God Is Still In Control - Frank Brancato

As we know, we are living in challenging times.

And there are freedoms that have been taken from us in our life

that we've never experienced before.

In my 53 years of living, I have lived a life free to do whatever

I wanted to do. And worshipping God in the way

that we have done. So all my life and freedoms have

not been taken from me. In fact, persecution, really has

avoided me and persecution really from the standpoint of

what the Bible declares. As people that really suffered

for their faith really. In my life.

The greatest thing that ever happened to me or the worst

thing that ever happened to me is perhaps somebody made fun of

me because of what I believed. But there are challenging times

around us, I get that, I know that.

And I know also that it may be that in the future.

It may get worse in our country, in our world, we may be looking

to war someday, I don't know. There may be some difficult

things that lie ahead. So, in this very short little

sermon this morning, I want to talk about one aspect or one

idea. And that is this in the midst of

trials in the midst of persecution, in the midst of

Whatever comes our way, please understand.

God is still in control. Focus on that focus on that and

not all the individual things that are standing in our way

focus on the fact that God is still in control.

What about the government's that are around us?

Very familiar passage of scripture in Romans 13:1.

Romans 13:1

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities for there

is no Authority except from God and the authorities that exist

are appointed by God. In other words, God is Still

ultimately in control and the governmental structure that is

around us is ordained of God. In verse 1, there is no

Authority except from God and notice where it says and the

authorities plural. Are appointed by God.

You know, there are three institutions that God gave for

the benefit of man. Number one, goes all the way

back in the garden, when God ordained or God instituted

marriage. Marriage was the first

institution given to man for the benefit of man?

Personally, by God, secondly, we find.

Also there's the church and that is for the benefit spiritually

of, man. And number three, Is government.

And that's for the public well-being of man.

So marriage, personal well-being Church, spiritual well-being,

government, public well-being, and God has ordained them all to

carry out his purpose. And for the benefit of man, in

Psalm 62 and verse 11, the Bible says God has spoken once twice.

I have heard this that power belongs to God.

I think we give too much power to people.

And forget that God is ultimately in control the

psalmist, David recorded in Psalm 62 and 11 power belongs to

God. God is also determined the times

of Nations. You know?

I've heard that all of my life, but wrap your head around that,

for just a minute, God has determined the length of

Nations. He determines the beginning and

the ending of that. In fact, in Acts chapter 7, In

Acts 7 · chapter mention

verse 26, get a notice to passages here.

Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. He has made from one blood every

Acts 17 · chapter mention

nation of men to dwell on the face of the Earth and has

determined their pre appointed times and boundaries of their

dwellings now, who did that the one that did that was God

himself. Another passage Daniel chapter 4

Daniel 4 · chapter mention

and verse 17. Listen to this.

The decision is by the decree of Watchers and the sentence by the

word of the Holy ones in order that The living may know get

this that the most high rules in the Kingdom of men and get this

and gives to it whomever he will and sets over it.

The lowest of men. If you don't think God is

involved in the governmental structure or those in authority

over us. Please consider that passage.

It says the most high. The who is the most high, the

most high is God, the most high Reigns and rules and dwells in

the kingdoms of men. He gives it to whoever he will

and he sets the lowest of men over it.

That's what God does governments and the men that will power in

it are chosen by God. In fact, government was an

institution that's ordained by. God is well it was God

appointed. Now, may I just add this though

and I got to tell you I'm a positive person by Nature.

And I love the country that we live in.

I do. And I appreciate those that have

died for our freedom. Those that have fought and died

in our country for our freedoms. And we enjoy those freedoms and

I'm appreciative of that. And I do enjoy being an

American. But all of that being said, I

got to tell you, contrary to what some people think, God is

not American. God is a spirit and they that

worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

So dot God does not love Americans more than he loves

Filipinos or Africans. In the mind of God, we are all

the same. There's no difference between

all of us and I guess I would say and I hope it's not

disrespectful to God, but in that God is colorblind, it

doesn't matter. All that matters is The Souls of

men and God, Everyone to turn to him.

So, all that being said, the Bible does not uphold a specific

theory of government or various type of government.

In fact, you cannot find a democratic social civil

structure in the Bible can't find it.

So, however, the rulers come to power, whether it's by dynastic

descent inherited, whether it's by aristocratic family

connection, or even a democratic election.

All of it is ordained of God. But I have to make this point

because maybe you're thinking this What about the evil rulers?

What about the evil rulers in days?

Gone by in history. What about immoral leaders?

What about them? Is God over them to?

What about the unjust? Well, first of all, cruel abuses

in government, Are no reflection on God's nature.

They don't taint, his Purity, you know.

Just make this little illustration about marriage.

In the very beginning, when God brought the woman to the man

after she he created the woman because it was not good for him

to be alone. He said, she's now bone of my

bones Flesh of My Flesh. She shall be called woman for,

she was taken out of man. And then the institution of

marriage. He said a man shall leave his

father and mother and be joined to his wife.

And the two of them would be one flesh.

We get that. That is the marriage

relationship and Union that God has established.

And yet people have abused the marriage relationship, going all

the way back through history and time.

