Proverbs 15:4 AMP “The Lord has made everything (to accommodate itself and contribute) to its own end and His own purpose – even the wicked (are fitted for their role) for the day of calamity and evil.”
In these apparent end of time days, it does provide comfort to understand that God has His hand on all things. When Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, this set the stage for the final days culminating by setting into motion the redemptive agreement that was struck before the beginning of the Earth. God does have a Plan and He uses the good and the evil to bring about His own purposes. As undeniably wrong as it was for Judas to betray the Son of God over a few pieces of silver (or over anything), had Judas walked away from the high priests remaining with Jesus, the Plan of God and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus to redeem all of mankind from the sin that separates would have at the very least been postponed. These acts of betrayal and sacrifice had to occur and did so in their correct time and season.
Proverbs 16:33 AMP ” The lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is wholly of the Lord (even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by Him)”.
In these days of common unrest, rebellion and lawlessness where the entire world is boiling over and at breaking point, I must conclude that this is the way of the season and part of the Plan. And if that is so in this great unrest, I am even more glad that I know Jesus who is The Constant in this story, being with us from the beginning – even before people inhabited the Earth. He draws us to Himself as the Great Shepherd, knowing that His sheep hear His voice finding profound comfort, peace, safety and stability in and through Him. Those who know Him, The Constant, also understand Him as the great High Priest. He rose from the dead as High Priest. Interestingly, His grave clothes were linen – as were also the garments of the Levitical high priests of His day – as if those who buried Him in the tomb foreknew His Destiny.
Hebrews 6:5-6 AMP “So too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed and exalted by Him Who said to Him, You are My Son: today I have begotten You. As He says also in another place, You are a Priest (appointed) forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 4:16 – 15 AMP “Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest who has (already) ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession (of faith in Him). For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but Who has been tempted in every respect as we are yet without sinning.”
But now in these days when God is using both good and evil to accomplish His purposes, we must be strong and not despair through the journey, understanding that He will bring all things together for good that know and love Him. As stated by the Apostle Paul: Romans 8:28 AMP We are assured and know that ( God being a Partner in their labor) all things work together and are (fitting into a Plan) for good to and for those who love God and are called according to (His design) and purpose.
The players in the Plan, both good and evil, have been set. We must remember that we are the Citizens of Heaven, representatives of the Kingdom of God and worldwide Ambassadors in His Embassy, the Church. This is not our home – our home is with Him.
#HOPE #GRACE #LOVE
Tracy Gatewood
Twitter: @TracyLGatewood
Website: http://www.tracygatewood.com
Author: Doorways of Grace
Amazon Author bio: http://www.amazon.com/Tracy-Gatewood/e/B00Y8Q4UT4