Regina Conference: 1996, The Sovereign God is for Us (19:6)
Address—C. Hendricks
I was noticing that first, Lufthansa. Our times are in thy hand, Father. We wish them there. I want you to ask yourself. As I myself. Is that true? Is that true of me? Are we totally committed to the? To the truth that our times are indeed in His hand. The way of man is not in himself. It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. No, our times are in His hands. Our life, our soul, our all we leave entirely. To thy care. Is that true of Maine? Is that true of you? I'd like to talk this afternoon on the sovereignty of God. Now the sovereignty of God supposes 3. Grand attributes of God. His omnipotence. That is, he's all powerful. His omniscience, that is, He's all knowing. His understanding is infinite. And his omnipresence. His presence everywhere. We cannot get away from God. His sovereignty is his prerogative. To exercise? Absolutely. His attributes. And the wonderful truth of Scripture is that He is for us. For us, his children. And all that he does in his sovereign acts. Are for His glory and our blessing. Some time ago in the United States, a rabbi. Wrote a book. It became very popular. It was received by the men of the world with a claim. And it was called. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad things happen to good people? Have you ever thought what would happen? If God would put a fence around every believer. So that no bad things ever happened to them. Why everyone would want to become a Christian? Everyone would be rushing to join the company. That was so protected that no thing, no evil things ever happened to us. Well, that isn't the way it is. And there's a question that is puzzled man for years. How can God? Well, let me put it this way. Is God good? And is God all powerful? Well, this rabbi who wrote this book? He didn't want to conclude that God wasn't good. So if. These evil things happen to good people. People don't that don't deserve these things. It would seem. Then God must not be all powerful. He must not be in absolute control. He must not be the absolute sovereign. And it's something like. Uh, what HG Wells, I wrote it down here. I don't want to misquote him, so I'll, uh. I'll read what he wrote. HG Wells was a science fiction writer and he was a historian, and he held a similar view. To this rabbi. Who worships a limited God? A God who is not able to keep everything. That he has created under control. Either not able or not willing. Well, HG Wells wrote. He said the world is like a great drama. A dramatic production which is being produced and managed by God. When the curtain opens. All is lovely to behold. You look at the Garden of Eden as God originally set man. In innocence, no sin, no taint of evil, all was perfect.
It was a paradise. It was a garden of delights. And that's where he put. Our first earthly parents. So when the curtain opens in this drama, all is lovely to behold. The characters Adam and Eve are beautiful indeed. The scenery is magnificent and all goes well until the leading man steps on the hem of the garment of the leading lady. Who falls over a chair? Who knocks over a lamp? Which? Tips over a table. Which knocks over the side scenery, which causes the back scenery to fall in, and everything is in chaos and people are screaming and God, the manager is running around behind the scenes pulling strings and shouting orders but ah alas, he can't seem to bring things. Into any kind of decent order. That was the view of this rabbi. That was the view of HG Wells. And that explains how God can be good and yet but all this evil. Is out there. But that view? Is not. Biblical. Not at all. This is not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is 1 to whom nothing is impossible. He is always in perfect control of everything. And he works everything according to the council of his own will. Someone has said Can God make a stone so large that he can't move it? Well, obviously the question has with it a great contradiction. If God made the stone in the 1St place, of course he could move it. No, there is no such a thing as that. If the stone was as large as the largest mountain, he could move it. If it was as large as planet Earth, he could move it. If it was as large as the solar system, he could move it. If it was as large as the Milky Way Galaxy, he could move it. If it was as large as the entire universe. He could move it with his little finger. So great is our God one has. Tried to explain the greatness of God a little bit by picturing a man. With a Pebble in his hand the size of an atom. The size of an atom. That really that analogy diminishes God. God is greater than that. If he put the universe in the palm of his hand, it would be. Less than an atom, God is infinite. And everything that he has created. Is finite. I remember talking to my family. I gave them a math question, I said. What is 1 / 0? And they said zero. And I said no, it's not, It's Infinity. Any number divided by zero is infinitely large. And that's God. That's who God is, that's what He is, and His prerogative is to exercise. His power, his wisdom. His attributes. In absolute sovereignty, the sovereign ruler of the universe. Well. Martin Luther said to Erasmus, the Roman Catholic scholar, probably the greatest scholar of the day. He said to him, your God is too small. Your God is too small. And JB Phillips said to a modern generation. No, I got that wrong. JB Phillips said your God is too small. Martin Luther said your God is too human to Erasmus too human. Too subject to frailties and humanistic characters that characteristics that we have.
