Tag Archives: Romans 8:28

Parting Words From The WORD . . . Set-Backs or Set-Ups?

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By Vonda Skelton | September 16, 2016
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Our senior pastor at Renovation Church, Jeremy Havlin, said something in a sermon several months ago that has stayed with me. (Actually a lot of things he says stays with me, but this one is always close to my heart.) He said, “Sometimes set-backs are set-ups for greatness.” In other words, sometimes set-backs are set-ups for the next step to something greater than we could possibly imagine.

He went on the say that in living the Christian life, we don’t need to know what’s ahead, we only need to know the next step He wants us to take. Amen.

Now that Gary and I have had the experience of many birthdays, we’re on the other side of life. And even though some people look at that fact with sadness or with a determination to remain young, we both can see the joys associated with living for and trusting in Him over the long haul, in good times and in bad.

Gary’s diagnosis of cancer about 3 months after our wedding; a difficult period in our marriage in which we came close to losing our way; Gary being downsized from his long-term career job just a few years before his planned retirement; a land purchase that fell through after we had already sold our house; rejections of my early writings . . . these were all instances of going through difficulty in order to receive an incredible blessing. In each case, God poured out more blessing than we could have ever imagined!

Please know I’m not supporting a name-it-and-claim-it religion–quite the contrary! After all, John the Baptist was beheaded, many of the disciples were killed, and the martyrs . . . well, they were martyred. Yes, bad things really do happen to good people.

Instead, I’m supporting a believe-in-Him-and-His-Word-regardless-of-what-happens confidence that Our God is in control. Sometimes we don’t live to see the good that comes through our bad circumstances, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t good that eventually came from it. We may not even know the good until we reach eternity.

All that to say that we can become so used to His Word that we become underwhelmed by its truth.

For instance, consider Romans 8:28.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 (NLT)

We’ve probably heard or read that verse hundreds of times. Perhaps we’ve read it so much that we’ve lost enthusiasm for its powerful message: God uses all things. Everything. Good and bad. All things work together, and He uses it for our good.

The unpaid bill. The shocking illness. The divorce. The death. All can and will work together for good in some way.

So what set-backs are you facing today? Could they simply be set-ups for something good in the future? Could they be part of the next step He wants you to take?

One thing we can know for sure. Regardless of what happens, it’ll be good in some way.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

Vonda

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Parting Words From The WORD…Why This? Why Now?

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By Vonda Skelton | April 22, 2016
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

I know today’s scripture is one we’ve all heard hundreds of times before, but I believe the Lord must be trying to tell me something, and perhaps He wants to tell you, too.

In just the past 5 or 6 days, I’ve had similar conversations with ladies in multiple venues: Several women at two different weekend retreats where I was the speaker; on a phone call with a lady who had questions about Christian Communicators Conference; at a restaurant where I met with a precious CC sister; and in the car with a dear young lady who picked me up at the airport.

In each situation, the sister in the Lord had either gone through or was currently going through a difficult situation and–at least at one point–wasn’t sure what God was doing. In each case, there were two questions regarding the struggle:

Why this, Lord? Why now?

I couldn’t believe I had heard the repeated refrain over and over again. Not necessarily in those same words, but it had been the same basic conflict in each case: Why was this happening and why was it happening now, at this point in my life?

Why am I having this conflict in my marriage at a time when I’m growing closer to you?

Why did I go through this completely unexpected medical issue at this young age?

Why did I let that sin overtake me when I have such a precious family?

Why did that woman discourage me at a time when I feel I’m following God’s direction?

Why this? Why now?

As I kept hearing these questions and talking and praying with these ladies, one verse continued to replay itself over and over in my heart and mind. It’s one we all learned early in our walk with Christ, and yet its words ring truer to me today than ever before as this world and our culture grow further and further from God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, whohave been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)

Why this? God often uses His own blessings to draw us to Himself, whether it’s complications in our health or our children or our marriages.

Why now? Satan often uses the deepest joys of our hearts to attempt to put a distance between us and the Father.

But the good news is, the Lord is always the victor, because what Satan meant for evil, God can turn it upside down and use it for good.

I can look back on several hardships in my life that seemed to have been anything but a blessing. And yet it was those very things that God used to ultimately orchestrate His perfect will for my life and my family. If the struggle hadn’t happened, the good couldn’t have come about. It’s as simple as that.

Why this and why now?

Because it had to be. Because God wants to give us His best and bring glory to His name.

I pray His blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Parting Words From The WORD…Why This? Why Now? The answer may surprise you. @vondaskelton (Click to Tweet)

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Parting Words From The WORD…Is the World Out of Control?

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By Vonda Skelton | February 20, 2015
Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

Laughing Jesus by Robert Wilson, Sr.

(Thursday, as I began working on my Friday post, a friend commented on Facebook about a common feeling that things are out of control. That prompted me to put together this thought-line and combine it with an excerpt from my book, Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe. I pray this message encourages you today.)

Let’s face it, we can wake up feeling refreshed and renewed, ready to take on the day. But all it takes is a quick look at the headlines, Twitter, and Facebook to send us reeling.

This world is out of control.

There have been times when I’ve fretted and worried and made myself sick about a problem, all because I believed a lie of Satan—the lie that says everything is out of control. But in truth, it was simply out of my control.

We know we have the Holy Spirit. But the question is, does the Holy Spirit have us? Have we submitted to His authority and power in our lives? Have we swallowed our pride, exposed our weakness, and handed our mess over to Him?

If we’re truthful, most of us would have to admit we try to handle it on our own. Only after all other options have failed do we call out to God, admitting our frailty and acknowledging our need for help.

We’ve got it backward

One day, my pastor’s two children were playing in the den when the youngest began to cry because he had broken his toy. “Don’t worry,” his older sister said. “We’ll just take it to Daddy. He can fix anything.” You can imagine how Pastor Scott felt when he overheard his children’s conversation. His heart swelled with pride, knowing his children trusted him. They respected and honored him as their father—the one who could fix anything.

That’s how the Father wants us to see Him—as our Daddy who can fix anything. And although there is a limit to what Pastor Scott can do, our Heavenly Father doesn’t have any limits! He is all-powerful. He is all-knowing. And He is all love.

That’s not to say our problems will be resolved according to our preferences. But God does promise that everything will work out for His glory, that He is in control, and that He—and we—can handle it. All we have to do is submit ourselves and our messes to Him, and then trust Him with the details of our lives.

He wants only the best for us, and He’s the only One Who knows what the best really is. It may not be the new house we want or the husband we long for. The best for us may not even be our healing. But Romans 8:28 promises us the best is what we’ll get . . . for His glory.

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. Romans 8:28

I pray God’s blessing on the work of your hands and your hearts,

Vonda

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Is the world really out of #control? #Peace is available. @VondaSkelton via Parting Words from The WORD (Click to Tweet)

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