Intended for Good - Greg Laurie Devotion - November 29, 2021
Monday, November 29, 2021
Intended for Good
“All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’” (Daniel 4:35 NLT).
Sometimes the things that we think are good in life may not be as good as we think they are. And sometimes the things that we think are bad in life may turn out to be actually good.
Take, for instance, the Old Testament story of Joseph in which his brothers sold him into slavery. God had his hand on young Joseph, and he ended up in a position of great influence in Egypt. Ultimately, he was in charge of the food supply.
When his brothers came to Egypt hoping to buy food during a famine, they thought Joseph was long gone. Little did they know that Joseph had become a powerful Egyptian official. At first, they didn’t recognize him, but Joseph recognized them. And, of course, it would have been an opportunity for the ultimate payback.
But after Joseph dismissed everyone in the room except his brothers, he finally told them who he was. They probably thought he was going to execute them—and he could have. Instead, Joseph made this amazing statement to his brothers: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).
God is in control, and He has an endgame, if you will. Most Christians are familiar with Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT).
But let’s also remember Romans 8:29: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (NLT). God’s endgame is to make us more like Jesus Christ, because Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people.
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Relationships can be one of life’s greatest blessings. They can also be one of life’s greatest challenges. In his new book Am I Doing This Right?, Pastor Greg Laurie explores what the Bible says about singleness, dating, marriage, friendships, family, and even how we relate to people who don’t share our faith. Drawing from Scripture and personal experience, Greg offers practical guidance for building relationships that honor God and stand the test of time.
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