Wednesday, November 21, 2012

God's Sovereignty in Choosing Our Leaders



          The recent presidential election was a long and arduous process that left many,
     including me, exhausted, and anxious about our country's future.  Of course, I did
     not want Barack Obama to be re-elected, and tried to do what I could to persuade
     others to vote for Mitt Romney; not because I was a huge Romney fan, but because
     I felt Obama would continue to lead us in the wrong direction, financially and
     spiritually, due to the unbiblical beliefs he espouses.

          God certainly wants good citizens to be involved in the political process,
     because our future will be affected by who is elected as our president.  However,
     in the end, God is in control of the presidential election, just as He is sovereign
     over all human affairs. 

          Even though the election did not turn out the way I wanted, I can take solace
     in the fact that God makes the final decision on who is elected, and His ways are
     not my ways.  He knows best, and what He desires will be accomplished.


                                 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
                                  neither are your ways my ways," declares
                                  the LORD. 
                                 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
                                  so are my ways higher than your ways
                                  and my thoughts than your thoughts.
                 
                                 "As the rain and the snow come down from
                                  heaven, and do not return to it without
                                  watering the earth and making it bud and
                                  flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower
                                  and bread for the eater, so is my word that
                                  goes out from my mouth:  It will not return
                                  to me empty, but will accomplish what I
                                  desire and achieve the purpose for which
                                  I sent it."
                                                                          Isaiah 55:8-11


          John Piper comments on the election:

                           " ... let there be no man-exalting illusion as though mere
                             human beings will be the decisive cause in any victory
                             or loss.  God alone will have that supreme role."


                                  "He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings
                                   and deposes them."
                                                                       Daniel 2:21

                                 " ... the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms
                                   of men and gives them to anyone He wishes and
                                   sets over them the lowliest of men."
                                                                       Daniel 4:17b


          God establishes all governmental leaders on the earth, and we are to submit
     to their authority because God has appointed them for His own purposes.


                                  "Everyone must submit himself to the governing
                                   authorities, for there is no authority except that
                                   which God has established.  The authorities that
                                   exist have been established by God."
                                                                           Romans 13:1


         Presidents and kings are given power by God, but these powers are limited by Him.
     God is still sovereign over everything.


            John Piper concludes:

                           "[Barack Obama] will not be sovereign.  He will be governed.
                             And we should pray for him that he would know this:

                                     'The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of
                                       the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.'
                                                                                 Proverbs 21:1

            Piper continues:
                            "And when he engages in foreign affairs he will not be decisive.
                             God will."

                                     'The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
                                      he frustrates the plans of the peoples.  The counsel of
                                      the Lord stands forever; the plans of his heart to all
                                      generations."
                                                                               Psalm 33:10-11
















                                
                                  
      
    

Monday, November 19, 2012

God is Sovereign Over Big AND Small



                                    "There are no stray molecules in the universe."
                                                                                  R.C. Sproul

                                                          **********
                        
          God is sovereign over everything, no matter how big or small.

     The story of Jonah expresses this truth as well as any story in the Bible.
     It also shows God's grace, mercy, and love, and His justice, wrath, and for-
     giveness.
          

                                                          **************


          Here's a  recap of Jonah, and how God used him to display His sovereignty.
    
                            God told Jonah to go and call the people of Nineveh to account
                            for their evil ways, but Jonah resisted because Nineveh was the
                            enemy of Israel.  So, he fled from God on a ship going to Tarshish.
                            (It's never a good idea to run from God, is it?).

                            God sent a strong wind that threatened to destroy the ship Jonah
                            was on, along with many others.  Even though the sailors were
                            accustomed to storms, this one was big enough to frighten them
                            so much that they called out to their gods for help.

                           Being superstitious, they decided to cast lots to find out who on
                           board had done something to cause the gods to be angry.  The lot
                           fell on Jonah, and they asked Jonah, "what is this that you have done!"
                           for they knew that he was fleeing from God, because he had told them
                           (Jonah 1:10).

                           As the seas grew more tempestuous, Jonah told the men to throw him
                           overboard, and maybe that would satisfy God's anger and allow the
                           others on board to survive.  So, they threw him overboard, and im-
                           mediately the storm ceased, causing the men to fear God and offer
                           sacrifices to Him.


