I'm reading through John Piper's book "Future Grace". It is an incredible look at just how well our Heavenly Father takes care of us and supplies all that we need, even before we know that we need it...hence, future grace!
I went through the more condensed version, "Battling Unbelief" which is also a great read. I would highly suggest picking up both books and starting with Battling Unbelief. It really lays out the basic concept of future grace and it's a nice set up to go through Future Grace.
While reading through today's chapter, I came across this great quote from John Flavel regarding Romans 8:32;
"He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32). How is it imaginable that God should withhold, after this, spirituals or temporals, from his people? How shall he not call them effectually, justify them freely, sanctify them thoroughly, and glorify them eternally? How shall he not clothe them, feed them, protect and deliver them? Surely if he would not spare this own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever he should, after this, deny or withhold from his people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them."
What a thought! all things! even the things that we think are going to utterly destroy us, in God's ever capable hands, they are used for our good! Piper puts it much more elequantly; " The world is ours, Life is ours. Death is ours. God reigns so supremely on behalf of his elect that everything which faces us in a lifetime of obedience and ministry will be subdued by the mighty hand of God and made the servant of our holiness and our everlasting joy in God. If God isfor us, and if God is God, then it is true that nothing can succeed against us. He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, will infallibly and freely with him give us all things-all thngs. the world, life, death, and God himself."
What an encouraging and God glorifying truth, that if God did the greater thing of giving up his one and only Son, he will most certainly do the lesser thing and take care of us his children and give us all things in Christ!
Head on over to desiringgod.org and pick up a copy of Future Grace or Battling Unbelief. They also have the DVD sessions of Battling Unbelief, another great resource to add to your arsenal!
http://www.desiringgod.org/Store/Books/ByTopic/85/62_Future_Grace/
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