It is so good to be here with all of you today.
And as has been mentioned, we do appreciate everyone for being
here and I've enjoyed worshipping with you so far.
And as always is the case, I do consider it a privilege to speak
concerning the Word of God. And as I have announced, today's
sermon is going to be found in one passage, one verse.
It's actually a verse that's often misapplied today, but it's
really a tremendous, unbelievable blessing and it's
found in Romans chapter 8 and verse 28 where the apostle Paul
wrote. And we know that all things work
together for good to those who love God, to those that are
called according to His purpose. Before we get into that though,
remember last time I mentioned to you that the Apostle Paul
mentions 5 unbelievable blessings to help the Christian
be sustained in life? And I'm just going to say I
realize life is filled with hard times.
It really is. Sometimes people have things of
greater degree that is before them than others, but really
when it comes to life, there's just hard stuff.
I was talking to a lady the other day.
She was telling me we were talking about a little girl.
It was a very tragic situation, but a little 3 year old girl was
killed in a horse accident and it was terrible.
We were talking about life a little bit.
She started to cry and she said, you know, she said she had five
miscarriages in her life too. And we were talking about what
it means to lose a child. And I actually shared some
things with her and she said you know what, she summed it up and
she summed it up right. She said this is just life.
So the point is, what are we going to have in our life to
sustain us while we journey toward heaven?
Paul gives 5 unbelievable blessings in Romans chapter 8
that's going to help us through even futility and suffering.
And the first one that we noticed, and we're going to be
very quick about this, this is review and introduction #1 is
hope. Paul says we were saved in this
hope. But hope that is not seen, that
is seen is not hope for why does 1 still hope for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it
with perseverance. What does hope really mean?
Remember that faith and hope are similar in that they both are
trusting God. And you need both.
And by the way, faith actually gives you hope.
So both of them are necessary in life.
They're both similar in that they both are trusting God.
They're different in that faith trusts God in the present, but
hope trusts God for the future. So what's it actually mean?
It literally means to look forward.
Now, if hope is going to be a blessing in our life, it has to
involve 3 very important features in order to be a
blessing #1A future orientation based upon a deep desire that's
going to give us one day a tremendous benefit.
So to express hope is really to wait expectantly for what is
good. I didn't make this point last
time. I'm going to make it now.
Hope is not postponed disappointment.
In other words, something bad's going to happen, but there's a
period of time in my life before it happens.
So during that period of time, that's a period of hope.
It's kind of like my sister Louise.
I told some of you that are lifers with me back all the
years may have heard this illustration, but my sister
Louise, we're watching a football game.
We were kids. Our team was getting crushed by
4 touchdowns. I was mad.
Louise was thinking on the bright side, as Louise always
did. She's the kind of person that
would catch a fish that apologized to it for doing so.
OK, wonderful person, sweet person.
I was kind of rotten, so I was disgusted, she said.
There's two minutes left. Listen, there's two minutes
left. The other team has the ball,
it's first down, they're running out the clock and we're down by
4 touchdowns. We have no chance, she said.
Well, there's two minutes left. There's still hope.
No, that is postponed disappointment.
That is we only had we got 2 more minutes before we have to
be disappointed. So in context of this hope, what
does it actually mean? It means this life with all its
challenges can never rob. Get this please, the believer of
his salvation, as long as he chooses to abide faithful in
Christ, Tragedy after tragedy cannot steal the Christian's
future home in heaven For him, none of the external forces on
earth like heart breaks, sorrows, disappointments,
problems and difficulties that a believer will suffer.
We'll be able to remove him from the peace and safety and
security of the arms of Jesus as long as he chooses to remain
faithful to the Lord. 1 commentator put it like this.
In summary, he said, yes, we've been saved, but do not expect
perfection in paradise yet. It will come, but in the
meantime, do not be discouraged and do not give up.
