Resources
Free With Purpose
In this message Pastor Floyd uses Romans 8:28-30 to discuss how to have freedom in the purpose God has rather than the faulty plans of man.
$6.00 — $12.00
Why am I here? What is my purpose? Why do all these things seem to happen to me? What is my future? Why do bad things happen to me in my life? With all that I’ve been through in life, what am I to do the rest of my life? What now? What’s next? Is there anything left for me?
Those questions, and questions like those, are so often asked by each one of us in life. From children, to students, to adults of all ages, they are what I would call real life questions. There’s something I’ve observed in life, and quite honestly I’ve learned it in my own life, perhaps it will encourage you today. But when I have purpose, when you have purpose, you come alive. Have you ever thought about that? When we have purpose, we come alive. There is something about having direction, and a goal to obtain that energizes us in life. There is something about having purpose that drives us.
Think about it on the other way, without purpose we have more questions than answers. Without purpose we wander through life aimlessly. Without purpose most of life does not make any sense at all. Without purpose our future becomes blurred and often dies.
There was a man named Joseph, he was raised to great prominence in the world, and no question, he was one of the world’s greatest leaders. But Joseph was also a man who went through extreme rejection, and abuse in his life. Yet, God had a purpose for this man named Joseph. One of the last things recorded in the scripture that Joseph said was over in the 50th chapter in the 19th and 20th verses of the book of Genesis. Listen to what he says. “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result – the survival of many people.”
I want you to think about that profound phrase that he stated. “Am I in the place of God?” Here was a man who had been so rejected and so abused who found himself at one point of his life in the bottom of a pit with absolutely no hope as a teenager. And later on in life he found himself in the bottom of a dungeon without any hope of rescue. And he was also a man whom was of no guile, that even when the pharaoh’s wife threw himself at her, he fled away as a great example of fleeing from all fornication. But yet, this man made a statement that I believe is just absolutely profound. “Am I in the place of God?”
In other words, none of this is accidental. God has placed all of this in my life and I am where I am and I am right where God wants me. You see, if Joseph had not seen the hand of God working through everything, and if Joseph had not had a sense of purpose, I am convinced he would have never been raised to lead Egypt. But God had a bigger picture for Joseph’s life, and because of, of God’s purpose in his life, Joseph didn’t get caught up in the times when life became blurred, and distorted, filled with distractions and much pain and disappointment, but Joseph was free. And the reason Joseph was free is that he had purpose. And when Joseph had purpose his life came alive.
And look at it this way, Joseph could have been bitter. Joseph could have been angry. Joseph could have been absolutely put out with what had gone on in his life. But he was not. He understood there was something bigger going on.
I want to challenge you today to see the bigger picture of your life. I call it big picture thinking. You know what big picture thinking is in your own spiritual life? Are you ready to get this? Dial in now. Are you there? God is at work in my life. God is at work in my life. You may not understand everything going on in your life, and you may not like it all, but just know God is at work in your life. When you leave today, I want you leaving with a confident assurance, knowing that God is at work in my life.
In this study of Romans 8 we come to Romans 8:28 through 30. As you look with me into the scripture today, let’s read from this dynamic passage of the scripture. Beginning with verse 28 he said, “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God.” Some translations have it, “And God causes all things to work together for good.” I like that. “Those who are called according to His purpose for those He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers,” speaking of Jesus. “And those He predestined, He also called, and those He called, He also justified, and those that He justified, He also glorified.”
What does all that mean? You see God is at work creating something in your life, and I want to ask you today, what is He creating? God is at work in your life creating what I call today spiritual synergism.
1. Spiritual synergism. And verse 28 and 29 He talks about how that synergism comes into reality. He talks about it, and He says we know that all things, all things, all things, how do I know? I know mentally, but I also know experientially once I become seasoned in the faith. And we know that all things, all meaning what? All meaning all. All means all. Not part of the things, not some of the things, not just a few things, but all things work together for good.
That term “work together” is an interesting word in the Greek language, it is the word sunergeo, sunergeo, which means, that’s where we get our word for synergism. Isn’t it amazing that in English language we get so many words from the biblical text? Sunergeo, and then all of a sudden synergism.
