WEBVTT

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 Last Wednesday night we did a study that helps us see why most people in this world are religious

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 and have at least a basic understanding of right and wrong.

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 We looked at God's common grace and His natural law.

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 Well, tonight I want to sort of continue that line of thinking

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 by looking at how God is at work in every aspect of this universe.

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 He's always at work in everything.

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 Theologians call this God's providence.

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 I've given you on the outline a condensed version of last week's handout.

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 Look briefly at the major points.

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 If you are interested and you weren't here last week, you can read it when you get home.

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 If you looked at God's common grace and natural law,

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 common grace is the idea that God demonstrates His grace toward all people on a regular basis.

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 Jesus talked about it, so did Paul.

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 Timothy Keller has a good explanation about it.

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 Natural law.

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 God has revealed Himself and His law in a general way to all people.

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 He's written it on our hearts.

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 It's a part of being created in the image of God.

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 And Paul writes about it there in Romans chapter 2.

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 He also talks about in Romans 1 how God has revealed Himself to everybody through nature,

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 through what He's created.

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 And God considers His revelation enough to make people aware enough about Him

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 that when they reject what He has revealed about Himself,

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 all people are guilty of sin.

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 They're without excuse.

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 Wayne Grudem explains this a good way there.

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 But we looked at that in detail last week and that's not for tonight.

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 Let's look at Roman numeral 2 now.

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 God's continuing work in His creation, the doctrine of providence.

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 I want to define it by looking at two things.

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 Millard Erickson.

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 Erickson is a Baptist theologian.

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 He is probably the second most read,

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 or his Christian theology is second most used in Southern Baptist seminaries.

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 Wayne Grudem is number one.

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 But Erickson is very respected.

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 He writes,

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 While creation is God's originating work with respect to the universe,

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 providence is God's continuing relationship to His creation.

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 By providence, we mean the continuing action of God by which He preserves in existence

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 the creation He's brought into being,

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 and He guides it to His intended purpose for it.

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 The Bible teaches that God created everything.

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 And the Bible teaches that God didn't just create this world.

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 He didn't just create it and wind it up and let it go.

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 God has continued since the day of creation

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 to be involved in guiding everything now in this fallen sinful world

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 according to His intended purpose.

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 He is God.

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 He's in control.

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 The abstract of principles,

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 that is still a governing document at Southern Seminary.

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 Teaching on the faculty there.

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 You've got to sign that along with Baptist faith and message.

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 It is the earliest written statement of faith of Southern Baptists.

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 Now Baptist 1689 wrote the second London Baptist.

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 I remember that date.

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 I don't remember when the first one was.

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 Baptists have been writing statement of faith since Baptists have been in existence.

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 But the first one,

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 Southern Baptist Convention was started in 1845.

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 The first statement of faith that was written by a Southern Baptist.

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 It was the abstract of principles.

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 And they have a section on God's providence.

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 Look at it.

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 God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass

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 and perpetually upholds, directs, and governs all creatures and all events,

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 yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin,

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 nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

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 God's in control.

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 But when you and I do sinful things and stupid things,

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 we can't blame God.

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 But even in the midst of our sin and stupidity,

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 He's still in control.

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 And He can work in it, through it, around it

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 to accomplish what He wants to accomplish in this world and in our lives.

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 The idea of God's providence means that nothing happens by chance.

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 There are no accidents.

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 I saw one smart aleck one time make a statement like that,

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 and then he stumbled and fell,

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 got up and said, I'm glad that's over.

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 The outcome of things like rolling dice, flipping coins,

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 are ordered by God and stated there, you see, in His Word.

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 The lot is cast into the lap,

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 but it's every decision is from the Lord.

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 And there's a lot of places in the Old Testament

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 where God's people and pagans like in the book of Jonah,

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 which is a lot of places where God's people,

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 they so trusted that God was in charge.

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 Another way to describe this,

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 they so trusted in God's sovereignty,

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 that He was in control,

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 that they cast the lot, cast the die,

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 with the trust that God would make it what He wanted it to be.

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 It's just a matter of information.

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 When is the last time

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 believers cast lots in the Bible?

