A God who is in Control!

Suppose you had it in your mind that you were going to destroy Christianity. What would you do to turn people away from following Jesus and the teachings of the Scriptures?
In 361 A.D. a new emperor took over control of the Roman Empire. He came to be known in history as Julian the Apostate because of the many things he tried to do to stop the spread of Christianity. One of his strategies was to recall several bishops who had been sent into exile because of controversial views they held (teachings of Arianism) so that they would stir up trouble within the ranks of the Church. His hope was that people would become so frustrated with the bickering going on that they would turn back to the pagan religious views that were prominent before Constantine became emperor and used Christianity to bring unity to the Roman Empire, turning it into a “Christian Empire”. Interestingly, this actually led to the final defeat of Arianism as it led many Christians to revisit their differences. It is amazing how God works, isn’t it?

Julian was not finished. He passed a law to bar Christians from being employed in the teaching profession in an attempt to make Christians dependent upon pagan schools and the curriculum that would come with this. Julian even tried to have the Temple rebuilt in an attempt to invalidate the teachings of Jesus! However, it was abandoned after a fire and earthquake halted the work from being accomplished. Coincidence? Julian only reigned 2 years as emperor before he died.

This morning we begin a short, 4-week series called “Human Clay” in which we will be looking at God as our sculptor, we as the sculpture, this world as His studio to mold us into what He desires, and finally, whether we will be the work of art He has made us to be so He can hang us in His gallery. Throughout this series it should be evident that our great Sculptor has things totally under control! He has a great plan that will not be thwarted, even though He has given His creation free will. May it never happen, but we could even go so far as to have a “Julian the Apostate” moment in which we strive to work against the will of this great Sculptor and He will continue to bring about what He desires. So, will you submit to His handcrafting in your life? Will you bring your free will in line with His intentions? “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—an earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands?’”—Isaiah 45:9

A Day of Fasting & Prayer

As we continue to strive to write a new chapter in the history of the Garden Ridge congregation, it is important to make sure we are following the direction our Father in heaven wants us to go. Friday, September 7th through Saturday, September 8th will be a day of fasting and prayer for our church family. We will be asking you, as a church family, to take part in a vigil of prayer (signing up for a specific time to come and pray here at the building and/or lifting up this body and the direction God is calling us to go throughout the 24-hour period we are setting this up for). We will also be putting out sheets of butcher paper in the foyer for you to write things you believe we should focus upon as we strive to know the will of God and obey Him. These sheets will be hung in the room of prayer (Modular 1) for those who come to pray to stir thoughts and ideas to pray for. Each week, more information will be given concerning this to help you be prepared for this very important event in our church’s life.

To listen to sermon, click The Sculptor.