Who Is God, Part 10

Good morning, Compass Bible Church Tustin. It is good to see you again. And I hope that you guys are staying safe staying healthy and trying to encourage one another as best you can during this time. It's been great to see some of you join together digitally through these different ways to interact and that we hope to encourage that more over the coming weeks because for the foreseeable future will be kind of interacting this way, but also keep checking your email. Keep just checking social media will try to keep you updated with everything that's going on during this time. So thank you for your patience. And we're going to pray that this is still a profitable time because it always will be when we go to God's word. I was actually sent to Target to go pick up some supplies for us. And so I showed up. I knew I needed to show up early. I got in the line and I wanted to get there to get some toilet paper. I was denied and didn't make it so I have to go back another time, but it was just an interesting experience to walk into Target that way. Because you know, it's different than just the normal time that you would get there in the morning to stroll into Target. They had a a definite way that they wanted you to walk through. They had people guiding you through a process and as you begin to walk to the store if it wasn't like your typical Target experience, there were some things that were blatantly missing from the store and there were some things that were blatantly still there and those two things they they they stuck out to an incredible way. You know what I didn't see a shortage of when I was there flat screen TVs. I walked by them and they are plastered over the wall there in the warehouse tons of electronics there any type of electronic that you'd want any type of entertainment that you got there you could walk by and it's just easy to pick it off the shelf you go to the clothing section D of the new fashions that they have at Target. I don't know if it's fashionable that those new-fashioned things that are out there or if you go to the home Department all this new Decor all these different things there is plenty of those things on the Shelf. But you know what? There's not a lot of The essentials that's why they had me waiting in line because people can only take one of a certain thing and all these cleaning products and all these paper products and all these different types of foods. Why is that because during times of Crisis you are forced to focus on what the essential no one is rushing to go buy the new plasma screen TV right now, why because what we have is a determination to make sure that we have what we need to take care of ourselves and the things that are peripheral the things that are unnecessary, we don't spend time focusing on those during times of Crisis. We focus on which essential I think that's a good word for us this morning as we going to spend our time in the the last part of this attribute of God series And today we're going to focus on the attribute or really an aspect of God and that is his sovereignty. So turn with me in your Bible Psalm 145 for the last time in this series Psalm 145. And if we looked at this song we've gone to the song to teach us about who God is we never want to approach god with the assumptions that we know who he is or we're going to tell him who he is. We want God to reveal himself as he truly is so we can know him so we can love him so we can grow in our faith and serve him and some 145 for me has been a great encouragement. I hope it has been to you. I'm going to start by reading the whole thing in its entirety and then we'll focus on verses 10 through 13. I will extol you my God and King and bless your name Forever and Ever every day. I will bless you and praise your name forever. And ever great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in his greatness is unsearchable one generation shall commend your work to another until to clear your Mighty acts on the Glorious Splendor of your majesty in on your wondrous works. I will meditate they shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and Russia speak of the might of your house and eat and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the same of your abundant goodness, Michele single out of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all in his mercies over all that. He has made all your work. So give thanks to the Lord in all your Saints will bless you. They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom in tell if your power to make known to the children of man, you're mighty deeds in the Glorious Splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom your Dominion adore throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful and all his words and the Lord is kind and all his works the Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all her about down the aisle. Devoted to you and you give them their food in due season you open up your hand you satisfy. The desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind and all his works. The Lord is near to all who call upon him to all who call upon him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him He also hears their cry and saves them the Lord preserve's all who love him, but all the wicked you will destroy my mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let All Flesh bless His holy name forever and ever. In the middle section of that song you heard this concentrated repeated idea of God's kingdom and his power and his Splendor and is Dominion when we talked about that that's what we're talking about. When you speak of the sovereignty of God his kingly rule. That's what we need to focus on right now during this time of Crisis. We don't need to focus on things that are peripheral. We understand with essential and essential to our God is that he is Sovereign now, I think I agree with the theologians that I've read on the subject. We talked about the sound of God. Maybe it's best not to describe it as an attribute of an aspect or an exercise. Maybe an exercise is the totality of his attributes because his sovereignty is his authoritative rule until it's time you come together. We give me the definition of give you a definition for the sovereignty of God as we work through this here's the definition of God's sovereignty. Sovereignty is the exercise of his kingly authority. that accomplishes his purpose and will God's sovereignty is the exercise of God's kingly Authority that accomplishes his purpose and will so you think about that all the attributes that we've discussed are functioning as God carries out his Sovereign rule his authoritative rule his kingly rule we heard at your kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom dominion and doors throughout all generations. There is not a time. Of people group who do not fall under the kingly authority of God the song itself begin. I will extol you my goddamn. Remember we translate this way my God the king you are the king. No other there are no Rivals God is the one in control and so ask me think about that. That's how we want to think about the sovereignty of God his kingly authority that accomplishes his purpose and his well because the king himself has laid out plans and purposes and has desires and he will accomplish those because he has an omnipotent God That's what we're talking about. When we talk about the Sovereign rule of God his kingly authority that accomplishes his purpose and well, but how does God go about doing this? That's what I want to begin to think about because there's really different thoughts when we approach this subject. How does God accomplish the carrying out of this will well, I I've read a couple books and one of them, I think it is either a w s a w pink called the sovereignty of God and in their he has an analogy. I believe it to move comes up with it that the sovereignty of God is the kind of exercise this way. There's a ship and the ship is going to get from point A to point B, and that's how God Sovereign Lee moves all of creation. What's going on on the ship is really not so much of God's concern. It's just more that the general direction of the ship that got going to get from point A to point B. The rest of its going to be worked out amongst them self. I don't think that that is the way you're going to see the sovereignty of God spoken of today. I think when the the Bible talks about his authoritative rule, it's over all things. There's really nothing that doesn't fall under it from the greatest cataclysmic event to the smallest and tiniest hair growing on your head. God is in control of it all in his kingly authority is moving it according to his will and his purpose so that he gets the honor and the glory so as we do that one right this down 4.41. Let's be amazed at the extent of his sovereignty. Let's be amazed at the extent. I think it would be a disservice to say that God's sovereignty means. It's just a general direction of a ship going from one to another. I don't think it's General and directional. I think it's specific and exhausted and complete and total and for you and I that's good news, especially during times of Crisis because that means God hasn't taken his foot off the pedal or he's taking his hands off the wheel and he's just kind of relaxing God is the one who's always moving the wheels of history and he's doing so for a purpose just be amazed that the extent of his sovereignty I think it's interesting that I would even have to say that because as you approach the Bible when you see the idea of God's rule his kingly authority laid out the people who are responding to it are amazed but I think honestly just for you and I if you think about the culture that we grow up in sovereignty does not appeal to us, right we are we're Americans and like fundamental to Americans is what that we've declared independence from any sort of sovereignty over us and we're here to govern ourselves. I think it's by God's grace that were able to do that in this political environment. But if you think of that concept they were rebelling against a sovereign rule. In fact, I was listening to a Great Courses plus and they were talking about one example in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was being read at some event. The people went to where there was a statue of King George. And they tore it down after they heard the Declaration of Independence to show that they were rebelling against the monarchy the sovereignty the kingly authority of that person. In essence that's in the heart of every American. We don't want that type of rule over us. We want to be able to to govern ourselves, but it's not just that because you know, we're Americans and we won't have a Democratic Society. Give me the Bible. Ultimately. People are always rebelling. It's just a Thomas in the sinful human heart. Ithaca 1st Samuel number for stimulate for simulate said this they're not rejecting you as king. You know, they're rejecting me. That's what the people were doing. It first seemed like they were they weren't rejecting any human person ever ultimate rejecting God is King by asking for a king like the other nations to ultimately it's always a rebellion in the human heart against this but as we begin to see about it, we should be amazed at God rules over all and as he rules over all we should be encouraged by that we can do to Quick passages in the New Testament will jump back into the old good at fusions 111 Ephesians, 1:11. Let's be amazed.

Ephesians 1:11 at the extent of this rule.

Cliff Paul have to say to the church at Ephesus after we talked about the great salvation verses 3 through 10 that God has brought about looking for 11 chapter one infusions in him. We have obtained an inheritance. Have you been predestined according to the purposes of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will so there I think you get a very clear description of what we're talking about when we say the complete Rule King Leo thority of God. It's his purpose his will it is going in the direction you wanted to go but what is going in that direction all things everything there's nothing that can be taken outside of that to have it own independence. God is the one who's moving all things according to the counsel of his will. That should be a comfort to us especially during times like this. God is moving all things according to the counsel of his well, maybe another one that you can just write down before we jump into the Old Testament is think of Romans 11:36 need a comprehensive statement on the kingly authority. The exercise of God's kingly Authority Romans 11:36 for from him and through him and to him are all things to him be the glory forever. Amen. So from him God is the source through him God is the sustainer to him God is the goal of all things God is moving at about for his purpose any crafting history and he's shaping history and he's molding history with his Sovereign rule because he is the king over all and it's all been done together for his honor and Glory we should be amazed by that the guy could take an event like what's going on today and somehow he's going to shake this for his glory. We know that there's some way that the name of God is going to be exalted or List It I think it would encourage you and I to look at the circumstances a little bit differently. Not that we shouldn't be concerned. Not that we're laissez-faire. Not that we that we say. Well, I guess you know, I don't need to be worried at all. But we should take a sober look at the situation ago. Why does God do this? And why is he putting all these things together? Because he's going to get the glory for it. And that's what the king deserves this this Divine King exercising his authority. We should be amazed by that and we should worship him for it and take a look at some passages in the Old Testament, Isaiah 45, Isaiah 45.

Isaiah chapter 45 verse 7 forgetting kind of breakdown the extent of God's rule in what he does, Isaiah 45. verse 7 says this this is. He says I form light and create Darkness. I make well-being and create Calamity. I am the Lord who does all these things. These are kind of called comprehensive statements or Spectrum text where we have light and darkness well-being and Calamity and so to run the gamut between the two is to say God is in control of all of it. So light in darkness, you can't get more extreme than that everything in between God's in control or well-being and Calamity which I believe well-being would be translated Shalom. Peace. And Calamity would be translated Evil Hear God is in control of all of that. There's nothing that falls outside of his ability to move all of human history towards where he wants it to go. Maybe one more passage in Isaiah flip over to chapter 46 verses 8 through 10. 8 through 10 does this Remember this and stand firm recalled to my new transgressors. Remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is no one like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done saying my counsel shall stand and I will accomplish all my purpose all of his purpose is going to be accomplished and you know how he knows that because he's declared the end from the beginning and someone to guarantee an end. They have to be able to take from the beginning and know how they're going to move it all the way to get there. They have to have a guarantee of that. That's what God is doing. I'm declaring the end where this is all going. My purpose is my will they will stand I'm going to take you from the end to the beginning because I set that up. So this is the way that we start to look at the that kingly authority of God. There's nothing that's going to stop it. No earthly power can stand up against that no spiritual power could stand up against it and send encouraging work for you and I to think about today. But there's two passages that I want to look at in regards to the extent of God's Sovereign control from Solomon. Let's go to Proverbs 16 and I think these two begin to help us think even further about what's going on around us in society in the world today. in the Proverbs 16 Proverbs chapter 16

and here we have this the plans of the heart belong to man Proverbs 16:1, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord all the ways of man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for his purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble. Are spores very encouraging leading up to that. We saw a number of different things the plans of heart belongs to me and I can make all the plans to schemes the desires I want but ultimately what's going to come from my tongue is going to be what God wanted me to say in that matches Psalm 139, even before there's a word on my tongue. Oh Lord, you know it how can that be unless God meticulously in individually and focused has authority over all things God is the one who is moving human history that way and so first three commit your work to the Lord if I want my plans to be established before I've got a commitment to God because if I go against God's plan. My plan is never going to overtake it but first for the Lord has made everything see the comprehensiveness of that statement everything for his purpose even the wicked for the day of trouble. So that's a good word for you right now. If you're going through a very tough time, like even that the things that are happening to you if somebody is sending against you if there's a difficult situation everything has its purpose and that's why it's good to think of the sovereignty of God is operating under all of the other attributes because it could be a scary thing. If it was just a a sovereign omnipotent God and we didn't know him to be gracious. We didn't know him to be merciful and we didn't know him to be loving and we didn't know him to be righteous. But the comprehensive his attributes is worked out in the comprehensive list of his control of all things so we can know that even the bad times. The wicked even for the day of trouble it has its