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 Huh?

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 That's right.

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 In Acts chapter 1,

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 they chose Judas' replacement

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 by the casting of a lot.

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 And that was it.

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 Now,

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 we can do a study on that sometime,

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 but from that point on,

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 after that,

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 the Holy Spirit came

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 to indwell all Christians.

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 And from that point on,

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 as you read through the New Testament,

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 the apostles,

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 they made decisions

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 based on prayer,

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 their knowledge of God's Word,

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 and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

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 They made decisions

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 based on their God-given wisdom.

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 And when you see churches making decisions,

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 that's what they did.

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 And then we're casting a lot.

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 That's why we don't do that.

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 Now,

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 there's nothing wrong with,

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 you know,

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 if,

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 you know,

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 if I've got $5,

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 and I think,

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 I either ought to give it to Tommy or Millage,

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 which one should I give it to?

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 Flip a coin.

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 I don't see anything wrong with that.

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 Do you?

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 We can do that.

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 But the idea is,

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 God is in control

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 to the minutest detail,

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 even in the flip of a coin.

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 The lot is cast into the lap,

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 but it's every decision is from the Lord.

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 And Paul said

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 that God works all things

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 according to the counsel of His will.

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 I mean,

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 the Bible is just real clear

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 God's in charge.

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 God's providence is sometimes described

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 in terms of God's sovereignty.

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 It's really hard,

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 or at least it is hard for me,

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 to distinguish between

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 a definition of God's providence

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 and the definition of God's sovereignty.

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 I don't know if I was trying to get everything on two pages.

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 Wayne Grudem defines God's sovereignty

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 as God's exercise of power over His creation.

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 Very similar.

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 Very similar.

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 In fact,

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 if you read,

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 if you ever do a study of God's providence,

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 whoever's writing,

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 whoever's trying to explain it,

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 whoever brings out Scripture,

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 they're going to bring in that word sovereignty

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 to explain it as well.

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 And here's some good examples

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 of how the Bible is filled

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 with statements

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 about God's power,

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 God's authority,

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 God's sovereignty.

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 Job said to God,

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 I know that you can do all things.

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 No plan of yours can be thwarted.

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 The Lord does whatever pleases Him

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 in the heavens and on earth,

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 in the seas,

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 in all their depths.

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 It's everywhere.

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 And in Isaiah,

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 I say,

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 the Lord says,

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 my purpose will stand

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 and I will do all that I please.

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 What I want us to see in this,

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 this is helpful to us.

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 If we are truly Christians

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 and we believe

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 that God is who He's revealed Himself to be

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 in His Word,

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 we really believe

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 that the Bible is God's inerrant Word,

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 this should be comforting to us.

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 This should assure us

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 that God is in control.

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 Miller Derrickson says something along this line,

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 providence is in certain ways

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 central to the conduct

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 of the Christian life,

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 central to how we live our lives.

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 It means that we are able

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 to live in the assurance

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 that God is present

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 and active

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 in our lives.

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 We are in His care

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 and He can,

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 and can therefore face the future

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 confidently

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 knowing that things

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 are not happening

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 merely by chance.

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 We can pray

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 knowing that God hears

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 and acts upon our prayers.

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 We can face danger

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 knowing that He is not

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 unaware

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 and uninvolved.

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 But here's the rub here.

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 God is sovereign.

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 God's in control.

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 But everything doesn't happen

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 in our lives

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 like we want it to.

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 Everything that happens

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 to us and around us

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 is not just,

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 is not right,

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 is not good.

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 There are Christians

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 probably,

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 I don't have any idea,

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 but there's probably

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 Christians

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 who are grieving

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 the death

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 of their loved one

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 in El Paso

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 or Dayton, Ohio.

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 God's sovereignty

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 doesn't take away

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 the pain.

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 It does not

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 in any way

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 lessen

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 the loss,

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 the grief

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 that your child,

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 your spouse,

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 your parent,

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 your friend

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 has died

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 a senseless death.

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 So here's where

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 we've got to really trust it.

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 God knows

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 what He's doing.

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 We wish

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 that wasn't

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 what He allowed.

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 but He did.