I want to ask you. This is a young people's meeting. How big? Is your God. How big is your God? Is he the sovereign ruler of your? Universe. Of your life. Does he have absolute control? In everything. That you have to do with. These are searching questions. I know they're very searching to my own soul. How big is your universe and how big is the God that you know? That rules your universe. Is your God too little? Is he? Like the Pagan gods that are limited in their power and they are in conflict with one another, each vying for a place of supremacy. Do you have more than one God? Do you have the God of pleasure and the God of your business and. God of. Other things in your life? Is there one absolute sovereign ruler? In your life. And in mind. The sovereignty of God. Is that he? Let's look at it in Revelation 19. We have a beautiful verse there. That brings it out. Revelation Chapter 19. Now we're going to be turning to a number of scriptures. And. Revelation 19 and verse 6 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. Does the Lord God with all power omnipotent? Reign in your life. And in mine. And do we realize? That everything that comes to us in life. Even some of the worst calamities and heartaches and sorrows and tears. Are under his control. Do we really mean it when we sing? Our times are in thy hands, Father. We wish them there. Do we really wish? That he takes and has, and we believe he has absolute. Authority in our lives. The Lord God omnipotent. Reigneth. And let me turn you to the 29th Psalm. That goes along with this. They're going to be looking at a number of scriptures here. Connection with the teaching of Scripture on the subject of God's sovereignty. The 29th Psalm and verse 10 says the Lord sitteth upon the flood. Yeah, the Lord sitteth king. Forever. Yesterday when I was traveling. I travel many miles. I was traveling N on route 16 in Montana, which becomes Route 6 since in Saskatchewan up to Regina and there was a lightning storm right in front of me to the north of me. I had heard the news saying that there was. Going to be hail. And I understand there's some very damaging storms in this part of the country. And I saw those lightning bolts and couldn't help but think of the. The scriptures that speak of his lightning. His thundering. His voice is in the Thunder. And he controls and sends these lightning bolts. And I took courage and refreshment in the thought. I'm driving right into that storm. I could see all the strikes ahead of Maine and. I took comfort in the fact that not one of them. Can ever reach me? For harm without my father. He's the one that directs it all. Man never thinks of it that way. He thinks of these things as natural phenomena.
And they just happen. It's all by chance. And that was the view of this rabbi. That was the view of HG Wells. All of these fortuitous things that happen in our lives. We have no control over them and neither does God. That's not true. That's not true. I want to present this afternoon to us a God who controls. To the very smallest, the very smallest things that befall us down here. He is king over ever. He is king forever, a sovereign ruler. The Lord God, omnipotent reigneth. Is he a limited God? Or does he rule all things? You see, there's a view of God that he created everything. It's just like winding up an old watch with a spring in it. And then he retired and let it run itself. No, that's not the God of the Bible. That's the God of mythology, and that's the God of false religions, but that's not the God of the Bible. The God of the Bible is ruler. As sovereign ruler over all things, exercising his infinite power, his infinite wisdom, his infinite attributes in all that he does. Let's turn back to Daniel 4. Daniel 4. And verse 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? None can stay his hand. Are say unto him. What doest thou? They get that same truth in Job Chapter 9. And verse 12. Behold, he taketh away. Who can hinder him? Who will say unto him? What doest thou? What doest thou? Can the Potter, can the clay say to the Potter? Why hast thou made me thus? No, God doeth according to his will. And none can stay his hand. Jeremiah. Chapter 32. Verse 17. Ah, Lord God. Behold, thou hast made the heaven. And the earth by thy great power. And stretched out arm. And there is nothing. Too hard for thee? Nothing too hard for thee. How big is your God? Is he limited? Limited because maybe not because he doesn't have the power, but. And there are some that view that he doesn't, but that he's not willing. Remember one came to him and said, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. You're able to do it, I know that. But are you willing? Well, we were hearing this morning and how often we've heard it. That his heart is towards us. And his heart is love. Is there anything too hard for me? He says. Now he is able to do all things. Matthew 28. We know that verse very well. I'll read it. And Matthew 28 before the Lord Jesus left this scene. He said in verse 18, Jesus came and spake unto them, saying all power. Is given unto me. In heaven. And in Earth, not limited, not confined to one sphere or the other. But all power. Is given unto me all authority. Is given unto me in heaven and earth, and then again in Ephesians. A very well known passage. Chapter 1. And verse 22. He hath put all things under his feet.
And gave him to be the head over. All things to the Church. And again in verse 11 of this chapter. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose. Of him who worketh all things after the counsel. Of his own will. You know, man doesn't like this subject, this truth of the sovereignty of God. He he likes to think of himself as being able to to handle matters and to cope with matters and to. Be the master of his own fate. He doesn't like to realize what we're presenting this afternoon, that God is the absolute sovereign. Who has control of everything, whether we like it or not? It is true. Isaiah 14. Isaiah 14. And verse 24. The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought. So shall it come to pass. And as I have purposed. So shall it stand again in verse 27. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disable it? And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Sovereignty. Of God. Chapter 46 of Isaiah. Chapter 46. Verse 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. Declaring the end. From the beginning. And from ancient times. The things that are not yet done. Saying, my counsel shall stand. And I will do all. My pleasure. My counsel shall stand. He knows the end from the beginning. He is the one. In Isaiah 57 it says he inhabits eternity. He is a timeless being, we creatures of time. And to us, there is the present, there's the past, there's the future. We know nothing about the future. All is 1 to him. He knows the end from the beginning. He is the one who is in absolute sovereign control of all events which transpire down here. You're going down the highway. And everything is fine. And also all of a sudden a car veers into your pathway. And you're involved in a very serious auto accident. Not your fault. Did God have anything to do with that? He has something to do with everything that happens. Down here. Especially so we can say that with his own. But those who are his? And everything that he allows. In our life. Some things are the bitterest. The hardest? Most grievous to bear. But he knows the end from the beginning. Not only is he light. Not only is he all powerful. But his love? And nothing that has happened or is happening or will happen. To you. Is outside of his control. Don't ever believe. That he's lost control, that it's like that chaotic scene on the stage. Where everything has come tumbling down and the manager cannot bring it into order any longer. And that's the way it looks when we look around sometimes. I know, one said to a dear brother long ago, with all the troubles that were coming in amongst the Saints, what will become of us?
And he said, I know of no future for the Christian but glory. No future. But eternal glory. Does it make you uncomfortable? That he's in control of everything. Not some things you might say well. I control my life. You know. 100 years ago. He knew that you would be sitting in that very chair this afternoon. In Regina, SK, Canada. He knew you'd be there. And what if he had told, I say 100 years ago? I could have said a million years ago to God, that doesn't make any difference. He knew you'd be here. And what if he said to one of his angels that you would be here? And what if you weren't? That would mean that God made a mistake. And that is impossible. That is impossible. He never makes a mistake. His knowledge is perfect. And his control of everything. Is according to that knowledge. And he's working all things to A to an ultimate climax which will redound to his glory. And to his Son's glory. And to our blessing. What happens along the way is incidental to. The accomplishment of His eternal purpose, well. Chapter 46 says in verse 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 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times the things that are not yet done. Saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure calling a ravenous bird from the east. The man that executed my counsel from a far country. This has a prophetic bearing. I'm just looking at it now in a different aspect here. Yeah, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also. Do it. And there isn't anyone. There is no power in the universe that can stop it. That can change that. Genesis 18 is a nice verse we often have. Noticed it, very simple, I don't have to turn to it. Is there anything? Too hard. For the Lord. And then Job 42 two, I'm going to quote it as it is in Mr. Darby's translation. I know that thou canst do everything. And that thou canst be hindered in no thought of thine. That is, if God wills to do something. It happens. Because no purpose of his can be restrained. God wills to do something. It happens. Someone will say well. Uh, God can't save that person. Because their will is set against him. God can save anyone he chooses to. And he's chosen to save everyone in this audience. If you're all saved, I don't know the hearts of each one, but those of you who are, it was his choice. It was his purpose. To bring you and me into blessing. We take no credit for it. But we praise Him. We worship and adore Him. That it was in his heart to choose me. To choose you. You know, when you think of it in that way, what befalls us down here in this little small period of time doesn't. Amount to do much does it? When we think of these things in the light of eternity. Eternity. In the 115th Psalm, verse three, I have jotted these down. I'll read it instead of turning to it. Our God is in the heavens. He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. We like to do what we please, we like to do. We like to think that we are the master of our fate. We say, well, that's not my doctrine, I really don't believe that. But we act that way, don't we?
