Do Not Be Afraid!!

Fear often grips our hearts when we face uncertainty, suffering, and trials. But God speaks directly to His redeemed people: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you!" This is not a mere suggestion it is a divine command grounded in His sovereign grace. He has purchased us at the highest cost the blood of His darling Son, Jesus Christ! (1 Peter 1:18-19)  

Because we are ransomed, we are also called by name. This is the personal love of God toward each of His redeemed people. He knows each of us intimately and claims us as His own. What a comfort to know that our identity is not found in our struggles, failures, or circumstances but in the unchanging truth that we are God's redeemed children! Our trials may seem overwhelming, but they can never undo what Christ has secured for us. We belong to Him, and nothing can snatch us from His omnipotent and loving hand! (John 10:28-29)  

The Christian life is not free from suffering, but it is never without God's presence. The Lord does not say IF you go through deep waters, but WHEN. This world is filled with trials, but the promise is sure: "I will be with you!" Deep waters will not drown you. When trouble comes like a flood, God holds us fast. The waves may crash, but they cannot pull us from His omnipotent grip! (Psalm 93:4) 

Rivers of difficulty will not sweep you away. Temptations, sorrows, and hardships may rise--but our foundation in Christ remains forever firm. Fires of oppression will not consume you. Just as God preserved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, He will sustain us through every trial. (Daniel 3:25) 

We do not walk alone. The sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, is our Savior. He leads us, refines us, and upholds us by His wisdom and power. Every trial, though painful, is used by God to purify our faith and deepen our dependence on Him. (1 Peter 1:6-7)  

You may measure the heavens with a ruler, you may weigh the mountains in scales--but the love of Christ, who shall measure that! 

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

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Romans 8:38-39 ...  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Isaiah 43:1-3 ... But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. ❤

Gods Angels

God's angels protect you without you even realizing.

[Billy Graham]

Luke 4:10 ...  For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

Psalm 34:7 ... The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

Daniel 6:22 ...  My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

Matthew 18:10 ... Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. ❤

"The SUPREMACY of God"

God alone reigns in absolute supremacy. He is unmatched in majesty, unchallenged in authority, and unrivaled in glory. He does not seek permission, accept counsel, or share His throne. All things from the highest archangel to the smallest particle exist by His will and for His praise. He is not an accessory to human ambition, nor a servant to man's desires. He is the One who declares the end from the beginning, who works all things according to the counsel of His own will. "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor for everything in Heaven and earth is Yours!" (1 Chronicles 29:11)  

To acknowledge the supremacy of God, is to be brought low before Him. It crushes the pride of man and silences every boast. We are not in control. Our plans, our wisdom, our strength all vanish before the One who sits enthroned above the circle of the earth. He is not a passive observer, but the living King actively ruling every moment of history. Nothing is outside of His dominion. Every breath drawn, every drop of rain that falls, every ruler who rises or is cast down each move in exact obedience to His eternal decree. "The Lord does whatever pleases Him, in the heavens and on the earth!" (Psalm 135:6) 

There is not a stray molecule in the universe, not a single event outside His sovereign hand. This truth devastates human pride, and it anchors the believer's soul. The God who upholds the galaxies is the same God who numbers the hairs on our head. He who governs the cosmos, also holds our hearts. His supremacy is not cold or distant it is filled with covenant love. The same hand that directs the universe, was pierced for our redemption! To the one who trusts in Christ, God's supremacy is the ground of deepest peace. No foe can triumph, no trial can overwhelm, no promise can fail for the Sovereign Lord of all, is also our Father in Heaven. 

He is never frustrated, never surprised, never overruled. Every joy and every sorrow flows from His wise and loving will. Let us therefore worship not merely for what He gives, but for who He is. Let us bow in reverence, trust in His providence, and rejoice that this infinitely great and glorious God has made Himself ours. "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as He pleases with the powers of Heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: What have You done?" (Daniel 4:35)  

Lord, you are King, and I am dust. Yet You reign for my good and Your glory. Help me to trust You completely. Sovereign Lord, who reigns over all things in power and majesty, humble my heart before You. Silence every fear and every doubt with the knowledge that You do all things well. Let me rest in Your supreme rule, trusting that Your will is always wise, always just, and always good. Amen. 

