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BRUSHFIRES | WEEK 12

A Discipleship Series from Brushwood Press | BrushwoodPress.com

Core Doctrine: Divine Providence – God’s Sovereignty

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Ephesians 1:11 (CSB)
“In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will.”

Book Context:

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Paul wrote Ephesians while imprisoned in Rome, painting a sweeping picture of God’s eternal plan to redeem a people for Himself through Christ. Chapter 1 is a stunning glimpse into the heart of that plan—showing believers that their salvation is not accidental or fragile, but rooted in God’s eternal purpose. Verse 11 reminds us that our inheritance in Christ, our very identity, rests on the unshakable foundation of God's sovereign will—a will that governs everything.

Core Doctrine Explanation:

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The doctrine of Divine Providence teaches that God is not simply aware of all things—He is actively orchestrating all things. Nothing is random. Nothing is outside His control. This doesn’t mean we’re robots. It means that even our choices, our detours, and our suffering are under His wise and loving rule.

Ephesians 1:11 says God “works out everything” in alignment with His perfect will. That means your story—every joy and every heartbreak—is not spiraling out of control. It is being sovereignly woven into something eternal. You are not riding the waves of chance. You are held by the hands of a God who never wastes anything.

This is not fatalism. It’s faith in a Father who is both powerful and good. He is working all things for His glory and for the good of His people—even when we can’t see it yet.

Danger of Not Holding to the Core Doctrine – Week 12: Divine Providence – God’s Sovereignty

If we lose sight of God’s providence, life becomes a tug-of-war between chance and control. We either live in fear that the world is chaotic—or we exhaust ourselves trying to manage it all. Both are prisons.

But this doctrine offers freedom. If God really is working all things according to the purpose of His will, then we don’t have to. We are free to obey without needing control. We are free to suffer without losing hope. And we are free to rest without guilt.

The danger of rejecting God’s sovereignty isn’t just theological—it’s deeply personal. We start to believe that our past is too broken, our mistakes are too big, or our suffering is too senseless. We begin to live like orphans, unsure if the Father really has a plan.

Sometimes we still claim to trust God, but functionally we rely on our own strategy, instinct, or strength. We measure God's faithfulness by how well life is going. We cling to comfort instead of surrender. And when trials come, we don’t just grieve—we panic.

But if this verse is true, then nothing is wasted. Not the waiting. Not the wandering. Not even the wounds. God’s providence means your story isn’t a puzzle you have to solve—it’s a tapestry He’s already designing.

To deny this truth is to live anxiously and reactively. But to embrace it is to walk forward with quiet confidence, knowing that even when we can’t trace His hand, we can trust His heart.

Conversational Evangelism:

Many people wonder, "Why did this happen?" or "Where was God when…?" These are deep questions—and you don’t need to answer them perfectly. You can simply ask,
“What if God’s plan is bigger than this moment—and He’s still writing something beautiful even if you can’t see it yet?”

This opens the door to share how God’s sovereignty doesn’t remove pain—but it gives it purpose. You’re not promising answers. You’re pointing them to the Author who wastes nothing.

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Call to Action:

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This week, reflect on one part of your story that still feels confusing, frustrating, or unfinished. Instead of trying to fix it, surrender it. Trust that God is working—right now—in perfect wisdom, even if you don’t yet understand how.

Then look for someone else who’s struggling to see meaning in their circumstances. Encourage them with this truth: God is not finished. And He never writes random stories.

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Fire Starter Question:

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What’s one moment in your life that didn’t make sense at the time, but later revealed God’s purpose—and how did that change your trust in His plan?

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