Daily Devotional for Friday June 20, 2008
There Are No Coincidences with God
(Proverbs 16:4, 19:21)
If there is one thing the Bible clearly teaches, it is that there are NO coincidences with God. There are so many outside elements that you have no control over in your life, starting with your birth, ending with your death, and including everything that transpires in between those two events. The reason I want to bring up this issue today, is to give you the confidence and assurance that everything that is happening in your life today is part of His Divine plan for your life.
One of the reasons I stress so much to walk with the Lord daily, be in the Word of God, pray, seek Him each and every day, is so that you will follow His plan for your life. You see, we can bring much unnecessary pain and heartache into our life by exercising our God-given freewill to ignore God and rebel. However, that does not stop God from still being in control. When we are in rebellion, when we are not on the path God wants us to be on, that is when we miss the joy, the peace, and the abundance this life can offer. That is when we are missing the blessings of God in our life.
I want you to understand clearly today that it is no accident you live where you live, you work or go to school where you do, you recreate where you recreate, or shop where you shop. It is no accident the people that are in your life are there. You see my friend, there are NO coincidences with God, things just don't "happen." There is a Divine purpose and reason for each and everything that goes on in our life. That includes the good, and bad things.
The natural question becomes, why? In many cases there simply isn't an answer. Again, holding on to the fact there are no coincidences with God, helps us to build our faith during those times when there are more questions than answers. It also should give us the confidence and boldness to go out each day, knowing that God has a reason for everything we are experiencing in our life. Understanding what we are going through each day is not an accident, but part of His plan gives us the incredible freedom to live each day for Him.
I realize that many of you are going through difficult times in your life today. You are dealing with death, illness, financial difficulties, marital problems, issues with your parents or children, challenges at work or school, the walls seem to caving in all around you. How this could be part of God's plan may seem beyond comprehension. This was the same place a man named Job found himself at one day. In spite of everything, he never lost his faith in God, and it was part of God's plan to bless him abundantly.
We never know how God will deliver us from trouble, how He will bless us. Our job is to hold on to our faith, continue to praise Him in spite of the problems we face, and know He will never leave us or forsake us. The Bible tells us that there will be times our faith is tested. It is at those times our faith becomes real to us, and grows. We grow more spiritually in the valley than we ever could on the mountaintop. It is in the valley that we recognize God as our only source of hope and learn how to trust Him. It is those times in the valley where it is just us and God that we realize how much He loves us.
I love you and care about you so much. Know today that God is with you, that nothing in your life is an accident, and that God is in control. It is no coincidence that the Lord has brought our lives together at this time in your life. I want you to know that I am here for you in your time of need. I will be praying for you. God is still on His throne, and in 100% control at all times.
There are no coincidences with God!!!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller