A Bible Devotional from Bethel
By: Pastor Larry Aikens, Jr.
March 22, 2022
Welcome:
We are here to offer encouragement for your Journey of Faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.
To study the Bible in more depth and get closer to God, we invite you to visit, www.onlyJesus4me.com. You will find E-books, Audiobooks, E-sessions, and more. All completely free! Our website will guide you on A Journey of Faith and help you discover Bible answers to life’s toughest questions.
We want to be a help and blessing to you!
Our Scripture Lesson Today: Isaiah 14:24, 26-27
24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:
“It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.
26 I have a plan for the whole earth,
a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—
who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised,
who can stop him?”
Theme:
America is changing rapidly—it is not the country we once knew. China is becoming more and more powerful. North Korea is just as dangerous as ever. And then there is this trouble brewing with Russia, orchestrated by Putin. Did you see the headlines before Russia attacked Ukraine?
BREAKING NEWS – TUESDAY, FEB. 22, 2022
FORBES MAGAZINE, DEREK SAUL
The upper house of the Russian parliament approved President Vladimir Putin’s request to use military force outside of Russia, adding to fears of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine may come soon.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow on February 22, 2022.
SPUTNIK/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES
Did you catch the most important words of that article? “Military force outside of Russia.” Putin also warned that if any country tries to stop Russia, there will be “consequences that you have never faced in your history.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWBNK5DlpTQ).
Those words strike fear into many hearts. What is Putin capable of? What if World War III breaks out? Will nuclear war bring global destruction?
There is a lot of uncertainty in this world already, and so much has changed since COVID broke out 2 years ago. This Russian aggression and war in the Ukraine only adds to the anxiety.
What do we do?
We can look to the Scriptures and be reminded of what Isaiah taught us so plainly in Isaiah 14. God said, “It will happen as I have planned. It will be as I have decided. I have a plan for the whole earth.”
God said, “It will be just as I have decided.” I couldn’t help but think of the song made popular by Doris Day.:
Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, what will I be
Will I be pretty, will I be rich
Here’s what she said to me
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Songwriters: Jay Livingston / Ray Evans
There are some things we should be pro-active about—things within our control. Other things that are outside of our control, we have to lean hard upon God and leave worry to Him. “Que Será, Será.”
Now, I realize there is a fine line between ambivalence and apathy. There is a difference between dereliction of duty and divine dependence upon God.
This reminds me of a joke. Billy Bob said to Curtis. “What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy?” Curtis replied, “I don’t know and I don’t care!”
Now, please don’t misunderstand my devotional. I am not suggesting that we remain ignorant, or become apathetic. We need to stay informed and do all that we can. If you are in a position of power—please prayerfully make the right choices. If you can send support to our friends in the Ukraine, please do so. Do all that you can possibly do.
Yet, for most of us, at the end of the day, there is little we can really do to change the outcome of the international affairs that are playing out on the grand stage of world events. Most of the time, all we really can do is rest upon the faithfulness of Almighty God and believe him when he says, “I have a plan for the whole earth.” Truly whatever will be, will be. “Que Será, Será.”
Conclusion:
There is a sermon that discusses this topic more fully. In this sermon, Pastor Larry Aikens makes some observations about our beloved country, these United States of America, and how she fits within God’s masterful plan. He also discusses how we can find peace in the midst of all this uncertainty.
If you would like to watch the sermon in its entirety, please visit this link: https://fb.watch/bVELsBnllm/.
May God bless and keep you.
Learn More:
Learn more about the vision of our pastor and teacher, Larry Aikens, Jr. by clicking HERE and then following the different links! We also invite you to visit Bethel’s website to learn more about Larry, our ministries at Bethel, and our wonderful congregation. Just click HERE and look around!