I got to this thread late. Unless I posted and just forgot. I think the only thing I did was watch the video.
I've been reading a lot of your posts joanie but I don't think I officially said hello.
Also, you have funny smileys. lol.
I want to address your first paragraph.
I believe God will do whatever is necessary to prepare us for where we're going and to bear the weight of His glory.
Usually, when I read your posts, I come away saying: well, it depends on how you look at it.
This paragraph is no different. I'm saying the same thing. It depends.
I am currently in poverty. It's some pretty abject poverty. It's been a ferocious struggle of my trust. For the very fact that my trust is being tested, by this I know it is either from the hand of God, OR He is using, as you say, the world,flesh and devil, to try my trust so it comes out pure. Satan certainly wouldn't be increasing my trust, or even wanting it to increase.
It says God allowed them to become very thirsty in the desert
to see what they would do. You might view that poverty of not having any water when you're thirsty as being from the world, flesh or devil, but it specifically says GOD allowed them to become very thirsty. And it gives us the purpose of this too - to see what they would do. Would they walk by trust, or would their current circumstances determine their trust?
And He did the same with food. He refused to allow them to collect more than they needed for the day. He didn't do it, in my opinion, because He is stingy. He did it to bless and help them by growing their faith, which is more precious than silver tried in the fire 7 times.
Sometimes I think the fact that they carried great wealth into the desert with them is for our benefit (the Egyptians threw gold and jewelry at them begging them to just go) - in fact, in one place, it reads like they did it on their own by being crafty and knowing how to take advantage of a situation. It reads as if they said: okay, we'll go, but only if you pay us.
But the money didn't help them in the desert. It was worthless there, because no one was there to cook them some food they could buy or sell them some water.
They were poor and homeless, wandering around. Street people, you could say. And God LED them there on purpose. The state of poverty they found themselves in when they left the world system was
on purpose. Was it to teach them a lesson? Yes, it was to teach them to trust Him. But they refused to listen so He could grow their faith. They just wanted physical comfort. But He was trying to bless and help them!
They got sick in the desert too. Snakes bit them and they were dying. And you might say that's the world, flesh and devil, but it was on purpose. It was a direct result of them angering Him. But was He angry without love and concern that they trust Him so He could bless them? No. It was for the very reason so they
would be blessed and receive all He wanted to give them.
So was it the world, flesh and devil or did God, as you phrase it, "zap them" with poverty and sickness out of mean anger?
You see what He will cause - hunger, thirst, poverty, sickness - to bring increase in the greatest wealth we have - our trust.
So, like I said, it depends on how you look at it.
