Is God Really in Control? Part 2

            Properly maintaining a vehicle in order for it to perform as intended requires special care.  The owner’s manual spells out the steps which need to be taken so that the vehicle will operate at an optimal level.  If these steps are not followed the vehicle will be inefficient and ineffectual in performing the purpose for which it was created.  Again, for us we must live according to our Owner’s Manual, following the Manufacturer’s instructions.  If we are lax in doing this we will find that we will be inefficient and ineffectual in performing the purpose for which we were created, knowing God and making Him known.

                If we add the wrong kind or amount of oil, radiator fluid or fuel the vehicle will malfunction or not work at all.  Just as we must be attentive to add these “life bloods” to our vehicle correctly, we must also be attentive to the Life Blood of our own life.  We must read our Bible.  We must pray; speaking to, listening to, and waiting on the Lord.  We must fellowship with the saints- preferring one another, loving one another, forgiving one another, submitting to one another, serving one another, enjoying the body of Christ.

                When the water floods the tread of our tires and causes us to lose traction, our wheels are riding on the flood waters, spinning along without capability of receiving guidance from or control by the driver.   The vehicle must slow down in order to have the chance to disperse the water that is flooding the treads.  This will allow the tires to have direct contact with the asphalt; guidance and control by the driver can be regained. When the circumstances of life flood our thoughts it causes us to lose our focus on God, our lives can be being lived according to these circumstances, spinning along without capability of receiving guidance from or control by God.   We must slow down and take the time to focus on Him, allowing our mind to be focused on the Lord, dispersing worldly thoughts that have been the cause of our losing focus.  This time spent focusing on the Lord allows us to have direct contact with the Spirit of God; guidance and control by God can be regained. 
                       When the steering wheel locks up, the driver cannot guide the vehicle in the proper direction.  It continues its course usually until a crash ensues.  When the steering wheel of our heart locks up the Driver cannot guide us in the proper direction.   We must yield our hearts to the will of God and trust that He will guide us.  This allows Him to be in control of our life and we can be comforted knowing that we are safe in His care.  
               As a vehicle is protected by wax from the acidic consequences of dead bugs and bird droppings that assail it so are we protected by the shield of faith from the acidic consequences of what assails us?  Just as we must protect our vehicle from decay by washing it and applying more wax, we must also protect ourselves by washing our minds with the water of the word and reapply our faith in each situation.

                There are safety precautions in the manual with warnings.  If they are not followed, death or serious injury may occur to us or to others.  The Bible contains these types of warnings/danger avoidance instructions for us as well.  We must heed these or risk dangerous consequences of walking against the Word of God.

                With a thorough reading of the Bible we will find that lives lived according to God’s plan lead to life.  Lives NOT lived in this manner lead to destruction and death.

The Bible is clear and true testimony that it is we who have control over whether or not we make choices aligned with God’s will.  Our choices have consequences, good or bad and they not only affect us, they can affect others.

                So ask yourself this of your own life, 

                          “Is God really in control?”

Is God Really in Control?

     When a vehicle is built it is designed to be under the control of a driver.  If the vehicle is operating properly it will do exactly as the driver commands.  If it is not operating properly it will not submit itself to the driver and will be operating outside of the control of the driver.  The driver is said to have lost control of the vehicle. 

People were designed to have a relationship with God, the Father.  We are here to be His companions and to do His work.  We are to be under His control.  Due to sin there is a malfunction in our design.  In order to be His companions and be under His command and control this malfunction of sin must be corrected. 

When our car is malfunctioning we take it to a mechanic who knows and understands how a vehicle should operate.  He will also have the tools to set things aright. 

     When we are malfunctioning and need to be set aright we have a place we must go as well.  It is the Cross of Christ, where He allowed His blood to be shed for us so that we could be forgiven for our sin; It is here where we die to our self just as He died.  It is outside the tomb where He came after He was raised from death to life, where we are raised from the death of our old selves to life as a new creature in Christ, set free from the power of sin.  This is the Gospel.  It is the Good News.  It is the only way our sin can be forgiven and we can be released from its hold upon us.

     If we have reached this point we are here due to the faith God gave us to believe in Him.   It is by His grace  in us to accept this free gift of Salvation.  We can receive this gift because we are willing to be in submission to His will.  We have realized and are agreeing with Him that we have been in control long enough and that we have only grieved Him in the lordship we have had over ourselves.   

     THIS is the point at which God is in control OF US -because we are in submission to Him.  If we should refuse to submit to His will at any point, He would cease being in control of us.  Due to our malfunction of sin, by choosing our own will over His, we will have taken control of our lives back from Him.  He would no longer in control because we would not be submitted to Him.

