God is in control, God is in charge, and God cares for you!

4. God's Providential Care!
Rom 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit also helps in
our weaknesses. For we do not know what we
should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit
Himself makes intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the
Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the
saints according to the will of God. And we
know that all things work together for good to
those who love God, to those who are the called
according to His purpose.

5. God has no problems, just plans!
▪ Ps 37:23-24 The steps of a good man
are ordered by the LORD, And He
delights in his way. Though he fall, he
shall not be utterly cast down; For the
LORD upholds him with His hand.
▪ Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have
for you, declares the LORD, plans for
peace and not for evil, to give you a
future and a hope.

6. A Perfect Picture of Providence!
The Life of Joseph! (Gen. 37 to 50)
▪ A summary of his life would be “from the pit
to the palace by the providence of God”
▸Gen 45:5 “But now, do not therefore be
grieved or angry with yourselves because
you sold me here; for God sent me before
you to preserve life.”
▸Gen 50:20 “But as for you, you meant evil
against me; but God meant it for good, in
order to bring it about as it is this day, to save
many people alive.”

7. A Misconception!
▪ I have often found that many have the idea
that if things are going well, then they must be
right where God wants them, but if things are
going badly, they must be outside of God’s
grace! Is this true?
▪ Are things going good or bad what
determines if we are living God’s will in our
lives?
▸The Bible clearly teaches that outward
circumstances do not determine if we are or
are not faithfully serving God!

8. A few passages to consider!
▪ Eccl. 8:14 There is a vanity which occurs
on earth, that there are just men to whom it
happens according to the work of the
wicked; again, there are wicked men to
whom it happens according to the work of
the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
▪ Mt 5:45 that you may be sons of your
Father in heaven; for He makes His sun
rise on the evil and on the good, and sends
rain on the just and on the unjust.

9. I. The Certainty!
“And we know!”
▪ How many of us here like to have “assurance?”
▸When we are going to buy a car/truck, there
are things we want to know!
– How safe is it, what does it come with?
– We then still go out and buy insurance!
▪ Now, does insurance ever let you down?
▸But, what about the assurance of God!
▸God has, and always will keep His promises!

10. “I-do” = to beware, to fully know, to
be sure!
“We know!” (Rom. 8:28)
▪ Heb 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without
covetousness; be content with such things
as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will
never leave you nor forsake you." So we
may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I
will not fear. What can man do to me?"
▪ Tit 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God,
who cannot lie, promised before time began.

11. II. The Completeness!
“All things”
▪ When we use the word “all” what do
we mean?
▸Would this mean some things, a lot
of things, most things “or” all, every,
the entirety, the completeness, the
whole!
▪ When God uses this word, should we
believe it means anything less than “all?”

12. “God promises a safe landing, not
a calm passage!”
▪ I have often found this to be the case in
my own life!
▸ I have often found myself in places
where I was thinking, “now what am I
going to do, how am I going to get
through this?”
▪ I am amazed every day at how God has
been able to use my past to help prepare
me for the present!

13. III. The Cause!
“Work together for good”
▪ We need to always keep in mind who is in
“charge!”
▸When we are having a problem, what's the
1st thing we ask, “who is in charge?”
▸Let me speak to the boss!
▪ It is important to always keep in my that God
is ultimately in control!
▸This is reassuring, but it can also be scary!

14. Complete & absolute power!
▪ Mt 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto
them, saying, All power is given unto me in
heaven and in earth.
▪ Eph 3:20-21 Now to Him who is able to do
exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask
or think, according to the power that works in
us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ
Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen.
▪ We must keep our eyes on the Lord and
allow Him to work in our lives! (Mt. 14:26-32)

15. IV. The Condition!
“To those that love God”
▪ One thing I have found is that the promises of God
come with conditions!
▸Js 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask
of God, who gives to all liberally and without
reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask
in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like
a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
▸1Jo 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have
in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will,
He hears us.

16. This promise is not to everyone, it
is conditional!
▪ Jn 3:16 "For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life.”
▪ Jn 3:36 He that believeth (has faith) on
the Son hath eternal life; but he that
obeyeth not (disobeys) the Son shall not
see life, but the wrath of God abideth on
him. (ASV)

17. How can I know if I really love God?
▪ We know by what we do! Or don’t do!
▸Jn 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My
commandments.” (Cf. Jn. 14:21, 23)
▸Jn 15:12-14 "This is My commandment, that
you love one another as I have loved you.
"Greater love has no one than this, than to lay
down one's life for his friends. "You are My
friends if you do whatever I command you.”
▪ If I want to know how much I love God, I need
to ask, how much do I obey Him?

18. Conclusion:
▪ Does this lesson bring us hope? Does this
lesson encourage us?
▪ Are we allowing God to truly be alive and
working in our lives?
▪ “Even in our pain, God has promised!”
▪ Do you love the Lord this morning, have
you trusted Him with your salvation?
▪ Do we “know” that God is in control of our
lives? Let’s rest in the providential care of
God!