In Reply to: Re: Do all things always work together? posted by Kathy Johnson on August 05, 2003 at 10:12:32:
i agree that because of the laws under which God established the universe, many things happen that are not his purpose. but how could they happen w/o his allowing them? what do you make of the whole premise of the book of job? satan had to get permission to lat a finger on job's life.
as far as the bad stuff that does happen, ro.8:28 doesn't say "all things are good" but rather that he will cause them to work together for the good to them who love him and are called according to his purpose. whatever translation you use, the thought is that he will in some way redeem it for his glory. (a glory that he promises to share w/ his followers.) i do not pretend to know how he does that in every case, but i believe it. and have experienced a little of it.
you say you have "seen thru" the claim that people have met the family after a sincere heartfelt prayer for his will. i am curious how you have "seen thru" this. it is my personal experience. as only God and i were there at the time, just how would you know? do you feel that God was not involved in your life while you were in the family? did you never pray for his help and guidance? for your kids when they were sick? during childbirth, or when you were broke in some 3rd world country? who was listening to you then, if not God?
my questions about his guidance get more pointed in the ensuing years... how i allowed myself to swallow so much wacky nonsense, and tolerate the darkness that eventually became so oppressive. intellectually i can understand the dynamics at work. but i still have some unanswered issues regarding some personal experiences.
i certainly agree that God permits us to believe whatever we want to believe. i will also admit to having participated , sinfully, in the ongoing process of selfdeception, as time went on. but i cannot deny that i truly believe that God was involved in my original encounter w/ the family. joining was really difficult for me. i was not signing up for the free sex. (at the time, "no smooching" was still a cardinal point in the "rev. rules".) i cried almost every day for months, missing my girlfriend. tsc in the summer was anything but a flesh trip for an irishman from the n.e.! i know why i was there. later, things get a little murky... but since we have no access to videos of our alternative futures, i try to accept that despite my errors, he knows my heart, he knows my repentance, and thank him , as Jesus said, that my name is written in the book of life.that my heart has been continually drawn to seek him. and hey, all these kids and grandkids... i give him thanks for that too.
bless you.