God Still Reigns
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Intro
God Is Still King v. 1-2
God Is Still King v. 1-2
God is King over all Heaven. No one is allowed to sit in the presence of an earthly king but no man can stand in the presence of the King of Heaven. He is between the cherubims in the place of honor and glory. Where they rest not day and night saying, Holy holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
He is the King over all the earth. He is still in control of your circumstances and mine. The creation responds to its creator “Let the earth be moved!”
God is our sovereign. This does not mean that He decrees everything that happens, but that all that He decrees will be so.
Whether this year has been full of joy or sorrow for you, God sees and knows. He is still your King. In the midst of difficulties, look to God!
20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, A tabernacle that shall not be taken down; Not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, Neither shall any of the cords thereof be broken. 21 But there the glorious Lord will be unto us A place of broad rivers and streams; Wherein shall go no galley with oars, Neither shall gallant ship pass thereby. 22 For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, The Lord is our king; he will save us.
God is above our troubles, He is above our sin, He is above our faulty thinking and flawed viewpoints. Yet He reaches down to you and I and exalts us as His Sons.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Be reminded tonight that God is still King.
And God is still Holy.
God Is Still Holy v. 3, 5
God Is Still Holy v. 3, 5
No matter how dark the wickedness of man becomes, God is still the Light.
How thankful we ought to be for God’s holiness. If it were not for God’s holiness how dark would the night be? Without His holiness how would we know what is good and what is evil?
Things become so twisted as mankind perverts his own mind. What was right 50 years ago is now being condemned and what was wrong 50 years ago is somehow celebrated today. God never changes.
6 For I am the Lord, I change not; Therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
God is Holy.
God Is Still Just v. 4
God Is Still Just v. 4
King’s strength also loveth judgment refers to the fact that a King’s strength is tied in relationship to His judgment. A good king makes wise judgments, a bad king makes poor ones.
A rash decision by a leader affects many people. For the sake of those over whom God has placed you, make wise judgments.
God is always just in His decisions. He is never rash or overly harsh, neither does He hesitate to execute punishment when it is warranted except when He chooses to have mercy.
Having said all this, it is clear from Scripture that God’s judgment is different from mine. When sin makes me angry, I rush to judgment. But God is different from us.
3 The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked: The Lord hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of his feet.
A heart that can be governed is more valuable than physical strength.
32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; And he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.
Our God demonstrates this power in every decision He makes. God is Just.
God Is Still Faithful v. 6-7
God Is Still Faithful v. 6-7
We find Moses, Aaron, and Samuel mentioned in this text for good reason. They, in Israel’s history are some of the men who had the unique opportunity to speak with God like Abraham did. These men were the leaders of Israel and interceded on behalf of the people to God. They stood between God and the people.
If you would understand the role of the priest, one particular story in the Old Testament shows the work of Aaron the priest and puts it in a special light.
As they are turning: The situation in this passage is dire. Korah and his insurrection against Moses have been swallowed up into the earth and those that offered incense have been consumed by fire from the Lord. But now the people are murmuring against Moses saying, “Ye have killed the people of the Lord!”
In response, God sends a devastating plague on the people. But Moses would not stand idly by and watch his people be destroyed. Read what happens in Numbers 16:44-50.
44 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces. 46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the Lord; the plague is begun. 47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people. 48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed. 49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah. 50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
See Aaron standing between God’s wrath and those who have been judged by it and the people, symbolizing a protection, an intercessor, a mediator between God and His wrath and man.
This is what is significant about these men of Israel, they stood between the people and God to intercede for them. AND GOD HEARD THEM AND ANSWERED THEM! He answered them because they kept the Word He gave them (v. 7). He answered them because He is faithful.
Today, you might be thinking, well, we don’t have a priest like that. YES WE DO!
Jesus Christ is our High Priest who stands between us and God. When we, through the Holy Spirit pray, Jesus Christ intercedes for you and me and we have standing with the Father because of His righteousness.
God is faithful in hearing and answering our prayer.
Don’t worry, pray! God is faithful!
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
It is a wonderful thing to know that you have someone praying for you. Someone that can really get ahold of the throne of God and who seems to have every prayer heard and answered by God.
But we must realize, that we each have that potential because we all have the same high priest.
God Is Still Merciful v. 8
God Is Still Merciful v. 8
Not only did he hear their prayers, He answered their prayers, and He forgave them. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as much as they were men of God had as much fault in them as you and I. They were men, they required mercy at the hand of a Holy God. But God was merciful.
God is still merciful today.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
When we come to Christ for mercy, believing that He is the only solution for our sin. He will not reject you. He is faithful and He is merciful.
God Is Still Good v. 9
God Is Still Good v. 9
Not a soul on this earth can rightly accuse God of being evil to them. God is good in every time, in every way, in everything.
God’s ways are higher than ours. He sees the end before the beginning and He works all things together for good to them who love Him.