I'll go back to Isaiah 45, which
Brother Wesley read for us. Isaiah 45. Read verses 5 through 7. with me, Isaiah 45, verses 5
through 7. The Lord says, I am the Lord,
and there is none else. There is no God beside me. I girded thee, though thou hast
not known me, that they, speaking of Israel chiefly, that they
may know from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there
is none beside me. I am the Lord. There is none
else. I form the light and create the
darkness. I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. Now, this is a message to declare
God, to preach our Lord and our God, Christ, not explain Him,
because God cannot be explained. His ways are past finding out. This is a message to declare from His Word, not the thoughts
of man, not my own, but to declare from His Word who He is. And this is His Word. And I'm not going to try to prove
that either. God has made Himself known to
His people. This is how He speaks. So this
is not a message to explain God, but to declare Him. Not a message
to explain why God does what He does, but to merely proclaim
that He does what He does because He will. And giveth no account,
Elihu, the preacher said, God giveth not an account of His
matters to any man. Now, man, both religious and
irreligious, does not believe God that we read about, the true
and living God, does not believe in God, does not believe His
Word. Romans 1, verse 30 says, they
hate God. Now, most people say they believe
God. Most people would get very angry
and upset if you said they hate God. But the fact is, they love
the God of their own imagination, the God that they believe in.
God, and I'm going to try to declare the one we just read
about, men hate the true and living God. Because God is the Creator. We're
going to look at this. He's the Creator. And being the
Creator, that means He owns everything. If you make something, you own
it, don't you? And you can do what you will
with it. And don't have to give anybody a reason. And this is the reason why the
whole world is trying to disprove God as Creator. God is Creator. Science tries to disprove God
because Scripture says, the natural man receiveth not the things
of God. Foolishness to it. Neither can
he know it. And the natural man, Scripture says, hates God. Doesn't want a creator, doesn't
want an owner, doesn't want a ruler over him, does not want a controller,
does not want a judge to give an account to. That's a fact. And so science and modern man
tries to disprove God. Well, religion is worse. Religion
is apologizing for God. Do you hear me? Religion is apologizing. They can't explain why things
happen the way they do, and so they try to apologize and say,
God had nothing to do with that. Religion is worse. Religion is
apologizing for all things that happen when God says, I do it. I do it. I do it all. I am the
Lord. Now, he said this just in this
chapter five or six times. I am the Lord. There is none
else. Look at verse five. The Lord,
there is none else. Verse 14. The last line. There is none else. There is
no God. Verse 18. The last line. I am the Lord. There is none
else. Verse 21 and 22. Tell them. The last line. There is no God
else beside me. There is none beside me. Verse 22. The last line. I am God. There is none else. Why does he keep saying that? That's just this chapter. If
you keep reading Isaiah, all the way through. I am God. The word God, the name God, the
title God means absolute. That means in control of everything. Absolute. Sovereign, doing as
He will, what He will, with whom He will, just because He will. That's sovereignty. And nobody
can do anything about it. That's sovereign. That's what
God means. That's what the word God means.
I am God. It means in total control. That's what God means. In absolute
Sovereign control and power. Romans 13 says there's no power
but of God. No power. The powers that be,
whatever power, whatever power anyone has, God gave it to them. That's what this Bible says.
That's God. Alright? In other words, no one
can Lift the finger. Have no power. A fly can't fly. A hair can't fall to the ground
or a bird or a sparrow, let alone someone die or many die or great
catastrophes happen. God did. The world hates us. But people, if there is no God,
there is chaos, chants. We don't know what's
going to happen. Anything can happen. I'm glad
God is God, aren't you? In verse 5, he says, I am the
Lord. That's Jehovah. That's the name
he gave to his people, Israel. Verse 4, Jacob my servant's sake,
Israel mine elect, I have called thee by thy name, I have surnamed
thee, though thou hast not known me. He's talking about Cyrus,
really, the man, and I told myself I wasn't going to take the time
to go into this, but Israel was going to go into captivity. Isaiah
is prophesying of that a hundred years before it happened. And
after that, he's going to send a man named Cyrus, a Persian
king, raise him up to rebuild Jerusalem after it's destroyed
and rebuild the temple and the walls and all that. And this
man wasn't even born yet, Cyrus. This king wasn't even born yet.
