God’s Word is clear in Exodus 15:18 NASB - “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

I believe it is vital for every believer to allow that truth to be bedrock solid ground in their faith - especially when the world around us seems to be losing its collective mind. The world has a man-centered point of view. Man’s feeble attempts at power and control always fail. We need to view the world from the Christ-centered point of view. It’s all about the kingdom and it’s all about the King. We can always count on God being in control - reigning as King and Lord over everything in our lives. That is our hope and the point of grace to see us through the chaos and confusion of the world.

Our faith is always tested whenever we are faced with crisis…like COVID-19. Either God is still in control or He isn’t. We can’t have it both ways. To believe God is not in control is to cede control of our thoughts to the lies of the enemy…and that always leads to doubt and fear. Who wants to live like that?

During the time of quarantine, our family has lost two family members to sudden death. A very-much-loved sister-in-law was taken from us suddenly at the age of 57. A cousin a grew up with died suddenly at age 61 - and we have never been able to gather to memorialize his life or grieve our loss as a family. Yet, as a family, we are choosing to believe God is in control…and that He wastes nothing!

As I deal with Parkinson’s, I basically have to anchor or park my mind on this truth that God is in control…and that He uses even the tragic things we must face in life for our good and for the Kingdom. Remember what I just said? Our God wastes nothing.

What can we do to use as a catalyst to see this truth manifest in our lives as we go through the many times of crisis? We can rise up and bless God and the One who reigns through any tragedy – through any trial. He is the Giver of Life, even in death, and He rules and reigns over it all…forever.

We all face hard times in our lives. We all experience sorrow and disappointment and emotional and physical wounding. We all face temptations and lies of the enemy each and every day. We can either see life from God’s point of view or we can see it from man’s point of view. Here’s what God’s Word has to say about seeing life from the enemy’s point of view:

[1 Timothy 6:11-16 NASB] 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance [and] gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which He will bring about at the proper time--He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him [be] honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

Let us fight the good fight regardless of our circumstances today…and let us find joy and comfort in knowing that the sovereign God of the universe is right here with us through whatever life brings our way. And remember this:

[Romans 8:28 NASB] And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.

Let’s live like we believe that today!
Dennis Jernigan

To listen to The Dennis Jernigan Podcast on this subject, go to http://podcast.dennisjernigan.com/e/he-will-reign-forever-and-ever-1582046362/

Photo courtesy of https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2019/06/11/01/24/thorn-4265860_1280.jpg