1. Things are not always as they appear…

2. Thomas Dewey? Anyone?

3. The Great Chicago Fire From 299,000 people in 1870 to 1.7 Million in 1900, Chicago grew by nearly 500% and became the home of the first sky scrapper (1885, Home Insurance) and a leader in modern architecture. Today it is America’s 3 rd largest city. This would likely have never happened w/o the fire of 1871.

4. Things are often not as they seem We so often rush to decide “good” and “bad”. We over estimate our wisdom and experience. We UNDER estimate the providence of God.

5. This Can’t Be Right! Genesis 39:6-21 from how things “should be” to utter despair. >from how things “should be” to utter despair. Genesis 45:4-8 >time proves out what God always knows.

6. It’s ALL BAD! Luke 24:13-49 > faces downcast (vs. 17) >we “had hoped” he was the one…(vs. 21)

7. Upon Further Review “Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.” -Auguste Rodin

8. “Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward.” -Soren Kierkegaard

9. “Looking back, you realize that everything would have explained itself if you had only stopped interrupting.” -Robert Brault

10. The Path of God or the Path of Man? Pro 3:5-6…Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. Pro 16:25…There is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death. Jer 10:23…I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for a man to direct his steps.

11. How to Fix our Vision YOU #1-Change your vantage point, by understanding that YOU are not at the center of all things (Ps 8:4) #2-Look up, seek to see God’s will first in all things (Matthew 6:25-33). #3-Look out, seek the interests of others (Philippians 2:3-5).

12. we simply cannot see what he sees, “ God is right in all that he commands, in all that he allows, and all that he defends: the truth is that we are in no position to proclaim anything different, we simply cannot see what he sees, and if we trust him we won’t need to see it.”

13. Luke 1:26-38 “How will this be?” “May it be to me as you have said.”

14. Conclusions Don’t be in such a rush to determine if this is “good” or “bad”…what do we know anyway? Sow good seed and accept the results for what they are. God does not need a co-pilot.