A Theme of God's Sovereignty

by Garth Gaddy

“I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.” –Is. 43:15

We believe that God created and owns everything (Gen. 1:1; Ps. 24:1), yet this verse still struck me. The psalmist explicitly says that God is the Creator of Israel. Consider the theme of His sovereignty throughout the Word:

Abram was chosen from among all the peoples of the world to receive a blessing (Gen. 12) and be the father of offspring numbered as the stars (Gen. 15). Abram was chosen not on the basis of anything he had to offer but rather chosen by God. Abraham’s son of the promise, Isaac, was conceived by parents of an impossible old age (Gen. 21). Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. The elder served the younger by God’s choice (Gen. 25). Before they were born, Jacob was chosen and Esau was rejected (Mal. 1:2, 3). Jacob was the father of the sons who became the tribes of Israel. One of his sons was Joseph who was sold by his brothers, enslaved, but later positioned by God for good (Gen. 50:19-21). Prior to death Jacob gave a blessing to his sons. Judah, one of those sons, received a blessing that pointed directly to Jesus (Gen. 49:10). Judah was an ancestor of Jesus.

In the book of Job, God chose to allow Satan to wreak havoc with Job’s life. Job questioned God, who responded in chapter 38, “Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?”. Job finally realizes the folly of his questioning in chapter 42; “I know that you can do all things,” “I uttered what I did not understand,” “I had heard of you…but now my eye sees you…I despise myself, and repent.”

In the New Testament we see God in the flesh sovereignly choosing His twelve disciples; healing some people but not all; choosing a zealous Pharisee who persecuted Christians–all to spread the Gospel. In Romans 9, we learn that God is the potter, and we are the clay. He chooses some as vessels of wrath and some as vessels of mercy. “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?” (Rom. 9:19).

The theme of God’s sovereignty extends throughout His Word. God chooses believers not because of greatness, righteousness, or anything else we have to offer (Titus 3:5). He is God, He is sovereign and He chooses for His glory. Our response must be humility, gratitude and submission.

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Rejoice in the Lord

by Ken Harvey

Do you find the endless demands of life pressing in on you and robbing you of your joy?  D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, in his book Spiritual Depression, comments, “Christian people too often seem to be perpetually in the doldrums and too often give this appearance of unhappiness and of lack of freedom and absence of joy.”  Herein lies a great test of our faith.  It is one thing to say that we believe proper doctrine; it is another thing to find complete joy, peace, contentment, and victory when life’s circumstances seem to weigh down on us.

In Philippians 4:4-7, God gives an answer. Continually “rejoice in the Lord.”  This is more than happy optimism. It is deep-seated joy that is rooted in the person and work of Christ. Recount what God has done for those who are united with Christ. Remember the cross. Remember that God is our Father and that He loves His own children. Remember the grace in which we stand (Romans 5:1, 10; 8).

While remembering that the Sovereign King reigns and is coming again, put off anxious thoughts. Paul’s charge is not to merely grunt it out and pull yourself together. The solution is not to tell yourself that worrying does not accomplish anything or that “worrying does not change anything.”  Lack of joy and peace is a spiritual issue with a spiritual solution. Through supplication and thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Be practical in your thanksgiving. Make a list of all the things you can be thankful for in your present circumstances. Go back and thank God for each item. Trust that God will be faithful to change your heart. This gracious transformation of heart and mind is a work of God. Through Christ Jesus, God’s peace will keep and guard our hearts and minds, the battleground of anxiety. Peace is a promise from Christ for His own (John 14:27).  The inverse is also true: there is no promise of peace for the wicked (Is. 48:44; 57:21).  Colossians 3:15b-17 provides similar instruction.  Finally, another promise of peace from Is. 26:3-4: You [God] will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

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A Recommendation: A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent

by Adam Bailie

Over the course of my Christian life I have read many influential books, been given many more influential books, and had countless books recommended to me for my growth in Christ. As pastors, our desire is to point you in the direction of the best resources for your growth in Christ and your understanding of His Word. This morning I would like to highlight one such resource: A Gospel Primer by Milton Vincent. If there are only a few books that you read thoroughly and repeatedly in your life, this one should be counted worthy of the list!

There is nothing more foundational to the Christian life than the power of God in the Gospel (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18). It is our source of life, foundation of hope, focus of worship and motivation for obedience. This is the Christian life...it is all about the Gospel! I am indebted to A Gospel Primer for its clear and concise help in preaching the Gospel daily to my own heart.

You may wonder why such self-preaching is so necessary and beneficial to your Christian growth in grace. Please consider Milton’s first of thirty-one answers to such a question: “The gospel is so foolish (according to my natural wisdom), so scandalous (according to my timid heart), that it is a daily battle to believe the full scope of it as I should. There is simply no other way to compete with the forebodings of my conscience, the condemning of my heart, and the lies of the world and Devil than to overwhelm such things with the daily rehearsal of the gospel” (pg. 14). The Gospel is our daily need, it must be our daily meditation, for it alone is our truth claim in the face of so many lies.

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The Power of God

By David Morris

Maybe it’s the boy in me, but I’ve always enjoyed seeing raw power on display. Whether it was my dad lifting objects I hardly thought possible, a tank steamrolling over everything in its path, or just a good old-fashioned explosion of something. Power awes me.

As I was reading 1 Corinthians 1:18, however, I was struck with what Paul said the power of God is. What comes to your mind when you think about the power of God? Do you wish you could see it on display? Do you long for a powerful God to show Himself in your life? Maybe you wish you could see God’s power in signs and wonders, or maybe a brilliant display in nature. Paul emphatically declares that you can know and see God’s power on display. Here’s how: “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 

Notice Paul does not say the cross is the power of God. He says the word of the cross is the power of God. The declaration of the cross, the Gospel message, the pronouncement of the sacrificial death of Jesus—this is the power of God. If you want to see the power of God most clearly on display, then listen to the word of the cross. This verse echoes the same thought of Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” 

Notice too that this display of God’s power is not universal. The cross message is only God’s power to those who are being saved. Unbelievers cannot hear about the crucifixion and see God’s power in it, nor can they experience that saving power. God’s power is on display in the Gospel only for believers. If you cannot see God’s power in the Gospel, you cannot know His salvation. If you do see His power in the Gospel, you cannot stop marveling.

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The Greatest Commandment

by Andy Muxlow

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

God’s clear and simple command is a refreshing reminder of our primary call as believers. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6 when asked by the Pharisees which is the greatest commandment in the Law. We are to genuinely love God with everything we have and in everything we do. Does all our ministry activity begin out of a love for God or has any root of legalism and routine robbed us of serving Him? It is important to ask ourselves the simple question “Why do we do what we do?” Our motives are of utmost concern to our Lord. Our heavenly Father sent His Son to pay for our sins on the cross. Let this reality drive us to live out our love for Him from renewed hearts.

This pure command of Scripture should be on our minds throughout the day. It should be a part of our daily conversation with our children and our meditation in the normal activities of the day. What a gift from our gracious God! It makes it difficult to have a bad day.

So, the question you might ask is “How do I do this?” I believe the answer is in the command. LOVE GOD with all your heart, soul and might. As you walk in the Spirit, God will enable you to obey His commands and He will receive all the glory. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey me.” I pray you will be refreshed in your love and devotion to our Christ and His wonderful saving grace.

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