1. We are living in times of UNCERTAINTY everywhere in the world

2. DO TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY AFFECT GOD?

3. FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE EVERYTHING IS GOING ACCORDING TO HIS PLANS

4. ISAIAH 40:28-31 ISAIAH 40:28-31 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can comprehend.

5. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;

6. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31) (Isaiah 40:28-31)

7. THERE ARE NO TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY FOR GOD.

8. HOW DO THEY AFFECT US?

9. God is a Good God and He has Good Plans for Us

10. God is a Real Person Life is so much richer and fuller when you know God as a real and present Person. He thinks, feels, plans, etc. Like us, there are things that make Him happy, angry, excited and passionate.

11. God is a Personal God While He is perfect, He also is very personal. He is passionate about some things with a limitless passion.

12. God Has Good Plans For Us One of the things He is most pleased with and passionate about are His plans for you. ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11

13. God Takes Pleasure in His Plans God takes great pleasure in His plans. At the end of every event, everyday, every year, and every decade things turn out exactly as He plans. Somehow in perfect wisdom God is able to weave man’s mistakes in the ultimate outcome He desires.

14. God Works For Our Good 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.

15. A Glimpse of His Sovereignty We get a glimpse of this through the life of Joseph, years after his brothers left him in a well to die, the Bible registers his declaration to those brothers: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

16. God’s Purposes For Us An architect has a purpose to the design of any plan. The architect of a building thinks of structural integrity, safety, and aesthetics. God designs every event to draw you to Him in a closer relationship.

17. Circumstances of Life Good circumstances communicate to you His love and affection and are designed to lead you to gratitude and the joy of saying thank you to this wonderful Person. Difficulty is designed to cause you to lean more on Him and trust Him in the seeming chaos of difficult circumstances.

18. Psalm 55:4-8 My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest I would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm."

19. But I call to God, and the LORD saves me. 17 Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.

20. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

21. Understanding the Events of Life The events of our day are also designed to help you fulfill a high and noble calling, as with Joseph. Fundamentally, every circumstance is crafted with the delight of God in your ultimate good and that of those around you. We should be the most relaxed and happy people on the planet -- but stress and fear seem so normal.

22. Life seems chaotic at times The “elephant” in the room is that this is not how life seems to us. It often seems chaotic with no one in charge. We feel like we were on the ocean bobbing with the chaotic nature of the waves. Or it seems that we must seize control of our lives. If it is up to us, we face a jungle with so many elements of life out of control.

23. WHY Questions We hear of the economic situation in our country, the devastation of Ike, the unemployment, the violence around the city, and it feels life is in chaos. The truth is that many times our REAL picture of God is that He is weak, distant, or indifferent so we wake up and expect very little from Him. When a terrible event happens we are tempted to judge God’s wisdom and ask the very dark question -- why?

24. God is Wiser than Us This always leads to an unanswerable place where we are demanding God to justify His actions to us -- something He will not do nor could we possibly understand if He did. Our wisdom is like a grain of sand -- His is like the universe. He is so much wiser and kinder than we are, how could we possible get it?

25. Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

26. Psalms 138:8 “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever do not abandon the works of your hands.”

27. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

28. Answers to WHY Questions Why “Why” questions given to God always get the same response: “Because I am God and I have limitless wisdom, and kindness at a level you cannot understand. Trust Me and you will live a blessed full life on this planet!”

29. What if He Were in Control? So how would our life be different if we knew that God was in control of every event and that it was crafted for our good and that of those around us? And in a point in time He would reveal that to us? And we could then understand all, the good and the difficult circumstances?

30. First, “thank you” would come across our lips far more often. We would have the rich joy of a grateful heart. Second, we would relax saying in our heart “not my will but Your will be done.” Third, we would wake up excited and expectant for what the day holds.

31. God is Faithfull We would be convinced that our King had planned things for us to experience that are profoundly good and wonderful. We would say like the prophet Isaiah: “O Lord, You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; for You have worked wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” (Isaiah 25:1)

32. Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31) (Isaiah 40:28-31)

33. Questions Has any doubt crept into your heart that God is distant, weak or indifferent? What are the areas God is calling you to hold even in times of uncertainty?