Verse 1, the king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turneth it, whether
so ever he will. In today's world, many hearts
are fearful that even leaders in our country don't love our
country. If our future depended on politicians,
we would be in a mess. But our message today is God's
sovereign authority. God's sovereign authority. And
what we mean by that word sovereign is highest in rank, one who answers
to none. If you break the word down, the
little prefix sov means highest. And of course the suffix reign
means to rule. So the word sovereign means highest
rule. And only our God is sovereign.
Now over in the Across the water, they call a
leader sometimes a sovereign, but he's not really a sovereign.
He has to answer to God. They have a piece of money they
call a sovereign, but it's not really a sovereign. It won't
buy but so much. It's gone. And in our country, when we think
about a reign, a ruler, a position, The mayor of the city has some
authority, but he's not sovereign. There's a governor of the state
and the governor has some authority, but he's not sovereign. There's
the Congress, the Senate, House of Representatives, and they
have power. They're not sovereign. There's
the president. who thinks he's sovereign, he's
not sovereign. All have to bow before Almighty God. So when
I talk about God's sovereign authority, I'm talking about
the highest reign there is. And this verse of scripture we've
read is a very clear statement of God's sovereign authority
over all men. Can I begin by saying any God
who does not know all, see all, determine all, and control all
is a false God. Most people make so little of
this and they always say something
like, well, we have different beliefs. No, the truth is we
have different gods. That's the bottom line. That
God who does not manage to accomplish all he'd like to accomplish is
a God of men's minds. That God who does not actually
save everybody he'd like to save is a God of men's minds. That preacher who spends his
life pleading with folks to give God a chance is a false prophet. Telling you in so many words
that God is at your mercy waiting on you to let him come into your
heart. Instead of telling you that you
are at God's mercy to stay out of hell. Instead of telling you
the truth It's not your will that changes anything, it's God's.
Hello? If there is any desire in your
heart this morning to know God, that His Spirit and His mercy
is working in you, that very desire is from Him. is for Him. The preacher can plead till he's
blue in the face and never do that for you. The hearts of all men by nature
run from God, not to Him. So if there's anything in you
wanting to follow Him, love Him, worship Him, live for Him, honor
Him, that's Him. In this verse of Scripture, Proverbs
21.1, the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers
of water. He turneth it whithersoever he
will. Now in this verse of Scripture,
we are all aware that by the law of gravity, water runs downhill. How many of you knew that? Water
runs downhill. It takes the path of least resistance
from the mountains to the sea. Here in our part of the country,
we have some beautiful rivers. They turn and twist and make
their way. But the rivers in this verse
are better understood as rivulets, just small trickles of water. And the reference is to irrigation. that of a farmer channeling water
out of its natural downhill flow into a lesser declining flow. It still flows downhill. But troughs are built or small
canals are dug for the water to run through. And a farmer
would do this to channel the water to a specific part of the
field he wished to irrigate. Then the field being watered,
what's left the stream would then again seek out the path
of least resistance and continue on towards the sea as if it had
never been interrupted. So that's the picture. And Solomon
uses this thought to describe the control of God Almighty in
the hearts of men, even kings. even unregenerate men. I hear
preachers say, if you had only let the Lord have His way. Well,
He does. He's not pleading with men to
change their hearts. He is changing the hearts of
those whom He wills. He is saving everyone He ever
purposed to save. He is damning the rest. And he
is perfectly just in doing so. This is not just a doctrine with
me. This is who God is. I know perfectly well in my heart
this morning and in my life. It's him that keeps me from being
the sorriest, filthiest individual you ever met. I take no credit for having the
respect of anyone. It's God. By nature, there is nothing,
no matter how vile, that I am not capable of indulging in but
God. You say, I thought you was better.
