To Whatever End… Trust God

“Trust Me.” – God. | “All things work together for good, to those who love God, to those called according to His purposes.”

Synod president responds to SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling

I see events like this one and I am reminded of such situations, like the bakers that not only lost their bakery, but now they are being required to pay a fine. aaron+and+melissa2Why? Because they dared defy the politically correct insanity of sexual depravity being some sort of civilly protected right. With the SCOTUS ruling today (June 26th, 2015) we know we go the way of Canada very soon, with the kangeroo trials of “Human Rights” panels attacking Christians for what they believe.

While there are rays of hope in this gloom, we will now all have to face suffering, or capitulation. If you capitulate you had better know what you are paying for.

Is this that “best life now” we were supposed to have Joel? Is this the full life of Christ? Is that what you call good Joel Osteen?

Paul the Apostle had a FULL life, but it wouldn’t be what our flesh would call GOOD, would it? No it would not. So, then, what are we missing, when we see terrible circumstances, like the post of a lady whose child had died. She was asking how best to cope with her loss. She was so torn up she couldn’t think straight. Or how about the continuing terrorism in France, as Muslims go about trying to dominate, and succeeding to destroy, that beautiful country? Or something more close to home, like our family facing unemployment compensation, again, in weeks, and still I had no full time work. “Well, what can we expect in a society with a Socialist for a President?”, I think to myself. Yeah, well, “Christians” put him there didn’t they? Seriously, are we whining too much, instead of ACTING?? Is America, am I, being too self-involved, or does God want us to ask for His help? After all, doesn’t Jesus say, “You do not have because you do not ask?”

Well? WILL God help America?
SaveUSLORD

My little boy asked me for cheese puffs because he was watching a children’s video that sings about them. And, as I explained to him why we cannot have just whatever we want, I could hear Jonah, in a favorite children’s video playing in the background. Jonah was whining about why his vine had died, as he waited for the Ninevites to be destroyed. The Ninevites were BAD people and Jonah was sent to tell them, from God, to repent or be destroyed for their sins, and the nature of Jonah’s arrival made them really sit up and listen. They repented (Jonah 3:5) and God had mercy on them! They lived. But Jonah was sitting in the hot sun waiting for them to be destroyed anyway! Yet God is SO merciful He caused a vine to grow to shade Jonah from the sun as he waited, in his stupidity. Of course God was not going to destroy Nineveh, they had heard God and repented. But there was Jonah, sitting there, waiting for them to all die.

Nice.

New Living Translation
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Mercy
1 This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

So the story goes that the vine died and Jonah got upset. No, really. the same Jonah rescued by God miraculously, was now still in his rebellion, and even then God cared so much for him He gave Jonah shade. But here was Jonah, still expecting the Muslims, …uh …the Ninevites, to die horribly under God’s Wrath.

So, does Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11, or John 3:16 for that matter, apply to your situation or not? Do these verses apply to the lady whose child died, or the French being terrorized into submission to tyranny by Islamists? Or me, do these verses apply to my family, still waiting for full time work? Do these verses relate to my little boy, who would like cheese puffs, but cannot have any because we don’t have the money every time he asks?
What do our friends say when you ask them a question like that? They tell us to look at the text in context, look at the verses all the others around them. But what about the context of all the Bible?

I mean, think about it: You prayed, yet you still you have no steady work. You are running in terror from Islam, and you wonder as you hide, “What did we do God?” You see the face of that dear mother and ask, “What can I say to her?” What do I say as I look in my boys’ face? Do I say, “Well it’s because that verse isn’t FOR those situations, son? I’m sorry, you’re outta luck.” Does Romans 8:28 really give us consolation, or doesn’t it? Well, some say, “Not really.” “Those verses aren’t FOR those situations”, they say.

Well, are they?

Just ask yourself this: What is the underlying theme of all those verses, and others like them… like all the other verses of the Bible? See, I say, “Ask yourself the tough questions.” This is what I say to people, like me, struggling with what God is doing, what is going on to them and around them. First I say, “It’s okay. We all struggle sometimes. Don’t feel weird about it.” But then I say, “But you have to face the truth, don’t hide your face from reality, or you will not get the answer; You will not get what God is doing, otherwise.”

You will CONTINUE to struggle with God’s Will unTIL you stand up and LOOK closer.

Yes, I know, it takes REAL courage to do that, but this is no time for trepidation.
That mother, with a lost child, needs an answer.
Those people in France want to understand.
Your own heart needs to know where to look to, to answer your pleading children, even about silly little cheese puffs..

God’s answer?
“Trust Me.”

That’s it, quite often, the only answer you will get. “Trust Me”, the underlying theme of the entire Bible, is the answer. God says to you, now, and forever, “Trust Me.”

Will you do that? Because if you will not, then I have a much more serious question for you: WHOSE ARE YOU?

But know that you will have to remind yourself, often, to Trust God.
That is our nature.

And that is the nature of the gays who think they won something today.
Watch www.AudacityMovie.com for the non-confrontational way to address their error, Biblically.

But you should know…

…Even the Apostles wrestled with trust.

Did you know that? They struggled to trust Jesus. That should make you feel better. When Peter first met Jesus the initial command of Christ to him was, “Follow me.” Just drop everything, and “follow me.” Leave your family, your job, your possessions, your power and future, and just follow Jesus. Peter had his own boat, his own fishing boat! LEAVE that? Leave his family?  Yes, Jesus called them all to leave everything they hoped for, everything they planned for, everyone they knew, to follow Him. He, God Himself, was telling them to Trust Him implicitly, and they did. But they didn’t even know He was God yet!

And this is what Jesus is, is what He always is saying, to us all:
                                 TRUST ME and follow.

As I am looking for work, applying for yet another job, answering another phone call from yet another recruiter (UGH), my underlying thoughts go back to all the experience I have had with trusting God, and I know He can be trusted. That is exactly what God told us to do, and experience taught us to obey. But not only does Jesus say to trust Him, but He says that if you will just do so, just a little bit, He will PROVE HIMSELF to you (Mal. 3:10)! Just exactly as Romans 8:28 says; as does Jeremiah 29:11; as does and John 3:16, and ALL the other words from God.

“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

Read that again…

“It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

No effort on your part will ever get you to a place of peace. It is God’s Mercy you rely on, have peace in HIS Merciful Grace.

“I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” Isa. 63:7

God calls us to trust Him. , remembering all He has done for us. But He does not want us to be cheese puffs either; He wants us to be free of the sons of disobedience, the terrors of this fallen world. No, we know we will all suffer under sin, but we shall also suffer from sin in this present world. To believe we will not is the deception. But this is not the end…yet. To those who Love God, to those who TRUST Him.

As Paul says,
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG;
WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But there is a warning from Jesus’ own mouth, “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?”

Trust God, follow Jesus, Believe Him, and deal with what is going on HEAD ON, unafraid, disregarding any supposed shame, pain or struggles. He will be with you, always.

See, when I ask Jesus to get more work I always (try to remember to) interject that it’s His WILL for us I want, not my own. I have no idea what He has in store, but He is LORD and I am happy to go down whatever path to whatever end He chooses. Because, no matter what, what Jesus chooses for us is ALWAYS best.

To whatever end God chooses, then,
God bless you all.

Here is a booklet Ray Comfort gave us on overcoming fear, it’s yours for free:
http://onlyjesussaves.org/docs/books/Are_You_Afraid.pdf

Patrick James Burwell
PatrickBurwell@Gmail.com
www.OnlyJesusSaves.org Ministries
If you have any issues we can assist with let us know. We will try and get you help, or direct you in the right path to get help. But, come what may, Trust in Jesus.