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 Romans 8, 28

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 is one of the most,

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 one of the best

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 one verse statement

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 of God's providence.

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 And I think it helps

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 just to know

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 and we know

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 that in all things

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 God works for the good

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 of those who love Him

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 who have been called

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 according to His purpose.

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 not that everything

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 is good

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 but He is working

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 for ultimate good.

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 The story of Joseph

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 is the best example

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 of that.

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 It's one of the best

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 examples

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 of God's providence

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 or God's sovereign power

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 that you have

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 in all the Bible.

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 I want us to look

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 just,

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 you know,

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 sort of

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 in a general way.

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 I'm assuming

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 that everybody here

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 is familiar

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 with the story

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 of Joseph.

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 Joseph.

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 You should be.

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 Genesis 37

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 through 50

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 tells it.

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 Let's look

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 at some highlights.

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 Number one,

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 God works

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 through sin

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 to accomplish

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 His purpose.

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 God is not

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 the author

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 of sin

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 but He does

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 work through it.

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 God doesn't

00:14:13.739 --> 00:14:14.579
 cause sin

00:14:14.579 --> 00:14:16.019
 but He does

00:14:16.019 --> 00:14:16.620
 work through it.

00:14:17.819 --> 00:14:18.740
 God works

00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:19.500
 through the sinful

00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:20.199
 choices

00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:21.620
 of people

00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:23.960
 to do

00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:24.640
 His will.

00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:26.379
 As Job

00:14:26.379 --> 00:14:26.900
 said,

00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:28.620
 sin cannot

00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:29.080
 or nothing

00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:29.560
 can thwart

00:14:29.560 --> 00:14:29.980
 the purposes

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:30.500
 of God.

00:14:30.660 --> 00:14:31.400
 Sin cannot

00:14:31.400 --> 00:14:31.960
 thwart

00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:32.580
 the purposes

00:14:32.580 --> 00:14:33.200
 of God.

00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.020
 Think about

00:14:36.020 --> 00:14:36.759
 the sinful

00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:37.300
 choices

00:14:37.300 --> 00:14:38.280
 of Joseph's

00:14:38.280 --> 00:14:38.900
 brothers.

00:14:41.900 --> 00:14:43.100
 They hated

00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:44.060
 their brother.

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:45.840
 They were

00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:46.320
 jealous

00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:47.140
 of their brother

00:14:47.140 --> 00:14:47.860
 and nobody

00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:48.200
 made them

00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:48.700
 be that way.

00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:51.500
 They couldn't

00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:52.980
 stand the fact

00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:54.360
 that their

00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:55.660
 father favored

00:14:55.660 --> 00:14:56.580
 Joseph.

00:14:57.460 --> 00:14:58.120
 I think

00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:58.940
 that's a flaw

00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:00.980
 in the parent

00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:02.680
 and Joseph

00:15:02.680 --> 00:15:03.460
 probably shouldn't

00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:03.920
 have said all

00:15:03.920 --> 00:15:04.480
 he said about

00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.440
 his dreams.

00:15:08.020 --> 00:15:08.620
 He might have

00:15:08.620 --> 00:15:09.660
 fanned the flames

00:15:09.660 --> 00:15:10.160
 a little bit

00:15:10.160 --> 00:15:10.660
 himself

00:15:10.660 --> 00:15:13.140
 but they chose

00:15:13.140 --> 00:15:13.800
 to hate him,

00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:15.700
 to be jealous

00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:16.180
 of him.

00:15:18.180 --> 00:15:18.960
 They wanted

00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:19.700
 to kill him

00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:20.180
 remember.

00:15:22.300 --> 00:15:22.860
 But one

00:15:22.860 --> 00:15:23.040
 of the

00:15:23.040 --> 00:15:23.519
 brothers,

00:15:23.879 --> 00:15:25.460
 one of the

00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:25.660
 brothers

00:15:25.660 --> 00:15:26.540
 intervened

00:15:26.540 --> 00:15:28.600
 and led

00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:28.920
 them to

00:15:28.920 --> 00:15:29.860
 sell him

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:31.220
 into slavery.