I'm not better than that. Why is it all you men are here
this morning in your right mind with your wives and families,
with a heart for God? Why is it you're not some more
drunk or drugged out? Why is it you're not a child
abuser, a woman molester, a serial killer? It's God. It's God. Now, I hope you wouldn't say,
oh, I'm better than that. If God left you alone, you're
not better than that. And all you dear ladies today,
why is it you love God and love the gospel and love your children
and love your family and love your church? It's God. Why are you not an uncaring streetwalker
somewhere this morning. It's God. Surely you wouldn't
say, I'm better than that in myself. I'm better than that
poor soul out there this morning. No, you're not. It's God. It's
God. And I ask this question, what's
wrong with giving Him the glory for where we are and what we
are by His grace? not by our own doing. It's Him. Well, this verse tells us that
God's will controls men's hearts, even King's
hearts. And He turns the heart, whithersoever
He wills, as the rivers of water, just like that farmer channels
the water to irrigate takes it from its natural path of least
resistance to another way. He controls our will is what
Solomon is saying. Now the religious world this
morning has another story. They'll plead with you and tell
you that what you think of God will determine what he thinks
of you. The truth is what God thinks
of you determines what you'll think of Him. That's the order. Without even knowing it, all
humanity moves, speaks, acts in full accordance with God's
will. Now some talk about God having
two or three wills. A perfect will, a permissive
will, a hopeful will, and all that kind of stuff. No, God has
one will, and it's perfect. Now, the Bible does say something
about God's permissiveness, but it never says it's His will.
His will is perfect. Now, I also know that this thought
is foreign to some of you, so we'd better let God's Word do
the talking. Let God's Word establish this
fact for us. You don't need to take my word
for it, but you must take God's word for it. The real issue is
who God is, you see. Either God governs or He is governed. Either God rules or He is ruled. Either God has His way or men
have theirs. What does the Bible say about
it? All right. If you're interested, jot down
these 12 scriptures I'm about to give you. And you read them
later. And there are many more than
12, but I'll give you 12. First, our text, Proverbs 21,
1. The king's heart is in the hand
of the Lord as the rivers of water. He turneth it whithersoever
he will, not where you will, but where he will. Number two,
Proverbs 16, one, the preparations of the heart in man. And the
answer of the tongue is from the Lord. You say, well, I'll do as I please.
Since when? No. Number three, Proverbs 19,
21. There are many devices in a man's
heart. Nevertheless, the counsel of
the Lord that shall stand. We may have plans all worked
out, how to make happen what we want to happen. Many devices, tricks, angles,
intentions. Nevertheless, in spite of all
we do and devise, the counsel, that is the decree, the will
of the Lord, that shall stand. His will is done. Number four, Job 23, 13. But he is of one mind, and who
can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even
that he doeth. Not wishes he could do, But what
his soul desireth, even that he doeth. Number five, Psalm 33, 11. The counsel of the Lord standeth
forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Number six, Proverbs 21, 30. There is no wisdom, nor understanding,
nor counsel against the Lord. Number seven, Isaiah 14, 27. For the Lord of hosts hath purposed And who shall disannul it? And
his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back? Who is it big enough to keep
God from doing what he's determined to do? None. Number eight, Isaiah 46, 9 through
11. Isaiah 46, 9-11, Remember the
former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else. I am God, and there is 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 will do all my pleasure Not some of it, but I will do
all my pleasure calling a ravenous bird from the East. The man that
executed my counsel from a far country. Yay. I have spoken it. I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it. I will also do it. Number nine, Proverbs 16. Verse 9, a man's heart devises
his way, but the Lord directed his steps. Number 10, Daniel 4, 35, 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? Number 11, Psalm 115, verse 3.
But our God is in the heavens, He hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased. And number 12, Ephesians 1, 11, in whom also we have an inheritance
being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will. I have just given you 12 scriptures
that say that our God works his own will with everybody, everywhere,
all the time. He works his will in the hearts
of unregenerate, unbelieving, and reprobate children of Adam. For example, in Romans chapter
9, turn with me to Romans 9. Romans 9 is a forbidden chapter in most churches we know anything
about in this part of the country. But it's a most blessed chapter.
In this chapter, God says the children of Abraham, after the
flesh, are not the children of God. People won't hear that. He also says in this chapter,
Romans 9, in the 11th verse, that God's choices are made before
children are born to do any good or evil. Hadn't done either one
when God makes His choices. Verse 13 says, Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated. Now because of Adam's sin, God had
a right to hate them both. He has a right to hate you. It
would be just in doing so. But he says here, Jacob have
I loved, But Esau, have I hated? You say, but that don't mean
what it says. Well, if you could go to hell
and ask Esau, he'd tell you what it meant, meant what it says. Also in this ninth chapter of
Romans, we read about a man in Egypt, the king, the Pharaoh. And when you mention the Pharaoh,
most people think, oh, that's the fellow that gave God such
a hard time. He didn't give God a hard time. He gave the Israelites a hard
time. He did exactly what God raised him up to do. He did exactly what he was born
to do. Beginning in verse 15 of Romans
9, For he, God saith to Moses, I
will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. Now in that verse, God said I
will four times. It appears to me that he's emphasizing
his will. Well, what of man's will? What
about man's will? Look at the next verse, verse
16. So then, It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that
runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. It's not man's will that gets
God's attention, not of him that willeth. It's not man's work
that gets God's attention, nor of him that runneth. Then what
is it? of God that showeth mercy. That's what it is. Verse 17,
for the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose
have I raised thee up that I might show my power in thee and that
my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore, now you saw what he
said in verse 16 before he talked about Pharaoh. Now he's going
to pretty much repeat it in verse 18 after he talked about Pharaoh.
