Really Believing in God’s Sovereignty
From Paul Tripp:
Grace will take control out of your hands, while it blesses you with the care of One whose plan is unshakable and perfect in every way.
Jason had some kind of distant belief in the sovereignty of God, but it was almost completely separate from his everyday experience. He lived like he had no idea that Jesus was ruling over all things for his sake (Ephesians 1:20-23). So Jason was constantly dealing with the frustration of trying to control people and things which he had little power to control.
He spent way too much time calculating the “what ifs” and regretting the “if onlys.” He seemed like he did not know that his security and rest were not to be found in his ability to predict the future and control the present, but in the faithful love and expansive wisdom of his sovereign Savior, Jesus, so his living always was more anxious than restful.
You see, Jason didn’t need more grace. No, he needed to understand and live in light of the grace he had already been given. Jason was a grace amnesiac and so he lived like he was poor, when grace had made him exotically rich. He lived like he was weak, when grace had made him strong. He lived like life had no plan, when, in fact, he had been included in the unalterable plans of the God of redeeming grace.
Hey Justin. I just moved to the Phoenix (well Tucson right now but looking to re-locate in Phoenix) I won’t go into the full story of why we moved here, but basically to get into cheaper monthly payment to pay off college debt and be able to get overseas first. We are looking for a good solid church in Phoenix before moving up there though. I have found a few Acts 29 churches that are good, but just don’t feel a peace about them. I attended Bethlehem Baptist in Minnesota for the last 6 years. That is where we could not afford to live anymore now that my wife stays at home with the kids. Anyway, a good friend of mine there who said he really thinks highly of you, Bryan Pickering, said you were starting a church there. I was wondering where you are concentrating at as far as location and living areas? Also the three main more broad filters we are going for in looking at a church is, reformed, Christian Hedonist (even if it is not said in the same way), and CCEF counseling model or nouthetic. I am looking to attend Masters online course for biblical counseling hopefully starting this January and would love at some point in life to be apart of this with a church in Phoenix and then counseling missionaries overseas. We will see what the Lord does with that. Anyway, enough time yeah if we could come check out the church or just talk sometime that would be great. Hope all is well. Thanks, cache
