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All Things are for God Proverbs 16:4 Nothing is more delightful and
nothing more comforting to GodÕs saints in this world than the realization
that all things are under the absolute control of our great and glorious God.
And nothing inspires us to bear our trials and troubles, sicknesses, sorrows
and bereavements here with patience like the fact that all things are for the
glory of our God. ÒThe LORD hath made all things
for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.Ó — I do not presently see
what God is doing in all things; but I am assured that in all things the Lord
is making for himself an everlasting and a glorious name. Isaiah tells us
that the Lord God led Israel Òby the right hand of Moses with his glorious
arm, dividing the water before them;Ó and he did so Òto make himself an everlasting name.Ó He Òled them through the
deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble, as a beast
goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so
didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious nameÓ (Isaiah 63:12-14). In everything that is, has been,
or shall hereafter be the Lord our God is making himself an everlasting and
glorious name. He who raised up Pharaoh and cast him down in the Red Sea for
the glory of his own great name brings all things to pass exactly as he has
purposed for the everlasting praise and glory of his great name. — All
things are for God. Frequently, people point to
specific things and say, ÒHow can that bring glory to God?Ó Unbelieving
people point to sickness, war, famine, pestilence, crimes and other evils and
say, ÒIf there is a God in heaven, how can these things be?Ó Once, I even
heard a preacher say, after considering a great disaster, ÒGod has a lot of
things to answer for.Ó What a horrible statement! The very thought of man
calling God Almighty to the bar of human judgment is incredibly blasphemous! I readily acknowledge that I do
not see and cannot explain how isolated events, considered by themselves will
bring glory to God. But I do understand what God says in his Word; and I
rejoice to believe him. Somehow, when everything that must be has been, when
all the purpose of our great God has been perfectly fulfilled, everything
will render praise and honor to him. In Ephesians l:10-11 the Holy
Spirit informs us that all things are disposed of by God in time according to
his own purpose of grace in eternity in divine predestination. Everything
that comes to pass in time was predestinated by God in eternity, and is
brought to pass according to GodÕs purpose for the salvation of his elect and
the glory of his own great name. Happy is that soul which has learned to
trust and rests in the purpose and providence of God. All things come to pass
exactly according to the eternal purpose of our God for the glory of our God. Don Fortner Listen to sermons
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