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Week 2: The Mystery of Providence, or How All Things Work Together for Good

Week 2: The Mystery of Providence, or How All Things Work Together for Good. Timeless Wisdom For Today’s Christians: An Introduction to the Puritans. John Flavel. Born 1628 to minister who died in prison as nonconformist Lost first wife and child in childbirth Remarried and had children

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Week 2: The Mystery of Providence, or How All Things Work Together for Good

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  1. Week 2: The Mystery of Providence, or How All Things Work Together for Good Timeless Wisdom For Today’s Christians: An Introduction to the Puritans

  2. John Flavel • Born 1628 to minister who died in prison as nonconformist • Lost first wife and child in childbirth • Remarried and had children • 1662 forced to stop preaching in churches (Act of Uniformity) • But found places nonetheless • Later able to preach in churches when winds of politics shifted • Known for meditation and self-examination • http://www.reformedliterature.com/flavel-the-mystery-of-providence.php

  3. The Mystery of Providence • Premise: “It is the duty of all the saints, especially in times of straits, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives” (p. 20) • How are we doing?? • Plan: • Evidence • Meditation • Application • Text: “I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me” Ps. 27:2 • Providence is “the performance of God’s gracious purposes and promises to His people” (p. 18) • “Grace makes the promise, and Providence makes the payment” (p. 18)

  4. Evidence of Providence • Providence seen in the Bible…e.g. Joseph • In our birth and upbringing • Formation and protection in the womb • Blessing of being in Christian family and all the spiritual advantages of our culture • We owe not only temporal life to parents, but eternal as well • In our conversion • Consider the wonderful way God drew you to Himself • And in sanctification also • In our employment • Bringing us to our calling, even if not what we had planned • Cp. Martin Luther • Our work is a blessing • But our particular calling not to usurp our general calling…to glorify God • In our families • How spouses work for each others’ good • Children are blessings • In His provision forus • In preserving from evil • Even death can serve this goal • In our sanctification • God afflicts for our growth

  5. Meditation on Providence • Notice how much of our thought is on our temporal well-being • Providence guides to our eternal well-being • This is for many of us a dramatic change of focus • Meditation can help change our thinking here • To use Puritan language, the move us from earthly mindedness to heavenly mindedness

  6. Meditation on Providence • Observe how often in the Bible there is a review of God’s providence in the lives of His people • E.g. Psalm 105-106 • To overlook these is to slight God • And lose our perspective • Observing God’s providence is key to effective prayer

  7. How to Meditate on Providence • Take time to review your life to see God’s hand at work • “let not your thoughts swim like feathers upon the surface of the waters, but sink like lead to the bottom” (p. 118) • Consider how God’s Word has proven true in your life • Consider how God’s hand was/is in the afflictions of your life • Realizing this, resign yourself to God with regard to your life • Seeing God as Author of ALL circumstances • Consider how they serve eternal glory, not temporal comfort • “Mortify your inordinate affections to earthly things” (p. 134) • For saints, “this world is the worst place that they shall ever be in” (p. 138) • Consider delays in mercy are actually to our advantage

  8. Three Quotes for Meditation • “Why should [Christians] be sad, as long as their God is with them in all their troubles? (p. 133) • Psalm 91:15: “I will be with him in trouble” should be used to bear you up • “Every man loves the mercies of God, but a saint loves the God of his mercies” (p. 146) • “Among the eminent mercies of your life, reader, how many of them have been mere surprises to you! Your own projects have been thrust aside to make way for better things designed by Providence for you.” ( p. 165)

  9. Applications of Providence • “Two things destroy the peace and tranquillity of our lives, our bewailing past disappointments, or fearing future ones” (168) • Providence cures both! • We should look to find God in ALL things that befall us • See it as medicine that may be bad to taste, but cures our ills • Since God does all for us, we should do all for Him • “You never yet sought God in vain, except when you sought Him vainly” (183) • “Fear nothing but sin. Study nothing so much as how to please God” (184)

  10. Thomas Watson • Born 1620 (year the Pilgrims landed) • Married and had 7 children, 4 of whom died as children • Imprisoned at one point over faith • Then also barred from preaching in 1662 (Act of Uniformity) • Preached in barns, etc. thereafter • Died in private prayer • http://www.the-highway.com/Divine_Cordial_Contents.html