purpose because God is in control. Fortnite shows are similar to the heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. Mean if you ever seen that happen in your own life, you could think you've planned out your future you've looked at where it's going to go and use your assured that that's where it's going to end and all of a sudden got flipped it around. Well, you could plan it but God going to establish your steps God's going to take at the direction. He wants to go even if you take a look down at 1633 the lot is cast into the lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord even the seemingly random things of life, you know, the rolling of a dice took the casting of a lot to try to make a decision. It's every decision is from the Lord God's the one who is in control of it. So I think solemn is very helpful year. Did you get a broader perspective of how God is moving human history according to his purposes and as well because of his kingly authority But one more I really want you to look at with me is in Ecclesiastes. So this is Solomon again foot from Proverbs to Ecclesiastes chapter 7. Ecclesiastes chapter 7 I love you versus I think this is Solomon at his best. Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verses 13 and 14 says this consider the work of God who can make straight what he has made crooked in the day of prosperity be joyful. And in the day of adversity consider God has made one as well as the other so that a man may not find out anything that will be after him. Man, those are sobering verses for us. No said he starts out consider the work of God. So Solomon who just told us God has made everything for its purpose. Even the wicked for the day of trouble. Now, he's telling us something that you and I need to get better at doing that considering the works of God. In fact, you'll see on the back of your worksheet. We're using this as an opportunity for us to developing our ability to consider the works of God. I want you to think right now with all that's going on. What are ways that God is working because as I start to look at the situation not as just fearful or not as just a way that it's a negatively affecting me but as a way that I can see God's hand at work so that when I talk to people who do not know Jesus Christ, I can say and you see how God is working here. You see what God could be doing in all of this. And in that I can be a great Ambassador for the glory of God, but it starts with you and I considering that's an imperative in the text. We have to use our minds to consider to think what could God be doing? Why is he doing this and not that we can never fully know the mind of the Lord cuz we're never going to do that according to Romans chapter 11, but as we see his hand moving, let's consider that we got to think through it. Consider the work of God who can make straight what he's made crooked. What a what a beautiful image you think of a a wrought-iron, you know a straight rod iron and just a strong man who can bend it and then they hand it to you. Think about that. That is just that that's strength that can curve something. That's so tough and they handed to you and that's the that's the rod that you have. Now. There's a bend in the road. And if the bend in the road come from a beloved father who is in control of all things you take the bend and you trust him consider the work of God who can make straight weave made freaking if the strong man doesn't have the to you and tries to tell you hate note. Make sure you're not going to be able to do it God in this instead of the greatest strongman the strongest of all if you put a bend in the road and we take it and we trust him because we're considering what he's doing. You could just take the entire story of Joseph from Genesis 37 2:50, and it's almost encapsulated in verse 13 hear all that was going against Joseph was crooked. It was crooked with his brothers. It was crooked with pharaohs Potiphar's wife. It was crooked when you got betrayed by the people who were in the cell with him, all of it was crooked. But what happened already just kept thinking I couldn't Commit This sin against God. He's doing something here and at the end of his life. What does he say? You meant it for evil? God meant it for good. So God put the bend there and there was evil to happen. But God being in control of all things took that. Does very helpful for us to think that way 14 in the day of prosperity be joyful in the day of adversity consider God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. So we can stop in and take a moment. I think especially during times like this one. We filled up the pressure of what's going on around us. Do you remember all those days before covid-19 forced us inside that you just took for granted being able to walk outside and going to a store normally. How many times did you do that without stopping and saying God? Thank you. The prosperity that I'm experiencing right now, we live in a nation that is protected. We live amongst so much wealth and affluence God you are good to provide that I did nothing for this. You're the one moving towards. How often do we forget that when things are easy, but now times like this give us moments to reflect God's thank you for those numerous days when I never even acknowledged you giving me that goodness. So you and I for experiencing any goodness right now, let's give God the praise but when adversity comes noticed there's that imperative again consider God made one as well as the other and beautiful face of that man may not know anything that will come after him. We don't know what's going to happen tomorrow night. That's Jesus is a whole thing and Matthew chapter 6, don't worry about tomorrow. You're not in control of it. If history is going that way than what you need to do is focus on today consider what day is in front of you? And if it's a joyful day, praise God and if it's not consider what he could be doing that was Paul secret to contentment in Philippians chapter 4, right. I know how to get along in abundance and hunger abundance in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. It doesn't matter the spectrum of what I'm facing if I'm trusting that God is in control of all things do that's what I think you and I need to be considering right now because here's the real danger in all of this that we could allow all the negative things going on around us to really diminish our view of God. I know I can be tempted to do that