The Perspective That Makes the Difference

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Perspective That Makes the Difference</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id226.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="When Youve Lost It All"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id228.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Power of Relationships"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Berean Bible, September 23, 2001am, “The Perspective that Makes the Difference” Ecclesiastes 3:1-22</B></div> <bR> <div>      Where was God on Sept 11 at 8:48? When we don’t have all the answers, we experience tension, worries, concerns, feeling of lack of control. What are we to think, to do, when we don’t have the answers?</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 – God exercises ultimate control in our world.</B></div> <div> A. Vss. 1-8 – The wide variety of life’s experiences, both good and bad.</div> <div> B. Vss. 9-15 – God does what he does, others do what they do, and we can only do so much.</div> <div> Vss. 9-10, 14, we can’t change what God does</div> <div> Vs. 11, God makes everything appropriate in its time. We have a desire to understand, to see eternal matters, but our sight is limited. 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.”</div> <div> Vs. 14, Fear, respect, reverence, is appropriate response. We don’t “vote” for God, we obey him.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 – Specific problem: Injustice.</B></div> <div> A. Vs. 16 – Injustice is present.</div> <div> B. Vss. 17-22 – Will there be judgment? No question about death, but what about judgment? – This is not observable to human eye. It calls for faith. Further revelation tells us: “It is appointed to man, once to die, after this, the judgment . . .” (Heb 9:27). Nowhere does the Bible say “nothing bad will happen.” God is allowing humanity to see that apart from him, they will fail. He will right the wrongs, eventually.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Our challenge – Trust . . . even without all the answers (vss. 12-13, 22).</B></div> <div> A. Vss. 12-13, 22 – Take life one day at a time (a gift from God).</div> <div> – Because God is in control.</div> <div> – Because he loves us. Hebrews 9:28, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation [deliverance] to those who are waiting for him.”</div> <div> – Because he has our future secure.</div> <div> B. How? Walk closely with God; dwell in his Word; pray; be connected to his people, the church.</div> <bR> <div> <I>Review</I>: God does have ultimate control in this world, therefore we can rest in him, without having all the answers.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>