Wind and Fire

This is a word I received from my son in law who is behind bars yet more free than most:
Quote:
Wind and Fire ..
1 Peter 2:9-17
^{9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king}
Sometimes when I want to start a fire, the wind puts it out .

But when I try to keep a fire burning, wind keeps it going.

So, in the first instance, I label wind bad, because it thwarts my plans, in the second instance, I label it good, because it helps me accomplish what I want to get done.

This paradox illustrates how we judge things by the way they effect us. We declare circumstances or people ''bad'' if they thwart our plans, or cause us inconvenience. We judge circumstances or people ''good'' if we agree with them and they support our cause.

But God is the One who determines what is good or bad, and He does so, not by how it effects our plans, but by whether or not it accomplishes His plan.

His plan is that we be a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people. His purpose for us, is to proclaim the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His marvelous light. (v9)

To accomplish God's purpose, we are to respect all people, love other believers, fear God, and honor those who rule over us, even when some things don't seem good to us. (v17)

These kinds of actions, may fan a spark of belief, in those who observe our responses to bad circumstances, and most of all bring praise to God. When things look bad, remember God is good.

Your son in Christ - End quote