GOVERNMENT IN CONTROL??

Daily we hear on the news, internet and at the barber shops, beauty shops and from our friends that our government is trying to control more and more of our personal lives. People are alarmed that more and more of our freedoms are being taken away. One of the latest issues is that of the College Student Loan Program, that is now a part of the Obama Health Care takeover. Much has been said of late about the wording in part of this student loan program.

In an article entitled,"Obama To Take Over Control Of College Textbooks?"http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/21533 Warner Todd Houston, said, “Of course, we all know that once government gets its tendrils into your business it takes all power away from you and reassigns it to government. So, once this act is implemented, any federal money involved will give government the opening to begin controlling everything in the process of creating and distributing college textbooks.”

Is he right? I don’t know! But I am concerned about the government getting more and more involved in everything we do day by day. So what should we as Christian do? (1) Pray (2) Pray (3) Pray. This is where we start but that’s not where we stop. According to the Constitution we have the right of free speech so we should speak up. Speak up to our elected officials, friends and even those who disagree with us. This should be done biblically, of course, but we should not be afraid to let our voices be heard. We need to write, call and e-mail to those who are in a position to do something about the issue.

The next things we should do are to inform ourselves about the issues and vote in November for those who stand for the same things we do. This is very important. And we need to also have our eyes on 2012 and do the same thing in regard to who’s going to be the leader of this great nation that is so precious to us, The United States of America. We cannot stand by idly. We must do our part in being a good citizen of our nation.

But, Is President Obama in control? Are Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in control? What about the Democrats or Republicans? No! No! No!

In our daily devotion one day last week we looked at the deceitfulness of Rebecca and Jacob, the plan of the authority to get Judas to betray Jesus, the wickedness of Haman to get rid of the Jews, and the fact that Paul appealed to Caesar did not get him acquitted but sent him to Rome where he was able to preach the gospel. In all of these situations it seemed that evil was in control, but behind the scene God’s will was moving forward. The authority, or people for that matter, were not in control, God was. And that’s something we need to keep in mind all the time. It’s not the hand of human authority, but the hand of Almighty God that sets up and takes down, moves nations back and forth. As believers we need to remember the sovereignty of God when we read the newspapers or listen to the TV News.

D. A. Carson in his book, For The Love Of God, wrote: “Providence is mysterious. It must never be used to justify wrong actions or to mitigate sin: Isaac and his family are more than a little sleazy, Judas is a deceitful wretch, Haman is vile, and the Roman court trying Paul is more than a little corrupt. Yet God sovereignly rules, behind the scenes, bringing glory out of gore and honor out of shame.”

The German tax system (IRS) came to my office at Eifel Baptist Church and wanted to look at our financial books. To make a very, very long story short, we were told that we owed over $100, 000 for back taxes involving everyone who had ever worked at the church (all pastors, secretaries, school teachers, maintenance, etc.). You can imagine what was going on in our minds – leave the country, change our names, hide in Hitler’s bunker, etc. But of course, we did what was right. That’s what you’re supposed to do, isn’t it? Easy preaching; hard practicing.

Through a German Lawyer and the help of German Missionary-Pastor, Michael Landoll, we were able to negotiate the amount down to $57,000, which was still way over our ability. We then made pleas to members, former members, churches and anybody we could (dead or alive). We did receive a little over $20,000 but this still left us about $37,000 short. “God, You promised to meet our needs. God, we’re doing your work, You know. God, we need You badly, and we don’t want to put any pressure on You, but we could use it right now.”

One day a man from the German electrical company came by the church to read the electrical meter. He came back to my office and said, “Why do you have two meters.” I said, “I don’t know. You’re the electrical company, you tell me why I have two meters.” He said he didn’t know but it looked to him as if they had been charging us double for electricity since Pastor Wring had moved the church into the Hotel many years before.

Again, to make a long story short, they had indeed charged us double for electricity and it amounted to enough to pay the back taxes, with thousands of dollars left over to do some very badly needed repairs to the old hotel. I’ve said many times that God said, “Oh me! These dumb Americans, especially that Southern Hick from Alabama, are going to get themselves into financial trouble. I better start them a saving account.” And He did.

Who was in control; the German government? Electric Company? German IRS? Satan? No, to all of the above! God was in control!

We might not have seen His hand at work. We might have even wondered if God had forgotten us. But He knew what was going on with the German government and He was in control. We read in 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.” He was working things out according to His plans. And, His plans are always right and pure. We read in Psalm 145:17 “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”

Proverbs 5:21 “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.”

I don’t know what you are going through. I don’t know what you are facing. I do know that God is aware of everything in your life and He has a plan for your life and He’s still on the throne. I also know that He is faithful to accomplish that which is good for you and will bring glory to Himself. You can count on that! He is faithful - I Peter 4:19 “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” Trust Him. He’ll never let you down.

It may seem as if our nation is under the control of Satan. But don’t let circumstances fool you. Satan is not in control. Obama is not in control. Neither are the Dems or the G.O.P. God is in control.

That’s my view: how about you?