Making Something Good From Evil | John 17:12

[00:00:00] Daily Truths. This is Daily Truths with Dave Ahlman. Hi everybody, welcome back to Daily Truths. Do you know that God can make something good out of evil despite people's bad intentions? We're in the book of John chapter 17 and we find that coming into play right here in this verse, verse 12, where Jesus says this,

[00:00:24] While I was with them, namely the disciples, I kept them in your name. In other words, through the power of the Holy Spirit and through my drawing them near to you, I kept them close to you, Heavenly Father, these disciples which you have given me. Listen to this, I love this. I have guarded them. Woof-da! In other words, he protected them and kept them from the evil one. I love that. And what he did for the disciples, he does for you and me too. Okay, I've guarded them and not one of them has been lost

[00:00:52] except the son of destruction. Who's that? That's Judas, right? That the scripture might be fulfilled. What scripture? Psalm 41 verse 9 says, My close friend whom I trusted, even he has lifted his heel against me. That's a description written some 700 years before Judas was ever born. A description of Judas betraying Jesus.

[00:01:19] So here, something horrific and horrible happened. The betrayal of Jesus by Judas and yet God worked it out for our good and for his glory. Right? Romans 8 28 says, We know that God causes all things to work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. Ultimately, we know that God is in control.

[00:01:44] And he can take something evil and work it for our good despite people's worst intentions. And that's exactly what happened in the crucifixion of the Son of God. What was the ultimate will of God the Father for Jesus? To go to the cross. And what happened? Judas betrayed Jesus to expedite that. Right? So that was horrible. It was despicable. And what Jesus experienced on that cross was horrible and despicable and excruciatingly painful.

[00:02:12] But Jesus went through it. Something horrific and tragic and evil and awful in order that we might be forgiven. You see, God took something horrific and evil and changed it for our good. The crucifixion of the Son of God bringing peace and pardon and the promise of everlasting life to you and me through faith in what Christ has done.

[00:02:37] And Jesus Christ went to the cross in part because of the evil intentions of Judas. And so God took the evil intentions of Judas and worked it for our good. Romans 8.28 says that very thing. God causes all things to work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.

[00:03:02] So my friends, God can take something evil and work it for our good despite people's worst intentions. So go about your day today, trusting in the Lord no matter what you're facing in life. Walk in his strength and power, persevering through whatever trial comes your way.

[00:03:24] And know beyond the shadow of a doubt that a better day is coming when Christ returns and makes everything new and everything right. Until then, as you've heard me say so many times, we walk by faith and not by sight. We know that God is truly in control of our lives.

[00:03:43] And when things happen to us through people's worst intentions, God can still and oftentimes does bring powerful things, good things out of the evil intentions of others. So trust and you know that you can look back over the track record of your life and you know that what I just said is true.

[00:04:04] So trust the Lord implicitly, lean on him without fail, and he will bring you through whatever trying time you're going through at this moment. And maybe you're not. Maybe everything is great, but you know life is kind of like a wave, right? I mean here comes a wave of trouble and then there's calm seas. Here comes a wave of trouble and then there's calm seas.

[00:04:28] Maybe you're in a calm sea situation right now. Praise be to God for that. I kind of am. And I praise God for that. But you know that troubled waters are coming. That God will allow sometimes the evil intentions of other people to enter your life, but God will bring good out of it. You can trust that. You can know that. You can believe that. You can live in that. And you can just rest in that.

[00:04:54] That God loves you and he will continue to bring you through whatever trying time you face in your life. And that is today's Daily Truth. Have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ. We'll see you tomorrow.