WBC-
God was speaking to you in Weston Missouri. Were you listening to him or were you too busy talking to hear him?
-Stephen
Stephen-
Message heard loud and clear, to wit, the more you try to shut up our Gospel message, the more our Gospel message spreads. The people of Weston, MO, turned a little picket into an international story, spreading our core message all over the world. If Weston, MO, is an example of shutting up the servants of God, then I say, let’s have a few more Weston, MOs! You see, you guys come up with all kinds of devices, but you forget who’s in charge and whose counsel will stand. God takes a special interest in making sure that His Word gets spread, despite all of your plans. This is a fulfillment of the promises of God, which you can read about here:
Psalms 33:10-11 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
Proverbs 19:21 [There are] many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.
Psalms 21:10-11 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed from among the children of men (i.e., God kills your kids). For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous device, [which] they are not able [to perform].
Isaiah 54:15-17 Behold, they shall surely gather together, [but] not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 55:10-11 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper [in the thing] whereto I sent it.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17 Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one [we are] the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who [is] sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
Revelation 3:7-8 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Here are a few examples of where human beings had one plan, but God had quite another:
Acts 4:16-17 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them [is] manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny [it]. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. (You see how well that worked out for them).
Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; [but] God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as [it is] this day, to save much people alive.
Philippians 1:12,15-18 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things [which happened] unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;… Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
And don’t forget about what happened in Ephesus in Acts 19. The whole city came out to drown out the words of God’s servants. And don’t forget how the Jews followed the apostles around from city to city, trying to shut them up and stir the people up against them. Again, you see how well that worked out for them.
Thanks for writing.