Dake Bible Discussion Board ⇒ A terrible instance of God NOT being in control!

[Justaned]

In a post above Titus 213 said everything that is good comes from God above.

I responded that we don't often know what is good and what is bad.

Example
Pentecostalism was birthed and grew among the those that were on the wrong side of the tracks so to speak. However as it became more more acceptable and moved into the up town churches we see a drastic change. Gone is the holiness, the long hours of prayer. In came the touchy feely warm fuzzies that tickled our ears.

Look where pentecostalism florishes today in second and third world countries where they have to depend on God.

We have people preaching and teaching how to get blessed in the church today but we have a whole book of scripture that shows when the people were blessed they turned from God and when oppression was upon them they turned back to God. That Book is Judges.

We don't know what is blessing and curses. We know what we like but what is best for us is things that make us grow in Christ and we never want any of those.

What do you think James was saying when he wrote James 1:2-4 (NKJV)
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

In effect he was saying we don't know what is good for us and what will harm us. Anything that makes us draw closer to God is a good thing, even trials.

Think about your own lives when were you closest to God? When you didn't have to worry about a thing or when things started to close in on you.

Now think about this does this seem counter to what the health wealth preachers say? Before you answer reread the Book of Judges.

Hi Ed,

Above you said: "In effect he was saying we don't know what is good for us and what will harm us."

Do you yourself accept that you don't know what is good for you? Are you that clueless about life?

Bibleman
I know the things of life I like. And upon reflection of them many times I see them leading me away from God. Likewise I know the things that I think are bad but after going through them I see how they caused me to draw closer to
God.

So in answer to your question yes I know the things that I consider to be good and the things I consider to be bad. But I also realize the good and bad in physical realm of which I am just a visitor may not be the good and bad in the spiritual realm where I belong and one day will live.

Knowing this I'm now less inclined to chase after the things mortal man does choosing instead to seek after spiritual truth that will benefit me in eternity.

[Justaned]

I wonder why James would warn us against being misled in this area, if it's not possible for us to know the difference between a good gift and one which isn't?

He warned us because as spiritual beings living in physical bodies which are temporial we tend to get caught up in things that satisfy the flesh and actaully tend to take us further from God.

Why else would he say count it all JOY when you face trials? NO God fearing man or woman had ever gone through a trial and not drawn closer to God.
Hence the old saying there are no atheist in foxholes.