                           "And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. 
                            And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights."
                                                                                                  Jonah 1:17

                 
                           Soon, Jonah was sorry for what he had done and repented and promised
                           to do what God wanted him to do. 

                                     "And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out
                                       upon the dry land."
                                                                                                   Jonah 2:10

                           For the second time, God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell them that
                           Nineveh would be overthrown in forty days.  He did, and the people
                           repented and turned to God, and
                                                          "when God saw what they did, how they turned
                                                            from their evil ways, He had compassion and did
                                                            not bring upon them the destruction He had
                                                            threatened."
                                                                                                    Jonah 3:10

                         
                          However, Jonah was angry at God for forgiving the people of Nineveh,
                          because he wanted God to be good only to the Israelites and not to the
                         Gentiles also.  He pleaded with God to take his life, for he did not
                         want to live if the people of Israel no longer had favored status with
                         God.

                         But, God was not through with Jonah yet, and as Jonah waited to see what
                         would happen to Nineveh, he made a booth for himself there.  God appointed
                         a plant to grow over Jonah to provide shade for him from the hot sun, and
                         to save him from his discomfort.  Jonah was glad for the shade from the plant,
                         but at dawn God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.

                         Then God appointed a scorching east wind and the sun to beat down on the
                         head of Jonah so that he almost fainted.  Again, he asked God to take his life,
                         but God asked him if it was right to be angry that the plant had died.   Jonah
                         said it WAS right, and he was angry enough to die.

                                     "And the LORD said, 'You pity the plant, for which you
                                      did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into
                                      being in a night and perished in a night.  And should not
                                      I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than
                                      120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from
                                      their left, and also much cattle?' "
                                                                                            Jonah 4:10-11

                        "God's love for the people of Nineveh, whom He had created, is far
                         different from Jonah's indifference to their damnation and greater
                         than Jonah's warped concern for a wild plant for which he had done
                         nothing.  God was ready to spare Sodom for 10 righteous; how much
                         more a city that includes 120,000 small children, identified as those
                         who cannot discern the right hand from the left.  With that many three
                         or four year old children, it is reasonable to expect a total population
                         in excess of 600,000."
                                                                       John MacArthur


                                                               **********

                        As you can see, God showed His sovereignty throughout this episode
                        in Jonah's life.

                        * God hurled a great wind on the sea to cause a huge storm.

                        * God guided the casting of lots so that it fell on Jonah.
                         ("The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD").
                                                                                               Proverbs 16:33

                        * As soon as the men threw Jonah overboard, God caused the storm to
                          cease.

                        * God appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and He kept him alive
                          for three days and nights inside the fish.

                        * After he repented and turned back to God, the LORD caused the fish to
                          vomit Jonah out on the dry land so he wouldn't drown.

                        * God appointed a plant to grow over Jonah and give him shade.

                        * God appointed a worm to attack the plant and destroy it the next day.

                        * God appointed a scorching east wind and caused the sun to beat down
                          on Jonah so that he was faint.

                        * God showed compassion and forgave the people of Nineveh for their
                          evil ways.


                                                               **********


                       "God is sovereign over what appears the most random acts in the world.
                         In modern language we would say, 'The dice are rolled on the table and
                         every play is decided by God (Proverbs 16:33).'

                       "There are no events so small that He does not rule for His purposes.
                          'Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?' Jesus said, 'And not one of
                          them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.  But even the hairs
                          of your head are all numbered' (Matthew 10:29-30).

                       "Every role of the dice in Las Vegas, every tiny bird that falls dead in the
                         thousand forests -- all of this is God's command."
                                                                                             John Piper 


                                     
                                                 


                          
                          

                          

    

    

Friday, November 16, 2012

God's Promise of Eternal Life



                          "When God writes our name in the 'Lamb's Book of Life,'
                            He doesn't do it with an eraser handy. He does it for eternity."
                                                                                  R.C. Sproul


                                                                **********


          From the beginning, God wrote His children's names in the "Lamb's Book of
     Life," signifying that they were His for eternity, and they would live with Him
     forever.

                                      "He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white.
                                        I will never blot his name from the book of life, but I
                                        will acknowledge his name before my Father and His
                                        angels."
                                                                                          Revelation 3:5

          An 'overcomer' is a Christian, one who has 'overcome' the world.

