The title of my message tonight
is Five Things God Taught Nebuchadnezzar. Our text will be Daniel chapter
4, verses 34 and 35. In these two verses, we're given
a very clear divinely inspired declaration of the greatness
of God and the utter insignificance of man. That's what Nebuchadnezzar
tells us here by divine inspiration. Nebuchadnezzar was a mighty,
mighty king in Babylon. He ruled with an ironclad fist
and a rod of steel. No one dared defy Nebuchadnezzar. This mighty king was a proud
man, very proud. He had accomplished more than
most men dream of accomplishing. He was boastful, proud, and a
blasphemous idolater. Religious, very religious. He ascribed everything to the
gods. But Nebuchadnezzar, this proud,
boastful, idolatrous man, was the object of God's mercy, one
to whom the Lord God was determined to make himself known. God had
purposed from eternity to display in Nebuchadnezzar his greatness,
his glory, and his grace. He was determined to make the
proud Babylonian king to know and acknowledge that the heavens
do rule, that the most high rules things in the kingdom of men,
and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and sitteth over it the
basest of men. Clearly, that's the theme and
emphasis of this fourth chapter of the book of Daniel. This chapter
was written to teach us both the greatness of God and the
utter insignificance of man. Let's back up and look at a few
verses in this chapter we read this morning. Verse 17. This
matter is by the decree of the watchers and the demand of the
word of the holy ones to the intent that the living may know
that the most high ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth
it to whomsoever he will and setteth up over it the basest
of men. God rules in the kingdom of men,
every kingdom of men. God gives every kingdom to whom
he will. And God sets up over the kingdom
of men, every kingdom in the world, throughout the ages of
time, the basest of men. We read our history books in
vain to find kings and rulers who worshiped and served our
God. Such men are few, few, few, and
far between. Look at verse 25. That they shall
drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beast
of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen. And they shall wet thee with
the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, seven
years, till thou know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. Verse 32. They shall
drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beast
of the field. They shall make thee to eat grass
as oxen, Seven times seven years shall pass over you Nebuchadnezzar
great mighty proud king of Babylon God's going to make you that
know that you're nothing but a beast before him and he's gonna
make you to know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men and giveth it to Whomsoever he will now you're familiar with
the story of Nebuchadnezzar God set out to bring this proud man
down. And God knows how to bring proud
men down. God was determined to humble
him, to break him, to make himself known to him. And he did. God Almighty took away his mind. And this great King Nebuchadnezzar
became a raving lunatic. He was put out of his kingdom,
driven away from society, put away so people wouldn't be bothered
by him, put away so folks wouldn't see him, put away so he'd have
no influence among them. For seven years, this great king
grazed in a field like a wild beast. Then after seven years
of lunacy, seven years of utter abandonment of his mind. God
gave Nebuchadnezzar's mind back to him, restored him to his kingdom. And Nebuchadnezzar was a changed
man. God taught him what all men sooner
or later must and shall learn, either in the experience of his
grace or in the everlasting torments of his wrath in hell. Everybody's
gonna learn it. You're gonna learn these things
as Nebuchadnezzar learned them I'm going to learn them as Nebuchadnezzar
learned them either in grace or in judgment But learn them
we will read what he says Daniel chapter 4 verse 34 at the end
of the days I Nebuchadnezzar Lifted up mine eyes unto heaven
and mine understanding returned unto me And I blessed the most
high, and I praised and honored him that liveth forever, whose
dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation
to generation. And all the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing. And he doeth according to his
will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the
earth. And none can stay his hand or say unto him, what doest
thou? Oh, how I thank God that he's
God. How I thank God that he's God,
that he's God, that he rules everywhere all the time. That
he has his will in all places, with all things, and with all
men. That his will is irresistible. So that whatever he wills, he
brings to pass. Whatever he purposes, he accomplishes. Whatever he promises, he performs. He is God. Isaac Watts wrote
these great, great words. Keep silence. all created things,
and wait your maker's nod. My soul stands trembling while