So what does it mean to have synergy? We talk about how teams need to work together to have synergy. We talk about elements out here in life that if all of us would learn to get together, and we learn to work together we can force and create synergy that’s powerful. What is synergism? Notice what it says: Synergism is the working together of two or more parties, or elements, to produce a, a what? A greater effect than the sum of what each could do on their own. Don’t get tied up in all that definition, I just wanted you to see it, what it means is this. It means that two are better than one. It means that if you can come together, and you can agree, and you can work together, you can create powerful synergism.
Jeana’s good. I’m good. Together we are like synergistic. You take Josh and my relationship, I mean Josh is great. I’m good. But when we’re together, we have synergy. That happens all across the ministry, in all elements of the ministry here. That happens in your life. It happens in your business. It happens in whatever you are involved in in your life. When you take two different pieces of something, two different parties of something, two different elements of something, you put them together for the working of together for good, all of a sudden you have synergism.
Now what God does is for the Christ-follower He creates spiritual synergism. Everything you go through, good, bad, trials, victories, adversities, achievements, sickness, health, illness, tragedy, accomplishments, good, or even bad, and what does He do? He makes them work together for good! To produce something special. It’s not like He has this one thing going on in your life and it doesn’t ever tie into the rest of your life. No, He’s got that one thing going on. He’s got this going on. And all of a sudden when it comes together, it’s powerful. It’s called synergy.
The Bible here says that it creates that spiritual synergism. Now does that for the good. If I had a pen and I were taking notes today, and I were listening to me, here’s what I’d do: I’d take that pen and I would circle that word good, because that word good is a very important word. In fact, let me tell you what it means, it means that it’s both good for now, and it’s good for eternally, but it has even a much deeper meaning. You see there are a couple of words if you were looking at a Greek text, you could determine about whether or not what that word good means. You could look at the word callous, it means beautiful in the Greek language, or you could look at the word which is the word agothos, which means you’re ultimate beneficial good.
So I wonder when Paul wrote in the phrase under the Holy Spirit’s leadership all things work together for good, what did it say? Did it say callus, in other words, my life’s going to be beautiful? Or did it say agothos, which means my life is going to have ultimate, beneficial good that’s going on? Which one did he say choir? Do you know? Let me tell you the answer. The answer is he uses the word agothos, all things work together for the good, for the agothos. Meaning for my ultimate beneficial good. Did you get it folks? For my ultimate beneficial good!
So life is not always going to be rosy and beautiful. God’s good does not always look our good. Anybody ever get in on that? Our good is here and now; God’s good is heaven and eternity. Our good is wrapped around us, what’s best for me, what doesn’t interrupt my life. How’s life going? Everything’s good. Whoo! Yeah! But that’s not necessarily God’s good. God’s good might advise some of those great times, those wonderful times, those journeys that all of us have the privilege of going on. But God’s good also every now and then involves other kind of stuff. And what God does is that God, cause He’s God, He weeds everything together for our what? Our agothos. For our good. For the ultimate beneficial good of my life. God has me where I am, God has taken me where He’s taken me from, and He’s taking me somewhere all for my good!
How do I know that? Because I love God. That’s what he says. And those who love God. What does it mean to love God? Those of us who are true Christ-followers, and we have had providence involved, we have had God involved in our lives. How do we know that? Because we’re called. He uses the word called. Isn’t that amazing? All things work together for God to those who love God, and to those who are called.
Called? Did I get a phone call? No. But what did I do? I got a call by the Holy Spirit to come into God’s family. And I received the call. I took the call, and I opened my life, and I gave my life to Christ, and I was called out of the world to follow Jesus. And I was called according to His what? Purpose. Purpose. God has a purpose for us greater than the one we realize today. What we do is we see here. God sees there. We get caught up in our victories and our defeats; we get caught up in our good and our bad; we get caught up in the greatness, and the poor; we get caught up in the financial challenges; we get caught up in the financial blessings; we get caught up and we see here. God doesn’t see here. God wants us to be here, and when we’re here we know that God is at work in my life. Amen? Amen.
Now how can I know this? I can know this because of three reasons. First of all, because:
(1) Providence. Providence. What’s Providence? Providence. You know that the forefathers of the faith so believed in the Providence of God that many times when they referred to God they called Him Providence. That ought to make me ask a question. What does Providence mean? Right? Right. So what does it mean about the Providence of God? The Providence of God is God’s protective care for my life! I can know that all things work together for good because God is involved in my life. Providence is involved in my life. Are you getting it? Providence is involved. God is involved. God is always protecting me. God is caring for me. Nothing can come into my life unless God so permits it. Adversity, pain, sorrow, tragedy, sickness, health, blessings, prosperity, poverty, whatever it may be, there’s an element of Providence involved.