  11. A Divine Cordial • Or, All Things for Good (1663) • Text: “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” Ro. 8:28 • Key quote from Augustine: “God would never permit evil, if He could not bring good out of evil” (p. 48)

  12. Plan • To show how the providence of God is worked out in our lives: • The Best Things Work for Good for the Godly • The Worst Things Work for Good for the Godly • Why All Things Work for Good to the Godly • Of Love to God • On Being Called

  13. The Best Things Work for God • “Work together” a medicinal term: even poisonous ingredients can make something good for us • God’s attributes • E.g., 2 Cor. 12:9: His strength made perfect in our weakness • God is like a bee: it naturally gives honey but only stings when provoked • Thus God more willing to pardon than to punish • God’s promises • E.g. Ps 91:15: God with us in trouble • Ps 34:10: “they that seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” • “There is more in the promises to comfort than in the world to perplex” (17) • God’s angels keep guard in life and in death • Christ’s intercessions (John 17:20) • Prayers of the saints

  14. The Worst Things Work for Good • Affliction • God has a hand in all our afflictions (Ruth 1:21) • Even Job: The Lord gives and takes away • Psalm 119:71: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted” • Joseph (Gen 50:20): “Ye thought evil against me, but God meant it for good.” • Sometimes for discipline: “A sick bed often teaches more than a sermon” (p. 27) • God may take away the world to cure a divided heart • “Afflictions are the medicine which God uses to carry off our spiritual diseases” (p. 29) …. Especially pride! • Share in Christ’s sufferings, as a son (Heb. 12:7)

  15. How Affliction Makes Us Happy • Absalom sets Joab’s corn on fire, then he runs to Absalom (2 Sam 14:30) • So God sets fire to our comforts so we run to Him • The prodigal returned home when “pinched with want” (Luke 15:13) • When the dove found no rest, returned to the ark • Waters of affliction cause us to flyto Jesus

  16. Worst Things Work for Good • Temptation • Satan a devious tempter, working our weak spots • And especially if we are unaware! So, be alert! • So consider what YOUR temptations are as we discuss • But temptation sends the soul to prayer • Temptation can strengthen us against sin • Like an inoculation • Temptation slows pride • 2 Cor. 12:7: Paul’s thorn humbled him • Temptation reveals what is in our hearts • Temptation helps us to comfort others who are tempted • And makes us long for heaven

  17. Worst Things Work for Good • The Evil of Sin • Sin produces holy sorrow – even for its effect on others • It is a sign of godliness to grieve for others’ sin (cp. our tendency to anger) • Sins of others prompt us to pray • Sins of others make us more aware of grace • And make us more opposed to sin (vs. desensitization) • Reveal to us our own hearts • Makes us weary of this life (and so more heavenly minded) • Promotes humility

  18. Why All Things Work for Good • All things flow from God’s covenant to be our God • So, again like a Physician, “if God does not give you that which you like, He will give you that which you need” • “He laboursrather to heal us than humour us” (p. 52) • God chasten to reform, not to destroy • Blessedness for believers: • “When he dies he goes to God; and while he lives, everything shall do him good” (p. 56) • Yet, “to them that are evil, good things work for hurt” (p. 58) • Think about THAT! • So, are we complaining, or thankful??

  19. For Whom Does This Hold True? Lovers of God Those Called by God • We must love God more than • Things (Ps. 75: 25: “There is nothing on earth that I desire beside thee.”) • Even family (Abraham and Isaac; Jesus’ call) • We must love what God loves • And long for His appearing • 2 Peter 1:10 • “Give diligence to make your calling sure” • Do we see God as helping us to OUR goals • Or see our lives as committed do the calling God has given us? • To be separate from the world • To further His kingdom

  20. Thinking It Through • Do we really believe in God’s Providence? • If so, how would we changed if we reacted to life based on this wonderful truth? • Do things seem NOT to work for good because our goals in life are not God’s goals? • Are we more earthly minded than we like to think? • Think on adversities you face • How might God be working in these? • What if we wanted to grow from them rather than just escape them? • How is God dishonored by our complaining? • What should we change? • Consider the ideas on meditation on providence mentioned • NEXT WEEK: Quietness and Meekness

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