JULY 2011 Newsletter

FROM THE PASTOR:  

Independence is great!  We all want independence.  We want to see our children grow to become independent of us.  We celebrate our nation’s independence on July 4^th. 

Yet there is another side we must learn if we are to be truly free.  The signers of the Declaration of Independence discovered their strength by depending on one another.  We gain freedom when we learn to depend on others for the help we need.

We discover true freedom when we learn to be interdependent.  The words “one another” are found in over a hundred verses in the New Testament.  Every Sunday in church in Interdependence Day!

A group of pastors were discussing on the Christian Broadcasting Network how wonderful it is to have freedom of religion in America.  Evangelist Jerry Falwell said that freedom of religion meant tha tin America the Pentecostals, if they wanted to, could jump over the pews, and tha the Baptists, if they wanted to, could sleep in the pews. 

  

FELLOWSHIP DINNER

The fellowship dinner for June will be held Wednesday July 6^th at 6:30 pm in the fellowship hall.  Everyone is welcome, even if you don’t have time to make something to bring.

FELLOWSHIP BIBLE STUDY GATHERING

Those interested in a time of sharing, praying, and fellowshipping together are welcome to gather at the home of Henry Procopio on Wednesday July 20^th at 6:30 pm.  This is a monthly gathering but anyone is welcome to come whenever they can come. The group is studying the Gospel of Mark.  You can start at any time.  Desserts are provided.

UPCOMING DATES

July 4^th              Independence Day

July 27-31         Aldersgate 2011 at

Dayton, Ohio

CHURCH CLEANING SCHEDULE

For July 3^rd                    Martha Neeley

For  July 10^th                 Open

For July 17^th                  Brenda & Tony 

For July 24^th                  Tim & Bev Garrett

For July 31^st                  Martha & Henry

COMMUNION

We will celebrate Communion on Sunday, July 3^rd.

MEMBER ADDRESSES NEEDED

The church is responsible for keeping up with its members’ addresses even if they move.  We are missing addresses for the following members:  Charlie Brown, Johnetta Brown, Mitch and Vickie Skelton.  If you can get an address and phone number for any of these people please write it down and give it to the pastor. 

 WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY

A gift to your church in your will is a testimony to your faith and the confidence you have in the ministry of your church. 

ARE YOU HAVING DIFFICULTY HEARING DURING WORSHIP?

Our damaged hearing assistance system has been replaced.  This system allows you to sit anywhere you want to in the sanctuary and hear anything that is being broadcast over the microphones through the use of special receivers and earphones.  If you would like to try one, ask the pastor. 

WHO SHOULD YOU TALK TO?

 There are times when you might have an idea for improving the ministry of our church, you might see something that needs to be fixed, or you might have an idea for a new program for our church or a new outreach project idea.  Who should you talk to?

If it has to do with the physical property of the church—the building, the contents, the grounds around the church, or the cemetery across the street, you should talk to a Trustee.  The Trustees are:  Doug Baxter, Steve Lain, Henry Procopio, Tim Garrett, Sandra Robinson, Patsy Clark, Martha Neeley, Charles Powell, and Grady Garton. 

If you have an idea for a program for our children, youth or adults you want to get your idea to the Nurture Committee.  Brenda Alcorn is the head of that committee.

If you have an idea for reaching our community in a new way, a way to reach more people for Christ, an new outreach or mission project, you want to get your idea to the Outreach Committee.  Martha Neeley is the head of that committee.  

If you have an idea to support and encourage our pastor, or an idea for the general ministry of all of our members you want to get your idea to the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee.  Henry Procopio is the head of that Committee. 

If you have an idea to raise more funds for the church you want to get your idea to the Finance Committee.  Teresa Shepherd is head of the that committee. 

 JOELTON HOPE CENTER –Neighbors Helping Neighbors

The Hope Center is located 212 Gifford Place, between Curves and the Laundromat.  There are now over 115 client families being helped by our center.  In January 36 families [138 individuals] received food boxes. 

A barrel is in the entryway of the church to receive donations for the Joelton Hope Center.  [You can also take them directly to the Hope Center.]  There is always a need for cooking oil, sugar, corn meal and flour.  These are items that the center has to buy most often.  There is also a need for diapers size 4 and 5. 

The Hope Center is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10-4 and 10-2 Saturday.  The Hope Center Board set a goal of being open 6 days a week in 2011 so additional volunteers are needed any day Monday-Saturday.   Call the Hope Center at 876-1778 if you can help.

The Joelton Hope Center was highlighted at the Tennessee Annual Conference session last month as a good example of risk taking mission and it was granted Advance Special Status. 

CHURCH BLOG SITE

 If you haven’t visited the church blog site, go to www.forestgroveumctn.blogspot.com. Each sermon is posted there as they are delivered and most times there will be a link to an audio of that sermon. You can post comments, questions and even things you have for sale.

If you want to post something other than a comment on that particular sermon, just email Peg and she’ll post it for you (pegbillman@yahoo.com). If you want to be notified when something new is posted, become a follower of the blog. Soon I hope to have a Facebook page for Forest Grove, too so keep checking for that on the blog or in this newsletter.

 SHORES OF GRACE

 On July 16^th the Shores of Grace worship team (Nic and Rachael Billman along with 4 or 5 others) will lead a night of worship at the Gateway Christian Center (120 East Avenue, Goodlettsillve) at 7 PM.

