THE LORD GIVES AND GIVES AND GIVES......
- Thread starter joaniemarie
- Start date
-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
I'll have to first say how sorry I am for the losses suffered by those who shared their experiences in the last few posts. Your prayers not being answered and the trials you are going through. I do not say nor have I ever said anything about anyone's personal faith. I've not challenged any of you or judged you. I can only go by what the Lord has been teaching me and the things observed in my own faith walk with Jesus. Like the rest of you., it's a work in progress.
I don't have a - Plan-B when it comes to what if my prayers are not answered. I do not even go there. As far as I'm concerned one of the giant lessons I have learned thus far in my 35yrs as a believer is it's not my business to look at any possibility that Jesus would not take care of me. If you will entertain that possibility that is your choice. I cannot go there and when that temptation comes., I stop and go back to Jesus again and again.
Along those lines, I've decided not to try to upload into my life what someone else is going through in their walk with Jesus. I'm not to look anywhere but to the Rock of my salvation. Looking to Jesus brings with it a boldness to step out when there is nothing else going to catch me. And yes., this kind of not looking to the left and to the right gets some other Christians bothered. I get warned by many here of the dangers of not being aware of all the disappointments I'm setting myself and others up for by not looking around me. And the dangers of "not" applying those hidden dangers to my own life circumstances. Some believers want me to consider since it has happened to them it could and probably will happen to me and others who believe this way.
My belief in the promises of God in the Bible does not mean I get to eat all the junk I want and expect first., not to get fat and 2nd expect someone to come along and lay hands on me and heal my clogged arteries. I really wish you brothers would stop assuming I'm praying for that Mercedes to somehow "POOF" be put in my driveway. Come on you guys. Don't start associating my faith with these way out scenarios that I have neither endorsed or agreed with. I've never come close to saying or doing the things those last few posts applied to me.
We all will go through tribulations in this life and we have been told so by Jesus. But He told us to be of good cheer because He has already overcome the world. To the brother who went through years of an idealistic Christian life with all he ever wanted including healing only to be shot down today I'm very sorry. Going by my own experiences with some of those issues I can say with confidence it was not God who took away my family and friends and health when I lost it all.
I do know the enemy comes along and will seek to steal away the Word sown in our hearts. As I stated before in a post previously here., he is always there wanting to steal our hope and our joy. He does not want the Word to be sown into our hearts and lives at all because once it is., his power and influence over us is greatly diminished when we believe in spite of the natural state of things. So he sends symptoms throwing many negative things (fiery darts) our way causing us to lose heart.
When we lose heart we go back and try to get on board again with our flesh to solve the problems of life the way we used to do and like others have done. Will finish in another post., am being paged at work.
I don't have a - Plan-B when it comes to what if my prayers are not answered. I do not even go there. As far as I'm concerned one of the giant lessons I have learned thus far in my 35yrs as a believer is it's not my business to look at any possibility that Jesus would not take care of me. If you will entertain that possibility that is your choice. I cannot go there and when that temptation comes., I stop and go back to Jesus again and again.
Along those lines, I've decided not to try to upload into my life what someone else is going through in their walk with Jesus. I'm not to look anywhere but to the Rock of my salvation. Looking to Jesus brings with it a boldness to step out when there is nothing else going to catch me. And yes., this kind of not looking to the left and to the right gets some other Christians bothered. I get warned by many here of the dangers of not being aware of all the disappointments I'm setting myself and others up for by not looking around me. And the dangers of "not" applying those hidden dangers to my own life circumstances. Some believers want me to consider since it has happened to them it could and probably will happen to me and others who believe this way.
My belief in the promises of God in the Bible does not mean I get to eat all the junk I want and expect first., not to get fat and 2nd expect someone to come along and lay hands on me and heal my clogged arteries. I really wish you brothers would stop assuming I'm praying for that Mercedes to somehow "POOF" be put in my driveway. Come on you guys. Don't start associating my faith with these way out scenarios that I have neither endorsed or agreed with. I've never come close to saying or doing the things those last few posts applied to me.
We all will go through tribulations in this life and we have been told so by Jesus. But He told us to be of good cheer because He has already overcome the world. To the brother who went through years of an idealistic Christian life with all he ever wanted including healing only to be shot down today I'm very sorry. Going by my own experiences with some of those issues I can say with confidence it was not God who took away my family and friends and health when I lost it all.
