The Message

Heaven Rules

06 Jan

Who is really in charge of this world? The Bible gives us the answer repeatedly. God is in control and all that happens is already known by Him and allowed by Him.

He is sovereign which means that He rules supremely and reigns over His creation.

We may think that we are in control. We often have the attitude that I can do whatever I please and can control my life better than anybody else including God.

When we deny God’s control or resist doing what He wants, we actually believe that we know better than God. But, God created us and we need to ask the question – Why?

Very simply, we were made by God to love God and we were made by God to be loved by God. We were made for a beautiful, personal relationship with God.

SOME THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER:

1. God tells us that if we love Him, we will obey Him. John 14:21. To the degree that we know the will of God and submit to His leading, we are the objects of His blessing.

Consider how we drive our cars. We need brakes to keep us safe. We need rules to keep us from crashing into one another. We need limits on speed to keep us from crashing. We drive our cars, hopefully with humility, recognizing that we must be responsible to drive to our destination. What about our journey through this world?

God gives us His Word so that we can get to heaven and spend eternity with Him. He loves us and died for us so that we would no longer be separated from Him.

But, He wants us to voluntarily give Him control. We are given free will to accept or reject God.

2. Jesus used the illustration of the Good Shepherd. Sheep on their own can get devoured if careless. The Shepherd controls the sheep out of love for them.

Jesus Christ is the Shepherd who laid down His life out of love for the sheep. Do we accept His leadership and trust Him 100% to guide us through His Holy Spirit and His Word?

Our spiritual life determines how we live our lives. Without God, we can pridefully go our own way but eventually suffer for it. The Prodigal Son found that out.

He was not coerced by God. His free will was respected and he left the Father to do his own thing. God loved him all the way even when he was far away. God’s love is unconditional so He is ready to take over whenever we will surrender to His rule. Apart from God, we are like a branch disconnected from the tree. We desperately need to be connected to Him by faith.

3. Nebuchadenzzar (king of Babylon) was a wonderful illustration of how so many human rulers act today. 

We still have power hungry dictators ready to smash any opposition, Unlike God, they rule through
fear and intimidation.

Eventually, they all come to their senses but likely fail to honor God in their lifetimes. God was merciful to Nebuchadnezzar as he learned his lesson and recognized that God gave him his power and authority. In the verses below, the first sentence is spoken by Daniel admonishing the king to renounce his sins and turn to God.

The king’s response (12 months later) is far from wise. He gives himself all the glory for his life. But, when the Truth is revealed to Him, he comes to his senses and acknowledges that Heaven Rules.

Who is in control of your life? Is this your prayer? “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar. Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. 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?” At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble.
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