Knowing Who is In Charge

. A COWBOY •GOES TO BUY SOME LIFE INSURANCE •THE AGENT ASKED HIM IF HE HAD ANY ACCIDENTS IN THE PAST YEAR, •THE COWBOY REPLIED “NO. BUT I WAS KICKED BY A HORSE, •CHASED BY A RAGING BULL AND BITTEN BY A SNAKE – •THAT LAID ME UP FOR A WHILE.” •THE AGENT SAID, “WEREN’T THOSE ACCIDENTS?” •THE STOCKMAN REPLIED, “NOPE, THEY DID IT ON PURPOSE.” •YOU SEE THIS COWBOY REALIZED •THAT THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS ACCIDENTS… IN THIS LIFE •WE SOMETIMES FORGET WHO IS IN CHARGE •WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW •GOD IS UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY IN CHARGE •THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS WHEN WE WORRY •ABOUT HOW THINGS MIGHT TURN OUT •WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO IS IN CHARGE •WHEN WE ARE AT PEACE, CALM IN THE FACE OF TRIALS •WE HAVE REMEMBERED WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW WE NEED TO KNOW •THAT NO MATTER WHAT OUR SITUATION •BIG TROUBLE OR LITTLE TROUBLE •FAMINE OR FEAR…GOD IS STILL GOD •THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND GOD TODAY WE’RE GONNA LOOK AT •ABRAM FACING SOME SCARY THINGS •AND HOW HE RESPONSES TO HIS FEARS •TURN TO GENESIS 12:10 •GOD HAD CALLED ABRAM •TO LEAVE HIS COUNTRY, FAMILY, AND HOME •AND HAD OBEYED AND COME TO CANAAN •WHERE HE BUILT ALTARS & WORSHIPED THE LORD •GOD PROMISED THAT LAND TO ABRAM’S DESCENDANTS •BUT ABRAM DID NOT STAY THERE LONG GENESIS 12:10 NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND; SO ABRAM WENT DOWN TO EGYPT TO SOJOURN THERE, FOR THE FAMINE WAS SEVERE IN THE LAND. TRUST GOD IN TOUGH TIMES •A FAMINE IS CERTAINLY A TOUGH TIME •FAMINES COULD BE CAUSED BY DROUGHT •INSECTS, WARS, FIRES, ANYTHING THAT DISRUPTED CROPS •AND WITH NO WAY GET FOOD •THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO GO SOMEPLACE ELSE •IT IS INTERESTING THAT ABRAM DOES NOT •HEAD BACK TO HIS HOMELAND •AND HIS CHOICE OF EGYPT •WAS A PRETTY SMART CHOICE •THE NILE RIVER DELTA WAS THE MOST •STABLE FOOD PRODUCING AREA NEAR HIM… •BUT WE NEED TO BE AWARE THAT •ABRAM MADE THIS CHOICE ON HIS OWN •GOD DID NOT INSTRUCT HIM TO GO TO EGYPT •FROM A WORLDLY PERSPECTIVE •IT WAS A GOOD DECISION •BUT IT WAS NOT GOD’S DECISION •THIS DOES NOT MEAN GOD CANNOT USE •THIS DECISION FOR GOOD, FOR HIS PLAN •BUT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL •ABOUT GETTING AHEAD OF GOD •MAYBE IF ABRAM WOULD HAVE WAITED •GOD MIGHT HAVE HAD A BETTER IDEA •SOME OTHER WAY TO HANDLE THE FAMINE •SOMETIMES WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN •AND WAIT A MINUTE WHEN A PROBLEM POPS UP •EVEN IF WE SEE A “GOOD” MOVE •WE NEED TO WAIT AND SEE IF GOD SEES A BETTER MOVE •WE GET TO THINKING WE KNOW BEST •LIKE SOMEHOW OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY •DEPENDS ON OUR STRENGTH AND WITS •AND NOT ON THE SOVEREIGN GOD OF THE UNIVERSE MAN, DESPITE HIS EGO •AND HIS ARROGANCE, HIS PRIDE •HIS SOPHISTICATION AND MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS, •OWES