Shores of Grace is a worship and missionary ministry headquartered in Curitiba Brazil, led by Nic and Rachael Billman. They will be on a summer tour raising awareness of their ministry there. The focus of their ministry is setting prostitutes free and walking them through restoration; taking the love of the Father into the favela's and helping them see their true value, and equipping and serving the church in Brazil.

“The goal of our staff is to reveal Father God in all that we do. Whether we're leading worship in a church, walking the streets of Brazil or shopping at the local grocery store, we want to reveal the Father. This is the calling that God has placed on our lives and we believe it's a calling for the whole church, for all of the sons and daughters of the living God. To live a life of compassion and power where miracles and healing follow us everywhere we go, just as they did with Jesus”. For more info go to www.shoresofgrace.com.

DEVOTIONAL CORNER

"Who has brought this disaster on Tyre,
     that great creator of kingdoms?
Her traders were all princes,
     her merchants were nobles.
The LORD of Heaven's Armies has done it
     to destroy your pride
     and bring low all earth's nobility."

What God hates is human pride—the kind of pride that says, "I don't need God." The kind of pride that seeks to be great apart from God. Again and again in Scripture, God says he opposes the proud. He wants us to be like trusting children, looking to him for every need, every breath we take. That kind of attitude goes against the world … but reaches God's heart every time.

—Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

Prayer: Father, show me where I have a prideful heart. Convict me when I think I don’t need You or can do it all myself. Show me your heart of compassion and replace my pride with that! Help me see others more than myself and to reach out to them with the Love you’ve so lavishly poured into my life.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

June 26th Sermon - Can God Be Trusted?

Today's sermon was not recorded. I apologize for any inconvenience but here is the transcript.

CAN GOD BE TRUSTED?

Getting to Know God—Part 7 of 8 06-26-11 Sermon Psalm 33:4

Maybe someone prayed for something and they didn’t get what they asked for – maybe they prayed to win the lottery and they didn’t win it and they felt disappointed. Maybe they had an experience of a tragedy and they didn’t understand – “Why God, why did You allow that?” Or maybe they were disappointed by someone who claimed to be a Christian or a pastor or represent God to them – so they were disappointed.

How much can you trust a person? How much trust in his Father do you think it took for Jesus to enter Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday knowing that the cries of Hosanna, Hosanna, would turn to cries of Crucify him, Crucify him, knowing that he was entering that city to be beaten and whipped and to die there on a cross?

You can trust a person only to the degree that you know that person. That’s why we’ve spent seven weeks talking about “Knowing God”. The more you know God the easier it is for you to trust Him. In order for you to trust somebody you must have three things in that relationship:

1.    That person you’re going to trust must tell you the truth.

2.    That person must be fair, they must do what’s right and just.

3.    The person must be reliable and dependable if you’re going to develop a relationship of trust with them.

Pslam 33:4 says that those three characteristics are actually attributes of God. “For the word of the Lord is right and true. He is faithful in all He does.” Circle those three characteristics: “right. . .true. . .faithful”. Last week we looked at the sovereignty of God. God can do anything. This morning the question is: Is there anything God can’t do? Yes, there are three things God cannot do:

1.    God cannot do wrong. The Bible says He is just. He always does what is right. He always does what is fair.

2.    God cannot lie. He always tells the truth. The Bible says He is holy.

3.    God cannot break a promise. What He says He’ll do, He does. The Bible calls that His faithfulness

If you’ll learn to grasp these three characteristics of God – God is holy, just, and faithful – you’ll have no problem trusting God even when you don’t understand, even when things seem difficult.

The greatest example of God’s faithfulness is, without a doubt, with the nation of Israel. God continually made promises to Israel and He fulfilled them. Joshua 21:45 “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” To Israel, faithfulness was one of God’s most important qualities. It’s talked about almost more than any other quality in the Old Testament. God is a faithful God. What He says, He does. He made all kinds of promises to the nation of Israel. He promised Abraham a son. He promised the Israelites a land of their own. He promised to send the Messiah. He promised harvest, blessing, protection, deliverance from Egypt, restoration after captivity. All through the Old Testament God made promises over and over. Notice what it says about God’s track record. Not one of those promises failed. He had 100% accuracy. God proved Himself reliable time after time. He was consistent.

Deut. 7:9 “He is the faithful God, keeping his covenant to a thousand generations.”He has been faithful to Israel over and over. He keeps His word. He doesn’t play games with His promises.

What about today. Psalm 145:13 “The Lord is faithful to all his promises.” There are over 7000 promises in the Bible. They are like blank checks waiting to be called on, waiting. God wants to fulfill His promises. But you’ve got to claim them! God has made some incredible guarantees to you. He has put them in writing. So, looking at God’s faithfulness, I want to look at five wonderful guarantees that God has promised you can count on. You can count on these five things.

1.    I CAN DEPEND ON GOD TO FORGIVE MY SINS

I John 1:9 “If we freely admit that we have sinned, we find him reliable and just. He forgives us and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil.”Circle “reliable” and “just” – the two characteristics of God that guarantee your forgiveness. God says, My forgiveness is based on who I am not on who you are.

