-will) he is able to humble (Daniel
4 NIV).
God is in control, but
he is not controlling. God is sovereign over test, and trials, yet the human
“will” still wasn’t designed to be controlled. Even in the story of
Nebuchadnezzar, his “will” had to voluntarily humble itself under God’s
sovereignty (1 Peter 5:6).
Nebuchadnezzar
voluntarily surrendered to God’s sovereignty. “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar,
raised my eyes toward heaven….
Then I praised
the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives
forever…” (Daniel 4 NIV).
Nebuchadnezzar further teaches
us that having a “will” is not a
right, but a privilege bestowed upon humanity by God. “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He (God) does as he pleases (not
mankind) with
the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel
4 NLT).
God’s holy sovereignty
is his right to do as HE
pleases. Your human sovereignty is God’s bestowed privilege that gives you a license, issued by HIM, to do as you
please. “…The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness
thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein…” (Psalm 24:1 KJV).
God doesn’t want you to
ever forget “…the world is mine, and the fulness thereof…(Psalm 50:12
KJV). “…Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the
power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth
is thine..” (1 Chronicles 29:11 KJV).
Yes, you have the
privilege to do as you please and the “will” is a powerful force. Doing what
you please can be intoxicating, but it can always puff you up and make you become
prideful.
King Nebuchadnezzar
forgot his will was a privilege bestowed by God and not a right. “…All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of
the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power
and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel
4 NI V).
“….Do not forget that [God]…
led you through ... He gave you water …He fed you…. He
did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength
and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful ...” (Deuteronomy 8:17-17 NLT). “…For what gives you the right to make such a
judgment? What
do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is
from God, why
boast as though it were not a gift?...” (1 Corinthians 4:7 NLT).
The “will” can cause pride
to confuse your bestowed privilege as a right that only belongs to the
sovereign God.
King Nebuchadnezzar
made that mistake, but finally admitted, “At
the end of that time, I,
Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward
heaven…. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him
who lives forever… Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the
King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his
ways are just. And those who walk in
pride he is able to humble” (Daniel 4 NIV).
An example of a right
and a privilege is similar to a young child living with his parents. The parents own everything, control everything,
and oversee everything, which gives them authority, ultimate rights, and
sovereignty. The child, however, is bestowed the privilege, from the parents, to
liberally share all they have as if it’s their very own.
If the child begins to
abuse those privileges the parents would, mostly likely, usurp their sovereign
authority to remind the child who is ultimately in charge. If the child doesn’t
obey, the parents may begin to revoke some of the child’s privileges.
Because the human will
is or has been enslaved to sin, it can cause people to abuse the privileges God
has given them. Willful pride can lead to some of the greatest abuses of all
because it is influenced or enslaved by the “evil one”.
“ We know that we are God’s
children, and that the whole world
lies under the power of the evil one” (1
John 5:19 RSV).
God knows the human “will
“can lead to trouble if not put under the sovereignty of God. Apostle Paul talked
about the troubles he had with his own “will” and said:
“The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I
don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. So I am not
the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And
I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do
what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good,
but I don’t.
I don’t want
to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. I have discovered this
principle of life—that when I want (WILL) to do what is right, I inevitably do what is
wrong. I
[am] …a slave to the sin that is … within
me. Oh, what a miserable
person I am!
Who
will free me from this life that is dominated by sin (self-will)? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT).
We are to learn and be
admonished after reading and studying the book of Job. “…For whatsoever things were
written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience
and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4 KJV).
“Now
all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the
world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV).
We learn that in this
life we all have a “common destiny.” “So
I reflected on all this and concluded that the
righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s
hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them. All share a common destiny—… The same destiny overtakes all. … time and chance happen to them all so people are trapped by evil times that fall
unexpectedly upon them…”
(Ecclesiastes 9 NIV).
“For man also knoweth not his
time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that
are caught in the snare; so are the sons
of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them”
(Ecclesiastes 9:12 KJV).