THE FACT OF HIS EXISTENCE •TO A SIX- INCH LAYER OF TOPSOIL AND THE FACT THAT IT RAINS. GOD MADE THE SOIL •AND GOD CAUSES THE RAINS •WHEN WE FAIL TO TRUST GOD FOR OUR SAFETY •WE HAVE FORGOTTEN WHO SUSTAINS US DAILY •AND WE CAN END UP PUTTING OURSELVES IN A WORSE SITUATION GENESIS 12:11–13 IT CAME ABOUT WHEN HE CAME NEAR TO EGYPT, THAT HE SAID TO SARAI HIS WIFE, “SEE NOW, I KNOW THAT YOU ARE A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN; AND WHEN THE EGYPTIANS SEE YOU, THEY WILL SAY, ‘THIS IS HIS WIFE’; AND THEY WILL KILL ME, BUT THEY WILL LET YOU LIVE. “PLEASE SAY THAT YOU ARE MY SISTER SO THAT IT MAY GO WELL WITH ME BECAUSE OF YOU, AND THAT I MAY LIVE ON ACCOUNT OF YOU.” TRUST THAT GOD KNOWS •NEVER THINK YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW •ABRAM THINKS HE KNOWS THE FUTURE •WHEN THE EGYPTIANS SEE YOU, THEY WILL SAY, ‘THIS IS HIS WIFE’; AND THEY WILL KILL ME, BUT THEY WILL LET YOU LIVE. •I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY ABRAM THINKS THIS WOULD HAPPEN •THIS KINDA THING WAS COMMON IN HIS DAY •ODDLY, IT WAS ACTUALLY STANDARD PRACTICE •IF A STRANGER SHOWED UP IN YOUR COUNTRY •AND HE HAD SOMETHING YOU WANTED •IT WAS PRETTY NORMAL TO KILL HIM AND TAKE IT •IT DID NOT MATTER IF IT WAS CAMELS, OR CLOTHES, OR HIS WIFE •SO I GET WHY ABRAM WOULD THINK THIS COULD HAPPEN •BUT ABRAM SEEMS TO HAVE FORGOTTEN •WHO IS RUNNING THE SHOW •WHO HE IS WALKING WITH, WHO SENT HIM ON THIS JOURNEY •ABRAM SEEMS TO BE DEPENDING ON HIS OWN WITS •TO KEEP HIM SAFE ON THIS JOURNEY… •I THINK SOMETIMES WE DO THE SAME THING •WE FORGET WHO IS WALKING WITH US •WHOSE HANDS WE ARE IN •AND WE START THINKING WE KNOW THE FUTURE •WE WORRY ABOUT WHAT WE THINK •WE KNOW IS GOING TO HAPPEN… WE MAKE PLANS.. •PLANS THAT SOMETIMES DRAG OTHERS ALONG MAKE SURE TO AVOID DRAGGING OTHERS INTO YOUR SIN •IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT ABRAM •IS NOT TRUSTING GOD FOR HIS SAFETY •IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HE THINKS •HE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN •BUT THEN HE DRAGS HIS WIFE INTO IT •“PLEASE SAY THAT YOU ARE MY SISTER •THIS IS REALLY STRONGER THAN JUST PLEASE •IT IS MORE LIKE “I BEG YOU” OR “I PRAY” •INSTEAD OF TRUSTING IN THE PROMISES OF GOD •HE IS TRUSTING HIS SCHEMES AND DRAG OTHERS ALONG •I HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD MANY TIMES •ONE OF MY STANDARD PHRASES USED TO BE •DON’T WORRY I GOT A PLAN…. •AND THAT PLAN USUALLY MEANT •SOMEONE ELSE WAS GETTING DRAGGED ALONG… •I ALWAYS THOUGHT I HAD THE BEST PLANS •ABRAM SEEMS TO THINK THE BEST PLAN •TO AVOID WHAT HE THINKS IS GONNA HAPPEN •IS TO GET HIS WIFE TO TELL A HALF TRUTH •SEE IT IS NOT A STRAIGHT UP LIE TO SAY SHE IS HIS SISTER GENESIS 20:12 “BESIDES, SHE ACTUALLY IS MY SISTER, THE DAUGHTER OF MY FATHER, BUT NOT THE DAUGHTER OF MY MOTHER, AND SHE BECAME MY WIFE; •I AM PRETTY SURE ABRAM KNOWS •THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRUTH & A LIE •HE KNOWS ASKING HIS WIFE TO SAY •SHE IS HIS SISTER IS A LIE EVEN IF