Good Results out of All Things
The Good News of God
By Greg Johnson
January 17, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Romans 8:28
Do you remember a time in your life when you were going through something very difficult and you could not see how anything good could ever come out of it? What you were going through was not a result or consequence of sin. You were living right and following Jesus, but you found yourself in difficulty that caused much suffering. In the midst of it all you could not see any good, but you held on to God and His wonderful promises to you.
The Bible is full of promises of God that we can hold on to for encouragement and strength. One such promise is that God works good results out of all things. God’s Word says (Romans 8:28 NIV) "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
LOVING GOD AND SUBMITTING TO HIS LORDSHIP
Many people know some promises of God that they try to stand on to get them through. There is more to it than knowing the promises; we must also know and successfully fulfill the conditions. Fulfillment of the conditions releases the promises to become reality in our life.
The promise of Romans 8:28 is for those who love God and submit to His Lordship. Loving God and Submitting to His Lordship are the conditions. Both of these conditions are wrapped around obedience. Jesus taught that loving Him required obedience to His Word. We are to obey His written Word and His spoken Word. His spoken Word will always line up with His written Word. This is how we know His voice.
We must also always submit to His Lordship. We lose our will for His will. Our purpose is to continue His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. We will fulfill our purpose as we submit to Him. Jesus has a call on each of our life. We are members of the Body of Christ. Each member has specific tasks to complete. As each of us complete our God given tasks, the ministry of Jesus continues and cities are impacted just as they were when Jesus physically walked this earth and ministered to the needs of people.
GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD
The wonderful promise of Romans 8:28 is that “in all things God works for the good.” I need that promised fulfilled in my life. I need God working good in all things in my life. It happens as I love Him and as I submit to His Lordship.
The good that God works in us, in all things, is the constant conformation into the likeness of Christ. How can something terrible that I go through work out to good? If I love God and submit to His Lordship, He will use it to conform me into the likeness of Christ. I will become more like Christ and that is good. The ultimate result of God’s good work in us is glorification. One day, when we leave this earth, we are fully conformed into the image of Christ. Until that day arrives, we continue on our journey from earth to glory with our eyes fixed on Jesus.
Beloved, in whatever you go through in life, hold on to the promise of God that He works good results out of all things. As you love Him and submit to His Lordship, you can rest assured that He is fulfilling this promise. He is shaping you into the likeness of Christ. Glorification is the end result! Jesus will lead you from earth to glory as you follow Him!
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