Therefore, hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he
will, he hardened. But he says to Pharaoh in the
17th verse, even for this same purpose, have I raised thee up. to do exactly what you did. God
used the cruelty of Pharaoh, which came naturally, to make
his people discontented in Egypt. As long as life was comfortable
in Egypt, the Israelites never would have wanted to leave. And as long as your life is comfortable,
in the things you would love for it to be, you never will
want to leave that. God creates these things. He
hardened Pharaoh's heart to make it extremely difficult for the
Israelites, made life hard for them. Well, in God's time, He moved
Pharaoh's heart. How much? just a little bit. See our text says the king's
heart is in the hand of the Lord. He moves Pharaoh's heart just
enough to let the people go. Then he immediately hardened
his heart to pursue after them. And it was in that pursuit after
the very purpose for Pharaoh's existence was complete God drowned
him and all his army in the Red Sea. In like manner, God has done
through every king, every ruler, monarch, and president in the
history of the world. God has done through every politician
in the history of the world. that which he wills. And so I
would say to us this morning in this election year, the Democrats don't know how
to save this nation. The Republicans don't know how
to save this nation. God is saving this nation as
long as he wants to save it. Then it's history. And this principle
runs all the way through history. It runs all the way through the
minute details of my life and yours. The boss man don't save your
job. God does. The banker don't save your money.
God does. The doctor don't save your life.
God does. The lawyer don't save your hide,
God does. Give God credit for being big
enough to work his will with all humanity. A lot of people just don't see
him as that big, but he's that big. Now, Can I say, God has
the right, in case anybody's wondering, God has the right,
with all Adam's race being fallen, God has the right, with all Adam's
race being unworthy, God has the right, with all Adam's race
deserving hell, God has the right to rescue out of Adam's race,
exactly whom he will. And that he did before he created
the world, choosing his people in Christ. They used to sing
that old song and still do a lot of places. I never shall forget
the day the blessed Savior wrote my name. No, I'd never been heard
of in this world when he wrote my name. This world didn't exist when
He wrote my name. It wasn't my profession that
made the difference. It was God that made the difference.
And He made it before He hung out the stars or created this
ball of mud. You see, God never stepped into
history to decree salvation. He decreed salvation before there
was any history. He inserted it into history. God then, having chosen us in
Christ from eternity, in due time was made flesh, came into
this world to live without sin, to die on a cross in the stead
of those whom He had chosen. That's who He died for. You see,
the crucifixion of our Lord was not, and God sending His Son
was not a prospecting venture on God's part. These prospectors that go out
west and dig for gold, the reason it's called a prospector is they're
not sure if they're going to find anything or not. Well, God's
not a prospector. Sending his son into this world
was not a prospecting venture on God's part. It was a definite
mission to die a definite death, to make
a definite purchase by paying a definite price for the redemption
of a definite people. You say, well, what if I don't
qualify for what God wants me to be? There's no if to it. You
don't qualify. Give him credit for being big
enough to prepare you and lead you and teach you and guide you
into what he wants you to be and do. Our God's that big. You're not a wandering sheep
out here dodging the wolves and the cliffs and the briars on
your own. We have a shepherd. Give God credit. He will put the desire, sufficient
desire, effectual desire in your heart to bring you to his calling
for your life. I don't beg people to let God
have His way. He's having it. He's having it. And if you don't love Him this
morning better than you love anything or anyone, you're to
be pitied. You hadn't left Him out. He's
left you out. We got the cart before the horse.
He's running things. You can't change your heart.
I can't change your heart. Only he can. Oh, you can play
religion. Run around to the circus they
got going on. Nowadays, everything from matchmaking to whatever. Oh, my. Would this God we could see?