No wonder hope is one of the five unbelievable benefits and
blessings that God has given us to sustain us in life as we go
through sometimes debilitating losses and things that we
endure. And that's blessing number one.
Blessing #2 it's the intercessory work of the Holy
Spirit. When we pray, notice again,
we're talking about weaknesses. We're talking about hard times.
We're talking about difficulties.
We're talking about what happens when you're at the end of your
rope and you don't know where to turn.
That's the context so far. Get more into that in just a
moment. But notice blessing #2 blessing
number one is hope. Blessing number 2 is the
intercessory work of the Holy Spirit, verse 26.
Likewise, the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses, for we do not
know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself
makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered. Verse 27 Now he who searches the
hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because he makes
intercession for the Saints according to the will of God.
We studied this in great detail. We're not going to do it again.
Just to summarize, when in my weakness I don't know what to
pray for, my human spirit groans.
The Holy Spirit hears the unutterable groanings of my
soul. He takes those unutterable
groanings. The Holy Spirit does to the
Father. The Father understands.
He's the one that searches the heart, but he understands
because he knows what the mind of the Holy Spirit is, because
the Holy Spirit makes intercession for the Saints
according to the will of God. Unbelievable blessing.
That's blessing #2 All right, now here's our sermon.
Blessing number three, one verse.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
And before we get into this passage, let me just say there's
actually a bearing, as I mentioned a moment ago,
misapplied passage today, one interpretation that really is a
misinterpretation. I'll prove this is that is that
this passage means this every single individual circumstance
in my life is going to work out together for good.
If all I do is love God and I'm called according to his purpose.
So people say because everything's going to work out.
I love God, so everything's going to work out.
So don't worry. Look on the bright side, it's
going to all work out. That's interpretation #1
interpretation #2 God will turn every negative circumstance that
is in my life and make it positive.
If I love God and I'm called according to His purpose.
Now I got to say, can God make any negative circumstance into a
positive? Can God do that?
Yes. Don't ever limit God.
But this passage here is an absolute.
It's talking about all things. We'll get to what all things
mean in just a moment. So what does that mean?
Will God turn everything in every circumstance into a
positive? No, not necessarily.
God can do that. In fact, there's many Bible
examples where what man meant for evil, God meant for good.
Chris has been talking about Joseph.
A perfect example. I'll be very brief.
Joseph was sold by his brothers into slavery.
Kind of a bad circumstance, wasn't it?
That's a bad thing. He was falsely accused later on
by Potiphar's wife. That's kind of bad too, isn't
it? In Genesis chapter 41, the
scripture says that he named his first born son Manasseh.
Which means God has made me to forget all the trouble of my
father's house. In other words, in Genesis
chapter 41, he made the determination in his mind, I'm
not going to be negatively influenced by what my brothers
did to me. Genesis chapter 45.
He's about to be reconciled with his brothers.
Now this is after the fact. Notice Genesis 35 and five, but
now do you therefore be do not therefore be grieved or angry
with yourselves because you sold me here for God sent me before
you to preserve life. Then in Genesis 50 and verse 20,
but As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for
good in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many
people alive. You know, there's other times
where God uses the wrath of men to praise him.
In the Bible, many examples. All these things are true.
It's also true that if we have the right attitude, we can take
a negative circumstance and we can actually get a positive from
it. We can do that.
That's a choice. That's a choice.
You know, also, I suppose if a person is really looking, you
can even find good in every negative thing, or maybe for the
most part, most negative things. I don't know, like, for example,
something very bad can happen to you, but you handle it really
well. You don't blame God.
You're a person of faith. You demonstrate that to other
people. Other people are encouraged by
that. Other people are lifted up by
that. Other people are strengthened by
that. You have a great influence.
That's good, isn't it? That's a negative circumstance
in your life that became positive.
That's all true. And while these things are true,
this verse in Romans 8 and 28 is not a circumstance.
It's an unbelievable promise and an unbelievable blessing.