in my attitude and my grumbling and my lack of faith. I hope that you're not doing that right now, but we're all tempted to do that at times. I was up watching a news article online about some pollution that was going on in Delhi. And at certain times of year, it's spikes so bad there with the pollution. It has just knowing, you know, the normal pollution that you would have from the city that comes up but because Deli is downwind of the Himalayas the next to the Himalayas when fall comes the places. We're outside of Delhi these different cities out here that grow rice when they start to burn their crops to prepare for the next season, all of that smoke gets pushed down by the wind to come into Deli and creative environment where it's so smoggy and so gross that you can't see anything. And in fact, there are things like the Indian gate which is a 138 foot by 30 foot wide structure that you should be able to see from anywhere because it's so large but that fog comes and it It just envelops that big structure so you can't see it anymore diminishes it covers it. The things that are in our lives right now have that temptation to fog up our view of God being in control again. God being in control does not mean we're laissez-faire. We'll talk about that in the moment does not mean that we are passive in anything but it should be the encouragement. It should be the amazement. It should cause us to praise God that even during this time. He's good and in control, that's what you want to do. I hope is you heard all of these statements that we're looking at the comprehensive view of God's kingly Authority that there were times where you felt some tension in that what it said and Isaiah 45-7 create well-being and calamity. That's a pretty big statement. How can we say things like God is good. If he is moving all things according to the purpose of his will when bad things happen. Does that mean no God is blameworthy for the bad. I don't think so. Let's talk about a number two on our Islands this way. Let's understand the complexities of his sovereignty. The first one we want to be amazed at the extent. It is comprehensive. It is total Universal and specific. a meticulous you could say but then number two we want to understand the complexities of it cuz we're trying to comprehend what is almost incomprehensible to us, but let's begin to think about this. How do we say that God is good and is going to get all the praise for moving everything to go to the council's will when there are bad things that happened during that time. I think one way to begin to start to understand. This is Understanding God's relationship to both Good and Evil. As you begin to think about this if we can separate the two or make them distinct, we're not saying there parallel. I think that you could call them asymmetrical God's relationship too good and his relationship to evil things for this complexity of God soccer rule when anything good happens. We want God to get the praise for it. Why because as we studied when we got to the attribute of God's goodness were saying God is the source in the standard of all that is good of all that is desirable valuable an excellent that is what God is and so we always want God to get the praise because any expression of that goodness only comes from him. We have no definition. No objective standard of goodness. No source of goodness outside of him. Why does James say every good and perfect gift comes from God? Are the psalmist in Psalm 119:68 you are good, essentially and you do good. That's what God does. He's the one who who provides this essential expression of his goodness to us. Remember when the Rich Young Ruler approached Jesus? He says Jesus said, why do you call me? Good? No one is good. But God and so when good things happen, here's something interesting for us to think about in God's scope and as he's moving history when good things happen, those good things give him glory right like Matthew 5:16. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. Why would God get the glory for our good works? He gets that because he's the source and the standard of that goodness and empowers us to be able to do so So that's direct you see that connection because it's a a direct connection from God maybe see this causative effect if you think about Philippians 2:13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for God is at work in you both to Will and to work for his good pleasure. So the reason you're working and the reason you and I need to respond to God's command is because God is at work in us and when we say we've been saved by grace through faith of no effort of our own we put our faith in our trust in Jesus Christ God then becomes to be at work in us so we can be empowered to do good works according to his good pleasure and I'll get the glory. So I think we see that the direct this is how Bruce Ware put that think he's very helpful in this the direct and causative relationship that God has with good direct and causative. But then if you think about its relationship to evil it's it's asymmetrical. It's contrasting. It's not the same. God's relationship to evil is not one of the essential nature God is Not By Nature evil. That would be to defame the name of God and not talk about the God of the Bible. He's not like yin and yang, you know bad and good, you know kind of coalescing together. He is only good. That's all you could create in the garden. He is good, but with evil that does exist we need to begin to think about his relationship to God. I think it's back at 1:13 that says God your eyes are too pure to even look upon evil to regard it like God could never look upon even go. Yep. I like that. I'm approving of that. Or some five for that was a back 113 and Psalm 5:4. I said something like evil may not do well with you. So it can't be associated with God as if he is the cause of it. So good was direct and causative. Here's what it would be with evil indirect in permissive and when we make those distinctions now we can see how God is going to stop remove all things and get the direct price for the good because he's directly involved in it and yet still at the same time be moving history according to his wealth with all the evil that does happen because he's indirect in permissively guiding history with that. Let me see if I can help you with some examples of this. Let's turn to Joe, but Joe might be the most helpful joke chapter 1 Maybe the most helpful way to consider this.

