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What Control Does God Exercise in Our Lives?
A study in providence
Providence -
• Foresight or plan to accomplish a desired end,
• Has to do with God working in the affairs of men
Providential Misconceptions
1. Providence was limited to Israel
Amos 9:7-8
Are you not like the Cushites to me, O
people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “Did
I not bring up Israel from the land of
Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor
and the Syrians from Kir?
God “moved” the Philistines and the SyriansGod “moved” the Philistines and the Syrians
Jonah 4:11
And should not I pity Nineveh, that great
city, in which there are more than 120,000
persons who do not know their right hand
from their left, and also much cattle?”
God had compassion for 120,000 NinevitesGod had compassion for 120,000 Ninevites
Exodus 14:18
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the
Lord, when I have gotten glory over
Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”
God was glorified in the EgyptiansGod was glorified in the Egyptians
Genesis 15:13-16
13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for
certain that your offspring will be
sojourners in a land that is not theirs and
will be servants there, and they will be
afflicted for four hundred years. … 16 And
they shall come back here in the fourth
generation, for the iniquity of the
Amorites is not yet complete.
God wouldn’t take the Amorite’s land from themGod wouldn’t take the Amorite’s land from them
Providential Misconceptions
1. Providence was limited to Israel
2. Providence was limited to miracles
Genesis 45:5-8
And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in
which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to
preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it
was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of
all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.
Joseph to Egypt? NOT miraculous.Joseph to Egypt? NOT miraculous.
Romans 15:30-32
I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to
strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be
delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be
acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and
be refreshed in your company.
Paul to Rome? NOT miraculous.Paul to Rome? NOT miraculous.
Providential Misconceptions
1. Providence was limited to Israel
2. Providence was limited to miracles
3. Everything is providential !
Ecclesiastes 9:11
gain I saw that under the sun the race is not
to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,
nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the
intelligent, nor favor to those with
knowledge, but time and chance happen
to them all.
Time and chance overtake us all.Time and chance overtake us all.
The fact is, God IS in Control
1. The OT says to have faith. God controls it all
Ecclesiastes 8:16-9:1
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, 17 then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work
that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a
wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out. 1 But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man
does not know; both are before him.
We’re in the hands of God.We’re in the hands of God.
Ecclesiastes 7:13-14
Consider the work of God: who can make
straight what he has made crooked?14 In
the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the
day of adversity consider: God has made
the one as well as the other, so that man
may not find out anything that will be
after him.
We cannot change what God does.We cannot change what God does.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
11 He has made everything beautiful in its
time. Also, he has put eternity into man's
heart, yet so that he cannot find out what
God has done from the beginning to the
end.
We cannot know God’s workingWe cannot know God’s working
Ecclesiastes 3:15
That which is, already has been; that which
is to be, already has been; and God seeks
what has been driven away.
Even historic repetition is in God’s hand.Even historic repetition is in God’s hand.
The fact is, God IS in Control
1. The OT says to have faith. God controls it all
2. Specifically the Messiah was prophesied to rule
Psalms 2:7-9
I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me,
“You are my Son; Today I have begotten
you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the
nations your heritage, and the ends of the
earth your possession. 9 You shall
break them with a rod of iron and dash
them in pieces like a potter's vessel.”
Psalm 110:1-2
he Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right
hand, until I make your enemies your
footstool.”2 The Lord sends forth from
Zion your mighty scepter. rule in the
midst of your enemies!
Isaiah 11:3-5ff
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or
decide disputes by what his ears hear, 4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the
earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his
lips he shall kill the wicked. 5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
The fact is, God IS in Control
1. The OT says to have faith. God controls it all
2. Specifically the Messiah was prophesied to rule
3. The NT says Jesus Christ is in charge of it all
1 Peter 3:22
…who has gone into heaven and is at the
right hand of God, with angels,
authorities, and powers having been
subjected to him.
Revelation 1:5
…and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of
kings on earth.To him who loves us and
has freed us from our sins by his blood
He is the Ruler of KingsHe is the Ruler of Kings
God has always used providential participation
In all the earth, among all people, and especially for
HIS people.
Hebrews 1:13-14
And to which of the angels has he ever
said,“Sit at my right hand until I make
your enemies a footstool for your feet”?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent
out to serve for the sake of those who are
to inherit salvation?
He has legions of powerful servants.He has legions of powerful servants.
Hebrews 13:5-6
Keep your life free from love of money, and
be content with what you have, for he has
said, “I will never leave you nor forsake
you.” 6 So we can confidently say,“The
Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what
can man do to me?”
And we have the promise of help.And we have the promise of help.
With divine assurance
God still asks for faith
Hebrews 11:6And without faith it is
impossible to please him, for whoever
would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he
rewards those who seek him.
Will you be content with that?