THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD Romans 8:28

God's providence is his almighty and ever present power, whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures, and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand. HC LD 10

What is life all about? There are things that we don't understand. There are circumstances that we can't control. There are joys unspeakable and full of glory. Life is full of mystery, misery and magnificence, but it doesn't seem to make sense. In Romans 8, we learn that God brings sense to all that we see. We learn about the magnificent grace of God in it all and through it all.

A question many people ask is, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" But there are no good people. Romans 3:10 In and of ourselves, there are no good people. Romans 3:23 The question that really should be asked is, "Why do good things happen to bad people?" This is because of the grace of God. Everything good that has come to us is because of the grace of God, in spite of our sins.

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive"' (Gen. 50:19, 20).

Charles Stanley writes "The life story of Joseph clearly illustrates that God sometimes grants permission for adversity to enter our lives so that He might accomplish an ultimate good. Jacob loved his son Joseph (that's good right?). Jacob didn't try to hide his lopsided love for Joseph, his son by his favorite wife, Rachel (that's bad right?).  So when Joseph shared two dreams with his brothers—dreams in which Joseph took center stage and his brothers bowed low to serve him (that's good right?). — they started looking for a way to destroy him (now that's bad right?).  One day, Joseph's brothers decided to kill him (that's real bad right?).   But instead they secretly sold him into slavery (that's good right?). Eventually, he became the slave of Potiphar (that's bad right?), an officer of Pharaoh. Joseph quickly rose to prominence in his new position (that's good right?), but when Potiphar's wife falsely accused him of rape, Joseph found himself being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit (that's bad right?). Even there, in total confinement, he rose to a position of leadership (that's good right?). When he correctly interpreted the dream of a royal servant, Joseph hoped that his fortunes were about to change (that's good right?). But the man promptly forgot him for two long years (that's bad right?).   Not until Pharaoh himself needed someone to interpret a troubling dream did the man mention Joseph (Gen. 39–40). At the right time, God reversed Joseph's adversity.

After he had correctly interpreted the dream, Pharaoh ordered him released and placed in charge of the Egypt's granaries. Later, Joseph used his new authority as prime minister to help his family through a severe famine. After Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers feared that he might try to pay them back.

"But Joseph said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive"' (Gen. 50:19, 20).

In looking back over his life—even the dark and painful events—Joseph realized that God had been in charge the whole time. Nothing had happened to him apart from God's will and divine plan.

In the same way, when you belong to the Lord, any adversity you experience remains subject to the Lord's power and grace. He never stops being in charge of your life. He never loses authority over you or over the circumstances that affect you. God is always in control.

Therefore, you must realize that, on occasion, the Lord permits adversity to enter your life. But He always uses adversity to fulfill His purposes in your life.

Romans 8:28 Just as a pharmacist takes powders and noxious poisons and mixes them together to make medicine for us, God takes situations, problems and things that in themselves look bad and hurtful, and He mixes these together in the crucible of His love and wisdom.

And the result is medicine for our souls and something good and wonderful.

God takes the situations and circumstances of our lives and makes them work together for our good and His glory.

 

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

The Certainty of it  -We Know

The Completeness of it  -All things

The sweet things work together for good.

Romans 2:4 The goodness of God leads us to repentance.

The sorrowful things work together for good.

Psalm 119:71  It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.

The satanic things work together for good.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself!8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

The sinful things work together for good.

Romans 9: 16 So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth."18 So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. 19 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?"20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God?

The smallest things work together for good. 

Exodus 2:6 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her.6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him

The Cause of it  -God Causes

Ephesians 1:11  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

The Condition of it   -Love God

Do you love God? The world is divided into two groups, not by politics, not by education, not by money but do you love God? Has God worked His grace in your heart so that you love God?

The Consequences of it

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30

Philippians 1:6  For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

 

We can be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and with a view to the future we can have a firm confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature shall separate us from his love; for all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they cannot so much as move.  HC LD 10

The Consequences of it    Romans 8:29

The word "for" at the beginning of this verse is a preposition meaning "unto." It moves toward something. The good that all things are working together for is not to make us healthy, wealthy or happy. It's to make us like Jesus. The good is that we be conformed to the image of God's Son.

How wonderful that we can be like the Lord Jesus and be with the Lord Jesus and be glorified with Him in eternity. God has not finished with us. Philippians 1:6

It is not about you.

But what about me?  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. 31  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?

If you are not saved and thinking that everything is going well for you and that you don't need God, the Bible contains a warning. The consequences of loving God are that one day we will be glorified with the Lord, and we will be made like Him.

 

With acknowledgement of Outline from Adrian Rogers.

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RRFbPO1I2ak