And that's what he's saying here. You don't know me. I called you
by name a hundred and two hundred years before you were even born
yet. And I'm going to raise you up. Read Brother Worthing's article
in the bulletin. That's what it's about. This
is God. He said in chapter 46, I declare
the end from the beginning, from ancient times, the things that
are not yet done. before the world began, known
unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world."
Acts 15, 18. I declare the end from the beginning. Before it
all was made, God declared it and said, that's what's going
to happen. And nobody can change a thing. That's the God of the Bible.
Predestinated all things and people. What do you think about
that? Now, our Lord said, this is life
eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God. Anything that deviates from this
is not God. Not God. They'll all be taught
of God. All God's people, Israel, all
Israel knows He's God. There is none else. In chapter 45, verse 5, it says,
I girded thee, though thou hast not known me. Nobody knows Him
until He reveals Himself. Isn't that what Christ said?
No man knoweth the Father but the Son, who was with Him in the beginning.
And neither knoweth any man the Son, but the Father, and he to
whom the Father will reveal him." Is it the other way around? It's
both ways. He says, though you haven't known
me. But verse 6 says that they may know from the rising of the
sun and from the west, from east to west, they're all going to
know, all whom I reveal myself to. that I am the Lord, Jehovah,
self-existent, independent, self-sufficient, in need of, not dependent upon,
in no way controlled by, and in absolute control of everything
and everyone. Jehovah. Only one. I'm in. I love there's another
verse in Isaiah that says, there is no God with me. Small g. Small g-o-d. There's not even
a little anything, anybody, even a little, in a little bit of
power. As I said, not even a fly. People say, I don't believe that.
Well, go on then. But this is God's
people do. They do. Verse 7, he says, I
form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. All things. I do it all. Now, you know, many of you, most of
you know these things, but maybe you don't know the direction
I'm going to go with it. And our Lord said, I formed the light
and create darkness, natural light. Yes, speaking of natural
light, I formed the light. What was the first thing God
did when he created the heavens and the earth? The very first
thing was, he said, let there be light. Let there be light. All right? Light is the light
of the sun. God created it. God is a creator. And you saw with me how it says
in verse 12, I made the earth and created man upon it. All
through scriptures he says, I created this. For his pleasure they are
and were created. Am I right? Men don't believe
this, though. As I said, the natural man is
a conspirator against God. to try to disprove God the Creator. Look at verse 9. Woe unto him
that striveth with his Maker. Let the potsherds strive with
the potsherds of the earth, but shall clay say to him that fashioneth
it, What makest thou, or thy works? He hath no hands. Oh, isn't it a foolish thing
for a creature who is in the hands of His Creator,
the God in whose hands our breath is and all our ways, to strive
with His Maker and say, I mean, we're in His hands, and for a
foolish man to say, He hath no hands. I know, you know why they
say that? It's because they're so big they
can't see them. He hath no hands. Now, I don't
need to remind you, but I am anyway. But this is what religion
says over and over and over again. Every single Southern Baptist,
Free Will, Methodist building, whatever, the preachers all say
this to a man. They think it's cute. They think
it's clever. They think it's blasphemy. They say, God has no hands but
your hands. No feet but your hands. God's people know He has hands
and they know that we are in them. And He created all things
by His hands, the work of His hands. David said, the heavens
declare His glory, the firmament showeth His handiwork. He created all things, but man
is out to disprove the Creator. Romans 1, I was going to have
you turn there, but just let me Let me just read this to you. Here's what, and it goes so well
with Isaiah 45. Romans 1 says, the wrath of God
is revealed from heaven. God is angry with the wicked.
