For many Christians, Romans 8:28 is a “go-to” scripture in perilous times. Especially when we cannot explain “why” something bad has or currently is happening. The problem is, we often use this verse as a stoic blanket by saying, “Something bad has happened? Aww, that’s terrible. But wait! All things work together for good.” In many ways, with that being our complete understanding of Romans 8:28, we equate God to a cosmic magician. When in reality, God wants to partner and co-labor with us to establish His kingdom and will on earth as it is in Heaven. God’s people are not simply spectators, not simply beneficiaries, but active participants. The vocation of human beings in Genesis is to reflect Gods purposes in the world. Let’s dive in together to have a more complete understanding of Romans 8:28 and how we can partner with God in our world.

“We know, in fact, that God works all things together for good to those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.”

In the book of John, the ninth chapter, Jesus’ disciples ask the standard question, not that different from the question many people ask today when bad things happen, “Who sinned?” But Jesus doesn’t look back to a hypothetical cause - He looks forward, to see what God is going to do about it. Meaning; what Jesus is going to do about it. So, He heals the man. As to communicate that this is the “now” time, not the time for speculating about previous sin. As Jesus followers, if we are waiting for a special event like a natural disaster, a global pandemic, or a change of politics to nudge us into looking for Jesus’ kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. Or furthermore, a special event to tell us or others to repent when we are drifting into careless sin, or to remind us that life is short, and our neighbors need to know who Jesus really is; then we have gone to sleep on the job. Let’s discover what it means to partner with Jesus to see His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

God is a loving Father, so why would the Bible talk about our need to fear God? In this message, Jordan tackles one of the most challenging truths of Scripture; that fear of God is necessary for real, authentic, friendship with God. We all have fears. In fact, right now is a very fearful time for us all. Too often, though, we have let fear rule our lives and stop us from taking a stand for what we know God wants us to do and what God says is true. When the Church has a true fear of God, we do not fit neatly into a category, a political party, or a tribe. However, we do find ourselves in greater unity with one another and with Jesus. Maybe the reason we have become so casual in our obedience to Jesus is because we don’t fear the Lord. If we are going to truly experience the fullness of a relationship with God, there are four things we must do that we will unpack together in this message.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”

In one of his more famous quotes, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer is an essential part of our faith in Jesus. We learn through the teachings of Jesus that we pray to God, in the name of Jesus. It is because of what Jesus has done on your behalf that you have access to God, as your father. To say that’s incredible is a gross understatement and yet, prayer is still a bit of a mystery to us. The Bible called people to such disciplines as fasting, prayer, worship, celebration, and study; but gave almost no instruction about how to do them. Those disciplines were practiced and were such a part of the general culture that the “how to” was common knowledge. It is not common anymore. However, Jesus gave us a model prayer that today we refer to as, The Lord’s Prayer, and in it we find what Pastor Jordan refers to as, “The Cycle of Prayer” where we begin to learn how to pray effectively and learn that prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but rather laying hold of His willingness.

“Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act...”

A recent study revealed that 9 out of 10 Americans will pray at least one time this week. Yet, with all of that praying, prayer is still a mystery to so many of us. Philippians 4:6 tells us to, “be anxious for nothing but pray about everything”. It is one of the more famous bible verses but one of the most challenging too. How many of us can say that we “pray about everything”? If we are really honest, its oftentimes prayer itself that makes us anxious. As we look at Philippians 4, we explore the obstacles that hinder us from a strong prayer life.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)

There may not be an adequate way of truly explaining the importance of God’s word in our lives and what it does to us when we choose to live by it. It is an experience that changes us. Daily it is up to us to determine if the world or the Word will be the basis for how we live our lives. When we have an attitude that gratefully receives, humbly accepts, and intently embraces the truth of God’s Word; we are partnering with God to establish His kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”

“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heart-breaking needs, is whether those who are identified as Christians will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ. Steadily learning from Him how to live the life of the Kingdom of Heaven into every corner of human existence.” – Dallas Willard

We hear the language, “follower of Jesus” all the time, but what does it really mean? Put simply, it means we reorganize our life around three goals; to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, and to do what Jesus did. That’s it. But that’s an entire life’s pursuit. It doesn’t happen overnight, it’s not about trying, it’s about training, and it’s not just an event on a Sunday, but a “way” of life in community around the teachings of Jesus. To live this way means we need to be transformed, from the inside out. Through teaching, practice, community, and the Holy Spirit, we learn what it means to be a follower of Jesus, not simply a Christian.

“Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

One theologian was asked, “If you could describe Jesus in one word, what would that be?” His reply, “Relaxed.” As we continue leaning into knowing God in a personal way, we cannot neglect the role that rest plays in our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Rest does not mean you don’t do anything; it means you learn to do the right things. In fact, for many of us, following Jesus may entail changing the pace of our lives. In this teaching we learn that to experience Gods presence we have to walk at God’s pace. The goal is to keep in step with Jesus - not far behind, not out in front – but rather, step by step.

“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”

The beauty of the Bible is that it is literally God’s very words. When we pause and view this book as God actually speaking to us and revealing His wisdom and truth to us, it fully alters our approach and how we read and grasp it. This book now takes on a whole new identity to us. Hebrews 4:12 says that, “the word of God is living and active and full of power…” When we approach the Bible as living and active, we can begin to meditate on the scriptures in a new and life-giving way. We become active participants of His Word.