← Christian Questions Bible Podcast
Loading summary
Transcript120 lines
- [00:02]
A
Think about the Bible like you never have before.
- [00:04]
B
You're listening to Christian Questions.
- [00:06]
A
Access more audio videos and Bible Study resources@christianquestions.com Our topic is how does God's providence work in our lives? Here's Rick, Jonathan and Julie.
- [00:20]
B
Welcome, everyone. I'm Rick. I'm joined by Jonathan, my co host for over 25 years. And Julie, a longtime contributor, is also with us. Jonathan, what's our theme scripture for this episode?
- [00:30]
A
James 4:15. Instead, ye ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.
- [00:38]
B
God is watching over me. God's got this. The Lord will take care of it. These are all expressions of faith in God's overruling care for us. While this kind of faith is something we should all strive for, the question remains as to what makes these statements true. Just because I say God will take care of it, does that mean it's absolutely going to happen? Are there things that I personally need to have in place for God's providence to be a reality? Or does saying this with conviction qualify as having enough faith? Is there a difference between our believing in God's attentive care and his actual giving of attentive care? These are a lot of questions and there's a lot to this subject. And Jonathan and Julie, before we start, I just got to start with a story because getting ready to work on this, on this outline over the last few weeks, I was gathering scriptures and putting things together and then we were on a trip to go down to Orlando for a Bible convention and we were in Atlanta for a layover. We got onto the second plane and we're on the Runway, you know, the like 10th in line to take off and this massive storm comes through and it's a 757. So it's a big plane and the plane is shaking in the wind. And then there's hail. I mean, pounding, pounding hail. And then of course, we sit there for a while and they say, well, all the planes have to go back to the gates to make sure, you know, there's no damage. So you wait and then you find a gate, then you go back to the gate. Then they don't say anything. You're sitting, you're waiting, you're waiting, you're sitting, you're sitting and you're waiting, you're waiting and you're sitting. And then they say, okay, everybody get off the plane. And so you get off the plane and then once you're off the plane, they say, don't go too far. We're going to call you. Well, they don't call, and then they don't call, and then they do call and say, oh, flight's canceled. So we're supposed to arrive on Friday night. The convention is supposed to start Saturday morning. So now there's lines that are 14 miles long to see what's going to happen next. Then you got to figure out the luggage thing because the luggage is not going to be where it's supposed to. As a matter of fact, you can't get your luggage because your luggage is in a different place. So we go through all of this, and what ends up happening is we end up having to stay the night. Okay, we're going to miss the beginning of the convention. Now, Rick is part of the convention, and so Rick, that's me, is not a happy camper.
- [02:58]
C
You were a speaker there.
- [03:00]
B
Yes. And I'm thinking I'm supposed to be there. And I'm getting. During all this waiting, I'm getting more and more agitated. Then the delay, and then the delay. And then, of course, we have to go find a place to stay, and then we come back to the airport, and our next flight is delayed by an hour. So during all of this waiting, yes, I am pulling out my hair. I. Folks, I was not as clearly Christian as I.
- [03:25]
C
It sounds like you lost it a little bit.
- [03:27]
B
I was not a happy camper. So I'm sitting there seething, thinking I'm supposed to be at this convention. So I say, okay, stop. Open up your computer and start to work on something. So I open up computer. Of course, the subject I'm working on is God's providence. And I'm sitting there knowing very well that there's a lesson for me here. And as I start working on God's providence, suddenly as I start to settle down and just prayerfully say, lord, just show me, because I can't find it by myself. These scriptures come into place and they put this outline together, and it's a simple approach and it's a scriptural approach. And I needed the frustration to be able to back away and allow God's providence. That's what put this outline together. Now go.
- [04:15]
C
Okay, well, based on all that you've said, we got to throw a working definition out on what exactly is God's providence? Because it's an interesting expression. So God's providence is his holy and wise supervision of all things, allowing human freedom, overruling events, and guiding history towards his righteous purposes. His providence is never random and. And it will never contradict his own character. God doesn't tempt, manipulate, or plant evil in anyone's heart.
- [04:46]
A
To begin to understand God's providence, let's review the obvious powerful and attentive care God gave to Israel after releasing them from their captivity in Egypt. After 40 years of wandering. Here are his instructions to them. Deuteronomy 8:2. You should remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these 40 years, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. God's providence could not be accomplished without his people doing their part.
- [05:25]
B
So God said, After 40 years, I let this happen. To know what was in your heart, they had to continually be looking to him, continually be focused on him, continually be looking up. And he's saying, I want it to be sure. So there's a kind of a startling statement. It took 40 years for that. And the answer is, yes, it did. Yes, it did. So let's look at what happened during this period of time, because God is going to teach them in hindsight, here's the things that have happened to you, and here's what I have been doing for you, just in case you haven't seen it. First, they were fed physically and spiritually. Let's go further now. Deuteronomy, chapter 8. Let's go to verse 3.
- [06:06]
A
He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. God. Let them go hungry for a higher purpose. That's an important part of how Providence works.
- [06:29]
B
It's really remarkable when you see he said, I let this happen so you would understand that you are to live on every word that proceeds from me, not your physical convenience and comfort. They needed to comprehend, and here's the phrase for this, they needed to comprehend God's sustaining power towards those who follow him. There is this sustaining power, and we're going to find this is one of the key factors in understanding what God's providence is. So they need to understand God's sustaining power. He provided their food where they couldn't. And it was a difficult experience. And every single day they had to wake up and say, will there be manna out there? And of course, on the Sabbath the day before, there was enough for two days. So God provided, and they began to get used to the idea that God will take care of us. There's a tremendous lesson. God sustaining power. Next piece. They were clothed and kept healthy for their journey to completely accomplish this task at hand. Let's look at the next verse, Deuteronomy 8. 4.