I do know the enemy comes along and will seek to steal away the Word sown in our hearts. As I stated before in a post previously here., he is always there wanting to steal our hope and our joy. He does not want the Word to be sown into our hearts and lives at all because once it is., his power and influence over us is greatly diminished when we believe in spite of the natural state of things. So he sends symptoms throwing many negative things (fiery darts) our way causing us to lose heart.
When we lose heart we go back and try to get on board again with our flesh to solve the problems of life the way we used to do and like others have done. Will finish in another post., am being paged at work.
There is a faith in Jesus for the provisions He has provided for us in this "so great a salvation". To those Christians here who have chosen not to believe in healing in the atonement that this is not a provision in your salvation., than you are not going to believe for healing so you are not going to have a joyful expectation of it.
But there are those of us Christians who on the other side of this do believe in healing in the atonement and we expect it and do have a joyful expectation of it. We have a great expectation for good coming from Him. We believe sickness is bad and health is good. We believe poverty is not a blessing but a curse. Personally life is complicated enough for me that I'm not going to try and say something that is horrible is good and something that is good is horrible.
This learning about how God will take the bad things in this life and make good come out of it is an unfolding of different circumstances in each of our lives. We can't give people a pat answer for every situation that is unfolding in God's plan because we are not privy to other people's situations either. Again., there is a need to allow time for God to unfold truths to us and while we are waiting for the unfolding we can know that He loves us. That He wants us to always to have a good expectation of good not evil from Him because of Jesus. That is what faith is imo.
I've observed He does use bad things and makes good come out of them. But I do not believe He causes them nor do I believe He sends evil or wants me to call good evil and evil good. That imo is left up to each one of us at the time of our trials and temptations. If we learn something because of a tragedy than great!! Apparently we learned one way or another something we needed to learn., but again., God is not tempting us with evil. No., I will not agree with the brothers and sisters who believe this. We will have to agree to disagree on that.
But there are those of us Christians who on the other side of this do believe in healing in the atonement and we expect it and do have a joyful expectation of it. We have a great expectation for good coming from Him. We believe sickness is bad and health is good. We believe poverty is not a blessing but a curse. Personally life is complicated enough for me that I'm not going to try and say something that is horrible is good and something that is good is horrible.
This learning about how God will take the bad things in this life and make good come out of it is an unfolding of different circumstances in each of our lives. We can't give people a pat answer for every situation that is unfolding in God's plan because we are not privy to other people's situations either. Again., there is a need to allow time for God to unfold truths to us and while we are waiting for the unfolding we can know that He loves us. That He wants us to always to have a good expectation of good not evil from Him because of Jesus. That is what faith is imo.
I've observed He does use bad things and makes good come out of them. But I do not believe He causes them nor do I believe He sends evil or wants me to call good evil and evil good. That imo is left up to each one of us at the time of our trials and temptations. If we learn something because of a tragedy than great!! Apparently we learned one way or another something we needed to learn., but again., God is not tempting us with evil. No., I will not agree with the brothers and sisters who believe this. We will have to agree to disagree on that.
P
This is the ignorance of some Christians. To think God only heals physically in a miraculous way. That our faith determines our fate on this subject.
Makes no sense to me.
God also gives knowledge and abilities to people . Medicines from the earth.
Now the Lord doesn't need x-ray machines, testing to diagnose, a given time to heal. All he needs is to speak the word. If that's what he has chosen to witness to others. That's right others. All gifts our not for us personally. They are to witness to others.
Read and reread job again, Satan's challenge was if God removed the hedge how job would curse him to his face.
God is great....when all is good. But ....how about when his children are afflicted. When they are financially challenged, mentally depressed, physically impaired, ect.
Jesus said to the crowd that followed him....you follow me because I fed you...they followed no more.
Yeah God is good very good....but how great is your God when that hedge is taken away.....when the doctor says I'm sorry nothing more to do.
Stevens death was believed to be very instrumental in pauls conversion. Not his life....his death.
This lack of faith belief has destroyed many believers. .....I wasn't healed so God doesn't love or care for me. I have to much sin in my life God will not heal me. I guess I wasn't chosen. Wow sure puts a damper on unconditional love.
just my viewpoint......then again it's all in scripture.
Makes no sense to me.
God also gives knowledge and abilities to people . Medicines from the earth.
