–Matthew 10:28(NKJV)
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Today, I’m going to briefly look at another “hated” doctrine regarding God–His sovereignty.  People do not like this concept because it puts us so far below God and it shows that He indeed is supreme.  It will be only a brief look, for there have been libraries of books written about this doctrine.
     To define, it is simply:  The exercise of His supremacy.  In other words, God can do what He wants with what is His, when He wants.  God is God in fact, as well as in name.  Arthur Pink puts it this way, “God does as He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases.  None can thwart Him, none can hinder Him.”  Spurgeon adds this, “There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God’s Sovereignty…  One the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings…  Men will allow God to be everywhere except on His throne.”
     Nothing can touch or be touched that God doesn’t cause or allow.  He is definitely involved with His creation.  To put it more plainly, God is in charge over ALL His creation.  He can overrule any affliction at any time.  He, and He alone, is the only being that can override the laws of nature.  The Psalmist wrote, “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.” (135:6, NASB)  God is unrivaled in majesty, unlimited in power, unaffected by anything outside Himself.  “God is credited as being clothed with absolute authority upholding all things by the might of His power.  Since all power belongs to Him, He determines the service which all things, both which are in heaven and in earth, shall perform.” (E.S. Williams)  J.I. Packer writes, “God’s dominion is total:  He wills as He chooses and carries out all that He wills.”
     I would ask, who can understand the workings and power of God?  I, in my simple way of thinking, relate to the the Psalmist, “But our God is in heaven: He does whatever He pleases.”  (115:3, NKJV)  Perhaps instead of arguing about His sovereignty it would be better to accept it, and simply say that we do not and cannot understand it.  Read God’s comments to Job, “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?” (38:2, NIV)  Read Job 38-41, and look at God questioning the puny mind of man.    
     Calvinism or Arminianism?  Yes!  Do I understand?  No!  God placed Adam in the garden of Eden on conditional footing.  He could have placed him upon unconditional footing.  Now look at man since then.  He wants the sovereignty of God to exclude human responsibility, but God will not do so.  God did not place Adam upon conditional footing because it was the right thing.  It was right because God did it.  Get this–know this–whatsoever God does is right!  Do not get into arguments regarding God’s sovereignty for it is foolish because it cannot be fully understood.  Know this, human responsibility is based upon Divine sovereignty.  The laws, commands of God in the Scripture come from His divine sovereignty.
     And I will close with this solemn thought:  “Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.” (Romans 9:18, NKJV)  Woe is me, I cannot understand, but I am thankful that He has, in His sovereignty, given me His divine mercy.  That’s why “NOW” is the day of salvation, while God is stretching forth His mercy to the ends of the earth.  Grasp it while there is still time and hope.  Do not be like those whom He has allowed to believe a lie.

               “Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
               Pardon there was multiplied to me;
               There my burdened soul found liberty,
               At Calvary.”
                        –William R. Newell

                    –Psalm 119:7 (NLT)
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               “If you have the Word in your mouth only, it shall be taken from you.  If you have it in your book only, you shall miss it when you need it most; but if you lay it up in your heart, as Mary did the words of the angel, no enemy shall ever be able to take it from you, and you shall find it a comfortable treasure in your time of need.”
                         –William Cowper