- [07:34]
A
Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these 40 years.
- [07:40]
C
Now, this was a quiet miracle. It wasn't dramatic and obvious like the parting of the Red Sea. The people didn't wake up every morning and go, wow, my clothes to look brand new. Look at these shoes. I mean, they were too busy surviving in the wilderness. But looking back, they realized that God was sustaining them in ways that they didn't even think to ask for.
- [08:00]
B
Yeah, for all of that time, they had no way to manufacture anything new. And yet here they are, sustained and clearly in the right place, covered the way they were supposed to be. Their feet could handle all of that walking. It's a really wonderful thing. What did they do? They needed to witness. And again, here's the phrase, God's healing and strengthening power towards those who follow him. So we've got God sustaining power in feeding them his healing and strengthening power and keeping them healthy and stable through that whole time. And now the next piece that God tells them. These were the lessons is they were to know that their only and ultimate loyalty was to their God and nobody or anything else. Go back to Deuteronomy 8:5,6.
- [08:45]
A
Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you. Just as a man disciplines his son, therefore you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in his ways and to fear him. You know, God was telling them, this is how much I care for you like a father cares for his son.
- [09:05]
B
They were cared for because they lived through the experience. So God puts it in order. You shall keep my hands and you will walk in my ways. Now you wandered for 40 years, here, there, everywhere that was walking in his ways. Even though it looked like they were wandering, that's God's providence. They needed to accept that the focus of their very life and being was to be on God and God only. So we have this God sustaining power, God's healing and strengthening power, and the focus that their lives were to be only focused on, on their God. So when we look at these three pieces of their experience, we want to look at it through the eyes of preparing for the prospect and power of God's providence in our lives.
- [09:53]
A
For Israel as a nation to benefit from God's overwhelming providence, they needed to realize that it would come to them in his Time and in his way, they needed to accept that the cost of receiving that care was a focused and vibrant faith and in his promises and his character.
- [10:13]
B
So that's their experience. It's no accident that it's recorded for us as a baseline for understanding how God's providence actually works. Okay, let's take that baseline. Let's move forward. Let's look at Jesus. Let's look at Jesus before his ministry. We all know that Jesus was born under the Jewish law and therefore he. He was in line for God's providence because he was a Jewish boy growing up in a Jewish household. So how would he respond to this? Well, what we know of his childhood is one thing. Even as a child of 12 years old, Jesus had a clear sense of his life's priorities. And this one experience that we know speaks volumes to his looking for God's providing for him. Luke 2:48, 51.
- [11:00]
A
When they saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, son, was why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I have been anxiously looking for you. And he said to them, why is it that you were looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my Father's house? But they did not understand the statement which he had made to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and he continued in subjection to them. And his mother treasured all these things in her heart.
- [11:29]
C
As a child. He knew that his highest obligation was to his heavenly Father. And he was obviously looking for understanding and guidance to be able to, to do what he was supposed to do.
- [11:39]
B
At 12 years old. He's looking, he's searching because he understands that it's the will of his Father in heaven, not what he thinks is the most important thing. And that's such an important principle. Just at 12 years old to be seen. And you can see that there's this desire. What do you mean you were worried about me? Didn't you know where I'd be? Come on. I mean, look, you're only 12. Yeah, but I don't have any other object in life but to be in my Father's house, to be about my Father's business. That's what this 12 year old is teaching us. So again, we look at Jesus's experience and look at it through the eyes of preparing for the prospect and power of God's providence in our lives.
- [12:24]
A
For Jesus as a child of 12, preparation was already beginning for his work that would not begin for another 18 years. He even at such a young Age, his example for us is unmistakable as he sought to understand what he could of God's will whenever he had the opportunity.
- [12:45]
C
So we look at ourselves. Do we have a clear sense of looking for and following our Father's will, even while we are being drawn to do God's will? So Jesus had 18 years of preparation before his ministry began. Considering what God might be preparing in you right now, that won't fully unfold until much later.
- [13:06]
B
And that's a really important point. Jesus was looking. He was putting himself in a position to receive, not to guess, not to suppose, but to receive whatever it was His Father was going to bring him. And that's an important piece for us to understand God's providence in our lives. We've only just begun, and already we can see the depth and breadth required to grasp the power and value of God's providence.
- [13:37]
A
Regarding our comprehending God's providence, we thus far have the example of Israel as a nation and Jesus as a child. How do we build on these to
- [13:47]
B
understand and apply the preparation we each need to make to receive God's clear providence? We'll next look at how Jesus himself was prepared for it. Our next observation will be at the very beginning of his actual ministry. This is 18 years later. We will begin to see that God gave him a time of preparation for the rigors of the sacrificial life that would be required of him. So we looked at Israel in the wilderness in their 40 years of wandering, and the kinds of things that they were prepared for. Now we're going to look at Jesus in the wilderness for 40 days in this period of preparation after his baptism. So when Jesus received God's spirit and was just beginning his ministry, the three testings of Satan not only defined his direction, but they also gave us a clear sense of how we should be finding and following God's will in our daily experiences. So let's look at those three temptations in the light of what we saw with Israel. Matthew 4:1 through 4.