Now the Lord doesn't need x-ray machines, testing to diagnose, a given time to heal. All he needs is to speak the word. If that's what he has chosen to witness to others. That's right others. All gifts our not for us personally. They are to witness to others.
Read and reread job again, Satan's challenge was if God removed the hedge how job would curse him to his face.
God is great....when all is good. But ....how about when his children are afflicted. When they are financially challenged, mentally depressed, physically impaired, ect.
Jesus said to the crowd that followed him....you follow me because I fed you...they followed no more.
Yeah God is good very good....but how great is your God when that hedge is taken away.....when the doctor says I'm sorry nothing more to do.
Stevens death was believed to be very instrumental in pauls conversion. Not his life....his death.
This lack of faith belief has destroyed many believers. .....I wasn't healed so God doesn't love or care for me. I have to much sin in my life God will not heal me. I guess I wasn't chosen. Wow sure puts a damper on unconditional love.
just my viewpoint......then again it's all in scripture.
Did you even read the posts Potters? Who said God only heals physically in a miraculous way? And who said park the Mercedes out on the driveway? Because Christians such as you are so used to only hearing what they want to hear is being said., you and they won't ever really hear what is actually being said. Or read it in a post for that matter.
Potters., take a step back and read what IS being said in this thread and please only then comment and give your opinion it will be MORE than welcome and I'd LOVE to discuss and share with you. But if you are going to read into what is being said., your comments are such a waste of time and effort. And personally so annoying and pesky as you deform what I have actually said.
Potters., take a step back and read what IS being said in this thread and please only then comment and give your opinion it will be MORE than welcome and I'd LOVE to discuss and share with you. But if you are going to read into what is being said., your comments are such a waste of time and effort. And personally so annoying and pesky as you deform what I have actually said.
Last edited:
P
Did you even read the posts Potters? Who said God only heals physically in a miraculous way? And who said park the Mercedes out on the driveway? Because Christians such as you are so used to only hearing what they want to hear is being said., you and they won't ever really hear what is actually being said. Or read it in a post for that matter.
Potters., take a step back and read what IS being said in this thread and please only then comment and give your opinion it will be MORE than welcome and I'd LOVE to discuss and share with you. But if you are going to read into what is being said., your comments are such a waste of time and effort. And personally so annoying and pesky as you deform what I have actually said.
Potters., take a step back and read what IS being said in this thread and please only then comment and give your opinion it will be MORE than welcome and I'd LOVE to discuss and share with you. But if you are going to read into what is being said., your comments are such a waste of time and effort. And personally so annoying and pesky as you deform what I have actually said.
You know your right.....this whole site has become very unfriendly. Time to leave. I've seen too many make a mockery out of the discussion part of these threads. Peace to all the saints here. All are in my prayers. God bless all
Potter....out
You know your right.....this whole site has become very unfriendly. Time to leave. I've seen too many make a mockery out of the discussion part of these threads. Peace to all the saints here. All are in my prayers. God bless all
Potter....out
Potter....out
Well Potter., some days are better than other days. I never want to be unfriendly to anyone here so I'm sorry. Discussion is always best when it's possible. So if you're open to that., hope to see you again.
While reading some of these posts one of the subjects that stands out and that bothers most people is the proclamation that our faith would have anything to do with our outcomes in life and our recovery from the issues in life. Not only victory in the ability to perceive spiritual things but the truth of spiritual things effecting our physical things.
Let's say someone has a problem with fear., and they take into consideration their feelings of fear above rational thinking. Job said "the thing I feared the most has come upon me". Even Job feared and what he feared came upon him. He feared for his kids and he prayed in fear about his kids. Some Christians never consider Job in this way. They only see Job as a perfect man when he was far from perfect. He had issues too.
Despite what makes sense to us or not., what we think and how we live will impact our lives. To deny that (correlation) in our thought life coming into our physical life is not proper thinking IMO. It sure didn't work for me. What I feared the most came upon me too.
When people depend on let's use "money" as an example for a solution in life., thier dependence and goal to have and make money may have worked all their lives even for 50yrs giving a good return for them. Gave them the ability to take care of their families and made them important in their community. They had a good moral work ethic and on many levels looked like a success in life. Their work and money gave them many things including confidence.
But then something happens that their money can't solve. Circumstances beyond a person's control happen and what they have depended upon and worked for that has always gotten them through in the past no longer works. They have a crisis of life and the whole building of their lives comes crashing down like a brick building one carefully placed brick at a time. Nothing works like it used to. Even their relationships they find depended on the money and now they can't sustain their relationships anymore either. They have to either re-learn how to go forward on their own or find someone to help them.