00:15:34.340 --> 00:15:35.180
 God allowed

00:15:35.180 --> 00:15:35.780
 that to happen

00:15:35.780 --> 00:15:37.580
 and we don't

00:15:37.580 --> 00:15:38.440
 always see it

00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:39.100
 but we see it,

00:15:39.379 --> 00:15:39.800
 look at it

00:15:39.800 --> 00:15:40.259
 on the scripture

00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:40.480
 there.

00:15:40.900 --> 00:15:41.700
 God used it

00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:42.800
 for a great

00:15:42.800 --> 00:15:43.440
 purpose.

00:15:44.300 --> 00:15:44.620
 As for you,

00:15:44.660 --> 00:15:45.100
 this is what

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:45.740
 Joseph said

00:15:45.740 --> 00:15:46.300
 to his brothers,

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.240
 as for you,

00:15:47.439 --> 00:15:47.879
 you meant

00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:48.519
 evil against

00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:49.799
 me but God

00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:50.279
 meant it for

00:15:50.279 --> 00:15:51.079
 good to

00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:52.919
 bring it

00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:53.299
 about that

00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:53.959
 many people

00:15:53.959 --> 00:15:54.299
 should be

00:15:54.299 --> 00:15:55.139
 kept alive

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:55.659
 as they are

00:15:55.659 --> 00:15:56.219
 today.

00:15:56.579 --> 00:15:56.799
 And that

00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:57.240
 was God's

00:15:57.240 --> 00:15:58.159
 way of saving

00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:58.879
 the nation

00:15:58.879 --> 00:15:59.639
 of Israel

00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:01.179
 from starvation

00:16:01.179 --> 00:16:02.799
 back where

00:16:02.799 --> 00:16:03.439
 they lived.

00:16:04.819 --> 00:16:05.819
 That was God's

00:16:05.819 --> 00:16:06.519
 way of preserving

00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:07.979
 his chosen

00:16:07.979 --> 00:16:09.079
 people

00:16:09.079 --> 00:16:13.959
 and the

00:16:13.959 --> 00:16:14.500
 Savior who

00:16:14.500 --> 00:16:15.000
 came from

00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:15.240
 them.

00:16:16.299 --> 00:16:16.700
 Number two,

00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:17.779
 God works

00:16:17.779 --> 00:16:18.899
 through suffering

00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:20.559
 to accomplish

00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:21.200
 his purpose.

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.200
 Joseph suffered

00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:24.299
 for years at

00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:24.860
 the hands of

00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:25.440
 his brother,

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:27.080
 Potiphar's wife

00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:28.399
 and the cup

00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:29.960
 bearer who

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:30.740
 forgot about

00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:31.019
 him,

00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:33.340
 resulting in

00:16:33.340 --> 00:16:33.960
 Joseph staying

00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:35.059
 longer in

00:16:35.059 --> 00:16:35.580
 prison.

00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:38.700
 But you have

00:16:38.700 --> 00:16:39.039
 to take your

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:39.580
 hat off to

00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:39.919
 Joseph.

00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:41.559
 Through it

00:16:41.559 --> 00:16:42.139
 all,

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:43.919
 he knew

00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:44.500
 that the

00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:45.019
 Lord had a

00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:45.480
 purpose for

00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:45.700
 this.

00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:46.039
 He knew

00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:46.299
 that the

00:16:46.299 --> 00:16:46.639
 Lord was

00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.240
 with him

00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:48.100
 and he

00:16:48.100 --> 00:16:48.460
 remained

00:16:48.460 --> 00:16:48.879
 faithful.

00:16:49.340 --> 00:16:49.620
 Look at

00:16:49.620 --> 00:16:50.440
 these examples

00:16:50.440 --> 00:16:51.679
 from Scripture.

00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:52.480
 The Lord

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.120
 was with

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.659
 Joseph and

00:16:54.659 --> 00:16:55.220
 he became

00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:56.259
 a successful

00:16:56.259 --> 00:16:57.919
 man and

00:16:57.919 --> 00:16:58.320
 he was in

00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:58.919
 the house

00:16:58.919 --> 00:16:59.460
 of his

00:16:59.460 --> 00:16:59.940
 Egyptian

00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:00.740
 master.