In many promises there’s a premise, there’s a condition. God says if you do this, I will do this. In this verse it is admit. Admit your sin, confess it to God. The promise is God will forgive. I admit it and God forgives.

2.    I CAN DEPEND ON GOD TO GIVE ME GUIDANCE

When I don’t know what to do, He’ll give me guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and He will show you the right way.” Circle “he will show” There’s the promise. The premise: “trust in the Lord”.

Many times in life you’ll be facing the question, What am I going to do? It may be a big crisis or a minor decision, but you’ll ask yourself, What am I going to do? When you have a question like that and you’re facing a need or need some guidance who do you look to? It’s comical some of the things people look to for guidance: fortune cookies, reading tea leaves, horoscopes, astrology, calling up some psychic hotline. There is only one completely reliable source for guidance. That’s God. He’s the only one who can really see into the future. He has perspective. He can help you out.

How do you get guidance from God? How does God give guidance? Three ways:

1.    Through the Bible.  As you read the Bible and study principles you become more and more acquainted with the ways of God. God’s will is found in God’s word. If you’re not reading the Bible don’t expect to get much guidance. That’s His guidebook.

2.    Through godly counsel. Christians who know the Bible, who know those principles, where those verses are that you don’t know where they are, they can say, “The Bible says. . .” and bring light to your life.

3.    God can speak to you directly.  Jesus said, My sheep hear my voice. You can expect to hear from God. Why would Jesus say Ask, seek and knock, if we couldn’t expect an answer to our asking?

God says “you can count on Me to forgive your sins and to give you guidance.”

3.    I CAN DEPEND ON GOD TO SETTLE THE SCORE.

When you read the newspaper do you ever feel like, “It’s just not fair!” You read about a criminal who’s done all sorts of things and he gets off scott-free on some technicality. Or you read about a scandal where somebody has been dishonest and yet he’s prospering and he skips the country with millions of dollars. And you’re working hard and barely making it. It’s just not fair!

My response to that is, You are exactly right. Life is not fair. God never said life here on earth would be fair. Because we live in an imperfect world, because there is sin in this world, people do wrong things and innocent people get hurt and life is not fair.

That’s why one day God is going to settle the score. There is a heaven and there is a hell. One day there is going to be a judgment time when God is going to clear the slates, settle the score. There are going to be rewards and punishments.

When you face a hurt do you ever find yourself wanting to get even with that person? Get even. Revenge. That’s a lousy way to live. That’s a lousy philosophy of life.

Romans 12:19 (Living Bible) “Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, for he has said he will repay those who deserve it.” Don’t try to get revenge yourself, to get even yourself, let God do it and He will repay those who deserve it. The premise to this promise is to leave it in the Lord’s hands.

Notice that one day God is going to settle the score. That means that God is very much aware of what people do to you. When you’re put down, hurt, stabbed in the back, maligned, people spread rumors about you that just aren’t true - - how do you respond to that? You let God settle the score. God is very much aware of what everybody does to you. If you’ve been hurt in the past, God understands, He knows.

The Bible says let God handle it. He gives you two options when you’re hurt. You can defend yourself or you can let God defend you. Who do you think could do a better job at that? Who has better resources to get even? Who has more things at His disposal? God says if you want to get even on your own, if you want to defend yourself, go ahead. He steps back and watches you. He will not lift a finger against your enemy. But if you say, “I’m going to let God defend me,” that person better watch out! The Bible says we reap what we sow.  If people hurt you or malign you, they will reap what they sow.  It’s inevitable. But you’ve got to trust God and His faithfulness and let Him settle the score.

The greatest example of this is Jesus. I Peter 2:23 (Living Bible) “Jesus never answered back when insulted; when he suffered he did not threaten to get even; he left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.” That’s God’s justice. He judges fairly. Jesus says, I’m not going to defend myself. I’m going to leave that in the hands of the Father. Because God is faithful to settle the score.

4.     I CAN DEPEND ON GOD TO REWARD MY GENEROSITY

Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given to you. For with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  That is not positive thinking, prosperity doctrine, or some fund raising technique. Jesus said this, not some TV evangelist. Jesus said, Give and it will be given to you. Jesus does not lie. The premise is I have to give.  I have to give in order to receive.

I can be confident that when I’m generous, God will reward my generosity. There are more promises in the Bible related to giving than any other topic. If you are not tithing ten percent of your income to God you are only hurting yourself. You’re not hurting God. God doesn’t need your money. You are only hurting yourself. The Bible says in Proverbs 3:5-6, honor the Lord with the first part of your income. Right off the top I give some back to Him, in gratitude for what He’s done, in faithfulness, in thanksgiving, in faith to the future. It says, He will bless your life.

You cannot out give God. There are only two kinds of people in the world: givers and takers. Misers are miserable people. The generous giving person is the happiest person in the world. When you give your life away, your time away, your energy away, your money away, when you’re generous and giving to others you are blessed. The Bible says in Proverbs that “He who gives to the poor is like lending to the Lord” and He repays. Proverbs 22 says, “The generous man will himself be blessed.” I can be faithful, counting on God to reward my generosity. As we are faithful to God He is faithful to us and blesses us abundantly.

God is faithful. He keeps his promise. When he says “Give and it will be given unto you” it’s not a fund raising technique. That is a promise of God just like every other promise in the Bible. Count on it! If you haven’t learned to be a generous person you are just cheating yourself.

