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The Providence of God How God Takes Care of His People

The Providence of God How God Takes Care of His People. Lesson 9 The Providence of God and Miracles, Predestination, and Prayer. Spectrum of Divine Providence. Natural law Miracles Chance Prayer Randomness. Miracles.

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The Providence of God How God Takes Care of His People

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  1. The Providence of GodHow God Takes Care of His People

  2. Lesson 9The Providence of Godand Miracles, Predestination, and Prayer

  3. Spectrum of Divine Providence Natural law Miracles Chance Prayer Randomness

  4. Miracles “A miracle is an event not ascribable to human power or the laws of nature and consequently attributed to a supernatural, especially divine, agency.” Wayne Jackson

  5. Miraculous or Providential? Miracle Mary, a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), gave birth to Jesus; this was caused by means of miraculous power (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:30-37). Providence Hannah of Old Testament fame prayed for a son; the Lord heard her prayer and answered it. He did so providentially; she conceived only after her husband “knew her.” Ultimately Samuel was born (1 Samuel 1:19,20).

  6. Miraculous or Providential? Miracle When the Assyrian army threatened the city of Jerusalem, God supernaturally destroyed 185,000 enemy soldiers in a single night (Isaiah 37:36). Providence Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, was dealt with in a different fashion. Jehovah caused him to “hear tidings” that prompted his return to Assyria (Isaiah 37:7).

  7. Miraculous or Providential? • In a miracle God sets aside natural law. • In providence God utilizes his natural laws to accomplish his will. • The difference may be seen in the fact that we are to pray for our daily bread. God promises to provide these necessities (Matt. 6:11).

  8. Do these events qualify as miracles? • Passing that big test?

  9. Do these events qualify as miracles? • Passing that big test? • Escaping injury in a road accident?

  10. Do these events qualify as miracles? • Passing that big test? • Escaping injury in a road accident? • Childbirth?

  11. Do these events qualify as miracles? • Passing that big test? • Escaping injury in a road accident? • Childbirth? • Answered prayer?

  12. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention.

  13. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses).

  14. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process.

  15. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process. 4. Involve no autosuggestion or hallucination.

  16. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process. 4. Involve no autosuggestion or hallucination. 5. Have a worthy motive.

  17. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process. 4. Involve no autosuggestion or hallucination. 5. Have a worthy motive. 6. Have credible witnesses (even hostile observers).

  18. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process. 4. Involve no autosuggestion or hallucination. 5. Have a worthy motive. 6. Have credible witnesses (even hostile observers). 7. Produce instantaneous effects.

  19. To qualify as a miracle, an event must: 1. Involve God’s intervention. 2. Be observable (five senses). 3. Involve a suspension of natural process. 4. Involve no autosuggestion or hallucination. 5. Have a worthy motive. 6. Have credible witnesses (even hostile observers). 7. Produce instantaneous effects. 8. Occur independent of secondary causes.

  20. Biblically speaking, miracles no longer occur. • Miracles ceased with complete revelation • (1 Cor. 13:8-9).

  21. Biblically speaking, miracles no longer occur. • Miracles ceased with complete revelation • (1 Cor. 13:8-9). • 2. Method of transfer of miraculous power ceased (laying on of apostles’ hands).

  22. Biblically speaking, miracles no longer occur. • Miracles ceased with complete revelation • (1 Cor. 13:8-9). • 2. Method of transfer of miraculous power ceased (laying on of apostles’ hands). • 3. Purpose of NT miracles ceased (to confirm the Word—Jn. 20:30-31).

  23. Biblically speaking, miracles no longer occur. • Miracles ceased with complete revelation • (1 Cor. 13:8-9). • 2. Method of transfer of miraculous power ceased (laying on of apostles’ hands). • 3. Purpose of NT miracles ceased (to confirm the Word). • 4. Classification of miracles shows they have ceased. • Raising the dead. (Who does this now?) • Casting out demons. (Do they now exist?) • Power over nature. (Who walks on water?)

  24. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer

  25. Spectrum of Divine Providence Predestination Free Will Calvinism Open Theology Arminianism Molinism

  26. How Is Free Will Involved In Predestination, Providence, and Prayer? • God is omniscient--He knows our choices in advance.

