Portraits of Grace

John MacArthur: This is John MacArthur with another edition of Portraits of Grace. Did you know that one of the most important biblical doctrines is not explicitly found in scripture? That doctrine is called providence, and you need a solid understanding of it so you'll be fully prepared to cope with life's adversity. This is how I define providence: it is how God orchestrates through natural means and processes all things necessary to accomplish his purposes in the world.

You see, it is the most frequent way he works in the past and in the present to control the daily course of human events. Joseph, for example, the patriarch, stated his confidence in providence when he told his brothers, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good." God controls everything for his own purposes. And when you accept God's providential control of everything, you'll stand as a portrait of his grace.