00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:04.200
 at the

00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:04.500
 end of

00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:05.019
 that chapter.

00:17:05.539 --> 00:17:05.779
 But the

00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:06.180
 Lord was

00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:06.559
 with

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:07.420
 Joseph and

00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:07.920
 showed him

00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.339
 steadfast love

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:10.500
 and gave him

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.519
 favor in the

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.319
 sight of the

00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.160
 keeper of the

00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:13.539
 prison.

00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:15.519
 This is God's

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:16.299
 providence.

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.339
 God worked

00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:19.859
 through the

00:17:19.859 --> 00:17:21.099
 sinful actions

00:17:21.099 --> 00:17:22.339
 of Joseph's

00:17:22.339 --> 00:17:22.960
 brothers

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:27.420
 to put

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:28.519
 Joseph in

00:17:28.519 --> 00:17:29.059
 Egypt.

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:32.019
 God took

00:17:32.019 --> 00:17:32.579
 care of

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:33.920
 Joseph in

00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:34.480
 Potiphar's

00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:35.819
 house after

00:17:35.819 --> 00:17:36.100
 he was

00:17:36.100 --> 00:17:38.200
 wrongly accused

00:17:38.200 --> 00:17:38.840
 by Potiphar's

00:17:38.840 --> 00:17:39.079
 wife.

00:17:39.660 --> 00:17:40.160
 God took

00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:40.660
 care of

00:17:40.660 --> 00:17:41.259
 Joseph in

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:44.840
 prison and

00:17:44.840 --> 00:17:45.380
 then eventually

00:17:45.380 --> 00:17:46.340
 elevated him.

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:46.900
 The next one

00:17:46.900 --> 00:17:47.819
 here, God

00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:48.319
 worked through

00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.079
 success to

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:50.660
 accomplish his

00:17:50.660 --> 00:17:50.980
 purpose.

00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:52.579
 When Joseph

00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:53.480
 became second

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:53.920
 in command

00:17:53.920 --> 00:17:54.400
 over all

00:17:54.400 --> 00:17:56.920
 Egypt, the

00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:57.579
 Lord used

00:17:57.579 --> 00:17:58.940
 that, that

00:17:58.940 --> 00:18:00.960
 success for

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.319
 good.

00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:02.460
 Look at this

00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:02.880
 in Genesis

00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:04.039
 41.

00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:05.400
 Then Pharaoh

00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:05.779
 said to

00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:06.599
 Joseph, since

00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:07.400
 God has shown

00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:08.319
 you all this,

00:18:08.640 --> 00:18:09.240
 interpreting the

00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:10.640
 dream, there is

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.380
 none so

00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:12.120
 discerning and

00:18:12.120 --> 00:18:12.900
 wise as you

00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:13.160
 are.

00:18:13.620 --> 00:18:14.400
 You shall be

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:15.079
 over my

00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:16.140
 house and

00:18:16.140 --> 00:18:17.019
 all my people

00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:18.400
 shall order

00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:19.339
 themselves as

00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:20.059
 you command,

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:20.900
 only as

00:18:20.900 --> 00:18:21.700
 regards the

00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:22.920
 throne, will

00:18:22.920 --> 00:18:23.920
 I be greater

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:24.680
 than you.

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:28.800
 God worked

00:18:28.800 --> 00:18:29.820
 through the

00:18:29.820 --> 00:18:30.580
 sin and the

00:18:30.580 --> 00:18:32.900
 suffering to

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.259
 make him

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:35.800
 successful and

00:18:35.800 --> 00:18:36.519
 provide a place

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.120
 for his family

00:18:37.120 --> 00:18:38.920
 to come and

00:18:38.920 --> 00:18:39.680
 then to say to

00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.340
 them, there's

00:18:40.340 --> 00:18:40.820
 that passage

00:18:40.820 --> 00:18:41.519
 again, we read

00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:42.060
 a moment ago,

00:18:42.360 --> 00:18:43.080
 as for you,

00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:43.680
 you brothers,

00:18:43.820 --> 00:18:44.340
 you meant evil

00:18:44.340 --> 00:18:45.240
 against me, but

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:46.100
 God meant it for

00:18:46.100 --> 00:18:47.420
 good to bring

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.080
 about that many

00:18:48.080 --> 00:18:48.700
 people should be

00:18:48.700 --> 00:18:49.500
 kept alive as

00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:50.560
 they are today.

