The Providence of God A Comfort to All God's Children

The Providence of God Brings Comfort to Believers

edited from Heidelberg Catechism

A. God is all powerful and everywhere present and it is by His power that all things happen.

Acts 17:25 - 28 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Jeremiah 23:23 - 24 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Isaiah 29:15 -16 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?

Ezekiel 8:12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of th - 16e house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD hath forsaken the earth.

B. In His power He upholds and sustains all things both in heaven and in earth. He governs all things, whatever comes to pass.

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

C. Whatever comes to pass whether years of plenty or famine, sickness or health, riches or poverty, life or death are all governed by God.

Jeremiah 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Acts 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

John 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

D. In all things in life there is nothing that comes by chance but from the hand of the Father in heaven. To the believer we need to understand that it is from His Fatherly hand. There is no such thing as luck, or chance for with God all things have been decreed to be as they are in our lives.

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.

E. Knowing that all things are from the fatherly hand of God we believers have much profit and hope in live’s blessings and adversities.

1. We can be patient in times of adversity.

Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Psalms 39:9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

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.Job 1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

2. Thankful in prosperity.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Deuteronomy 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

3. Confidence in God our Father to uphold us and sustain us by His Fatherly hand as we look to the future of our lives.

Psalms 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Romans 5:3 -5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; nd patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

4. Our confidence is in the knowledge that nothing can separate us from His love.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5. The basis of this confidence is also resting in the power of God knowing that all things are so in the hand of God that they cannot move without His will.

Job 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

Job 2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Acts 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;