WHAT TO DO WHEN GOD IS WRONG?
SCRIPTURE: ROMANS 8:28
INTRODUCTION:
* What do you do when God is wrong and you know it?
* You may say that you would never think like that BUT people do.
* Paul tells us here that the Christian can rest assured that every thing in this world will work out for good to them that are the children of God.
* No matter what happens in this world - good or bad-, God is still in control.
* How do we begin to accept and understand the unexpected, unexplainable things that happen in our lives?
I. THE PROBLEM OF PARAPHRASING SCRIPTURE...
A. WHAT THIS DOES TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SCRIPTURE:
* NOTE: this does not say that “all things work together for good” - period.
* ILLUS - my father’s “Little Black Bible” with his sayings about all good things come to them that wait.
* This misuse of scripture produces anger and misunder-standing toward God.
B. WHAT IT DOES TO OUR DAILY LIVES:
1. It produces a false sense of values.
2. It distorts the truth about life.
II. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD SEEN HERE...
A. DEFINING THE WORD ‘PROVIDENCE’ FOR US:
1. Webster’s Formal definintion:
# It is defined as divine care or guidance.
2. A Preacher’s Working definition:
# Came from a radio sermon I heard several years ago
while traveling in north Mississippi - “God’s
will for man wrapped in love, mercy, and compassion; guided by His omniscience and carried out by His omnipotence.”
B. PRACTICAL ILLUSTRATIONS ABOUT GOD’S PROVIDENCE:
1. The 1,000 piece puzzle that my grandmother had with no picture to guide you on how to put it together.
2. Rafting down the Nantahala River the first time and going through Patton’s Run and then seeing the stretch of river from Bob’s front porch on top of the mountain.
III. THE PRECIOUS PROMISE GIVEN HERE...
A. WHAT IS THE PROMISE BEFORE US?
1. Is it that we will always be happy?
# NO - our happiness will change because of our circumstnaces.
2. Is it that nothing bad will ever happen to us?
# NO - life is not fair!
# Paul would echo this sentiment beause he had been
in some terrible situations.
B. THE RPOMISE AS WE HAVE IT:
1. It is not eternal happiness, but eternal joy.
# Joy is based upon Relationship, not circumstnaces.
2. It is knowing that there is a God in heaven who loves us and cares for us and looks out after us.
# NOTE: the verse says in “All Things.”
3. To whom does this promise apply?
# Only to the child of God.
# A precaution must be given to them as well.
# NOTE: All thing work together like a huge jigsaw
puzzle.
CONCLUSION:
* Maybe you have been feeling that God is wrong and you know it.
* What do you do about it?
* The fault is not with God but with our understanding.