So this passage does not teach special Providence if you love
God and every circumstance will work out for good because of
your love for Him. Because you know what, folks?
I think we would all agree sometimes things just don't work
out good. That's the case.
So Paul had something else in mind in the context of Romans
chapter 8 and verse 28. Keeping that in mind, let's
study together this unbelievable passage.
Remember, this is the third of the five blessings and benefits
that are given to encourage believers through the
difficulties of life. And the first thing that Paul
says is I love this. And we no, you know, there's
similar language in first John. He said, I'm writing these
things to you that you may know that you have eternal life.
Now, the same author that gave the assurance is the same one
that gave the conditions. We know that.
But the word known means to know for certain.
That's the same concept here. What Paul is saying is, and we
know for certain what he's about to say.
Now, there's a difference between knowing and perception,
a big difference. How do we know the things that
he's about to say? And how do we know about the
blessings and benefits that God gives us in this life to sustain
us in this life? How do we know it?
By the testimony of God's Word. That's how we know it.
I got to tell you, if there's no basis for my belief and it's
just what I think, then it's what you think is what the
person thinks everybody thinks and there's no foundation or no,
there's nothing to base it on. Then really it becomes
speculation. You're speculating, you're
wanting it to be somewhere, but there has to be a level of
standard. It's God's word.
How do I know anything from God's word?
For example, our faith is based upon God's word.
Romans 10/17. So faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the word of God. I got to tell you there is a
great, I don't like this word. I don't know how to put it, not
movement, but there's a better word trend in our society today.
I'm talking about all over society.
You know what people are doing? They're doing their best to try
to get back to the Word of God. Everything that we do
foundationally has to be based on something.
Our faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.
So if that's the case, how do I know about the unbelievable
blessings that are going to come to me as a child of God to
sustain me only through the Word of God?
2 passages and we have to be quick.
First Peter chapter one, look at this incredibly encouraging
passage. First Peter one beginning in
verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy,
has begotten us again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled, and that does not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you. If that's not encouraging to
you, I don't know what can be. You know that song about Jesus
Christ, our living hope. It's one of my favorite songs
that we sing. Unbelievable.
How do we know though? That's a song that was written
about a fact. How do we know that Jesus is our
living hope? By the testimony of the Word of
God. Here's another one.
Second Peter chapter 1 beginning in verse 3 as his divine power
has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness
through the knowledge of him who called us by glory and virtue by
which have been given to us exceeding great and precious
promises that through these you may be partakers of the divine
nature. Having escaped the corruption
that is in the excuse me, the world through lust unbelievable
blessings. How do we know these things?
By the testimony of the Word of God.
So how do we know this Paul? What did he say specifically?
Blessing #3 All things work together for good.
You know the phrase in our English translations, All
things, those two words. I checked and it's found around
200 times in the Scriptures, and the phrase is limited and rarely
means things without limit. So we think all things and we
think it means everything. So in other words, everything's
going to work out, but it's actually a very limited phrase
in all 200 times in the Scriptures.
So in order to understand it, you have to find out what the
context is, to include what all things truly are.
By doing that, you know what we're going to do?
We're going to use the Holy Spirit's outline and go back
about 10 verses and let the Word of God tell us what the context
is about all things. Romans 8, beginning in verse 18.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be
revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of
creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but
because of Him who subjected it in hope, Because the creation
itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groans and laborers
with birth pangs together. And to now not only that, but we
also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
grow within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption of the
redemption of our body. So Kaufman says this is sum it
up. I know there's a lot of words
here. This is what it means.
All things in context include sufferings, sorrows,
infirmities, and everything else of a discouraging and calamitous
nature which might befall God's child on earth.
The phrase for good cannot mean earthly prosperity.