                                      "For everyone who has been born of God
                                       overcomes the world.  And this is the victory
                                       that has overcome the world -- our faith.
                                       Who is it that overcomes the world except the
                                       one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"
                                                                                           1 John 5:4-5


                          "A divine journal records the names of all those whom God has
                           chosen to save and who, therefore, are to possess eternal life.
                           Under no circumstances will He erase those names, as city
                           officials often did of undesirable people on their rolls."
                                                                                          John MacArthur

           The lost will eventually worship the Antichrist, but the redeemed will be safe
     from his power.

                                       "... and all who dwell on earth will worship it (Antichrist),
                                       everyone whose name has not been written before the
                                       foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb
                                       who was slain."
                                                                                            Revelation 13:8


                          "According to God's eternal, electing purpose before creation,
                           the death of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever
                           (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).  Antichrist can never take away the sal-
                           vation of the elect.  The eternal registry of the elect will never
                           be altered, nor will the saved in the Antichrist's day worship him.
                           The Lord Jesus who died to purchase the salvation of those whom
                           God had chosen was fulfilling an eternal plan."
                                                                                          John MacArthur


          Only the children of God have their names written in the 'Lamb's Book of Life,'
     and will spend eternity in heaven with God.

                                      "But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor
                                       anyone who does what is detestable or false,
                                       but only those who are written in the Lamb's
                                       book of life."
                                                                          Revelation 21:27


          The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of salvation and eternal life for the believer.


                                      "In Him (Jesus) you also when you heard the word
                                       of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed
                                       in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,
                                       who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we
                                       acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory."
                                                                          Ephesians 1:13-14

           Jesus said that we should rejoice if our names are written in heaven.

                                      "Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits
                                        are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are
                                        written in heaven."
                                                                          Luke 10:20


          God has promised eternal life to those who believe in His Son.


                                     [Jesus said], "Truly, truly, I say to you whoever
                                     hears my word and believes him who sent me
                                     has eternal life.  He does not come into judg-
                                     ment, but has passed from death to life."
                                                                            John 5:24


                                     "And this is the promise that He made to us --
                                      eternal life."
                                                                            1 John 2:25
                                       
                                     

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

"A Monstrous Lie"



                                "This little expression, 'It doesn't matter what you believe
                                  as long as you're sincere,' is a monstrous lie."
                                                                                      R.C. Sproul


                                                           ***********************


          Have you ever heard those words before?  I have -- many times.
     "Believe what you want, just as long as you are sincere about it," or "There
     are many paths to God," are other common statements people make to justify
     their attempts to worship a god they prefer, rather than the one true God of the
     Bible.


                               "Mormon Jesus, Watchtower Jesus, Catholic Jesus, postmodern/
                                emergent Jesus, mystical Jesus, Pelagian Jesus, prosperity gos-
                                pel Jesus, ascetic Jesus, universalist Jesus, good example Jesus,
                               American Jesus, social justice Jesus ... I could go on, but you
                               get the point. 
                               There is a Jesus for everyone, or if not, anyone can create his own.
                               But only one Jesus saves, and that Jesus is the Jesus of the Bible.
                               If you don't know what the Bible says about Jesus, and trust in
                               that Jesus, your faith is misplaced, and your hope is in vain."
                                                                            The Thirsty Theologian


          So, who does the Bible say Jesus is?

          In Mark, God the Father calls Jesus His Son.

                               "As Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven
                                being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a
                                dove.  And a voice came from heaven: 'You are my Son,
                                whom I love; with you I am well pleased.' "
                                                                                  Mark 1:10-11


          The writer of Hebrews called Jesus "the Son of God."  We should put our
          faith in Him.

                               "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone
                                 through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
                                 firmly to the faith we profess."
                                                                                  Hebrews 4:14



          Jesus, Himself, claimed to be equal to the Father.  The Father, Son, and Holy
     Spirit are one in essence or nature; one Being, but three Persons.

                               [Jesus said], "I and the Father are one."
                                                                                 John 10:30



          Jesus said He is the only way to come to the Father and be saved.

                              "I am the way and the truth and the life.
                               No one comes to the Father except through me"
                                                                                John 14:6


          Those who don't believe in Jesus stand condemned already because of their
     unbelief.

                              "Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned,
                                but whoever does not believe stands condemned al-
                                ready because he has not believed in the name of
                                God's one and only Son."
                                                                                John 3:18


          The Bible says that everyone who trusts in Jesus will be saved.