So many times I speak to my own soul. Psalm 135 six says whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he. As we consider God's sovereignty this afternoon. The effect that it produces in my own soul is I'm so glad. That he is in control. Not me. I am so thankful. That he has absolute power to bring about his purposes of blessing in my life. In your life. And I don't have that power. There is no way that I could put it into your hearts, each one of you making an individual choice in your life. To be here at this conference. God can do that. And he has done it. And he's brought it to pass. It's his work. It's his doing. We err when we think that. We are making the critical decisions in our lives. When we should, as we walk by faith, not by sight. Not by cunning. Not by our own human reasoning. But trusting Him, we walk by faith, not by sight. There's a beautiful one in Isaiah 55. I want to read it to you. It has to do with the word of God. Verse 11. So shall my word be. That goeth forth out of my mouth. It shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please. And it shall prosper in the thing where 2. I sent it. How wonderful to know that. There are so many campaigns that are undertaken at the expense of. Sometimes millions of dollars. To get the gospel out. This verse. Says that his word will accomplish. But he pleases. And when a soul gets saved at a small meeting or a large meeting of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people. It's the Word of God that does it and the Spirit of God that does it. Not all the machinations of man and the planning of men, but His word, which will not return to him void, but it shall accomplish that which he pleases. And the thing wherewith he assented. The purpose of God will come to pass. There will be no one missing in heaven because of your unfaithfulness or mine in getting the gospel out. But rewards will be missing. To those of us who have lazily not discharged our responsibility in getting the word out to the lost. But there will be none missing there because of my unfaithfulness. Someone else will step in and do what I should have done. In handing the track or speaking a word. Or whatever it might be. God will have his house full. And it will be as he purposed. And none can stay his hand. Let's just look at that verse in Romans 9. It's a nice verse. Romans, Chapter 9. Verse 20. Nay, but O man. Who art thou that replies against God? Shall the thing form say to him that formed it? Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump? To make one vessel unto honor. And another unto dishonour. Does he not have that power? Yes, he does. He can do as he pleases because he is the sovereign ruler. Sad to say. First of all, it's good to say God has not made anyone a vessel to dishonor man, makes him that, makes himself that. But he has made us vessels to honor. That's God's work. If we're going to be brought into blessing, he has to come in in his sovereign act and.
And bring us out of darkness into his marvelous light. That's his work. I can't do that. All we can do is present the gospel to the lost, and God has to do the rest and he has to buy the spirit, convict the soul. And bring into blessing. Take the story of Joseph. With all that I've said, you say, well. There still seems to be this problem of good and evil. If God is all good and all powerful, why the evil? Well, the answer, of course, is not God's fault. It's because man has turned his back upon God. He's turned away. And God uses the evil for blessing. I think the beautiful, the most beautiful illustration of this is Joseph. He was Jacob's favorite. And his brothers were jealous of him. And he brought to his father the evil report of their bad conduct. And then he Joseph, told his brothers of the dreams that he had had. That there they would bow down to him. And this made them more the angrier at him. And finally, we know the story. They sold him. To some merchant men and they took him down to Egypt and Potiphar bought him. And made him his servant, and he was a very faithful servant. And his faithfulness was rewarded in a very strange way. Potiphar's wife, she cast her eyes upon Joseph and. He resisted that temptation and she said come lie with me and he would not, he would not be with her. He was faithful. And one time she caught a hold of his garment and said, come lie with me. And he fled out of the house, and she had his garment in her hand. And and then she called the servants and said, he came to mock me. And when the master came home, she told a lie and Joseph was put in a dungeon. And God blessed him there. And yet it seems as though for all his faithfulness, he only received evil. Well, we know what happened. The Butler and the Baker had dreams, and Joseph told them their dreams and what he told them came to pass. And he said to the Butler, Remember Me when? You're reinstated and he forgot him. And then sometime later, Pharaoh dreamed, and none of his wise men could answer his dream and. Then the Butler said, I remember my sins and he told about Joseph, and he got him out of the prison and. He brought him. A different year to Pharaoh, and he told them the meaning of the dream. And he became the second in command in Egypt. And we know the story. And let's just look at the beautiful end of it, and not quite the end, but in Genesis 45. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers who had so mistreated him. I'll read from verse one. Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him. And he cried, 'cause every man to go out for me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he wept aloud, And the Egyptians and the House of Pharaoh heard. And Joseph said unto the brethren. I am Joseph. Doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray to you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother. Whom you sold into Egypt now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves that. You sold me, hit her, for God did send me before you. To preserve life. So all that evil that happened to Joseph was used by God for the ultimate good and preservation and blessing of his family. Beautiful picture of God sovereignly working all the scenes. And working the mall for ultimate good and blessing. Never. Charge God. With not being able. To control your circumstances. Are with not loving you. He has proven. How do we know He loves us? Where do we see the absolute proof of it? Totally outside of my circumstances and what has happened to me in my life and in your life, How do we know how much He loves us? The Cross of Calvary is the answer.