- [14:53]
A
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, he then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, if you are the Son of God, command these stones become bread. But he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
- [15:20]
C
Well, now that's interesting because Jesus makes this deliberate parallel by quoting directly from the scripture you read just a moment ago. Deuteronomy 8:3, man does not live on bread alone. Remember, God let them be hungry. He provided the challenge of hunger in the wilderness. And here Jesus is given the same direct temptation of hunger. So he's facing the same category of testing, but he succeeds where they failed.
- [15:47]
B
So again, in his 40 days, what happened is God's providence allowed hunger. Think about that. God provided the allowance of hunger. Jesus knew what his life was to be focused upon, and he had clearly focused on that objective during that 40 days because it shows us that Satan came at the end of those 40 days. Now, his only answer to Satan telling him, hey, turn those stones into bread. You can do it. You've got God's spirit. You can actually do that. This was something that was possible. His only answer was, no, I don't think it was a good idea. No, no, no, that wasn't the answer. I've got to think about it. That wasn't the answer. His only answer was God's holy word. Jesus accepted and embraced the hunger. It's an important piece because he accepted what God gave him, the physical hunger to give him a spiritual awakening. That's what it was there for. There was something bigger coming out of it, and it was uncomfortable, but it didn't matter. Jesus comprehended and lived in accordance with. Just like Israel, they had to learn in accordance with God's sustaining power in his life. God provided the hunger.
- [17:00]
A
We might normally think that God's providence would provide us with food.
- [17:04]
B
Yeah.
- [17:05]
A
But here it provided hunger. Hunger allowed Jesus to stay the course by focusing on God's word. Here's a question. Do I look for God's sustaining power to take care of me within the context of me working at truly living his will because I'm engaged in His Word?
- [17:25]
C
And when his sustaining power shows up as hunger instead of comfort, am I willing to remain in his will anyway?
- [17:33]
B
Okay, so at the beginning, and then the remaining, those are the important things. You notice in this whole experience, Jesus did nothing to provide himself any food. Throughout the entire experience, there was nothing that he did because he was entirely relying on his Father. And it's just like Israel. So we've got this template of Israel and now we have Jesus in the wilderness. So let's look now further. Let's look at the second temptation. Here's where we are. God can and will protect us when our circumstances may become difficult. We know this. So what are the guidelines? What are the guidelines, though, under these kinds of situations?
- [18:09]
C
Right. Is it getting what I want or getting what I need when I'm in want. And for that, let's look at Matthew 4, 5 and 7.
- [18:18]
A
Then the devil took him into the holy city and had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, he will command his angels concerning you, and on their hands they will bear you up so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Did Satan really just throw Psalm 91:11 and 12 at Jesus? He's making the challenge jump off the temple, force God to rescue you. Well, Jesus said to him, on the other hand, it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test. Jesus immediately quotes Deuteronomy 6:16, right?
- [18:59]
C
He doesn't entertain that for just a second. So Satan quoted this psalm that promises God's protection for those who trust him. Well, that's good. But did you hear what he did? He ripped these verses out of context and quoted them selectively. So they aren't about forcing God's hand or creating danger to prove God's faithfulness. That Psalm 91:11 that he's quoting from actually reads this. For he will give his angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. So he conveniently left out that last part. Your ways doesn't mean any path that you choose. It means, if you look at it in context, this path of obedience, the way God has called you to walk. So Satan twisted the verse by using it to justify reckless behavior. And Jesus corrected him by putting scripture right back in its proper context. He needed to know what the scripture was to fight back.
- [19:56]
B
And not only did he fight back, but he fought back with a text that was very clear. Do not put the Lord your God to the test. Don't even think about such a thing. And it was a clear statement to take what had happened God's. Now see, here's what God's providence allowed in this part of the experience. God's providence allowed misapplied scripture. He allowed it to be put out. He allowed it to be a temptation. He allowed it to be out in front Jesus with that misapplied scripture. You guys have already mentioned this. He did not flinch at what Satan had put before him. Instead. Instead, he put God's sacred word back in order. And he flatly denied the invitation to run ahead of God's timing, God's care, and God's plan. Jesus would rather wait for God's miraculous direction rather than attempt to attract his miraculous direction to intervene. I'm going to wait for it to unfold. I'M not going to try to attract it, so I need intervention. He is waiting on the Lord when it says to wait on the Lord. This is a powerful lesson. That's something we need to really clearly focus on.
- [21:03]
A
Jesus rejected the prideful deception. Let me repeat that. Jesus rejected the prideful deception absolutely unequivocally.
- [21:13]
B
This is how we learn about God's providence. Jesus calmly waited for. And here's the second part from the wandering in the wilderness, he waited for God's healing and strengthening power. Rather than provoking the need for God's healing and strengthening power, he waited. And part of understanding God's providence is sometimes there seems to be an emptiness or a void as we are waiting. But we wait just like Jesus did for us.
- [21:43]
A
When fighting against some of our own weaknesses or circumstances that may deeply challenge us. How ready are we to wait for God's healing and strengthening power to appear and to flourish?
- [21:57]
C
Well, testing God happens when I knowingly step outside his will and then expect him to rescue me from my consequences. And that's the modern version of jumping off the temple. Do I overspend and then pray, oh Lord, get me out of this financial mess. Do I go to places and put myself in situations where I know that I'm vulnerable and then pray, oh Lord, keep me strong and not apologizing, then praying for a relationship to heal. You know, the list goes on and on. God sustains us again as we walk in his way, not as we avoid responsibility and do what is comfortable in our way.