“….People are trapped by evil
times that fall unexpectedly upon them…”
(Ecclesiastes 9 NIV). “…All share a common
destiny …” (Ecclesiastes 9 NIV).
However, those “IN” Christ have the guaranteed promise “...that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose…”(ROMANS
8:28 KJV).
So whether you
understand your suffering or not; whether it is “without cause” or it is with cause; whether it is unjust or just;
whether you agree with it or not; whether God permitted and initiated it;
whether you are faithful, blameless, righteous, perfect, upright, with
integrity, or not – GOD IS SOVEREIGN and “…he does whatever pleases him…”
(Psalms 115:3 NIV).
The bottom line: “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He (God) does as he pleases (not
mankind) with
the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.
No one can hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel
4 NLT).
Job gained a deeper
respect for God’s sovereignty. “Then Job answered the Lord, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought
can be withholden from thee… now
mine eye seeth thee…” (Job 42:1, 6 KJV).
For those “IN” Christ, there are some things we
are taught about suffering. “…Christ suffered for [me]…, leaving [me]…
an example, that [I] should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found
in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not
retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself
to him who judges justly…” (1
Peter 2:20-23 NIV).
First, of all, “…When he suffered, …he entrusted
himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:19-23 NIV). “…that ye should follow his steps…” (1 Peter 2:21 KJV).
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things he
suffered…” (Hebrews 5:8 KJV).
“….he that
hath suffered in the flesh
hath ceased
from sin…” (1 Peter 4:1 KJV).
“…if you suffer for doing good and
you endure it, this is commendable before God…”
(1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV).
“…the suffering of
this present time ARE NOT worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us…” (Romans 8:18 KJV).
“...all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called
according to his purpose…”(ROMANS
8:28 KJV).
“…So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore,
support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation” (1 Peter 5:10 NLT).
“…The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his
beginning: … So Job died, being old, and FULL of days...” (Job 42:12-17
KJV).
Joseph went from prison
to a high position, after “season of suffering.” “Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he
was quickly brought from the dungeon. …“And now let Pharaoh look for a
discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. The plan seemed good to Pharaoh and to all his officials.
So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find
anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”…Then Pharaoh
said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so
discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to
your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”…So
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put
you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger
and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a
gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[and
people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus
he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt…”
(Genesis 41 NIV).
After suffering in the
fiery furnace, the Hebrew boys were promoted. …Nebuchadnezzar
spake, and said, Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his
servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded
their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own
God. Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language,
which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because
there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. Then the king
promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the province of Babylon”
(Daniel 3 KJV
“Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried,
he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that
love him.” (James 1:12 KJV).
Whatever you lose or give up, during a “season
of suffering,” for God’s sake; God gives you a promise: “Then Peter began to speak up ‘We’ve
given up everything to follow you,’ he
said. ‘Yes,’ Jesus replied, ‘and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or
mother or father or children or property, for
my sake and for the Good News, will receive NOW in return
a hundred times as many houses, brother, sisters, mothers, children, and
property – along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life…”
(Mark 10:28-31 NLT).
Therefore, “Trust
in the Lord with
all thine heart; and lean not
unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).
“The steps of a good man are
ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way”
(Psalms 37:23 KJV).
God is saying: "…Behold, I will do something new, Now
it will
spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it? I will
even make a roadway
in the
wilderness…” (Isaiah 43:19-20 NASB).
"I
am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My
praise to graven images. "Behold, the former
things
have come to pass, Now I declare new things; Before
they spring
forth
I proclaim them to you." (Isaiah 42:9 NASB).
“I will lead the blind by ways they have
not known, along
“unfamiliar” paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before
them and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do; I will
not forsake them” (Isaiah 42:16 NIV).
Again, “…When he suffered, …he entrusted
himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:19-23 NIV). “…that ye should follow his steps…” (1 Peter 2:21 KJV).
“…After you have suffered a little while, he will restore,
support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation” (1 Peter 5:10 NLT).
EXCERPT FROM THE
BY DR PENSACOLA H JEFFERSON
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