Don't Fret, Don't Fear...God is Still in Control

Ps 9:7-8 - “The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity.”

In the wake of Tuesday’s election results

It would be easy to have feelings of disappointment and disillutionment.

It would be easy to be baffled and broken-hearted.

It may seem that evil won over good.

It would appear that hatred won over hope.

And loathing over love

But what I would tell you is that in the Word of God, in the manual for our lives that is above every other manual, are penned these words and you’ll find them in 2 Cor 4 while

we may be troubled on every side—we are not distressed

we may be perplexed—but we are not in despair

we may be persecuted—but we are not forsaken

we may even be cast down—but we are not destroyed

Because what we know is,

we who are saved,

we who are believers,

we who claim to be disciples of Jesus Christ—

we know that, God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. So we don’t have to fear. It doesn’t matter who’s in the White House, outhouse, or even your house.

Yes I said your house because the divisiveness of this election, the hate and constant discord that was pushed out on a daily and even hourly basis has caused splits, even amongst family members.

I want to let you know this morning, that when things begin to fall apart, don’t look to the government to fix it. Look to the hills from whence comes your help and understand that your help comes from the Lord.

Understand, we are a nation built on godly principles, one nation under God. We did not want a ruler, dictator, or king to lead us. And so we established three branches of government.

We have the judicial branch consisting of our US Supreme Court with its nine justices.

The Legislative Branch consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

And the Executive Branch which includes the president, vice president, the state department and 13 other executive departments and other federal agencies, commissions and commitees.

Our government was set up that way so no one branch or person had too much power.

So why the civics lesson? I give you that because we read in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

I give you the civics lesson because I want you to know what and who you’re praying for.

Because when your leader follows God, you can live peaceable lives, but when they don’t, when they believe they can rule, when they are only out for themselves, when they seek to harm those whom they have authority over, we have to know that God is our stong tower and we can run into it and be safe.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you this morning that as a nation, we have lost our way. We have become lazy, disobedient people who will not heed the Word of the Lord. Refusing to leave bedside baptist and kitchen cathedral to return to the church house and reengage as a part of a congregation responsible for carrying out the mission God has given.

Refusing to be obedient to the word that says “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Yet you’ll go to the restaurants, Wal~Mart and the Mall without a second thought.

As a people we have become hard-headed and stiff necked who think that just because we take a vote, we can have it our way.

But God says not so. He says, my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts. So whatever you think,

if it’s not what God said,

if it’s not in the nature and character of God,

if it’s not holy,

if it’s not righteous,

if it’s not pleasing to God…

then it is beneath His standard for our lives.

To say it more plainly, it’s sin and sin has consequences. And so here we are, about to have a hate mongering, vengeful man with a list of people he considers his enemies, who is about to be the leader of the United States of America. A country which has never been so ununited. A nation who has never been so divided.

But let me just tell you this, promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another so, whatever the person in the White House thinks, the Bible says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

God will only allow that leader to go so far and then he will stretch out his hand and say, that’s enough.

So despite what power he thinks he may have

despite what things he thinks he can do

Ultimately God is still in control.

But while we wait,while we go through, while we endure, keep this in your mind, Matt 5:43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

It hardly seems fair does it? So when you wonder why the ungodly seem to prosper, that’s why.

And so let us prepare for the famine that could be coming. Prepare for the war that will soon be raging and how do we prepare?

We suit up. First knowing our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, and…watch this…against spiritual wickedness in high places.

So SUIT UP!

Gird your loins with truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

Put on the breastplate of righteousness so you can protect your heart so it doesn’t become hardened.

Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

Get your shield of faith so you can quench the fiery darts the wicked will send your way.

Put on your helmet of salvaton, to protect the thoughts that may come to your mind. Let your thoughts be true, and honest, and just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report, and virtuous, and praiseworthy. You need that helmet to shield you from the evil thoughts that will try to infiltrate your mind and tell you that what’s good is bad and what’s bad is good.

Now get your only offensive weapon. Grab your sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.

And then we come back to prayer. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. We pray in the Spirit because the Spirit knows what to pray even when we don’t.

Get ready for the battle and know that God is there to fight our battles.

We fight, on our knees.

We fight, in our prayer closet.

We fight, when we spend time meditating on God’s Word

We fight, when we become disciples of Christ

We fight, when we tell others of the good news of Christ

We fight, when we go into the streets and evangelize, bringing others into the Kingdom of God

We fight, when we embrace our brother or sister and let them know it’s going to be alright.

We fight, when we encourage our brother or sister and let them know that this too shall pass.

We fight, when we refuse to entertain evil.

We fight, when we exercise our faith knowing that God will…

And when we fight, we win because we are on the team that never loses

We serve a God that’s never lost a battle and he never will because he always has been, always is, and always will be the almighty, all powerful, all knowing, all sovreign, all loving, life giving God

When all hope seems lost, he's still God.

When the bills are due and you have no money, he's still God.

When hurricanes come back to back, he’s still God.

When you’re problems seem to overwhelm you, He’s still God.

When it seems like the world is against you, He’s still God.

When nothing is going right, He’s still God.

When your baby dies, no matter how old or how young they are, He’s still God.

When your family turns their back on you, He’s still God.

When your best friend talks about behind your back, He’s still God.

When your husband or wife walks out, He’s still God.

So since He’s still God, how about this, How about you be still and know that He is God, He will be exalted among the heathen, He will be exalted in the earth.

How about you trust that the Lord reigns forever and ever and ever and ever and ever.

There is no power or ruler on this earth that is greater than our God. You better ask somebody. So we don’t worry, we don’t fret, because we know God’s not through with us yet.

He knows what’s happening and he has established his throne for judgment. Don’t worry about man’s judgment, the judgment you’d better be worried about is God’s judgment. Because his judgment is right, his judgment is fair, and his judgment is accurate. There will be no mistakes.

He rules, God rules the world in righteousness. His never changing, always holy, righteousness. Our righteousness is as filthy rags…but his righteousness. There’s nothing that can compare to his righteousness. Nothing higher, nothing better, nothing greater. It’s perfect and he is great and greatly to be praised.

And when he judges, he judges the people with equity, he judges them equally, he has no favorites. Not by race, creed, color, nationality, gender, class, wealth, or poverty.

If you’re oppressed he’s your stronghold. In times of trouble, he’s your stronghold so you can put your trust in him. He will never leave you nor forsake you and he never sleeps nor slumbers so you can not only trust him, you can depend on him to be with through any and everything you encounter.

So sing of his goodness, tell the world of his grace and let them know that they don’t need to fret, there is no need to fear because God is still in control.

So when you meet that person on the street, in the store, wherever you may be, you can boldly tell them Jesus is there for them. That he died for them and that through his death he paid for their sin and now they have the opportunity for eternal life.

Lead them in a prayer, in doesn’t have to be long or elegant or poetry, something as simple as.

Lord please forgive me for my sins, Jesus I believe you died for me, please come into my heart, I give you my life, in your name I pray. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time congratulations and welcome to the family, now find yourself a Bible believing Bible teaching church where you can grow and learn more about your salvation.

And finally I leave you with this, in Isa 41:10 we see these words, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”