Spiritual Check-Up 5-30-24
I love to share what is going on in my life, both physically and spiritually. However, today I want to share about some of our patriots whom God called and how their flesh got in the way; they leaned to their own understanding.
John the apostle wrote: Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John, verse 2). Just because someone’s body is afflicted, this does not they are not prospering.
Examples of how people prosper despite their human imperfections (mistakes and bad choices) or their afflictions. You must understand that God already knew what these people were going to do, just as He knows the same about us. Yet, He called them anyway- That’s love!
Abraham - God called Abraham to be the father of many nations (Genesis 17:5), yet Abraham leaned to his own understanding. When a famine came, Abraham took his beautiful wife to Egypt, and the king planned to take her for himself. The Lord inflicted diseases on Pharaoh and his household (Genesis 12:10-20). Despite Abraham telling Sarah to lie, God’s purpose was still going to be fulfilled through Abraham.
Abraham also listened to his wife Sarah’s advice and her handmaiden had a child by Abraham. That’s why we have two nations warring against each other to this very day (Genesis, chapter 16). Despite Abraham not trusting God and made a bad choice, God never changed His plan. And Abraham prospered because fulfilled God’s will, became the father of many nations.
Joseph – While Joseph was in prison he relied on the baker and the butler to tell Pharaoh about his dreams. Then he restored the chief butler to his butlership again, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand. But he hanged the chief baker, as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph but forgot him. (Genesis 40:21-23).
But in God’s timing and according to His purpose, Joseph was released and God used Pharaoh to promote Joseph to a position next to the king (Genesis 41:37-45). Promotion comes from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7). Joseph prospered despite leaning to his own understanding and depending on others instead of God. Plus, God showed seventeen earlier that he was going to a leader (Genesis 37:5-11).
Job was rich and upright and he stayed away from evil, but he too was on the devil’s hit list. Yet, the devil can only go as far as the Lord allows him to go. The Lord allowed the devil to take children, his possessions, he almost killed Job, but God would not let that happen (Job, chapter 1).
Job’s three friends, especially Eliphaz, accused Job of being in sin because of all the things that came upon him (Job, chapter 20). Job Wants to Argue His Case with God (Job, chapter 13). You should know that Job was leaning to his own understanding.
Yet, Job was restored twice as much as he lost (Job 22:12-16). Job prospered in the midst of his affliction because God's purpose for Job’s life was fulfilled.
Something happened to me similar to the way it was with Job. Someone told me in the mid 1980’s that I was afflicted because of something I did wrong.
A few months ago, I was afflicted with breast cancer; God was glorified through it, and I truly believe that the Lord’s purpose for me is being fulfilled. I am not perfect from my perspective, nor from peoples’ perspective, but God sees me and His other children as perfect.
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