A good man is made good, not by his own works of righteousness, but by the imputed righteousness and justification of Christ Jesus according to the abundance of God's grace. How good is he before God? Holy and without blame, accepted in Christ, the only way God can communion with man. (Ephesians 1:3-12)

The Lord orders the steps of a good man, both the directions of his steps as well as the number of his steps. The bounds of the children of Israel have been set in the wilderness. God, who can not lie, has promised the deliverance of all our enemies into our hand. Our number of days upon this earth is ordered and sure by He who does all things after the council of his own will. Though we must make decisions on a daily basis the believer is given the Wisdom of Solomon to know that "The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." The believer prays with the prophet Jeremiah, "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgement; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing." (Pro. 16: 33, Jer. 10:23)

Also, the believer knows that in this life we shall face tribulation due to the sentence of death we received in our father Adam. The Lord God said unto Adam, "…cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Christ Jesus told his apostles, "In the world ye shall have tribulation…" (Genesis 3: 17-19, John 16:33)

Still, none of God's elect will utterly fall. God gave his only begotten Son to earn a righteousness for them, to die in their place bearing all their guilt before the justice of the righteous Judge. Considering the depths of God's sacrifice shall any be plucked from the Father's hand? David said, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." May all praise and glory be to the God of all grace!

Clay Curtis