5.     I CAN DEPEND ON GOD TO REMEMBER MY SERVICE.

Whenever you’re doing something that you know is right and you know it’s a good thing to do but you don’t feel like anybody is noticing, do you ever feel like saying, “What is the use? Why even try? I know the right thing to do in my family/at work but I don’t see any different. Nobody notices. People don’t care if I do the right thing or not so why even bother.” Some of you women might say, “My husband and kids don’t even notice the work that I do. I’m taken for granted at home and they don’t even notice.” Some of you say, “When I go to work, I’m a conscientious worker. I’m productive. I have integrity. I don’t steal. I’m honest. I work hard. I don’t abuse my relationships. But my boss couldn’t care less. He/She never gives me strokes. I’m not appreciated. I don’t even think they notice the things I do. Why bother?”

Because God notices. The Bible says He takes notice and He remembers every good thing you do. He’s faithful to do that. Heb. 6:10 (Phillips translation) “God is not unfair; He will not forget all that you have done, nor the loving labor which you have shown for his sake in looking after fellow Christians.” Circle “not forget”. The premise of this promise is that I have to serve.

I think of some of you who minister here at this church. You are not just spectators, you are participators. You work in many different areas. You volunteer. Sometimes you may think you don’t have the time to do this, that your schedule is so busy that you don’t have time to give an hour a week to your church. You’re just too busy. But you do it anyway. I want you to know that God takes notice. And God is remembering, and He is going to reward you generously because He is a faithful God. He rewards our good when we serve Him.

So the natural question becomes: How are you using your talent for God? He didn’t give you your talent just to make money. He gave you your talent to minister, to serve others. How much time are you giving to the Lord or is it all time spent on yourself? Do you do anything of community service, service to your church, or some other way? If you’re not serving in any capacity what kind of reward do you think you’re going to get? The Bible says He rewards us for our service. 

There are hundreds and hundreds of promises in the Bible. They are there for claiming. I’ve picked five of them today. There are hundreds of promises you can claim. But they are not for everyone. They are only for those who have a relationship to Jesus Christ.

2 Cor. 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” Christ is the key to the promises of God. It’s our relationship to Him that unlocks all of these promises. If you do not have a relationship with Christ you cannot claim all of these promises for forgiveness, for blessing, etc. They are “Yes” in Christ. That’s the starting point.

I ask the question we started with: Can God be trusted? Can I trust God with my life? Definitely yes, you can. It’s the smartest, wisest decision you’ll ever make to give your life to God. Because God is holy, He will never lie to me. Because God is just, He always does what is right and fair. Because He is faithful, He never breaks a promise.

One more promise: Romans 10:11 & 13 (Living Bible) “For the Scripture tells us that no one who believes in Christ will be disappointed. Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Have you done that? Why don’t you do it today? Call on the name of the Lord. He has promised you will be saved. He says, Whoever does this will not be disappointed. I’m living proof of that, other people here are living proof of that. You will not be disappointed. It’s the greatest decision you can ever make. If you haven’t done it do it today.

Those of you who have already made that decision to become Christians, one of the greatest lessons you will need to learn in life is to understand and put your trust completely in the faithfulness of God. God is faithful! You say, “I’ve been claiming a promise. I’ve not seen the result yet.” Hang on. Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light. Hang on. Just like Joshua could say, “not one of His promises have failed.” One of the marks of a mature Christian is to trust the faithfulness of God.

The next step is He wants you to become a faithful person. We’re to be like God, to be Christ-like, like Father like son. He wants folks to see the family resemblance in us. God is faithful, He wants you to be faithful. He wants you to be faithful in your family. He wants you to be a faithful worker. He wants you to be faithful to your church. He wants you to be faithful in your giving, in disciplining your children. The commitments you make, He wants you to keep them because it pleases Him when you are like Him.

Prayer:

I invite you to follow me in a prayer of commitment right now. Would you pray, “God, I know I could never earn Your forgiveness. Because You are reliable and just, because You have promised it, I ask You to forgive the things that I have done wrong.” If He brings something specific to mind, just mention it. He can read your mind. “It was wrong. I’m sorry. I want to turn away from it.” I can depend on God to forgive my sins. There is no need for anybody to walk out of here under a load of guilt. It is unnecessary. Some of your area facing major decisions. I can depend on God to give me guidance. “I’m going to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I’m not going to rely on what I think I know. I’m going to remember You in everything I do and I’m going to trust You to show me the way.” As you read God’s word and as you get godly counsel it will become clearer to you.

Some of your have been hurt in the past and you need to say to God, “I depend on You to settle the score. I’ve been trying to get even, maybe just by being resentful.” Resentment never hurts them it only hurts you. Let it go and let God settle the score. Don’t take matters into your own hands. Jesus never answered back when He was insulted. He left His case in the hands of God. The Bible says you can depend on God to reward your generosity.

Some of you need to say, “I’ve been unfaithful in m giving and I want to be faithful.” For your own sake, commit yourself to tithing, giving back to God 10% of your income as the Bible teaches. “Help me to become, not a taker in this world, but a giver of my time, my life, myself, my money and be a generous, giving person.” The Bible says, “Give and it will be given to you.” If you have financial needs right now the first thing you need to do is to start giving. How can you expect God to help you with a financial need if you’re not obeying what He’s already promised is the key?