she sings the honors of her God. Life, death, and hell, and worlds
unknown hang on his firm decree. He sits on no precarious throne,
nor borrows leave to be. Chained to his throne, volume
lies with all the fates of men with every angels form and size
drawn by the eternal pen. His providence unfolds the book
and makes his counsel shine. Each opening leaf and every stroke
fulfill some bright design. Here he exalts neglected worms
to scepters and a crown. Then the following page he turns
and and treads the monarch down. Not Gabriel asks the reason why,
nor God the reason gives, nor dares the favorite angel pry
between the folded leaves. My God, I would not long to see
my fate with curious eyes. What gloomy lines are writ for
me of what bright scenes may rise. In thy fair book of life
and grace, may I but find my name recorded by electing grace
beneath my Lord the Lamb. These days, as in I guess every
age, most everyone prefers to seek after soothsayers and astrologers
and palm readers and witches and sorcerers. They want to know
what the future holds. Wouldn't you like to know what
the future holds? Wonder what will happen tomorrow? I'll give
you something better. Rest in God's sovereign will. Wait till God opens the next
page of the book of his decree and fulfills his design and see
what God does. Nebuchadnezzar here taught by
God himself and he knows by personal experience now who God is. The Lord God stamped on this
man's life his character. He stamped on his life the knowledge
of his own character as a fallen rebel man and he stamped on his
life God's character. The Holy Spirit then Inspires
Nebuchadnezzar to give us these words and Daniel records them
in the book of God now in these two verses Nebuchadnezzar the
king speaks as a prophet of God Let those who are wise hear the
voice of the learned Here are five things God taught this pagan
king five things God's going to teach you five things that
God has, I believe, taught me and is teaching me. Number one.
The Lord God, Jehovah. Is the eternal self-existent
God. Nebuchadnezzar, as I said, was
a religious man before. Everybody is, though some pretend
not to be. But now he discovered who God
is. He says, my understanding Returned
to me and I blessed the most high and praised and honored
Him that liveth forever and ever That's God That's God Our God sits upon
the throne of heaven and he says I live forever He hath life in
himself. He is the great I am Only our
God can declare, I am God and beside me there is none else.
He declares, I lift up my hand to heaven and say, I live forever. The Lord God alone is eternal. He's the only underived, self-existent,
self-sustained, independent being there is. Use the term, he's
the only being in the universe who's eternal. That's not quite
true. God is not in the universe. The universe is in God. He is
the infinite, incomprehensible Jehovah. The God we worship is
the only being there is who necessarily from his own nature exist. God
alone must be all his creatures. depend on his will for everything.
He depends on his creatures for nothing. We depend on him for
everything. He depends on nothing. You understand that? God's will
doesn't depend on anything. God's purpose doesn't depend
on anything. God's work doesn't depend on
anything. Nothing about God hangs on the
creature. He's God. Anything less is an
imaginary God. Anything less is no God at all. He only hath immortality. Now that means two things. God
is truly independent. We must have from him heat and
light and breath and water and shelter and clothing. All that
God gives us, we recognize. He gives us these things. All life depends on Him. But
He needs nothing from us. God doesn't need you. I need you. We need each other. God doesn't need us. God is. Nothing of his being is derived
from something else, but all that exists is derived from him. God was as glorious before he
made the worlds as he is now. We add nothing to his glory.
God was as blessed, as happy, as satisfied, as content before
the worlds were made as he is now. We add nothing to God. God's totally independent. Second,
the Lord our God is immutable. If God is the eternal God, the
self-existent God, God's immutable. He doesn't change. Our lives
are full of change. God makes the changes, all of
them. But God never undergoes change
of any kind. The creature is made subject
to vanity. But the creator is without variableness or shadow
of turning. He says, I am the Lord. I change
not. I change not. We believe God
confidently because God doesn't change. We trust God with peace
and joy because God doesn't change. Just suppose he did. Just suppose
that were a possibility. There'd be no basis of faith.
No faith could be reasonable. No belief of anything he says
could be reasonable. But God doesn't change. God doesn't
change in his being. Nothing's added to him. Nothing's
taken from him. He doesn't change in any of his
purpose. He doesn't change in the objects
of His love. He doesn't change in His grace.