But also I can know that because of:
(2) Purpose. Purpose. Purpose is very important. God has an aim in mind with all of the events of my life. He has a purpose for me. There is a reason that I exist. I mean there’s a reason you exist today. You might wonder why. You might get shy about that. You may not be sure about that many times but there’s a reason you exist today.
Anybody here ever hear of John Wooden. John Wooden was a great basketball coach. UCLA. He’s 99 years old. He’s one of the leading leadership gurus in the world today. John Wooden said that if you do not have a definite purpose in your life, you will not progress in your life. In other words you’re progress is person. It’s tied to you understanding your purpose.
Rick Warren whom many of you have read his incredible little book. Do you remember that book? The Purpose-Driven Life. He writes these words, he said, “If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.” Amen. You were born by His purpose, and for His purpose. Born by His purpose. You know, mom and dad didn’t just think about me. They were sitting down there in Yoakum, Texas one day, “Hey let’s have a baby.” Oh, now there’s something bigger than that! It couldn’t have happened without the Providence being involved. Oh no, there’s something bigger. God let me be born by purpose, and I am now living by purpose. I have a purpose in my life.
So Providence, and Purpose, and then:
(3) Plan. Plan. God has a plan for my life! God has a plan for my life! You know what God’s plan for my life is? Not that everything is just wonderful and great, and that everything just works out for my good. No, there’s a plan bigger than that. You know what God’s plan for me in life is? To make me more like Jesus. Wow. I didn’t want to hear that. I kind of was thinking about something a little different, you know? Something about a little more of the here and now, but to make me more like Jesus.
You see, God’s plan for me, God’s plan for me is for my good, and for His glory! Are you getting that today? God has a plan for me; it’s for my good, and for His glory. You see not only do we have big picture thinking that God is at work in my life, but we have also have what I call big picture conviction. You know what big picture conviction is? God is at work in my life to make me more like Jesus! That’s what the big picture thinking is. And I’ve got to get my arms around all of that! He wants me to be conformed to the image of His Son. That means to make me like Jesus!
He is using everything in my life to make me more like Jesus Christ. He can use good. He can use bad. He can use circumstances. He can use people. He can use places. He can use experiences. He can use everything. Why? Because God is working all things out in my life. Problems. Pain. Trials. Loss. Defeat. Disappointment. Because you see what you have here is you’ve got God being the sculptor. He’s the sculptor. And He’s got this old piece of granite out here called you and me. We all are our own piece of granite. And He takes the tool of life, and He takes a look at Jesus, and He takes a look at us, and He says, “Oh my goodness. I’ve got a way to go.” And He begins to chisel. He begins to knock off our lives everything that does not look like Christ. And while we would want all of that to happen on a sunny bright day in South Florida, it doesn’t always happen like that on a sunny bright day in South Florida. It happens many times through the torrential rainstorms and trials of life. Yes God is in the process of creating in me spiritual synergism.
But this passage also teaches me that God is making:
2. Spiritual Progress in my life. He is making spiritual progress. In verse 29 and 30 he talks about that progress. Now you better get your minds on for a moment. Listen to what he said. He said, “For those he foreknew…” that’s a different kind of word. The word “foreknew” means that God has chosen us beforehand. It means that he bestowed His choice upon His people.
We believe the scripture teaches the doctrine of election, rather than us getting tied down deep in that because it can get real deep real quick, I just want to let you know today you didn’t chose God, God chose you. God has a purpose for you, and for those He foreknew He also predestined. Predestined. That means by God’s grace He has chosen His people in a sovereign way, and He has predestined you not to walk around and tell everybody oh I am predestined. I am chosen. I am just wonderful, and you’re not. Oh no. That’s arrogance, and being an idiot.
But here, here’s what you’re predestined for. You’re predestined to become conformed to the image of Jesus. To the image of Jesus. God by His grace, it’s only by grace you’re ever going to become like Christ. And through life He has used grace, and by grace He helps you through life even when God gets the chisel out and the tool out He begins to work on you. Work on you.