You can depend on God to remember your service. Would you offer yourself? “Lord, I’m available. I want to give myself to You and I want to serve You because I know You’re not going to forget the things I’m doing. You see the things I’m doing. Help me to remember that if no one else notices, You do.”

All of these promises are “Yes” in Jesus Christ. If you’ve never opened your life to Him do it right now. Say, “You’ve promised to come in so I invite You into my life. You’ve promised that if I call on your name You’ll save me, so I do that right now.”

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are a faithful God, that the story of  Forest Grove United Methodist Church is a testimony to Your faithfulness and how You have guided us along, step by step, all the way. We trust You implicitly and completely to guide us in the future. Guide each of us personally this week. In Jesus’ name. Amen

June 19th Sermon - Letting God be God

Click here to listen to this Sunday's sermon. See below to read the manuscript

LETTING GOD BE GOD

Getting to Know God - Part 6 of 8 06-19-11 Sermon

I Chronicles 29:11

Well, happy Father’s Day! 

A first grader asked his mother why Dad brought home a briefcase full of material from work each night.  She explained that he had so much work to do that he couldn’t get it all done at the office. The youngster pondered this for a while and then asked, Then why don’t they put him in a slower group?

A father stopped in the grocery store to pick up a couple things for his wife.  He wandered around aimlessly for a while searching for the needed items.  As is often the case, he kept passing a particular shopper in almost every aisle.  It was another father trying to shop with a totally uncooperative 3 year old boy in the cart. 

The first time they passed, the 3 year old was asking over and over for a candy bar.  The observer did not hear the entire conversation, he just heard Dad say, now, Billy, this won’t take long.  As they passed in the next aisle, the 3 year old’s pleas had increased several octaves.  Now Dad was quietly saying, Billy, just calm down.  We will be done in a minute.

When they passed near the dairy case, the kid was screaming uncontrollably.  Dad was still keeping his cool.  In a low voice he was saying, Billy, settle down,  We are almost out of here.  The Dad and his son reached the check-out counter just ahead of the observer.  The Dad still gave no evidence of losing control.  The boy was screaming and kicking.  Dad was very calmly saying over and over, Billy, we will be in the car in just a minute and then everything will be OK. 

The bystander was impressed beyond words.  After paying for his groceries, he hurried to catch up with this amazing example of patience and self-control just in time to hear him say again, Billy, we’re done.  It’s going to be OK.  He tapped the patient father on the shoulder and said, Sir, I couldn’t help but watch how you handled little Billy.  You were amazing!”

The Dad replied, His name is Wesley.  I’m Billy!

Today I want us to look at God's Sovereignty.  In  I Chronicles 29:11 David prays:  "Everything in the heavens and earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom.  We adore you as being in control of everything."  Sovereignty simply means that God is in control. He's in control of everything because He created everything. He's in control.  He created nature.  He sustains nature.  When He wants to overrule it and do a miracle, He overrules it.  It's His prerogative.  God is in control of history.  The Bible says everything is moving toward a focus, that there is a plan, a purpose, a climax that history is moving toward. 

God is in control of our lives.  Scripture says that God's sovereignty decided when you were going to be born.  And God decided already how long you are going to live.  The Bible says God has decided already which natural abilities and gifts you were going to have.  You didn't deserve or earn them.  You were not just born with certain talents.  God gave them to you in His sovereignty.

If God is in control of everything, do I even have a choice?  Is there really any freedom?  Yes, there is freedom.  But it is limited.  There are boundaries, parameters which you cannot go beyond.  You do not have total freedom.  Because you're a human being you have freedom of choice, but it's not totally free. It's like you were to play a chess game with God.  You would have the freedom to make many, many different moves in that game.  But since you are playing God there would never be any doubt as to who would be the winner -- because He knows the game a little bit better than you do.  Or you were to get on an ocean liner and you were to go to China.  While you're on the trip you could get on the first deck, the second deck, or the third deck.  You could watch movies, sleep, eat food, play shuffleboard, swim.  You could do many different things -- lots of freedom on the boat but there is nothing you could do that would alter the ultimate destination of that ocean liner. 

The Bible says God gives you freedom to choose the way you want to live, the way you want to act, but once you make those choices you are no longer free.  You are not free to choose the consequences.  God says if you do certain things then certain things are going to be the result.  You reap what you sow.  If you do A then B is going to result in your life.  Because God is in control. 

I want us to take this idea -- that God is in control -- and talk about three practical ways this applies to your life.  How does it make an impact on my life that He is in control?  Let's look at your plans, your problems, and your prayers.

I.  MY PLANS

The Bible says that since God is in control, my plans have a limit.  There is a limitation.  They are tentative.  You've heard the phrase, "The sky's the limit" but the fact is the sky isn't the limit.  God is.  He decides what are the limitations in your life. 

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  Proverbs 16:1 (Good News) "We may make our plans, but God has the last word."  Circle "God has the last word".  Have you discovered that things do not always go the way you planned them?  At best your plans are tentative because you can't see ahead.  You make plans but they really are changeable.  Many times God has a better idea.  How many of you did not marry the first person you intended to marry?  How many of you didn’t go into the first career you intended to go into?  God changed your plans. 

