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Romans 8:28-39 Series - Part 1

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• Since we just had that discussion, and I know it's going to take a little time, I'm going to tell you that the message I'm going to preach today is going to be an introductory message. And I did not plan on preaching long because of the discussion I wanted to have on the other subject. But whatever it takes to finish, that's what we're going to do. But please remember, this is the introduction to this verse, and I want to take two or three weeks and look at this verse. I think especially in this day and time, it's very well demanded and needed. So Romans chapter 8, verse 28. Scripture says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."

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• "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified."

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• Now, the book of Romans is a book about power, especially the power of God. It deals with the power of God to save, to justify, to preserve, and to enable. In fact, one of the key verses, if you will flip back in your Bible to Romans 1, you will see in Romans 1, verse 16, there the Apostle Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

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• Now, let's go back to this phrase. He says, "for it is the power of God." And the word power, of course, is the Greek word dunamis. It is where we get our English word dynamite from. Literally, he says that the gospel is indeed the dynamite of God. The book of Romans also gives us illustrations of God's providential power as well. Now, the book of Romans is one of the most tremendous books in the New Testament. In fact, it's one of the most theological books in the New Testament. There are many scholars that say that the book of Romans is Paul's magnum opus, that is, his greatest epistle, his greatest writing. Let me just give you a quote that Martin Luther said concerning the book of Romans. Martin Luther, a reformer, said this: "The chief book of the New Testament is the book of Romans. It deserves to be known by heart, word for word, by every Christian." So Martin Luther recommended that you memorize the entirety of the book of Romans.

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• Certainly, everyone in this room knows Romans 8:28. Every Christian knows Romans 8:28. Every professing Christian knows Romans 8:28, and practically most believers know Romans 8:28. It is one of the most famous and one of the most often quoted verses in the New Testament.

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• Now, this verse may be taken out of context. It may be abused. It may be misused. It may be misapplied. But you can say one thing for sure: it is extremely well known.

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• Now, there are many people who try to derive comfort from this verse when this verse does not apply to them at all. I'm going to show you today, after I finish the introduction, the limitation on this particular verse. So there are many people now who try to derive comfort who do not deserve that comfort and who misuse and abuse this verse. There are others that are genuine Christians that have never analyzed this passage, do not understand it, and consequently they miss some of the greatest comfort and assurance that God has for them. Now, let me just tell you what Paul does in verse 28. In Romans 8, in verse 28, Paul is making an assertion.

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• He is laying down a proposition. And then what he does in verses 29 and 30, he proves that assertion. He proves that proposition. You're going to find that this is the way the Apostle Paul writes throughout all of his writings. He will always state a proposition or make an assertion, and then he will go forward to explain that assertion or that proposition, and usually he will then make an application. You will find that the Apostle Paul's writings can always be divided into three simple categories. You will find exposition, explanation, and then application.

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• And may I remind you, that is the type of real teaching and preaching according to the Word of God. God always wants us to expound His Word, explain His Word, and apply His Word. And so what the Apostle Paul does in the book of Romans is he expounds truth, he then explains truth, and then he applies the truth. He does the same thing in the book of Galatians. The same thing in the book of Ephesians. So there's always this division. Now, before we begin to look at even verse 28 of Romans 8, what we ought to do is look, first of all, at the immediate context. Now let me just tell you that the entirety of Romans chapter 8 is dealing with biblical assurance. But let me show you, in just the immediate context, the three grounds that the Apostle Paul lays down for our comfort, for our consolation, and for our assurance. Look, if you would, first of all, beginning with verse 18, and let's read through verse 25. Romans 8, verse 18.

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• Paul says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature"—or of the creation—"waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

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• Now what the Apostle Paul is doing in this passage is showing the great disproportion between the sufferings which we endure in this life and the weight of glory that God has laid up for us in the next life. In other words, he is saying that the present sufferings that we are enduring are absolutely insignificant when compared with the eternal weight of glory. For instance, look back in verse 18. He says, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." He goes on to even talk about the glory that's going to be revealed in this creation. How that God subjected this world to the curse because of our sin and our rebellion, and that when our Lord returns, even this curse is going to be lifted from the earth and the creation itself is going to be set free into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

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• Now, let me just give you a statement that I hope will explain this point. I'm just going to use the phrase "the model of the saints." Now, I'll explain this more in the weeks to come. The model of the saints.