- [22:35]
B
And really what you're saying there is that we can say the words, oh, God will take care of this in a flippant way.
- [22:42]
C
The Lord will provide.
- [22:44]
B
Right? Or we can say those words because we're willing to wait for him to guide us every single step of the way. That's how you find God's true providence. All right, so God's healing, strength and power needs to be waited for so we can see it unfold. Instead of running ahead and say, okay, rescue me. Well, hang on, that's not where you're supposed to be. We're going to get to some that part of it later on in the podcast. Let's go to the third temptation of Jesus and apply it to ourselves. Sometimes we find ourselves at the crossroads of hardship and ease. Hardship goes this way, ease goes that way. I know which way I'd like. Okay, the crossroads of hardship and ease. How well prepared are we to stand for loyalty through hardship over what may appear to be a clearer and easier road? How willing are we and prepared are we to stand for loyalty through hardship over what might appear to be. Oh, a much easier, clear way. Let's look at Jesus and Matthew 4, verses 8 through 10.
- [23:47]
A
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, all these things I will give you if you fall down and worship me.
- [24:00]
C
These temptations are all very legitimate. Satan has real influence. He has real power. He has real control over the systems and governments of this world, even though we know it's all temporary. Scripture calls him the ruler of this world, the God of this age, the prince of the power of the air. So he was offering Jesus a real shortcut. This was a way to gain the kingdoms of the world without having to go through this whole unpleasant crucifixion experience.
- [24:28]
A
Let's continue with verse 10. Then Jesus said to him, go, Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13. In context, it's a passage about exclusive loyalty to God and no divided worship and no compromise. That shortcut would have bypassed God's plan, but it was corrupt. Jesus would not take the easy road. He would take His Father's road, no matter where it led. There are no shortcuts on the narrow way for the Christian.
- [25:03]
B
So God's true providence comes in relation to the exclusivity with which we give our alliance to him, which we give our loyalty. There has to be this exclusiveness. That's what Jesus is teaching us in these three temptations. And here's what happened in this third temptation. God's providence allowed the opportunity to avoid suffering. Just like you said, Julie, it was an opportunity because Satan could give the kingdoms of the world to Jesus. They were his. He could have done it. And here's what Jesus did again. His only answer was with God's sacred word. There was no engagement. There was no back and forth, there was no seeing battle of wits. There was simply God's Word. There was only one way that he would go. Jesus rejected ease and embraced the trials that God had in store for him. So when we look at God's providence, one of the lessons we're seeing here is sometimes God's providence is for difficulty and challenge and in an uphill battle. But it's good because that's where his presence is. And you can't get his providence without his presence. Jesus powerfully and finally claimed the focus of his life. Just like Israel in the wilderness, the focus of his life and being was to be on God and God only. So he had done that. He had put it all in place. And then here's what happens after those temptations and after Jesus commanded, go, just go, go. You don't belong here anymore. Matthew 4:11.
- [26:37]
A
Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and began to minister to him. God's providence had allowed this full test of loyalty, after which ministering help was sent to Jesus. Rick and Julie imagine the immense relief Jesus must have felt afterward.
- [26:56]
B
There was no hint of that relief coming. There was only the experiences. And when he had faithfully gone through all the things that God had allowed him to go through, then God built him up and put things back in place. It was really beautiful experience. So the question we have to ask ourselves is, do I ever proclaim faith in God's providence while I may be also standing on the compromised ground of my own weak decisions? Got to think about that.
- [27:24]
C
Yeah, because maybe I'm asking God properly to guide my future, but I'm still clinging to habits or choices that keep me on shaky ground. So I may be asking God to bless my peace, but I'm still feeding my anxiety with perhaps the same unhealthy patterns that keep me spiritually off balance. You know, Jesus was untemptable. He could not be tempted. Can we say the same to the extent that we possibly can protect our hearts?
- [27:53]
B
Got to be on the alert by being on the alert, by focusing on God's word. That's where God's providence begins to truly appear. So let's look at ourselves preparing for the prospect and the power of God's providence in our lives.
- [28:06]
A
Jesus's ministry began with a period of deep meditation and focus, along with several harsh testings of Satan. His ability to overcome those tests and to stand firmly within God's will was exemplified in his reliance upon God's word. God's will provided the trials and the hardship for Jesus to face alone. It was only afterwards that God provided the ministering angels. This makes me think of a beautiful hymn titled He Knows with the phrase, I'd rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light.
- [28:42]
B
And that can be a poetic phrase for us. Or we can look at how Jesus dealt with things and say, oh, there's a reality to that phrase. And that's where God's providence lives. Sometimes God's providence brings us to trial and hardship so we can learn to fight through them just like Jesus did.
- [29:01]
A
We have seen how Jesus modeled what the guidelines for receiving God's providence are, how do we practically apply them in our lives?
- [29:10]
B
Well, this is the main question, as it always comes down to applying what we've been taught. If we really want to see God's providence unfold in our lives, then we really need to pay attention to the details of not what we want or what's convenient, rather the details of what would our Heavenly Father want us to do and why, and in accordance with His Word.
- [29:38]
C
Okay, so this is important because Christians sometimes use phrases like decree and declare. Speak it into existence. Sow a seed for your miracle. That implies giving money triggers God's intervention or claim your breakthrough. But Scripture never teaches us to command God's providence. It teaches us to submit to it. We don't set God's providence, we receive it.
