7 Sermons Tagged "Control"

This Thanksgiving we are reminded that God created the Earth and everything in it for us, but everything we have belongs to him. On our own we are unholy and without Christ's blood cleansing us, we would be destroyed when we stand before God. So it is out of thanks that we make offerings of the time, talents, and treasures that God has given to us.

Even when trying to do God's work, like sharing the Gospel with our friends and neighbors, we can find ourselves wondering why God did not cause it to work out the way we thought was right. We look at the prophet Elijah's experience when he became frustrated after his efforts in Israel appeared to be failing for guidance with our own endeavors.

Like the disciples on the boat during the storm, we can often wonder if Jesus cares about the problems in our lives, with our friends, and even in our communities and countries. The truth is he cares so much that he lived and died for us, and as true God he is all knowing and all powerful, ruling over everything for our good.

When reading through the Bible, it may seem like God is sometimes playing favorites with those who are saved and those who are not, especially those people who at times worked against Christ. However, through several parables Jesus explains the key differences between those people, and we see how it applies to us today.

Christians today are often persecuted or ridiculed, and it may seem like God is not paying attention. However, God is still in control, and he still keeps his enemies in line and uses them for our benefit. We look to God's use of the prophet Isaiah and the Babylonians before, during, and after they conquered Jerusalem to see this in action.

Even today we may face opposition or persecution when proclaiming your faith in Jesus, but we should not let that stop us because God is control; He is working to both keep us in His salvation and to help us spread His message.