Job chapter 1

Job 1 verses 1 to 5. They show you that God has blessed and given lots of good gifts to job. But then we see something happened behind the scenes that Joe has nothing to do with inverse 6 on. Watch what it says there. Another was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came to them. The Lord said to Satan from where have you come Satan answered the Lord and said, I'm going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it. And the Lord said to Satan have you considered my servant job, but there is none like him on the earth at blameless and upright man who fears God and turns Away From Evil than Satan answered the Lord and said does job fear God for no reason have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has on every side you have bless the work of his hands in his possession have increased but stretch out your hand and touch all that he has and he will curse you. So you see God's direct involvement in the good that's going on. Haven't you put a hedge around him, right? That's how Satan's he's a God you've done something to make sure that Joe can prosper and you've strengthened to bless the work of his hands. But if you stretch out your hand differently if you do something different with him, there's no way Jose going to praise you. So watch What God Says and the Lord said behold all that. He has is in your hand Satan only against him. Do not stretch out your hand. Do you see that directing causative with the good but indirect and permissive with the evil? That's what we're talking about. As God is in control of all things exhaustively meticulously completely universally and he's going to always get the praise for the good but guess what when the evil comes he's going to use the evil one in an indirect in permissive way putting up parameters to make sure it never goes where he doesn't want it to go. Okay, Satan, you can go ahead and touch everything he has but I'm not going to let you touch him. So then you have the rest of that happenin joke chapter one at the end of it. Satan is taking all of his stuff away and Joe please no mind to what's going on with you says the Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord. Everything's about his glory. It's moving according to his will if he gives its for asgore if he takes it's up to him. You can go to chapter 2 that the same thing we won't take the time to read it chapter 2 1 2 6 there's again the good that is God is giving and then there's that indirect permissive idea that God gives us ate. All right, you can go this far only do not only don't kill him spare his life. I'm giving you that parameter right there and he does it and it makes Joe sick and he gives them all these different things and Joe to 9. It says this the wife of jokes. Is this do you hold fast your integrity Curse God and die first 10. He says you speak of one of the foolish women would speak shall we not receive good from God and shall we not receive evil in all this job did not sin with his lips. Do you understand now what we're saying when we talk about God being directing causative with a good to get the glory and indirect and permissive even when the evil happened. It's all associated with his kingly authority. That's moving everything according to the council as well. But he's not blameworthy at all for this evil because he is indirect and it's permissive providing the parameters for it to happen and you will overcome it for his honor and Glory. I think you could think about that too will just write this passage down. We won't turn their we can think about it too and Acts chapter 2 verse 22 to 24 x 222-224. It says the reason why were saved I thought the work of Jesus Christ on the cross is the work of God being directly involved with the good and indirectly involved in the evil. So it says the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God put Jesus on the cross and that accomplish great good so that Sinners could be saved but you know who put in there that the text says Lawless men so every atrocity every betrayal Every Lie every Injustice that happened to Jesus all the evil that took place God was in control of all of it, but it happened at the hands of Lawless men who they deserve the blame and will be judged for it. And God is exonerated God is the one who will judge because he's in direct in permissive towards those people. I think this is the way we need to think about the sovereignty of God in the complexities of it. We want God to get all the glory for all the good and we never wanted to get any blame for the evil. But how he overcomes it in judges it that's healthy. Play The Glory there with the evil. So I hope is we take this huge concept of who God is and what he does in his Sovereign rule that causes us to be amazed by him at first movie understand these complex environment, but I think is one more thing we can do with this and that is number three approach live humbly because of his sovereignty. That's what we've kind of been saying this whole time. Let's approach life humbly because of his sovereignty if we're going to be amazed by it or going to understand the complexities of it and let's be humbled by it in the way that we live. Live our lives approach life humbly because of his sovereignty

Let's go to the Book of James. book of James chapter 4 verse 13 James 4:13

