THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

1. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD

2. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD "The foresight and forethought of the infinite God who planned the creation of man and a world in which to place him—

3. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD "a world in which He could control the destiny of the inanimate creation and direct man to the consummation of His purpose." (Homer Hailey, Prayer and Providence, p. 123)

4. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD "General providence" concerns God’s support, care and supervision of His material creation from beginning to end.

5. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD "Special providence" concerns God’s support, care and supervision of His spiritual creation.

6. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD God is able to provide for both His material and spiritual creations, without violating either "the laws of nature" or the free will of man.

8. Providence and Nature Nature exists by the will of God. Nature was organized by God. Nature is balanced by God. Nature is regulated by God.

9. Providence and Free Will As the crown of creation, man exists on two planes - physical and spiritual. As a result, man is subject to both physical laws and spiritual laws. God uses man to achieve His purposes.

10. Providence and Governments God ordained civil government. God influences civil government. God uses civil government. God rules in the kingdom of men.

11. Providence and Prayer These are so interrelated that each can be viewed as a response to the other.

12. Providence and Prayer Prayer is a response to providence when we praise God and give Him thanks for what He has already done on our behalf.

13. Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

14. Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

15. Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

16. Providence and Prayer Providence is a response to prayer when God provides us with those things for which we petition Him.

17. Matthew 6:9-11 "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread."

18. Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

19. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people.

20. Matthew 7:7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you."

21. 1 Peter 3:12 "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

22. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. The degree to which we believe in divine providence will be reflected in our prayers. If not for providence, our supplications and intercessions would fall upon deaf ears.

23. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. When we make our requests known to God, we are inviting Him to act in our lives and in the lives of others. And He has promised to so act, as we have already seen.

24. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. God does not have to work a miracle in order to answer prayer.

25. James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

26. James 5:17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

27. James 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

28. 1 Kings 18:41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain."

29. 1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,

30. 1 Kings 18:43 and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

31. 1 Kings 18:44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.'"

32. 1 Kings 18:45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

33. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. The consistency and persistency with which we pray will be reflected in the degree to which the providence of God can be seen in our lives.

34. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. Is it the case that we do not have, simply because we do not ask?

35. James 4:1 Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?

36. James 4:2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.

37. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. Is it the case that we do not have, simply because we do not ask? Is it the case that we ask but do not have, simply because we ask amiss?

38. James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

39. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. Are we afraid to make "specific" requests, fearing that our lack of faith will be evident when those requests are not granted?

40. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. God delivers His people when they pray. God has always cared for His people.

41. Providence and Prayer God answers the prayers of His people. God delivers His people when they pray. Throughout their history God delivered the Israelites from the hands of opposing armies and from the rule of wicked kings.

42. 2 Kings 19:6 And Isaiah said to them, "Thus you shall say to your master, 'Thus says the Lord: "Do not be afraid of the words which you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me.

43. 2 Kings 19:7 "'"Surely I will send a spirit upon him, and he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land."'"

44. 2 Kings 19:8 Then the Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria warring against Libnah, for he heard that he had departed from Lachish.

45. 2 Kings 19:9 And the king heard concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, "Look, he has come out to make war with you." So he again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying,

46. 2 Kings 19:10 "Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, "Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria."

47. 2 Kings 19:11 "'Look! You have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands by utterly destroying them; and shall you be delivered?

48. 2 Kings 19:12 "'Have the gods of the nations delivered those whom my fathers have destroyed, Gozan and Haran and Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?

49. 2 Kings 19:13 "'Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivah?'"

50. 2 Kings 19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord.