But God!

Thank you for joining us today. We know this post will encourage you in your walk with the Lord. Everyone of us faces circumstances and challenges constantly. In these times, we need to know and recognize that we have ‘But God’ moments that will encourage and strengthen us. Those moments give hope, endurance or brings deliverance. When we experience the intervention of God, we become more steadfast in our walk with our Lord. Eric

The following quote was written by Lisa, a recent widow and the mother of seven children. “Some of my favorite scriptures are the “But God” Bible verses found throughout God’s Word. “But God” are two of the most powerful words in God’s Word. “But God” brings hope when we can’t see a way through. “But God” says, God, not our circumstances, always gets the last word.” (lisaappelo.com)

God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. He has established that plan and purpose and Scripture tells us that no plan of His can be thwarted. (Job 42:2). The circumstances of our lives do not control the purposes and plans that God has for us.

Jeremiah 29:4-14 presents an excellent example of this truth. The interesting thing about this portion of Scripture is that Jeremiah wrote these words to people who were being punished by God for their sin, rebellion and disobedience. There is a consequence for sin and sometimes He does allow people to face those consequences in order to restore them to a proper relationship with Himself.

God permitted and caused the Babylonians to take the Israelites into captivity for 70 years because of their disobedience. Interestingly, even though they had gone into captivity, we see God’s heart for them. He still thought about them and loved them unconditionally. In verses 5 through 10 of Jeremiah 29, we read that the Lord instructed the Israelites, even in their captivity, to “build houses, plant gardens, eat their fruit, take wives, have children, allow their children to marry and bear children so that they would increase and not diminish.” The Lord told them to seek and pray for peace in Babylon so that they would have peace while they were still captives. God also spoke that when the 70 years ended, He would cause them to be returned to their homeland. Then we read in verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Verse 12 through 14 reveals that the day would come when the Israelites would call on God, come and pray to Him and that He would listen. They would seek Him with all of their heart and He would be found of them and return them to their homeland from captivity.

We see that even though our actions, behavior, attitudes and sin causes difficult circumstances, once we repent and turn away from it, and call upon the Lord, He responds.

Psalm 139:13 and 16 reveals that God knit us together and saw us as a fetus when we were in our mother’s womb. There, He created our soul and spirit (inmost parts). He also recorded every day of our life in His book, which suggests God’s sovereign plan for each of us. Bible Hub, Study Bible states, “God (ordained for me) has set apart and established each day with purpose.” “But God” gave/gives us life and purpose! Without Him, there would be no life! Without Him, there would be no purpose in our lives!

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s hand in the lives of those He chose to accomplish His will. However, God does not choose using the world’s standards. God looks at a person’s heart! (1 Samuel 16:7). He is not moved by “human wisdom, intellect or education with a false independence of God and self-sufficiency” for that leads to pride and self glory. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29, textual notes in NSFLB).

God does not look for those who are ‘perfect’ but, for those who have a heart for Him, those who are worshipers, walk in integrity and are readily repentant when they stray.

God intervenes in the circumstances of history and men’s lives. For instance, in Noah’s day, we read in Genesis 6:5 and 7a), “The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.... 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created…” God intended to wipe the entire human race from the face of the earth! ‘But God’…because Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, he was not destroyed in the flood.

Jacob would have been totally cheated and taken advantage of by his father-in-law, Laban. In Genesis 31:6 and 7 Jacob told Rachel and Leah, “You know that I've worked for your father with all my strength, 7 yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.” Even while facing those circumstances, God did not allow Laban to harm him! Then, Jacob fled with his family, livestock and all he had acquired. Laban chased him down. We read in verse 29 that when Laban overtook Jacob, he told him, “I have the power to harm you, but last night the God of your father (in a dream) said to me, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.” Thus, Jacob was permitted to return to the land of his father and to his kindred, without losing anything.

Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, but God used what was a horrific situation for good. Years later, Joseph told his brothers, who had come to get food during a severe famine from him, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Balaam was hired by Balak to curse Israel. Deuteronomy 23:5 reads, “However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. ‘But God’, turned the curse into a blessing!

We read in the 20th chapter of Deuteronomy how God intervened in the life of both Abraham and Abimelech when Abraham passed Sarah off as his sister. In verse 3, we read, “But God came to Abimelech in a dream… Then the entire situation which would have been disastrous for both, was turned around because of God’s intervention!

Numerous times we read where David was protected from Saul who was trying to kill him. However we read in 1 Samuel 23:14b, “And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.”

We may come to the end of ourselves time and time again. We sometimes have no idea of where to turn or what to do. However, when we call on God, He will always be more than enough to get us through or deliver us from the difficult circumstances. Psalm 73:26 (ESV) reveals, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Jesus had told His disciples, “It is hard for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They asked Him, “Who then can be saved?” In verse 26, Jesus answered, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." With this word, ’possible,’ dunatos in the Greek, ”The inherent idea is that of having the ability to act and the power to accomplish.” However powerless our efforts to make things happen, He can demonstrate the dynamic power that translates people from satan’s realm to God’s kingdom.

To define the word, ‘but’ I looked at various references to get a clear thorough definition. As used in the Old Testament, it can mean ‘but, however or yet’. The Cambridge Dictionary states the word ‘but’ is used to introduce something that is different from what you said before. The Greek used in the New Testament, alla, means: ‘but, on the other hand, however and except.’ In Usage (Bible Hub, Study Bible) it serves to contrast, continue, or introduce a new thought or idea. Then, in Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, universally it means: by way of opposition and distinction; it is added to statements opposed to a preceding statement.

When Paul was going to send Epaphroditus to the Philippians to encourage and strengthen them, Epaphroditus was ill. In Philippians 2:27 we read, ”Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.” God’s intervention affected not only Epaphroditus, but also Paul’s life.

Of course, the greatest “But God” comes through the redemptive work of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was dead, but God, on the third day raised Him from the dead!

Then, Peter spoke to the God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven, on the day of Pentecost (when the promised Holy Spirit was sent upon those disciples of Christ waiting for it, in the upper room). In Acts 2:23 and 24, we read these words which Peter spoke, “This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Hallelujah!

Romans 5:6 reveals, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ... 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Then, in Romans 6:23, we read these wonderful words, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Every day and in every situation we face, He has the power to do the impossible and to, by His presence and power oppose, turn around or help us endure the circumstances .

Realize, this phrase appears so many times in the Scriptures it would be impossible to take the time and space here to look at them all.

I pray the portions of “But God” scriptures I’ve shared were meaningful for you. I pray that this post will help you be more aware of the times you see this phrase as you read the Scriptures, and that seeing it will give you a clearer understanding of the Word of God!

Know this, God is watching over you and will intervene when necessary to bring about His will for you.

Trust Him! No matter what comes!

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV), “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, 3 To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified."

But God!

All Scriptures used are from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.

NSFLB New Spirit Filled Life Bible

ESV English Standard Version

NKJV New King James Version