God Cares For You
Notes
Transcript
Cause of Care
Cause of Care
As I have grown older and been exposed to more and more bible through classes or through preaching, I have realized that God’s Word is always be the same. I half-way expected God’s word to come alive the more I was exposed to it. Now that I am ready and willing to learn, something grandiose is going to happen now. It didn’t, at least in the way that I had imagined at first. Ok well maybe I need to know more about God’s character, THEN it will be different. Again I found myself left wanting and kind of like ok what am I doing wrong. I thought that things were supposed to change and I was going to have this deep understanding of who God is and have a passion for the bible and church and God and it was going to be great, yes this is what I was looking for….! Right? Understanding/knowing can be very different depending on the context. insert
“India metaphor”
I will never have the applicable knowledge and allow God’s word to have an impact and transform my knowledge unless I experience it for myself. I can know that He cares for me, that He loves me, but have I experienced still waters, you only get there through His leading.
Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
In the course of my life I have suffered in many ways, mostly self-imposed. Certain experiences have left me in low places and this semester I was struggling with something that I had done and I just did not do things the right way. Throughout the semester I found myself in low places and I knew that the only way out of this, the only proper response is to surrender to God and allow Him to take care of me. Boy did He. I couldn’t rely on my own wisdom or the help of others, I appreciated their guidance but this was something I had to figure out with God.
1 Corinthians 2:1–5“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
I came to know God in such a personal way, He came down and scooped me up from the sinking sad in the middle of a dark forrest. His unfailing love and faithfulness became my only hope. So here are 3 ways that we can experience God’s unfailing love and embrace God’s care.
Unfailing Love: Embracing God's Care
Unfailing Love: Embracing God's Care
This theme delves into the complexities of God's care for us amid life's trials and tribulations, underscoring His unwavering love and support, even when we may doubt or feel abandoned. And that is why I think we make it so complex, it cant be that easy. And we are never alone, but how do we live in that reality?
Matthew 28:20 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Application: This message can help Christians recognize that God's care persists through their struggles, encouraging them to trust in His faithfulness and lean on Him during challenging times. I had to go to God in constant prayer just to keep my mind occupied and only truth would satisfy. I had to give people and my thoughts about them over to God constantly. I surrendered and fully embraced God’s care for me.
Matthew 21:22 “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”
active and intentional choosing to believe God and take Him at His word.
Psalm 91:1–2 “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust.”
Refuge and fortress have the idea of retreat, when the enemy comes for us we have to flee and run back to the fortress of MY God.
Teaching: This reveals that God’s care is not always visible in the ways we expect, teaching us to trust in His providence and love, even in silence or suffering. He comforted me in ways I knew He would but I understand Him now more than I ever did before.
Psalm 23 “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (the rod is for protection against danger, while the staff is for gentle guidance and control). Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”
How this passage could point to Christ: God's ultimate demonstration of care is seen in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, illustrating that even in moments of feeling forsaken, God's love remains steadfast and faithful.
Even when life feels overwhelming, we can rest assured that God's love and care never waver, inviting us to experience peace in trusting Him.
Psalm 139:13 (KJV 1900)
For thou hast possessed my reins:
Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Psalm 139)
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
God uses trials to bring us closer to Him and to bring us closer to those around us. I had to let go of control of my situation and through my time really experiencing what it means when God leads me beside still waters, what it means when the footsteps turn into one set because He has me in His care, when the noise of life and the realities sink in and you isolate but through those dark clouds you surrender and give it to God and plead for help, He knows your pain, He cared for me and nursed me back to health. He made me and He has perfect understanding for what is good for me. what is my response? To let go. Daily, hourly, as much as it takes.
1. Comfort in Our Calamities
1. Comfort in Our Calamities
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
God comforts us in all our troubles, allowing us to offer the same comfort to others. This sets the stage for realizing that God's care is not only for our well-being but also equips us to be channels of His love and care for others. There have been countless times that the Lord has allowed me to comfort someone who is going through something I had suffered through. God used me and my situation to help minister to others.
Even when life feels overwhelming, we can rest assured that God's love and care never waver, inviting us to experience peace in trusting Him.
Psalm 139:13 (KJV 1900)
For thou hast possessed my reins:
Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (Psalm 139)
For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
Job 1:21 “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return thither: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
God uses trials to bring us closer to Him and to bring us closer to those around us. I had to let go of control of my situation and through my time really experiencing what it means when God leads me beside still waters, what it means when the footsteps turn into one set because He has me in His care, when the noise of life and the realities sink in and you isolate but through those dark clouds you surrender and give it to God and plead for help, He knows your pain, He cared for me and nursed me back to health. He made me and He has perfect understanding for what is good for me. what is my response? To let go. Daily, hourly, as much as it takes.
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
2. Companionship in Suffering
2. Companionship in Suffering
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; And saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
The more we share in Christ's sufferings, the more we can experience His comfort. This demonstrates that our trials are not outside God's care but are times when He draws closer, teaching us to rely on His grace and strength.
Philippians 4:5–7 “Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 23:4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
Romans 12:10 “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;”
3. Confidence in God's Faithfulness
3. Confidence in God's Faithfulness
2 Corinthians 1:6-7
Consider how our endurance through trials is a testament to others of God’s faithfulness. Our perseverance in faith, made possible by God's care, serves as evidence to others that trust in God amidst trials brings hope and salvation.
1 Peter 1:6–7 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”
My coach calls this process oriented. If you lose a game for example, you can focus on the loss and man we should’ve won or you can see the process, we had less turnovers, more shots on goal, we have to keep working because we have to trust the process and stick it out.
We have to have confidence that the suffering and the trails, if we can constantly lean on God and let Him lead us, because if we do then the reward is great, not only did we get through a hard time but we got closer and we grew our understanding of who God is to me. Who is God, who is MY God, who am I to Him? I am a child of the King, I am precious to Him, He means for good.
This should compel me to do what He tells me, to get to know Him more, to take risks and get out of my comfort zone because thats where God is, things are familiar in your safe space but what about out there? You’ll find Him I promise and He’ll be there with His hand out waiting for you to come.
Calamity requires Comfort, which requires the Comforter, that ultimately leads to a rejoicing bold Confidence in God and His Care for you.
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Psalm 23:6 (KJV 1900)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
As God’s care for me grew, I no longer needed that type of care, I had to get moving. He had brought me back and now it was time to go and help others. Theres a time for sorrowing but there must be a time of rejoicing and forward direction. God became real to me this semester and im so thankful to have been able to experience Him in those ways. God knows me, loves me, and always calls me back to Him with love, mercy, and grace.
Hannah Short and Family story.
shows unknown trial, loss, rejoicing, witness through testimony.
