Garbage In, Garbage Out

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Here is a news flash: God is a good God. He wants only the best for us. He promises that in his Word. He doesn't put us through turmoil to teach us something.

Would you give one of your children cancer to teach them something? God says in his Word that He loves us more than we love even our own children. (See Luke 11:1 1—13.)

His Word is a manual for life. The problem is that most of us were never given the owner's manual. It sure missed my mailbox.

James 1:13 says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." God doesn't create an obstacle course for us to see how well we perform.

Want some proof? Look in James 1: 17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Does that sound like somebody who's putting you through trials to teach you something? No way. The Word clearly states that the good stuff comes from the Father. So where does the bad stuff come from? Simple—check out John 10:10. How do we enter into error? Why do we suffer because of our circumstances? We simply do not do what has been provided for us by our Maker in His owner's manual.

HERE'S THE DEAL

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. —ROMANS 12:2, AMP

That's the bottom line. The patterns of this world are driven and reinforced by you-know-who in your head. The accuser. The nagger. And she'll relentlessly point you to the world for answers.

But the Bible clearly states that the world doesn't have the answers. In fact, it tells us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world. Instead, we must be transformed through the renewing of our minds by the Word of God.

We have a choice—we can follow the wisdom of the world or the wisdom