There was a time in my life that my first plan was to be a computer scientist.  I never wanted to be a pastor.  But God changed my plans. Then I wasn’t going to be a solo pastor I was going to be an associate pastor on a large church staff.  But God changed my plans.  Then I wasn’t ever going to be a pastor in Philadelphia.  But God changed my plans, and I can testify that God’s plans were better than my plans.  We need to be tentative in our plans.  We need to be flexible in our plans.  Now I’ve been telling God that I never want to go to Hawaii!

There’s a wrong attitude we can have:  Presumption.  When I say, “I don't need God and I can figure it all out.  I know exactly what I'm going to do.  I'm not going to pray about anything."  I just assume that everything is going to go the way it's intended to go, that's presumption. The Bible says that since life is uncertain we should not presume on it.  James 4:13-15 "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.  Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow!  Instead, you ought to say, `If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.'"  It's OK to make plans as long as you understand that they are tentative.  A mature person makes his plans flexible.  Some people make plans and if anything varies in the plan they get an ulcer.  Mature faith is changeable.  I make plans but I realize ultimately God calls the shots in my life. 

The Right Attitude:  Cooperation.  I include God in my goal setting. How?  You pray.  Anything without prayer is presumption.  Instead of saying, "God, I want You to bless what I'm doing" we should say, "God, help me to do what You're blessing."  People used to write at the end of letters "DV" which stands for Deo Vilente -- "God Willing."  "I'm going to come see you, Lord willing.  I realize that ultimately my plans may be changed."  That's the right attitude.  Proverbs 16:9 (Living Bible) "We should make plans counting on God to direct us."  That's cooperation.  Make plans but realize they are tentative.  God, what do You want me to do?  Pray about your plans.  Ask Him for wisdom. 

Since God is in control my plans have a limit.  What about my problems?

II.  MY PROBLEMS HAVE A PURPOSE

I Peter 1:6-7 (Phillips) "At present, you may be temporarily harassed by all kinds of trials.  This is no accident [circle this -- It is not an accident, the problems that you're facing.] It happens to prove your faith which is infinitely more valuable than gold."  He's saying that life is not a series of random events that have no meaning.  If you are a child of God, nothing can come into your life without the heavenly father's permission. Nothing.  Because God is in control.  Everything that happens to you is Father-filtered.  It's not an accident these problems that you've had. 

I am not saying that everything that happens is God's will.  It isn't.  There are many things that happen in life that are not God's will.  Sin is not God's will.  Someone get's cancer -- "Must be God's will".  Who said?  Someone's in an accident and dies -- "Must be God's will".  Who said?  We are to pray "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" because God's will is not always done.  I'm not saying that everything is God's will or that He causes everything.  He doesn't.  He doesn't cause sin. He doesn't even cause all your problems.  He doesn't have to. You bring enough problems on yourself.  And other people bring enough problems on to you.  He doesn't have to cause problems in your life. 

What I am saying is this:  God allows problems; He permits problems. And then He uses them for a greater purpose.  God is a pro at turning bad things into good things.  He's the expert at taking problems and bringing the greater purpose out of them.  God could have kept Paul out of prison at Philippi, but He let him go to prison.  He allowed it.  As a result the jailer became a Christian.  God could have had Pharaoh say Yes when Moses said, "Let my people go" but instead He let him say No so He could do all of His miracles and the ten plagues to show that he was more powerful than the gods of Egypt.  God could have kept Jesus from going to the cross, and not have the crucifixion. But He allowed the crucifixion so He could do a resurrection. God allows problems in your life.  He doesn't have to cause them. We cause them.  We bring them on ourselves and other people cause them.  Don't blame God for all the evil in the world.  He allows it and then He brings it into focus to help us. 

A young boy watched as his father walked into the living room.  The boy noticed that his younger brother, John, began to cower slightly as his father entered. The older boy sensed that John had done something wrong. Then he saw from a distance what his brother had done.  The younger boy had opened his father’s brand new hymnal and scribbled all over the first page with a pen.

Staring at their father fearfully, both boys waited for John’s punishment.  The father picked up his prized hymnal, looked at it carefully and then sat down, without saying a word.  Books were precious to him; he was a minister with several academic degrees.  For him, books were knowledge. 

What the father did next was remarkable.  Instead of punishing his brother, instead of scolding or yelling, his father took the pen from the little boy’s hand, and then wrote in the book himself, alongside the scribbles that John had made.  Here is what the father wrote:  John’s work, 1959, age 2.  How many times have I looked into your beautiful face and into your warm, alert eyes looking up at me and thanked God for the one who has now scribbled in my new hymnal.  You have made the book sacred, as have your brother and sister for so much of my life. 

Even when we do bad things and bring problems on ourselves, God loves us and turns a negative into a positive. 

Because God is in control my plans have a limit and my problems have a purpose.  If that is true, and it is, then how should I respond to my problems knowing that every problem has a purpose behind it and that God hasn't caused it but has permitted it for a reason?

Examples:

         Job.  Job was the wealthiest man in the world and he lost it all overnight.  He went bankrupt and all of his family was killed except his nagging wife.  Then he got a dreaded disease and he's miserable.  Even Satan couldn't get at Job without God's permission.  Satan had to come to God and say, "Can I do this to Job?" and God said, "You can do this and no further."  Satan can’t get at your life without God's permission.  There are not two god's of equal authority.  Satan is a created being like anything else.  There is only one God and even Satan has to do what God says.  He only allows him here for a short period of time to produce a race of tested individuals and then he will be destroyed.  If you lost everything the way Job did, how would you respond? 