00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:53.720
 Now, let's

00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:54.280
 think about it.

00:18:55.860 --> 00:18:56.980
 The providential

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:57.680
 workings of

00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:00.019
 God or the

00:19:00.019 --> 00:19:00.740
 sovereign work of

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.040
 God, if you

00:19:01.040 --> 00:19:01.300
 want to think

00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:01.720
 about it that

00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:03.560
 way, should

00:19:03.560 --> 00:19:04.460
 help us to

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:06.460
 trust that God

00:19:06.460 --> 00:19:07.360
 is involved in

00:19:07.360 --> 00:19:07.820
 the world.

00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:09.920
 He's involved in

00:19:09.920 --> 00:19:10.600
 this country.

00:19:12.600 --> 00:19:13.600
 He's involved in

00:19:13.600 --> 00:19:14.540
 our lives.

00:19:14.539 --> 00:19:16.539
 God's life is

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:18.920
 for an ultimately

00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:20.559
 good purpose.

00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:23.619
 The world's not

00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:24.220
 going to last

00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:24.659
 forever.

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:26.700
 It's going to

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:27.379
 come to an end.

00:19:29.379 --> 00:19:30.379
 The United States

00:19:30.379 --> 00:19:31.240
 may not last

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:31.680
 forever.

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:34.180
 It may not last,

00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:35.619
 it may not be

00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:36.519
 anything like the

00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:37.920
 next 50 years as

00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:38.359
 it has been the

00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:39.119
 last 50 years.

00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:41.519
 We're not going

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:41.979
 to live in this

00:19:41.979 --> 00:19:42.579
 world forever.

00:19:44.939 --> 00:19:45.879
 God is at work,

00:19:45.979 --> 00:19:46.379
 but we don't know

00:19:46.379 --> 00:19:47.279
 how he's at work.

00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.619
 It's wrong for us

00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:50.459
 as Christians to

00:19:50.459 --> 00:19:52.659
 think, well, God's

00:19:52.659 --> 00:19:53.219
 going to work in

00:19:53.219 --> 00:19:54.279
 this mess of a

00:19:54.279 --> 00:19:55.139
 country that we're

00:19:55.139 --> 00:19:56.799
 in right now and

00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:57.459
 everything's going to

00:19:57.459 --> 00:19:58.079
 turn out well.

00:19:58.139 --> 00:19:58.899
 It may not.

00:19:59.379 --> 00:20:01.579
 We may implode and

00:20:01.579 --> 00:20:05.119
 never not exist 50

00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:06.399
 years from now, 100

00:20:06.399 --> 00:20:07.039
 years from now.

00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:10.420
 We don't know, but

00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.220
 God is at work.

00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:13.000
 In times of

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:15.920
 crisis, we don't

00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:16.879
 usually understand

00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:19.899
 what God is doing

00:20:19.899 --> 00:20:20.819
 as he works.

00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:22.839
 We don't usually

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:24.940
 understand how he's

00:20:24.940 --> 00:20:27.039
 involved, what he's

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:28.500
 doing, why he's

00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:29.000
 doing it.

00:20:29.559 --> 00:20:30.399
 That's where faith

00:20:30.399 --> 00:20:30.879
 comes in.

00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:33.099
 And we're not

00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:34.000
 talking about blind

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:35.079
 faith, faith and

00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:35.379
 faith.

00:20:35.379 --> 00:20:36.240
 We're talking about

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:40.380
 faith in God who

00:20:40.380 --> 00:20:43.259
 is good and who

00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:45.880
 is in control and

00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:48.720
 who has a plan that

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:50.339
 he's working out in

00:20:50.339 --> 00:20:53.120
 this world that will

00:20:53.120 --> 00:20:55.059
 ultimately lead to

00:20:55.059 --> 00:20:58.279
 his glory and his

00:20:58.279 --> 00:21:00.140
 people's eternal

00:21:00.140 --> 00:21:00.680
 blessings.