God changes not. God changes not. Some have the
idea that God loves everybody and then His love changes to
wrath when men refuse to let God have His way. is gracious
to everybody, but then because men will not receive his grace,
God's grace turns into judgment and wrath. What nonsense! God
who changes is no God. God who changes cannot be trusted. Listen to the scriptures. Turn
to Psalm 102. Psalm 102. God said, I am the Lord, I change
not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob
are not consumed. The only reason we have safety
in life is because God doesn't change. Psalm 102 verse 25. Of old thou hast laid the foundation
of the earth and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They
shall perish but thou shalt endure. Yea, all of them shall wax old
like a garment. As a vesture shalt thou change
them and they shall be changed but thou art the same. Thy years
shall have no end. Turn to the book of Hebrews,
Hebrews chapter 1. Look at verse 10. Thou, Lord, in the beginning
has laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the
work of thine hands. They shall perish, but thou remainest. And they shall wax old as doth
the garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and
they shall be changed, but thou art the same. Thy years shall
not fail. We're told in Hebrews 13 verse
8, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. But wait
a minute. God, God must have changed. God
became a man. No change in God. No change in
God the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, but he continues
still as God the eternal self-existent one Perfection you see demands
immutability. It will not allow change Go back
to eternity past as far as your mind will take you Go yonder
to the farthest reaches of eternity yet to come. And when we speak
of eternity in those words, we speak of redundant thing, recognizing
that we cannot even grasp the idea of eternity, but reaches
far ahead and as far behind as you can. God is. He never changed. He sits upon
his throne in the fullness of his majesty and glory, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. Satan and the legions of hell
attack his throne, and God is totally unaffected. Totally unaffected. And like
you, I get upset with the attacks men make on God and the scriptures
and Christianity and Christ and all those things. And we shouldn't
get too upset. My dear friend, brother Harry
Graham, sitting in his house one day out in the carport, and
he had a tennis ball, just throwing it against the wall like a like
a little boy, just throwing a tennis ball, catching it, throwing the
ball, catching it, throwing the ball and catching it. I don't
know whether that was exercise or he was intending to teach
me something, but he taught me something. Talk about God and
his truth. He said, You can attack the truth
of God all you want to. You can attack God all you want
to. But it's like throwing this tennis
ball to that brick wall. You can wear out all the tennis
balls in the world, and the wall's unchanged. Understand this. God doesn't change. The attacks
of hell and the attacks of men change nothing. Mankind leads
an army, risen up against God with enmity, generation after
generation, and God's still unchanged. There he sits on his throne. in the calm serenity of absolute
sovereignty. Here's the second thing God taught
Nebuchadnezzar. Our great God is the God whose
dominion is an everlasting dominion. Nebuchadnezzar said, I learned
that his kingdom, unlike mine, my great kingdom of Babylon,
this great Babylon that I built with my hands. I learned that
his kingdom is from generation to generation. Not only is he
eternal God, he is able in all things to do his will, reigning
as the monarch of the universe all the time. He's God upon a
throne of unquestionable, undisputable, uncontestable sovereignty. He is God and reigns over all
by right. He says, is it not lawful for
me to do with mine own what I will? The Lord hath prepared his throne
in the heavens. His kingdom ruleth over all. The Lord saideth upon the flood,
yea, the Lord saideth King forever. God reigns everywhere. All the
time. Over all things. In all things. Exercising his will by all things. Satan leads one third of the
heavenly angels in rebellion against the God of glory. But
Jehovah reigns. Adam lifts his fist and rebels
against God and his dominion. But Jehovah reigns. Pharaoh torments
and afflicts God's people, but still Jehovah reigns. Judas betrays
the Son of God with a kiss. Wicked men, with their own hands,
according to their own wicked wills, doing exactly what they
wanted to do, nail the Son of God to the cursed tree, and Jehovah
still reigns. He's never vacated his throne
for a second. and never will. Amid all the
calamities and tragedies of life, amid all those things that men
look at as great tragedies, even accidents, men consider them.