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• Now, Paul said, "that I reckon that the sufferings of this present life are not worthy to be compared with that eternal weight of glory which is laid up for the children of God." Now, why did I say that this is the model of the saints? Well, I want you to hold Romans 8, but look in your Bibles, first of all, to the book of Job chapter 19. The book of Job chapter 19. Now, I've spoken about Job in the last several weeks, and I want you to know that Job certainly endured a great deal. In fact, Job went through more than you and I have ever been through, probably more than you and I have ever been through put together.

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• I mean, all of us may have lost loved ones, but we never lost 10 children at one time. Nor have we ever lost everything that we ever possessed at one time like Job did, and Job not only suffered the loss of his children and the loss of all of his property and possessions, Job also suffered a terrible disease, and Job was in great pain and great discomfort. So let's look in Job chapter 19 and verse 25, and look what Job says in light of all of his losses. He says this, "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth."

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• "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself, and mine eye shall behold, and not another, though my reins be consumed within me." In another passage, Job said, "...though he slay me, yet will I trust him." What does Job say? Job is saying, "It doesn't matter if the worms eat my body even while I'm alive. Yet I know that in my flesh I shall see God."

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• He said, "There's going to be a resurrection. And I shall behold him myself." So what Job is saying is the sufferings that I have been through are not worthy to be compared with the glory that's going to be revealed.

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• Now, look in your Bibles to the book of James chapter 5. James chapter 5, beginning there with verse 10. James 5, note verse 10. Look what James says. He says, "Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering, affliction, and patience. Behold, we count them happy who endure. You have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercies."

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• Now let me ask you a question. How many of you would be willing right now to suffer the loss of everything that you possess, if you knew within three months or six months, you would get back double everything that you had? Now, let me ask you another question. How many of you would be willing to suffer the loss of everything that you have, and continue to trust God, even if you didn't know that you're going to get back double?

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• Now, the point I'm trying to make is this. It's true, Job lost everything he had. But in the end, what did God do? God gave him back double everything that he'd lost. Now, you could say that the end of Job materially, physically, was not worthy to be compared with his former beginning. In other words, his ending was twice as much as he had at the beginning. But if you think that that was a blessing when God doubled everything he had, Job said that's nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory that is laid up for me, because I know that in my flesh I shall see God, whom mine eyes shall behold, he said, and not another.

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• So the truth is, what the Apostle Paul is encouraging us in in Romans chapter 8 is this. It doesn't matter what we go through as Christians. It doesn't matter if it's the loss of children, or the loss of husband, wife, or parents, or economic loss. It doesn't matter what it is. The apostle is saying that the sufferings in this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory which is going to be revealed. In other words, so much greater and so much more magnificent will be the glory that's laid up for those who love the Lord. So very clearly then, he's encouraging us by telling us that here's the model of the saints.

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• And he said in James 5, take Job and take my brethren the prophets for an example. So all of our sufferings, though we complain, are not worthy to be compared with what God has laid up for us.

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• Now, look back in your Bibles to Romans 8, verses 26 and 27. Here is the second ground of encouragement. The first ground was what I called the model of the saints. The second ground that Paul gives for our encouragement here is the ministry of the Spirit. He says in verse 26, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Now I want you to look at the phrase in verse 26, "Likewise the Spirit," or literally, "in like manner, the Spirit." In other words, just like verses 18 through 25 was a ground of comfort and consolation and assurance, now he says you have another ground, in like manner, you have the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Now watch, as hope sustains us in our sufferings, it is the Holy Spirit who sustains us and helps us in our infirmities.

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• He says, "for we know not what we should pray for as we ought." Let me ask you a question. Have you ever been to the point where you didn't know what to pray? I have. And sometimes you can't even utter words, you just groan. Sometimes it's just, "Oh, Lord." Sometimes you just shed tears. I talked to someone recently. All the individual could do was just sit there and weep. So broken.

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• And the thing that thrilled my heart was this. The Lord knows the heart. And the Spirit Himself, He says, maketh intercession for us. Have you ever stopped to think that the saints of God are blessed in the fact that we have actually two intercessors? We have the Lord Jesus, who is our intercessor in the court of heaven. And we have the Holy Spirit who is our intercessor in the theater of the heart.

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• So even in our darkest hour, even our deepest ignorance, there's always the Holy Spirit who maketh intercession for us, he says, with groanings which cannot be uttered. So you have, first of all, the model of the saints as a ground for encouragement. Secondly, the ministry of the Spirit. And then thirdly, you have the matter of the scriptures which are given to us in verse 28.