It cannot mean earthly success, bodily health, or any other
purely mortal benefit, but is rather a reference to the
eternal Felicity of the soul. So whatever might happen to the
Christian in this life, absolutely nothing can happen to
his saved inner self. This is true because God is able
to overrule every circumstance in such a manner as to compel
its contribution to the eternal redemption that awaits the child
of God. Verses 37 and 39 of Romans 8
provide context and limitations of all things.
I love this passage here. Yet in all these things we are
more than conquerors through Him who 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 death, nor any other created thing, shall
be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our Lord. Please notice, Paul is not
saying the following. He is not saying that everything
that happens to a Christian is good or good for him.
That's number one. He's not saying that.
Number 2, He is also not saying that God causes everything that
happens to a Christian #3 he is not saying or teaching universal
optimism that everything's going to turn out all right for
everyone in every case. What he is saying?
Please get this. That we are promised that
everything that happens to a Christian can ultimately work
together for his spiritual benefit.
I don't know about you, but I kind of like that idea better.
I know sometimes circumstances in life are not going to work
out, so rather than having the promise that everything you're
going through right now is going to get good, I'd rather have
everything I'm going through now is going to ultimately work
toward. My spirits will benefit.
We'll get to hell. So why will these things work
together for good here? It is because no power on earth
or under the earth can steal him from his eternal salvation that
comes to him through the gospel. Therefore, whatever evil or
misfortune or whatever physical ill or persecution that befalls
the believer, he can still take comfort and the surety of his
eternal salvation as long as he remains faithful to the Lord.
Now that is benefit #1 but if you ever stop to consider that
what you may be going through in life or the difficult things in
life could actually be doing some good for you on the journey
along the way. You know, one of my favourite
encouraging passages, a passage that we learn that whatever
happens to us, it'll help us serve God more effectively as a
result. And it's found in Second
Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 17, the apostle Paul says for
our light affliction, which is but for a moment is working for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Once you look at that word right there, affliction, please.
And I'm going to say something. And maybe you're saying he's
going to talk about something now and has nothing to do with
his lesson. Where's he going?
No, I'm not. This has everything to do with
my lesson. This has everything to do with
this point. Please hear me.
I don't know when it began, but for centuries science and
Christianity have been at odds. And it really shouldn't be
because true science doesn't contradict the Bible and the
Bible doesn't contradict true science.
What happens is, is when a man has a man made scientific
theory, often times that may violate or contradict the Bible.
Give you an example? I'm not an expert on all this
stuff, but I'll just say this like Darwinian evolution.
And I'm saying that because Darwin was born in the early
1800s and he lived till I think 1888 or something like that.
OK. And we know about Darwinian
evolution, which by the way, later on in his life, he said it
was the following of a young man.
But you know, just put that out there.
Darwinian evolution, big divide between science and
Christianity. And sometimes people today say,
wait a minute, there's two things and they have nothing to
do with each other. So I'm either going to be
scientific and be in science or I'm going to be God fearing and
be a Christian. Doesn't have to be that at all.
It's kind of like going to the doctor, man, I'm not wearing my
knees out praying. And man, I've been doing it
lately, but I'm trying to go to some doctors too.
That is science and God, I believe in that.
In 1866, in an effort to try to close the divide between science
and the traditional scientific theories, like of Darwinian
evolution in the 1800s, there was a movement that came in to
try to bring together science with the Bible or with God.
In other words, how can we look at modern science and connect it
to ancient Bible healings? So the movement came in in 1866
and you know what? It's called Christian Science.
Unfortunately, that's why I put the word affliction here.
One of the major premises of Christian Science is there's no
such thing as affliction. There's no such thing as pain.
There's no such thing as evil. It's just the perception of it.
So if you change your perception, there is no bad.
I try really hard sometimes not to be sarcastic.
Sometimes I don't try not to be, but sometimes.
But I'm, I'm not trying to be sarcastic.
I'm really not. But folks, that's absurd.
That's not Christian and that's not science.
It's not true to its name. Like I like to say, it's like
Grape Nuts. You have any Grape Nuts?