[A. W. Pink] 

Isaiah 46:9 ...  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

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Four Facts of Scripture

Here are the four facts revealed in Holy Scripture which I most cherish. Those four, blessed, gospel truths are the pillars of our faith, the joy of our hearts, the comfort of our souls, and the constant themes of our songs in worship and of the message we preach. 

1. The God we worship and serve, our Heavenly Father is absolutely sovereign in all things.  (Daniel. 4:34-37) 

2. The Lord Jesus Christ, God's dear Son, our Savior has effectually redeemed his people from all sin. (Galatians 3:13)

3. Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 2:8-9) 

4. And the Lord our God sovereignly rules, controls, and disposes of all things in providence according to His own wise and holy will. (Isaiah 46:9-10)

[Don Fortner] 

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As Well Might a Babe ...

As well might a worm seek to resist the tread of an elephant; as well might a babe step between the railroad tracks and attempt to push back the on-rushing train; as well might a child seek to prevent the ocean from rolling as for a creature to try and resist the outworking of the purpose of the Lord God! 

Ah, my reader, this is the first great lesson we have to learn: that God is the Creator, and we are the creature; that He is the Potter, and we are the clay! 

The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature He is the Highest, Lord of Heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none He is absolutely independent. God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, and always as He pleases. None can thwart Him; none can hinder Him. 

[A.W. Pink] 

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Daniel 4:35 ... And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Psalm 115:3 ... But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 135:5–6 ... For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.❤

What a Solemn Thing!!

Daniel 5:1, 4-6, 26-28, 30-31. King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone. Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall, near the lampstand in the royal palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote. His face turned pale, and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together, and his legs gave way! This is what these words mean: "God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians." That very night Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain, and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom! 

What a solemn thing to die at such a moment! Yet how many are there, who, if not slain like him yet are called away from the midst of the mirth and pleasures of this life, as unprepared to die as this heathen king! 

 It was so at the time of the Flood! 

 It will be so at the end of the world! 

 It is so daily and hourly! 

"The foolish virgins" greatly outnumber those who are wise; and have their oil to seek when the bridegroom arrived. 

Lost sinner! Might not God justly destroy you instantly with fire, as He did Nadab and Abihu? "So, fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord!" (Leviticus 10:2) Might not God cause the earth to swallow you up, as He did to Korah and his rebellious followers? (Numbers 16:31) How many sudden deaths take place all around you, some old, some young, and some in the prime of life! Are the illnesses and accidents which you see or feel, no warnings? But you have a handwriting; yes, the handwriting of God Himself! You may see it in the Scriptures of truth. There you may see written as with a sunbeam, "God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting." 

All hope of entering Heaven will be quickly taken from you, if you do not turn unto God with your whole heart! While you are living at ease, and putting the thoughts of death far from you, God may be saying, "You fool! This night your soul shall be required of you!" And oh, how terrible would this be to you! "What hope has the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life?" (Job 27:8) "How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!" (Psalm 73:19)  

Your soul must be covered with the sin-atoning blood of Jesus, or your sins will infallibly plunge you into everlasting perdition! Seize then the fleeting hour. Adore your God that you have not been taken away, as thousands of your fellow-creatures have been with all your sins upon you! 

"Today, while it is called today, do not harden your heart," (Hebrews 4:7) lest you perish in impenitence and unbelief! May the Lord grant that it may never be so with us! 

[Charles Simeon]

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"Pride"

Nebuchadnezzar had "walked in pride," and been abased for it below the most contemptible of men. As secure as he had imagined himself from any calamity, God had inflicted in a moment a punishment, which might well deter all who heard of it from the commission of a similar offence. God is never at a loss for means to accomplish His righteous will! In the judgment inflicted on this haughty monarch, God has sufficiently shown, that He is both able and determined to "abase all who walk in pride." 

Now this consideration is of infinite importance, not to kings only, but to all the human races. Pride is natural to man. There is not a more powerful principle in our fallen nature, than pride. The ungodly world is full of it. There is not any distinction, natural or acquired, which is not made an occasion of self-exaltation and self-delight. If a man is born of high parentage or has acquired rank or fortune by his own exertions, how will he be puffed up with his honors, and almost imagine himself to be made of a finer clay than others! 