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• That brings us up to this passage. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." So this third ground of comfort is given to us then in verse 28. And I'll explain more of this next week, but he says that God is sovereignly working everything out for our good.

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• Now, before we ever begin to look at verse 28 in detail, and we won't even begin to do that until next week, I want us to look at it just generally speaking, because there is something that should be so glaringly obvious that no one of us could miss it. Let's look at verse 28 and read it in its entirety. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." Now, the very first glaring detail, the most obvious truth, is that there is a divine limitation in this verse.

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• Let me put it another way. All things do not work together for good for everybody. All things do not work together for good for unbelievers. All things do not work together for good to the wicked. Look at the limitation. He says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose."

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• Now, the interesting thing about the Greek language is this. The Greek was not constrained in writing his language the way we are today in English. For instance, if you were writing a sentence in English, you will always have your subject first, then you'll have your verb and maybe a direct object, whatever. But the subject usually is always placed at the beginning. But that is not the way it is in Greek. In the Greek language, if you wanted to put the verb first, you could. If you wanted to put the subject first, you could. In other words, what the Greek did was this: he always put at the beginning of the sentence that which he wanted to emphasize. And the Greek construction is this: "And we know that to the ones loving God, all things work together for good, to them who are called according to His purpose." So the divine limitation then is placed in this verse. It's only those who love God, only those who are called according to His purpose that things work out together for good.

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• Let me put it to you like this. All things are not right with the world. And all things do not work out for the good to the unbeliever. In fact, let's put it like this. The opposite is true for those who do not love God. If you can read, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God," the opposite is also true. We know that all things work for the bad to those who do not love God.

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• Now, let me show you in just a little while that remains this morning how that not everything works together for good to those who hate God, but everything works together for the bad. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings chapter 22. I want to show you some scriptures and then I'm just going to call to your mind some illustrations that I'm sure that you will remember. So let's look in 1 Kings chapter 22. And let's begin reading there with verse 1, and I want to read this passage. And then I want you to just try to visualize in your mind what is happening, because we have a king in 1 Kings chapter 22 by the name of Ahab. And Ahab was a wicked, ungodly reprobate. You remember that he hated God. He married Jezebel. He prosecuted the prophets of God. And so what Ahab has done, he's gotten Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to come in and he's trying to persuade Jehoshaphat to go to war with him.

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• Now, there was a Ramoth in Gilead that belonged to the children of Israel. And so what he wanted was this: he wanted to go back and reclaim that land for Israel.

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• Now, that's certainly a worthy goal. I mean, there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, you know, if Mexico came over and took over Louisiana and captured Louisiana and took it from us, would it not be a worthy goal for us to get together and go get our land back? Well, of course. Nothing wrong with that. Well, let's note what happens in 1 Kings chapter 22. But you see, the problem is Ahab was a wicked reprobate and they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. So Syria now had captured Ramoth Gilead and it came to pass in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.

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• Now let me just stop there. Did anybody catch what I just read? Jehoshaphat came down to the king of Israel. Here is Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat is king of Judah. Here is Samaria. Ahab is king of Israel. And Jehoshaphat came down, but he went up. See, Samaria is north of Jerusalem. But although he went up, God said he came down, because he was associating with a wicked reprobate. Now watch, verse 3. "And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye not that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and that we be still and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?"

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• Let's go get our land back. And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?" And I have never understood Jehoshaphat. But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses." How could he say, "I am as thou art"? Jehoshaphat was a good man and a godly man. He was not the same as Ahab.

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• Now I know he's just saying, "I'm going to work with you," but my soul. "I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thine horses." And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, and watch, "Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord today."

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• Now let me ask you a question. Why did Jehoshaphat give his word that he would be with him before he inquired of the Lord? He should have inquired first. So he says, "Inquire at the word of the Lord." Verse 6, "Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go up against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" And they said, "Go up, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king." And Jehoshaphat said, watch carefully, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might inquire of him?" Well, who were those four hundred prophets? They were prophets of Baal. So he gathered all the prophets together, about four hundred men. Those were the four hundred, by the way, probably, that Elijah took out. Watch this. And Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we might inquire of him?" And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man, just one, Micaiah, the son of Imla, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hasten hither Micaiah, the son of Imla." Let me ask you a question. How did Ahab know where Micaiah was? Didn't the Spirit of the Lord carry these prophets hither and yon? Well, of course. He knew where he was because he had him in prison. Verse 10, "And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets"—that is, these false prophets—"prophesied before them."