Amid all the sins of men and demons in hell, amid all the
corruptions and upheavals of society, God still reigns in
creation. Nothing happens but by God. Nothing comes into being but
by God in providence Nothing happens, but by God nothing comes
into being but by God you mean pastor Everything that comes
to pass in time is brought to pass by God. That's exactly what
I mean Everything that comes to pass
in time is brought to pass by God's decree, by God's will,
by God's purpose, because God reigns. Of Him and through Him
and to Him are all things. Bobby, that's the language of
the book. Well, I don't understand that. I don't have to understand
God to worship God. I don't have to understand God's
ways to bow to God's ways. I'm not talking about a puny
pygmy man like Dave Peterson or Don Fortner. I'm talking about
God. I'm talking about God. In grace, God rules all the time. He has mercy on whom he will
have mercy. He has compassion on whom he
will have compassion. He saves whom he will and he
hardens whom he will. He gives light to whom he will,
and he sends darkness to whom he will. He gives life to whom
he will, and he slays whom he will. Now, here's the third thing. Nebuchadnezzar learned, and so
must we, man is nothing. All the inhabitants of the earth
are reputed as nothing. All the inhabitants of the earth
are reputed as nothing. Turn back to the book of Isaiah,
chapter 40, verse 15, Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 15. I haven't seen it in a while,
but these. Religious clowns who call themselves
preachers like to put signs out in front of the churches and
they have cute slogans. They have come up with something
clever, you know. They used to have a sign out
in front of churches everywhere. We can't spell church without
you. Isn't that wonderful? God was
spelling church for thousands of years before you came along.
He still spells it without you. God doesn't need man. Man needs
God. Man is nothing. Bob Duff and
Don Fortner, nothing, nothing, nothing. All being together,
less than vanity. Look here, Isaiah 40, verse 15.
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket. You go get a bucket of water,
want to throw it on a fire, and you throw the bucket of water
out. who ever stopped to wipe out the last drop. What are you
doing? I got to get that last drop of
water. That's nothing. Go get some more water. That's
nothing. The nations, all of them, like
a drop in a bucket. Read on. And are counted as the
small dust of the balance. You got to the feed store. And
you want to get 100 pounds of seed or 100 pounds of feed for
your livestock. And they weigh out 100 pounds
in the scales. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wipe out the dust out of there first. What do you want us to
do? The dust. That doesn't weigh
anything. That doesn't mean anything. I
wipe the dust out now. That's going to cost me. No,
the balances aren't that good. The dust is meaningless. That's
you. That's you. Meaningless? Now, wait a minute. I'm somebody.
I'm somebody. I am somebody. Isn't that a wonderful slogan?
Dust. Dust. He taketh up the aisles. All the Gentile world as a very
little thing. And Lebanon, all the trees in
the forest of Lebanon are not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts
thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before
him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than
nothing and vanity. We're nothing in ourselves, and
we can make nothing of ourselves. That's man. Great God, how infinite
thou art. What worthless worms are we? God's great. We're vanity. Any man who's taught of God is
made to know that he's nothing. Isaiah saw the Lord in his glory
and he cried, woe is me. I'm a man of unclean lips. I
dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. Mephibosheth
was brought in before David and he said, How is it that you should
look upon such a dead dog as I am? Nothing. David heard the Lord's promise
of his grace and mercy. He's I'm going to put I'm going
to put you on a throne. And there shall not lack a man
to sit on your throne forever. I'm going to establish my kingdom
through your seed in this world. He says, I'm going to, through
you, build me a house and build me a kingdom. And David said,
Who am I, O Lord? Who am I that you should so speak
to me? Who am I that you should so favor
me? saw God for himself, and he said,
I abhor myself. What is man that thou art mindful
of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him? Who are you? Who am I? What are we? Who are we that the most high
God should think on us? We're described as grasshoppers
before him. loathsome, annoyance, grasshoppers,
repugnant, useless, nothing. In our everlasting election,
we're nothing. Why did God choose me? What was
there about me? Nothing. You didn't choose me.
I chose you, he said. In our redemption, we're nothing. The Lord Jesus said, I've trodden
the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God. In our regeneration,
in the new birth, we're nothing. We contribute nothing. We live
because it's the spirit that quickeneth. The flesh profiteth
nothing. We're justified, not because of something we do, but
justified freely by His grace. We're sanctified, not by our
works, but by His work. Christ is our sanctification.
We're preserved in life. Not because we hold on and hold
out and persevere, but because we're kept by the power of God
preserved in Jesus Christ. And in heavenly glory, we shall
yet own ourselves nothings and nobodies. Not unto us, O Lord,
not unto us, but unto thy name give glory and honor for thy
mercy and for thy truth's sake. Thou art worthy. We're nothing. You're worthy to receive praise.
We're nothing. You're worthy to receive honor.
We're nothing. You're worthy to receive glory.
We're nothing. You redeemed us out of every
nation, kindred, tribe, and tongue. You made us kings and priests
unto God, but we're nothing. All we are, we are by the grace
of God. Now here's the fourth thing.