"My might and my wisdom have procured all these things for me!" Nor is this confined to the ungodly. There are among those who profess godliness, many, who are as full of pride and conceit as those who are altogether ignorant of saving religion. Some, like the Pharisee in the Gospel, "trust in themselves that they are righteous, and despise others." They say in their hearts, "Stand by yourself; do not come near to me! I am holier than you." Of these God says, "They are smoke in My nostrils!" (Isaiah 65:5) 

Others, like Diotrephes, "love to have the pre-eminence;" and are never so happy as when they are setting forth their accomplishments, and passing judgment upon all that they see and hear. Self-admiration, self-conceit, self-seeking, and self-promotion are their characteristic features. Not a few, it is to be feared, "being lifted up with pride, fall into the condemnation of the devil." (1 Timothy 3:6) 

Even truly godly men are by no means so holy, but that they are in continual danger of being drawn into the indulgence of this evil principle.  Hezekiah, even after his most extraordinary deliverances from enemies without, and illness within so far forgot himself as to be lifted up with pride; and thereby provoked God to withdraw from his descendants the mercies that had been given to him. Paul himself was visited with a thorn in his flesh, to keep him humble, "lest he should be exalted above measure!" (2 Corinthians 12:7) 

Be it known then to all, that they need to watch and pray against this malignant evil; for God will surely abase all in whom it is found. Some, like Manasseh, God will put a hook into his nose, bind him in bronze shackles, and take him into captivity. Others, like Peter, God will leave to fall, and to disgrace their holy profession. Others, like Pharaoh or Herod, God will plunge into the bottomless abyss of Hell! Let us never then forget, that "the proud in heart are an abomination to the Lord!" "I hate pride and arrogance!" (Proverbs 8:13) "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished!" (Proverbs 16:5)  

Those who are under the influence of the sin of pride, always find means to hide it from their own eyes. But it is to no purpose to deceive ourself, as God will not be imposed upon. He sees the pride, wherever it exists, and He hates it with a perfect hatred! Let us then endeavor to find out even the most hidden workings of this abominable evil and implore help from God to mortify and subdue it! 

[Charles Simeon] 

Daniel 4:37 ... Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

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A Step Between the Railroad Tracks

As well might a worm seek to resist the tread of an elephant; as well might a babe step between the railroad tracks and attempt to push back the on-rushing train; as well might a child seek to prevent the ocean from rolling as for a creature to try and resist the outworking of the purpose of the Lord God! 

Ah, my reader, this is the first great lesson we have to learn: that God is the Creator, and we are the creature; that He is the Potter, and we are the clay! "O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in Heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can withstand You!" (2 Chronicles 20:6)   

The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature He is the Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none He is absolutely independent. God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, and always as He pleases. None can thwart Him; none can hinder Him. 

[Arthur Pink]

Daniel 4:35 ... And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

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All That Occurs in His Wide Empire!

Upon the whole history of this solemn event, is stamped the record of the absolute sovereignty of God. It is not an enemy who has done this! God is sovereign, and this is the hand of God! All that occurs in His wide empire, from the falling of a leaf to the extinction of a race; from the death of a sparrow to the blotting out of a star; is only the fiat of Him, who is from everlasting-to-everlasting God whose counsel shall stand and who will do all His good pleasure. There is a God who reigns in the earth! 

"Affliction does not come forth from the dust; neither does trouble spring out of the ground" (Job 5:6) but "the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" (Revelation 19:6) God is sovereign on His throne! All the powers and processes of nature are but the ministers who do His pleasure. Rising above the roaring of the ocean, above the moaning of the blast, above even the shrieks of drowning men is heard the solemn voice of the Almighty, saying in tones of overwhelming majesty, "Be still and know that I am God!" (Psalm 46:10) 

Let us enthrone above these scenes of apparent disorder and arbitrary infliction a Sovereign God, a God of wisdom, a God of power, a God of love, who sees the end from the beginning, and orders all things according to the counsel of His will and here at least we have an anchorage for Faith, a place where she can cling, and look up amid the jarring elements, and say, "Even so, Father, for so it seems good in Your sight!" (Luke 10:21) Who would not prefer, if called on to submit uncomplainingly and absolutely to the most trying circumstances and dealings that these should be ordered by a wise, just and good Being one whose infinite wisdom enabled Him to devise the best things, whose infinite power enabled Him to accomplish them, and whose infinite goodness disposed Him to exert that power. Who would not choose that a father's hand should pour the bitter cup which he was to drink even to the dregs? 