Now again, if I was sitting at that chair today and I had a pen in my hand, and I had a Bible in my hand, and I was taking notes for me, here’s another word I would look at. I would look at that word “and.” It’s mentioned several times in verse 30. In fact it starts in verse 30, AND those He fore…or those He predestined He also called, and those He called He also justified AND those He justified He also glorified. That’s a very, very important little word, and. The word and there is the Greek word kai. It may also be translated also. Or it can be translated as and. And in verse 30 it is used as and. Now why is that important? Because it presents the progression of salvation and how it is continuous and broken in our lives.
Let me show you what that means. Are you looking? Are you listening? Those who God predestined He also called. That means the Spirit of God calls us through salvation in Jesus. And those whom He also called He also justified. That means that He sets us free from our sins. And those He also justified, He also glorified. That means that one day when Christ comes again He’s going to raise my body, your body, from the dead, and we will have resurrected bodies. Are you getting it today?
So you’ve got to notice the chain. There’s the chain. There’s this little word kai that puts all that together. It’s the word and. Notice the chain. Predestined, then called, then justified, then glorified. That’s what I call progress. God predestined you to become conformed to the image of His Son, therefore He called you, therefore He justified you, therefore He glorified you. Notice the progress. Heaven, predestined. Called, the Spirit of God call me. He justified me on a certain day, at a certain time, at a certain place. And now one day He promises me that I’m going to be glorified.
You know what’s amazing about the apostle? He spoke of all of them as if it’d already had been done, indicating that God will finish His work, and I can assure you when Jesus one day comes, in the clouds to rapture His church up, He will interrupt every cemetery, every ocean, everywhere someone that is a Christ-follower, and He will raise them from the dead, and He will fulfill that work!
Now how do I know that? I know that because of the scripture. Philippians chapter 1, verse 6. Notice what it says, “I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” What’s the day of Christ Jesus? The day when He comes again. The day when He comes to pick up His church. That’s the day we will see Christ. And you know what? Until then it’s progress.
Now listen. God is using everything that happens in my life to move and progress me towards the goal of making me more like Jesus Christ. Now I’ve got a little phrase here I want you to think about. A moment ago we talked about big picture thinking. God is at work in my life. We talked a moment ago about big picture conviction. God is at work in my life to make me more like Jesus. Now let me give you another big picture conviction that comes right out of 29 and 30. Are you ready? All because of that little word kai, and. Here it is. I am a work in progress. That’ what I am. I am a work in progress.
Now that’s not bad news, that’s good news. That means I’m going somewhere. That means that I don’t have it all settled yet. I don’t have it all together yet. I am a work in progress. By the way, you’re a work in progress. Right? Every one of us are. The next time we get fed up or disappointed with ourselves, we need to get over it. Why? Because we are a work in progress!
In fact, I know it would hurt some of you to ever admit this, but would you just say it out loud? I am a work in progress. Say it with me. I am a work in progress. That’s right. We’re going to participate. I am a work in progress. I’ve got some friends here today I need to hear this. I am a work in progress. Now I’m telling you, next time you and your spouse have a little something going on, you just need to look at her and say, “Hey baby, you know what the preacher said, I’m a work in progress.” You know you didn’t sign up for the finished deal; you’ll get that in heaven. But you know, don’t go that far because you know that means you’re going to sin until the grace will abound and God would say, God forbid. Amen. I’m a work in progress. Isn’t that right? That’s what you are. You’re a work in progress. It doesn’t matter who we are, what we’re doing, what life is because I’m telling you God uses all. God uses good, bad, sunny, trouble, great times, bad times, health, sickness, adversity, victory, defeat, glory. I mean He uses it all! He doesn’t let me get caught up in one little deal out here, even if it’s bad, or even if it’s good!
You can talk to people who have been through tough times in their life, and yet God will every now and then bring them something that will really just bless them. And they’ll laugh about it, or God will just give them a moment with Him. At the same time, you know about the time some of us get cocky, God also kind of does what? He kind of just brings everything into reality, doesn’t He? And He stirs our hearts, all because I am a work in progress! Amen!
So I ask you today, are you getting yet? Huh? Are you seeing it yet? I’m telling you God is at work in your life creating spiritual synergism. God is at work in your life making spiritual progress in you. He uses everything, and He uses everyone to make us more like Jesus Christ! His aim is to make us like Jesus and we are work in progress! I mean can you imagine what God’s facing every time He looks at you and me? Here’s Jesus, He sees us, and “Oh my goodness here they go again.” And He works on us. He works on us.