     I have not yet decided how I am going to treat Psalm 119.  It is the longest chapter in the Bible and it contains so much.  I could easily spend a year discussing it, and if I go with my normal style of writing this weekly Psalms it will take eleven weeks.  Let me then start with just an introduction to this magnificent Psalm.  There are twenty-two stanzas, eight verses each which correspond to the Hebrew alphabet.
     The NIV Study Bible states that, “The author had a theme that filled his soul, a theme as big as life, that ranged the length and breadth and height and depth of a person’s walk with God.”  That theme deals with the Word of the Lord and our devotion to the Word of God.  We see in this psalm God’s directives which should result in obedience and God’s promises which should build our faith.
     There are several terms that should not be neglected in this study.  In fact, I urge you to write them somewhere in your Bible so that you can refer to them as you read this psalm and other psalms.  The number in parenthesis is the number of times this term is used in Psalm 119.
          1)  Law (15) — God’s entire instruction to His people; blessings to those walking in obedience.
          2)  Testimonies (21) — God’s covenant stipulations.
          3)  Precepts (21) — only found in Psalms; it involves the application of God’s word; they are detailed instructions, that take dedicated effort to fulfill.
          4) Statutes (21) — God’s regulations, standards, and boundaries.
          5) Commandments (21) — God’s rules and regulations that express His authority.
          6) Judgments (18) — God’s verdicts as Divine Judge.
          7) Word (36) — God’s revelations; His commandments and promises.
          8) Way (26) — pattern of life; God’s principles and means of operation.
          9) Ordinances — some translations will have this term.
We do not know who the author is.  It may be David, or more modern scholars believe it was Ezra.  Most likely it is an unnamed author, but we know that whoever he was he was passionately devoted to the word of God as the word of life.  This writer humbly acknowledged the errant ways of his heart and life; he knew the pain–but also the fruits–of God’s corrective discipline. (NIV Study Bible)
     God’s Word is imperative to get into our minds and hearts in this wicked and evil day.  James Montgomery Boice writes, “We live in a day when people do not much value God’s Word, even in evangelical churches.  We say that we value it, but our neglect of the Word belies our confessions.  We do not spend much time in serious Bible study.  We do not memorize God’s Word, hiding it in our hearts, as the psalmist says he did.  As for today’s preachers, many of them also neglect the Word, thinking that it will not appeal to mass audiences and that serious Bible teaching will harm their churches’ growth.  They turn instead to worldly devices, like humor, drama, and other forms of entertainment.”
     I would suggest this week that you read verses 1-16 every day.  Try reading them in different translations and be aware of the terms used.  For today I will leave you with a few verses to ponder.
          1 — How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. (NASB)
                Happy are people of integrity, who follow the law of the LORD.  (NLT)
          2 — Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart.  (HCSB)
          4 — You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. (NLT)
          5 — Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!  (ESV)
          8 — I will obey your principles.  Please don’t give up on me!  (NLT)
Note as we read this Psalm that there is the development of a worldview.  A way of life that is based upon the Word of God.  If you want to be happy, do not look to the world, but instead study this Psalm; the answer to happiness is found in conforming to the law of God.  “As we follow Jesus and develop our relationship with Him, we increase our understanding of His ways.” (David Chapman)
          9 — How can a young person stay pure?  By obeying your word and following its rules. (NLT)
        11 — Thy word have I had in mine heart that I might not sin against thee.  (KJV)
                I have treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.  (HCSB)
George O. Wood gives a brief, yet good summary of these two stanzas.  Alelph (1-8), We look at God’s standards and honestly know we don’t measure up.  Yet, we continue to keep reaching to live the ideals given in the Bible.  Beth (9-16), Don’t let friends dictate how you act–take God’s advice instead.

               “Who can tell the pleasure, who recount the treasure,
               By your Word imparted to the simple-hearted?
               O that we, discerning its most holy learning,
               May always love and fear you, and evermore be near you.”
                         –Henry W. Baker

                    –Stephen Bly  (Shadow of Legends)

       “Even to your old age, I am He, and even to gray hairs I will carry you!  I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”

                    –Isaiah 46:4 (NKJV)
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               “My hope is built on nothing less
               Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
               I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
               But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.”
                         –Edward Mote

I wrote last Friday regarding the losses that occur during life.  Since I received a few comments I decided to look at the remaining losses that come our way according to the article I read.  One thing I want to say, all the things that the writer said weren’t bad.  During life there will be losses and change will occur no matter what we try to do to stop it.  Aging will happen, the seasons come and go, life hits us, health issues arise, career changes or no long is apart of our lives.  Friends move, die, new ones come.  Yes, life is full of changes, my real problem with the article was that there was too much humanism.  Rarely did it speak of going to God’s Word for the answer, or seeking the Holy Spirit’s help in guiding, or praying, or ….  See my issue?  So let’s continue.
     Hmmm, I can’t remember what I was going to write…oh, that’s it, the sixth loss that comes our way is the loss of memory.  Here’s the answer:  nutrition.  Yep, health issues lead to forgetfulness, but also nutrition.  Avoid desserts, eat more rosemary and turmeric.  Change things in your life.  Sounds so simple.  But why not try prayer?  Do we forget the comic “B.C.” where the man goes up the mountain to the old sage?  The old with their sound advice.  Yes, sometimes things will be hard to recall.  Yes, some people do get dementia and Alzheimers.  Fear might come when these terms are mentioned, but where is God?  Moses’ eye was not dimmed, can we not have faith that our mind will be the same way?  And if it does, I go back to my major premise–trust in God.
     Here is another one I do not understand–the loss of faith.  It would seem to me with a life of living for the Lord that faith would abound.  I know for sure that the devil attacks using the mind, and he will use different thoughts and tactics as we get older.  My Mom, bless her, would sit in her recliner, twiddle her thumbs, and get angry over the past.  Regrets would flood her.  I used to talk to her and would ask, “is there nothing good from to the past to reflect upon?”  But she preferred to dwell upon her regrets.  The past is gone never to return so why use it to buffet yourself?  Hasn’t God been faithful?  Dwell upon Him.  His mercies are new every morning.  Don’t age the winter of your life bring your faith low for in actuality it brings us closer to God.
     Dreams.  Dreams are gone, things you never did or achieved are no longer accessible.  We have the notion that we must complete our “bucket list.”  I could deal with this area for some time, but I will suffice that dreams that did not materialize are a gift from God.   I fully believe the words of Psalm 37:23, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.” (NKJV)  God delights in our way and He directs our steps.  Dreams didn’t work out–thank God.  Many times they were false, materialistic and self-centered.  Get a grip on the Word of God, not on lost dreams, and perhaps not even on creating new dreams.  Thank God for “unanswered prayers.”
     Then there is the loss of passion.  Woe is me, nobody likes me…do I really have to get up?  There goes our mind.  The author says that the excitement about new projects is gone as is the fervor to set new goals.  Why?  Put this and dreams together–if someone would have told me I was going to become an educator when I was young I would have laughed.  When strangers would come to the house I would run and hide underneath the bed.  Then when I took my first practicum in college, I said no way!  No way!  I would not teach.  Ah, but God had a different plan.  I would not have dreamed of teaching and I spent a year short of forty doing just that.  Isn’t God grand?  Writing?  I would never have thought that I would be writing books, yet I have now written fourteen novels.  See…the bottom line is that God is in charge.  Don’t try to create something that is not to be, yet allow God to work in your life.
     The last lost are the “piles of losses” in our lives.  Throughout life we tried to accumulate.  For what?  Loss upon loss.  Perhaps we try to live too complex a life, we seek more, then more and have lost the simplicity of serving God in whatever capacity we can.  When we dwell upon all our “losses” are we not being self-centered?  Are we not seeking something more than the kingdom of God?  Maybe we have forgotten that we should “hunger and thirst for righteousness…” (Matthew 5:6)
     Yes, change is inevitable.  No matter what, the gray hairs, the feeble knees, the wrinkles are going to come.  That is if you live long enough.  Too many losses?  Hmmm, count the years, look at the miles–see where God has brought you.  More and more I find myself trusting in the Lord.  More and more I find my mind looking at the kingdom.  More and more I hear the old hymns well up in my soul.  Yes, we all have losses throughout life.  But we also have the Good Shepherd.  “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  (Psalm 23:4, NKJV)