IT IS PARTIALLY TRUE •WE ALL NEED TO KNOW THAT •THAT MANIPULATING TRUTH IS THE SAME AS LYING •WE ARE NOT BEING ORIGINAL •WHEN WE TELL A HALF TRUTH •THE CREDIT FOR INVENTING THAT CONCEPT •GOES TO SATAN TOLD HALF TRUTHS TO EVE IN THE GARDEN •WHEN WE MANIPULATE THE TRUTH •WE ARE FOLLOWING IN HIS STEPS MAKE SURE TO TRUST GOD NOT YOUR SELF •WHEN WE ARE AFRAID •WE ARE GONNA TURN TO SOMETHING •TO GET US THROUGH OUR FEAR •WE SHOULD TURN TO GOD •BUT FREQUENTLY WE TRUST IN OUR SELVES •WE CAN SEE EXACTLY WHO ABRAM IS TRUSTING IN •WHEN HE SAYS SO THAT IT MAY GO WELL WITH ME BECAUSE OF YOU, AND THAT I MAY LIVE ON ACCOUNT OF YOU.” •NOW IT MIGHT SOUND LIKE ABRAM IS TRUSTING SARI •BUT REALLY HE IS TRUSTING HIS PLAN •IF SHE WILL LIE LIKE HE ASKED •IT WILL GO WELL FOR HIM AND HE WILL LIVE •ABRAM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE CONCERNED WITH •WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO SARI •HE IS LOOKING OUT FOR HIMSELF •HE IS NOT TRUSTING GOD HE IS TRUSTING HIMSELF •GOD HAD GOTTEN HIM FROM UR TO CANAAN •GOD HAD PROMISED HIM A GREAT NATION •GOD HAD PROMISED HIS DESCENDANTS LAND •GOD HAD PROMISED HIM HE WOULD BE BLESSINGS •AND YET HE DOES NOT TRUST GOD •TO PROVIDE IN A FAMINE •HE DOES NOT TRUST GOD •TO KEEP HIM SAFE IN EGYPT •HE TRUSTS HIS CRAZY PLAN •FOR HIS WIFE TO LIE AND SAY SHE IS HIS SISTER •ABRAM SEEMS TO THINK GOD CAN HANDLE •THE SMALL STUFF… LIKE MAKING GREAT NATIONS •AND BLESSING HIS LIFE.. LIKE PROVIDING THE LAND •BUT HE DOES NOT TRUST GOD WITH THE BIG STUFF •LIKE FEEDING HIM IN A FAMINE •OR MEN KILLING HIM FOR HIS WIFE I WANT YOU IMAGINE •YOU ARE CARRYING A SMALL CHILD IN A POOL •AS YOU MOVE FROM THE SHALLOW WATER •TOWARDS DEEPER WATER THE CHILD BEGINS TO GET NERVOUS •THE WATER RISES HIGHER AND HIGHER •OF COURSE, YOU KNOW IT IS SAFE •YOU KNOW THE WATER WILL NOT GET TOO DEEP •YOU KNOW YOU CAN KEEP THE CHILD SAFE •SEE THE CHILD IS JUST AS SAFE IN THE DEEPER WATER •AS IT WAS IN THE SHALLOW WATER •BECAUSE IT’S SAFETY IS NOT BASED ON •THE DEPTH OF THE WATER BUT ON WHO IS CARRYING IT IN THE SAME WAY •OUR SAFETY IS NOT BASED ON OUR SITUATION •OUR SAFETY IS BASED ON WHO WE TRUST IN •WE ARE JUST AS SAFE IN TIMES THAT SEEM SHALLOW •AS WE ARE IN TIMES THAT SEEM DEEP •AS MUCH AS WE MIGHT WANT TO PICK ON ABRAM •ABOUT NOT TRUSTING GOD TO KEEP HIM SAFE •I AM SUPER GLAD GOD PUT THIS IN THE BIBLE •ABRAM IS AN AMAZING MAN OF GOD •ABRAM IS IN THE HALL OF FAITH •GOD SPOKE WITH HIM •JAMES SAYS ABRAM WAS CALLED THE FRIEND OF GOD… •IT IS A COMFORT TO KNOW •THAT SOMEONE THIS CLOSE •TO GOD NEEDED GOD’S GRACE •JUST AS MUCH AS ANYONE OF US •WE ALL FAIL TO TRUST GOD AT SOME POINT •IT IS GREAT TO KNOW THAT GOD FORGIVES US •AND THAT GOD CAN AND DOES •USE OUR FAILURES, OUR LACK OF TRUST •IN AMAZING WAYS TO SERVE HIS PLAN GENESIS 12:14–17 IT CAME ABOUT WHEN ABRAM CAME INTO EGYPT, THE EGYPTIANS SAW THAT THE WOMAN WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL. PHARAOH’S OFFICIALS SAW HER AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH; AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN INTO PHARAOH’S HOUSE. THEREFORE HE TREATED ABRAM WELL FOR HER SAKE; AND GAVE HIM SHEEP AND OXEN AND DONKEYS AND MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS AND FEMALE DONKEYS AND CAMELS. BUT THE LORD STRUCK PHARAOH AND HIS HOUSE WITH GREAT PLAGUES BECAUSE OF SARAI, ABRAM’S WIFE. CONSEQUENCES SPREAD •ALL SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES •WHEN WE PULL OTHERS INTO OUR SIN •THE CONSEQUENCES WILL AFFECT THEM •SOMETIMES MORE THAN THEY AFFECT US •IT WAS ABRAM’S IDEA TO LIE… MANIPULATE THE TRUTH •IT WAS ABRAM’S FEAR OF BEING KILLED •IT WAS ABRAM’S PLAN •BUT SARI… WAS THE ONE WHO WAS TAKEN •PHARAOH’S OFFICIALS SAW HER AND PRAISED HER TO PHARAOH; AND THE WOMAN WAS TAKEN INTO PHARAOH’S HOUSE. •THE TEXT SAYS THEY DID THIS BECAUSE •THE EGYPTIANS SAW THAT SHE WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL •SOME FOLKS HAVE POINTED OUT THAT SARI •WAS ABOUT 65 YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME •THERE HAVE BEEN ALL KINDS THINGS SAID •QUESTIONING HOW A 65-YEAR-OLD WOMAN •COULD BE VERY BEAUTIFUL I’M JUST GONNA SAY •IF YOUR MAIN CONCERN IS HOW COULD SHE BE PRETTY •YOU HAVE TOTALLY MISSED THE POINT OF THIS STORY •CLEARLY, SHE WAS BEAUTIFUL REGARDLESS OF HER AGE •BOTH ABRAM AND THE EGYPTIANS SAID SO •IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, ABRAMS PLAN WORKED •THEY DID NOT KILL HIM… •I MEAN THAT WAS THE POINT OF HIS PLAN •THEY DID HOWEVER, TAKE SARI AGAINST HER WILL •WHEN IT SAYS SHE WAS TAKEN •IT USES A WORD THAT MEANS •SEIZED, CARRIED AWAY, AND WAS •USED TO REFER TO SPOILS TAKEN IN WAR •SARI SUFFERS THE CONSEQUENCES •OF ABRAM’S PLAN TO LIE •SHE IS TAKEN CAPTIVE IN PHARAOH’S HOUSEHOLD •BUT WHAT ABOUT ABRAM GOD CONTROLS CONSEQUENCES •WHILE SARI IS TAKEN TO PHARAOH’S HAREM •ABRAM IS… WELL ABRAM IS DOING PRETTY WELL •PHARAOH TREATED ABRAM WELL FOR HER SAKE; •AND GAVE HIM SHEEP AND OXEN AND DONKEYS AND MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS AND FEMALE DONKEYS AND CAMELS. NOW WAIT A MINUTE… •THIS DOES NOT SEEM FAIR •THIS WAS ABRAM’S PLAN •IT WAS HIS IDEA TO GO TO EGYPT •IT WAS HIS IDEA TO MANIPULATE THE TRUTH •AND ABRAM ENDS UP GETTING ALL KINDA STUFF •AND SARI ENDS UP CAPTIVE IN PHARAOHS HAREM •THIS DOES NOT SEEM FAIR TO ME •AND SARI IS NOT THE ONLY ONE FACE CONSEQUENCES • THE LORD STRUCK PHARAOH AND HIS HOUSE WITH GREAT PLAGUES BECAUSE OF SARAI, ABRAM’S WIFE •PHARAOH THOUGHT HE WAS BEING NICE •HE GAVE ABRAM LIVESTOCK AND SERVANTS •HE DID NOT KNOW SARI WAS ABRAM’S WIFE •AND YET WE SEE GOD STRIKE PHARAOH •AND HIS HOUSE WITH PLAGUES •CERTAINLY THIS DOES NOT SEEM FAIR •BUT… SEE… HERE’S THE THING GOD IS GOD… •HE IS UTTERLY AND COMPLETELY IN CHARGE •WHEN WE GET TO DECIDING WHAT IS •FAIR AND WHAT IS NOT FAIR •WE ARE TRYING TO DO GOD’S JOB FOR HIM HE IS RUNNING THE SHOW •HE HAD PROMISED ABRAM •A GREAT NATION, LAND, INFLUENCE, AND BLESSINGS •AND NO ONE IS GONNA MESS WITH THAT PROMISE •NOT PHARAOH.. NOT SARI… NOT EVEN ABRAM •GOD WILL KEEP HIS PROMISE •AND TO KEEP HIS PROMISE •HE HAD