Example of Lord allowing difficult circumstances for ultimate good.

Do not be grieved or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting.

And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.

Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Hurry and go up to my 8 God’s Part father, and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, “God has made me lord of all Egypt (Genesis 45:5-9).

A carnal person’s perspective of the control of events.

I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

SPECIFIC EVENTS AND ITEMS THE LORD CONTROLS

The Lord directs people’s hearts.

The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1)

Ephes. 5:22

The Lord can give godly people favor with others.

The Lord was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer (Genesis 39:21)

The Lord had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel (Ezra 6:22)

The king granted them [Nehemiah’s requests] to me because the good hand of my God was on me... I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me (Nehemiah 2:8, 18)

Untitled

Untitled

Example of Israelites plundering Egyptians

I [the Lord] will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed.

But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house, articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and you will put them on your sons and daughters. Thus you will plunder the Egyptians (Exodus 3:21-22).

Now the sons of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, for they had requested from the Egyptians articles of silver and articles of gold, and clothing; and the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have their request. Thus they plundered the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36)

The Lord makes some people obstinate

Thus I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after them; and I will be honored through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord (Exodus 14:4).

Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into your hand, as he is today (Deuteronomy 2:30)

The Lord Controls The Coveting of The Heart

Three times a year all your males are to appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel.

For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge 10 God’s Part your borders, and no man shall covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord your God (Exodus 34:23-24)

Untitled

Untitled

Untitled

The Lord Controls The Nations

He made from one, every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times, and the boundaries of their habitation (Acts 17:26).

“O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel nor with any of the sons of Ephraim... God will bring you down before the enemy, for God has power to help and to bring down” (2 Chronicles 25:7-9).

Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger... I sent it against a godless nation and commission it against the people of My fury to capture booty and to seize plunder (Isaiah 10:5-6)

The Lord uses every circumstances for a good purpose in the life of the godly.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

Page 6 Click Here