I love America, because we believe "FAKE NEWS IS THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!" says President Donald J. Trump.
Why am I unable to share videos on here, but I'm able to share on Facebook? ~Rachel
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth , and having put on the breastplate of righteousness , and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace ; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation , and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
Ephesians 6:10-20 NASB
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*Photo Credit: Christ As Life Ministries
Even if Satan, on his divine leash, has a hand in our suffering and death, he is not ultimate. He cannot hurt us without God’s permission and limitation (Job 1:12; Luke 22:31; 2 Cor. 12:7). And in the end, it is right for us to say to Satan what Joseph said to his brothers who had sold him into slavery: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:2.
Be careful not to water this down. It does not say, “God used it for good” or “God turned it for good.” It says, “God meant it for good.” They had an evil purpose. God had a good purpose. God didn’t start cleaning up halfway through this sinful affair. He had a purpose, a meaning, from the beginning. From the start, he meant it for good.
This is the key to comfort when the evil of men and the evil of Satan compound our suffering. In Christ, we have every right to say to Satan (or to evil men), “You meant it for evil. But God meant it for good.”
Neither Satan nor sickness nor sinful man is sovereign. Only God is. And he is good—and wise and sovereign.
*John Piper
THE SWEETNESS OF HIS REIGN
Why should we receive the news of God’s sovereignty over the coronavirus, and over our lives, as a sweet teaching? The secret is knowing that the same sovereignty that could stop the coronavirus, yet doesn’t, is the very sovereignty that sustains the soul in it.
In other words, if we try to rescue God from his sovereignty over suffering, we sacrifice his sovereignty to turn all things for good.
GOOD NEWS: GOD REIGNS
The very sovereignty that rules in sickness is the sovereignty that sustains in loss. The very sovereignty that takes life is the sovereignty that conquered death and brings believers home to heaven and Christ. It is not sweet to think that Satan, sickness, sabotage, fate, or chance has the last say in my life. That is not good news.
That God reigns is good news. Why? Because God is holy and righteous and good. And he is infinitely wise. Nothing surprises him, confuses him, or baffles him. His infinite power rests in the hands of infinite holiness and righteousness and goodness—and wisdom. And all of that stands in the service of those who trust his Son, Jesus Christ.
What God did in sending Jesus to die for sinners has everything to do with the coronavirus.
‘ALL THINGS’ FOR US
Romans 8:32 says, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” God’s willingness to send his Son to be crucified in our place is his declaration and validation that he will use all his sovereignty to “give us all things.” It is guaranteed by the blood of his Son.
And what are these “all things”? They are the things we need to do his will, glorify his name, and make it safely into his joyful presence.
Three verses later, Paul explains how it works in real life—in the coronavirus pandemic. What does it look like when God’s infinite, blood-certified commitment to give us “all things” meets the coronavirus?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Rom. 8:35–37)
Don’t miss these painful and amazing words: “We are being killed all the day long.” That means that the “all things” God will give to us, because he did not spare his Son, includes bringing us safely through death. Or, as he says in Romans 8:38–39, “I am sure that neither death nor life . . . will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
*John Piper
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