1-11-2025 Devotion

 We are continuing to look at Scriptural examples of God's Sovereignty in operation. We must understand that God is not obligated to treat everyone the same. Consider the following:

3. God stretched forth His hand to deliver David from Goliath, Daniel from the lions' den, the three Hebrew children from the fiery; but in Hebrews we read: "And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented." Why the different treatment? THE ANSWER IS GOD IS SOVEREIGN, AND HE EXERCISES HIS POWER WHEN HE PLEASES AND ON WHOM HE PLEASES. 

4. God allowed Stephen to be stoned to death in Acts 7, yet He delivered Peter from prison (Acts 12). Why? Because God is Sovereign. God allowed James to be killed with a sword; John, his brother, died a natural death. David Brainard preached only seven years and died of tuberculosis before he was thirty. Charles Finney preached until he was ninety. Why the difference? Because God is Sovereign.

5. Methuselah outlived all his contemporaries. Samson was given supernatural strength. One man makes millions of dollars while another man lives in poverty. Deuteronomy 8:18 says: "But thou remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth." Why does God let one man preach to millions, yet to another he preached to a handful? Why? Because God is Sovereign.

This doctrine provides me great comfort. It is not fatalism. Fatalism says things happen randomly according to chance. The Sovereignty of God says things happen according to His perfect plan. Plan versus no plan. That is one difference. God is in charge. Praise Him for that!