We read Job’s response in Job 1:21 "The Lord gave me everything I had, and they were His to take away [circle "they were His to take away"].  Blessed be the name of the Lord."  Job says, Everything I have comes from God anyway.  He gave it to me, He can take it all away.  It is His right.  The end of the story is that God later restored everything the devil had taken away, twice as much.  Job was twice as wealthy, twice as many kids.  [But he still had one nagging wife!] God is in control.  If He wants to turn off a faucet He can turn it on elsewhere.  You lose a job.  Big deal!  God can give you another one.  Bankrupt?  Big deal!  God can turn it around.  Because God is in control.  He says "Blessed be the name of the Lord.  He is in control."  He is a good God and knows what He's doing.

         Joseph is an example of how you handle it when people hurt you intentionally.  Joseph was his father's favorite son.  All of his brothers got very jealous.  They decided to sell their brother into slavery.  They told their father he had been killed by a beast.  They sell him into slavery and he's taken to Egypt.  He's sold as a slave in a man's house.  The man's wife tries to seduce him.  He won't give in so he's accused of rape.  He's put in prison and he spends years in prison, dwindling away.  I'm sure he was saying, "Where is God in all of this?  What did I do to deserve this?"  If I were Joseph I'd be saying, "Why me, God?" But he was exactly where God wanted him to be.  God was in control and God was working through circumstances and situations. He didn't cause it but he allowed the brothers to sell him in to slavery.  Later on, Joseph rose to a position of prominence in Egypt and there was a great famine.  Because of his wisdom both Egypt and Israel were saved.  Later he came face to face with the very brothers that tried to hurt him.  Genesis 50:20, is one of the greatest verses in the Bible.  Joseph says to his brothers, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good [circle that] to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Some of you may be hurt right now by bosses, brothers, sisters, employees, by other people, even people in the church.  They may mean it for bad but God means it for good.  There may be people who are out to destroy you or maybe they don't like you and are trying to get your job.  They mean it for bad but God is in control and He means it for good and He's got a purpose behind every problem. 

What is the key to my response then?  Look past the pain and try to find God's purpose behind the pain.  Some things in life we're never going to know.  Why do people die at a certain time?  I don't know!  We all die eventually.  Why now?  I don't know!  But God has a plan and God is a good God.  He's in control.  Look past the pain.  2 Cor. 4:16-17 (Phillips) "This is the reason we never lose heart.  These troubles (which are temporary) are winning for us a permanent, glorious, and solid reward out of proportion to our pain."  God says the temporary problems you are going through right now are minor compared to the reward you're going to be given on the other side for how you handled them.  In the very next verse Paul says, "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." Look past the pain. 

Your problems have a purpose.  And your plans have a limit.  What about your prayers?

III.  BECAUSE GOD IS IN CONTROL MY PRAYERS HAVE AN IMPACT

They make a difference.  They're worthwhile.  It's not a waste of time to pray.  Have you ever prayed and felt you were just blowing off steam.  Is anybody really hearing this?  Is this a waste of time?  Are these words just bouncing off the ceiling?  If God hears me will He ever answer?  The devil whispers in your ear, "What a waste.  Who do you think you're kidding?  Prayer is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.  Futile!  Worthless!  Unproductive!  Unprofitable! In vain!  Irrelevant!  What are you doing wasting your time praying?" 

The Bible says because God is in control my prayers have an impact.  Prayer works.  Because God controls everything He has the ability to answer your prayers.  If God were not sovereign then prayer would be a waste of time.  Who wants to pray to a wimp?  Who wants to pray to somebody who can't answer?  Can you imagine coming in prayer to God, "I really need this change" and God answers, "I'd like to help you but I can't.  I don't have the power to do it.  It's not in My job description.  I'm sorry!  It frustrates Me as much as it does you, but I just can't do anything about it!"  God never says, "That's too hard!" 

Because He is sovereign then we can pray and it does make an impact.  That's the basis of every miracle.  God is in charge of everything so He can change things.  He can overrule nature and He can heal somebody.  He can make time last longer or make it rain or not make it rain, split the Red Sea, turn water into wine, raise people from the dead.  He can do anything He wants to do that’s not contrary to his nature. 

Ephesians 3:20 (Living Bible) "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."  You can pray the greatest prayer request you can ever imagine and God says, "I can top that!"  Nothing is too hard, too big, because He is sovereign.  He's in control.  God says, "Think of the greatest prayer request, the wildest dream you can think of.  That's nothing!  I can go beyond that!"  His resources are available.

The point is, prayer can do whatever God can do.  Why don't we then take more advantage of it?  It is not just mumbo-jumbo.  It is tapping in to the resources of the entire universe.  God's power.  Over twenty times in the New Testament, the Bible says, "Ask."  Ask, Seek, Knock.  God says "I want you to ask.  I'm in charge.  I'm in control.  Ask and I'll show you great and mighty things that you don't know.  Let me blow your mind!"  Prayer does have an impact. 

