Nov. 03, 2024

Series: ATTRIBUTES OF GOD   11-3-24

LETTING GOD BE GOD!

(1 Chronicles 29:11-12)

1 Chronicles 29:11–12 11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all (“as being in control over everything” LB). 12 Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. 

God's "Sovereignty":

        * Over _____________ (Ps. 148:8, Isa. 45:12)

        * Over _____________ (Isa. 14:26-27, Isa. 46:10-11)

        * Over _____________:  

            - When you were _______ & where (Acts 17:26)

            - How ________ you will live (Job 14:5)

            - What natural _________ you have (Ex. 31:1-6)

Exodus 31:1–7 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 “See, I have chosen Bezalel… 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts… 6 Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you…

    *Do I have any free choice? (Yes, but it’s ____________)

BECAUSE GOD’S IN CONTROL:

I.  MY ______________ HAVE A LIMIT.

Proverbs 19:21 21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.  

James 4:13-15 13 Now listen, you who say “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money.”  14 Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow!  15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 

Proverbs 16:9 (ESV) 9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.  

Wrong Attitude: Presumption, when I say, “I don't need _________”

“I can figure it out myself”

Ø    Planning without Praying is _____________________.  

Right Attitude:  Cooperation, I include ________ in my goal setting. 

How?  You pray.

1 Corinthians 4:19 19 I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing…

Pray about your Plans. 

     “God, what do You want me to do?” 

               Ask Him for ________________.

    II.  MY _______________ HAVE A PURPOSE.

I Peter 1:6-7 (PH) At present, you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials. This is no accident It happens to prove your faith which is infinitely more valuable than gold.

God Allows -- He Permits -- Problems… 

And then He Uses them for a ________________ Purpose.

God could have kept PAUL out of prison at Philippi…

But as a result, ___________________________________.

God could have had PHARAOH say, “Yes”…

But instead, He ___________________________________.

God could have kept JESUS from the cross…

But instead, He ___________________________________.

How should I Respond to my Problems?

JOB’S PROBLEMS: 

Job 2:9–10 9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. 

JOB’S RESPONSE: 

Job 1:21 21 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.

JOSEPH’S PROBLEMS: 

Genesis 37:28 28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

JOSEPH’S RESPONSE: 

Genesis 50:20 20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

MY RESPONSE: 

ª    Look past the pain and try to find God's __________________ behind the problem. 

2 Cor. 4:16-18 (PH) 16 This is the reason we never lose heart... 17 These troubles (which are temporary) are winning for us a permanent, glorious, and solid reward out of proportion to our pain. 18 We don't look at the temporary problems we're going through. We keep our eyes on the eternal things. The things that really count. The things that matter.  

    III.  MY ________________ HAVE AN IMPACT

Ephesians 3:20 (LB) God is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes. 

-  Over 20x in the New Testament the Bible says, "_________"  

Jeremiah 33:3 (NLT) 3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets (great and mighty things - NKJ) you do not know about things to come.