God Meant It For Good

[George]

This summer we have been studying the life of Joseph on Wednesday evenings in Church. The theme of the messages has been, "God Meant It For Good. If you read through the life of Joseph in the Old Testament you will see that much good came from all the adversity he faced in his life.

Part of the service has been for a Church member to give a testimony as to something in their life that appeared as an adverse event and most likely was but the outcome was good because that is what God intended. This coming Wednesday it will be my turn to give testimony. I am going to do a short testimony about my 7 1/2 year trial by cancer and how God means it for good. I think a lot of folks will believe I am nuts when I tell them the theme of my testimony but it will be backed up by Scripture.

I am going to copy the outline of the testimony below so you can all read it. I pray that perhaps it will bring something to your mind that was a pretty terrible thing but God actually meant it for good.

God meant it for good

1. Feb 3rd, 2003 – GIST found during surgery - But God meant it for good


(2Co 12:7) And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

(2Co 12:8) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

(2Co 12:9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(2Co 12:10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

a.) Explain “thorn” – a sharpened stake

2. Exalted above measure – humility – a contrite heart – A reminder of Who is really in control

3. Further surgeries in between

4. June 16th 2010 admitted to hospital
June 18th exploratory surgery – almost lost my mortal life
Ten days in hospital

But God meant it for good!

(Joh 3:33) He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

(1Jn 5:10a) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:

(Mat 22:8) Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. (Mat 22:9) Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

(Mat 28:19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

One of the primary, if not the main reason the Lord had me to go into the hospital is that the hospital is catholic. The “chaplain” corps they have is made up of Congregationalists who are extremely liberal. One of the “chaplains” that came in to pray for me was a woman. The people in the hospital needed a witness to the Truth and the testimony of the Good News.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. Psalm 119:71

All emphasis on words in the verses was added by me and is not part of the actual printing of the Bible.

In Christ,
George

[Jerry80871852]

Doesn't it bring new meaning for this verse.

Ro 8:28 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.

And it reminds me of this.

Once I was reading about Dr Curtis Hutson, I may not get it correctly yet I believe I can get the jest of it. A group from the church had come by his house, the next morning he was going to the doctor to find out what was going on. They were leaving and had said, "I hope you get a good report from the doctor tomorrow." They were in their car backing out of his drive way, he waved them down saying, "Whatever the report, it will be good, we much remember Romans 8:28."

The report came back cancer, and this cancer got the best of Mr. Hutson.