"The Sovereignty of God"

"Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them; and He shot out lightnings, and discomfited them." (Psalms 18:14) This title for today's post was actually my pastor's title for his sermon yesterday, and after thinking about all that God was speaking to me all night long, I thought it was a fitting title. My pastor used the first part of Acts 5 to show God's sovereignty in striking fear into the early church with the death of Ananias and Sapphira. In this case, fear was the engine used to strike a blow of seriousness into the movement that was taking place within the church; that being the selling of personal property and giving it to the church. What God was speaking to my heart about, had to do with His ability to take control of any and all situations; even those that might separate people from one another, in an effort to confuse something that is feeling a little too much power. If we look to the first time the words "sent out" are used in reference to God sending something out, or putting something forth, we find this shown in Genesis 3:22-24, where God sends man forth out of the garden of Eden. The arrows and the lightnings are one of the same; it's the reaction to them that makes the difference in the verse above. One reaction speaks of separating of the people by scattering them away from each other, or away from some place; the other reaction is that of confusion, or to break a bond of solidarity that holds certain people together. In our Church's today we might call these groups of people 'clicks', which are small groups within the body that get along well together; something that has it's benefit's, but also can create strife within the church. As in the beginning of the first church, and the movement taking place that involved selling of land and giving it to the church, this was a pretty big deal; as we can see by the example given of Barnabas, who sold his land and gave all the money from that sell to the church, by laying it at the feet of the apostles. This could have become a pretty powerful click within the early church, with those who gave of their wealth in such a way, and to them that were part of the 'Giving It All Club'; but God put a stop to it right away by the death of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. I cannot imagine what kind of fear that sparked in the hearts of anyone who was giving of their land for some kind of recognition, or to be a part of what movement was being noticed as an act of surrender; but I can understand what kind of fear was brought to the hearts of those that gave out of love: it was the kind of fear that took hold of God's Sovereignty and His Awesome Power. When I say, took hold of, I mean to realize the power that is around them, and that is bestowed upon them, and especially the apostles, as believers and followers of Jesus Christ. If we are going to turn our cities upside down for Jesus Christ, then this is the kind of fear we need to have; which is not the fear brought on by an outside force, but is from within, and is because of the force we are a part of...