I see this scenario working out in the lives of the elderly people I took care of for many years. The ones who were rich and could make friends and influence people no longer had that ability. They were at a complete loss. Ultimately even their families no longer came around.
In either scenario., faith in the love of God in Christ is the answer. What we have faith in will be the strength of our lives. If it's Jesus than it will get us through till the end. If it's our own ideas of how life and God work based on our own abilities to maintain them., it will fail ultimately and not hold us up. I believe Job found out how to think based on the truth of Who God is and not Job's ideas of who God is. A realization I've seen happen to many Godly faith filled brothers and sisters in Christ. They had their minds changed about who God is and how He deals with them.
Let's say someone has a problem with fear., and they take into consideration their feelings of fear above rational thinking. Job said "the thing I feared the most has come upon me". Even Job feared and what he feared came upon him. He feared for his kids and he prayed in fear about his kids. Some Christians never consider Job in this way. They only see Job as a perfect man when he was far from perfect. He had issues too.
Despite what makes sense to us or not., what we think and how we live will impact our lives. To deny that (correlation) in our thought life coming into our physical life is not proper thinking IMO. It sure didn't work for me. What I feared the most came upon me too.
When people depend on let's use "money" as an example for a solution in life., thier dependence and goal to have and make money may have worked all their lives even for 50yrs giving a good return for them. Gave them the ability to take care of their families and made them important in their community. They had a good moral work ethic and on many levels looked like a success in life. Their work and money gave them many things including confidence.
But then something happens that their money can't solve. Circumstances beyond a person's control happen and what they have depended upon and worked for that has always gotten them through in the past no longer works. They have a crisis of life and the whole building of their lives comes crashing down like a brick building one carefully placed brick at a time. Nothing works like it used to. Even their relationships they find depended on the money and now they can't sustain their relationships anymore either. They have to either re-learn how to go forward on their own or find someone to help them.
I see this scenario working out in the lives of the elderly people I took care of for many years. The ones who were rich and could make friends and influence people no longer had that ability. They were at a complete loss. Ultimately even their families no longer came around.
In either scenario., faith in the love of God in Christ is the answer. What we have faith in will be the strength of our lives. If it's Jesus than it will get us through till the end. If it's our own ideas of how life and God work based on our own abilities to maintain them., it will fail ultimately and not hold us up. I believe Job found out how to think based on the truth of Who God is and not Job's ideas of who God is. A realization I've seen happen to many Godly faith filled brothers and sisters in Christ. They had their minds changed about who God is and how He deals with them.
J
[TABLE="class: yiv6614150563templateContainer, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlock, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlockInner"][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContentContainer, width: 100%, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContent, align: center"]He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlock, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlockInner"][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContentContainer, width: 100%, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContent"]- JULY 19 -
GOD IS A GIVER, NOT A TAKER
[HR][/HR]
Some Christians mistakenly believe that God gives and also takes away. At funerals, we sometimes hear the minister say, “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
I remember an occasion when I was looking at a baby who was suffering from cancer. I heard one of his family members comment, “You can’t be sure what God’s will is. He may or may not heal.” What that person meant was that although the Lord had given the parents this baby, He might later take the baby away from them.
Job displayed this very same attitude when he received the news that he had lost his property and children. Thinking that God was the source of his problems and not knowing that it was actually Satan who had come against him, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) Such a statement seems to honor God, but in reality, it reveals an erroneous view of our heavenly Father.
As children of God, we know what the Father’s will is for us. He is a giver, not a taker! Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) It is the devil who is the thief. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give us life more abundant. (John 10:10)
Jesus met every need and healed every sickness brought before Him, and at the cross, He gave His own life. Never once did He take anything away from the people who came to Him. And the Bible says that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. (John 14:9)
Beloved, your heavenly Father wants you to know today that He is the one who gives you all good things. And if He has already given us heaven’s best—Jesus, “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”?[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Destined To Reign Devotional for 7/19 by Pastor Joseph Prince
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlock, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlockInner"][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContentContainer, width: 100%, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContent, align: center"]He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Romans 8:32[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlock, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextBlockInner"][TABLE="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContentContainer, width: 100%, align: left"]
[TR]
[TD="class: yiv6614150563mcnTextContent"]- JULY 19 -
GOD IS A GIVER, NOT A TAKER
[HR][/HR]
Some Christians mistakenly believe that God gives and also takes away. At funerals, we sometimes hear the minister say, “The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
I remember an occasion when I was looking at a baby who was suffering from cancer. I heard one of his family members comment, “You can’t be sure what God’s will is. He may or may not heal.” What that person meant was that although the Lord had given the parents this baby, He might later take the baby away from them.