Oh! to be taught that a Sovereign God rides upon the billows and directs the storms which have swept all our idols away and left us beggared and forlorn is a lesson worth to the tried and tempted soul of man, all that it costs to learn it. To my own mind this fearful event in all its horrors is full of teaching on that great point which lies at the foundation of all religion, but which men are so constantly prone to forget that there is a Sovereign God in the heavens before whom all must bow, and to whom all must give account! 

[Ebenezer Rogers]

Daniel 4:35 ... And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

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Winner of Souls

Winners of souls are first weepers for souls.

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

James 5:20 ... Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

1 Corinthians 9:19 ... For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

Daniel 12:3 ... And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. ❤

Jesus Christ is Completely Sufficient!!

One of the great tenets of Scripture, is the claim that Jesus Christ is completely sufficient for all matters of life and godliness! 2 Peter 1:3-4

He is sufficient for:

  Creation (Colossians 1:16-17)

  Salvation (Hebrews 10:10-12)

  Sanctification (Ephesians 5:26-27)

  and Glorification (Romans 8:30).

So pure is He, that there is no blemish, stain, spot of sin, defilement, deception, corruption, error, or imperfection in Him! (1 Peter 1:18-20)

So complete is He, that:

  there is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5)

  He is the only begotten Son (John 1:14, John 1:18)

  all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Him (Colossians 2:3)

  the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Him (Colossians 2:9)

  He is heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2)

  He created all things, and all things were made by Him,

      through Him, and for Him (Colossians 1:16)

  He upholds all things by the word of His power (Colossians 1:17, Hebrews 1:3)

  He is the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15)

  He is the exact representation of God (Hebrews 1:3).

He has no beginning and no end (Revelation 1:17-18)

He is the spotless Lamb of God (John 1:29)

He is our peace (Ephesians 2:14)

He is our hope (1 Timothy 1:1)

He is our life (Colossians 3:4)

He is the living and true Way (John 14:6)

He is the Root and Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star (Revelation 22:16)

He is Faithful and True (Revelation 19:11)

He is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2)

He is Captain of our Salvation (Hebrews 2:10) 

He is the Elect One (Isaiah 42:1)

He is the Apostle and High-Priest of our confession (Hebrews 3:1)

He is the Righteous Servant (Isaiah 53:11)

He is the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:17)

He is the Redeemer (Isaiah 41:14)

He is the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 54:5)

He is the God of the whole earth (Isaiah 54:5)

He is the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3)

He is the Light of the world (John 9:5)

He is the Son of Man (Matthew 20:28)

He is the true Vine (John 15:5)

He is the Bread of Life (John 6:48)

He is the Door to Heaven (John 10:7)

He is the Sovereign Lord (Philippians 2:10-13)

He is Prophet, Priest and King (Hebrews 1:1-3)

He is our Sabbath rest (Hebrews 4:9)

He is our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6)

He is the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God,

    the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

He is the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)

He is the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5)

He is the Rock of Salvation (Psalm 62:2)

He is the Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:13)

He is the Counselor and Comforter (John 14:26)

He is the Messiah (John 4:25-26) and

He is the great I AM! (John 8:58) 

[Author Unknown]

Colossians 2:9-10 ... For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: ❤

All That Occurs ...

Upon the whole history of this solemn event, is stamped the record of the absolute sovereignty of God. It is not an enemy who has done this! God is sovereign, and this is the hand of God! All that occurs in His wide empire, from the falling of a leaf to the extinction of a race; from the death of a sparrow to the blotting out of a star; is only the fiat of Him, who is from everlasting-to-everlasting God whose counsel shall stand and who will do all His good pleasure. There is a God who reigns in the earth! Affliction does not come forth from the dust; neither does trouble spring out of the ground" but "the Lord God omnipotent reigns!" (Revelation 19:6)

God is sovereign on His throne! All the powers and processes of nature are but the ministers who do His pleasure. Rising above the roaring of the ocean, above the moaning of the blast, above even the shrieks of drowning men is heard the solemn voice of the Almighty, saying in tones of overwhelming majesty, "Be still and know that I am God!" (Psalm 46:10)  

Let us enthrone above these scenes of apparent disorder and arbitrary infliction a Sovereign God, a God of wisdom, a God of power, a God of love, who sees the end from the beginning, and orders all things according to the counsel of His will and here at least we have an anchorage for Faith, a place where she can cling, and look up amid the jarring elements, and say, Even so, Father, for so it seems good in Your sight!