                               "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved --
                                you and your household."
                                                                                 Acts 16:31

                               "But these are written that you may believe that
                                Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
                                believing you may have life in His name."
                                                                                 John 20:31


          Salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the God
     of the Bible!

                              "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no
                               other name under heaven given to men by which
                               we must be saved."
                                                                                 Acts 4:12


           
                                                                                

Monday, November 12, 2012

"Trees Do Not Eat Their Own Fruit!"



                                    "Trees do not eat their own fruit!  The fruit is for others."
                                                                                 Paul Washer


          Christians are to share the fruit of the Spirit with other people.  We are not to
     keep it to ourselves, but should give it away to show others who God is, so they
     will come to Him for salvation.


          What is this fruit?

                                        "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. peace,
                                         patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
                                         gentleness, and self-control; against such
                                         things there is no law."
                                                                            Galatians 5:22-23


           "When a Christian walks by the Spirit and manifests his fruit, he needs no
             external law to produce the attitudes and behavior that please God."
                                                                            John MacArthur


                                       "By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful
                                        flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,
                                        in order that the righteous requirement of the law
                                        might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according
                                        to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
                                                                            Romans 8:3b-4

                                                          ***************


          When we love the unlovely, we bear fruit.

          When we show the joy of the Lord to others, we bear fruit.

          When we have peace with God and our fellow man, we bear fruit.

          When we show patience to the impatient, we bear fruit.

          When we are kind to those in need, we bear fruit.

          When we are good to those who can't repay us, we bear fruit.

          When we are faithful to God and His Word, we bear fruit.

          When we are humble, gentle, and meek, we bear fruit.

          When we turn from our fleshly desires, and to God, we bear fruit.

                                                *****************

                                      [Jesus said], "I am the vine, and my Father is the
                                      vinedresser.  Every branch in me that does not bear
                                      fruit He takes away, and every branch that does bear
                                      fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."
                                                                                   John 15:1-2

          "The picture is of the vinedresser (the Father) getting rid of dead wood so
            that the living, fruit-bearing branches may be sharply distinguished.  This
            is a picture of apostate Christians who never genuinely believed and will
            be taken away in judgment; the transforming life of Christ has never pul-
            sated within them. 
            God removes all things in the believer's life that would hinder fruit bearing,
            i.e., He chastises to cut away sin and hindrances that would drain spiritual
            life just as the farmer removes anything on the branches that keep them from
            bearing maximum fruit."
                                                                                    John MacArthur


                                      "Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch
                                       cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides
                                       in the vine, neither can you, unless you
                                       abide in me.  I am the vine; you are the
                                       branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in
                                       him, he it is that bears much fruit, for a-
                                       part from me you can do nothing."
                                                                                John 15:4-5


           "The word 'abide' means to remain or stay around.  The 'remaining' is evidence
             that salvation has already taken place and not vice versa.  The fruit or evidence
             of salvation is continuance in service to Him and His teaching.  The abiding
             believer is the only legitimate believer.  Abiding and believing actually are
             addressing the same issue of genuine salvation."
                                                                                John MacArthur


                                     [Jesus said to the disciples], "You did not choose me,
                                     but I chose you and appointed you that you should
                                     go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so
                                     that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may
                                     give it to you."
                                                                                John 15:16


         "In case any pretense might exist among the disciples in terms of spiritual pride
          because of the privileges they enjoyed, Jesus made it clear that such privilege
          rested not in their own merit, but on His sovereign choice of them.  God chose
          Israel (Isa. 45:4), but not for any merit.  God elected angels to be forever holy
          (1 Tim. 5:21).  He elected believers to salvation apart from any merit (Rom.
          8:29-33; Eph. 1:3-6; Col. 3:12; Titus 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:2).  One purpose of God's
          sovereign election is that the disciples who have been blessed with such reve-
          lation and understanding should produce spiritual fruit."
                                                                              John MacArthur


          God's people will continue to produce fruit throughout their lives, through the
     power of the Holy Spirit.

                                       "The righteous flourish lie the palm tree and grow
                                         like a cedar in Lebanon.  They are planted in the
                                         house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts
                                         of our God.  They still bear fruit in old age; they
                                         are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the
                                         LORD is upright; He is my rock, and there is no
                                         unrighteousness in Him."
                                                                               Psalm 92:12-15