Psalms 147:5-11 “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground. Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God: Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” This is a partial list of what God does for His creation. Humans was the last of God’s creation and the only creature He made with a free will. Cats are always cats; dogs are always dogs, deer always eat my flowers, only man chooses what he will become in life. Can you imagine a buffalo choosing to be a lawyer? Or having a skunk to decide to be in law enforcement?
The world fear in this section of scripture means reverence and actually fear of the being of God. Why should we fear Him? We just read some of the reasons. There is no Mother Nature. It is Father God who controls the clouds, the rain, the grass, he feeds the animals in nature. The Scripture begins with “Great is our Lord, and of great power;” The sooner we realize that God has the power to speak the world into existence is the beginning of fearing Him. Listen, if He can speak it into existence, He can surely speak it out of existence as well.
God’s care of the planet, its animals, and its people was summed up by a good preacher friend of mine. The pastor of Vian Creek Baptist Church is fond of saying that “all God ever wanted is a family to take care of”.
Brother Charcoal-Locust is a man after my own heart. Here is the progression for us to think about. God created the earth for us. In this world He placed everything we would ever need. All the minerals, all the metals, all the soil to grow food was all in place before man was introduced into that world. His care is evident. We are alive because of His provision for us. Now, is it too much to ask of us to simply give Him a simple Thank You?
God continued after His creation to set some rules for man to live with man in harmony. If the world followed these rules, then there would be no famine, war, or mayhem in the world. Yet, God gave man the ability to choose for himself. I am often in awe that people would rather believe the Evolution lie than to believe in a Creator God, but again, that is their choice. God does not want a world of puppets or slaves. He wants people to love Him because He loves them and cares for them every day.
But you say, “He isn’t doing a very good job with all the floods, earthquakes and droughts.” And I say to you, “You don’t know God, His power or the Bible.” If you did, you would soon reason out that man himself is causing all these things by choosing to be disobedient. God has no pleasure in unrighteousness. God has no pleasure in wickedness or evil. If you break the rules at the place of your employment, don’t you get a reprimand at best and fired at worse?
Peace and harmony are available to those that obey the rules of God. Like I said, animals are always animals, but man has a free will. He can choose to be as good or as bad as he wants, but there is a penalty to pay for disobedience.
God has pleasure in those who voluntarily follow His rules. He loves those who choose to love Him. He care for all, but He will bless only those who fear Him and recognize His immense power over all of creation.
Because of man choosing to ignore God’s rules, man was condemned. It started in the Garden of Eden when Adam ate of the fruit that God had commanded him not to eat of and pprogressed to the point that God destroyed the earth’s inhabitants with a flood. He saved just enough men and women to begin again.
The second time the world was corrupt enough to destroy, He sent His only begotten Son to pay the wages of sin. Jesus Christ died for our sins. With the penalty paid (Romans 6:23 “the wages of sin is death”) God gives us a choice of our eternal destiny. If we receive the finished work of Jesus and believe on His name, we are given eternal life. John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” If we believe not, then we cannot go to the Kingdom of God for we are condemned.
Even in this God gives us a choice, but it is a narrow one. Three scriptures some immediately to mind.
John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
The fourth Scripture I want to leave you with is this: Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Make wise choices! The ability was given to you alone in all of God’s creation! Choose life by believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ! He died so that you might choose to live for now and eternity! If you need help, come to church and I will open the Bible to show you the way of salvation. Please, choose life!