Who would not prefer, if called on to submit uncomplainingly and absolutely to the most trying circumstances and dealings that these should be ordered by a wise, just and good Being one whose infinite wisdom enabled Him to devise the best things, whose infinite power enabled Him to accomplish them, and whose infinite goodness disposed Him to exert that power. Who would not choose that a father's hand should pour the bitter cup which he was to drink even to the dregs? 

Oh! to be taught that a Sovereign God rides upon the billows and directs the storms which have swept all our idols away and left us beggared and forlorn is a lesson worth to the tried and tempted soul of man, all that it costs to learn it. To my own mind this fearful event in all its horrors is full of teaching on that great point which lies at the foundation of all religion, but which men are so constantly prone to forget that there is a Sovereign God in the heavens before whom all must bow, and to whom all must give account! 

[Ebenezer Rogers]

Daniel 4:25 ... That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. ❤

God's Most Hated Attribute!

There is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, as the great, stupendous but yet most certain doctrine of the Sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah! Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne! 

 They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow His bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of Heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean. But when God ascends His throne, then His creatures then gnash their teeth! 

And when we proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter then it is that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us for God on His throne, is not the God they love! 

No doctrine in the whole Word of God has more excited the hatred of mankind, than the truth of the absolute sovereignty of God! Opposition to divine sovereignty is essentially atheism and were it not for sovereign grace, none of us would ever have followed the path to Heaven. I am daily more and more convinced that the difference between one man and another, is not the difference between his use of his will but the difference of grace that has been bestowed upon him. 

[Charles H. Spurgeon] 

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Psalm 115:3 ... But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 135:6 ... Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

Daniel 4:35 ... And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 Revelation 19:6 ...  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. ❤

The Boss.

 Daniel was with The Lord in that lion's den.  Therefore, Daniel was the boss.

No fear.

Daniel 6:20-23 ... And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.  My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.  Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God. ❤

End Times Eschatology

 Israel is the clock.

Daniel 9:27 ... And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Jeremiah 30:7 ...  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

Matthew 24:15 ... When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 ... Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. ❤

The Godhood of God!

As well might a worm seek to resist the tread of an elephant; as well might a babe step between the railroad tracks and attempt to push back the on-rushing train; as well might a child seek to prevent the ocean from rolling, as for a creature to try and resist the outworking of the purpose of the Lord God! 

Ah, my reader, this is the first great lesson we have to learn: that God is the Creator and we are the creature; that He is the Potter and we are the clay!

The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, He is absolutely independent. God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, and always as He pleases.  None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him.

[A.W. Pink]

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Isaiah 64:8 ... But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

Daniel 4:35 ...  And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

2 Chronicles 20:6 ...  And said, O Lord God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? ❤

The God of Popular Christianity!

In these days of man-centered religion, verses like these have been ignored. The pulpits of our land preach a defeated God, a disappointed Christ and a defenseless Holy Spirit. Man has been deified and God dethroned. God has been relegated to the background.

The God most people believe in has benevolent intentions, yet He is unable to carry them out. He wants to bless men, but they will not let Him. The average church-goer thinks Satan has gained the upper hand, and that God is to be pitied rather than worshiped. The god of popular Christianity has a weak smile and a halo!

To suppose in the slightest that God has failed, or that He has been defeated, is the height of foolishness and the depth of impiety! The religious world needs to get God off the charity list!

The Bible knows nothing of a defeated, disappointed, and defenseless God. The God of the Bible is the "Almighty God" (Genesis 17:1) Who has all power in Heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18). With Him nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37) or too hard (Jeremiah 32:17). His eternal purpose is being worked out. Everything is going according to His plan, and all things are under His control.

The God of the Bible is the Supreme Being in the universe! He is the most High, higher than the highest. He has no superiors and no equals. God is God. He does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases.