It's encouraging to me that the things that are beyond my control are not beyond God's control.  Isn't that good news?  Some of you say, "My kids are out of my control!"  They're not out of God's control.  "My health is out of control!  I can't do anything about it."  It's not out of God's control.  "My finances are falling apart.  It's hopeless!"  They're not out of God's control.  “My marriage is out of control!”  It’s not out of God’s control.

There is nothing beyond God's control.  That means that in my present situation that I don't have any control over -- the job that I can't control, the decisions that are handed down from the hierarchy--I feel like a pawn in the middle of my job. Whatever you feel helpless in, Pray about it.  God can control it. That is the power of prayer. 

Let's apply this to your life in a practical way.

First, your plans.  Do you include God in your plans?  Which of these words best describe your attitude:  presumption or cooperation.  Do you make your plans about what you're going to do without even consulting God?  Or do you get up in the morning and think, this is what I'll do today.  Many Christians are practical atheists.  They live as if God were not in control. That's why there is so much frustration in your life.  When you check in with God and ask, "What is Your will for my life?" you understand and you ask God for wisdom, then life is so much smoother and satisfying and fulfilling instead of frustrating. Do you pray about your problems and plans or are you presumptuous?

2.  Problems.  Do you look for God's purpose in your problems or do you throw a pity party?  Instead of asking "Why me?" ask "What do you want me to learn from this?" and maybe you won't actually see the purpose at this point.  That might come later on.  Maybe God just wants you to trust Him.  He wants you to trust Him without question, to trust His goodness and graciousness and His control.  If you lost everything, like Job, how would you respond?  Would you have the maturity of faith to say, "The Lord gave.  The Lord took away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.  If He wants to restore it He can do it."      

3.  Prayers.  Do you take advantage of the privilege of prayer? It's there and we don't even use it.  Instead of complaining about that boss or that job, why don't you try praying about the job?  Instead of worrying about your finances, why don't you try praying about your finances?  You'll have a lot less to worry about.  Instead of giving up on your marriage, why don't you pray about your marriage?  The things that are beyond your control are not beyond God's control. 

There is no attribute that is more comforting to the Christian than the attribute of God called His sovereignty.  He is in control.  Some of you are thinking your situation is a mess, totally falling apart and hopeless.  How big do you think God is? He's big enough to handle your mess!  You can't unscramble an egg but you can make an omelet.  God knows how to turn bad into good, how to bring a purpose out of the problem.  Don't waste your problems, give them to God. 

When you're worried sick, you say "God is in control".  When you're defeated, discouraged, fallen flat on your face and feel like a total failure, say, "God is in control!"  When you're sick and flat on your back, you say, "God is in control!"  When you're standing by the casket and wondering, "Why at this time?" you say "God is in control!"  He's a good God and a great God.  When you read the headlines about international chaos you say, "But God is in control!"  When you face a problem that you cannot handle on your own and it's out of your control, God is in control. 

The most intelligent, rational decision you will ever make is to say, "God, You are sovereign.  I want to cooperate with that.  I recognize that You have a right to call the shots in my life and I want to cooperate with that."  You will find so much fulfillment, meaning, purpose, satisfaction. You'll find your niche and all of a sudden find "This is why I was created.  This is why I'm here on earth."  You're cooperating with the plan of God instead of fighting it.  I invite you to do that today.

Prayer:

      God is in control, whether you want to admit it or not, whether you think that is fair or not, whether you like it or not, He made you.  He decided where you were born.  He decided when you were born.  He knows how long you're going to live.  You can do nothing about that.  He loves you and He's a good God.  He doesn't take sovereignty and beat you over the head with it.  He says this is the way to success, fulfillment, joy, purpose and meaning in life -- cooperate with My plan. 

Would you pray these statements in your heart.  "God, I admit I made a lot of plans and never consulted You.  I know that's probably why I've had a lot of problems in my life.  I was presuming rather than cooperating.  I want to start planning my life, counting on You to direct me.  I realize the problems in my life have a purpose."  It doesn't matter whether you cause the problem yourself or the devil caused the problem or whether someone else caused the problem and you're a victim, God will use them all in your life.  There's nothing you cannot learn from if you will respond in the right way. 

Say, "God, help me to look past the pain and see Your purpose and what You want to teach me.  Maybe You just want me to trust You more. Maybe You were just trying to get my attention."  Some of you need to say, "Lord, I want to become a praying person. You've given us this resource of prayer and I hardly even use it.  I want to commit myself to becoming a person of prayer daily and regularly. The things that are out of my control I want to turn them over to You because they're not beyond Your control and I'm grateful for that.  I want to relax in that.  When my plans change I want to be flexible because I know that You're in charge."

If you've never opened your life to Christ, do so today.  Say, "Jesus Christ, come into my life and be the manager.  Help me to see why I'm here on this earth.  I want You to call the shots and direct me.  Help me to find the purpose for which You've made me.  I ask You to save my life.  I admit I've done wrong and I ask You to forgive me. Today, I commit myself to You." 

      Father, thank You that You are in charge.  What a comfort that is.  We look at the world and it's troubling to see chaos and yet we are glad that there is a grand design above it all.  Even the problems that come into our lives are there by Your permission.  Help us to learn that our plans have a limit, our problems have a purpose and our prayers have an impact because of You.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.