00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:03.480
 More often than not,

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:04.500
 we have to look back

00:21:04.500 --> 00:21:05.660
 over time to see how

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.700
 God has been at work.

00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:08.599
 That's what Joseph had

00:21:08.599 --> 00:21:08.940
 to do.

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:10.440
 He didn't see, he

00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:11.119
 didn't understand all

00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:12.160
 that in the middle, but

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:12.920
 he could look back and

00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:13.259
 see it.

00:21:13.519 --> 00:21:14.240
 That's what he said in

00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:15.460
 chapter 50 verse 20.

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.140
 But we'll never

00:21:17.140 --> 00:21:18.160
 understand everything.

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:22.319
 Why God allowed

00:21:22.319 --> 00:21:23.220
 someone's sinful

00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:25.079
 choices to cause us or

00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:26.279
 somebody we love to

00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:26.599
 suffer?

00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:28.200
 We may not ever

00:21:28.200 --> 00:21:28.819
 understand that.

00:21:28.819 --> 00:21:31.179
 We may never know

00:21:31.179 --> 00:21:31.500
 that.

00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:33.439
 But there's nothing

00:21:33.439 --> 00:21:34.039
 wrong with asking

00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:34.419
 why.

00:21:35.879 --> 00:21:37.000
 Some people say, it's

00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:37.960
 wrong to question God.

00:21:38.220 --> 00:21:39.139
 It's wrong to question

00:21:39.139 --> 00:21:40.079
 if God knows what he's

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.279
 doing.

00:21:40.519 --> 00:21:41.599
 It's wrong to question if

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.259
 God is good.

00:21:42.399 --> 00:21:43.259
 But it's not wrong to

00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:45.019
 question and say, why?

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.720
 The psalmist does.

00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:49.660
 Because, you know,

00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:53.380
 between you and God,

00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:56.519
 between me and God, we

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.759
 all in here may be

00:21:57.759 --> 00:21:58.360
 honest.

00:21:59.640 --> 00:22:01.180
 And we just talk to him

00:22:01.180 --> 00:22:03.100
 and tell him what we

00:22:03.100 --> 00:22:05.319
 struggle with.

00:22:08.620 --> 00:22:09.740
 But we don't do a whole

00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:11.160
 lot of that in front of

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:11.660
 one another.

00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:13.920
 Do we?

00:22:15.660 --> 00:22:16.680
 We keep that pretty

00:22:16.680 --> 00:22:17.120
 close.

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:18.720
 Talk about everything

00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.839
 being great when it's

00:22:19.839 --> 00:22:20.200
 not.

00:22:20.620 --> 00:22:21.480
 Well, the psalmist, he

00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:22.579
 wrote this.

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.720
 And a lot of the psalms

00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:25.539
 are written by David

00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:26.600
 King.

00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:28.720
 Look at this, just two

00:22:28.720 --> 00:22:29.259
 examples.

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:32.140
 Why, O Lord, do you

00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:33.380
 stand far away?

00:22:33.700 --> 00:22:34.799
 Why do you hide

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:36.140
 yourself in times of

00:22:36.140 --> 00:22:36.500
 trouble?

00:22:38.120 --> 00:22:38.740
 And then the other

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:38.940
 one.

00:22:39.360 --> 00:22:41.880
 How long, O Lord, will

00:22:41.880 --> 00:22:43.039
 you forget me forever?

00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:46.240
 How long will you hide

00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:47.039
 your face from me?

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.019
 Me?

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:52.279
 Some people just get

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:54.839
 mad at God because he

00:22:54.839 --> 00:22:55.539
 doesn't do what they,

00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.640
 because he doesn't do

00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:57.600
 what they want them to

00:22:57.600 --> 00:22:57.799
 do.

00:22:58.480 --> 00:22:59.779
 What, yeah, what they

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.420
 want him to do.

00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:02.400
 Or they just ignore him.