He's not like men say. He loves everybody. Not settled. Biggest lie ever been told, told
by religion. They say God loves every single
human being. That's just not so. God is angry with the wicked
every day. Why? He has every right to be. Because He made that which is
known of God, the Scriptures say, I'm reading to you, is manifest
in them to them. God has showed it unto them,
the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world clearly
seen, understood by the things that are made, His eternal power
and Godhead. They're without excuse. But when
they knew God, clearly saw these things, they glorified Him not
as God, neither were thankful. You know, God requires basically
two things. Glorify Him and give Him thanks. Just thank Him. That's not unreasonable. The fool says, nope, no God. And so, God says, they became
vain in their imagination and their foolish heart was Darkened. Who darkened it? God did. I'm still reading Romans 1. Professing
themselves to be wise, they became fools. Changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into corruptible images like man. So God gave
them over to uncleanness. dishonor their bodies, changed
the truth of God into a lie, evolution, religion, and worshiped
and served the creature, man, rather than the Creator, capital
C, who is blessed forever, God. And Paul wrote, Amen. So this cause God gave them over. It went on to say they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge. God is not in their thoughts
at all. And they became haters of God.
And it says the judgment of God is coming down on them. He has
every right to be angry with them. Every right. Creator. Sustainer. Provider. Just thank me." Nope. I did all this myself. Now you strive with one another,
but don't strive with the potter. And 2 Peter 3 says it's not just
an ignorance, because Romans 1 says it's clearly seen. It's
eternal power in Godhead. But Peter wrote this, he said,
scoffers and mockers, especially in the last days, say, where
is he? I don't believe this. I don't
believe any of this. He says they're willingly ignorant that by the word of God the heavens
were of old and the earth standing out of the water and God made
everything. And in the flood, they're willingly
ignorant of these things. All right? In Isaiah 45, now
here's what he says here in verse 7, I formed the light. Yes, God
is the creator, natural light, the sun. But now here's what
this is talking about. Man's understanding of God is
darkened. His foolish heart is darkened,
the Scripture says. He doesn't know God, doesn't
believe God. He's dead and trespassed in sin. God says, I form the
light. In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things
were made by Him. Without Him was not anything
made that was made. The light came, the scriptures
say. Christ the light came, who is
the creator? Christ, it says, and the light
shined in darkness. And the darkness comprehended
it not. He was the true light that lighteth
every man. Stay with me now, okay? The true
light. He was in the world. The world
was made by Him. And the world knew Him not. Came
to His own, His creatures. And they received Him not. But
some did. Why? He gave them light. He said, let there be light in
their dark hearts. He chose some of these people. whose light, whose understanding
was darkened. This is talking about spiritual
light. God says, I form the light, spiritual
light, understanding, to see God. Though He's clearly seen,
can't see. Having eyes to see, but they
don't see. His voice, whenever it thunders,
that's what the people say, it thundered. Thundered. One day Saul of Tarsus
was on the road to Damascus, and boom, it thundered. Okay? The people said, well, it thundered.
You know what Paul said? God spoke to me. Oh, you're a
fool, Paul. That's just thunder. No. No. You know what he said to me?
He said, I've glorified it. I've both glorified it, and I
will glorify it again. He said, I am the Lord Jesus
Christ. I am God. There is none else. Light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Light. The Word is light. God shines
in our dark hearts by this Word. This Word tells us who God is. God is a spirit. We'll never
see God, we'll never know God apart from the Word being made
flesh. Christ came down here. Go to
2 Peter with me, 2 Peter chapter 2. Go over there with me and
hold this place because I want to close with some verses from
this. 2 Peter chapter 2. But I read to you John 1 which
says, the Word was made flesh, well He's light. God said, let
there be light in the mind, in the heart, in the understanding
of His people who are in darkness, even as others. But God, rich
in mercy and great love and grace to His people, revealed Christ
in them. Look at 2 Peter 2. I'm sorry,
1 Peter 2. 2 Peter chapter 1. 2 Peter 1. Got
it? 2 Peter 1 says in verse 16, We
have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto
you the power and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We
were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received from God the Father
honor and glory when there came such a voice to Him from the
excellent glory. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. One time God spoke out loud.