               “It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus;
               Life’s trials will seem so small, when we see Christ;
               One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,
               So bravely run the race till we see Christ.”
                        –Esther Kerr Rusthoi

               –Ernest Haycox  (Guns of Fury)

       “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.'”

               –James 4:15 (NKJV)
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               “There is a God
               Almighty God
               Creator of heaven and earth and all there is.
               There is no other
               All will discover,
               When time is through and eternity begins.”
                       –unknown

Our thoughts of God are too human!
     Enough said, that should do it for today’s devotion.  But then again, how else can God’s creation think?  I hate the phrase, but we are only too human.  That’s one reason why God uses metaphors, analogies, and other means of speech to describe Himself.  We have really no idea of the majesty and august supremacy of God.  We only have the Bible that records some of His deeds on behalf on His people.
     As I have written before, man tries to lower God.  He tries to bring God down to his level.  One reason is that man cannot comprehend the infiniteness of God and all of His attributes.  A second reason is that man doesn’t like to think of himself on a lower level.  My, my, shades of Lucifer.  No wonder Jesus told His disciples to just be glad that their names are written in heaven and not be prideful of what God had given them.
     Man, with the aid of Satan, has always tried to bring God down.  He has made images of an invisible God.  He has worshiped idols of God made by his own hands; idols that cannot do a thing.  He manufactures God into what he wants Him to be, and to be around when he wants Him to be around.  Ahh, but God is always there.  God will do all that He has designed to do.  Even at the end of the Tribulation when the Antichrist declares war on God, God’s will will win out.  All that He has decreed He performs.  As the psalmist wrote, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” (Psalm 115:3, NKJV)
     Isaiah carries this thought, “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.'” (46:10, NKJV)  Look at the mess the world is in.  Wars, famine, pestilences, terror, confusion, and guess what–it is only going to get worse.  That’s why we need to put our trust in the Solid Rock.  The Ancient of Days is our fortress and our foundation.  We cannot comprehend the supremacy of God, but we can trust in Him.  I don’t care, Democrat or Republican, demagogue or tyrant, king or dictator, none of them can stand against the decrees and supremacy of God.  Maybe it would be good for all of us to read Revelation over and over.  Just ponder for a while the following:

          “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.  His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.  He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  Not out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.  And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron.  He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.  And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:  King of Kings and Lord of Lords.”
                    –Revelation 19:11-16

     I know this is very similar to last week’s study on the decrees of God, but it is so pertinent for us to realize that our God is supreme!  No one or being can thwart His purposes and that includes His care for His children.  We can count on Him; know that He is there!  Because He is supreme we can trust Him with and in every aspect of our lives.  In the words of Arthur W. Pink, “Here then is a sure resting-place for the heart.  Our lives are neither the product of blind fate nor the result of capricious chance, but every detail of them was ordained from all eternity, and is now ordered by the living and reigning God.”