We Know That...

We know that…

Romans chapter 8:28-31

Galatians 5:16-18

Greeting-

Good morning everyone! If you would turn to Romans 8 and Galatians 5 we will be there in a minute.

I am so glad to be here I can hardly stand it. I have been waiting for this day! I have been praying and believe with all my heart that as we get together that the Holy Spirit will speak to us.

Your pastor and I have been friends for a long time.

I appreciate him and his Holy Spirit laugh- His breaking out in song…it is contagious!

We are always hanging out at PCDC together and it wasn’t unusual for people seeing us eat together, talk together, laugh together- they would always say and I laugh about it… Tony you are the good looking one of the two but James your a bit taller!

Oh wait, did you ever hear things the way that you wanted and not hear what was actually said- (Come on) I think I had that wrong- They actually said James you are by far the better looking one of the two but Tony don’t feel discouraged and hurt- God has given you something too, you are taller than he is!

Let’s Prayer-

My wife Becky and Joyce were friends, Becky would love to go to district events to see Joyce- My wife died of cancer almost two years ago now. So when I reach out with this passage of scripture, I want you to know that the Lord has filtered it through my heart and I have learned to believe this passage like never before. I HAD READ IT A HUNDRED TIMES AND ONE DAY … IT READ ME.

Romans chapter 8:28-31 Read from Bible slowly and clearly

This world is messed up and is chaos. We do not need to spend any time debating that!

What the world is most confused about is thinking that they can live like the devil and then claim the promises of God.

They want God’s promises without being in a relationship with the Lord.

The Lord is constantly reaching out with His presence and offering His word to the world in a creative and wonderful way.

He may use a believer, a pastor, He may use a tough situation.

He may even have to break someone of pride to get their attention.

He does not change His word. He promises if we let him that the word will change us.

The world cannot stand on the promise that all things work together for good…because it says those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If they do not know Jesus! If they are not called according to His purpose, all things do not work out for their good because the Lord is not in it!

I learned during the hardest time of my life and I do not know how anyone could go through some of these hard times without him was that we can read a scripture often but until it sinks in to our soul and spirit we cannot respond to His word.

I knew all things works together for good to those who love Him, called according to His purpose…but I did not live it. I did not act it out in my life until I surrendered it to the Lord. That somehow you would use the hardest loss of my life and somehow make it matter and use it for your honor and glory.

Apostle Paul goes to speak of the spiritual experience of every Christian- Salvation is open for all!

Christ came into this world, went to the cross, died and rose again! We didn’t write the story and it is all about Jesus! We can only receive the story! It means that from the beginning of time God marked salvation out for us, he in his wonderful grace, reached out to us and we have a chance to respond! Some will and some will not but His desire is that we would all reach out to Him because He died for all. When we have done that- all things work together for good because we are not in disobedience but in his will according to His purpose for our lives.

(31) “What then, shall we say in response to this, if God is for us, who can be against us?”

Amen! Amen! Amen!

The God of the universe, the creator of all things, the God that saves and promises eternal life to those that are in a relationship with Him… if He is for you who can be against you that you have to worry about?

We have to take God word in context and we have to be reminded that this world is not our final resting place.