Not true to its name and it ate grapes and it ate nuts and it
tastes like dark. You might as well go take a hunk
out of a tree. Not true to its name.
So anybody that would say there is no such thing as affliction,
it's just perception of pain is not Christian and not science.
Paul said our light affliction. Why did Paul by way of his
perception called the affliction light?
I'm going to tell you something. I want time to go into it.
He acts a pretty heavy affliction.
One time he said, I bare in my body the marks of the Lord
Jesus, the literal marks of Jesus being beaten for the cause
of Christ, terrible things that happened to him in his life,
right? Yeah.
He calls affliction light. You know why?
Because it is temporary. It is for a moment when compared
to eternity. So in his perception, he says,
man, I can, I can do this. And I got to tell you, I can do
anything for just a short amount of time.
If you know it's going to end, you can too, right?
So Paul said that's perception, but there's more.
There's an unbelievable secondary benefit to the
negative things that happen. First benefit is these things
that we already noticed. These things cannot take away
our eternal salvation if we remain faithful to the Lord #2
in a secondary sense, all things are going to work together.
How these things are going to work together for my spiritual
good, by working for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory. Wow.
By the way, this doesn't mean I'm going to have a better
mansion. It doesn't mean I'm going to
have a greater reward. Guess what we get according to
Matthew 20? We get the same penny.
We get the same reward. No matter how long you're a
child of God, no matter how long you're a Christian, you get the
same reward. That's it.
And I don't know about you. I've said this before.
I'll be a street sweeper in heaven.
I just want to go, and if there's only one way to squeeze
in, I'm going to squeeze in. But you know what?
That's not biblical. It says we're going to have an
abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom.
Man, We're blowing the doors off.
It's going to be great stuff. Ain't that a blessing?
What this means is we will have a greater capacity to praise,
serve, honor, and glorify God not only in this life but also
in heaven. And that's the eternal part.
In other words, suffering or our willingness to submit to it
enlarges our capacity to serve God.
Peter put it this way first. Peter one beginning in verse 6.
He said in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little
while if need be, you've been grieved by various trials that
the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than
gold that perishes, though it be tested by fire may be found to
praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
So remember, our response and our reaction matters too, how
you handle things, Kaufman said. So the reaction of the child of
God or his response to the ills of mortal life must be one of
patience, submission, humility, prayer, love, hope and faith.
Even adversity of the severest kind must be made to yield its
precious fruit in the heart of the Christian.
It has been proved, get this again and again by Christians,
that prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament.
Adversity is the blessing of the new.
It's going to make us better. It's going to make us greater.
I don't want to do this because my mother-in-law loves Tom
Brady. She's a big fan.
But Tom Brady said you want to know the secret.
He said it's not about the wins, it's about how you handle the
losses. I got to give him his credit.
I believe in that. That is what makes a difference
in your life. So working together for good
speaks of a situation in which God is surely at work on the
Christians behalf. True, but it also speaks of a
situation in which the same person's reactions to life's
woes is a controlled response. As the poet, an anonymous poet,
once wrote, some ships sail east and some sail West by the self.
Same winds that blow. It's the set of the sails and
not the gales that determines the way they go.
Now, the promise that all these things are going to work
together for good are limited to two phrases.
One, to those who love God. What does that mean?
What's it mean to love God? Well, let's let Jesus answer
that in John chapter 14 and verses 15 and 21.
If you love me, keep my commandments.
Then in verse 21 Jesus said he who has my commandments and
keeps them, it is he who loves me.
And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will
love him and manifest myself to him in first John chapter 5 and
verse 3. For this is the love of God,
that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not
burdensome. Second John 6, This is love that
we walk according to his commandments.
Even Jesus said Luke 6 and 46 And why do you call me Lord,
Lord, and do not the things that I say?
So how do you know if you love God?