- [30:02]
B
And of all the things that we've talked about thus far, that really is the core. We don't command God's providence, we receive it. And when we're looking for it, let's not set the table so it can be received on my favorite dish. You know, that's the kind of thing we've got to be careful of. So now we're going to go through this same theme again and ask the simple question, how do we identify God's providence? And we're going to suggest three different ways of beginning to properly identify it. So first, how do we identify God's providence? Identify where we are looking for it. Where are you looking for God's providence? Let's go back to our theme scripture, James 4:15, and read the context. So James 4:13, 17.
- [30:48]
A
Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, if the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that. But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him, it is sin. A good question to ask ourselves is, do I run ahead of the Lord?
- [31:28]
B
At times in these verses, it talks about, hey, you know, let's go here. I got this business idea and I think it'll work. And we'll go there, we'll spend a year, make some money, and then we'll be able to come back and serve the Lord better and all of that. And look, you know, that's a great idea. But is it God's will for me to do that? Or is it my will to do that because I've got this great idea and I'm sure God's going to bless it because it's such a good idea. We need to be careful that we don't take our good ideas and make them the prerequisites for God fulfilling His providence in our lives. We've got to be careful of how we balance these things. We must acknowledge the potential difference between the possible arrogance of our personal plans and dreams and the vital direction that the Lord would have us go for our best eternal welfare. We need to understand the difference, the potential difference. Sometimes those thoughts may be from the Lord and He'll show you. He'll develop the providence to say, yes, that's a path to follow. So now let's go back to Jesus for a moment. Remember Jesus comprehended and lived in accordance with God's sustaining power. Remember Israel in the wilderness with the food and Jesus saying, man shall not live by bread alone. He lived in accordance with that sustaining power in his life. God's Word is the source of Jesus sustaining power. We apply that power by knowing God's Word and being responsible and doing the work that's set before us. And that's harder than it might seem because the work that's set before us may not be our own preference. 2nd Timothy 3, 14, 17, you Timothy,
- [33:08]
A
however, continue in the things you've learned and become convinced of knowing from whom you learned them and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be adequate equipped for every good work.
- [33:37]
C
Well, this teaches us that if we're going to recognize God's providence, we have to anchor ourselves in scripture, not in tradition, not in emotion, not in personal preference. Only Scripture equips us to face whatever God allows, even when his providence looks like hunger or hardship instead of comfort.
- [33:58]
B
All scriptures inspired by God. Okay, so let's understand that inspiration, that's where it comes from. We have to focus in on that and look for humanity, especially for those who may have creative minds and all of that. And we're not discouraging creativity. We're not discouraging thinking ahead and, and thinking outside of the box. We're not discouraging discouraging those things. We're just simply Saying, put those things in the context of God's word. Because this is an entirely different approach than our former lives may have dictated. You know, you get into a situation where people are brainstorming and coming with ideas, and somebody comes up with an idea and then somebody else builds on it. Yeah, let's do that. And that's great. And that can work. We just want to make sure that whatever our ideas are, they're coming from God and through the clarity of His Word. Let's look at Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 8. And then we're going to go to verses 15 to 17.
- [34:52]
A
For you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Therefore be careful how you walk. Not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. We need to look for God's providence through the eyes of His Word and his will.
- [35:15]
B
First and foremost, the scripture says, don't be foolish. Understand what the will of the Lord is. Well, how? Well, I had a great idea. Good. Is it in accordance with God's word, God's will, and God's way? Have you seen the Lord's hand in bringing us to that situation? That's what we want to be looking for. Remember, Jesus's only answer was God's holy word. Remember, Jesus accepted the hunger. He accepted the hunger. We need to accept having to wait and feel like, well, I don't know what. Well, sometimes there just needs to be time and prayer and study of God's Word to be able to move forward. So when we're looking to identify God's providence, we have to identify where we're looking for it. Am I looking into my own heart and mind or to my best friends or to a book I read that says, hey, do this and your life will be great? Or. Or am I looking at those potential things in light of God's word and his will? So you can have those things, but if you don't put them in light of God's word and will, we're losing the ability for his providence. Gotta be careful. Second point. How do we identify God's providence? Identify how we're looking to apply it. So first was, where are we looking for it? Now it's how are we looking to apply it? Whatever approach we may have to life, we need to see it clearly through a lens of God's will for us and not our will for God. Big difference between those two misapplying scriptural principles to promote our will can be disastrous. And we saw that Satan in the wilderness temptations with Jesus. Second Timothy, chapter two, verses two to six.
- [36:56]
A
Paul gives Timothy three metaphors. A soldier, an athlete and a farmer. They collectively teach obedience, discipline and submission to God's will, not our own preferences. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of my many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles themselves in the affairs of everyday life so that he may please the one whom enlisted him as a soldier.
- [37:31]
C
A soldier stays focused on the mission and follows orders. He doesn't make up his own mission. So it's a misapplication to announce I'm a soldier for Christ to justify our own stubbornness or spiritual pride.
- [37:44]
A
Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.
- [37:51]
C
Sure, the athlete has to obey the rules so he's not disqualified or she's not disqualified. Obedience matters. We can't look for shortcuts or spiritual loopholes. Ignoring scripture while trying to claim God's blessing.
- [38:06]
A
The hard working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops.
- [38:11]
C
Faithfulness, patience, steady work. That's what brings spiritual fruit for us. So we can't think. Well, I'm sowing seeds to justify some sort of prosperity gospel thinking, expecting quick results, or assuming God owes me because while I worked hard, a farmer can plant and he can water, but he can't control the harvest. So if I treat this verse like a formula for guaranteed blessing, I'm misusing scripture.
