"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations." Psalm 33:11 Before time began--when nothing existed but the self-sufficient, triune God--He, in infinite wisdom and sovereign pleasure, ordained ALL that would come to pass. His decrees are not guesses or reactions, for the Almighty is never caught unaware. Rather, they are the eternal expressions of His will, the fixed and flawless blueprint by which all things are brought to fulfillment. God's decrees are absolute and all-encompassing. From the revolutions of galaxies, to the fall of a single leaf; from the rise of nations, to the salvation of souls--nothing occurs apart from His sovereign purpose. Not one atom moves, nor one heartbeat beats, except by His sovereign appointment. These divine decrees are not mechanical laws, but the wise and holy counsels of the living God. They are called His "counsel "to reflect their consummate wisdom, and His "will" to show that He acts with absolute freedom--subject to none but Himself. Every decree is rooted in infinite understanding, guided by perfect love, and executed with flawless precision. Such a truth crushes the pride of man. We are not autonomous beings charting our own course. All our days were written in His book, before one of them came to be. What we call circumstances are but the unfolding of His eternal plan. To rebel against God's providence is to question His goodness; to murmur at His will is to deny His wisdom. Yet for the believer, this same truth is a wellspring of deep assurance. Our salvation is no accident. It is not a divine reaction to human faith--but the outworking of God's eternal choice. As it is written, "He chos