If God Is For Us Series

INTRO.- ILL.- During quail season in Georgia, an Atlanta journalist met an old farmer hunting with an old pointer at his side. Twice the dog ran rheumatically ahead and pointed. Twice his master fired into the open air. When the journalist saw no birds rise, he asked the farmer for an explanation.

"Shucks," grinned the old man, "I knew there weren't no birds in that grass. Spot's nose ain't what it used to be but him and me have had some wonderful times together. He's still doing the best he can -- and it'd be mighty mean of me to call him a liar at this stage of the game!"

Do you have anyone on your side? Someone who always backs you and believes in you like that old farmer backed his old dog? Sadly, I think perhaps there are more people who believe more in their dogs than they do their friends.

ILL.- Jean Nidetch, a 214 pound homemaker desperate to lose weight, went to the New York City Department of Health, where she was given a diet devised by Dr. Norman Jolliffe. Two months later, discouraged about the 50 plus pounds still to go, she invited six overweight friends home to share the diet and talk about how to stay on it.

Today, 40 plus years later, one million members attend Weight Watchers meetings in 30 countries every week. Why was Nidetch able to help people take control of their lives? To answer that, she tells a story. When she was a teenager, she used to cross a park where she saw mothers gossiping while the toddlers sat on their swings, with no one to push them. "I'd give them a push," says Nidetch. "And you know what happens when you push a kid on a swing? Pretty soon he's pumping, doing it himself. That's what my role in life is--I'm there to give others a push."

How nice it is that people support and encourage one another in something that not only affects their health but also can affect their whole lives. People helping people. People encouraging people. People backing people. But don’t we need even more in life? There are times when friends may fail us or even forsake us and then we some divine intervention and help.

Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Psalm 121:1-2 “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Truly, our help does come from the Lord whether we realize this or not. If it hadn’t been for His intervention and blessing we wouldn’t be as well off today as we are. We have been protected from evil and the evil one and we have been blessed with good things from God! GOD IS FOR US! He’s not against us, HE IS FOR US!

PROP.- Paul explains how great it is that God is for us and not against us.

1- God is for us - He gave up His son for us

2- God is for us - He graciously gives to us

3- God is for us - He grants victory over all

I. GOD IS FOR US - HE GAVE UP HIS SON FOR US

31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died —more than that, who was raised to life —is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

ILL.- It was their 13th wedding anniversary. The husband, away at a meeting on their special day, called a florist to send a bouquet of 13 helium balloons, with a message of gratitude for the heights to which his wife had inspired him. When the balloons arrived at her door, she had no trouble guessing who had sent them. But the card was something of a puzzle, reading, as it did: “You Make Me Sore.”

What has been your greatest gift in life? And what has been the greatest gift you’ve given to someone: your mate or perhaps your children? In regard to our children, we might think in terms of something material, but in reality, probably the greatest gift we ever gave to our children is when we led them in the way of Christ.

Ephesians 6:4 “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”