Jesus says you know that you love God by keeping my
commandments and my commandments are not burdensome, they're not
difficult. Jesus says, why do you call me
Lord? Lord and think you have a
relationship with me and don't do the things that I say.
So loving the Lord or loving God is to listen to him, follow him
and obey him. Just as simple as that.
So these blessings apply to those number one who love the
Lord and #2 to those who are called according to His purpose.
Who's this? How is 1 called according to His
purpose? Moses E Lard in his commentary
on Romans said this. Those that are called is simply
another mode of designating the saved.
It's an expression those that love God are descriptive.
It and the expression those that love God are descriptive.
Not of different persons, but the same.
The two clauses also express important facts in their lives.
So the called are the saved and the saved are the called.
OK, how are we called? By what?
Second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 14 to which he called
you by our gospel. What gospel?
Romans 116 For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it
is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes.
For the Jew 1st and also for the Greek or the Gentile.
Jesus said it this way. I love this.
One of my favorite passages, Matthew 11, beginning in verse
28. Come unto me, all you that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly
at heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
That's the call through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That's the invitation. OK, Those that answer the call
are the ones that are called according to His purpose.
Second Timothy 1 and 9 who has saved us and called us with a
holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his
own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus
before time begins. So the calling is not a special
independent calling. It is not an it is not a
circumstantial calling. Those that are called folks,
this is great. Those that are called are the
saved or all Christians. Isn't that better than just wait
a minute, I got to wait if this promise in Romans 828, I got to
wait till I'm specially called individually.
Hope he picks me. No, we're called by the gospel.
Our response to the gospel determines whether we're the
called in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Christians baptized believers. Now if all the called if all are
called by the gospel, then why are Christians distinctively
described as the called? Notice this.
I know it's wordy. It was God who took the
initiative in salvation. We know that man sinned in the
garden. God had a plan, a get back plan
to bring man to man back to him, and it was Jesus Christ.
It is true that Christians have believed the gospel and obeyed
it. That's our part.
It is also true that Christians love God.
How do you know you love God? By keeping His commandments.
But salvation does not come to them, because they've long
sought after God and at last have found Him.
No, He first loved us first. John 4/19 He gave his Son for us
while we were still in our sins. John 316.
Romans 5-6 through 11. So God called us to himself by
the gospel, and invited us to become a part of his family by
obeying that gospel. Therefore all who become
Christians are designated as the cult.
So to be called according to God's purpose means to be called
by the gospel according to God's plan that he made back before
the world began. You know, it's amazing before
the world began. And I'm not going to get into
predestination all that stuff. I'm just going to say this I'll
just tell you what it really means.
God predetermined, not specific individuals that will be saved
that take away your freedom of choice to come to him because
Jesus says come unto me all of you that labor and are heavy
laden. I'll give you a rest.
All, all all right. Unbelievable.
When the gospel call goes out to the world, it's for everybody.
God from the foundation of the world, predetermined the kind of
a person that would be saved. You know what that's called?
A Christian. Jesus said that no one comes
under the Father except through me.
You know what? There are irrefutable facts
about Christianity by salvation. You know what?
Number one, you can't go to heaven without Jesus.
You need Jesus. I don't care who you are.
Jesus is the answer. You need Jesus #2 It is only the
blood of Christ that takes away your sins.
That's number two. That is an irrefutable fact.
Irrefutable fact #3 it's when you're baptized for remission of
sins, do you contact the blood? I know that for a fact, but
everybody's called by the gospel.
The ones that respond to it are considered the cult.
And when you are, you got a great blessing.
Romans 8 and 28, first Peter chapter one.
I'm almost finished beginning in verse 18, knowing that you were
not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from
your aimless conduct received by tradition from your Father's,
but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot. He indeed was 4 ordained before
the foundation of the world, but was made manifest in these last
times unbelievable. We read John 316 but understand
before the foundation of the world, God had determined I'm
sending Jesus to die for the sins of the world.
