Sermon Central
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The ' But God ' Principle : Experiencing God's Intervention In A Crisis
Contributed by Dr. Stanley Vasu on Oct 31, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: THIS SERMON IS ABOUT THE ' BUT GOD ' PRINCIPLE : EXPERIENCING GOD'S INTERVENTION WHEN WE FACE A CRISIS IN LIFE WHICH TURNS THE ENTIRE SITUATION AROUND
THE ' BUT GOD ' PRINCIPLE : EXPERIENCING GOD'S INTERVENTION WHEN WE FACE A CRISIS IN LIFE
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OUTLINE
1. WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS
2. WHEN WE FACE SICKNESS
3. WHEN WE FACE DEATH
4. WHEN WE FACE CHEATING
5. WHEN WE FACE JEALOUSY
6. WHEN WE FACE EVIL
7. WHEN WE FACE ENEMIES
THE MESSAGE
THE ' BUT GOD ' PRINCIPLE : EXPERIENCING GOD'S INTERVENTION WHEN WE FACE A CRISIS IN LIFE
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1. WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN SINS
When we were dead in our sins , God intervened in our lives and showed His mercy and grace and saved us from our sins through the death of His Son , the Lord Jesus Christ. We were facing eternal damnation and the wrath of God. But God who is rich in mercy , showered His love upon us and quickened us and made us alive together with Christ.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.
Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
2. WHEN WE FACE SICKNESS
When we face sickness , God will intervene in our lives and heal us . Epaphroditus , a fellow worker of the Apostle Paul was seriously ill and almost died . He was a very useful helper and a right hand man for the Apostle Paul. Naturally Paul was also deeply grieved about his illness. In this critical situation , God intervened and showed His mercy and healed Epaphroditus and also spared Apostle Paul from experiencing great sorrow. When we face such a crisis of health in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones , we can also experience God's intervention and healing and deliverance.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs.
For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill.
Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety.
Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him,
because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
3. WHEN WE FACE DEATH
When we face death , we can have the assurance of God's faithfulness and presence with our loved ones. Death can come to any of us at any time . All the people whom the Lord raised from the dead and all the people whom the Lord healed, as recorded in the Scriptures , died at a later time . It is appointed unto man to die . But the Lord has promised to take care of the descendants of those who love Him and obey Him. Jacob had this assurance when he faced death and promised Joseph that God would be with them and fulfill the promises that He had given to them.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
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Then Israel said to Joseph, "I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers.
The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
4. WHEN WE FACE CHEATING
When we face cheating and deception , the Lord will intervene and deliver us and protect us . Jacob was being deceived by Laban , but God intervened on his behalf and delivered him and prospered him. Laban changed his attitude towards Jacob and was no longer favourable towards him . But God was with Jacob and blessed him. When we face deceivers and cheaters , we must commit our matters into the hands of the Lord and He will thwart all the plans of the crafty and save us from all their cunning plans.
