Showing posts with label God's Sovereignty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's Sovereignty. Show all posts
Two Great Quotes from Charles H. Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon, the London pastor from 100 years ago said,
I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of . . . leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche.
When Spurgeon was challenged that this is nothing but fatalism and stoicism, he replied,
What is fate? Fate is this – Whatever is, must be. But there is a difference between that and Providence. Providence says, Whatever God ordains, must be; but the wisdom of God never ordains anything without a purpose. Everything in this world is working for some great end. Fate does not say that. . . . There is all the difference between fate and Providence that there is between a man with good eyes and a blind man.
And who can argue that God doesn't have perfect vision. Every attribute God has supports the truth that He has good eyes.
I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes – that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit, as well as the sun in the heavens – that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphid over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence – the fall of . . . leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche.
When Spurgeon was challenged that this is nothing but fatalism and stoicism, he replied,
What is fate? Fate is this – Whatever is, must be. But there is a difference between that and Providence. Providence says, Whatever God ordains, must be; but the wisdom of God never ordains anything without a purpose. Everything in this world is working for some great end. Fate does not say that. . . . There is all the difference between fate and Providence that there is between a man with good eyes and a blind man.
And who can argue that God doesn't have perfect vision. Every attribute God has supports the truth that He has good eyes.
He Declares the End from the Beginning
Isaiah 46:9–10
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Look at this amazing verse with me. Listen to what God says about Himself as He reveals His Sovereignty through the prophet Isaiah.
There is none like me. Aren’t you glad there is none like Him? If there were any like Him, then we would have to worry if our God was going to win. When two teams are evenly matched, the question of who is going to win the contest is in question—but that is not the case with God—there is none like Him. I can’t play basketball—I mean it—I really can’t play. I can foul and double dribble and miss shots like the best of them, but I can’t play to win. So if I were ever to get a chance to play basketball with Michael Jordan there wouldn’t be any question who was going to win our little one-on-one game. Jordan would win because “there is none like him.” (I know some would argue that Jordan is not that much better than others, but he works well for the illustration.)
Now look at verse 10. This is what God does—He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are NOT YET done. It doesn’t get any more sovereign than that. He is in charge. He declares the end from the beginning. When He wants the outcome a particular way it happens that way and it always happens that way. From the ancient times the things that are not yet done are done.
This is predestination. It can’t be denied. Some stick their head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist. Others try to make it a heresy because of the perception that man loses his “freewill.” Neither choice is acceptable. The Bible says He declares “the end from the beginning.” How He does this while preserving human freedom is a mystery and a remarkable thing that my finite brain struggles at comprehending. However, my inability to comprehend how he: 1) declares the end from the beginning, 2) can be moved by prayer toward certain actions, and 3) I have lots of freedom to make choices does not change the truth of this verse.
And this verse should be of the greatest comfort to all who believe. “How so?” you may ask. My answer is simple, “what is the point of praying to a God who is not powerful enough to declare the end from the beginning?” or is so absent from mankind like a deistic view of God that He doesn’t choose to declare the end from the beginning?” This verse should invoke within me faith. My God for whom there is none like Him has the power to declare the end from the beginning. That is powerful—that is Almighty! His counsel shall stand. He can and will do all He pleasures to do and there isn’t anyone who interferes with His purpose as He sees fit. From the beginning Satan (and all that is evil) have been trying to keep God from accomplishing His counsel and His pleasure but “it will stand!” For 6,000 years of human history God has been demonstrating that He accomplishes His good pleasure as He sees fit. In fact for 6,000+ years God has been demonstrating that He is so powerful He can take what is meant for evil and turn it into good.
For that I am glad. That low view of God will bring no comfort to a soul who is in tribulation.
Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:
Look at this amazing verse with me. Listen to what God says about Himself as He reveals His Sovereignty through the prophet Isaiah.
There is none like me. Aren’t you glad there is none like Him? If there were any like Him, then we would have to worry if our God was going to win. When two teams are evenly matched, the question of who is going to win the contest is in question—but that is not the case with God—there is none like Him. I can’t play basketball—I mean it—I really can’t play. I can foul and double dribble and miss shots like the best of them, but I can’t play to win. So if I were ever to get a chance to play basketball with Michael Jordan there wouldn’t be any question who was going to win our little one-on-one game. Jordan would win because “there is none like him.” (I know some would argue that Jordan is not that much better than others, but he works well for the illustration.)