  27. How Is Free Will Involved In Predestination, Providence, and Prayer? • God is omniscient--He knows our choices in advance. • Our choices do not compromise God’s omniscience.

  28. How Is Free Will Involved In Predestination, Providence, and Prayer? • God is omniscient--He knows our choices in advance. • Our choices do not compromise God’s omniscience. • God saves those who choose to be saved.

  29. How Is Free Will Involved In Predestination, Providence, and Prayer? • God is omniscient--He knows our choices in advance. • Our choices do not compromise God’s omniscience. • God saves those who choose to be saved. • God condemns those who do not choose to be saved.

  30. How Is Free Will Involved In Predestination, Providence, and Prayer? • God is omniscient--He knows our choices in advance. • Our choices do not compromise God’s omniscience. • God saves those who choose to be saved. • God condemns those who do not choose to be saved. • God condemns those who choose to be lost.

  31. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • Predestination • Does God predestine things to be the way they are? • -Are events ordered by God to happen in a certain way? • -Are we victims of our circumstances?

  32. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • Predestination • Events happen according to God’s foreknowledge. • -Things do not happen because God knows them. • -God knows them because they happen. • “…according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Eph. 3:11). • “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” • (Rom. 8:28)

  33. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • Predestination • Foreknowledge is a component of predestination • Events happen according to God’s foreknowledge. • “Fore knowledge” or “pre knowledge” is related to time. • God is outside of time. • For God, foreknowledge is simply knowledge. • Example: “Many are called, but few chosen.” (Matt. 20:16)

  34. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 2. Providence • Latin: Providentia (pro + video = foresee) • Telugu: timely help • Definition: “…the preservation, care and government which God exercises over all things that He has created, in order that they may accomplish the ends for which they were created.”

  35. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 2. Providence • General providence. • Given to all (Acts 17:25). • Received without desert or prayer (Matt. 5:45).

  36. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 2. Providence • Special providence. • Given to the elect. • Given in time and eternity (Mk. 10:30). • A conditional gift • -“…if we walk in the light...” (1 Jn. 1:7). • -“He that believes and is baptized…” (Mk. 16:16). • -“They that wait upon the Lord…” (Isa. 40:31).

  37. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer • What difference does it make whether or not we pray? • How does prayer fit into the spectrum of predestination and providence?

  38. Spectrum of Divine Providence Natural law Miracles Chance Prayer Randomness

  39. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer • “Prayers are the sisters of Divine Providence.” • “God moves mountains; prayer moves God.”

  40. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer a. Components of prayer: Adoration

  41. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • a. Components of prayer: • Adoration • We focus on the character of God. • We praise the greatness of God. • We honor and worship God’s majesty. • We acknowledge our dependence on him in all things.

  42. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer a. Components of prayer: Adoration Confession

  43. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • a. Components of prayer: • Adoration • Confession • God knows our sins. • But “confession is good for the soul.”

  44. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer a. Components of prayer: Adoration Confession Thanksgiving

  45. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • a. Components of prayer: • Adoration • Confession • Thanksgiving • All blessings come from God (James 1:17). • Gratitude is a response to God’s blessings (1 Cor. 9:11). • Ingratitude is sinful (Rom. 1:21). • We should develop an “attitude of gratitude.”

  46. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer a. Components of prayer: Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication (request, petition, intercession)

  47. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • a. Components of prayer: • Adoration • Confession • Thanksgiving • Supplication (request, petition, intercession) • For mercy in Psalm 4:1 • For leading in Psalm 5:8, • For deliverance in Psalm 6:4, • For salvation from persecution in Psalm 7:1 • For our daily bread in Matthew 6:11

  48. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer 3. Prayer a. Components of prayer: Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication

  49. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • b. Types of prayers • Prayer that makes requests, or asks God to intervene and alter the course of events. • Prayer that is a kind of communion with God (a higher, more mature type of prayer, akin to meditations and devotions).

  50. Predestination, Providence, and Prayer • 3. Prayer • c. Objections to prayer • If God is all-wise, does He not know what we need without our asking? • If God is all-good, will He not grant what we need without our trying to persuade Him?

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