- [38:37]
A
The soldier teaches focus, the athlete teaches obedience, and the farmer teaches endurance. Together they show that God's providence comes through disciplined, faithful living. Misapplying scripture happens when we take biblical principles meant to shape our obedience and twist them to permit ourselves to do whatever we want.
- [39:00]
B
So how am I applying my looking for God's providence? Is it into my context or is it his context? Remember, God's providence allowed misapplied scripture. And Jesus, what did he do? He rejected the prideful deception. Let's not fall into that prideful deception. Jesus instead calmly waited. He waited for God's healing and strengthening power. Rather than provoking the need for God's healing and strengthening power. We need to be careful along these lines.
- [39:36]
C
Okay, so from a practical standpoint, how might we misapply scripture? Well, here's one. We weaponize Bible verses to diagnose someone else's faults instead of our own. I'm guilty of this where I will sit and listen to a sermon and all the while I'm thinking, wow, I sure hope so. And so is listening to this. But what I should be thinking is, well Lord, where do I need this? What are you trying to teach me? So what's really happening is we try to reroute the point of the message to avoid self examination. How about this where we treat Bible verses like slogans instead of commands. I might repeat, I can do all things through Christ, but I avoid the hard work of contentment. And that's what the passage is really about. So we substitute soothing words for actual discipline. One other practical example where we use scripture to avoid responsibility. And we hear this a lot. We say and we think, well, I'm waiting on the Lord. But if we really examined it, we're saying that it's to hide fear or procrastination. So we don't want to hide behind spiritual language instead of obeying clear commands. So that's misapplying Scripture. When we use God's words like you both have said, to reinforce our will, we look and see which parts we want to keep and which parts we don't want to keep instead of submitting to his will.
- [41:00]
A
Well, I love the Apostle Paul. He learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself in. So like Paul, we need to be sensitive to God's providence in both difficult and good times. Let's listen to his conviction. Philippians 4:12. I know how to get along with humble means. I also know how to live in prosperity in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering.
- [41:32]
B
Need.
- [41:32]
A
Now verse 13. I can do all things through him that strengthens me. Now this is not a slogan to the Apostle Paul. It's a lifeline.
- [41:41]
B
And it's just so important that we take that lifeline and we make it our own. And those were things that from the outside in, I know how to have abundance and have want. These are circumstances that he was able to accept because they were God's providence. So we look at that and how we're looking to apply God's providence. And now our third question is how do we identify God's providence? We identify what we are looking to gain from it. What am I looking for from his providence? Talking about the Apostle Paul, he was all about freedom in Christ. He was a champion of freedom in Christ. And yet these next verses show us how he saw himself in the context of that freedom in Christ, listen carefully to what he describes is his mission. 1 Corinthians 9, 19, 23.
- [42:32]
A
For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all so that I may win more. To the Jews, I became as a Jewish so that I might win Jews to those who are under the law. To those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the Gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Paul's example of servitude is exemplary.
- [43:15]
B
And it's interesting because we're saying, okay, how do we identify God's providence? Identify what we're looking to gain from it? What was Paul looking to gain from God's providence in these things? To the Jew, I become as a Jew, he's looking to gain that individual. To those who are Gentiles, I become as a Gentile. What's he looking to gain? Nothing. For himself. He's looking to gain that individual. To the weak, I am going to identify with their weakness. What's he looking to gain them? Not something for himself. I become all things to all men so that I can do the work of fulfilling God's providence. It's not about something coming to me. It's about me doing what he's put before me in a way that will get the job done. That's how we need to look at God's providence. Just like the apostle Paul, remember, God's providence allowed the opportunity to avoid suffering in Jesus. Again. Going back to Jesus, his only answer was, and we all know it, it was God's sacred word. Jesus rejected the ease and embraced the trials that God had in store for him. That's how we view God's Providence. And folks, look, we're talking about God's Providence. You're like, man, you've blown up my picture of God's Providence. Because it was a bed of roses and it was exciting and it was inspiring. It still is. It just requires us to walk in Jesus footsteps and there is blessing and there's calm and there's contentment. In spite of and because of all of these pieces, that's how we learn to interpret God's Providence.
- [44:46]
C
I once had someone who was thankful to God for all the green lights because he was able to go in the traffic. And I thought, huh, we should also be thanking God for the red lights because that is in his providence, what may be metaphorically slowing us down or preventing an accident or whatever. So we thank God for both the green and, and the red, for the abound and the abased, just like Paul said.
- [45:09]
B
And it's critical that we put those on an equal basis. Not a yeah, but. But let's receive however God's providence may unfold. So again, preparing for the prospect and power of God's providence in our lives.
- [45:22]
C
Julie Jesus's own example guides our life choices, but only if we allow it. So his reliance on God's word is his appropriate application of Scripture and His undying loyalty to His Father help us to strive for those same qualities when we seek God's providence. So as Jesus powerfully and finally claimed the focus of his life and being was to be on God and God only. We must also walk in those steps.
- [45:51]
B
That's the job. Where do you find God's providence? It's in walking in Jesus footsteps. That's where you will find it unfolding. Finding and following God's providence in our everyday lives, as you can see, is serious business. We need to look, listen, apply and act.
- [46:09]
A
Now that we have a basic understanding of the process of identifying God's providence, what can we expect?
