Romans 8:29-30 reminds us that Salvation is not initiated by a person’s decision to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, but on God’s Foreknowledge. This is not a reference to his omniscient foresight But to his foreordination. He not only sees faith in advance but ordains it in advance, God’s is not only bringing to pass in me something, but has planned it for me. The purpose of this salvation is not so that we can go to heaven, but so that He may conform us into the image of His Son, and then use us to bring others to this salvation we enjoy. It is with this in mind that we understand the working of the Holy Spirit to shape us as verse 30 reminds us of the work of God in conforming us into the image of His Son. As you go through the events and circumstances of your life, remember that it all comes as a Divine plan with the purpose of conforming us into the image of Christ, and to bring about the opportunities to point others to the grace of God. That is the good that God is working out in our lives (Romans 8:28). … READ MORE

In Romans 8:28 Paul is not expressing his opinion nor his intuition, but is setting forth the inerrant truth contained within the Word of God. As believers, we can “know”: that every aspect of our lives is in God’s hands, and will be used by the Lord not only to manifest His glory, but also our good. God’s providence provides security for us when we do not understand the events of our lives. Often we become myopic in our circumstances, and can only see what is at hand, and not the bigger picture. That is when we need to trust an all knowing God who sees the end from the beginning and know that He is leading us through the path that is best fit to conform us into the image of His Son. Conforming is hard, but it always worthwhile. May we find courage to face the circumstances as we learn to live in the confidence of God’s abiding presence in our lives, understanding that He will use these events in our lives to transform us into the image of His wonderful Son, before this world.… READ MORE

 All people face difficulties in their lives, the only question is how and why do we handle them differently as believers. In Romans 8:28-30 we are reminded that not only is God in control, but that He has a perfect plan to establish His glory and our Good. Ultimately, God’s desire is to make us like Christ, and best of all, God’s plan will succeed! Our struggle is that God’s plan does not always mesh with our plan, because we all would rather have an easy life, than a life of trouble, yet trouble reveals character, and we must always remember God never gives us more than we can handle …. we just have to remember, that we always need Him to handle anything. Learn to rest in the knowledge of God’s power and plan, and you can find the peace of God in the midst of your circumstances.… READ MORE