Would the God I could see? that all the disruptions in our
lives are not without purpose and they are not outside God's
design for us. You could rest, you could rest
in Him. Now there's many things come
which we don't think are necessary. We didn't order them. Many things
painful. Many things heartbreaking, but
let me ask you a question. Who among us would deny that
a heart as hard as ours needs to be broken? Would you deny
that? Psalm 34, 18, the Lord is nigh
to them that are of a broken heart and save it such as be
of a contrite spirit and the word save it there is not regeneration
is not being born again, but it's deliverance. It's deliverance.
You see a broken heart, a contract spirit is not requirement for
regeneration. It's a result of it. It's not
to get God's attention. It's proof that God's got your
attention. A broken heart over sin is the
evidence of a heart that's been quickened, regenerated by God's
Spirit in His grace. Romans 8, 28, and we know that
how many things? All things work together for
good. Not everybody's good. Don't quote
that to the world. All things don't work together
for everybody's good, but for good to them that love God. And who is that, you might ask?
Them who are the called according to his purpose. That's who it
is. And what is the good he refers to? What is the good Paul's referring
to in all things? To be rich and famous? No. To
be powerful and comfortable in this life? No. Here it is, very
next verse, Romans 8 29. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate. And don't be afraid of that word.
It simply means to determine the destination of forehand.
Pre means before. He also did predestinate, He
predetermined, He decreed. Whom He did foreknow, He also
did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son. That's the prize, to be like
Christ. God's providential workings,
whatever they be, however uncomfortable, however undesirable, however
painful, to understand that all God's providential working will
consummate in all His elect children being just like His Son. That's the prize. That's the
prize. You can have the mansions. You
can have the crowns. But to be with Christ and to
be like Christ. That's what I want. To understand and to know that
God Almighty has a very valuable purpose for everything that comes
our way in life and to rest in that is a blessed thing. A blessed
thing. We don't rest in our ability
to cope. Sometimes we can't cope. We don't rest in our religious
front and pretend everything's all right. Sometimes it's not
all right. But we rest in our sovereign
God, His wisdom, His providence, His authority in all things. And we survive by the operation
God-given faith and grace working in our hearts. To rest in Christ
this morning is to trust Him with everything. And to trust Him is to believe
His Word. And to believe His Word is to
obey His Word. And to obey it consistently.
I didn't say perfectly. He did that for us. I said obey
consistently. They used to sing an old song
when I was young. It's in this old Church of God
book we got here, this Reddit. Take a moment and live. It's one of them real gully jumpers,
you know. Give God just a split second
of your time. Make that decision. Then go on
about your business. Take a moment and live. That
don't make a lick of sense. You don't take a moment and live. You live because Christ has given
you life. John 521, the son quickeneth
whom he will. I said a moment ago, to trust
Christ is to believe his word. And to believe his word is to
obey his word. I want to say to you young folks
here this morning, especially your teenagers, Austin, Mitchell,
Natalie, Luke, I'm looking for somebody
else young enough to call their name. But you teenagers, you
young folks, I hope I haven't missed anybody. I want to say to you, if you truly
knew the value of having a desire in your heart to shun evil, to forfeit the pleasures of this
world, to follow Christ, what joy there would be in living. Oh, you'd be the oddball. But if you don't have that desire,
you don't know the value of it. Many of the young folks that
I've known in life that have grown up in this church and other
churches just like you. But there came a time when those unbelieving friends
classmates, that unbelieving boyfriend, that unbelieving girlfriend,
that car, that job, or simply the desire to live for pleasure
took them away. Experiment with alcohol, experiment
with drugs, simply because they didn't want to be different. Oh, for the desire to be different. I can honestly tell you this
morning, young folks, if you want to follow Christ, if you're
willing to say no to the things God says no to, I can promise
you, you'll never miss anything worthwhile in this life. And at the same time, the Lord
will mold your heart and direct your life for His glory. But His will is being done, whatever
you do. His will is being done even in
the King's heart. You've all heard enough of this
stuff. for way too long now that God wants to turn your life around
and you can do it anytime you want to. Know if your life is
turned around, He'll have to do it. He'll have to do it. And if He don't, it's because He don't will to. That ought to scare the daylights
out of every one of us. Cry to Him to show you mercy
in your life. I don't have the right to tell
you He will. A whole lot of preachers around
here in this country think they control God enough to tell you
what He will do for you if you will do. I don't have the right to tell
you what God will do. I'll tell you, he's right to
put you in hell if he does, but he's right to show mercy if he
does. And I have the responsibility
to tell you that he can show mercy if you will. He's the only hope for sinners
such as we are. And I'm talking to you about
God's sovereign authority. End of story. Stand with me.