August 12, 2022 – Friday
Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV
8 The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Comments
The verse above is not the object of the comments today. Instead, it is the kickoff of a number of verses that reflect “God is in control.” During prayer at church this afternoon for revival, there ensued a discussion of a number (big number) of things wrong in the world. We always ended up with no matter what happens remember “God is in control.” Then as I prepared to put together the Verse/s of the Day, I decided to look up where the Bible says, “God is in control.”
I looked and looked but could not find it. Turns out it is not in the Bible. However, I found a number of lists of verses that make the point that indeed “God is in control” so we have no need to worry. I picked through all the choices and chose those that reflected this sentiment best in my opinion. Thus Deuteronomy 31:8 was my first choice as it essentially says that.
Then there is 2 Chronicles 7:14, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Who but God can forgive sins and heal the land? Only God, for He is the one in control.
Then there was Hezekiah, King of Israel, facing an Assyrian army he could not defeat or prevent from taking Jerusalem, so he turned to God in prayer. God answered his prayer and said in Isaiah 37:35, “I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” Then in the very next verse we read, Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! It did not end there as Sennacherib, king of Assyria ran back to Nineveh where he was assassinated by two of his sons!
Then the most powerful statement that “God is in control” comes from the book of Colossians. In chapter 1:15-20 we learn a great deal about Jesus, but most incredible is what we read in verse 17, He is before all things, and in him all things hold together NIV, He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together NASB, He existed before all things, and he holds everything together CJB, and finally in the AMP version, And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] Our Lord, our Savior, controls the whole of the universe and with that in mind, I rest easy knowing “God is in control.” What are we to worry about knowing this? Bottom Line: We have to do what we have to do, but we have the absolute assurance “God is in contro.”
Prayer: Almighty God, You are in charge, You are in control. Thus let our minds and hearts be at peace even with the chaos that exists all about us. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Calvary Chapel of Dayton
in Beavercreek