Devotion Page

Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Too, often we overlook the first few words in this passage. There are way too many folks who don’t know how this passage works. As a result, this Scripture has been altered to become a sacred cow. When we loo at this verse closely, we find out that it says something totally different from what religion has taught. We need to look at Verses 26-27 first. “Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” The word for “helps” means to co-operate. The Holy Spirit doesn’t step in for us automatically; we have to do something as well. And as we do, He energizes and quickens and empowers our prayers. It’s when He takes hold with us when things begin to work together for good. The next verse has some qualifications that many people ignore. The first is to love God. We know that not everybody loves God. But not every person who is born again truly loves God. For those who do not, things don’t work together for good. The next part says we must be called according to His purpose. 1 John 3:8 says that purpose of Jesus’ coming was to destroy the works of the devil. So this passage of Scripture applies to those who are interceding and letting the Holy Spirit supernaturally energize and take intercession to a level where it’s not just human. That eliminates a majority of people right there. Add loving God to that resisting and destroying the works of the devil, and we can see how that scripture has been misunderstood and misused. God isn’t the one who makes our lives a mess. We have a choice.

Deuteronomy 30:19 says, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live:” To say we don’t have a choice is another way of saying we aren’t willing to take personal responsibility for our situations. When we‘re not responsible, it undercuts the Word of God. The word tells us to make a choice between death and life, so we really do have a choice. God not only gave us an open book test, He also gave us the right answer; choose life!