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God Is in Control—What Comfort for the Believer!
GOD IS IN CONTROL—WHAT COMFORT FOR THE BELIEVER! What comfort, joy, and strength believers receive from the truths of divine providence. Nowhere else are we given such assurance that the One who perfectly knows the past, present, and future, the One whose wisdom can never be challenged or excelled, the One whose power reigns and accomplishes all that he wills, governs all the affairs of creation, fulfilling in all respects what he alone knows is good, wise, and best. What may seem to us as “accidents” are no such things in the universe governed by the providence of the true and living God. Prayers may be directed to this mighty and reigning King knowing that while he tenderly and compassionately hears the cries of his people, he “sits” in the unique position of knowing perfectly what is best and possessing unthwarted power to bring to pass what he wills. The world is not spinning out of control; in fact, not one atom or despot or demon acts in any respect to hinder the fulfillment of what God has eternally ordained. To know this God, and better to be known by him (Gal. 4:9a), is to enter into the security and confidence of a lifetime of trust in his never-failing arms. — Bruce A. Ware, GOD’S GREATER GLORY: THE EXALTED GOD OF SCRIPTURE AND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2004, p. 15. ISBN 1-58134-443-0. This book is a companion volume to the author’s GOD’S LESSER GLORY: THE DIMINISHED GOD OF OPEN THEISM (Crossway, 2000). Both books are highly recommended. [Dr. Bruce Ware is a dear friend and a valued faculty colleague. He is also one of the elders at my own Clifton Baptist Church where he teaches adult Sunday school and occasionally leads worship and preaches. One of his sermons on worship (“Adoration for Proclamation, for Transformation, and for Exaltation”: 2 Cor 3:12–4:18) is found at www.cliftonbaptist.org/verticalhabits. There you can find both the manuscript and an audio version of his message. Highly recommended.] Have a great week. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.carlstam.org www.sbts.edu/icw =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org =========================== |