Jesus Reigns!

Even though it often doesn't seem like it, God is still in control. Never forget that God reigns and Satan gets what's coming to him in the end!

He Reigns
by Peter Furler & Steve Taylor
It's the song of the redeemed rising from the African plain
It's the song of the forgiven drowning out the Amazon rain
The song of Asian believers filled with God's holy fire
It's every tribe every tongue every nation

A love song born of a grateful choir

It's all God's children singing
Glory glory hallelujah He reigns He reigns
It's all God's children singing
Glory glory hallelujah He reigns He reigns

Let it rise above the four winds caught up in the heavenly sound
Let praises echo from the towers of cathedrals

To the faithful gathered underground
Of all the songs sung from the dawn of creation

Some were meant to persist
Of all the bells rung from a thousand steeples

None rings truer than this

And all the powers of darkness tremble at what they've just heard
'Cause all the powers of darkness can't drown out a single word

Matthew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.

I can't wait to praise God in heaven with all the other believers!

God or Genie?

Therein Lies the Rub... Or not!

One of the big life lessons that God has been teaching me lately is that he is God. Obvious, I know, but what does that really mean? It means that he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants. He is not a magic genie that is subservient to my wishes.

I remember a restaurant worker on a mission trip asked me once, "Does God answer prayer just to get you to follow him then stops answering prayer?" She asked this because she could see God's miraculous answers to her prayers before she became a Christian, but now that she has decided to follow him, he no longer seems to answer.

At the time I fumbled through some Sunday School double dribble God talk but the truth was that I really did not have a good answer for her. Or at least one that is acceptable to me.

Now I do.

If I could meet that worker again, I'd tell her this: God loves you and he still answers all of your prayers. It's just that the answers are not coming in the way that you'd like or expect. First he showed you his power and generosity. But now he is showing you his sovereignty, to keep you from being confused as to who is in charge. Even more valuable than his blessings is God himself, and that is what he is giving you.

Worship the Blesser, not the blessings. Besides, do we really have enough knowledge to always judge blessing from curse accurately anyway?