GROWING FAITH: PIVOTAL CIRCUMSTANCES

This week, we complete our series, Growing Faith, with the sermon, Pivotal Circumstances. We are seeing pivotal circumstances at work in the world around us! We watch each day as the Corona virus wreaks more havoc, especially here in the US, but how is God at work? This week, we turn to a section of Romans that has the often quoted scripture of Romans 8:28: 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. How are we to understand this? As encouraging as this is, we have to wonder, what good can come out of this? Ultimately, God wants to grow our faith into a bigger faith. Circumstances such as these create a great opportunity for growth, especially if we look at the entire section of Romans 8:26-32. We continue to pray for all of you, and we hope that you sense God’s strength during this time of crisis. As you read this passage, may the Holy Spirit give you hope and joy! Romans 8:26-32: In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 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. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all– how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (NIV)