29th December 2023

29th December 2023


Pray (ACts)


Read - Acts 17:26-27


Message Alan Burke 


I was reading an article on Winston Churchill the other day. Today he is a figure that divides opinion because we look back with our own presuppositions on the past, that though is not why I mention Churchill, rather it was that he died in 1965 at the age of 90. That may not strike you as an unusual thing, many people live until they are 90 and beyond but life expectancy in the UK in 1965 was 71 years old and it is fair to say that Churchill did not look after himself. For Churchill the Lord had ordained all the days of his life, there was not one of them that was not written in his book before one of them came to be (Ps 139:16). 


God in his providence laid out the entirety of the life of Winston Churchill and our entire lives, everything that has happened and everything that does happen in this world is not a matter or mere chance or luck, nor is it a matter of blind fate. Our God has decreed in his wise, free, and holy acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained whatsoever comes to pass in time, (Eph. 1:4,11, Rom. 9:22–23, Ps. 33:11). To help us to understand that I want to take us to Acts 17:26-27 because there Paul speaks of something that the scriptures as a whole testifies to. That is God determines, appoints, purposes, decrees all that comes to pass, here in Acts it focuses on how the Lord has decreed where each man woman and child the times set for them as well as where they should inhabit. 


Not only did God determined the times set for them he also determined “the exact places where they should live”. Our God has determined the lives of all the inhabitants of the earth and where they should live. One naturally leads on to the other, if God has determined our days, ordained them all then of course he has determined where we should live. 


The understanding of this does not come naturally to us, I have said that before as we examined the scriptures teaching how its teaching does not come naturally to us. There is a sense in which we want to push back against this but knowing this should bring comfort to us every day in the situations that we face. Because this means, that our Lord and God is the one who is in control, there is no part of our lives that is outside of his control, not one single bit of it, so when things are going swimmingly or when life seems to be falling apart, he’s in control even when we feel that we aren’t. Let us remember that He reigns over all, he is far greater than we can even begin to imagine or comprehend and the one who has decreed all that comes to pass.


That does not only include good and pleasant things but things that are far from good and pleasant, in his holy, wise and powerful way, he governs all. This is one of the hardest concepts to understand, much less accept, is the absolute sovereignty of God. He is not only King of all kings. He is Ruler over every molecule, every quantum of energy, every event, and every outcome. He governs all the nations of the earth whether they recognise His rule over them or not, to direct and guide them for His purposes for history in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:9-10; Psa. 67:4; Prov. 16:9)!


Matthew chapter 10, reminds us of his care over us in the midst of all life’s  circumstance, God is Father to his children, just as he cares for the sparrows, and there is not one that falls to the ground without him knowing about it, he also knows the very hairs on his children’s head. The psalmist speaking in Psalm 139:16 (NIV) “…All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” This should be a comfort to you in whatever 2024 brings. 


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q28 Wherein consisteth Christ’ s exaltation?
Christ’ s exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the dead on the third day, (1 Cor. 15:4) in ascending up into heaven, (Mark 16:19) in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, (Eph. 1:20) and in coming to judge the world at the last day. (Acts 1:11, Acts 17:31)
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