Job displayed this very same attitude when he received the news that he had lost his property and children. Thinking that God was the source of his problems and not knowing that it was actually Satan who had come against him, he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21) Such a statement seems to honor God, but in reality, it reveals an erroneous view of our heavenly Father.
As children of God, we know what the Father’s will is for us. He is a giver, not a taker! Jesus said, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) It is the devil who is the thief. He comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus came to give us life more abundant. (John 10:10)
Jesus met every need and healed every sickness brought before Him, and at the cross, He gave His own life. Never once did He take anything away from the people who came to Him. And the Bible says that whoever has seen Jesus has seen the Father. (John 14:9)
Beloved, your heavenly Father wants you to know today that He is the one who gives you all good things. And if He has already given us heaven’s best—Jesus, “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things”?[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Destined To Reign Devotional for 7/19 by Pastor Joseph Prince
and though you say satan did this to Job,while somewhat accurate is not wholly accurate for God told satan"it is within your power" when Satan was trying to make God believe that Job would not continue to serve God devoutly if he lost certain blessings,so really God has the final say and the devil lays claim to noone's death for if God does not stop satan from doing this then he has "allowed it" for God is almighty and though satan does afflict people constantly he is still not "able" to do as he pleases,so do not misunderstand satan may make boasts that he has dealt death to many through his actions but this is not true for God "loves his children" and "protects those whom are his"
so while it is accurate to say that the devil does afflict unto death,he is not be credited with anyone's death for he hath not the power to do so lest God "let him do so" for God shows in the book of Job that our lives are God's, not satan's,and satan has only the power to afflict not kill lest he face God's wrath and be destroyed body and soul,as in that the devil though he is against God cannot do what he wants for he knows that God is more powerful than himself and that he cannot overstep what God doth allow him to do,for the war between God and satan is no longer about power,but rather whom can lead us here on earth better,for in Revelation it is revealed how satan was cast out from heaven,thereby him learning not only of God's power but leadership of angels,where as the last thing that is to be determined through us is which entity is Wiser in Leadership of us,and whom can gather more souls before judgement day,satan knows that God can not be defeated by way of power so he hopes to defeat him by way of disheartening God by leading people away from God with trickery and false doctrines,for in a sense he lost a battle but he hopes to win his war against God,so be weary of what deception satan wishes for you to believe,satan hath no more power than God allows and cannot lay claim to anyone's death,to accept that God hath more power is to know wisdom,for though God is the God of living not of death,he still can if he desires keep anyone from dieing no matter what the circumstance,for "is anything too hard for God?"
Last edited by a moderator:
well "the lord giveth and the lord taketh away" is true,I believe what you meant to say is that"God does not delight in anyone's death"
and though you say satan did this to Job,while somewhat accurate is not wholly accurate for God told satan"it is within your power" when Satan was trying to make God believe that Job would not continue to serve God devoutly if he lost certain blessings,so really God has the final say and the devil lays claim to noone's death for if God does not stop satan from doing this then he has "allowed it" for God is almighty and though satan does afflict people constantly he is still not "able" to do as he pleases,so do not misunderstand satan may make boasts that he has dealt death to many through his actions but this is not true for God "loves his children" and "protects those whom are his"
so while it is accurate to say that the devil does afflict unto death,he is not be credited with anyone's death for he hath not the power to do so lest God "let him do so" for God shows in the book of Job that our lives are God's, not satan's,and satan has only the power to afflict not kill lest he face God's wrath and be destroyed body and soul,as in that the devil though he is against God cannot do what he wants for he knows that God is more powerful than himself and that he cannot overstep what God doth allow him to do,for the war between God and satan is no longer about power,but rather whom can lead us here on earth better,for in Revelation it is revealed how satan was cast out from heaven,thereby him learning not only of God's power but leadership of angels,where as the last thing that is to be determined through us is which entity is Wiser in Leadership of us,and whom can gather more souls before judgement day,satan knows that God can not be defeated by way of power so he hopes to defeat him by way of disheartening God by leading people away from God with trickery and false doctrines,for in a sense he lost a battle but he hopes to win his war against God,so be weary of what deception satan wishes for you to believe,satan hath no more power than God allows and cannot lay claim to anyone's death,to accept that God hath more power is to know wisdom,for though God is the God of living not of death,he still can if he desires keep anyone from dieing no matter what the circumstance,for "is anything too hard for God?"
