This morning, nothing will get someone in gospel ignorance or blindness mad at you faster than the subject of the sovereignty of God. People (natural man) do not like to hear about a God who has all power, control, might, glory, and strength. For, that leaves man with nothing good that he can claim. About the only thing that I have found that man can take all the credit for, and it be attributed only to him is sin. We cannot even control our very own natural possessions and lives. No man is sure of his life, and he certainly cannot control his goods when his soul may be required of him in a single night. (Luke 12:20) 

Notice that the Psalmist says that God hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. No natural man could ever make this statement. God the Father does whatsoever He pleases. God the Son does whatsoever He pleases, and God the Holy Spirit does whatsoever He pleases. The One True and Living God does not need to ask permission for anything. He does not need advice or counsel. In fact, He NEEDS nothing. To be in need, implies that someone is destitute of something. Our Lord is never destitute, and He alone keeps of the riches of His storehouse. He alone blesses us for good.   

We have no goodness of our own, and His righteousness is our only hope. As always, there are extreme notions and positions when it comes to God's sovereignty. Some declare that He actively controls everything. Others think that He acts as a clockmaker that wound the universe up and lets it tick-tock, tick-tock until the buzzer rings and He comes back. Each of these is ludicrous and foolish. The answer lies in the middle between the two. One way that I like to put it is, "God is in complete control, but God is not completely controlling."  

Man is responsible for his wicked decisions. Man is guilty when he transgresses, but God did not lose control momentarily, which gave man the ability to fall. God holds this universe in the palm of His hand, but His fingers do not continually run through it in all regards. He does (thanks be unto Him) run His fingers through our lives and work great miracles. He does not always leave us to our own devices. But, the fact that He suffers man to engage in folly does not limit or degrade His sovereignty and power one iota. Thanks be unto Him that He is in control (and not me), for He has, does, and always will do whatsoever He hath pleased.

In Hope,

Bro Philip