Nebuchadnezzar learned that God's infinite power is constantly at work, sovereignly
accomplishing his will. Read the next line of our text.
And he doeth. It doesn't read he has done,
though that's true. Cody, it doesn't read he shall
do, though that's true. It reads he doeth. Now, as he
has. now as he shall. He doeth according
to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth. No exceptions. Our God is in the heavens. He
hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. God's will is done in
heaven always. God's will is done on the earth. Always. God's will is done in
heaven. Always. With unexplainable, infinite,
sovereign power, God Almighty so governs all beings and all
things, that all beings and all things, either willingly or unwillingly,
but all precisely accomplish His will. Everything. Every demon in hell, Satan himself,
every man, every event, good and evil, prosperous and adverse,
everything is the accomplishment of God's will. God uses everything
to serve him. Yes, you're God's servant. You're God's servant. I hope
you serve God because you want to. I hope you serve God willingly. I hope you gladly bow before
his throne and cry, Lord, not my will, thy will be done. But
whether you do or not, you can't bat your eye without serving
God. You serve his purpose precisely. Now, let's see if the book says
that. All right. What does the book say? Turn
to Proverbs chapter 16. Proverbs chapter 16. Nearly every church in this county
says we stand on the book, the blood, and the blessed hope.
Well, let's see if you stand on the book. Let's see if you stand on the
book. You folks believe God controls
everything? Oh, no, we can't have a God like that. Yes, you
do. I shouldn't say that. You don't have a God like that.
He has you. And he controls everything. Exactly. Proverbs 16, look at verse 1.
the preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the
tongue, what a man plans and what he says. What you plan and what you say
is from Jehovah. Look at verse 9. A man's heart
deviseth his way. This is what I would do with
my life. Our politicians, liberal and conservative, we're the masters
of our destinies. You're the master of what? You're
not the master of your breath. What do you say? A man's heart
deviseth his way. I've got plans for my life. I'm
going to do big things. but the Lord directeth his steps. Look at chapter 19, Proverbs
19, verse 21. There are many devices in a man's
heart. Many devices in a man's heart.
Nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand. Turn over to the book of Acts,
Acts chapter two. The most abominable thing ever
executed by human hands and human will on the earth was the horrible
slaughter of the Son of God by execution. Would you agree with
that? Most horrible, abominable thing
men ever did was to put to death the Son of God on the cursed
tree. How did this come to pass? If God's in control, how could
he ever let that happen? Would you hear this preacher?
God Almighty doesn't let anything happen. He brings to pass his
will. You hear that? Let God. Let go and let God. People had
the stupid idea they're God and God's their servant. God's God. You're his servant. Look at this,
Acts 2.23. Him, the Lord Jesus, being delivered by the determinant
counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain. Turn over one page to chapter
4. What did those men do? Verse 27, Acts 4. Of a truth
against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, Both
Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of
Israel were gathered together, watch this now, for to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. David marching along with his
band and Shemai steps out on the side of the hill and called
David everything on this earth but a white man. I mean, he cussed
David. He cussed David. And David's
companion, the bishop, I believe it was, said, let me go over
and take his head off his shoulders. And David said, leave him alone. Leave him alone. Shemai could
not cuss me except God said, cuss David. Perhaps the Lord
will requite me good for his cursing this day. Everything, everything accomplished
by God according to his will. Well, what about the will of
man? Mr. Spurgeon made this statement.
Let me read it to you. It's a little bit lengthy, but I want you to
hear it. The miracle of divine glory lies in this. God has made
men free agents. Endowed them with a will With
which will he never interferes except according to the laws
of mind That he leaves them absolutely free to do what they will Yet
such is the magnificent strategy of heaven Such is the marvelous
force of the divine mind that despite everything The will of
God is done Men do what they want to. You're going to do what
you want to. You want to go out and get drunk, you'll go out
and get drunk. You want to go out and rob a bank, you'll go
out and rob a bank. You want to go out and murder somebody,
you'll go out and murder somebody. Men do what they want to because
they want to do it. And God rules your will. Absolutely. Pilate delivered
Jesus to the will of the people. And they, by their wicked wills
and their wicked hands, performed God's purpose. You mean God controls
even the will and the deeds of men everywhere? I think that's
what the book says. He's God. He rules everywhere. But just suppose, as I started
to say a little bit ago, he doesn't. OK, God doesn't rule everywhere.