00:23:03.059 --> 00:23:03.940
 Psalmist is just being

00:23:03.940 --> 00:23:04.519
 honest.

00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:05.900
 He feels distant from

00:23:05.900 --> 00:23:06.200
 God.

00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:09.720
 And he's talking to God.

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:13.680
 You ever ask, you ever

00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:15.819
 been ticked off or your

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:17.059
 spouse ticked off at you

00:23:17.059 --> 00:23:18.940
 and they ever ask you,

00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:20.700
 when are you going to

00:23:20.700 --> 00:23:21.380
 talk to me again?

00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:24.299
 Or you may like it and

00:23:24.299 --> 00:23:25.120
 hope they never talk to

00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:25.480
 you again.

00:23:25.600 --> 00:23:26.420
 You know, some, who's

00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:26.860
 according to who you're

00:23:26.860 --> 00:23:27.299
 married to.

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:28.660
 How long are you going to

00:23:28.660 --> 00:23:29.180
 be mad?

00:23:30.460 --> 00:23:31.500
 You might ask somebody,

00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:32.000
 how long are you going to

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:32.240
 be mad?

00:23:32.360 --> 00:23:33.059
 How long are you going to

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:34.140
 be mean to me?

00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:36.339
 How long are you going to

00:23:36.339 --> 00:23:37.399
 cook what I want you to

00:23:37.399 --> 00:23:37.599
 cook?

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.539
 How long before you fry

00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:41.119
 another chicken?

00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:44.220
 At least you're

00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:45.159
 communicating, right?

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.619
 The psalm, what I want

00:23:47.619 --> 00:23:48.659
 you to see is the psalmist

00:23:48.659 --> 00:23:49.359
 is communicating.

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:54.439
 It's okay to tell God

00:23:54.439 --> 00:23:55.839
 what you think because he

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.679
 already knows it.

00:23:56.679 --> 00:24:00.740
 And if you think bad, you

00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:01.459
 know what I think?

00:24:01.919 --> 00:24:03.559
 God, I just think Jeff's a

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:03.959
 jerk.

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:06.700
 Lord, I know that's wrong

00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:07.460
 to think that.

00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:10.220
 So help me not to think

00:24:10.220 --> 00:24:10.480
 that.

00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:13.660
 That's a decent prayer.

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:16.660
 If you think that, the

00:24:16.660 --> 00:24:18.100
 psalmist does stuff like

00:24:18.100 --> 00:24:18.559
 that.

00:24:19.860 --> 00:24:21.100
 And those are models for

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:22.000
 how we should pray.

00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:26.160
 The Bible speaks very

00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:31.920
 little about why everything

00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:33.000
 works the way it does.

00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:37.900
 As someone pointed out, God

00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.819
 is not in the habit of

00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:41.480
 explaining, but he is in

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:42.559
 the habit of sustaining.

00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:45.700
 And that's what a lot of

00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.600
 times he's just going to do.

00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:49.779
 Just get us through.

00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:54.360
 And when going back to the

00:24:54.360 --> 00:24:56.860
 tragedies, if it's your

00:24:56.860 --> 00:25:00.380
 loved one, friend who dies in

00:25:00.380 --> 00:25:03.280
 any kind of tragedy, even if God

00:25:03.280 --> 00:25:05.540
 told you why, it wouldn't help.

00:25:06.820 --> 00:25:07.980
 They'd still be gone.

00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:08.820
 Your heart would still be

00:25:08.820 --> 00:25:09.180
 broken.

00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:13.340
 And so God is going to mainly

00:25:13.340 --> 00:25:15.000
 sustain us.

00:25:16.120 --> 00:25:17.860
 Give us what we need for the

00:25:17.860 --> 00:25:21.640
 hour, the day, the week, the

00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:22.020
 month.

00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:25.119
 But we can trust that there is a

00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:25.460
 reason.

00:25:26.680 --> 00:25:28.279
 And we may not ever know it.

00:25:28.900 --> 00:25:29.940
 Or we may not ever know it this

00:25:29.940 --> 00:25:30.619
 side of heaven.

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:48.239
 We may not know it just

00:25:48.239 --> 00:26:00.599
 une darüber before the