Genesis 50:20<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.<\/i><\/p>\n
Let\u2019s consider a subject that really has books written about it and cannot be fully discussed in a short \u201cdevotion\u201d piece.\u00a0\u00a0The subject is whether it is possible that God is simultaneously and always good, always loving, and always omnipotent (all-powerful).\u00a0\u00a0What is written here cannot be exhaustive, but rather a concise consideration that is hoped will be a blessing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
God is always good (Exodus 34:6, 1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 25:8<\/b>) and He always loves us (John 3:16, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:16<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0Until we know that beyond a doubt we will never understand what is possible for us to understand about God.\u00a0\u00a0Once one knows beyond doubt that God is innately good and that He is love, not with a knowledge that is only what has been taught, but is what is treasured as the highest bit of knowledge one may have, then we may begin to grasp some of these difficult topics of the Bible.\u00a0\u00a0In fact, many of the most difficult topics become not even a speed bump in the road for those who absolutely have beyond doubt, conversation stopping, doubt stopping knowledge.\u00a0\u00a0That knowledge brings a peace that cannot be disturbed. (Philippians 4:7<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0But the knowledge of His goodness and love must be complete.\u00a0\u00a0Not completely understood, but completely and absolutely embraced and known as the highest bit of knowledge we can have.\u00a0\u00a0That must be a completed as in \u201cThe case is closed\u201d truth.\u00a0\u00a0It is for me.<\/p>\n
There are other absolutes that we must know and we find these first in His Word.\u00a0\u00a0His Word is revealed to us by His Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:10, John 16:13<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0And His Spirit also uses experience to reveal His Word to us. (Proverbs 4:11, Matthew 11:29-30<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0We must know that revelations of experience are revealed in His Word and these revelations must agree with His Word, by the Spirit.\u00a0\u00a0He reveals Himself spiritually and supernaturally by revealing His Word to us. Absolutes we must hold onto are that God is omniscient (knows everything, always has, always will) (Psalm 147:5, 1 John 3:20<\/b>), that He is omnipotent (all-powerful to bring about anything and everything He desires to) (Job 42:1-2, Matthew 19:26, Jeremiah 32:27<\/b>), and that He is omnipresent (He is simultaneously everywhere at all times) (Jeremiah 23:24, Psalm 139:7-10<\/b>).\u00a0\u00a0These \u201comni\u201d characteristics of God, along with the knowledge of the intrinsic parts of who He is (good and loving) are in and of themselves also huge topics too big to fully cover here.\u00a0\u00a0But we can state that these things must be fully and utterly held onto, they must be completely accepted.<\/p>\n
One may cry out \u201cUnfair, how are we to know these things unless we are taught.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Yes, that is true.\u00a0\u00a0But who will teach you the deep truths of God?\u00a0\u00a0It is God Himself who will.\u00a0\u00a0The truth of the goodness and love of God are not learned (to be held onto) except by very personably, earnestly and continuously calling out to God Himself to reveal Himself.\u00a0\u00a0He has already given us His Spirit and His Word to do that.\u00a0\u00a0Even how His Spirit and His Word, and experience (as understood by both His Spirit and His Word) are too long a subject to also be explored here.\u00a0\u00a0But it should be understood that God\u2019s desire has always been for men and women to know His goodness and love in the most personal way.\u00a0\u00a0In fact, that even after Adam and Eve chose sin over Him He would give another chance to live in His goodness and love is proof of the very same.\u00a0\u00a0There is no doubt, God desires none to perish but all to know His goodness and love. (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9, Ezekiel 33:11<\/b>) That is who He is.\u00a0\u00a0Oh praise our God!<\/p>\n
Since God is good, no evil thought is generated in His mind.\u00a0\u00a0It does not happen, it cannot happen.\u00a0\u00a0His mind is so pure that He cannot create an evil thought.\u00a0\u00a0That would be against His very nature, against who He is. (Psalm 92:15, John 1:5<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0Yet let this knowledge be distinct from whether He sees and knows about evil and, whether or not He knows that evil is coming, and whether or not He could stop it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As we know He is omniscient so we know that He knows, and always has, the evil that has happened and will happen.\u00a0\u00a0Also, the devil who is evil, must come before the throne of God and give account of Himself (Job 1:6-7<\/b>), so then God does see evil, but that does not make Him the author of it. (James 1:13<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0We also know that He is omnipotent so we know that He could stop the evil from happening if it was His will to do so.\u00a0\u00a0Now some here would argue that His goodness and love cannot truly co-exist within a God who knows evil is coming but does nothing to stop it.\u00a0\u00a0Again, that would take much more that what I can write in this \u201cdevotion\u201d to God. Yet, let\u2019s first understand, as God explained to Job, that man does not have the capability to judge God.\u00a0\u00a0Job confessed \u201cSurely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Job concluded by confessing to God \u201cMy ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.\u00a0\u00a0Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.<\/i>\u201d (Job 38-42:6<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0It is hard for us to understand what it is we don\u2019t know, that which we have never even thought about.\u00a0\u00a0How can we ask about a thought we have never had?\u00a0\u00a0Job, a wise and godly man, did not know what He did not know, and, neither do we.\u00a0\u00a0So humans must understand that they cannot fully understand everything about God and in like manner cannot fully understand all His reasons.\u00a0\u00a0So to say that one does not understand how a God who is good, loving and powerful allows evil is a true statement.\u00a0\u00a0However the fact that He allows for evil to continue does not ipso facto mean that He is not good, loving and powerful.\u00a0\u00a0No, it means what has already been stated, that we do not fully understand, if at all.<\/p>\n
