WISE - Sovereignty of God

Partake - Words In Scripture Explored – Sovereignty of God.

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G’day! Welcome to WISE. The word for today is Sovereignty of God.

The sovereignty of God means that God is in control at all times and nothing can occur outside of His control and will. God loves His creation and cares for it. He won’t deny people their humanity when dealing with them.

Decrees – a part of Sovereignty

Sovereign decree: When God says “Eternal life is available for all. You may choose to accept or reject it. Those that accept it, I will call my children.” Your own reaction as a Christian Disciple is that you have taken up God’s offer and are trusting and obeying.

Conditional decree: When God says “I am willing to give you my opinion and help when you ask.” Our reaction should be to read the Bible, and pray and talk to God about the situation!

Natural decree: When God has created a lemon tree, that lemon tree wont produce potatoes.” Our reaction should be to plan in view of that.

But!

A question often posed is one that goes “Well if God is sovereign, then why doesn’t He do something about the suffering of the masses such as those in who are dying for lack of food?” But God has done something about it! God has provided enough food for all people everywhere, just that we in the West are greedy! So the problem is not with God, but with people! God’s provision to all people has become God’s provision for the minority, through humanity’s inhumanity to others. As for other kinds of suffering, that’s part of the reason for the cross, where God Himself experienced human suffering when Jesus died on the cross: Jesus, the man who was both fully God and fully human. God is not so removed from our sufferings, which He Himself endured and suffered at the Cross. Just because God allows free will to all people to sin, doesn’t mean that God is responsible for the sin – that is, and must remain, people’s responsibility! If not, we would all just be robotic automatons instead of free people.

God knows…

God’s sovereignty is inclusive in that it covers all actions of people, good or bad (Acts 2v23; Ephesians 2v10). The foundation of God’s sovereignty is wisdom according to Paul (Ephesians 3:8-11). So, when we are faced with a decision, God knows what is going to occur. He knows all the options and choices. It is important when faced with making decisions to pray about it and read the Bible. He seeks you to respond to Him with love and affection. Why not start today, and ask Him for help? God is interested in every facet of your life. If He were not, then He couldn’t be personal, and He certainly wouldn’t be sovereign!

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Remember Who You Are - Colossians 3v1-4

This was uploaded today because I gave these bible verses to Lorri Mazara -Pringle on the occasion of her baptism on August 10th, 2008!!

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Colossians 3v1-4 “Remember Who You Are!”

Preached as my homiletics assessment in Year 1.

3:1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God.

3:2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth.

3:3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

3:4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory.

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POD - Psalm 11

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Psalm 11

11:1 In Yahweh, I take refuge.

How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”

11:2 For, behold, the wicked bend their bows.

They set their arrows on the strings,

that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.

11:3 If the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?

11:4 Yahweh is in his holy temple.

Yahweh is on his throne in heaven.

His eyes observe.

His eyes examine the children of men.

11:5 Yahweh examines the righteous,

but the wicked and him who loves violence his soul hates.

11:6 On the wicked he will rain blazing coals;

fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

11:7 For Yahweh is righteous.

He loves righteousness.

The upright shall see his face.

World English Bible

As read by Sharona

POD - Psalm 10

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Psalm 10

10:1 Why do you stand far off, Yahweh?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
10:2 In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak.
They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s cravings.
He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh.
10:4 The wicked, in the pride of his face,
has no room in his thoughts for God.
10:5 His ways are prosperous at all times.
He is haughty, and your laws are far from his sight.
As for all his adversaries, he sneers at them.
10:6 He says in his heart, “I shall not be shaken.
For generations I shall have no trouble.”
10:7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and oppression.
Under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
10:8 He lies in wait near the villages.
From ambushes, he murders the innocent.
His eyes are secretly set against the helpless.
10:9 He lurks in secret as a lion in his ambush.
He lies in wait to catch the helpless.
He catches the helpless, when he draws him in his net.
10:10 The helpless are crushed.
They collapse.
They fall under his strength.
10:11 He says in his heart, “God has forgotten.
He hides his face.
He will never see it.”10:12 Arise, Yahweh!
God, lift up your hand!
Don’t forget the helpless.
10:13 Why does the wicked person condemn God,
and say in his heart, “God won’t call me into account?”
10:14 But you do see trouble and grief.
You consider it to take it into your hand.
You help the victim and the fatherless.
10:15 Break the arm of the wicked.
As for the evil man, seek out his wickedness until you find none.
10:16 Yahweh is King forever and ever!
The nations will perish out of his land.
10:17 Yahweh, you have heard the desire of the humble.
You will prepare their heart.
You will cause your ear to hear,
10:18 to judge the fatherless and the oppressed,
that man who is of the earth may terrify no more.

As read by Ian Wakeham

POD - Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

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