"Make Manifest"

 "After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and of this wise shewed he himself." (John 21:1 KJV)

 ""God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food. But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don't worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don't let yourself be bribed into sin. Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed. Be on guard! Turn your back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil!""  (Job 36:16-21 NLT)

 After what things? Well, in the case of those who had been paying attention, "So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was filled full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father's one and only Son." (John 1:14 NLT) 

 Yesterday's post ended rather abruptly, as I had to put down my laptop and come to a point where I could see what it was that had already written. I think sometimes we really don't understand how much God's hand is upon your lives; as if He just allows us to mess up, just to fix us; or that He catches us, just before we get ourselves into something that we could never get ourselves out of.

 No, I don't buy it! God is the Creator who creates and knows the beginning to the end; everything is His, there is nothing made, that He has not made; and life itself, is in His control, from beginning to end, He is GOD! So, what do we do with that? We trust Him! There is really nothing more that we can do, but to trust Him! If you find yourself in the middle of a situation or circumstance, then you trust God to take you through it, because He knows how it's going to end! 

 Yesterday I heard a rather confusing message, one which I have heard before, but this time is had a different twist. The message was based upon the census which David took, which shares the idea being planted in David's heart between God and the devil. If you don't know what I am talking about, then you should check it out for yourself. 

 The part that gets confusing, now, is why God would have wanted it, and if He did, why did He put the blame on David? I know it might sound strange and doesn't make much sense; but God sometimes doesn't do things that make sense, He does things to change hearts! 

 You really need to understand something about David, because David's heart was way out of whack! His fathering ways were not all that great, he was still dealing with the consequences of the past, and he really had some doubts about the relationship he once had with God. So, God intervened! 

 That's what God does! He takes the time to use opportunities, even bad ones, to intervene in the daily routine of our lives, and shake us up a little, or a lot; whatever it takes to get our attention! We don't know why, while it is happening; we probably still won't know why after it is done. But hopefully you come out the other side knowing that He loves you and cares dearly about you, no matter what you have done, or what's been done to you!  

 Besides all of that, I said it before, and I will say it again: Our mistakes are goods opportunities! He takes the messes that we make, and somehow works them for His purposes...

"But now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became fearful. "Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him," they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: "Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: 'Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you - for their sin in treating you so cruelly.' So we, the servants of the God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin." When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. "Look, we are your slaves!" they said. But Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? 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. No, don't be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children." So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them." (Genesis 50:15-21 NLT)