Perfect

Let me explain something about God. His purpose in your life is to make you more and more like Jesus.

You may have heard Romans 8:28 before. It says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (NIV)

Sound vaguely familiar? It seems to make it onto everyone’s list of must-memorize verses. I think I learned it as a kid in Sunday School. What I didn't learn as a kid, and what you may still not understand, is what that word good means in practical terms. It doesn't mean that everything in my life or yours will be peachy. What good means here is not good as we would normally define it. What good means, in Paul’s mind and in God’s, is explained in the Romans 8:29. Read these two verses together.

Romans 8:28-29, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (NIV)

What God considers good is this: whatever it takes to conform you to the likeness of Jesus, His Son. For Philip the evangelist in Acts 8 that was obeying God’s command to take a walk on a certain road and win an Ethiopian eunuch to the Lord. For Job that was enduring great pain and loss.

For you? For me? Whatever it takes to conform us to the likeness of Jesus.

Let me make sure you understand. Everything that comes your way on any given day is filtered through this sieve by God. "What can I do to conform my child to the likeness of Jesus? What good can I do in my child today?"

That’s how you need to understand Romans 8:28. It’s how God intends you to understand it. Hear his voice when you read: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Now take a look at what Paul writes in Romans 11:33-36. The apostle praises God saying, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’ ‘Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." (NIV) In another translation it reads, "Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be his counselor? And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back? For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To him be glory evermore. Amen." (NLT)

Let me ask you this: what do you see here? Do you see a foolish God who makes silly choices? Do you see a cruel God who enjoys piling on trouble? Do you see a weak God who has no power to produce good in your life?

No! In these verses we see a God who can be trusted. We see a God who is perfect in knowledge. We see a God who is perfect in wisdom. We see a God who is perfect in his judgments, in his decisions. We see a God who is perfect in his ways, in his methods, his actions.

Okay, it’s confession time. How many of you worry? Listen to your perfect God’s words. He speaks through His Son to every worrywart. Don’t miss this.

Matthew 6:25-34, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (NIV)

Trust God! He’s perfect in knowledge. He’s perfect in wisdom. His decisions are perfect. His methods and the actions he takes are perfect. What can’t this God handle without your help? Stop your worrying? God has a perfect plan for every tomorrow. So live joyfully for him today.

How many of you complain? Listen to your perfect God’s words. He speaks through his prophet Isaiah to every grumbler. Don’t miss this.

Isaiah 40:25-31, "‘To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (NIV)

Trust God and silence your whining! He’s perfect in knowledge. He’s perfect in wisdom. His decisions are perfect. His methods and the actions he takes are perfect. Does God really need your opinion? Stop complaining. Rejoice in the good plan God has for you. Thank him for the way he’s making you more like Jesus.

How many of you fear? Listen to your perfect God’s words. He speaks through his servant John to every coward. Don’t miss this.

1 John 4:16-18, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." (NIV)

Trust God and do not be afraid! He’s perfect in knowledge. He’s perfect in wisdom. His decisions are perfect. His methods and the actions he takes are perfect. What is there to fear? Stop your cowering. God will see you through every difficulty and deliver you safely to your heavenly home when the time is right – make that, when the time is perfect. Not a second earlier. Not a second later.

Do you believe that God is perfect in every way? I do and knowing that brings me comfort. It causes me to trust. It brings me great joy. I urge you to trust the perfectly wise, perfectly loving, perfectly powerful God.

"Oh, what a wonderful God we have! How great are his riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his methods! For who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who knows enough to be his counselor? And who could ever give him so much that he would have to pay it back? For everything comes from him; everything exists by his power and is intended for his glory. To him be glory evermore. Amen." (Romans 11:33-36, NLT)

To receive my once or twice weekly message via email and join the "webmessage" discussion group, send a blank email to webmessage-subscribe@associate.com. Past messages (there are well over 100) are available at www.associate.com/groups/webmessage.