That tells me that he loved me so much as to give his only begotten Son in death on the cross. To shed his precious blood, that my soul might be saved eternally. Yours too. That's the measure of his love, that's the expression of his love, and nothing that ever happens in your life or mine can ever change that. Don't ever doubt his love. Don't ever doubt his power. Don't ever doubt that he is for you. If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. How shall he not with Him also freely give us all things? The trouble with us, with me, with us, is we want it now. But we may not have it now. We may have to wait his time. And his time is always best. His way is always right. It's always best. You know, I think of how in his sovereignty, he can even use the brute beasts. There's a beautiful instance if you'll turn to Exodus Chapter 11, when the children of Israel came out of Egypt. A beautiful instance of his sovereign power. Exodus 11. The Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring 1 plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt. Afterwards He will let you go. Hence when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hands altogether. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and jewels of gold. Now God disposed the hearts of Israel, of Egypt, the Egyptians, to give. Plentifully, bountifully to the Israelites who were on the verge of leaving Egypt. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Now who did that? Well, that's the sovereign God did that. The Israelites couldn't change the disposition of the hearts of the Egyptians towards them, but God could. And he gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people. And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt. And all the first born in the land of Egypt shall die from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even under the first born of the maidservant, that is, behind the mill, and all the first born of beasts. And there should be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt. Such as? Was none like it nor shall be like it anymore and I want to pause here. I live in a little town Allendale, IL 600 people. I like to go out at night sometimes and take a walk through the town. The only reason I don't like to do it is what I'm going to just tell you now. I get to walking. And I go buy a house that has a dog and it starts barking. And then the next one starts barking and by the time I'm walking through the town. The whole town of Allendale is filled with the sound of barking dogs. Now here were 3 million people that were leaving Egypt. With their cattle and their animals, and against any of the children of Israel, shall not a dog? Move his tongue. Have you ever thought about that? God the sovereign God kept those dogs. Quiet. Absolutely, you might say. An impossible thing to do. There is nothing too hard for the Lord, and this was to be a testimony. Against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast, that she may know that how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel? Beloved, he puts a difference between the world. And you? And us. He puts a difference. Aren't you glad you belong to him? To this sovereign God, who does according to his will, and none can stay his hand.
And then he can use. I won't turn to it. He can even use a **** ***. To rebuke the folly of Balaam. He can use. Whatever he wishes. And he? He acts for his own glory. And for our blessing, God is for us. Do not interpret God by your circumstances by the. The evil things that might come into your life, by the heartaches and the tears that might flow. Those are proper and God knows what he's doing. He knows what he's doing. And he's doing it all. For His glory. And our eternal blessing. Second Chronicles chapter 20 I want to. Just read this, I was looking for it. I found it and sister came to me right after and said here it is. And I was thankful to have it. Second Chronicles 20 and verse 22. It's a beautiful passage. I'll start from verse 20. And they rose early in the morning. Jehoshaphat he was. He was being besieged by a tremendous enemy. And. They went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa, and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Here. Me, O Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, believe in the Lord your God. So shall he be established. Believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and they. That they should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army, and to say praise the Lord for his mercy endureth forever. Here they are faced with an enemy that is powerful enough to destroy the mall. And he tells the people to praise the Lord. And when they began to sing. And to praise. The Lord set ambushments. How did he do this? I don't know. That's not important. He does what he wants to do, when he wants to do it, and as he wants to do it. He set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab and Mount Sierra, which were come against Judah, and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Sierra utterly to slay and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of sea air, everyone helped to destroy another. And so the enemy was vanquished. Under the power of God. When we think of the conquests of Israel and how they were so outnumbered in one place, it says. The children of Israel were like just little little teeny flocks of sheep set in a place against this huge, vast army of the enemy. But it wasn't anything to God. And we get down, don't we? We get down under our circumstances and things and problems in our lives. And we all do that to some extent, but all to realize God is sovereign and God is for us. And none could stay his hand.