Have you ever thought about what it takes to care for this sad old world we live in…
I believe God knows and is in control of the future of mankind, and all His creation on this globe we call earth.
— Can we even imagine what this task of controlling lives, and answering prayers requires?
1/ There are children (and adults) dying of lack and abuse all over the world. Dictators and warlords reign over great numbers of people and tribes, bringing upon their captive population great misery and abuse, as they themselves amass wealth and more power. Through media and missionary efforts most of the world’s population has heard of this Christ Gospel, and yet they choose to remain with their ancestral religions. (HOW SHOULD THEY BE DEALT WITH?)
2/ Also in this same time and space, new babies are being born by the millions, many into this same extremely abusive situation that those who don’t read or can’t read God’s Word live in. (HOW SHOULD THEY BE DEALT WITH?)
3/ Again we find that the whole world contains women without spousal support (single mothers) giving birth to millions more children unable to support even the children they are already the sole parent of.
— To our extreme grief, we find that a majority of this world, including these unfortunate mothers with children, don’t even realize that Jesus offers them a way to salvation and success.
— And more are being added to this number every day. (HOW SHOULD THEY BE DEALT WITH?)
4/ Then we have multiple millions who are preaching and living out the gospel that Jesus is the way to salvation, and eternal life. And they are silenced by torture and death in many countries. (HOW SHOULD THEY BE DEALT WITH?)
5/ Also we know of Christians who have raised their children to know God’s Word, the Bible, however, they have loved ones and family who have been enticed away from the faith and are not serving God. The parents and loved ones are regularly praying that God would be able to lead them back to salvation. (HOW SHOULD THEY BE DEALT WITH?)
6/ This is not even considering all the wars between nations and peoples with Christians on both sides of these conflicts.
If you acknowledge that these things are going on in this world, you may well ask, “How can these be happening if a loving God is in control? …And how on earth can He find any solution?”
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To answer, I have a story from your school days, and some thoughts from God’s Word… (Psalm 103)
1/ First I am going to take us all back to our school days… (I’m thinking more of High-school years).
— I assume that we’ve all participated in breaking some school rules during our time in High-school.
— So let’s take this example of young Johnny, he is in grade 9 and they are calling an assembly to talk about school spirit. He is not that interested, and so he and some pals decide to skip out of this mandatory call to assembly… (I’ve done similar things, and I was never caught and therefore didn’t suffer disciplinary action.)
— However, let’s assume that this time Johnny and his friends get caught. They are sent to the principal’s office, where he scolds them and gives them time in detention for the weeks to follow.
— John is not dissuaded, and he is caught again skipping class…
— Back to the principal’s office. This time the principal decides that a school suspension is in order, and John is not allowed back to school for two weeks.
I have a couple of points to be made from this common situation:
~ POINT #1/ Who is in control? (In the end, we must agree that the principal wins the control battle.)
~ POINT #2/ If the principal is in control, why was Johnny allowed to escape and break the rules? (Of course, in truth, the principal never allowed such a thing, for it was John’s decision to disobey the principal’s will and authority.)
God has given us a sacred ability as we live out our lives on HIS EARTH, to decide for ourselves whether we follow His guidance and will or not.
— Therefore, just as in this school situation, even though we can choose to disobey God’s will, in the end, we will come under God’s supreme authority and His just judgement for our behaviour. So just as in this school, the principal had the final say and therefore control, God also controls all of our inevitable outcomes.
— That end is written of in the Bible, and no one can enter eternal life in the New Heaven and the New Earth unless they have repented and yielded to God’s rule and authority. (SEE Acts 4:11-12 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. (12) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
— God has given you and me the choice to accept His redemption and to be saved, or we can reject Jesus’ sacrifice for our sin and choose to suffer the penalty ourselves.
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2/ Now for the positive aspect of God’s control, let’s turn to the Bible and see what God’s Word tells us from the song of testimony written by King David…
Psalm 103:1-22 (Of David.) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, (3) who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, (4) who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, (5) who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (6) The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. (7) He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. (8) The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (9) He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. (10) He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; (12) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (13) As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. (14) For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (15) As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; (16) for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. (17) But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, (18) to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. (19) The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (20) Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! (21) Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! (22) Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Let’s dive into these words in more detail…
Psalm 103:1-4 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! (2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, (3) who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, (4) who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, (5) who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
— Let’s discuss what blessing each verse names…
Psalm 103:(1) “all that is within me”; (2) “and forget not”; (3) “who forgives all… and heals”; (4) ” who redeems your life… who crowns you”; (5) “who satisfies you”…
Psalm 103:6 The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.
Psalm 103:7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.
Psalm 103:8-9 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (9) He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.
Psalm 103:10-12 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (11) For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; (12) as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Psalm 103:13-16 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. (14) For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (15) As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; (16) for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
Psalm 103:12-18 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, (18) to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.
Psalm 103:19-22 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. (20) Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! (21) Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! (22) Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
When we are confused about WHO IS IN CONTROL? …Remember King David’s close to this song;
Psalm 103:19 The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.
— I would ask that we conclude that only our Supreme God could ever manage this world and universe, and so like king David, we continue to praise and worship Him.
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We Christians, possess and need to live out this vital truth that God is in control.
— Fellow Christian, aren’t you glad that we can trust our All-knowing, Omnipresent, All-powerful, All-loving and Gracious God to have the wisdom and care to rule and control the future?
— How else could we find peace to sleep at night knowing the mess this world is in, and that our unsaved loved ones are in danger?
It truly is an act of God’s Holy Spirit within us that gives a peace that can only come from trusting God.
We will close and enter our time for prayer with this great SONG AND PRAYER…
JESUS LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US…