Saturday, March 3, 2012

The Ways of God are Sovereign

God is sovereign over Creation
For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One He loves. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:4-8 


Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. Daniel 2:20-21 
 
God is Sovereign over Worry
"When believers worry, they may actually be trying to control a situation or believe that the situation is too difficult for God."(58)
"God's purpose in working through us is not to help us be successful or even worry-free, but to use our lives as a means by which He reveals Himself."(59)

God is Sovereign over Circumstances
"The difference between the daily lives of believers and those who are not Christians ought to be an incredible sense of peace."(61) 

 God is Sovereign over All We Have
"Having faith and trust in God is a choice. We can either worry or trust God who is sovereign. We can insist on going our own way or we can accept His wisdom and His guidance to know what to do. (67)


If we truly believe that God created and controls all things - there's no room for worry, only trust. When we can really let go of worry and start trusting God, He fills us with a peace that can only be experienced in Him. This kind of peace is not a "health and wealth" kind of thinking. It is a "no matter what the situation, may God be glorified in me" attitude.


Quotes from: Blackaby, Henry T. & Roy T. Edgemon, The Ways of God. (Nashville, TN: LifeWay, Church Resources, 2001.)