“And there are also many other
things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that
even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written,
Amen.”—John 21:25
Every detail of every man’s life
that has ever walked on the earth has not impacted the world as much as the few
recorded details of Jesus’ life. Jesus
was not just a man; He was God manifested in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16).
In Acts 10:38, Peter gave a brief
yet descriptive summary of the life and ministry of Jesus. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with
power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the
devil, for God was with Him.” Jesus
was anointed with power and with the Holy Spirit. He used this power, to do good, not
evil. This is one of the main
characteristics of God and it is one of the easiest ways to discern what is
from God and what is from the devil. God is a good God and the devil is a bad
devil. If it is bad, it is from
the devil; if it is good, it is from God.
“Good and upright is the Lord…”
(Psalm 25:8).
Tragedy can come from three sources:
God, Satan, and natural law. God’s wrath
rests upon unbelievers only, “For the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and
unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans
1:18). Believers will never
experience His wrath, “Much more then,
having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through
Him” (Romans 5:9). New Testament
believers are exempt from the punitive judgment of God since Jesus bore it for
them, “For if when we were enemies we
were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more having been
reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10).
As for natural law, as mankind
violates the laws of God, in both a natural and moral sense, they will reap
what they sow, “Do not be deceived, God
is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians
6:7). For example, if a person drives recklessly and kills themselves and
others, it is not God or the devil that killed them. They violated natural law and thus paid the
price. Unfortunately, the devil often
steps in to accuse God of being behind all tragedy. But our God is a good God, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no
variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
It is incorrect to believe that God
has some redemptive purpose in tragedies.
This type of thinking will lead you to ignore the devil and give him a
free hand to destroy your life. It will
also cause you not to use wisdom. “Beloved,
do not imitate what is evil, but what is good.
He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God” (3
John 11).
Today determine to walk in the sure
knowledge that God is a good God, and that He has good things in store for you
today. Say with the psalmist, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”
(Psalm 23:6).
Prayer—Father
I thank You for Your goodness in my life.
I choose to impact my world by demonstrating Your goodness to the world,
in Jesus Name. Amen.