It was about Christ. And this voice, Peter said, which
came from heaven, we heard when we were with Him in the holy
mountain. But, he said, verse 19, we have also a more sure
word of prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed as
unto a light that shineth in a dark place. Take heed of the
Word until the day dawn and the day star, the sun, arise in your
hearts. Keep listening and calling until
finally it dawns on you. He dawns on you. The sun arises
in your heart and your understanding, no longer darkened but lightened. You understand Him. God is. How do you know? He walked this
planet. And Jesus Christ is His name.
Now go back. Hold II Peter 2. We're coming
back to it. Now go back to our text in Isaiah
45. Now look at verse 15 with me. It says, "...verily thou art
a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior." He hides Himself. He's clearly
saying, but he hides himself. Look at verse 7 again. I form
the light and create darkness. I create darkness. He hides himself. He told Isaiah
at the beginning of this book, he said, you go preach, Isaiah.
Go preach in Isaiah 6, Isaiah saw the Lord. What is God's chief
attribute? Let me see if you know something
about who God is. God's chief attribute, holy. Holy, holy. Isaiah said, I saw
the Lord. What did you see, Isaiah? Holy. His train filled it. The whole earth is full of His
glory. And the posts shook. And he said, I trembled and the
angels trembled and we all fell down. He said, woe is me. I'm
undone. I'm a man of unclean lip. I'm in the midst of a people
of unclean lip. And God's holy, holy, holy. Oh,
you've seen God. You're not in darkness as others,
not love, love, love, although He is. But that's not the chief
thing, the fear of the Lord. Holy, holy. Well, in that same
chapter, God said to Isaiah, you go and tell this people what
you've seen. Say, behold your God. Remember
in Isaiah 40, what shall I cry? Cry, Behold, your God. What's that? Not, God loves you
now. He has a wonderful plan for your
life. No! Just stand up and declare, Behold,
your God. You're in His hands. All flesh is grass. Beauty is
the flower of the field. The flower fadeth, the grass
withereth. So is the beauty of man. It's
nothing. Behold, your God. And then he went on to say in
chapter 6, Go tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand
not. See ye indeed, but perceive not. People can read this Bible and
look at it and say, Well, that's what it says, but I don't believe
it. Right? Why? I create darkness. He went on to say in Isaiah 6,
Make the heart fat, make the ears heavy, shut their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and
understand with their heart, and convert and be healed. He
said, How long, Lord? Are you going to hide yourself?
He said, Until the end of time. And he said, But there's going
to be a tenth. It's going to be a tenth. A remnant. They're going to see light. In
my life, they're going to see light. How? I'm going to show
them. None of them deserve it. The
whole blooming planet, by nature, hates me. But God... Now that's a fact. The natural
man. Turn with me to And it said there, woe unto him who strives
with his Maker. Ephesians 2. Very quickly, Ephesians
2. You thought I was never going
to get to Ephesians 2. You knew you had to some way, somehow.
Ephesians 2. The natural man is in league
with the devil, and evil and enmity and wrath against God. The natural man is against God.
All of us. All of us by nature. That's why
church is so hateful to people. That's why the truth is so hateful
to people. To declare God, for a man to stand up and just declare,
this is who He is. I mean, this is just who He is. And for a man to stand up and
say, this is God, and for a man to say, I don't like that. Why?
