Great news from bad news - Open heavens devotional by Pastor E. A Adeboye

BIBLE IN A YEAR: Gal 1-3
GREAT NEWS FROM BAD NEWS Friday, July 30, 2010
MEMORIZE: “Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thess. 5:10) READ: 1 Thess. 5:9-11 “When peace, like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul” Some hymns are borne out of pleasurable circumstances while others come from unfortunate circumstances. ‘It is well with my soul’ is one of the hymns which was inspired under unpleasant circumstances. In fact, it was written in memory of the sudden loss of all four precious daughters of the hymn writer. Not many people can leave a legacy that will bless and comfort millions of people out of a negative occurrence. Do you know that the ability to turn what was intended to be a curse into a blessing is an act of faith which can give that individual great eternal dividends? If something good can come out of the misfortune of the Spaffords, something good can come out of your present misfortune. In fact, if you cooperate with the Holy Spirit in that sorrowful situation, He will help you bring out something praise worthy. Jesus the Savior of the world died. That is supposed to be bad news yet from His death came salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, etc for lost men all over the world. That indeed is great news from bad news! If you lost your job and became closer to God and more fruitful in His service, that is great news from bad news! When the death of somebody leads to the conversion of many to Christ, that is great news from bad news. When will the world hear of the great news coming out of your misfortune? Horatio G. Spafford - a lawyer and practicing Christian one day saw off his wife and four daughters as they departed from Chicago to visit relatives in Europe. Midway into their trip, their ship collided with another and began to sink. Mrs Spafford prayed and committed her four daughters into God’s hands. That was the last she saw them. Fortunately, a life boat came to her rescue. As she arrived Britain, she sent a message to her husband: ‘Saved - Alone’. With grief, her husband immediately set out to England to comfort his wife. When their friends D.L. Moody and singer Ira D. Sankey later visited them to console the couple, they were surprised to find them in high spirits and able to say 'It is well' even in their tears. Three years later, Mr Spafford wrote the hymn, ‘It is well’ in memory of their daughters. When you go through a major loss, can you still trust God? ACTION POINT: Every loss is capable of delivering gains to God’s Kingdom if there is absolute cooperation between the loser and the loss remover (Holy Spirit).