God is still in charge...

The national health care bill has passed and many are up in arms... grieved over the thought of Government funded abortion. Not to mention the doors this opens for other radical health care changes such as care being withheld from the elderly. I have no idea where this decision will lead us, but I do know this... it did nothing to change the fact that GOD is Sovereign... nor did it thwart His plans.

He is allowing this for a reason... one we probably could not understand even if He told us.

Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. Habakkuk 1:5

We must realize that God sets up authorities... which means He placed all the various leaders that are "in charge" in their places:

He changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. Daniel 2:21

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Romans 13:1

And they aren't quite as "in charge" as they think they are...

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases. Proverbs 21:1

So what are we to do? What the Lord tells us to in 1 Timothy 2:1-2:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

God is still God.... His plan continues to move forward unto completion.. we are to pray and be about His work... sharing the good news and glorifying Him in every thing we do!

Our Constant in a Changing World

I work with an afterschool ministry program at my church for K - 6th grade. I work with the older kids (4th-6th), an age group I have never worked with before and one I am enjoying much more than I thought I would. How I got into this is a long story, but needless to say it was all God.

So each week I share a bit of Bible study with the kids and also play a game with them. They love hangman.... so we do Bible verse hangman. It is a great way to get them in the Word and get the Word in them. I am amazed at how much they remember from such a simple game.

I was looking for some verses last week and I stumbled across Hebrews 13:8 "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." What a simple straight forward truth! And how powerful and empowering it is for us.

That verse has stuck with me all week and as I was meditating on it recently, God brought to mind Malachi 3:6... "I the Lord do not change." I love finding Scriptures that reinforce each other and I especially love finding those types of Scriptures in both the Old and New Testament. The fact that God and Jesus do not change ... have never changed... will never change is not something new that occurred after Jesus came to earth in the form of a man, but it is an eternal truth that always has been and always will be.

Isn't it amazing to realize that the God we serve.. the God we love... the God who loves us.. the God in whom we trust.. never changes. He is the same as He was yesterday... as He is today... as He will be tomorrow. He will not be stronger one day and weaker the next... He isn't moody or wishy-washy... He loves us continually... cares for us... provides for us... pours out His mercy and grace on us... and so much more each and every day.

Times change.. no doubt the world we live in is different in many ways from the world our grandparents and great-grandparents inhabitted and it is different from the one our grandchildren and great-grandchildren will live in should the Lord tarry that long. Our world is in a constant state of change, but the One who created it... the One sovereign over all.. He is the same... yesterday... today... and fever!