“REDISCOVERING GOD BRINGS TOTAL SURRENDER”

(Romans 8:22-39)

One of the ugly realities of human history is the apparent need for people to go to do battle against other folk. From small, family feuds (such as           “the Hatfields and the McCoys) to the global conflicts of World War 1 and World War 2, people are continuously fighting against one another.        Down through the centuries methods and strategies have changed, yet warfare is a part of life. Have you ever wondered what this activity stems from        and why there is no peace?

Well, God’s owner’s manual on life, the Bible, shares the answer in the opening section of its massive information.  Genesis 3 presents the         historical event known as “the fall of man”. A being we know by several names such as “Satan, Lucifer, the Devil, the Serpent”, at one time        even called “the Angel of Light” had rebelled from God’s authority. Determined to replace God, this created being had the audacity to think he        could rule everything. He was expelled from the presence of God because of this rebellion. He bided his time until God created human beings. We        know them as Adam and Eve. The Serpent approached Eve in Genesis 3:1-5 with this dialog; “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from         any tree in the garden’? The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, but God did say, ‘You must          not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die,”        the serpent said to the woman. “God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD,        (emphasis mine) knowing good and evil.”

Welcome to the event that brought sin into creation! The root of sin was the appeal from Lucifer “you will be like God”. The appeal to mankind       was an issue of PRIDE. From that moment in human history until today the same malignancy exists: human pride. Everything people do is most           often motivated by a craving to be in control, to meet personal needs and to be recognized as having the correct viewpoint in contrast to others.        Now, in the 21^st Century AD, the human race has yet to do anything to quell the ongoing appetite to feed one’s own pride. Usually, this pride        compels people to be in power, to require others to see that their view is the right one, and if nothing else, to exact revenge whenever wronged!

In America, (the culture we understand the most) the entertainment industry, the news media, the corporate business world, the political scene and        every other dimension in life is saturated with the need to satisfy pride! We are saturated with it from the moment we wake up till we go to bed at          the end of each day. Now, let’s insert Christianity into the discussion. Contrary to a way of life consumed with a drive to feed personal pride, God        has the audacity to tell folks that pride was never a part of His original design for human life. Instead, God pronounced a curse on the human race        because of human pride. We see it is especially true whenever we look at the list of sins mentioned in the Bible. Every single sin from usury,          adultery, coveting, bearing a grudge, etc. emerges from human pride.

We are in the midst of a series of messages on “The Spiritual Journey”. (By the way copies of all the messages in this series are available on our        church web page or copies reproduced in the church office.) Last week we looked at Stage Four. In this stage, we learned, we rediscover God         once again. This necessitates coming to a place of letting go of self-centeredness (spiritual ego). It means moving into wholeness and healing.               This rediscovery of God brings us into the substance of the Bible passage Don read for us a few moments ago. I hope you caught some of the            truths affirmed in the verses. Quickly I want to share four of them.

A.   THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US IN OUR WEAKNESS! (V.26)

Any time we as Christians move away from spending time with God, away from growing in the walk of faith and being active in ministry, we                need to rediscover God, as He truly is. When this rediscovery occurs we will be more aware of our humanness and faults. Actually, God, the Holy        Spirit is the one who reveals this information. He does it in such a way that we are less vulnerable to the crippling preoccupation with these faults.          We realize that God is present in life and we no longer have to hold onto the needs of the past. Now, we find that “letting go” of control (by        transferring it to God) is an ongoing experience rather than a one-shot deal. Thus, we welcome growth and change. We look forward to what             new changes God will bring into life.

The most wonderful thing, about the Holy Spirit being allowed such “free rein” in our life, (following Stage Four) is to be able to yield to God at a        much deeper level than ever before. Now we can make life commitments based on a new sense of God’s love and our own wholeness. Along             with the awareness of weaknesses comes a knowledge of how God meets our deepest needs.

B.   GOD WORKS IN ALL THINGS “(FOR THE GOOD) OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHO HAVE BEEN                           CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE!” (V.28)

A whole different dynamic is going on now in the believer’s life. No longer do we see God working for “GOOD”, but rather, we see Him               working for “THE GOOD”. There is a major difference in such views. If we as believers expect God to work for “good”, it will be an expectation of        what an individual human being thinks is good. It will be relative rather than an absolute. If we expect God to work for “the good” it will be an         expectation of what God, Himself has determined is absolutely the very best for us. In other words, “good” is based on our outlook: “the good” is        based on God’s outlook. Which is the more accurate viewpoint? Certainly, it is God’s!

Notice as well that God is working “for the good” of those of us who are back into fellowship with God. Thus we have rediscovered God and               are now walking by faith and not sight. This enables us to demonstrate love for God and a commitment to accomplish His will in our lives                  fulfilling His purpose in everyday life. Simply put, God actively works “for the good” in the lives of those who are living the way they ought to live.         This is not a guarantee (as often it is applied) to receive God’s blessings. It is saying that He works all things for the good of each of us who are          doing life God’s way. If we are doing things in our own energy, resources and strength His working things for the good will be to put a wall in               our life. That is “working for the good” because then we come to grips with being disobedient to His way of doing things.

C.   GOD IS FOR US AND NO ONE CAN BRING A CHARGE AGAINST US WHEN WE ARE LIVING IN FELLOWSHIP         WITH GOD! (V. 31-33)

In legal language, Paul tells us that we have protection from the God who is the righteous Judge. If we are living the faith life, charges will be                made but God will keep the records safe and true. If we are living life and not following God’s road on the journey we will incur criticism and        opposition in all we do. You see, if we profess to belong to God and yet live our own way we are hypocrites. We live with a double standard               and the whole world is sick of all the double standard Christians in America today! We could cite classic examples. How about the Christians who        sing of God loving “red and yellow, black and white: all are precious in His sight” while being racist in their attitudes and actions? How               about the Christians who “Lay up for themselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupts and thieves break in and steal”?          (Matthew 6:19) Or how about Christians who DO NOT “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness”? (Matthew 6:33) God        allows all “profession only” people to be vulnerable for others to see right through their empty testimonies of being close to God.

D.   GOD’S LOVE IS GUARANTEED TO HIS CHILDREN AND NOTHING CAN SEPARATE THEM FROM THAT (V. 36-39)

Notice the incredible list of forces that have no capability of separating God’s faithful people from His love!

*Trouble         *Hardship            *Persecution         *Famine

*Nakedness    *Danger                *Sword                 *Death

*Life               *Angels                *Demons              *The Present

*The Future    *Any Powers        *Height                 *Depth

*Anything Else in all Creation.

I do believe that covers it all! In fact in this section of the Bible it tells us that by walking God’s way, exclusively, makes us “More than          conquerors” (V.37) What is our response to this information? We are to give unconditional commitment to whatever it takes to live as God has         planned life to be. We now must let God be God in every single area of our lives! We accept our brokenness because we are willing to let God use          us in ways He chooses, at times He chooses, in circumstances He chooses, with the priorities He has for us!