Remember in the Garden of Eden when Satan tempted Eve by saying she could be like God?  He convinced her God was keeping a secret and that God didn’t want her to eat the fruit or else she could be like Him.

All she had known at the time was what God made and that it was good.  She was made in His image, but that wasn’t enough.

What she didn’t know was that the fruit gave her the knowledge of good AND evil.  She didn’t know evil before then.

With free will sin came into the world.

What a decision.

Can we judge though?  We would all make the same one because we all have the same nature.  We all battle the flesh.  Adam and Eve just happened to be the first with nobody else to blame… except each other.  How fast we cast blame on someone else for our failings, right?  That didn’t take long.

I had to deal with the ending of something recently.  Technically, it’s not over, but it was the end of a beginning…. or the beginning of the end.  A prayer that never seems to be answered…at least on the outside.

But, this is what I know: I had peace over it and that morning I happened to read 1 Thessalonians.  I was looking for a different verse altogether and there it was…

Ch 5 vs 24: “FAITHFUL IS HE THAT CALLETH YOU, WHO ALSO WILL DO IT.”

I didn’t expect to read that, but there it was.

Satan comes to destroy what God is building up in you.  He is there to create doubt and cause confusion.

And he can if you do not have God’s truth and what He says.  When you’re drowning in self pity he is there helping you wallow and egging it on.

The day after reading this verse and ripping off a metaphorical band aid someone walked in and started saying God was too busy with the world’s problems to worry about my little one.

My response?  “And with all of those things yet He still loves and cares about me.”

A while back I would have been overwhelmed by what they said.  I have stronger armor now.  God is keeping me for Himself and sharpening my sword.

While I may get upset (a lot) my life can move on knowing that this person and I clearly serve different gods.  My God knows the number of hairs on my head.  He parted the Red Sea and made a way where there was no way.  He fulfilled prophecy through a barren woman.  He fulfilled His promise of a savior through a virgin.  He slew a strong giant with a pebble.  He was in the fire with three men who wouldn’t bow down to a false god and none of their hairs were singed.

“FOR WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE: BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT HOPE: FOR WHAT A MAN SEETH, WHY DOTH HE YET HOPE FOR?  BUT IF WE HOPE FOR THAT WE SEE NOT, THEN DO WE WITH PATIENCE WAIT FOR IT.

LIKEWISE THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES: FOR WE KNOW NOT WHAT WE SHOULD PRAY FOR AS WE OUGHT: BUT THE SPIRIT ITSELF MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR US WITH GROANINGS WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED. AND HE THAT SEARCHETH THE HEARTS KNOWETH WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT, BECAUSE HE MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD.

AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.”
-ROMANS 8:24-28

He was there in it all.  When the world says there is no way He shows up just in time and only the way that could show “That was God”.

He is the almighty God who answers to no one.  He is bigger than you and my circumstances.  He is bigger than the naysayers.  He is bigger than the atheists.  ‘Rejoice when you are persecuted’, He says.

He is bigger than you.  He is bigger than me.

He is bigger than anyone who says to give up.  He is bigger than anyone who says He isn’t real.  He is bigger than anyone who says you’re wasting your time.  He is bigger than any doubt, fear, and lie.

He is alive and on the hunt for His sheep, but He doesn’t beg for them to come.  He gently calls.  His sheep hear His voice and follow Him.  Nothing is too giant for Him and there is no such thing as a small miracle as the tiniest one shows He undefinable.

Unanswered prayers (which really are just ‘no’) have brought me on a journey I never would have imagined on my own.  He is in the waiting.  God has taught me so much.  Be thankful in the “not yet” and the “no” for there God is building something better.  He is refining you and drawing out your weaknesses to reveal it is His strength you need.

Our minds can only go so far and see what we think we want.

Thankfully, His thoughts are much higher and far better than we could imagine.

We settle for dirt when He is making ready and polishing our diamonds… and only those can come out from pressure.

“NOW WE EXHORT YOU, BRETHREN, WARN THEM THAT ARE UNRULY, COMFORT THE FEEBLEMINDED, SUPPORT THE WEAK, BE PATIENT TOWARD ALL MEN.

SEE THAT NONE RENDER EVIL FOR EVIL UNTO ANY MAN; BUT EVER FOLLOW THAT WHICH IS GOOD, BOTH AMONG YOURSELVES, AND TO ALL MEN.

REJOICE EVERMORE.
PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.
IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS: FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS CONCERNING YOU.
QUENCH NOT THE SPIRIT.  DESPISE NOT PROPHESYINGS.
PROVE ALL THINGS; HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD.
ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL.  AND THE VERY GOD OF PEACE SANCTIFY YOU WHOLLY; AND I PRAY GOD YOUR WHOLE SPIRIT AND SOUL AND BODY BE PRESERVED BLAMELESS UNTO THE COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

FAITHFUL IS HE THAT CALLETH YOU, WHO ALSO WILL DO IT.

BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US.  GREET ALL THE BRETHREN WITH AN HOLY KISS.
I CHARGE YOU BY THE LORD THAT THIS EPISTLE BE READ UNTO ALL THE HOLY BRETHREN.
THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOU. AMEN.”
-1 THESSALONIANS 5:14-28