If one never reaches this point of submission to God’s will and acceptance of His Salvation they are living a life which in NOT under the control of God, but their self.  In these cases, God is not in control.

 It is the choices that people make that cause the good, the bad, and the ugly in the world.   If we choose to follow God’s leading we will be a vehicle of good, but not just good, God’s goodness-which is SO much better than what the world’s “good” has to offer.    If we choose to follow our own heart we will be a vehicle of bad and ugly.

     So, is God really in control?  It depends on if we are submitted to His control or not.  This is a choice for all people to make.  When people continue to spout, “God is in control” as a mantra of comfort, it is not only a surface comfort, it is a false comfort indeed since God is NOT always in control and this is truly of no use to anyone.  It dulls people to their personal responsibility of making right choices.  It makes God appear at the very least, uncaring of the consequences of evil in the world and at worst, responsible for it.  Who would trust in a God who is in control of every choice people make and thus the puppet master of so much evil in the world and the cause of the pain in their life and/or the lives of those they love?  (I can't name anyone either.) 

     We must stop touting this false god as the real and true God.  We must take a stand and tell the truth.  The love of Christ compels us to do so.  If we are not compelled to tell the truth and are comfortable with continuing a lie, God is in fact NOT in control of our life and we are part of the reason that evil continues. 

We have personal responsibility to tell the truth even when it’s uncomfortable.  Even if hardly anyone else will.  Even if we receive a poor response.  No matter what.  God's Word is truth and the Devil is a liar and the father of it.

     God’s choice was to give us the choice to choose Him, the devil, or our self as ruler of our life.  To live for Him or not.  To do His will or not.  To seek peace and pursue it or not.  To live a life that pleases Him or not.  Now we must choose.  He has given each the choice to choose so in effect, WE are in control of whether we allow His will to be done in our life.   We must also recognize that others are making that same decision, repeatedly.  So God is not always in control.

     He is the author of everything that is truly good and of nothing that is not truly good. 

     So when someone is having a rough day and you would like to comfort them, tell them the truth, tell them the Good News.  Speak the truth in love but for God’s sake and theirs, let us stop lying to them!

Gallon Cat

This cat shows the relative scale of the parts of a gallon and gives a visual for memorizing how many "parts" per gallon.

Step 1:  The body -represents 1 Gallon

Fold an 8 ½” by 11” sheet of construction paper into fourths.

Trim the corner where there is no fold to make it rounded.

Unfold to make the body of the cat.

Step 2:  The arms and legs-represent 4 quarts 

Fold another piece of 8 ½” by 11” sheet of construction paper into fourths.

This time fold the long ends together twice. 

Cut pieces apart on folded lines.

(I rounded the corners before I cut down the fold lines, but this is not necessary.)

You may want to accordion fold the arms and legs for aesthetics and also because this is one big cat.

Step 3:  The paws –represent 8 pints

Fold another piece of 8 ½” by 11” sheet of construction paper 3 times putting the short edges together each time, giving eighths.  Trim the corners to make them rounded.  Cut pieces apart on folded lines.

Step 4: The claws-represent 16 Cups

Fold another piece of 8 ½” by 11” sheet of construction paper 4 times putting the short edges together each time, giving sixteenths.  Trim the corners to make them rounded.  Cut pieces apart on folded lines.  I used yellow for this step.  Note see the different sizes above.

Step 5:  Putting it all together

Glue the arms and legs on at whatever angle you’d like in the four corners ON THE BACK of the cat.

Turn the cat over and glue two paws to the end of each arm/leg.

Glue two claws onto each paw.

Mark a G on the body.  The G will represent “gallon” and sort of look like a belly button.

Mark a Q in the middle of each limb.  The Q’s will represent “quart” while looking like knee caps & elbows (The elbow will be on the wrong side, but the students will see the Q which is the more important point.)

Mark a P on each paw.  The p’s will represent “pint”.

Mark a C on each claw.  The c’s will represent “cup” while looking more claw like.

Step 6:  Make and add a head. 

Fold an 8 ½” by 11” sheet of construction paper half, cut on line.   Fold the ½ sheet of paper into fourths.

Trim the corner where there is no fold to make it rounded.

Unfold to make the head of the cat.  Draw a face.  Add some triangles for ears.  I’m sure you’re craftier than me and can figure this part out. :)

 

This cat shows the relative scale of the parts of a gallon and gives a visual for memorizing how many "parts" per gallon.