We've Got it Made

to-do list

make sure recorder is turned on

Acknowledgments

any visitors - happy you decided to fellowship with us, praise God with us, and now hear the word of God together

people watching online - thanks for watching, and thank you to those who comment and share, for it is encouraging to see that the word is reaching others outside of these 4 walls

Attention Grabber

it’s very irritating when someone who “has it made” complains

or when they don’t take advantage of the fact that they “have it made”

in 2004, an NBA Basketball player turned down a three year, $21 million dollar contract. And while it was fair for him to believe that he should get more money based on the NBA marketplace, public opinion turned against him when he stated that he must refused the offer because he said, “I have a family to feed”

every non-rich person thought, “I could feed my family on $21 mil” . . . so the public dismissed and ridiculed him, no one felt sorry for him because most were thinking, “$21 million, he’s got it made!”

No one feels sorry for the child of a billionaire cause he’s got it made

the single lady will dismiss the worries of a married woman, “what is she worried about, she has a whole husband to look after her . . she’s got it made”

The older person will tell the younger person, “you have so many advantages that I did not have when I grew up! . . . you’ve got it made . . . take advantage of it!

Truth is only one group has it made . . . not rich people, not married people, not young people, not people from a particular race . . . there is just one group that truly has it made

Romans 8:31 KJV 1900

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

let me deal with the “if” first. This is a statement to Christians. (explain “accepted Jesus as both Savior and Lord”)

what shall we then say to these things?

What things? It’s talking about the preceding verses, and they speak about how . . .

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we pray, groans for us, pleading with the Father

God causes all things to work together for our good

God has called us (approached us/sought us out)

God justified us (made us righteous through Jesus Christ)

and God glorifies us (empower us to do do great things)

Since we Christians have all of THESE THINGS working in our favor . . . what shall we then say?

we should ask a rhetorical question . . .

if God be for us, who can be against us?

in other words, Christians are the people who have it made!

we are that one group that has it made

We are that child of the billionaire, in fact our father owns the earth and those who dwell in it

We are the one in a whole relationship with someone, who will never leave us nor forsake us

We are the ones with advantages that the people in the old testament never had

we’ve got it made

Then in the next few verses, Paul goes on to remind us of how we’ve got it made

God gave his own son for us, so there is nothing he won’t give us if we need it . . . we’ve got it made

and that Christ sits at the right and of the Father and intercedes for US . . . we’ve got it made

and then he list all of the things that CAN’T stop us . . . tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, destitution, danger, death, life, angels, evil spirits, things happening right now, thing that will happen in the future, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, or any creature . . . nothing can separate us form God’s love, which takes us back to the original question, “if God be for us, who can be against us?”

if something bad happens . . . God will find a way to make something good come out of it

if something sad happens . . . God will comfort us

if we face a mountain. . . God will move it or give us the strength to climb

if we must suffer for a time . . . . the Bible teaches us that when compared to eternity, suffering on this earth is “just for a little while”

and when Christians die, we are assured of heaven, a place that Jesus called, paradise.

We’ve got it made!

we win, we overcome, we survive, we come out on top, we have the victory, we triumph, we prevail, we succeed, the same chapter says that we are more than conquerors

let me put it this way . . . heaven is the floor, if every Christian was ranked on their fruitfulness or usefulness, and you were ranked dead last . . . you still get heaven, paradise

you’ll miss out on some blessings

you will miss out on some personal fulfillment/achievements

you will miss out on some eternal rewards

but you still GET heaven, and then resurrection,

it’s like saying, I missed out on being a billionaire, and so I am only a millionaire . . .still got it made!

And when you know you’ve got it made, you don’t have to fear what others fear

you don’t have to worry about what others worry about

your can put your focus on bigger and better things

It’s like receiving a football scholarship to one of these big colleges. You don’t have to worry about what the regular students worries about

tuition

books (get them all, not just bare bones)

get the full meal plan and all the extras

don’t have to fight for a spot in a class during registration

tutors already in place

special guidance counselors who will seek you out.

free gear and clothes and shoes

free travel, fancy hotels, gift bags

at the very least, the guy on football scholarship will gain a once in a lifetime experience . . . he has it made

Now he will have to work harder than the average student, he will have a stricter schedule than the average student (meetings, training, practice) . . . but he has it made during his 4/5 years (give you extra time), because he has the full backing of the university

So since he has it made, far above the average student, he might as well see how far he can take this thing

not just be on the team, but try to work his way up and start - get some playing time

try to get some of that NIL (Name, IMage, and Likness) money

win some championship rings

get prepared for a shot at the NFL

and he might as well try to get that degree too

since he is there with all of these benefits

the same for us Christians, it will be hard, we will have a stricter schedule than most (Sundays, Bible Study, prayer time, church work days, serving people outside the four walls, extra services) . . . but we have it made (necessities in this life and eternity with God after this life)

so we might as well see how far we can take this thing

instead of being a sitting on the bench Christian, why not try to start, God put me in

try to get some NIL blessings (Nothing’s Impossible Life)

strive for championships - achieve some big things for God

get prepared for a higher level of service in the NFL (Next Faith Level)

let me get that spiritual degree - spiritual growth

since we’ve got it made, we should try to do more than just make it

We’ve . . . Got it . . . made, so let’s live a full Christian life

no doubting, just devotion

no worries, just worship

no fear, just faith

you have the full backing of heaven on yours side!