We have been brought into this world – and every detail has been worked out - in accordance with the Sovereign plan and purpose and will of Almighty God.

We have been saved from sin and the threat of hell through His Sovereign work on the cross ... planned to the very last minute detail in the eternity where God alone dwelt.

There is absolutely no better subject any child of God could study than this subject!

It is something the unsaved don’t understand. They would tell you, “If I was God I would do this … that … and the other”.

Similarly, the religious ‘scribes and Pharisees’ of our day have ‘toned God down’ so that He has lost all His power, His influence and His Sovereignty and their god is a stranger to the God of the Bible .

But … our God reigns – He is the only King over all His creation!

Do you believe this? Are you sure about this? As a believer, are you certain about this greatest of truths? … because if God’s people are not completely and absolutely convinced we ‘shackle’ His might and His ability to work amongst us.

There are four very important words at the commencement of the Bible and they state one tremendously important truth, In the beginning God …

Throughout the Bible the Name of God is mentioned 4447 times in 3878 verses; ‘Lord’ is mentioned 7836 times in 6668 verses …

Now, I didn’t have time J to count all the pronouns that made reference to Him … but the Bible is all about God!

	It begins by telling us about His creating abilities; it tells us about Abraham and how he was chosen by God to father a nation that would become known as the people of God.
	It tells us about the dealings of God with that nation, - how He delivered them into bondage, through bondage and out of bondage.
	It tells us how they stood up against all the nations who either sought to invade them or who actually did invade them. … Everything in the Bible is all about God!

Calvary is all about God! Our calling and our salvation and our redemption is all about God! Our sanctification … our glorification is all about God! … And Heaven is all about God.

Take any of it away from Him and from His glory and you do the most dangerous act you possibly can; Dt.4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

He is Almighty in every aspect imaginable and even those which we don’t yet know about. Nothing of that which He has created is in the least bit possible of denying Him His power.

Is this the God you believe in … for this is surely the only God the Bible recognises?!

God is on the throne of the universes and He is doing today what He has always been doing, - He is directing all things after the counsel of his own will.

That means the plans that He has determined will – every one of them, without exception – come to pass.

That means that His will is irreversible and cannot be resisted to such an extent that it causes Him to change His plan, - there is no law court judge or magistrate who can stand up and appeal against His judgements and His commands.

He is absolutely, 100% in total control because He is the Sovereign Almighty God.

I don’t know if you agree with me in all that I have said so far … or you might agree with some little proviso you would include but which I have left out.

Well, there are two possible alternatives:

	God must either rule … or be ruled,
	He must either sway … or be swayed.
	Either He accomplishes His will or His will becomes determined by the will of man.

I hear folk saying, “He has looked down the long corridor of time and has seen what we were going to do and He worked out His plan accordingly!”

Friends, I would even be afraid to suggest that I believed such a thing. My God’s plans are not dependent on what He knew I would plan. My God’s plan was formed in His eternal mind from before the foundation of the world and the purpose of His plan is that it all will be brought to pass and that all glory would be brought to His Name.

Yes, He must have all the glory … and the fact that He searches out and finds and returns to the sheepfold every last sheep that is His is the most beautiful picture anyone could draw of the tender, loving Shepherd Who is the King of kings.

There ought to be no doubt about it among God’s redeemed people, - the certainty of this great Truth of the Sovereignty of God.

I know that in certain circles this great truth has been denigrated and emptied of all its claims … and I can understand the unsaved wanting to deny the Sovereignty of God.

	It is absolutely natural for them to want to do that.
	They don’t know God, or read His Word … or neither do they want to get to know Him!

But this great truth ought to be cherished faithfully and without reservation by every Bible-believing child of God.

There is nothing of this which we can boast of ourselves, - all our boasting is in Him!

Matthew Henry wrote, “Whatever point of compass the wind is in, it is fulfilling God’s word, and turns about by His counsel”.

