God’s Plan for Mankind

Most people cannot understand how if God is so loving, how He would let so many bad things happen to us.

That is where faith is a problem for so many as well; they cannot understand what they do not see or cannot take it on blind faith alone.

God created man (Adam) and Adam only had to follow one command; “Do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” and we all know how well that went! Adam had God in his presence on a regular basis (actually daily) and still Adam was disobedient. Think of all Adam had to eat by just reaching up and picking it, all he could discover just by asking God, the life he had in a perfect place with perfect weather every day; we all would love to have a fraction of what he had. I mean he had no real physical labor to do, food of all kinds (you know it had to be better than anything we have), no sickness, illness, injury, death, no depression, sadness; everything was of joy, happiness. Well, you get the picture but still Adam could not obey one simple commandment.

People think they are so smart, but guess what, Satan is a million times smarter. He has been here since the beginning and has learned how to manipulate us.

If you really believe in Jesus, then you believe in Satan, or else you are calling Jesus a liar for rebuking the devil and casting out demons.

Satan will use whatever he can to sidetrack us from the truth. He will find what it takes and use it. For one, it may be wealth, another it may be keeping someone in debt and downtrodden, while for another it may be bad health or the death of a loved one, and so on.

If you do not believe Satan can influence your actions and health, think again.

2 Corinthians 10

 3.  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

 4.  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

 5.  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

In verse 5 above Paul tells us that our mind is under attack and we have to line it up, not with the Bible, but with the knowledge of God. Believe me – there is a difference. Knowing of God (by reading a book) and knowing God are two different things.

I can read a biography of a person and know of him, his will, mindset, etc, but when I meet him face to face and really get to know him that is so much more. Then I learn how his will is to work, what his mindset is and how it came to be, etc.

Most people have been taught that God tests His people based on a mistranslated verse out of the Old Testament. Due to this incorrect interpretation the mindset and will of God have not been taught correctly so the people who believe it do not even know of God correctly much less know Him. But if they had known Him they never would have believed the teaching:

Job 1

 8.  And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

As people have been taught the above verse, they have been shown how God will test even His best.

8.

   |0559| And said

   |3068| Yahweh

   |0000| to

   |7854| Satan,

   |7760| Have you set

   |3824| your heart

   |5650| on My servant

   |0347| Job?

   |3588| For

   |0369| not is {any}

   |0000| like him

   |0776| in the earth,

   |0376| a man

   |8535| perfect

   |3477| and upright,

   |3373| revering

   |0430| God

   |5186| and turning away

   |7451| from evil.

 

Now after reading the literal translation you see God was questioning Satan about what he had in mind for Job.

God had to allow it because Job allowed Satan in to mess with him.

Job 3

 25.  For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Job had fear; fear opens the door to Satan. Faith and fear will not reside together because one over rides the other. So when Job feared his faith left him. What did Job fear? Read Job 1 and you will see it dealt with his children.

Satan knew he could not get to Job directly, so he used Job’s children to get to him.

Job then spent months listening to everyone except God, and he suffered for it, but when he called out to God, God responded.

Our life is the same. God gave dominion to mankind so God must operate within the laws of this world which He laid down. He spent centuries planting His word into the earth through whoever would listen to Him so that, one day, one woman would have the faith to bring His Son into this world..

 Luke 1

 34.  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

 35.  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

 36.  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

 37.  For with God nothing shall be impossible.

 38.  And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

 

If she had not heard of God and had His spoken word sown into her, she would never have had any faith much less the faith to become pregnant without a man.

Jesus came for one reason and one reason only; that was to die for you and me.

Once Jesus died and arose from the dead the price for Adam’s disobedience was paid in full for all that would accept it.

All it takes is believing Jesus died for you, and arose from the dead, and then professing with your mouth that He is alive and died for you.

 God gave us the way to Him via His Son, but there is also one (Satan) who will do all he can to keep us off the right path to God.

Matthew 7

13.  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

 14.  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 15.  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

 

Satan will use whatever it takes to get you on the wrong path. For example one may be wealth while another it will be poverty. With me he tried to ensnare me with all the trappings of the ministry as a pastor, the collar, being ordained in a major denomination, etc.

How you know you are following God’s will is not doing what the world says you should do or the world shows as the way of God, but by being quiet, listening to God, and being Obedient to Him.

Now here is where most should get it; if you are a parent you really should.

Do you really care what your children do as long as they are happy? Would you force them into doing something they believe will make you happy but ends up not making them happy?

Do you want your children to love and respect you, visit you often, and come to you when they have a problem to seek your guidance?

When they come for your guidance will you give them all the answers or help them learn how to get the answers for themselves?

God wants to have with us just as we want a loving relationship with our children. He wants to be part of our life, but He does not want to control or dictate it. I know it would be easier if He just did it all for us through us. But that is not faith that is being a robot with no will and does not show love to Him.

God will bless us digging ditches all the way to being president of the US. It is not what we do that matters; It is our relationship with Him that matters, then all that flows from that relationship will reflect the truth and His love.

Luke 10

 25.  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

 26.  He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

 27.  And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

 28.  And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

 29.  But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

 30.  And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

 31.  And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

 32.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

 33.  But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

 34.  And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

 35.  And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

 36.  Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

 37.  And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Who are you going to believe, man or Jesus?

Jesus said there are two commandments that all the law (which Jesus is the fulfillment there of) rest upon, and they both deal with love. Then Jesus was asked, “How?” and He gave an example and told the man to go and do likewise.

By faith you believe; by listening you hear; by a relationship you become one with the Lord; by a lifestyle in Him others will believe.

Today there is no greater testimony than one’s own lifestyle.

As with our children we can only help when we are asked. We can’t help when we are not asked because we don’t know what’s needed. God knows, but the problem is that when people finally ask they’ve waited until they are in the worst possible place, then expect Him to bail them out. Ultimately, it is not His faith that does it, but our own.

He gave us a free will to choose. We can choose Him or the world. Then He gave us faith but for faith to work it has to grow.

 

James 1

 2.  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

 3.  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 

Many confuse the faith and the word with learning the Bible.

 

Romans 10

17.  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God’

John 1

 14.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus is the word made flesh.

John 14

 26.  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

So by hearing from the Spirit we are to be taught all things, not by man, but the Spirit of God.

God will bless you in what you do. There are those who will do as I do and teach the truth, and there are those who will dig ditches; God honors both. He will use us right where we are as much He can. Mostly we will talk volumes by our lifestyle not by our preaching.

If you wonder why the world seems to be in such bad shape take a look at where faith in the world is vs. fear.

Take a look at how people are following the world more and more and God less and less. It is shocking that the world is not more of a mess.

God set things in motion and placed His word, faith, armor, etc here for us to use. We can only blame ourselves if we do not use it, but before you do, be sure you have the relationship with God first or else you will be in worse shape than before.

Acts 19

 15.  And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?

Some even think money can buy the Spirit, some directly but others indirectly. That which is freely given by God no man can charge for, but they do try. They justify it by saying that they have to pay their bills so they charge for schools, colleges, etc.  Instead of asking for offerings and operating on faith, I would be concerned about a place that teaches faith but does not know how to operate and live in and by faith.

Acts 8

 18.  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

 19.  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

 20.  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

God has given us all we need; it is up to us to take the next step. The next time you see an injustice in the world do not blame God; the answer is in you already.

We are given this life and it is up to us to live it fully, make as much of it as we can, and to do it all in His love by faith.