Blessings For Believers

Blessings for Believers

Romans 8:28

Romans 8:28 “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.” KJV

Romans 8:28 We are assured and know that [[a]God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

Introduction: Some of the greatest encouragement found anywhere in God’s Word is found in Romans chapter 8.

I. The Providence of the Sovereign

- God working around us

a. The scope of His providential care – All things

In 1937 Walt Disney released the first full-length animated movie which has garnered almost one billion in total sales: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Producing an animated movie was a gargantuan task. Disney artists drew over one million pictures. Each picture flashed onto the screen for a mere one-twenty-fourth of a second.

As we watch the movie run at regular speed, it seems so simple. We have no idea all that goes into it. Our lives are like that movie. God puts infinite thought, skill, and careful attention into every detail. Yet as our lives run at “regular speed,” we have no idea how much God’s providence fills every single second.

b. The signs of His providential care are sometimes hard to see.

Tony Evans described God's providence this way:

“There are many times in our lives when God is nowhere to be found.

There are many times when we look for God, but He cannot be located.

There are many times when it seems like God is letting things happen to you and me that He wouldn’t allow if He loved us and cared about us.

But there is a term for God’s invisibility, when He cannot be located. That term is His providence, His unseen hand at work.”

- Tony Evans

c. The surety of His providential care

PROVIDENCE

The word 'Providence' is made up of two words:

* "Pro" means "Before" and "Video" means "to see";

* The word 'Providence' simply means "to see before"

* So when we talk about the providence of God;

* We mean that God 'sees before' and plans accordingly.

II. The Plan of the Sovereign – God working in us

ILL : I'm not sure if I am the only one that does this or not. Growing up, if I was ever walking down a dark country road by myself, I found myself whistling, or singing, or humming an old familiar gospel song. It seemed like it made everything safer. It made me feel protected as I drew myself closer to Jesus in praise songs.

I also find myself today, when in heavy traffic, turning up the radio and singing along to praise music to God. It seems to lower my blood pressure, reduce my anxiety, and it simply calms my spirit.

I will sing most every Christian song I hear on the radio. I still may have been all by myself on that dark country road, or I am still in heavy traffic just as much as I was before, but the darkness of my heart faded. The tangled emotions of the heavy traffic seem to smooth out. I felt as if God was walking with me. I feel like Jesus is sitting next to me as we travel along.

I think that we have all had times when we've felt alone, but as followers of Christ, we're never truly alone. The presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit is always with us. Jesus promised that, before He left this earth.

a. Indwelling us

Romans 8:But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

b. Interceding for us

An intercessor is someone who intervenes on behalf of someone else, especially in prayer.

Romans 8: 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.