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• And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and he said, "Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have consumed them." And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand." And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, "Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good." And Micaiah said, "As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak." So he came to the king, and the king said unto him, "Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" Watch. And he answered him, "Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king." And the king said unto him, "How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?"

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• Now he knew Micaiah was mocking him. Micaiah said, "And I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace." And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell thee he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?" And he said, "Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left." Watch!

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• "And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee." But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?" And Micaiah said, "Behold, thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself."

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• Didn't do any good. God killed him anyhow. And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace." And Micaiah said, "If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me." And he said, "Hearken, O people, every one of you."

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• So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. Watch this. I don't know how stupid Jehoshaphat was, but he had to be a stupid man, not only for aligning himself, but watch this. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes." And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. I think I would have thought that was a setup right off, don't you? But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel." And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel." And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness.

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• Wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, "Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded." And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot. Now, here's my question. Was God working everything out for the good for Ahab? What was God working out? God was working out everything for the bad. He wanted Ahab at Ramoth Gilead to die. God sent lying spirits in the mouths of his prophets. God sent Micaiah to tell him the truth. He didn't believe the truth. And all God did was work everything out to get Ahab to that battle just so he could kill him. The Bible said a certain man drew a bow at a venture, didn't even know who he was shooting at, and he just shot an arrow.

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• And it caught him right between the shoulder blades. You see, folks, all things do not work for the good to those that hate God. It works for the evil. Do you remember in the book of Esther, there's a man by the name of Haman? You remember the gallows that he built for Mordecai? Who was hanged on those gallows? Haman. And his sons. All things do not work together for good to those that hate God. It always works for their evil. What about Jehoiachin? 2 Kings chapter 23. What about Zedekiah, 2 Kings chapter 24 and 25? Zedekiah hated God. Zedekiah was the last king of Israel.

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• Or Judah, not Israel. He's the king of Judah. Nebuchadnezzar came against him. Guess what God said? God told Zedekiah, "Because you've done evil, you're going to suffer." Zedekiah stood there and watched Nebuchadnezzar's men kill all of his family. And then they plucked out his eyes, blinded him, put him in chains, and took him away to die in a dungeon. Was God working out everything for Zedekiah's good? He's working out everything for Zedekiah's evil.

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• How about Jeroboam the son of Nebat? You remember him in 1 Kings chapter 11? Jeroboam the son of Nebat was the man who made those two golden calves, who caused Israel to go whoring after other gods. What about Omri? Who's the father of Ahab? What about Zimri? Do you know Zimri was a wicked king? Zimri rose up and murdered the king that was before him. Then Omri came against Zimri. Guess what Zimri did? He burned the palace down upon himself and killed himself, and I guess other people as well. Was all things working out together for the good for Omri and Zimri? No. They were working out for the evil, for the bad, because they were wicked, ungodly reprobates. Question. Did all things work out together for good

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• for Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Christ? Well, of course not. He went out and hanged himself. And after he hung there, I guess until his head fell off, his body fell and his bowels burst and spilled out upon the earth. And our Lord said it had been better for him had he never been born. No, all things were not working out for the good for Judas Iscariot. Were all things working out for the good for Ananias and Sapphira in Acts chapter 5? No.

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• God killed them because of their sin and their rebellion. Did all things work out for good for Demas, who forsook Paul and the gospel and God? No. Did all things work out for the good for Elymas the sorcerer? No. Did all things work out together for good for Simon the sorcerer? No. I've got another question. Did all things work out together for good to those antediluvians, to those people who died in the flood? Can't you just see Noah now with the bumper sticker on the back of that ark saying, "Smile, God loves you"? As all these people are being drowned. Did all things work out together for good to those who were in Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain?

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• Folks, let me tell you something. If God—and this is great consolation—if God is working things out for the good to those who love him, he's working out everything for the evil for those who hate him. Ultimately, there is one division. That's all. And that is between those who love God and those who do not love God. And by the way, I'm going to explain to you why the Apostle Paul uses the phrase "We know that all things work together for good to them who love God." Why did he not say, "We know that all things work together for good to those who believe on Jesus Christ"?

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• Why did he not use some other expression? I'll explain why. But ultimately, there's one division that is between those who love God, those who do not love God, those who are saved, those who are unsaved, those who are converted, those who are unconverted, those who are regenerated, those who are unregenerated. There's ultimately one division. You see, God is not working everything out for the good of those who hate him. He's working out everything for their destruction.

