DAY 4: THE CREATION STORY III— THE CONCEPT OF WHO GOD IS (PART THREE)

THE RHEMA WORD FOR TODAY
(A DAILY DEVOTIONAL WITH PREACHER SAM)

TOPIC: THE CREATION STORY III— THE CONCEPT OF WHO GOD IS (PART THREE)
DATE: 4 SEPTEMBER, 2019
BIBLE READING: GENESIS 1:1-31
MEDITATION/MEMORY VERSE: JAMES 1:17 (ERV)
Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him. These good gifts come down from the Father who made all lights in the sky. But God never changes like the shadows from those lights. He is always the same.

From our Bible reading, we see that everything God made was good (vs. 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 and 31). And our verse for meditation says, ‘Everything good comes from God…’
Scattered across scriptures, the Word of God shows how good He is. The psalmist says, ‘Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.’ (Ps. 73:1). Jesus says, ‘… No one is good— except God alone.’ (Luke 18:19). Also, Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, ‘For everything God created is good…’ (1 Tim. 4:4).
But this question is often asked, ‘why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?’
Since we now know from scriptures that ‘Surely God is good…’ (Ps. 73:1). And ‘… No one is good— except God alone.’ (Luke 18:19). And also, ‘Everything good comes from God… He is always the same’ (James 1:17). Then, God does not do evil (James 1:13), I will say He only permits it.
Isaiah 45:7
I from the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
This verse does not mean that God is the author of evil. No! But because of the translation from Hebrew to English, ‘create evil’ seems to be the best to fit into that. Actually, it means ‘bring disaster or calamity.’ And when you read on to verse 9, it was addressing a set of rebels that that calamity would be brought upon.
Why did I say that God only permits evil? The story of Job explains that (Job 1:6-12).
Most times, when bad things happen to good (righteous and pure) people, God is working out something big for them, just like a mother in birth pain or the refiner’s fire.
Romans 8:28
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.
We know the end of Job, even Abraham, Joseph and many others in scriptures who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12).
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

ACTION POINT: I CHOOSE TO ENDURE AND WAIT FOR THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.
PRAYER POINT: OH GOD! PLEASE HELP ME BY YOUR GRACE TO ENDURE AND REJOICE IN YOU AS YOU PREPARE ME FOR THE BEST.
PERSONAL READING: PSALM 77:1-15