I hate God. The natural man is in league
with the devil who hates God. And that's all of us, by nature,
hate God, don't want God, the natural man, alright? Ephesians
2 says, and that's the way you were, that's the way I was. Ephesians 2 verse 1 says, and
you, who were dead and trespassed in sin. Verse 2, who walked according
to the course of this world, according to the prince of the
power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children
disobedient. In another place it says, the
power of darkness. Among whom also, verse 3, we
had our conversation in time past, in the lust of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and the mind, were by nature
the children of wrath. That means hating God, against
God. The whole world is at war with
God. Satan and his angels are at war
with God. That's a fact. Religion. But God, verse 4, who is rich
in mercy for His great love wherewith He loved us. Who? Well, He's
already said the elect in chapter 1, those that were quickened. Verse 5, even when we were dead
in sin has quickened us together with Christ. Quickened means
life. Life has raised us up together. Why did he do all this? Verse
7, that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches
of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
Go down to verse 12, you were aliens. One time you were without
Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. Strangers from the
covenant of promise, no hope without God in the world, but
now in Christ Jesus. You who are far off are made
nigh by the blood of Christ. He is our peace." Now go back to Isaiah 45. He said, I form the light and
create darkness. You know, darkness is just the
opposite of light, isn't it? To create darkness, what do you
do? Remove the light. To enlighten
darkness, send the light. The light of the knowledge of
the glory of God. The person, the work of Christ.
Christ, who is the light. And he said here in verse 7,
I make peace. We just read there in Ephesians
2, didn't we? I make peace. Peace with God. God is the one who does this. He elects, He ordains who He
will. Christ came down here to work
out that peace by being our righteousness, by dying and paying the penalty
of wrath and judgment and hell that we deserved. The Holy Spirit comes in the
preaching of the gospel and opens the eyes, opens the heart, gives
a new heart, regeneration, repentance and faith, a new man, and he
breaks down that enmity, that natural-born hatred of God. He
breaks that down. Colossians says the same thing
as Ephesians. You were by nature children of
wrath, enemies in your own mind by wicked work, but God, I create
peace. Nobody makes their peace with
God, but God makes peace with us. Christ came to make peace,
to reconcile His people to God. And they all know it. If it wasn't
for Christ, God would be angry with me. If it wasn't for Christ
dying for me, I'd have to die. And I deserve Hell and wrath,
but God sent Christ to hell in my place. Blessed be His name. And we don't make peace with
God. Christ made peace by the blood of His cross. Where did
you think I was going to go with this? I make peace. Just stop
in wars? The war He needs to stop in us
is war with God. Break down this enmity in our
hearts. Oh, there's going to be wars
and rumors of wars, all right. God sends all of those. We're
going to see that. I've got to hurry. Go back to
our text. It says, now, I make peace and
create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. I make peace and I create evil. All evil. Stay with me, do not
lose me here. There's natural evil and there's
moral evil. Are those things that happen
to man that we call evil, such as wars, disasters, catastrophes,
natural calamities and disasters, hurricanes, floods, famine, pestilence,
disease, devastations, Death. All these things, our Lord says,
I do it all. Deuteronomy 32, verse 39, the
Lord says, I kept, He said, see now, my dad used to say that. Old Southern saying, now you
see here. They got that from God. See now
that I, even I, am He. Beside me, this is a Deuteronomy
13, there is no God. I, the Lord, I kill and I make
alive. I wound and I heal. I do it all. I'm God. There's natural evils. Now, I'm
not explaining. I told you I wasn't going to
explain. And I'm sure not apologizing. I've already seen that man deserves
death and wrath. And God giveth not an account
for his matters. Now, remember, man's an enemy. But the wrath of God revealed
from heaven, Scripture says, but God in His wisdom and His
power directs and allows all things, even the wrath of man,
Scripture says, appraise Him. And the remainder of wrath He
restrains. God in His wisdom directs and
allows all things that work out His eternal and temporal purpose
in all things. God worked at all things. And
we read there in Ephesians 2, in the end, when it's all over,
we're going to see the exceeding riches of His grace and His kindness
toward us through Christ Jesus, when He should have wiped this
whole thing out, but didn't. And like darkness is the absence
of light, evil is the absence of righteousness, an absence
of holiness. And all God has to do for man
to do all manner of evil is to take his hand off of it. That's
all he has to do. Just take his hand off of it.
Just unleash him for a little bit. And all evil will break
out. God's not responsible for what
that person did. God is not chargeable for what
that person does. But somehow in His wisdom, somehow
in His power, He allows that and restrains that, and that's
going to work out His purpose. I'm so glad. You don't have to
fear anybody. You don't have to fear anything. God says, I'm doing it all. And
he takes his hand off because he created it all now. He created.