Now look at verse 10. This is what God does—He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are NOT YET done. It doesn’t get any more sovereign than that. He is in charge. He declares the end from the beginning. When He wants the outcome a particular way it happens that way and it always happens that way. From the ancient times the things that are not yet done are done.
This is predestination. It can’t be denied. Some stick their head in the sand and pretend it doesn’t exist. Others try to make it a heresy because of the perception that man loses his “freewill.” Neither choice is acceptable. The Bible says He declares “the end from the beginning.” How He does this while preserving human freedom is a mystery and a remarkable thing that my finite brain struggles at comprehending. However, my inability to comprehend how he: 1) declares the end from the beginning, 2) can be moved by prayer toward certain actions, and 3) I have lots of freedom to make choices does not change the truth of this verse.
And this verse should be of the greatest comfort to all who believe. “How so?” you may ask. My answer is simple, “what is the point of praying to a God who is not powerful enough to declare the end from the beginning?” or is so absent from mankind like a deistic view of God that He doesn’t choose to declare the end from the beginning?” This verse should invoke within me faith. My God for whom there is none like Him has the power to declare the end from the beginning. That is powerful—that is Almighty! His counsel shall stand. He can and will do all He pleasures to do and there isn’t anyone who interferes with His purpose as He sees fit. From the beginning Satan (and all that is evil) have been trying to keep God from accomplishing His counsel and His pleasure but “it will stand!” For 6,000 years of human history God has been demonstrating that He accomplishes His good pleasure as He sees fit. In fact for 6,000+ years God has been demonstrating that He is so powerful He can take what is meant for evil and turn it into good.
For that I am glad. That low view of God will bring no comfort to a soul who is in tribulation.
Be Encouraged in God
It seems a day does not go by that I am not reminded of something that is troublesome about America (unless I ignore the media). The news continually feeds negative things about our Nation into my mind. And I am most thankful there is a God who is involved in the affairs of mankind and more directly intimately involved in the lives of his children. He knows the future. He directs the future. He is guiding the future to the plan that he has ordained. This means I should not worry. I should not be anxious. If he were not Sovereign—large and in charge—I might need to be concerned; but He is. While there is evil in the world—what is not happening is a cosmic struggle between good and evil in which there is still question has to who wins. That is not the case. God wins. He won, is winning and will winning. God was winning when Christ was dying. In fact there has never been a time when God was losing! I pray to and serve the God who always wins and there is never a moment when He isn’t winning. And what I need to recognize is that God winning is NOT tied to America’s perceived success as a nation. God has used American for his purposes and will continue to use America as he sees fit—like all other nations. He raises them up and he brings them down. This is why I need to trust in him and his plan.
God Keep Me from Sinning
Genesis 20:1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
Question
How sovereign is God? This is a very hard question. Theologians have wrestled with understanding God’s power and man’s free choice to do and NOT do things for thousands of years.
I want you to notice two verses in this text in verse four Abimelech had not had any sexual contact with Sarah—he states that he was innocent. In and of his own choosing he has yet to approach Sarah about a physical relationship. Why—look at verse 6.
Why—because God had kept Abimelech from sinning against Himself in and through Sarah. God, in a dream, says to Him, “I know you haven’t sinned against her it was I who kept you from sinning.” The sovereign God kept him from sinning—now someone wants to ask—could he have sinned against her? No. The text says God kept him from sinning. God had decided that Sarah was to remain pure in her marriage to Abraham. Therefore, He intervened in a unique and powerful way to protect Sarah from Abimelech’s polluting contact.
This is what I want God to do in my life. I want him to rule so powerfully in my life that He keeps me from sinning. I don’t want to sin. And I don’t value freedom so much that I want Him to leave me a choice to sin. I don’t want the choice to reject God. I don’t want the choice to walk about from my faith. I don’t anything to separate me from the love of God.
On the contrary, I want God to take away choices to sin. I need Him to silently, invisibly, powerfully, sovereignly rule in my life in such a way that He is removing opportunities, temptations, thoughts, and or choices to sin.
Isn’t this how the Lord taught the disciples to pray?
“Lord, rule in my life in such a powerful way that you guide me away from temptations and deliver me from sinful influences” (ref. Matt 6.13).
I want to spend more time praying like this--how about you?
Question
How sovereign is God? This is a very hard question. Theologians have wrestled with understanding God’s power and man’s free choice to do and NOT do things for thousands of years.
I want you to notice two verses in this text in verse four Abimelech had not had any sexual contact with Sarah—he states that he was innocent. In and of his own choosing he has yet to approach Sarah about a physical relationship. Why—look at verse 6.
Why—because God had kept Abimelech from sinning against Himself in and through Sarah. God, in a dream, says to Him, “I know you haven’t sinned against her it was I who kept you from sinning.” The sovereign God kept him from sinning—now someone wants to ask—could he have sinned against her? No. The text says God kept him from sinning. God had decided that Sarah was to remain pure in her marriage to Abraham. Therefore, He intervened in a unique and powerful way to protect Sarah from Abimelech’s polluting contact.
This is what I want God to do in my life. I want him to rule so powerfully in my life that He keeps me from sinning. I don’t want to sin. And I don’t value freedom so much that I want Him to leave me a choice to sin. I don’t want the choice to reject God. I don’t want the choice to walk about from my faith. I don’t anything to separate me from the love of God.
On the contrary, I want God to take away choices to sin. I need Him to silently, invisibly, powerfully, sovereignly rule in my life in such a way that He is removing opportunities, temptations, thoughts, and or choices to sin.
Isn’t this how the Lord taught the disciples to pray?
“Lord, rule in my life in such a powerful way that you guide me away from temptations and deliver me from sinful influences” (ref. Matt 6.13).
I want to spend more time praying like this--how about you?
God Keep Me from Sinning
Genesis 20:1 From there Abraham journeyed toward the territory of the Negeb and lived between Kadesh and Shur; and he sojourned in Gerar. 2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah. 3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said to him, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man's wife.” 4 Now Abimelech had not approached her. So he said, “Lord, will you kill an innocent people? 5 Did he not himself say to me, ‘She is my sister’? And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands I have done this.” 6 Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. 7 Now then, return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live. But if you do not return her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”
Question
How sovereign is God? This is a very hard question. Theologians have wrestled with understanding God’s power and man’s free choice to do and NOT do things for thousands of years.
I want you to notice two verses in this text in verse four Abimelech had not had any sexual contact with Sarah—he states that he was innocent. In and of his own choosing he has yet to approach Sarah about a physical relationship. Why—look at verse 6.
Why—because God had kept Abimelech from sinning against Himself in and through Sarah. God, in a dream, says to Him, “I know you haven’t sinned against her it was I who kept you from sinning.” The sovereign God kept him from sinning—now someone wants to ask—could he have sinned against her? No. The text says God kept him from sinning. God had decided that Sarah was to remain pure in her marriage to Abraham. Therefore, He intervened in a unique and powerful way to protect Sarah from Abimelech’s polluting contact.
This is what I want God to do in my life. I want him to rule so powerfully in my life that He keeps me from sinning. I don’t want to sin. And I don’t value freedom so much that I want Him to leave me a choice to sin. I don’t want the choice to reject God. I don’t want the choice to walk about from my faith. I don’t anything to separate me from the love of God.
On the contrary, I want God to take away choices to sin. I need Him to silently, invisibly, powerfully, sovereignly rule in my life in such a way that He is removing opportunities, temptations, thoughts, and or choices to sin.
Isn’t this how the Lord taught the disciples to pray?
“Lord, rule in my life in such a powerful way that you guide me away from temptations and deliver me from sinful influences” (ref. Matt 6.13).
How about you?
Question
How sovereign is God? This is a very hard question. Theologians have wrestled with understanding God’s power and man’s free choice to do and NOT do things for thousands of years.
I want you to notice two verses in this text in verse four Abimelech had not had any sexual contact with Sarah—he states that he was innocent. In and of his own choosing he has yet to approach Sarah about a physical relationship. Why—look at verse 6.
Why—because God had kept Abimelech from sinning against Himself in and through Sarah. God, in a dream, says to Him, “I know you haven’t sinned against her it was I who kept you from sinning.” The sovereign God kept him from sinning—now someone wants to ask—could he have sinned against her? No. The text says God kept him from sinning. God had decided that Sarah was to remain pure in her marriage to Abraham. Therefore, He intervened in a unique and powerful way to protect Sarah from Abimelech’s polluting contact.
This is what I want God to do in my life. I want him to rule so powerfully in my life that He keeps me from sinning. I don’t want to sin. And I don’t value freedom so much that I want Him to leave me a choice to sin. I don’t want the choice to reject God. I don’t want the choice to walk about from my faith. I don’t anything to separate me from the love of God.
On the contrary, I want God to take away choices to sin. I need Him to silently, invisibly, powerfully, sovereignly rule in my life in such a way that He is removing opportunities, temptations, thoughts, and or choices to sin.
Isn’t this how the Lord taught the disciples to pray?
“Lord, rule in my life in such a powerful way that you guide me away from temptations and deliver me from sinful influences” (ref. Matt 6.13).
How about you?
Gracious Election
Jesus said: Many are called, but few are chosen in Matthew 22:14. Many commentators skip right over this verse in their analysis of Matthew 22.
Here is one author's opinion.
22:14 many are called, but few are chosen. The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the “general call” (or the “external” call)—a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. This call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond (see the many-few comparison in 7:13, 14). Those who respond are the “chosen,” the elect. In the Pauline writings, the word “call” usually refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Rom. 8:30)—known as the “effectual call” (or the “internal” call). The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44. Here a general call is in view, and this call extends to all who hear the gospel—this call is the great “whosoever will” of the gospel (cf. Rev. 22:17). Here, then, is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them.
What do you think?
What was Jesus' point?
Here is one author's opinion.
22:14 many are called, but few are chosen. The call spoken of here is sometimes referred to as the “general call” (or the “external” call)—a summons to repentance and faith that is inherent in the gospel message. This call extends to all who hear the gospel. “Many” hear it; “few” respond (see the many-few comparison in 7:13, 14). Those who respond are the “chosen,” the elect. In the Pauline writings, the word “call” usually refers to God’s irresistible calling extended to the elect alone (Rom. 8:30)—known as the “effectual call” (or the “internal” call). The effectual call is the supernatural drawing of God which Jesus speaks of in John 6:44. Here a general call is in view, and this call extends to all who hear the gospel—this call is the great “whosoever will” of the gospel (cf. Rev. 22:17). Here, then, is the proper balance between human responsibility and divine sovereignty: the “called” who reject the invitation do so willingly, and therefore their exclusion from the kingdom is perfectly just. The “chosen” enter the kingdom only because of the grace of God in choosing and drawing them.
What do you think?
What was Jesus' point?
Read Psalm 81
Ps 81 was the Psalm to read today for my daily Bible reading plan:
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Notice the worship. God is commanding them to shout unto him. He tells them to blow the trumpet unto the Lord. They are to sing unto the Lord. When was the last time God heard you shout unto him?
When was the last time you cut loose and worshipped God?
God has delivered me from the bondage of a will that was intent on doing wrong every single waking moment of my life.
I too have been delivered from the bondage of Egypt. I too was a slave to sin with no hope outside of the almighty hand of God. I too was in need of a Savior who would deliver me from the oppression of the Evil one.
And my God my Lord and Savior has done just that. Praise the Lord.
Notice verse 8 God is admonishing them. God is the one who has rescued Israel and yet they are worshipping other gods.
May I be every so careful that I have no idols before God. None!
Verse 12 is scary. God forbid that I ever get to a point where God is giving me over to my stubborn heart. I don’t want the Sovereign God of the Universe to hand me over to my own counsel.
I don’t want the Creator God of the Universe expressing a desire that I follow him because I am consumed in idolatry after He rescued me from Egypt.
At the judgment Seat of Christ, I know I am going to be shocked at all that God intended to do for me but I would not. The finest wheat, the best honey, a mouth open wide are all ways of describing how God desires to bless fully devoted followers of Christ.
I don’t want to hear that God intended on protecting me from my enemies, that He had blessings that I forfeited because I would not serve Him with my whole heart.
May I head the admonishment of Psalm 81 today and every day.
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of Asaph.
1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
Notice the worship. God is commanding them to shout unto him. He tells them to blow the trumpet unto the Lord. They are to sing unto the Lord. When was the last time God heard you shout unto him?
When was the last time you cut loose and worshipped God?
God has delivered me from the bondage of a will that was intent on doing wrong every single waking moment of my life.
I too have been delivered from the bondage of Egypt. I too was a slave to sin with no hope outside of the almighty hand of God. I too was in need of a Savior who would deliver me from the oppression of the Evil one.
And my God my Lord and Savior has done just that. Praise the Lord.
Notice verse 8 God is admonishing them. God is the one who has rescued Israel and yet they are worshipping other gods.
May I be every so careful that I have no idols before God. None!
Verse 12 is scary. God forbid that I ever get to a point where God is giving me over to my stubborn heart. I don’t want the Sovereign God of the Universe to hand me over to my own counsel.
I don’t want the Creator God of the Universe expressing a desire that I follow him because I am consumed in idolatry after He rescued me from Egypt.
At the judgment Seat of Christ, I know I am going to be shocked at all that God intended to do for me but I would not. The finest wheat, the best honey, a mouth open wide are all ways of describing how God desires to bless fully devoted followers of Christ.
I don’t want to hear that God intended on protecting me from my enemies, that He had blessings that I forfeited because I would not serve Him with my whole heart.
May I head the admonishment of Psalm 81 today and every day.
Anxious About Tuesday November 4th?
Are you anxious about who is going to be elected President Tuesday?
Should you be anxious? It depends; if you are a follower of Jesus Christ the answer is no—NO! Regardless of what happens my conclusion must be: this was God’s will.
I base this upon God’s Sovereign rule over every election, appointment and establishment of governments throughout the world.
He, God, the Sovereign One raises up whom He sees fit.
If Senator Obama is the next President, I must conclude God has decided that He is God’s man—regardless of whether he is a Christian or not.
If Senator McCain is the next President, I must conclude God has decided that He is God’s man—regardless of whether he is a Christian or not.
I get this from the OT reference to Cyrus as God’s shepherd.
Isaiah 44:28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ”
(Personally, I don’t think either of them conducts themselves as though Jesus is the King!)
Above all, I must not be anxious—I have already cast my vote, but I will NOT advocate for a political party. My responsibility is to advocate for the gospel and the Word of God. I will speak on behalf of the unborn babies that are being aborted every day. I will speak on behalf of the acceptability and encouragement of alternative lifestyles that make God sick at how mankind perverts His sovereign plan for a man and woman united in holy matrimony.
What America needs far more than change enacted by one party or the other is the gospel. Christians who believe America is going to fall apart if one or the other candidate is elected have forgotten that Jesus is the King.
He rules in the Kingdom of men. America is my temporary home; my citizenship is in a Kingdom that will last forever. I vote as my civic duty, based upon what I believe God’s will is with regard to the platform each candidate stands for and then I recognize that God uses my vote as He sees fit to accomplish His Will and I am exceptionally thankful that He is Sovereign.
Should you be anxious? It depends; if you are a follower of Jesus Christ the answer is no—NO! Regardless of what happens my conclusion must be: this was God’s will.
I base this upon God’s Sovereign rule over every election, appointment and establishment of governments throughout the world.
He, God, the Sovereign One raises up whom He sees fit.
If Senator Obama is the next President, I must conclude God has decided that He is God’s man—regardless of whether he is a Christian or not.
If Senator McCain is the next President, I must conclude God has decided that He is God’s man—regardless of whether he is a Christian or not.
I get this from the OT reference to Cyrus as God’s shepherd.
Isaiah 44:28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ”
(Personally, I don’t think either of them conducts themselves as though Jesus is the King!)
Above all, I must not be anxious—I have already cast my vote, but I will NOT advocate for a political party. My responsibility is to advocate for the gospel and the Word of God. I will speak on behalf of the unborn babies that are being aborted every day. I will speak on behalf of the acceptability and encouragement of alternative lifestyles that make God sick at how mankind perverts His sovereign plan for a man and woman united in holy matrimony.
What America needs far more than change enacted by one party or the other is the gospel. Christians who believe America is going to fall apart if one or the other candidate is elected have forgotten that Jesus is the King.
He rules in the Kingdom of men. America is my temporary home; my citizenship is in a Kingdom that will last forever. I vote as my civic duty, based upon what I believe God’s will is with regard to the platform each candidate stands for and then I recognize that God uses my vote as He sees fit to accomplish His Will and I am exceptionally thankful that He is Sovereign.
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