God Gives Circumstances that Benefit Generations
November 12, 2009 by John Knight
If you haven’t read Joe Eaton‘s statement on disability and the sovereignty of God, please go back and read that first. It is now the third most-read post of the Disability Ministry blog in our 15 month existence, first on Webjam and now on WordPress.
Joe’s parents, Brian and Cindy Eaton, are two of the most intentional people I have met in terms of their spiritual leadership of their family, which includes five children. Brian is one of the great encouragers in my life and I am grateful God brought us together.
Brian also happens to be the Director of Children Desiring God.
Children Desiring God was birthed out of Bethlehem Baptist Church, more specifically, out of the faithful call of David and Sally Michael in wanting to bring the rich, deep, life-giving, Biblical message of Christian hedonism to children, even very young children. The first thing they did when they accepted the leadership of the Family Discipleship Department in 1996 was remove everything from the children’s programs at Bethlehem that did not line up with the God-centered preaching happening in the sanctuary. That included, if I understand the story correctly, nearly all the existing curriculum and most of the other resources being tossed into huge dumpsters. Rather than be discouraged, they started creating their own curricula to make much of God. Now, hundreds (thousands?) of churches are using this curricula, and it is translated or being translated into several languages around the world.
David also happens to be the pastor overseeing Bethlehem’s Disability Ministry.
Nobody set out to do any of these things. Joe wrote a statement. Brian and Cindy parented in the strength and wisdom God provides. God pointed David and Sally at a need at a local church. Then God multiplied the impact!
I love how God does that. And it puts everything into perspective: God is sovereign, and in his sovereignty and goodness and mercy, he makes things happen that otherwise would never have happened. Everything God does is right. Everything God does has purpose multiplied 10,000 times beyond what we can see at the moment.
Like give some of us children with disabilities – that initially seem to drive us away from God – or wives with deadly diseases, so we can see Jesus as majestic and glorious and beautiful beyond all other things.
Jesus! the Name to sinners dear,
The Name to sinners giv’n;
It scatters all their guilty fear,
It turns their hell to Heav’n.
Jesus! the prisoner’s fetters breaks,
And bruises Satan’s head;
Power into strengthless souls it speaks,
And life into the dead.
From Jesus! The Name High Over All by Charles Wesley
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The Works of God 
God Gives Circumstances that Benefit Generations
November 12, 2009 by John Knight
If you haven’t read Joe Eaton‘s statement on disability and the sovereignty of God, please go back and read that first. It is now the third most-read post of the Disability Ministry blog in our 15 month existence, first on Webjam and now on WordPress.
Joe’s parents, Brian and Cindy Eaton, are two of the most intentional people I have met in terms of their spiritual leadership of their family, which includes five children. Brian is one of the great encouragers in my life and I am grateful God brought us together.
Brian also happens to be the Director of Children Desiring God.
Children Desiring God was birthed out of Bethlehem Baptist Church, more specifically, out of the faithful call of David and Sally Michael in wanting to bring the rich, deep, life-giving, Biblical message of Christian hedonism to children, even very young children. The first thing they did when they accepted the leadership of the Family Discipleship Department in 1996 was remove everything from the children’s programs at Bethlehem that did not line up with the God-centered preaching happening in the sanctuary. That included, if I understand the story correctly, nearly all the existing curriculum and most of the other resources being tossed into huge dumpsters. Rather than be discouraged, they started creating their own curricula to make much of God. Now, hundreds (thousands?) of churches are using this curricula, and it is translated or being translated into several languages around the world.
David also happens to be the pastor overseeing Bethlehem’s Disability Ministry.
Nobody set out to do any of these things. Joe wrote a statement. Brian and Cindy parented in the strength and wisdom God provides. God pointed David and Sally at a need at a local church. Then God multiplied the impact!
I love how God does that. And it puts everything into perspective: God is sovereign, and in his sovereignty and goodness and mercy, he makes things happen that otherwise would never have happened. Everything God does is right. Everything God does has purpose multiplied 10,000 times beyond what we can see at the moment.
Like give some of us children with disabilities – that initially seem to drive us away from God – or wives with deadly diseases, so we can see Jesus as majestic and glorious and beautiful beyond all other things.
Jesus! the Name to sinners dear,
The Name to sinners giv’n;
It scatters all their guilty fear,
It turns their hell to Heav’n.
Jesus! the prisoner’s fetters breaks,
And bruises Satan’s head;
Power into strengthless souls it speaks,
And life into the dead.
From Jesus! The Name High Over All by Charles Wesley
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