Transcript Document

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PLANS
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PLANS
 New Year’s resolutions
 What do you plan to be
when you grow up?
 There is nothing wrong with “making a
plan.” Planning and preparing for the
future are bible principles.
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Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely
as haste leads to poverty.
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PLANS
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We should all be making eternal
plans! Spiritual plans will affect
our earthly plans.
OBEY
WHAT CAREER?
WHO MARRY?
WHERE LIVE?
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PLANS
 God’s Word can guide us in all our
thoughts and plans.
Proverbs 16:1 The preparations of the heart belong to man,
But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. 2 All the ways
of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the
spirits. 3 Commit your works to the Lord, And your
thoughts will be established.
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PLANS
 However, sometimes people don’t base
their plans on what God wants or says…
Proverbs 19:21 There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.
 But, we need to understand that
everything won't always go AS WE PLAN!
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OBSTACLES
A path with no obstacles
probably doesn't lead anywhere.
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OBSTACLES
 When obstacles arise, many ask, “Where is
God?” or “why do bad things happen?”
 Whatever your problem, You’re not alone.
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Matthew 5:45 for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the
good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Acts 14:21-22 And when they had preached the gospel to that
city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra,
Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples,
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, “We must
through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.”
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OBSTACLES
 Understand that everyone is dealing with
some obstacle, problem, or difficulty.
Our problems may not
be as bad as we think.
If we all tossed our problems
in a pile, when we looked at
everyone else's, we'd grab
ours back.
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
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 Our world is governed by natural law.
 Colossians 1:16,17; Hebrews 1:1-3
Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in
heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things
were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is
before all things, and in Him all things consist.
 Cause – Effect (gravity, inertia, chemical
reactions)
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 Man’s choices. Man is unique among God’s
creation in that he is the only one who can
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deliberately place himself in or out of
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harmony with nature. 1 Corinthians 10:13
 Ex. – a person abuses drugs and then suffers
mental or physical effects as a result.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except
what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not
let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when
you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you
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can endure it.
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 We may suffer because of another’s actions,
either sinful or not sinful.
 Ex. – Stephen did not die accidentally or from
old age; he was murdered! Acts 7:57
Acts 7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their
ears, and ran at him (Stephen) with one accord; 58 and they
cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses
laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 We may suffer for doing right. I Pet. 4:12-16.
1 Peter 4:12 If you are reproached for the name of Christ,
blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon
you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is
glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief,
an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. 16 Yet
if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed,
but let him glorify God in this matter.
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OBSTACLES
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 Why do bad things happen?
 By God’s appointment, we live in a decaying
& dying world. Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:27
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered
the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all
men, because all sinned—
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but
after this the judgment,
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 All will eventually die because of Sin, not
necessarily our own, though that can occur.
Gen. 3:17 – 19
Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till
you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For
dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 Is God responsible? NO!
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James 1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is
no variation or shadow of turning.
 James warns that we can be deceived into
thinking that God is responsible for problems in
life. Rather, we should always be confident that
God is the source of all GOOD & PERFECT GIFTS.
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OBSTACLES
 Why do bad things happen?
 Who puts obstacles in our way?
 Remember Mary Decker?
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Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on
you to keep you from obeying the truth?
1 Thess. 2:18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I,
Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
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OBSTACLES
 It is Satan that “blocks our way!”
 He uses difficulties, false teaching and sin to
discourage us.
2 Cor. 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the
abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given
to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted
above measure. (buffet – to hit with great force many times)
1 Peter 5:8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil
prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour.
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OBSTACLES
 Why does God allow bad to happen?
 Job asked the same question.
Job 3:23-26 (NLT) Why is life given to those with no future,
those God has surrounded with difficulties? I cannot eat for
sighing; my groans pour out like water. What I always feared
has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have
no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes.
 Like Job, we may feel we
are waiting for..
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ANSWERED
PRAYERS
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever
you ask for in prayer, believe that you have
received it, and it will be yours.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
 I'm sure that Joseph would have questioned the
difficulties he underwent in Egypt. He probably
wondered if his prayers would ever be
answered. Eventually, he understood.
Genesis 45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve a
posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great
deliverance. 8 So now it was not you who sent me here, but
God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all
his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
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Joseph’s obstacles were preparation for God's plan!
Learn to run a man's house – Gen. 39:1–6
Learn to run the King’s prison – Gen. 39:20–23
Prepared to run an entire nation – Gen. 41:39–40
 We have limited perspective concerning our
surroundings, what the future may bring for us
personally and specifically, and for the cause
generally. GOD'S PERSPECTIVE IS UNLIMITED.
He knows what is in our best interest, even
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though it may not make sense now.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
 The Lord never lets us down. He provides what
is in our best interest now and eternally. He
promises that even trials strengthen our faith.
(James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-4)
James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know
that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let
perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature
and complete, not lacking anything.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
 We remember that Christ also suffered.
1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called, because Christ also
suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should
follow His steps: 22 “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit
found in His mouth”; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not
revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but
committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
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 Finding the good among the bad.
 No normal person wants to suffer. But since
Christ suffered, we are willing to suffer that we
may be like him. (1 Peter 4:1,2; Phil. 3:10-12)
1 Peter 4:1-2 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the
flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who
has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no
longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts
of men, but for the will of God.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
 And if I die? Death is not the end, but in reality a
passageway from one existence to another.
 Death is a reminder of our own temporary, short
– lived existence on earth, and should turn our
hearts toward heaven (Eccl. 3:11 – 14; 7:2).
Ecclesiastes 7:2 Better to go to the house of mourning Than to
go to the house of feasting, For that (death) is the end of all
men; And the living will take it to heart.
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ANSWERED PRAYERS
 Finding the good among the bad.
 Finally, we begin to understand God’s View:
Suffering & Death are not the worse things that
can happen...
 They are unimportant compared to eternity.
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but
cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell.
Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us.
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CONCLUSION
 God’s understanding is infinite.
Puzzle
Answer
Psalm 147:5 Great is our Lord, and mighty
in power; His understanding is infinite.
 God is never wasting our lives! Joseph was not
able to see the end result when he was thrown
into the pit or carried to Egypt by traders. It will
be the same with many events in our lives. Only
in heaven will it make sense.
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CONCLUSION
1 Samuel 3:18 So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing
from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is
good in his eyes.”
 May we all look to the Lord in 2015 for guidance
from His Word, trust Him and His providence
that all will eventually work out well for the
faithful, and pray that He will bless our efforts
that are right wherever we may labor for Him.
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CONCLUSION
1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at
the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be
the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
 God allows obstacles that we may be
strengthened and draw closer to Him.
 Satan uses obstacles to overthrow our
faith and cause us to fail.
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