- [46:16]
B
Well, the simplest way to answer this question is to again look at Jesus and see what he expected and what he received in. If we continually remind ourselves that we are to follow in his footsteps, then we can continually look for God's providence in the same ways he did. You want to figure it out? Just do what he did. Follow the same thought pattern, the same prayer pattern, the same pattern of meditation and observation. When we follow our leader, we can end up with the same blessing and guidance that he had. And it's a simple equation, but it's not a simple thing to put into place. So let's take a quick look at what Jesus expected and what Jesus received. First, let's take a quick look at how he was prophetically described. We're going to go to Psalm 40, verses 7 through 8.
- [47:05]
C
Then I said, behold, I come in the scroll of the book. It is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God. Your law is within my heart.
- [47:15]
A
This describes someone whose life objective is to receive and follow the providential overruling of God.
- [47:22]
B
Very simple, very straightforward. He's there to receive and follow, receive and follow. Not create, receive and follow. Now let's look at Jesus, what he was expecting and receiving in his own words. John 4:31, 34.
- [47:40]
C
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him, saying, rabbi, eat. But he said to them, I have food to eat that you do not know about. So the disciples were saying to one another, no one brought him anything to eat, did he? And Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
- [47:59]
B
He wouldn't turn the stones into bread in the wilderness. And he wouldn't worry about where his food was coming from now, because his mission was higher than all of it, because it was guided by where his father was leading and how his father was nourishing him spiritually. That's the principle of finding God's providence. How is the spiritual growth and development going to come into my life? Not am I going to get what I want, but how is that going to come into my life so I can move forward? So now let's get down to the practicality of all this. Looking at Jesus's last experiences before being taken captive and before his crucifixion. So we looked at Jesus's first experience. Once he was baptized. He went into the wilderness, and we saw those first experiences. Now we're going to fast forward to his last experiences as a free man. And this is when he's praying in the garden of Gethsemane. And yes, we're going to see the exact same lessons come forward in just a slightly different way. Let's go there. Matthew 26:36, 39.
- [49:04]
A
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and distressed. Then he said to them, my soul is deeply grieved to the point of death. Remain here and keep watch with me. And he went a little beyond them and fell on his face and prayed, saying, my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not as I will, but as you will.
- [49:33]
B
So Jesus, this is his last time to be in quiet. Everything else after this is going to be horrific and horrendous and overwhelming and torturous and painful. And he says to his closest friends, my soul is grieved even to the point of death. It was weighing on him in a dramatic way. And he just says, please watch with me. Just, just, just watch with me. And then he goes forward and he goes to be by himself, and he prays and he says, my Father, if possible, let this cup pass from me. And we Believe this cup to be the crucifixion. As a blasphemer of God, we believe that he understood and accepted everything else. But his whole being was about honoring God from times before he was human. And here felt like it was too much. But he said, not as I will, but as you will. And you see him looking for God's providence even in this one very reasonable request. It's a reasonable request. I don't want to be crucified as a blasphemer of you. I can't do that. Or could he? See, that's the thing. God's providence sometimes pushes us beyond what we think we're capable of. Jesus comprehended and lived in accordance with God's sustaining power in his life. And he said, not my will, but your will be done. Let's go further. Matthew 26:40, 41.
- [50:55]
A
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping and said to Peter, so you men could not keep watch with me for one hour. Keep watching and praying so that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. The disciples didn't enter into his trial. Jesus was looking for support and encouragement from them, but he found himself alone.
- [51:19]
B
God's providence allowed him to be alone. God's providence can require us to face some things that will test us to our very core. Why? Because that's what happened to Jesus. Let's look at Hebrews 12, verses 4 through 7.
- [51:34]
C
You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons. And now he quotes from Proverbs 3, 11 and 12. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him. For those whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his Father does not discipline?
- [52:07]
B
So you've got this pressing of our own lives to recognize that God's providence comes through discipline and difficulties and the consequences of our actions that may be off base, that need to be corrected. That's what God's providence is there to do. It's to draw us higher, to make us stronger, to help us grow in maturity.
- [52:29]
C
But, Rick, if this discipline of the Lord is highly sought after because it means we are sons, and it means God cares, and it means God loves us, how do we tell what is a discipline of the Lord and Not just a natural consequence of our action.
- [52:43]
B
Well, a natural consequence can be a discipline from God. He can take the natural consequence of an action, and the way we can understand it as his discipline is to say, what am I supposed to learn from this? You can do something and the natural consequence is you get hurt. Well, I shouldn't have done that. Okay? And you can say, I can just write that off as a natural consequence. Or you can take that exact same experience and say, what's the Lord teaching me in this? And if we can sit down and back up and reframe it, oftentimes, most of the time, all of the time, you will find a way to say, okay, I could see a growth lesson in this. And let me apply it that way. Somebody who's really good at this is my mom. You cannot have any experience at all in life without her saying, well, this is a good kingdom lesson for you, and she will find a spiritual application. That's the point of all of this. God's providence allowed Jesus to be alone in his greatest hour of need. Are we prepared to embrace God's providence in our potentially isolating experiences? Are we prepared to say, yes, Lord, not my will, but your will be done? Let's go back to Jesus in the garden. Matthew 26, 42 and 43.
- [54:00]
A
He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, my Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, your will be done. Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. For the second time, Jesus still did not receive God's answer to his prayer.