But if somebody abuses the marriage relationship, it

doesn't mean it's an indictment on God.

And marriage is still what God has said that.

It always should be. Sometimes churches congregations

of the body of Christ digress, and go the way of the world.

That's not a reflection on God. And when a ruler decides to go

and be Wicked, it's not a reflection on God either.

It's not a reflection on God's Purity.

Okay, one writer noted this though.

Listen to this. Wicked rulers are part of God's

plan to punish Wicked Nations and to allow evil to run the

course toward destruction. But you know what, in the

beginning, in the beginning God ordained government to protect

and preserve man, for the protection of life and property.

It was for two reasons, one for the repression of evil and crime

and two for the rewarding of virtue and good.

That's the reason for the Structure of government.

Now, maybe you're sitting there and you're saying this.

Yeah. But Frank, I don't like what's

going on in our country. I just don't like it.

You know, God doesn't like it either.

When things happen that are ungodly.

You think God likes that? You might say, well, I just

don't like what's happening in our country.

You know what? God had neither.

But isn't it entirely possible though?

As one man wrote it this way? Just maybe God will choose a

form of government that suits. His purpose for a country that

has turned their back on him. God did in the Old Testament.

How many times do we read about those things that happen?

I don't have time to go into it. And when we go back to normal,

length of services, I'm going to preach on habakkuk.

But in that specific sense, God raised up horrible, people

called the Chaldeans to do some damage and to inflict

punishment. God did that.

So just maybe if things are getting more difficult in our

life just maybe it's because we are a nation that has turned

their back on him. But may I say this from a

spiritual perspective, please get this from a spiritual

perspective no matter what happens.

God's people will be just fine. Even if we suffer.

Even if we're persecuted, even if we have terrible things

happen, around us. Even if terrible things happen

to us in life, from a spiritual perspective, God is still in

control and God's people will be just fine.

So what should be our mindset moving forward?

And really this is a lesson of encouragement, remember God

still in control, what should be our mindset?

We got all these rulers that have to make decisions that

affect all of us. What should we do?

And I'll tell you it's really easy to bad-mouth a ruler.

It's easy to bad-mouth the governor.

It's easy to bad-mouth the president.

Let's notice what the word of God says.

Very briefly in Exodus. 22 and 28.

You shall not revile. God nor curse a ruler of your

people. What did Paul say?

Paul told Timothy pray for those in Authority, pray for them.

Pray that they'll have wisdom. You know, I'm going to tell you

in our lifetime. We've heard people pray prayer

after prayer. After prayer in the assembly

that God would never allow a law.

That would be enacted, that would take away our freedom of

worship. We've always said that do those

are those words that we meet, or do we just say them and are they

just words? Pray for those that are over us.

Pray for them. There are ordained of God and I

don't care if it's the president, the governor.

Or the police. Verse 2 of our text.

And I'm just about finished verse 2 says this.

So number one. Why would we submit to them?

Well, because there are date of God.

Number 2 verse 2. Therefore whoever resists The

Authority resist, the ordinance of God, you know, that word

resist, there's very interesting word.

You know what it means. It means to literally stand a

post. If we resist, the authoritative

structure that is over us. We are literally lining, our

self up against God. That's why.

Now, if the laws of the land said, no, you can't worship God.

What do we do? We worship God.

Anyway, if the law says, we cannot be a Christian.

What are we going to do? We're going to be a Christian.

Anyway, if the law states stipulated, those things we

would serve God, rather than man, but until that happens, we

have to submit to those ordinances that are around us.

So let's remember please in these challenging times.

That God is still in control. From a spiritual perspective,

it, it doesn't matter. God's people will be just fine.

I'm gonna read you a couple verses and I'm finished Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8. In verse 28.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who

love God to those, who are called according to his purpose.

One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.

People think that means you know what?

This terrible thing that's happening to me is going to work

for good. It's going to work out.

I got news for you sometimes it doesn't work out and that's not

what Paul meant. Paul was not saying every little

thing that's terrible in your life's going to work out.

If you love God, it's not what he meant.

What he's talking about is the structure of all that God has

promised. All of that God's plan.

All of that will work together for good, even if you suffer in

life, and even if it doesn't work out, Beginning in verse 35,

here's what's going to work together.

For good, in conclusion, who shall separate us from the love

of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress or persecution or

famine or nakedness or Peril or sword as it is written for your

sake. We are killed all day long.

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through him who

loved us. But I am persuaded that neither

death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers nor

things present, nor things to come nor height nor depth, nor

any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the

love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our lord that will work

together for good. So, let's focus on who's really

in control who's got the power. God is ultimately in control

regardless of what's happening in the circumstances of our

life, put our faith and trust in him.

And let's pray for those rulers that are over us.

They've got some real decisions to make very very soon.

And also pray to God that he'll give us the strength and the

courage to be the Christians. We should be regardless of the

circumstances in life. We thank you for listening to

our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

Road in Bakersfield, if you would like any additional

information or you would like to receive a free Bible

correspondence, course by mail. Please email us at info at True

Church of Christ Bakersfield.com.

Our service times are on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Please make plans to join us.

We would love for you to be our honored guest.