In Proverbs 21:1 we are reminded that the king’s word was law, His authority over his realm was unconditional and unrestrained, yet we are reminded that God controls the king’s heart, and he will not do anything that the Lord does not allow. Here we are reminded that God intervenes in the hearts of people so that they make decisions and carry out actions that accomplish God’s purpose for our lives. This is done in such a way that these people make their decisions and carry out their plans by their own free and voluntary choices (cf. book of Habakkuk). We must understand that if God is not sovereign in the decisions and actions of other people as they affect us, then there is a whole major area of our lives where we cannot trust God. What does this mean for us? It means that God uses the decisions and actions of people to accomplish His purposes and that in doing so He has a plan and purpose not only for our lives but the lives of those making decisions that affect us. We must remember that God is moving history toward the coming of Christ’s kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6), and … READ MORE

One of the most controversial doctrines in Christianity, is the resurrection, yet the heart of Christianity is the empty tomb! After detailing the evidence for the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:5-11, we are reminded of the importance of Christ resurrection in the same chapter from verses 12-19, and it is summarized in verse 17 which says, “If Christ is not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in yo0ur sins.” Verses 20-28 shares the importance of the resurrection by reminding us in verse 20 that, “now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” Jesus’ resurrection is proof that there is something beyond this life, and for those who have a relationship with Him there is the promise of new life. As a result of this great chapter on the resurrection, we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the lord.” You see my friends, our ultimate victory over death is a motive for faithful service. Are you busy for God?… READ MORE

In Genesis 3:7-8 we see that after eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil the first thing that Adam and his wife did was to hide themselves from each other. This continues to be a problem with relationships today; we hid ourselves from God and others! We all find it hard to reveal to people who we are, and struggle to become what we believe that people want us to be. The idea of being laid “bare” before others, causes us to panic, and therefore, we often conform to the image of the group so that we can blend into the crowd rather than being salt and light. One of the things that makes a follower of Christ different from the world, is that we find our identity in Christ, and not in the opinions of man. Yet it is still hard for us to overcome this battle. How do we do it? We have to recognize that according to Romans 12:2 we are “… transformed by the renewing of your mind, …” We are not what we were, and we do not have to be what we think the world wants us to be. We … READ MORE