That was always the plan. And by the way, it wasn't Plan
B. It wasn't oh oh man, messed up
in the garden. I got to have it back.
No, it was always the plan. The Bible says known then to God
are all his works even from the beginning.
It was always the plan. Jesus has always been plan A, so
before the foundation of the world, when God made his plans
for man, he determined he would approve those who would choose
of their own free will to be in Christ.
Wow. In conclusion this morning, what
are the things that are going to work together for good?
In summary, specifically, remember the context refers to
spiritual good. What's going to work out context
going to have hard times, going to have pain, going to have
suffering, going to have stuff, all that's leading even to your
physical death, right? What?
What's number one thing going to work together for good?
Eternal salvation, as long as we continue to remain faithful to
the Lord #2 regardless of all those negative things that
cannot separate us from the love of Christ, not going to happen.
And #3 the trials and hard times in life will work together for
our spiritual good to give us patience and a greater capacity
to serve, praise and honour God in the life that we're living
now. So.
Five unbelievable blessings in Romans 8 to sustain us through
the difficult times in life. Number one's hope can't imagine
life without that Number 2, the intercessory work of the Holy
Spirit that we noticed and #3 our lesson today all things are
going to work together for good to them that love God are called
according to his purpose. Next time when it's my turn is
#4 if God is for us, who can be against us?
Man, we got God. My dad used to say, me and God,
we're a majority. And then #5 it'll be the last in
our little series. I just keep going in these
little series having fun. The last one, verse 34, how
Jesus as our advocate intercedes for us at the right hand of God.
I'm going to tell you something. If you look at all these
unbelievable blessings, I'm not saying that life isn't hard.
I said life's hard. I'm just saying this.
We got this. There's no reason why we should
be weak and there's no reason why we should give up, and
there's no reason why we should ever give up serving God or give
up on life or whatever. Now we got all these wonderful
blessings if you're a child of God.
OK, Now Tanner mentioned something to me the other day.
I did not know this, but Tanner, I looked it up.
You're right. He's right.
I looked it up before I put it on the screen to make sure I was
it was right. Not that I doubted you.
But anyway, Tanner said, Dad, do you know how many times the
phrase don't be a phrase in the Bible?
I said no, I really don't. He said guess.
I said I don't know, couldn't guess. 365 how many days of the
year are there? I don't think that's an accident
at all. Do not be afraid.
One for every time, one for every day of the year.
You know why? That's next time, if God be for
us, who could be against us? And remember and remember God
will never leave us nor forsake us.
And by the way, if in our spiritual life and it happens, I
get it, We sometimes drift and get weak and sometimes we feel
away from the Lord. You know what, I get it, It's
life happens to everybody. But just remember, if you don't
feel close to God, it's not because God left you.
It's because we kind of got kind of busy kind of drifted God
never leaves us. Stay tuned.
That's next time all these blessings are though for or for
Christians so we want to extend an invitation to anyone that's
not a Christian today steps to become one of very simple.
You got to hear the word of God. Romans 10/17 we noticed this
passage. Faith comes by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God. Then you got to believe with all
your heart. Hebrews 11 and 6.
Without faith it's impossible to please Him, for he who comes to
God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those
who diligently seek Him. Then what I got to change, I got
to repent of my sins. Acts 17 and 30.
Truly these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands
all men everywhere to repent. Then I must be willing to make
the greatest confession of all, that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. Acts 837.
Then Philip said, if you believe with all your heart, you may,
and he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God. Upon taking those steps, you're
a fifth candidate to go to the point of salvation and be
baptized for the remission of your sins.
Mark 16/16. He who believes in his baptized
will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Is it necessary first Peter 321 the light figure where the even
baptism does also now save us, not the putting away the filth
of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God by
the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
If you've never taken those steps of obedience, we would
love to assist you in that. Maybe you have another spiritual
need that you need to convey. If we can assist you in any way,
come forward while we stand and while we see.