the Middle Passage to most people in the Bible once you get there and actually parents of junior highers in high school math, you put out a video earlier preaching the section says you and I consider it if you have an opportunity sit down with them and talk to it that might be good for a sprained on conversation as you guys are forced to interact with one another in your houses. James James chapter 4 verse 13 says this come now you who say today or tomorrow? We will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit yet. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life for? You are a Mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that as it is you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him. It is sin. I think this passage shows has just practically how we should go about living our lives with the knowledge of God. He's in complete control of all things moving all things according to the counsel of his will and we've all people should be humble boasting only in him. Just so interesting the way that it starts in verse 13 come now you who say you can just hear the the applied that's in the voice of these people. Listen to let's win today or tomorrow. We're going to such a town on spending your the tray to make a profit. So they they believe they're talking as if they're sabreline control. That's essentially what these people are doing. They're saying my authority and my abilities are going to move the course of my life and I'm the captain of the ship who's going to take it where he wants it to go. So you saw it temporarily today or tomorrow doesn't matter where I go. I'm going to spend this amount of time. I'mma spend a year at this place. So they think they're in control of time. Geographically, we're going to such and such a town doesn't matter what town fictional town. We can pick a town. We'll go there and we going to trade and make a profit. So time geography and goal. I'm in control of all that to hear how arrogant that is. And yet I think if you and I stopped and maybe looked at our prayer lives. Do they sound more like this or do they sound like somebody who says God not my will but yours be done. God I want this and I'm praying for this but if we stopped and thought is this your will God is this accomplished in your purposes? And how can we be about that? I think we should take time because of the kingly of thority of God to submit yourselves unto that and to say God. I don't want to recognize what you're doing and what they're doing essentially is they are cropping God out of the picture. Can you imagine how foolish it would be if you went to, you know, the Eiffel Tower you flew overseas, you know, you could probably get a ticket now. I don't know what they're not sell tickets anymore. But before they shut the Air Force founded tickets to Paris cost like thirty bucks fly over there and you're in the Eiffel Tower and you're going to visit the Eiffel Tower and you know, the Majestic structures in the background you're taking pictures in your taking photos and imagine if when you got back and you wanted to show all your friends just how amazing that Eiffel Tower is in the size difference in the beauty of it. Imagine if in every picture you cropped it out and just had yourself That would be so foolish. But the point is to show people this that's why you went you wanted to see that and yet now every picture is that's cropped out in this is of you. These people are cropping got out of it and it's making it only about themselves and that is something that the Texas is air again. But don't tell James brings us back to reality yet. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. You know a few weeks ago. We had no idea. This is what it was going to be. We didn't know that and things are just rapidly changed in all of this and if we were able to even forecast, you know, they're not even forecast 2 weeks. I'm going to say what's going to happen tomorrow. Like we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. So if we don't have that on our job description right able to tell what happens tomorrow means we're not in control and there is one who does it is, it's God he knows what tomorrow will bring that's a James brings to us this perfect question. What is your life? If you describe this Sovereign god with kingly 30 over all things you can now make an objective definitive statement on that that is honestly what Christianity when you want to talk about worldviews versus secular vs. Christian Christianity offers great Solid Ground to stand on because we can answer this question. What is your life? I don't know that other religions can give you a satisfying answer. They can give you an answer, but does it fit with the world do that people have What is your life James as you are missed that appears for a moment now, I don't think this is to knock down the Dignity of man who created in the image of God. I think it's just a point out. The brevity is dignified because he's made an image of God's it the brevity of his life the the fragility of his life the vulnerability of his life because ultimately we're just we're dust and there is a God who is using us. We should be trusting him. What is your life your missed that appears for time and then vanishes those two word appears and vanishes are found in the passive voice. And even though God is not mentioned right there. I think he's the implied subject. So appears and vanishes according to the will of God Appears advantage. For you are missed. It appears a little time advantages. Here we go over 15 instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that This is where it begins to be helpful and how we approach Our Lives humbly. Do we both we go to God or crop got out completely. Either way is arrogant going to God and saying God I want you to do my will that's keeping them in the picture. But tell him what you want. We can do that or it's popping them out and just going about your life as if you have nothing to do with him, but here to see if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that. That is the recognition of dependency. That is the recognition of vulnerability. That is the recognition of a god whose great and we are nothing is never Davidson Psalm 8, right? What is man that you are mindful of him or the son of man that you would even take the thought of him yet? You've made us a little lower than the angels that somebody who understands the greatness of God and our dependency upon him. So using the statement if the Lord Wills, you know your grandma probably used to say Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Somebody's our church told us it that's a literal statement because if Creeks Rose, they would cover Bridges and you weren't going to get out unless you had a