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• I want you to turn in your Bibles very quickly to Psalm 7. Psalm 7. Note, if you would, beginning there with verse 11. Psalm 7, verse 11. Look what the Word of God says: "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. If he"—that is the wicked man—"turn not, he"—God—"will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. He"—the wicked—"made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made."

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• "His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate." Does that sound like God's working out everything for the good to those that hate him? No. He's working out everything for the evil and for the bad for those who hate him. Look in Psalm 9 and verse 15. Look what he says in verse 15 through 17. He says, "The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken."

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• "The Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands."

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• Now, let me just give you a comparison. Let's get back to verse 8 in Psalm 9. "And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness. The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." Now watch verse 10. "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Sing praises to the Lord, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings."

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• "When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble. Have mercy upon me, O Lord; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation." Verses 8 through verse 14 there shows what God is to the righteous. Then you get to verse 15, "The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken."

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• God is only working things out for the good to those that love Him. He's working everything for the bad for those who hate Him. Look in your Bible, Psalm 10, verse 2. "The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined. For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts."

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• "His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart"—here's the wicked man—"I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity. His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent."

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• "His eyes are privily set against the poor." Read on down, skip down if you would please, to verse 15. Here's what the psalmist says concerning this wicked man. "Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land." Now, look closely back at verse 15 again. What did the psalmist say? "Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none. The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land." How did they perish? God killed them. God worked it out for their evil, not for their good. Look in your Bible.

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• So the book of John, chapter 3, very quickly, John chapter 3. John chapter 3, verse 18. John 3, verse 18, our Lord says, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." Now, our Lord says, here's the condemnation. He that believeth not on Christ is condemned already. Skip down to verse 36. He says this: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." What? The wrath of God abideth on him? Yes. One other passage, look in Hebrews chapter 10. I could show you this passage numerous times, but Hebrews chapter 10, and let's begin there with verse 28.

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• Hebrews 10, verse 28. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses." Go back to Deuteronomy 18, 19, 21. If you kill somebody or if you did something worthy of death, if two or three witnesses testified, that's it. You were put to death. No mercy. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" Watch, "For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

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• Now, folks, let me tell you something. The comfort from Romans 8:28 is only to those who are loving God. Only to those who are called according to His purpose. There is no comfort in Romans 8:28 for the wicked, for the ungodly, for the unbeliever. God is working things out in their lives for their bad. Listen, sinners may have many feast days, but they never have any safe days, because there's not a moment, there's not a second, there's not a minute that the wrath of God is not burning hot against them, and God is working everything out for their destruction. So Romans 8:28 has a divine limitation on it, and that is it's reserved for those who are loving God, those who are called according to His purpose.

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• Now, folks, if this sinks into you, it doesn't matter if the economy crashes. It doesn't matter if literally all hell breaks loose. It doesn't matter if society goes the way of the dogs. What do we know? God is working all things out for good to those who love Him. Our hope, our comfort, our assurance is in His sovereign, providential control. Let's pray. Father, we do ask Your blessing and help upon us today. We're so thankful, Lord, that You indeed are working everything out for our good because, Lord, we love Thee because You first loved us, and we're called according to Your purpose. We praise Thee and we worship Thee, and give Thee honor and glory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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• Now, folks, let me tell you something. The comfort from Romans 8:28 is only to those who are loving God. Only to those who are called according to His purpose. There is no comfort in Romans 8:28 for the wicked, for the ungodly, for the unbeliever. God is working things out in their lives for their bad. Listen, sinners may have many feast days, but they never have any safe days, because there's not a moment, there's not a second, there's not a minute that the wrath of God is not burning hot against them, and God is working everything out for their destruction. So Romans 8:28 has a divine limitation on it, and that is it's reserved for those who are loving God, those who are called according to His purpose.

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• Now, folks, if this sinks into you, it doesn't matter if the economy crashes. It doesn't matter if literally all hell breaks loose. It doesn't matter if society goes the way of the dogs. What do we know? God is working all things out for good to those who love Him. Our hope, our comfort, our assurance is in His sovereign, providential control. Let's pray. Father, we do ask Your blessing and help upon us today. We're so thankful, Lord, that You indeed are working everything out for our good because, Lord, we love Thee because You first loved us, and we're called according to Your purpose. We praise Thee and we worship Thee, and give Thee honor and glory through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-04T19:23:55Z