Does this doctrine offend you? Well, if you are a Christian it ought not to for it is what the Word of God plainly teaches. On the other hand, if you are not a Christian or – as a Christian - you have somehow got caught up with the world’s thinking and this doctrine offends you I say “Beware!”

If you don’t like this subject beware! … for listen to what the Godly J.C. Ryle wrote, “Of all the doctrines of the Bible none is so offensive to human nature as the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God”.

What is going on in our world today?

We are becoming cleverer and cleverer. We have never been as advanced as we are at this present time.

For example, the Bible says: God is the Creator and He created, for example, the lambs and the sheep;

The scientists say: we can create our own sheep, - and we shall call her ‘Dolly’ and we’ll make our own clones.

The Bible says God said He is in charge of when we die;

No, the humanists say: we’re in charge and we want to determine the time and mode of our dying.

The Bible quotes Job speaking to God, Job 10:18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

Society says, “If the little baby in the womb is less than perfect … abort him/her; kill him/her”.

At every stage it is in the heart of man to resist the Sovereignty of God. Only by the application of the Holy Spirit is man brought to accept this great truth as taught clearly in the Bible.

Why is it that churches and fellowships are weak and have lost their power? It has all got to do with this subject … Dan. 11:32 the people that do know their God shall be strong.

… Conversely, the people that do not know their God shall not be strong.        What do you think that has to say to us today!

When you know and are convinced beyond any shadow of a doubt that He is the One Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will it prompted the same man who wrote those words to the church in Ephesus to also write to the church in Rome, - as he discussed the same great truth; Paul wrote, Rom. 8:28 we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Even when the devil thinks he has ‘got one over on God’ it is the Truth that the Bible teaches that the work and plans of Satan are subject in their totality to the plans of God’s almighty purpose. God cannot and will not lose!

It is absolutely fantastic that the certainty and the claims of this great truth are all held in the hands of our Sovereign God, - those hands which have such a grip that no-one can tear us from Him … Ps. 92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.

When Jesus was on His way to the home of Jairus the news came that the young daughter had died, Jesus said, Lk. 9:50 Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

When the fishing boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee was being tossed around by the waves, Jesus said to those frightened disciples, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Does ‘the water toss your boat around and you fear you might fall out’? Are there times when you think the winds are too strong and you can no longer stand against them?

Well … remember the truth of God’s Word in that all things are subject to His will and that I Cor. 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

You see, he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will … otherwise He couldn’t say that! He is intimately involved with His creation and with His people. He wants His glory to shine through them.

… And history truly is ‘His Story’ … and everything that is happening out in the world, - even the terrible things, - is all under the control of God … and yes! even the devil is under the control of God and some of these days – when Christ comes through the clouds – the devil will be taken and thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity.

Man thinks he is in charge and so he is to a certain extent … but God is in absolute charge. We are only the creatures, - He is the mighty God.

He made His plans that included me and you and Kirkcaldy and even the devil long before any of us came into existence.

That is why we begin with God and God has the final say. He is faithful to all that He has promised and won’t suffer any obstacles to His will.

	But why? Why? And why? … and there are so many questions you probably have … for I have!
	And you don’t get all the answers, but then isn’t that what faith in God is all about! Heb. 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Don’t look at the world first and then try to see God … because by the time you get through the dust and pollution of the world your vision of God is all clouded over,

Instead look first to God and if He considers it to your good and to His glory He will give you the privilege of understanding why it is you are travelling down a hard road;

Sometimes though, He doesn’t make known to you why the burdens are so heavy … but you’ve got this beautiful eternal truth, Eph. 3:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.

We’re not right into the subject yet but are you getting a flavour of what God’s Word is saying to you?

There is a bewildering mystery about some of the things He does and the way He does them ... but the Psalmist wrote, 39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. … 9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

The Bible tells us, Rom. 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

Praise God that He is altogether Sovereign and that we as His people know the certainty and the claims of this great truth and we are trusting completely in them so that we enjoy – more and more –the comfort and confidence we have in Him and because of Him.