Morning Moments

I want to paraphrase a couple of verses from Acts 3.

"Now brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders did; but I want to assure you that you actually fulfilled God's promise that Christ would suffer."

We all know that it was the plan of God from eternity for Jesus to suffer and die for our sins, and that God was all the time, through all His life on earth preparing Him for the sacrificial death and following resurrection.

But does that same providence apply to us? In other words, is the means and time for our demise just as sovereignly planned as was the death of Jesus? After all, the Bible says that life and death are in His hands. The psalmist said, "There is but a step between me and death." James said, "Life is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes." Paul said, "It is appointed unto man once to die...". All this being true, let's consider some senarios and seek wisdom from God.

1. He was a saint of God and a missionary to the Indians in America, but at the young age of 28 or 29, he died in the snow of Tuberculosis.

2. She was not drinking nor speeding nor misbehaving in any way, yet a car comes out of nowhere, hits her and kills her.

3. He goes into the hospital for simple knee surgery. The surgery goes well and he homes to go home in a couple of days, but suddenly, a blood clot kills him.

4. He need gall bladder surgery. It is now a simply procedure that is done with lazer surgery so I understand. But the doctor comes to the waiting room and says to the family, "I accidently snipped his pancreaus." A couple of weeks later he died.

5. The preacher is in the pulpit, preaching the Word of God and a guy he doesn't even know walks in the service, down the aisle with a gun, and shoots him.

Were these accidents or providence? Were these the will of God? These are valid questions that people are asking today and we need to know how to answer them Biblically, but not slibly and superficially and insensitively.

Phillips, you are morbid. Why even talk about these things? Because every day people are plagued with questions about life and death and there do not seem to be many addressing there questions from a Biblical perspective.

Years ago Arthur Blesset who has actually carried a cross through about 40 countries was preaching to a bunch of Hell's Angels. One biker got saved who approached Arthur with a valid question: "Arthur, I am married to 5 wives. What do I do now that I am saved?" Arthur said, "Let's just pray about this." A few days later the guy was killed in a motorcycle wreck. That solved his problem!

My question is simply this: Are these acts of Providence or are they merely accidence? Let look at a couple of things for the answer.

Three basic aspects to the answer:

1. God always has been, is, and ever will be SOVEREIGN and in final and absolute control of life and death.

2. Just as God has personality with intellect, emotions, and volition, so man is gifted at birth with the same.

3. Man may choose that which is contrary to God's will, but God can work even the worst of things to bring glory to Himself (which He deserves).

4. Death is an enemy according to Scripture and that is why it will ultimately be destroyed, BUT God being sovereign uses even the enemy to accomplish His ultimate and perfect will.

5. ALL things work together for good (that is not to say that all things are good), to them that love God and are called according to His purpose - Rom 8:28.

Finally for today: The enemy of life, our adversary, the devil, may tempt, taunt, threaten, and even terrify, but he cannot TAKE a life without God's consent. If God consents you can be sure it will ultimately bring glory to HIM.

How many of these terrible things have we seen other people come to Jesus through? There is much more I wish to say about this so please hang with me and respond as you will.

PRAYER: Father, there are so many who are carrying deep hurt and resentment for some "accident" that was not explained as Providence. In Jesus name give me wisdom and guidance to bring comfort and encouragement.