You know my final challenge to you today is found in three simple words. You’re not going to see them on the screen but I want you to just get your arms around it for a moment today. Would you do that? First word is the word see. See. S-E-E. Wanted to be sure I spelled that correctly. S-E-E. See. What does that mean? That means that I’ve got to see what God is doing. Now again, if I see life from mine, I’m never going to see that. Cause remember what I’m caught up in? I’m caught up in the here and now. God’s not caught up in the here and now. He isn’t worried about the here and now. He’s caught up in heaven and eternity. He’s not caught up in you; He’s caught up in Jesus!
You see many of us have never got it! We think this whole deal revolves around us! No! It revolves around Christ! He’s the center of it all! So I’ve got to see. What do I have to see? God is at work in my life. That’s what I’ve got to see. God is at work in my life making me like Jesus. I’ve got to see it! I’m a work in spiritual progress! Amen.
But not only is the word see, I’ve got to understand the word adjust. Adjust. Because you see once I see what God is doing, then what I have to do is adjust to what God is doing, and therein lies the most difficult challenge in us becoming mature spiritually. We struggle adjusting to what God is doing. We fight what God is doing. We challenge what God is doing. We, we just get bent out of shape about what God is doing sometime. And we combat it, and then we blame it. And then we then blame actions, or blame others, and then we justify our actions, and we try to rationalize it all to make us think that all is well, and that God has led me.
And you know the only thing God has led you to do is one thing, to become more like Jesus Christ. And you know what? Most of us don’t like going to school. I remember one of the greatest days of my life was when I finished my doctorate degree and I sat down in a, in a, in a, uh, what do you call those? A chair one night. And for the first time ever I didn’t have a book in my hand. I was 20 years old. That’s hard to believe. All those years I’d had a book in my hand. But I tell you what, in the Christian life, I don’t ever get to sit down in a chair and say okay I’m here, this is wonderful, this is great. Oh yea. Ohh. I mean everybody look like me, I’m perfect. No. Hey I’ve got a little lady over here, she reminds me everyday how perfect, imperfect I am. Amen. But I remind her of a few things too, buddy. I wear the pant in my family. Especially when she’s not here. Now, but adjust. I’ve got to adjust to see what God is doing. Isn’t that right? That’s hard. I’m telling you that’s tough cause there are times that are just tough, and we don’t want to adjust to it.
And then that final word is the word clarity. I mean we have to; we have to get clarity about what the Lord is doing. And you know the way to get clarity about what God is doing, we have to see what God is doing, and we have to adjust ourselves to what God is doing, and then we’re going to have clarity around our purpose! And many times clarity around purpose is extremely difficult!
And I’m convinced of something. I’ll tell you what I’m convinced of, I’m convinced that Satan, who is your adversary, will do everything he can to distort you from understanding the purpose of what’s going on in your life. You see the purpose in your life; you know we always want to equate it with a promotion or geography. With an advancement or health. No. It’s deeper. Making me more like Jesus, that’s the purpose.
And you know what? I’m predestined to get there. Isn’t that wonderful? Now I’m on a, I’m starting that when He called me to salvation, and I began that journey. And, and then He justified me, and I got a little bit more like Him. In fact He looks at me as if I’d never sinned. Isn’t that amazing? That’s justification. And then all along this way of life, He knows I’m never going to get there, but He, but He, but He works with me, called sanctification.
I ought to set it up one day so when I die one day He’s going to one day raise up this man who was so limited, and He’s going to make me stand on my feet again just like He did Jesus out of the grave that day. He’s going to do the same with me. And He’s going to do it, and that we call glorification. And the way He looks at it is, I’m already there because He’s caught up in the heaven and eternity, not the here and now.
I’ll tell you what I’m convinced of, and you know you can call this confession if you want, I’ll be glad to confess it. We are very shallow in the way we see life. Very, very shallow. I want to challenge you today to big picture thinking. God is at work in my life. Can you say that right now? God is at work in my life. And the next time you’re in the battle, and oh you’re there now, many of you, you need to look at your family and with this big picture conviction, guys I don’t understand it all, but this one thing I know, God is at work in my life. And I know that because of Providence, and because of purpose, and because He’s got a plan for me to make me more like Jesus.
- SKU:
- 2Y246L
- MP3:
- http://www.ronniefloyd.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/2Y246L-Free-With-Purpose32K.mp3
- Vimeo:
- 7663307