and though you say satan did this to Job,while somewhat accurate is not wholly accurate for God told satan"it is within your power" when Satan was trying to make God believe that Job would not continue to serve God devoutly if he lost certain blessings,so really God has the final say and the devil lays claim to noone's death for if God does not stop satan from doing this then he has "allowed it" for God is almighty and though satan does afflict people constantly he is still not "able" to do as he pleases,so do not misunderstand satan may make boasts that he has dealt death to many through his actions but this is not true for God "loves his children" and "protects those whom are his"
so while it is accurate to say that the devil does afflict unto death,he is not be credited with anyone's death for he hath not the power to do so lest God "let him do so" for God shows in the book of Job that our lives are God's, not satan's,and satan has only the power to afflict not kill lest he face God's wrath and be destroyed body and soul,as in that the devil though he is against God cannot do what he wants for he knows that God is more powerful than himself and that he cannot overstep what God doth allow him to do,for the war between God and satan is no longer about power,but rather whom can lead us here on earth better,for in Revelation it is revealed how satan was cast out from heaven,thereby him learning not only of God's power but leadership of angels,where as the last thing that is to be determined through us is which entity is Wiser in Leadership of us,and whom can gather more souls before judgement day,satan knows that God can not be defeated by way of power so he hopes to defeat him by way of disheartening God by leading people away from God with trickery and false doctrines,for in a sense he lost a battle but he hopes to win his war against God,so be weary of what deception satan wishes for you to believe,satan hath no more power than God allows and cannot lay claim to anyone's death,to accept that God hath more power is to know wisdom,for though God is the God of living not of death,he still can if he desires keep anyone from dieing no matter what the circumstance,for "is anything too hard for God?"
Hi Joe., What many of us Christians have not been taught concerning the sovereignty of God is Adam forfeited his place as caretaker and heir of the world and freely gave it over to satan. We have suffered the consequences ever since. So satan began stealing from us long ago by lying to Adam about God. It is not God who steals, kills and destroys., it is satan. Jesus came and broke the power of sin and death and now us Christians have by faith what Jesus has now regained for us. He is the second Adam. Jesus came as a man and did all that Adam failed at and then some.
satan kills people all the time. Babies die and children die sickness and horrors worse than many of us can imagine are part of this world of sin. We regain our place IN Christ. He has given us a great salvation. We acquire these promises in our lives by faith. We are instructed to live by faith.
Man has always had free will and God doesn't force man to believe He is loving or kind or generous or long suffering or caring. So satan convinces people of all kinds of evils coming from God "in His sovereignty" when in fact, God's sovereignty doesn't take away man's free will. In His sovereignty, He has allowed man to make his own choices and those choices have allowed sin and the the enemy in reeking all kinds of horrors on the world. Other wise we would be robots who are like chess pieces in a game like the Greeks thought we and God were. Both having a part in the games played out in people's lives. God is not like that. But satan has had a field day convincing man using the word "sovereign"
Job did not have the full revelation of God and so Job also thought since God is God and sovereign over all , ultimately God caused such devastation in the world to test people to see if they would be good and if not He would zap them. When in fact it was not God testing Job with evil just as God doesn't test His people with evil today.
It's so important for us to read the Bible that contains the REAL truth of Who God is and listen to His Spirit as He reveals to us about Jesus. If we have seen Jesus., we have seen the Father. When it comes to His nature., goodness, kindness, long suffering, mercy and love for people we just need to look at God's revelation of Himself in His Son. Then there will not be confusion about His sovereignty. There will be no question about how come there is evil in the world. We will understand then that God sent His own Son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved.
We would understand that God's love is what caused Jesus to come and today we need to believe His love is what constrains us and motivates us. When we understand that sin, the flesh and the devil are bad and brings bad things we will understand God doesn't send us evil. We will start to understand a whole lot more about our lives and God's will and God's sovereignty.
Last edited: