#2 When It Boils Down? Trusting A Sovereign God! Part #2

#2 WHEN IT BOILS DOWN? TRUSTING A SOVEREIGN GOD! PART #2

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I know procrastination is a prison that brings me much trouble, a lot of fear and many tears. I absolutely know I should free myself from procrastination, it fact I believe I will do that tomorrow!

DO WE UNDERSTAND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD? YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES: FEAR VS. FAITH. YOU DECIDE? WHEN IT ALL BOILS DOWN: WHAT REALLY MATTERS, THE CONCLUSION? WHAT IS THE MAIN THING? IN WHAT DO WE INVEST? WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE? THE FINAL WORD?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

TODAY MANY THINK GOD IS SANTA CLAUS, WE JUST MAKE OUR WISH LIST AND GOD IS OBLIGATED TO GIVE ME, GIVE ME. SEEMS WE SEARCHING FOR OZ? A UTOPIA?

THE ALTAR has been eliminated from many churches. We buy a tool to tell us if the music is too loud? We have ego issues who gets the loudest microphone? People sleep through the sermons because they were up all night watching movies they have seen before. We worship worship then we praise praise… All the while we seem to bypass GOD and His word? Perhaps COMMON SENSE “AIN’T TO COMMON ANY MORE?” We must never forget GOD IS SOVEREIGN!

Seems the QUESTION has become: GOD’S WILL OR WHAT I THINK? HOW CAN GOD’S WILL NOT ALIGN WITH MY WILL? WHERE IS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD?

GOD IS SOVEREIGN --- GOD ‘S SOVEREIGNTY CALLS FOR US TO HAVE FAITH AND COME INTO SUBMISSION AND TRUST. BY TRUSTING AND SUBMITTING TO HIS PLAN WE COME TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.

1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (MSG) I’m staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.

What is Sovereign? to possess power, have authority, potentate, unlimited power, greatest, exalted… God is the ultimate source of power.

The bottom line is: GOD IS IN ABSOLUTE CONTROL. Nothing happens outside of God’s influence and authority. God is above all. He is omnipotent, he is the alpha and omega. God is the glue that holds the universe together. God is omnipresent. The question boils down to: DO I TRUST GOD’S PLAN?

Let us remember from part #1, that King Herod’s desire to be popular caused him to PUT TO DEATH PREACHER JAMES. This so pleased the Jews, Herod had Peter arrested and put in jail awaiting Peter’s execution.

GOD IS SOVEREIGN AND HE NEVER OWES US AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT IS GOING ON …

COME LET US MAKE SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY BY LOOKING AT HOW SOME BIBLICAL CHARACTERS FACED PRISON.

HEROD WAS AN EVIL KING. This really pleased the JEWS in his kingdom. This helped established HEROD’S RULE, it worked so well HEROD THOUGHT: I WILL KILL SOME MORE PREACHERS TO PLEASE THE PEOPLE. PETER, ARREST AND THROWN INTO PRISON. This made the people happy and if the people are happy, King Herod is happy. Herod planned on killing Peter! IT WAS HOLIDAY SEASON so Herod delayed KILLING PETER. So Herod had 16 soldiers arrest and guard Peter until his EXECUTION.

THE CHURCH WAS CALLED TO SERIOUS PRAYER… around the clock the people prayed. They had just lost the ministry of James. They don’t want to dig the grave for another preacher. So they prayed.

AN ANGEL COMES, TELLS PETER PUT ON YOUR CLOTHES AND SHOES… THE DOOR OPENS AND PETER GOES TO THE PRAYER MEETING. PETER HAD A COMPLETE, TOTAL TRUST IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. PETER KNEW ABOUT JAMES, PETER KNEW HE WAS NEXT? Peter was sleeping? PETER WAS DELIVERED! God is sovereign.

SO GOD’S SOVEREIGN PLAN FOR JAIL BREAKS IS SENDING AN ANGEL AND OPENING THE DOOR TO RELEASING THE PRISONER? WELL, HOLD ON A MINUTE, GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK THE WAY YOU EXPECT HIM TOO… LET US TALK TO PAUL…

Paul and Silas: Two good preachers were hated by the people and those that was in power. The Jewish people did not like the preachers? But they really did not like the messages the preachers were preaching. So we come to another junction with the SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD. God allowed PAUL and SILAS TO BE BEATEN AND MISTREATED. Could God have stopped this? Sure he could have…

Remember hot water reveals what we really are. The same hot water that melts butter, hardens and egg and brings out the taste of tea. PRISONS, JAILS, STORMS, TRIALS WILL REVEAL YOU REALITY.