THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

April 15   “The Providence of God”   Romans 8:28

Good morning from Pastor Glen Brock, Baptist Tabernacle Church, Wendell, North Carolina… “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)
Have you ever been swimming at the beach and found yourself knocked down by the waves and suddenly you’re in trouble. You remember how that can happen if a big wave comes and knocks you down and you go in over your head. You begin to thrash around and panic. Everything is out of perspective. There isn’t anything that matters except getting back on your feet and catching your next breath. You know life is like that. Sometimes we’re going along and suddenly we’re knocked down by some unexpected circumstance. Everything is out of focus and we begin gasping for our spiritual breath. Nothing seems to matter then except our circumstances.
• It may be a tragedy.
• It may be a physical illness.
• It may be that a relationship breaks up.
• It may be the job where we are working is closing down.
• It may be our children are having problems.
• It may be our finances are in trouble.
• It could be one of a hundred things.                                             It may be that some of you, today, are going through a trying circumstance. The important thing is, knowing how to survive it, and regaining our spiritual breath. The only sure footing we have is the Word of God and absolute confidence in the Providential Sovereignty of God. What is meant by Divine Providence? What is Providence? Providence sums up the basic biblical teachings about God’s relationship to His World. Providence indicates God’s care for and supervision of all things, from the moment of creation on into eternity.  We, as
Christians are convinced that God is in control of all things. (That is why we pray.) This doesn’t mean that we are puppets on “God’s string”. We make decisions and are responsible for those decisions. “Cause and effect” operates in the universe.
God is so great that He weaves together the choices of millions of human beings and waves of cause and effect and then blends them to be His purposes. God is in control. He just wants and expects me to seek his will and follow him.  You see the aim and goal of the Christian life isn’t “what we do for God.” It is being conformed to the image of Christ. What does belief in the providence of God mean for you and me? It means that we can never be victims of chance and that we have no need to fear the future.  Every one of us, as believers, are going through some rough times, right this minute, however, we are assured that the “Providence of God” is in control and He is faithful to honor His promises!  By the way, we are going to “suffer,” as true and active servants of God, so, recognize the facts and keep moving on towards that Promise of Eternal Glory!  In Romans 8:18, it says, “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.” 
In Romans 8:35-39, it gives us HOPE, when it says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  He has already committed to us, and He told us that “all things are going to work out,” so, the question is; WILL YOU COMMIT TO HIM?  Do not allow the chaos and confusion or the politics and prejudices of this current age to hamper or slow your growing in the assurance of your FAITH! What God does with you, depends upon what you do!  It Always has, It Always will!!  To God Be the Glory!  Stay Strong, Stay Focused…Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!

(NOTE: Please pray for the family of the young man that was shot in Minneapolis and the officer that shot him.  A life lost and a life ruined…)