It seemed everything was against Jacob. He was still grieving over the apparent death of his beloved Joseph, he had no idea if Simeon would ever return, and his youngest son was about to be made to leave home. They were experiencing a great famine and they would starve without a long trek back into Egypt to buy food from a seemingly hostile ruler. What more could go wrong?<\/p>\n
Yet, “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31). Things are not always as they appear, and to faith, God’s good purpose will be fulfilled regardless of appearances to the contrary. “All things work together for good to them that love God.” (Rom 8:28 ) “Joseph is yet alive!”, Simeon would soon return, Benjamin would meet his brother, the family would be united, sin would be dealt with and put away, and the whole family\u00a0would soon have their fill of the very best of the land of Egypt. Really, how could things have been better?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5), but
\n“I can do ALL THINGS through Him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13)
\n“With God, ALL THINGS are possible” (Matt 19:26)
\n“He hath done ALL THINGS well” (Mark 7:37)
\n“ALL THINGS are yours… and ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.” 1Cor 3:21,23
\n2Cor 4:7-18 ALL THINGS (tribulations)\u00a0are for the benefit of others.
\n“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?\u00a0As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”\u00a0
\nNo, in\u00a0ALL\u00a0THESE THINGS\u00a0we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Rom 8:35-37)\u00a0<\/p>\n
I’ll pass along a few thoughts given to us from Jerry Jennings last night:
\nGod\u00a0brings:
\nSweet out of Bitter
\nStrength out of Weakness
\nTriumph out of Tradgedy, and
\nBlessing out of\u00a0Broken hearts.<\/p>\n
If you’re like me, you sometimes find yourself\u00a0repeating Jacob’s words.\u00a0Yet God’s strengthening\u00a0words, all-sufficient hand, and sympathizing heart are ever near.\u00a0May you enjoy\u00a0His feast out of famine, fruit out of failings, and faith out of floundering today.<\/p>\n
~NEB<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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