Do you know ?

This message was preached at Word of Grace church  by Ranjit Roderigues on the 15th of April 2012. You can listen or download  to the Audio recording ( in mp3 format ) of the message by clicking here

Text :Romans 2:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

As followers of Jesus these three words are very important: “and we know”. The Christian life is largely  is a matter of responding to something that Jesus has first done for you. eg) “you did not choose me but I choose you...”. Jesus has justified us by faith , so we respond by leading holy lives for Him.

So we respond by living a holy life. You can spend a life time reading the Bible and yet never fully understand all that Jesus had done for you. How do Christians fall into temptation, why are they weak? This is because we do not know who we are in Christ and all that God has done for us.

Train yourself to feed yourself on all the things the Bible has told you, you are. There are riches and treasures untold there. Those who feed on the promises of God never become obese.

There are 5 things in this passage that we will look at.

1. And we know – what do we know? We know that God is at work in our lives He is shaping you to become more like His son Jesus. WE need to feed on this truth. We live in a day when God has become small and man has become BIG. Our lives are in God’s hands no matter where you are, who your boss is etc. This should make us feel very safe. Today computers say “Intel inside”. Do you know that you have “Jesus Inside”? This should give us confidence.

Not only is he at work in our lives but he is at work for our good.

2. For our GOOD - This is a truth we need to saver. There will be times we will see He is working when when we don’t feel like it. He is constantly energetically at work in our lives.

3.  In ALL things – there are times when we feel overwhelmed with life. If you belong to Jesus, he says, in all that you are involved, I am involved too. You may run out of personal resources but God never does. Whatever life may throw at you God can turn it around for your success eg) Joseph’s life, Esther’s life.

4. Who LOVE HIM - Everything is narrowed done to this point. Is point 1 to 3 true for every person on this planet? No. It’s for those who love Him. Often we have an image of a Santa Claus God who will not send anyone to hell. We think everybody will go to heaven. That’s not what the Bible says. It’s those who have put their trust in Jesus who are assured of Eternal Life. God works for the good only of those who love Him.

Q) So how can we be sure that every area God is going to work for your good?

There is only one way – give your life to Jesus. WE don’t become children of God by reading the Bible, by going to church but by putting our faith in Jesus forsaking all other Gods. If you have not done that you will   look t the stars for your future and you will be afraid of every black cat and ladder etc.

5) Called according to His purpose- God has a worldwide purpose and God has plans for you in that purpose.

Hab2:14  “The earth shall be filled with the knowledge and the glory of the Lord even as the waters cover the sea”

So

Q1 Will you be a person of hope? If Rom 8:28 is true for you, God is at work in your life.

Q2 Will you see the events of your life under the sovereignty of God, not by chance or evil design?

Q3 Have you found your purpose in His Eternal plan? Have you asked the Lord what you should do to play your part in assuring that the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the a result of what I am doing .

How sad it is when Christians think like everyone else.  It is tragic when our thinking is like everyone else. WE are a people of hope. 

Ranjit Roderigues

April 2012