He doesn't rule everything. Absolutely. This is what that
means. If God doesn't rule everywhere
and rule everything, then somewhere there's something that rules
God. But you won't. If God doesn't have his will,
someone else does. and that someone is a rival to
God. Such a blasphemous doctrine would scare me to death were
it true. Nothing would be safe. No promise
of God could be believed. No word in this book could be
trusted. Nothing would be safe and secure. The very throne of God would
be in jeopardy all the time. We believe what God says. And we believe
his promises. Everybody claims the promises
of God. Not unless God rules. Somebody might interfere with
that promise. We believe everything in the world's working according
to God's prophetic timetable. Not unless God rules. Not unless
God rules. You can't trust anything. Not
unless God rules. Not unless God absolutely controls
everything. I, uh, I tell you something and
I, I think I'm a man of my word. You can trust me. You can trust
me. If I tell you I'm going to do something, you can count on
it being done. If I tell you I'm not going to, you can count
on it. I'm not going to do it. I'm a man of my word to the best
of my ability, but Mark, I don't have much ability. I may promise
you that I'm going to do something and drop dead with a heart attack
because I can't control anything. I may promise you that I'm going
to help you carry a load and lose my right arm because I can't
control anything. I may promise you that I'm going
to assist you in some way and I can't do it because something
comes up that just flat stops me from doing it. How can that
be? You can't be dependent on. That's because I don't control
anything. God's not like me. God rules. That means you can trust him
for everything. at all times in all things. Surely the wrath of man shall
praise thee and the remainder of wrath wilt thou restrain. One more thing Nebuchadnezzar
found out and all men will one day find out the will of God
is irresistible. None can stay his hand or say
unto him What doest thou? None can stay his hand or say
unto him, God, what are you doing? Turn back to Isaiah again, Isaiah
14. This is, in my mind, one of the
sweetest revelations with regard to God's purpose and providence
and sovereignty found in the book. Satan, Lucifer, raises
his ugly head and he says, I'm going to take over being God.
I'm going to take over the universe. I'm going to shove God off his
throne and you can start worshiping and serving me. How is God going
to respond? How is God going to respond?
Verse 24. The Lord of hosts has sworn,
saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass. And
as I have purposed, so shall it stand. This is the purpose
that is purposed upon the whole earth. Verse 26. And this is
the hand that is stretched out upon all nations. Verse 27. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed
and who shall disannul it? His hand is stretched out and
who shall turn it back? Look at Isaiah 46. Isaiah chapter
46. Verse 9, Remember the former
things of old, for I am God, and beside me there is none else.
I am God, and there is none else, none like me, declaring the end
from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that
are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand. And I, if I am God, If I am God,
I will do all my pleasure. Bless God so it is. But where does that leave you?
That leaves you in the hands of God. That leaves you in the hands
of God. He can save you or damn you. as he will. That leaves you in
the hands of God. He can give you life or not give
you life. As he will, you're in the hands
of God. What shall I do then? Quit fighting
God. Faith in Christ at its very core
is nothing more and nothing less than you being reconciled to
God as he is, bowing to God, falling at his footstool, surrendering
to him, throwing up the white flag of surrender, crying, God,
have your way. Do what you will. You're God. I'm yours. That's what's required. We bow to God, our savior, and
we give him the praise, the honor and the glory for everything.
Now and forever. And we ask for grace. Ever to be reconciled to his
will. To walk before him with joy and
thanksgiving. In everything, give thanks, the
apostle said. For this. Oscar, whatever it is that you
experience right now, whatever it is, whatever it is that we
experience when we walk out those doors, this is the will of God
in Christ Jesus concerning you. Can't you imagine Nebuchadnezzar
on his throne? And God takes his brains, turns
them into mush. Makes a lunatic out of it. Do
you know what God was doing? He was doing him good. God took him off his throne and
put him out in the field where he grazed like an ox and grew
claws like a wild beast and feathers like an eagle. And he's out there
for seven years. Abandoned and cast off like a
piece of human garbage because God's being gracious to him God's being gracious to him and
God raised him up and God taught him who Nebuchadnezzar is as
he taught him who God is and Nebuchadnezzar says this is the
king of heaven This, He and He alone is God. Now God do whatever
it takes to make you to know Him as God, your God. Amen.