I'm the Creator. Now what about moral evil? I'm
going to give you a couple of examples here in closing. What about sin itself? God's
not the author of sin. And I should have told you Job,
you know, didn't charge God foolishly with anything. Remember when
the Sabaeans came and destroyed all of his cattle? And then they came and killed
all of his family, whoever that was. Who did that? The Sabeans? God said, I did it. And Job said,
it's the Lord. Job said that. And in all this,
he didn't sin. He didn't charge God foolishly. God's not the author of sin.
God's not responsible and chargeable with it. But somehow, He allows it. And it will absolutely
bring his purpose about. I like this, Thomas Watson said,
and I'll have to tell it to you twice, but Thomas Watson said,
God hath a hand in the action where the sin is, but no hand
in the sin of the action. God hath a hand in the action
where the sin is. Whatever is going on, God is
in control of it. But He is not responsible. He
hath no hand in the sin of the action. Isn't that a wise statement? It must be so. It must be so. In the garden it started. God
allowed that to happen. Or it wouldn't have happened.
It must be so. Throughout the world, whatever
it is that happens, it's the will of God. It's not like God
didn't want that to happen. No, that's not God. He said,
I do it all. where he's not God. There is
no God. If anything's happening by chance, there is no God. If man's a free agent, there
is no God. And you better run for the hills.
But in vain is salvation from the hills. Tell you where to
run. Run to God. Look unto me, he
said in this same chapter, and be ye saved. Wow! I'm God. Beside me there's no Savior.
Let me give you three examples and I'll close. And we'll go
to 2 Peter, okay? Go ahead and go over that. 2
Peter. Three examples. Back in the Old
Testament, 1 in the Old Testament, 2 in the New. In the Old Testament,
in the book of Exodus, God had Pharaoh, and this is unspeakable,
an unspeakable atrocity. Pharaoh had every newborn Hebrew
baby. thrown in the river. Now people, can you think of anything like
that? Has anything ever happened today
like that? And religion today would say
God didn't want that to happen. And all I can say to them is,
then why didn't he do something? If he's just a bystander, he
has no control over everything that happens, we don't need him. He's not a Savior, is he? And
he's not a just God. To see things bad happen and
doesn't do anything, that's not a just God. What kind of God
is that? Why would you need a God like that? If Satan's doing it,
we need to start praying to Satan. If God's done all He can do,
and God doesn't want this to happen, and things happen anyway,
and He's standing over the side and can't do anything, but Satan's
having his way. Satan's doing whatever he wants
to. Killing whoever he wants to. Then you start asking Him,
please don't do this. Isn't that blasphemy? But God
said, I'll do it all. Now listen. This is the goodness
of God. You know, the whole purpose of this
world is God is populating a new kingdom. God has a kingdom you
can't see. No man can see. But God's people,
He shows light in their heart and reveals unto them, His kingdom
has come. His will be done. On earth as it is in heaven,
He is coming to populate His kingdom with a people that no
man can number. He got them numbered. Like the
sands of the sea and the stars of the sky. Where is He going
to get all those? Well, in the beginning, He killed thousands
of babies. Horrible, atrocious, terrible.
Look at that. Pharaoh did that. No, God did
it. And you know what happened? Five
thousand babies, children, with the glory, entered into the halls
of heaven, entered my children." Isn't God good? I told Brother Stephen
on Wednesday night, the second illustration in the New Testament,
but you know why he did that, had all those babies thrown in
the river? Because he had one. One baby put in a basket. One little Levite put in a basket. All his helpless hope. Look at
that. Is all the purpose of God going to be fulfilled by that
one child in a basket in the river? You just hang on. You're going to see the power
of God. One baby, they couldn't get him. In fact, Pharaoh, God
said, I've raised you up to show my power. I'm going to kill them
all. Get rid of this deliverer. Okay? His daughter finds this baby
in a basket and Pharaoh says, bring him in here. And God tells
him, raise him up. Who's that? The Deliverer, by
Pharaoh, and he doesn't have a clue. Sent thousands to glory, saved
this one, and had Pharaoh who said, I'm going to end this thing. Once in a while, Pharaoh, you're
going to put him on the throne. In the New Testament, Herod heard about the Christ
and said, kill every baby two years old and under in Bethlehem
and everywhere around. The world has never known anything
like that. Mothers, can you imagine? You can't imagine the grief. Indescribable horror. Who did it? More people slain with a sword
than guns. Thousands of years, 6,000 years.
