Quotes from Jerry Bridges

Historically, God has not spared the righteous when He judges a nation (though He is well able to do so if He chooses, see Exodus 9:5-7).

God sovereignly intervened in the hearts—the desires and wills—of the Egyptians to accomplish His purpose for the Israelites.

He so directs and controls all events and all actions of His creatures that they never act outside of His sovereign will.

Yet God does this in such a way that these people make their decisions and carry out their plans by their own free and voluntary choices.

We must believe this and cling to this in the face of adversity and tragedy, if we are to glorify God by trusting Him.

Does God cause people to make decisions that favor us, and does God restrain people from making decisions that would harm us?

The main thing is our attitude. We can pray earnestly to God for relief and still be submissive to Him regarding the outcome.

Yet God controls the king's heart. The stubborn will of the most powerful monarch on earth is directed by God as easily as the farmer directs the flow of water in his irrigation canals.

Paul said of his colaborer Titus, "I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative" (2 Corinthians 8:16-)

Holiness is the perfection of all His other attributes: His power is holy power; His mercy is holy mercy; His wisdom is holy wisdom. It is His holiness more than any other attribute that makes Him worthy of.

Why did Rehoboam make such a foolish decision? The Scripture says, "So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from the LORD, to fulfill the word the LORD had spoken" (1 Kings 12:15). Two foolish decisions were made, in two instances good advice was rejected and harmful or foolish advice was followed. Both instances are attributed to the sovereign work of God guiding the minds of the kings to accomplish His will.

You and I may never have the privilege in this life of seeing an obvious outcome of God's plan for us, as Joseph did. But God's plan for us is no less firm and its outcome is no less certain than was God's plan for Joseph.