Today’s readings’
Psalm 89:9-13
Romans 9:1-21
HoseA 11:12-14:9

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

God uses people that we don’t like to bring about blessings for us. But if we don’t trust and obey what God is doing through our circumstances, then we miss out on the blessing he has in store for us. What we need to realize is that 1) God rules it all, 2) He chooses who he uses, 3) Wrath belongs to God. Because God is in control, I can have self-control. Amen.

God Rules it All

Psalm 89:9-13 says “ You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.” – Psalm 89:9

There’s lots of noise in society, they crash back and forth like the surging sea. Yet God rules over them all. When Jesus stilled the waters they said, “ What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” (Matthew 8:24-27). Through all this noise from the sea of people God is walking over them like Jesus walked on the waters.We too can walk over man water like Peter when our eyes are fixed on Jesus.

God Chooses Who He Uses…

People often envy Israel being the “ chosen people” in whom God picked to deliver His message of salvation to the world. Israel then rejected Jesus, because he didn’t fit their human expectation or idol. But in Romans 9 Paul shows us that God chooses who he uses, and it’s not left up to us. I know… living in America we have lots of choices, but in God’s kingdom, and in reality, there are things we don’t have control over which was my first point “ God is in control”. While God listens to our humble prayers, like he did for Hezekiah ( 2 Kings 20:5 ) we have to remember that we are not God. When we try to play the role of God, that’s when destruction comes… which leads me to my next point…

Wrath is God’s

In Hosea, we see God first confronting his people in chapter 13 then comforting them in chapter 14.

“ Like a bear robbed of her cubs, I will attack them and rip them open. Like a lion I will devour them; a wild animal will tear them apart.” – (Hosea 13: 8)

But then we see God comforting his people:

“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.” ( Hosea 14:4)

Romans 2:4 speaks of how God’s “ Kindness” is to lead us to repentance…BUT if we don’t repent the only thing we can expect is wrath.

The flip side of this is that, “ As Christians” we must not take it upon ourselves to be the ones who try to distribute God’s wrath. It’s not our job as (Romans 12:19) pointed out.

Even Moses wasn’t let into the Promise Land because he didn’t leave wrath to God. Paul tells us to “leave room” for God’s wrath. Our job as Christians are to testify the truth, and trust God.

The slippery slope of wrath is that we can fool ourselves to start believing that we should be the

Romans 12:19 says, “ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”

Conclusion

God rules it all, He chooses who he uses to break down evil, and replace it with good. Because God is in control, I have can have self-control.