"He is in one mind, and who can turn Him? What His soul desires, even that He does" (Job 23:13). Agreeing with this is Psalm 115:3: "But our God is in the heavens: He has done whatever He has pleased." As the Master of the World He declares: "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure!" (Isaiah 46:10)

God is the Supreme Being and the Sovereign of the universe. He exercises His power as He wills, when He wills, where He wills. "All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of earth. No one can ward off His hand or say to Him: What have You done?" (Daniel 4:35)

God governs all His creatures and their actions. The events that take place on earth do not take place by chance, or fate, or luck. The so-called accidents are not even incidents with the Master of the World. He numbered the hairs of our head and noted the sparrow's fall in eternity past by His "determinate counsel and foreknowledge" (Acts 2:23).

The Master of the World set the bounds of our habitation on earth. The number of our months is with Him, and our days are appointed!

God is holding the helm of the universe, and regulating all events. The Master of the World "works all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:11). It is God's eternal right to do all His pleasure. He is not accountable to any of His creatures. Job 33:13 declares: "He gives no account of any of His matters."

God controls all things or nothing. He must either rule or be ruled. He must either sway or be swayed. He must either accomplish His will or be thwarted by His creatures. He is not obligated to leave the affairs of this world to be governed by accident, chance, or the will of sinful men.

If we admit that God absolutely governs all things according to the counsel of His own will, then we admit that He has determined what shall and what shall not transpire in time and eternity. To deny His universal control of all things, is to deny His eternal power and Godhead. If He has the power and wisdom to determine all events then He can cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

[Milburn Cockrell]

1 Chronicles 29:11-12 … Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

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The Creator's Dominion

God is a sovereign of absolute and unlimited dominion! Reason and revelation both teach us that God's government and authority are coextensive with His rational creation. His government reaches to the remotest bounds of the habitable universe!  Every angel in Heaven, every inhabitant of earth, the millions of beings that people the worlds that are above and around us are all subjects of His divine authority.

[Rufus Wheelwright Clark]

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Daniel 4:34 … And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

Psalm 103:19 … The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

Revelation 19:6 …  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.❤

The Sin of a Pardoned Soul!

A deep sense and clear sight of sin, its heinousness and the punishment which it deserves--should make us lie low before God's throne. As Christians we have sinned! Alas! that it should be so. Favored as we have been, we have yet been ungrateful. Privileged beyond most we have not brought forth fruit in proportion. What Christian is there who will not blush when he looks back upon his past sins?

As for our days before we were regenerated, may they be forgiven and forgotten; but since then, though we have not sinned as before, yet we have sinned against light and against love, spiritual light which has really penetrated our minds, and the love of Jesus which we have experienced. Oh, the atrocity of the sin of a pardoned soul! An unpardoned sinner sins cheaply when compared with the sin of one of God's own elect ones, who has had communion with Christ and leaned his head upon Jesus' bosom.

Look at David! Many will talk of his sin but I beg you to look at his repentance, and hear his broken bones, as each one of them moans out its dolorous confession! Mark his tears, as they fall upon the ground, and the deep sighs with which he accompanies the softened music of his harp! We have erred, let us therefore seek the spirit of penitence.

Look, again, at Peter! We speak much of Peter's denying his Master. But remember that it is written, "He wept bitterly!" Have we no denials of our Lord to be lamented with tears?

Alas! these sins of ours would consign us to the place of inextinguishable fire if it were not for God's sovereign mercy which has made us to differ, snatching us like brands from the burning! My soul, bow down in humility under a sense of your natural sinfulness, and worship your God. Admire the grace which saves you; the mercy which spares you; the love which pardons you!

[Charles H. Spurgeon]

Daniel 9:8-9 … O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;

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The Sovereignty of God

The Sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of His supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, He is absolutely independent. God does as He pleases,  only as He pleases, always as He pleases.  None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him.

God's sovereignty is not the sovereignty of a tyrannical Despot, but the exercised pleasure of One who is infinitely wise and good! Because God is infinitely wise, He cannot err. Because He is infinitely righteous, He will not do wrong. Here then is the preciousness of this truth. The mere fact itself that God's will is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear but once I realize that God wills only that which is good, my heart is made to rejoice.

God's purpose cannot fail. God's plans cannot miscarry.  God's will must be done.

A "god" whose will is resisted,  whose designs are frustrated,  whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to Deity and so far from being a fit object of worship, merits nothing but contempt!

[A. W. Pink]

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Daniel 4:35 … And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Psalm 115:3 … But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 135:6 ... Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.❤