boat to get acrost Lord willing and the creek don't rise. That means there's a dependent factors on you getting to this place in the Lord's will seems to be kind of up in the air here if the Lord Wills but when the Bible talks and we've been talking about it. There is a will of God that he is moving all history according to so I think it's good for us just pause for a moment and begin to see how God sovereignty moves to accomplish is one purpose by using his will to do some so we think about the will of God this way maybe the write down these two words that help you think about that with God there is the decretive will of God and the desirous will of God. We don't want a lump them in collapse them into one the decretive will of God and the desirous will of God. The decretive will of God has to do with outcome. You could write out come next to the decretive will of God. That's the outcome that God has determined in plan in his moving. All of history towards us to decretive will of God has to do with outcome. But it is Iris will of God has to do with obedience what God desires a course of action that I desire you to do. So, here's the way to differentiate those to the decretive will of God is always going to happen because God is moving all of history that way that's what we've been talking about this whole time, but the desirous will of God can be disobeyed it can be gone against and it can be used by him as he moves all history according to his decretive will see you can think about a couple passages. First of all Deuteronomy 29:29 Deuteronomy. 29:29 says the secret things belong to the Lord touches decretive will what he's chosen to do when he's chosen to do it why he's chosen to do it. We're not privy to all those things. But the desires will of God is found in the next part of the verse but the things that are revealed are for us and our children. So there is the aspect of what God has revealed. That is Iris will of God. I want you to live this way. I want you to do this for my glory to see the creative and we see desirous they're both here in this text decretive will of God if the Lord Wills we don't know we will do this, but we do know what he wants us to do live humbly before him to the creative and desirous maybe a good way to think about that is if you think about a bobsled track think about a bobsled track The the track starts up here in the goal is down here. The bobsled track is it's a fixed course, right? It's set in a certain manner. The race is blocked out. The the the course is crafted in such a way by the creator of the course to make sure you get from this point to that point in there's twists and there's turns in his ups and downs and there's bumpy spots and there's flat spots and it's all going One Direction. That's the decretive will of God. God has fixed that he's set the race. He's crafted at the way he wants it to go and it's going to get from here to here. But on that bobsled track. The fixed track the decretive track there is what's known as the line anybody's ever said anything like that or in different sports Motocross. There's a line that goes around the track. That is the ideal way to get around the track and if you are able to follow that line you're able to get from point A to point B in the fastest time possible. That's the desirous will of God that sell those two things come together to creative and desires come together when the decretive corset by God is followed ideally by the person who is doing it. So when God calls us to do things and he says this is the will of God your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality. That is US following the line know people sin against that in God uses it any still crafts you to be able to get to the end but you go off the line of the desirous will of God when you break that will That's a good way for us to think about that accretive and desires will of God. God is going to move all history that way but he desires us to live for his honor and His glory and the way that we do that is by following the defeat of the desires will of God so that we live for him. So take a look at verse back to James take a look at verse 16 as it is because I think he's referencing again to the people that he was talking to verse 13 acid is you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. This is the ultimate essence of why mankind was created. We will all boast in something. I can't wait to get to the Book of Romans cuz it's going to tell us where we should boast book of 1st Corinthians Jeremiah. They all tell us where we should boast don't boast in our cells but boast in God, but everybody's going to boast in something in these people are boasting in their own arrogance and all such boasting is evil that is a definitive statement because if we are created and designed if we have been made for a purpose and if we are rebelling against that purpose Then we're being arrogant and boastful in the wrong way. So God has created us to be this poster of him The Sovereign God who's in control of all things who we can trust who is good to us. And that's what we want to do as it is you both senior against also seems evil and so this is what James has to them. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him to send that's good for us to think about we need to act humbly especially during this time, People are going to be very helpful this entire situation, aren't we because humble people aren't going to be concerned with themselves are going to be concerned with God and other people. So if you know the right thing to do is emphasized in the original this is settled fix knowledge if you know the right thing to do and you fail to do it you're sinning against the God who created you to live for him. I think the good to do here would be what James said in James chapter 1, you know, you look at the the word it's like a mirror and it's going to teach you the good that you should do. When be a doer of the word not just a hearer only. This is the way that I think we want to talk about the Sovereign rule of God.