The sword has slain them. Who did it? God said, men are
my sword. Armies are my sword. And He did that trying to get
at another baby. trying to get at another Deliverer. Herod heard that there was a
Christ, the Deliverer, being born. He said, kill them all.
And God, in great mercy, spared thousands of children a life
of sin. They might have grown up to be
a devil. Sent them straight to glory. And I told Brother Stephen,
you and I were talking about Brother Stephen, you know anybody
that dies for Christ's sake is saved. You can count on that. He says, no man forsaken, father,
mother, husband, wife, son or daughter, for my sake and the
gospel, won't receive a hundredfold in this life, an everlasting
life. I believe every single parent that lost a baby on behalf
of Christ, went to glory. He's just that merciful. You're
not going to sacrifice your son or daughter for my sake and not
be rewarded for it. Yes, sir. Prove me wrong. He's
merciful. He's gracious. Oh, there was
temporary and indescribable grief, but boy, it worked a far more
exceeding eternal weight of glory, didn't it? When all those mothers
and fathers were reunited with those children forever. What
would you rather? Have a little bit of grief and
eternal joy? or a little bit of joy and eternal
grief. Is God going to give us the option?
When can I take your child? When do you want me to take your
parent? Never, Lord. Right? Never. So He doesn't take
counsel with us. And He's doing it according to
His will. And he's going to do it. He's going to be good. Because
he can't do anything but good. And you're going to praise him.
God's people are praising him now. And the last one, the chief
one, is Calvary. At Calvary. The whole world got
together of a truth. Kings of the earth and the rulers
gathered together against the Lord. See? Against His Christ. Against the Holy Child Jesus.
Herod, Pontius, Pilate, Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered
together. We're going to kill this Christ. And Satan and the
forces of evil. The whole world is at war with
God. We're going to kill Him. Go ahead. Kill it. Kill the lamb. Bruise his heel. Go ahead. Kill
him, God said. Bruise him. They did what God
determined before to be done. And you know what came out of
that? Eternal glory. The kingdom of God. Satan's power. 2 Peter 2, and I close with you.
He said there in 2 Peter 3, I'm sorry, 2 Peter 3. He said in
verse 10, Now the day of the Lord is coming. There's a thief
in the night, the heavens will pass away with a great noise,
the elements are met with a fervent heat, the earth and the works
thereof burned up, seeing then that all these things shall be
dissolved. Who's going to do it? God is. What manner of persons
ought we to be in our holy conversation in Godliness, looking forward,
hastening the coming of the day of God wherein the heavens being
on fire shall be dissolved, elements shall melt with a fervent heat.
Nevertheless, oh, it's not bad, it's good. See, we, according
to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth wherein
dwelleth righteousness, the kingdom of peace, the kingdom of God's
dear Son. Forever. Forever. And here's the thing we need
to do, believer. We need to stop groping and moping. Groping for answers. Just trust
God. He's not going to give an account
of His matters. And moping. Quit moping around because it's
good. It's indescribably good. joy
unspeakable. And we need to start rejoicing,
quit groping and moping and start rejoicing and praying, Thy kingdom
come. And stop serving ourselves and
start serving His kingdom. It's all good. I, the Lord, do
all these things. God over good, God over evil. I make peace, I create evil. I, the Lord, do all these things.
Trust me, he said. Trust me. Alright, let's sing
number 37 in closing. How great thou art, number 37.