God has a plan

This morning we want to look at a few scriptures in the book of Romans. The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul who was intelligent, articulate, and committed to his calling. Paul has heard about the church in Rome, but he had not yet been there. The purpose of this book was to introduce Paul to the Romans and to give a sample of his message before he arrives in Rome.

Romans 8:27-31:
27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
I heard a story about a little boy, who said his mother used to embroider a great deal. He would sit at her knee and look up from the floor and ask what she was doing. She informed him that she was embroidering. He told her that it looked like a mess from where he was. As from the underside he watched her work within the boundaries of the little round hoop that she held in her hand, he complained to her that it sure looked messy from where he sat.
She would smile at him, look down and gently say, "My son, you go about your playing for a while, and when I am finished with my embroidering, I will put you on my knee and let you see it from my side."

He would wonder why she was using some dark threads along with the bright ones and why they seemed so jumbled from his view. A few minutes would pass and then he would hear Mother's voice say, "Son, come and sit on my knee." This I did only to be surprised and thrilled to see a beautiful flower or a sunset.
He could not believe it, because from underneath it looked so messy. Then Mother would say to him, "My son, from underneath it did look messy and jumbled, but you did not realize that there was a pre-drawn plan on the top. It was a design. I was only following it.
Now look at it from my side and you will see what I was doing."

Many times through the years I have looked up to my Heavenly Father and said, "Father, what you are doing?" He has answered, "I am embroidering your life.” I say, "But it looks like a mess to me. It seems so jumbled. The threads seem so dark. Why can't they all be bright?"

The Father seems to tell me, "'My child, you go about your business of doing My business, and one day I will bring you to Heaven and put you on My knee and you will see the plan from My side."
God is doing a mighty work in each one of our lives and from our perspective on life we might not be able to see it. Sometimes we don’t quit know which way to turn in life sometimes don’t even know how to pray.
The scripture tells us…
27And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
As believers we are not left to our own resources to cope with problems. Even when we don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with us and God answers.
Sometimes we might not understand exactly why we must go through some of the things that we do but we can rest in his word that he is in control. The scripture tells us…
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
God works in everything- not just isolated incidents- for our good. This does not mean that all that happens to us is good.
There is a lot of evil in this world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for our long- range good.
Note that God is not working to make us happy but to fulfill his purpose.
God knew us before we were even formed in the womb. In our passage this morning it says….
29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
God’s ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ. As we become more and more like him, we discover our true selves, the person we were created to be.
How can we become like Christ? By reading and heeding the Word, by studying his life on earth through the Gospels, by spending time in prayer, by being filled with his Spirit, and by doing his work in the world.
God has a plan and a purpose for us and he calls us all by name. Scripture tells us ..
30 And having chosen them, he called (Called means “summoned or invited”) them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

God’s purpose for us is not an afterthought; it was settled before the foundation of the world.

People are to serve and honor God. If you believe in Christ you can rejoice in the fact that God has always known you.

If someone who has promised to never leave us or forsake us and knows our every being… Then…


31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
If we, as a nation, honor God and adhere to His law then we have nothing to fear.
God has the perfect plan for us we just have to have faith and believe.
No matter what you may be facing today don’t give up before Christ can complete his perfect work in your life.
Phil 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
When God starts a project, he completes it! When you are discouraged, remember that God won’t give up on you.
He promises to finish the work he has begun.
When you feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember Gods promise and provision.
Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to him.
He has a plan just look at it from His perspective.