HOLY SPIRIT LESSON III Providence HOLY SPIRIT Review

HOLY SPIRIT LESSON III Providence

HOLY SPIRIT Review of Lesson I The Holy Spirit is not: an “it” a “thing” a “feeling” a “hunch” a “radar beam” or just an “influence”

The Holy Spirit is: God!

HOLY SPIRIT Review of Lesson II As God, the Holy Spirit Has Worked and Continues To Work To Bring About Man’s Salvation.

HOLY SPIRIT Review of Lesson II The Holy Spirit Delivered to Us All Truth and That Truth is the Word of God We Receive Salvation When We Obey God’s Word Therefore, the Holy Spirit Saves Us By Means of the Word

HOLY SPIRIT LESSON III Providence

PROVIDENCE OF GOD God Has Always Worked In the Affairs of Mankind. He Has Done This Through Two Avenues… Miracles – Directly Providence – Indirectly

PROVIDENCE OF GOD What Is Providence?

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Forsee, forethought, to take thought for, to perceive in advance, an occurrence or circumstance regarded as specially ordained by God. ” New Century Dictionary “Forethought, to think before. ” Vines Dictionary

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “The unceasing activity of the Creator, whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill, He upholds His creatures in ordered existence, guides and governs all events, circumstances, and acts of angels and men, and directs everything to its appointed goal, for His own glory. ” New Bible Dictionary

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence Greek Word – pronoia pro = before noeo = to think “To Think Before”

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “And when he was called upon, Tertullus began his accusation, saying: “Seeing that through you we enjoy great peace, and prosperity is being brought to this nation by your foresight. ” Acts 24: 2

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. ” Romans 13: 14

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. ” Hebrews 1: 1 -3

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Is the word ‘upholding’ used here to denote that Christ, by His word, so supports all things to keep them still in existence? Does it mean that unless supported by His word, all things would at once sink into annihilation? Or does it simply mean that, by His word, He still maintains the order, harmony and well being of the whole creation, so as to bear all things forward to their appointed destiny?

PROVIDENCE OF GOD The influence, whatever it is, is all pervading and universal. It extends to all things created, whether they be angels, men, sun, moon, stars, comets, systems or atoms; so that by it the hairs of our head are numbered and the revolutions of the planets are constantly regulated. This much we are certain. ” Robert Milligan

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ” Colossians 1: 16 -17

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ” Romans 13: 1

PROVIDENCE OF GOD The Providence of God Never Negates Man’s Free Moral Agency!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.

PROVIDENCE OF GOD But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

PROVIDENCE OF GOD that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them. ” Deuteronomy 30: 15 -20

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. ” Joshua 24: 15

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “O Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23: 37

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. ” John 5: 39 -40

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. ” Hebrews 11: 24 -26

PROVIDENCE OF GOD God Can, and Does, Use People To Carry Out His Will Whether They Obey Him or Not.

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness. ” And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go. ” Exodus 5: 1 -2

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them. ” Exodus 7: 4 -5

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me. ” And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I? ” He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

PROVIDENCE OF GOD The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. ” Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I? ” He said to him, “You have said it. ” Matthew 26: 20 -25

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand. ” And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him. ” Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. ” Matthew 26: 46 -49

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. ” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. ” Matthew 27: 3 -5

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘ I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered. ’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee. ”

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble. ” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times. ” Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples. ” Matthew 26: 31 -35

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee. ” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying. ” And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth. ” But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”

PROVIDENCE OF GOD And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you. ” Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times. ” So he went out and wept bitterly. ” Matthew 26: 69 -75

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. ” II Peter 3: 9

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. ” Ephesians 1: 3 -5

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Has God Chosen Some To Be Lost, While At the Same Time, Chosen Others To Be Saved? NO!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD The Predestination of God Was Not That He Chose Which Individuals Would Be Saved, But The Predestination Was In The Plan And The Place Where Salvation Would Be Found!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence vs. Miracles Providence = God Working In and Through His Natural Laws Miracles = God Working Outside of His Natural Laws

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Miracles Have Ceased Because… 1. They ended with the complete revealed Word of God. (I Cor. 12: 8 -10; 13: 8 -13) 2. The Method of Receiving Miraculous Gifts Have Ceased. (Acts 8: 14 -21) 3. The Purpose of Miracles Have Been Served. (Mark 16: 15 -20)

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Two Conceptions Conception of Jesus - Matt. 1: 18 -25 Miracle! Conception of Samuel - I Samuel 1: 1 -20 Providence!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Two Storms Storm 1, Jesus - Matt. 8: 23 -37 Miracle! Storm 2, Elijah - I Kings 17: 1, 18: 1 -2, 41 -45 Providence!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Some say that we are limiting God if we say He doesn’t use miracles in answering our prayers. I say they are the ones limit- ing God by saying He can not answer prays except through the use of miracles! God can, and does, answer our prayers through the use of His natural laws, providence!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Just because we can’t explain something that happens, that does not make it a miracle. How can God answer prayers through providence alone?

PROVIDENCE OF GOD General Providence Special Providence

PROVIDENCE OF GOD General Providence God Working In A General Way To Take Care of All His Creation

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. ’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 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. ” Matthew 5: 43 -45

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. ” Psalm 104: 21 “Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains. He gives to the beast its food, and to the young ravens that cry. ” Psalm 147: 8 -9

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ” Matthew 6: 26

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Special Providence God Working In A Specific Way To Take Care of All His Children

PROVIDENCE 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. ” Romans 8: 28

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. ” Phil. 1: 12 -14

PROVIDENCE OF GOD God Can Do More Than We Ask or Think “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. ” Ephesians 3: 20

PROVIDENCE OF GOD God Supplies All of Our Needs “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ” Phil. 4: 19

PROVIDENCE OF GOD We Must Put God First In Our Lives In Matthew 6: 25 -33 we truly can see the providence of God at work. He will take care of what we will eat, drink and wear. Just as He takes care of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. The key to God providing the things that we need is found in verse 33. We must…. Put God First!

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence And A Divine Interpreter How Do We Know When, or How God Has Worked Providentially In the Lives of People Like, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Esther, Daniel and others? Does God Work Providentially In Our Lives Today? Do We Know For Sure When God Is Work- ing Providentially In Our Lives?

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence And A Divine Interpreter “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ” II Timothy 3: 12

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence And A Divine Interpreter “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ” Phil. 4: 11 -13

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Providence And A Divine Interpreter “I am sending him back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own heart, whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary. For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave--a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. ” Philemon 1: 12 -16

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Esther Young Jewish girl who became Queen Haman passed a law to destroy all Jews Esther had hidden her identity as a Jew Mordecai approached her with a question…

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Esther “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? ” Esther 4: 13 -14

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Joseph Next to youngest son of Jacob gave him a coat of many colors His brothers were jealous of him Plotted to kill him, instead sold into slavery Potiphar put him in charge of his household

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Joseph Thrown back into prison after refusing advances of Potiphar’s wife Put in charge of other prisoners Interpreted butler and baker’s dreams Pharaoh had dreams that his wise men could not interpret

PROVIDENCE OF GOD Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dreams Seven years of plenty seven years of famine Put in charge of collecting grain Reveals himself to his brothers 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. ”

PROVIDENCE OF GOD “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ” Romans 8: 28

PROVIDENCE OF GOD ARE YOU READY TO LET GOD PROVIDENTILLY WORK IN YOUR LIFE?

By Bob Gard – Hollister, Missouri church of Christ www. hollisterchurchofchrist. org March – April, 2010