PHARAOH GIVE ABRAM THE LIVESTOCK HE NEEDED •HE USED THE PLAGUES ON PHARAOH TO GET SARI RETURNED TO ABRAM WHAT WE SEE AS UNFAIR… •IS WHAT GOD IS USING TO FULFILL HIS PROMISES •AND WE REALLY NEED TO BE OK WITH THAT IDEA •GOD HAS A PLAN.. AND HAS MADE PROMISES •WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHAT PAUL WROTE…. ROMANS 8:28 AND WE KNOW THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE. WHEN THINGS SEEM UNFAIR •IT IS HARD TO LET IT GO •WE NEED TO STAY FOCUSED ON •DOING GOD’S WILL, LOVING AND SERVING ONE ANOTHER •AND NOT ON DECIDING WHAT IS FAIR AND WHAT IS NOT THAT IS GOD’S JOB NOT OURS •WE GOT ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH •LIKE MAYBE NOT TELLING HALF-TRUTHS •CAUSE WE DON’T TRUST GOD •TO TAKE CARE OF US LIKE HE PROMISED GENESIS 12:18–20 •THEN PHARAOH CALLED ABRAM AND SAID, “WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE TO ME? WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT SHE WAS YOUR WIFE? “WHY DID YOU SAY, ‘SHE IS MY SISTER,’ SO THAT I TOOK HER FOR MY WIFE? •NOW THEN, HERE IS YOUR WIFE, TAKE HER AND GO.” PHARAOH COMMANDED HIS MEN CONCERNING HIM; AND THEY ESCORTED HIM AWAY, WITH HIS WIFE AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO HIM. •ABRAM HAD THE LIVESTOCK AND SERVANTS •BUT HIS WIFE, WHO WOULD BE MOTHER •TO THE NATIONS GOD HAD PROMISED •WAS STILL IN THE PHARAOH’S HAREM •AND THEN PHARAOH CALLS HIM IN •NOW, WE DON’T KNOW HOW PHARAOH •FOUND OUT SARI WAS ABRAM’S WIFE •THE TEXT IMPLIES THE PLAGUES MIGHT BE RELATED •BUT SOMEHOW PHARAOH FOUND OUT •AND PHARAOH HAS SOME QUESTIONS FOR ABRAM •“WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE TO ME? •WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME THAT SHE WAS YOUR WIFE? •“WHY DID YOU SAY, ‘SHE IS MY SISTER,’ SO THAT I TOOK HER FOR MY WIFE? •IT IS KINDA INTERESTING THAT MOSES •DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY RESPONSE FROM ABRAM •I MEAN… WHAT COULD HE HAVE SAID •I THOUGHT YOU WOULD KILL ME IF SHE WAS MY WIFE •PHARAOH SEEMS LIKE AN OK GUY •HE DID NOT KNOWINGLY TAKE ABRAM’S WIFE •HE DID GIVE ABRAM A BUNCHA LIVESTOCK AND SERVANTS •BUT LET’S REMEMBER •HE ALSO HAD SARI TAKEN, AGAINST HER WILL •AND HELD HER IN HIS HAREM •HE TOOK HER FOR HIS WIFE •AND GOD’S PLAN CALLED FOR •SARI AND ABRAM TO BE TOGETHER PHARAOH IS A VERY POWERFUL FELLA •WHEN HE FOUND OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED •HE REALLY COULD HAVE JUST KILLED ABRAM •AND KEPT SARI IN HIS HAREM •BUT MAYBE HE WAS THINKING ABOUT THOSE PLAGUES…. THE SITUATION IS IN GOD’S HANDS •EVEN THOUGH PHARAOH HAD THE POWER IN EGYPT •SARI WAS REALLY NOT IN PHARAOH’S HANDS •SARI WAS IN GOD’S HANDS AND HE HAS ALL THE POWER •GOD IS ALWAYS THE ONE THAT DETERMINES OUR SAFETY •MAYBE IT WAS THE PLAGUES •OR MAYBE GOD LEANED ON PHARAOH A LITTLE •FOR WHAT EVER REASON •PHARAOH RETURNS SARI TO ABRAM •“NOW THEN, HERE IS YOUR WIFE, TAKE HER AND GO.” •PHARAOH MAY HAVE EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS HIS IDEA •BUT WE KNOW DIFFERENT •ABRAM HAD A PLAN… SARI