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State subject: If the Lord is in
Introduction: The Book of Romans is written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Rome to resolve an issue that was causing other issues within the church family. This lets us know that even with the church we have to struggle with some issues. There was time when it was the common consensus that church folk did not have to deal with any problems. So many people for so long has thought that if people go to church then surely they did not have to deal with the problems of life like everyone else. However, the truth of the matter is that everyone has problems of some type, regardless of who they are. Each one of us this morning will testify to anyone that we all have problems from time to time. Anyone who has not had any problems them just keep on living, for Job 5:7 tells us that humans are born to trouble; and it goes on to say in 14:7 that we are born few of days and full of trouble, in other words our trouble will sometime be great.
So the concern today is not whether or not we are going to have problems to deal with but rather but that we do not allow the Lord to handle our problems for us. The question this morning is why we fail to take our burden to the Lord? Why don’t we tell him all about our troubles, we sing the song that says, He will hear our faintest cry and He will answer by and by. But we will not allow the Lord to have an active part in our troubles some times. Why? Why do we leave the Lord out of our issues, why do we not invite the Lord into our situations, why do we fail to allow the Lord to handle our issues? We have a problem, but we do not take it to the greatest problems solver. We have sickness, yet we do not call on the greatest physician, one who has never lost a patient. We have financial problems but do not talk it over with the One who owns the earth and the fullness thereof.
I believe that one of the reasons we leave God out of our problems; out of our situations; and issues is because we do not trust God to handle our problems or that God is not able to change our situations or fix the issues in our life. Or maybe we do not take our burden to the Lord because we feel that God is not concern about our problems. You see too many people try to compare God to earthly people. If earthly father let us down then some think that our heavenly Father will too. Some think that we are so smart that we already know what God is going to do or not do, so we do not even bother to discuss our concerns with Him. It like going to the bank to borrow money when we know that our credit is so messed up ; we already know what the banker is going to say, we do not bother to even go. But the real problem is this; we just do not take the time to get to know the Lord well enough so that we can understand Him like we should otherwise we would know that when the Lord is in; there is no limit. When the Lord is in, no matter what it looks like it is not finish; when the skies are gray; and we can’t see our way; that is when God does his best work.
The Scripture lesson tells us this; that the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought but that the spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God; somebody shout and God who searches the heart; know what is the mind of the spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Church isn’t that good to know that we have someone interceding on our behalf; the Holy Spirit! Somebody ought to say thank you Lord!
When we allow the Lord to take control of our life; or that is to say, if the Lord is in it; then we know that we have someone who cares. For even though Job said that we who are born of a woman days are few and full of trouble that same Job says that I know that my redeemer lives, in other words, church Job was saying I know where my help comes from. King David says in Psalm 55:22 cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you, He will never permit the righteous to be moved. If the Lord is in it.
Church even when we are going through sickness, If the Lord is in it; there is no limit; can we call on a witness this morning; look at the woman who had a spirit that had her cripple for eighteen long years, the Bible says she was bent over and was unable to stand up straight, but when Jesus say her, He called her over and said, woman, you are set free from your ailment, when he laid his hand on her, immediately she stood up straight and began to praise God. If the Lord is in it; no matter how long you have been down; things can be made new if the Lord is in it; what about the blind man beside the road, he will tell you that if the Lord is in it; He will give sight to the blind; what about the lame man; at the pool of Bethesda, he will tell you that if the Lord is in it, he can make the lame to walk.
Our text tells us that we know that all things work together for good for those who love God; who are called according to his purpose. The word all as it is used is the Greek word “pas” which means, any, every, the whole, always; many as, thoroughly whatsoever, whosoever; church let me pause to break it down for you. The Lord wants us to know today; that when He says he will work all things out for our good if we include Him in it; He means; anything; somebody say anything that the Lord is in; will work out for my good; somebody say; everything; everything that I include the Lord in He will work it out for my good. Not sometimes, but always; thoroughly; when the Lord is in it.
The scripture goes on to say that those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that…somebody say, there is a reason… in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. If the Lord is in it; those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those who he justified he also glorified.
What then are we to say about these things, if God is for us, who is against us? God who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Church, God is saying I got your back, no matter what! When the Lord is in it. Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? When the Lord is in it. It is God who justifies. If the Lord is in it. Who is to condemn. If the Lord is in it. It is Christ Jesus who died, yes who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us, who will separate us from the love of Christ, will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conqueror through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor ruler, no things present nor things to come nor power, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us form the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