- [54:18]
B
That's interesting. He's looking and he's not getting an answer. You'd think that when Jesus asks, he's going to receive. No, because God's providence says, I need you to stretch. I need you to understand. I need you to know more than you know to be able to comprehend in a stronger way than you've been able to comprehend thus far. Jesus waited for God's healing strength and power, just like Israel in the wilderness, just like Jesus in his wilderness experiences with Satan. Rather than provoking its need, he didn't demand. He asked of God in accordance with God's will. Again, let's pause there. He's looking for his healing strength and power, and he had to wait for it. What about us? God's providence can require us to face some things that are repetitive and seemingly destructive. Let's look at 1 Corinthians 10, verses 12 to 14.
- [55:11]
C
Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No Temptation has overtaken you, but such is common to man. And God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. But with the temptation will provide the way of escape also so that you will be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Rick, what does temptation protection have to do with idolatry?
- [55:37]
B
Because when we go down the road of temptation, what did we end up doing is getting into idolatrous situations because we're putting something before God.
- [55:46]
C
Oh, it's all about me.
- [55:47]
B
Yes. And it's not supposed to be follow Jesus. It was never all about Jesus. It was all about his Father. So idolatry is when we put anything before God. That's what we have to be focusing on here. So God's providence allowed Jesus to repetitively pray in great distress and in his greatest hour of need.
- [56:07]
A
Are we prepared to embrace God's providence as we earnestly pray in our deepest distresses?
- [56:14]
B
Am I willing to follow Jesus's footsteps? And we're looking at this experience in the garden. And this was hard. This was difficult. This was taxing. His soul was sorrowful even to death. He said, please watch with me. And he had nobody there, and he just kept going. Here's what happens next. Matthew 26:44, 46.
- [56:36]
A
And he left them again and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand. And the Son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up. Let us be going. Behold, the one who betrays me is at hand.
- [57:00]
B
Jesus got an answer to his prayer. And the prayer was, no, that's not my will. So what's Jesus reaction? He's praying so earnestly over this. With this no answer his prayer, he powerfully and finally claimed, just like Israel had to claim in the wilderness, just like Jesus. And when Satan said, bow down to me and I'll give you the key kingdoms, he had to powerfully and finally claim. The focus of his life and being was to be on God and God only. It's God's will. So he not only said, okay, I'll accept it, he says, get up, let's go. I am going to meet those who are coming to persecute me. I'm going to go out. And when he did, he stepped out in front of everybody else and he met them. He embraced the no answer and fulfilled God's will. And that was God's providence for him. What A powerful, powerful example. Let's look at us. God's providence can require us to face things that demand our unequivocal surrender to his will. Let's look at first Peter 12, 14 and then verse 19.
- [58:04]
C
And these are very comforting scriptures. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that also at the revelation of his glory, you may rejoice with exaltation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will, and we could say providence, the will of God, shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing
- [58:42]
B
what is right, shall entrust their being to a faithful Creator in doing what's right. That's what we want from God's providence. Not a bed of ease, not everything being wonderful. We love that and sometimes it is, and that's God's providence. But sometimes it's hard. That's God's providence as well. God's providence allowed Jesus to face his greatest trial alone. Are we prepared to embrace God's providence if it requires us to walk alone in the dark with no outwardly apparent support?
- [59:17]
C
I think we're better equipped to do that now because we've seen how God's providence permits it, supervises it, overrules on our best spiritual welfare. So, Rick, let's go back to that airplane delay experience that you had. Did God cause the plane delay just for you, Special Rick, disrupting the other 299passengers with no regard for their schedule? No, because he didn't have to cause the delay. To teach you something, the weather delay you experienced was. We could call that an ordinary cause. God didn't engineer the weather that. That hail, that specific hail that day for your inconvenience. But once the delay exists, God can use it for good. So Providence means God doesn't have to create the storm in order to be present in it. He didn't have to engineer the disruption. He just isn't limited by it. So your growth didn't require somebody else to be inconvenienced for your sake. God can care for everyone involved at the same time. So that delay becomes an opportunity. Maybe to practice patience. How did you do on that? Maybe to help somebody to release control or maybe to have that quiet time, Rick, that you didn't expect, but you really needed. So none of that requires God to have caused that delay, just that he's present in it. And I think if we look at it that way, it helps us to understand how Providence works.
- [60:41]
B
It does. And it's really important to see it that way. That his providence will provide. That's what it means, will provide a path for us to grow in Christ. That's all about what His Providence is. So, Jonathan, let's put this all together. Preparing for the prospect and power of God's Providence in our lives, identifying and
- [61:03]
A
following God's Providence in our lives can be a stressful and even trying experience. Having said that, the stress and trial that come from God providing for us always gives way to grace, blessing and strength that extend far beyond our capacity or imagination. God provides trials so we can grow in Christ. You can't get more blessed than that.
- [61:30]
B
You can't. And folks, it's so important for us to realize that these lessons on God's Providence are lessons in being able to see our lives through the eyes of his best interest for us. Whatever it is, whether it's hardship, difficulty, whether it's delay, whether it's exaltation, whether it's blessing and wonderment, whether it's contentment or frustration, His Providence, if we are looking according to His Word, looking through the experience, to say, I've got to apply Scripture in the right way and I've got to put my God first and foremost above everything else. When we see His Providence unfold, the end result of it will inevitably be growing in Christ, growing to be more Christlike so that we in the future can bless others. And what's better than that? Think about it, folks. We love hearing from our listeners. We welcome your feedback and questions on this episode and other episodes@christianquestions.com next week. Was doubting Thomas really a doubter?