WENT ALONG WITH IT •PHARAOH THOUGHT HE WAS IN CHARGE….BUT GOD DETERMINES THE OUTCOME •ABRAM WAS JUST SURE HE NEEDED •TO LEAVE THE LAND OF CANAAN BECAUSE OF THE FAMINE •HE WAS SURE THE EGYPTIANS •WOULD KILL HIM AND TAKE HIS WIFE •HE WAS SURE HE KNEW WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN •BUT I BET HE DID NOT SEE THIS COMING •PHARAOH COMMANDED HIS MEN CONCERNING HIM; AND THEY ESCORTED HIM AWAY, WITH HIS WIFE AND ALL THAT BELONGED TO HIM. •ABRAM NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND •THAT GOD DETERMINES THE OUTCOME •WE NEED TO TRUST IN HIS PROMISES •AND DO OUR BEST TO DO HIS WILL •WE SHOULD NOT LOOK AT THIS STORY •AND THINK THAT GOD REWARDED •ABRAM FOR MAKING HIS WIFE LIE •AND LETTING HER BE TAKEN INTO A HAREM WE NEED TO SEE •HOW GOD CAN WORK HIS PLAN •EVEN IN OUR SIN AND FAILURE •GOD DID NOT REWARD ABRAM’S BEHAVIOR •GOD KEPT HIS PROMISE IN SPITE OF ABRAM’S BEHAVIOR WE LIVE IN A WORLD •FILLED WITH TROUBLE, TURMOIL, DIFFICULTY •IT SEEMS THAT THINGS ARE BAD AND GETTING WORSE •MANY TIMES WE ARE BLINDED BY CIRCUMSTANCE •AND OFTEN WE FORGET WHO IS REALLY IN CONTROL •WHEN THIS HAPPENS, DOUBT ENTERS OUR MINDS •AND FEAR BEGINS TO CONSUME OUR LIVE •I WANT TO REMIND YOU WHO IS IN CONTROL! •IT IS NOT THE REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS •OUR GOVERNOR IS NOT IN CONTROL •CONGRESS IS NOT IN CONTROL •THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT IN CONTROL •THE PRESIDENT IS NOT IN CONTROL •GOD ALMIGHTY IS, ALWAYS HAS BEEN •AND ALWAYS WILL BE IN CONTROL! SOME FOLKS MAY LOOK AT LIFE •AND SEE A BUNCHA ACCIDENTS •JUST RANDOM STUFF HAPPENING •NO RHYME OR REASON •JUST UTTER CHAOS •BUT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE TRUSTED •IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR SAVOIR •WE KNOW THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS CHAOS •THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS GOD IS IN CONTROL •OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD •WHO REIGNS FROM HEAVEN ABOVE •WITH WISDOM POWER AND LOVE •OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD SO WHEN WE FACE •A FAMINE, OR PLAGUE, DROUGHT •OR FIRE… OR BILLS WE CAN’T PAY •OR CARS THAT BREAK DOWN •WE NEED TO LEAN ON HIM, TRUST IN HIM DOES THIS MEAN •WE DON’T TAKE ACTION…. NO •BUT IT DOES MEAN WE DON’T •TAKE ACTIONS THAT GO AGAINST HIS WILL •IT IS NEVER OK TO SIN.. ↓ EVEN WHEN WE THINK • THAT IS THE ONLY WAY OUT OF A PROBLEM •EVEN WHEN WE THINK IT IS •THE SMART THING TO DO…. •WHEN WE GO AGAINST GOD’S WILL •TO GET OUR SELVES OUTTA TROUBLE •WE HAVE FAILED TO TRUST GOD’S PROMISES •AND WE HAVE A GOD WHO ALWAYS •KEEPS HIS PROMISES THIS SAME GOD •PROMISES THAT IF WE •PLACE OUR TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST •THAT HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS PAID FOR OUR SINS •THEN WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN WITH GOD IF THERE IS ANYONE HERE •WHO HAS NOT TRUSTED IN JESUS •IN A MOMENT I AM GONNA PRAY •AND WE ARE GONNA SING •AND I WOULD INVITE YOU…..