God loves us.\u00a0\u00a0He loves all of humankind and that is why humankind still exists.\u00a0\u00a0After all if the Lord, who holds all thing that exists together (Colossians 1:16-17<\/b>), continues to do so, then that is evidence of His goodness and love.\u00a0\u00a0Does that sound mind-blowing? Yes, it is.\u00a0\u00a0Again, we cannot fully understand, we can only know that it is and that by the Holy Spirit and the Word.\u00a0\u00a0If God didn\u2019t love He could simply have not willed for life to continue and it would not have.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The most profound example of God\u2019s love is that Jesus came to die for a people who were in open rebellion against Him. (Romans 5:10, Colossians 1:21<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Most of the world had grown so distant to God that they would not allow their hard hearts to see and hear the Gospel message so that they would be saved.\u00a0\u00a0(John 3:18-21<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0Still God gave to all the opportunity.\u00a0\u00a0He did it through Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0(John 3:16, Acts 4:21)<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0One only needs to focus on Jesus, to fully focus on Him and draw close to Him, and the love of God becomes increasingly and obviously manifest and self-authenticating so as to become an incontrovertible fact and living reality.\u00a0\u00a0God gave Jesus to people who for the large part, will reject God\u2019s love.\u00a0\u00a0Still God loves.\u00a0\u00a0Man is without excuse because only those who don\u2019t want to know don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
Obviously God knows of evil, He sees evil and He could stop it if He willed to do so.\u00a0\u00a0In fact He already has defeated evil through Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0(Hebrews 2:14, Colossians 1:13<\/b>)\u00a0<\/b>Then why do we still see evil?\u00a0\u00a0Along with that question belongs the question of the atrophying nature of the universe, why are children not born healthy, why must our physical bodies die, why do natural disasters exist, etcetera.\u00a0\u00a0All this is the result of the fall of man, and all of creation, when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.\u00a0\u00a0All the heartache, all the woes, all the evil in the world exists because of that.\u00a0\u00a0God did not want that, it happened because man chose to believe the devil rather than God. (Genesis 3<\/b>)\u00a0\u00a0Because man believed the words of the devil rather than what God had told him.\u00a0\u00a0God gave mankind rainbows as a reminder that He will never again allow the flooding of the entire earth as He once did.\u00a0\u00a0Rainbows are not only a reminder of God\u2019s promise, but are also a reminder that mankind had become so evil that only a flood could save them.<\/p>\n
Yet, mankind again began to (in large part) ignore God, turn to evil and even though reminded of the consequences of evil by the rainbows that are seen, turn from God.\u00a0\u00a0Man ignored the words of God in the Garden.\u00a0\u00a0Man ignores the goodness and love of God, and even though they have the reminder of rainbows.\u00a0\u00a0The greatest reminder we have of God\u2019s goodness and love is the corruption of the earth and the presence of evil.\u00a0\u00a0If evil in all its forms does anyone doubt that every person who ever lived would make Adam\u2019s same mistake?\u00a0\u00a0To doubt that is to be in ignorance or pride.\u00a0\u00a0It is evil itself that reminds of the choice we have and what are the consequences, or rewards, of the choice.<\/p>\n
Evil in the earth should not cause us to doubt God but to remember that in the beginning God created a perfect paradise for all of us to live in His goodness and love.\u00a0\u00a0A goodness with no natural disasters, no pestilence, and no fear.\u00a0\u00a0The origins of all of us are traced back to a place of total joy, total peace and where fear, hunger, thirst, and harm were not even known.\u00a0\u00a0Before the fall Adam and Eve had no concept of evil.\u00a0\u00a0When we see evil we should long for what God truly desires for us all.\u00a0\u00a0To be with Him, in peace, forever.\u00a0\u00a0What He wanted for Adam and Eve.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0That is why Jesus came.\u00a0\u00a0Because God desires us all to be restored to eternal paradise with Him.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus gifted the sinner, the thief on the cross, with paradise forever with God.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus promised that the thief would be one of Adam and Eve\u2019s descendants to be restored to the paradise that God had planned for all of us.\u00a0\u00a0And God has promised everyone to return to what we were created for, eternity with our God who is good and who loves us.\u00a0\u00a0The way to receive the promise is Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0Only through Him.\u00a0\u00a0And many continue to do so.\u00a0\u00a0Yes, Lord yes!\u00a0\u00a0Praise God!<\/p>\n
P<\/b><\/span>salm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.<\/p>\n Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; and what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Your God.<\/p>\n Numbers 6:24-26<\/b>\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you and keep you; 25\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26\u00a0the\u00a0Lord\u00a0turn His face\u00a0toward you and give you peace.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Genesis 50:20\u00a0–\u00a0You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. Let\u2019s consider a subject that really has books written about it and cannot be fully discussed in a short \u201cdevotion\u201d piece.\u00a0\u00a0The subject is whether it is possible that God is simultaneously…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[2453,1863,129,2257,705,1865,104,1700,99,1849,100,101,94,1874,90,1871,88,17,10,2036],"class_list":["post-2178","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-chronicles","tag-colossians","tag-corinthians","tag-exodus","tag-ezekiel","tag-genesis","tag-hebrews","tag-james","tag-jeremiah","tag-job","tag-john","tag-matthew","tag-micah","tag-numbers","tag-peter","tag-philippians","tag-proverbs","tag-psalm","tag-romans","tag-timothy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2178","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2178"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2178\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2179,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2178\/revisions\/2179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2178"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2178"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2178"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}