Life in Christ: God's Providence

God's Creation

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. And God said, 'Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water.' And God said, 'Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.' Then God said, 'Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.' And God said, 'Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.'"

"And God said, 'Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly across the expanse of the sky.' And God said, 'Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds.' And God saw that it was good.

John 1:1-5 — "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."

God made the heavens and the earth for mankind to have a beautiful place to live.

Genesis 1:26 — "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" God made man in the image of the triune God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Job 38:4-7 — "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone, while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?" During creation the angels sang and shouted for joy.

Psalm 100 — "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Let's join with the angels praising God!

God's Preparation

Ephesians 1:4 — "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world."

Romans 8:28-29 — "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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

For He chose me in Him (spiritually) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight, to be conformed to Christ's likeness.

Psalm 139:13-16 — "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:1-6 — "O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. You hem me in, behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." God knows everything about me: when I stand, when I sit, and He knows my every thought.

Hebrews 4:13 — "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Hebrews 1:14 — "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" God sent forth angels to minister to me before I believed in Him.

God's Promise

John 3:16 — "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." God fulfilled His promise to redeem man.

1 Peter 1:10-12 — "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the suffering of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things." All of history was pointing the way to Jesus. The prophets and angels were looking for the promise to be fulfilled.

John 16:7-11 — "But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment." God prepared me for salvation through the work of the Holy Spirit who convicted me of sin and wooed me to Christ.

Next week: We will look at some of what happened to us at the moment of our salvation, what we received, and our responsibilities in Christ.