Bad News Always Leads to Good News

"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;" (Philippians 1: 12)

Paul was in prison. He was under arrest for preaching the Good News, that through Christ Jesus we are justified from all things, forgiven of all our sins, and freed from the bondage of the law of Moses (Acts 13: 38-39)

This preaching, this Gospel, created dissension among the Jews, and even Gentile leaders tried to silence him.

Consider the great afflictions which Paul the Apostle faced:

"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, inperils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, inperils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?" (2 Corinthians 11: 23-29)

Yet in spite of all this bad news, people were hearing the Good News, and Christ was being preached.

What can one say? With Jesus, the bad news always leads to Good News!

Consider the plight then wonderful sight of Joseph, when his brothers sought forgiveness one more time:

"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." (Genesis 50: 20)

For us today, we have these wonderful affirmations from Paul:

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8: 18)

and

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8: 28)

and also:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? " (Romans 8: 31-32)

We have Jesus, and more importantly has us. Rest assured that even in the midst of bad news, the Good News will come through, and all will work out for you!