Is God Really in Control?

Before we can learn to trust that God is in control of all of life’s circumstances, we have to answer four questions: Is God really in control? How much control does He have? If He is not in complete control, then who/what is? How can I learn to trust that He is in control and rest in that?

Is God really in control? The concept of the control of God over everything is called the “sovereignty” of God. God’s sovereignty is defined as His complete and total independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance at every moment in history. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent, God does what He pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases. God is in complete control of every molecule in the universe at every moment, and everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes.

Exactly how much control does God have? He is continuously, actively running things—ALL things—here and now. Our wills are only free to the extent that God allows us that freedom and no farther. “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35). 

The book of Job is a clear illustration of just who has the sovereign power and who doesn’t. Satan came to God and, in effect, said, “Job only serves you because you protect him.” So God gave Satan permission to do certain things to Job but no more (Job 1:6–22). 

Satan knew from the Old Testament that God’s plan was for Jesus to come to the earth, be betrayed, crucified and resurrected, and provide salvation for millions, and if there was any way to keep that from happening, Satan would have done it. If just one of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah could have been caused by Satan to fail to come to pass, the whole thing would have collapsed. But the numbers of independent, “free will” decisions made by thousands of people were designed by God to bring His plan to pass in exactly the way He had planned it from the beginning, and Satan couldn’t do a thing about it.

Unlimited in power, unrivalled in majesty, and not thwarted by anything outside Himself, our God is in complete control of all circumstances, causing or allowing them for His own good purposes and plans to be fulfilled exactly as He has foreordained.

But we can’t trust someone we don’t know, and there is only one way to know God—It is only thru His Word, the Bible, the single source of power that can change our lives from the inside out. But it takes diligent effort every day to know the God who controls everything. If we drink deeply from His Word and let it fill our minds and hearts, the sovereignty of God will become clear to us, because we will know Him intimately and thus, trust Him completely.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org

Dealing With Difficult People

We all know people whom we find “difficult” in one way or another, and we’re all called upon to deal with difficult people at some time or another. A difficult person may be one who is condescending, argumentative, belligerent, selfish, flippant, obtuse, or simply rude. Difficult people seem to know just how to “push one’s buttons” and stir up trouble. Dealing with difficult people becomes an exercise in patience, love, and grace.

Our response to difficult people should model the examples provided by Jesus, for He surely dealt with many difficult people during His time here on earth. In His interactions with difficult people Jesus never displayed an attitude of harsh superiority or dismissive pride; rather, He showed authority under control. He used rebuke when necessary (John 8:47), but He also dealt with difficult people by remaining silent (John 8:6), asking questions (Mark 11:28–29), pointing them to Scripture (Mark 10:2–3), and telling a story (Luke 7:40–42).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was quite specific about dealing with difficult people in love and humility: “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:27–31). We must never give tit for tat: “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:9).

In dealing with difficult people, we must guard against pride. It is important to recall the admonition given by the apostle Paul in Romans 12:3: “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (see also Philippians 2:3–4). So, when we know we must deal with a difficult person, we approach the situation in meekness. Love is also key: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14). We are to show God’s love to everyone—including difficult people.

The book of Proverbs provides much wisdom in dealing with difficult people. Proverbs 12:16 promotes patience in our relationships: “A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 20:3 commends peace-making: “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.” Proverbs 10:12 encourages love: “Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs 17:14 values foresight and deference: “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” If possible, it might be best to avoid the situation altogether by choosing carefully whom we associate with: “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered” (Proverbs 22:24).

Dealing with difficult people is unavoidable. When we deal with difficult people, it’s easy to respond in the flesh. But that just brings out the worst in us. How much better to allow our dealings with difficult people to bring out the fruit of the Spirit in us (Galatians 5:22–23)! By the grace of God, may we deal with difficult people in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and—to top it all off—self-control. May we extend the same love, grace, and mercy that God extended to us. And may we be careful not to become the “difficult people” ourselves!

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestion.org

Random

            "Random" describes something that occurs without a predictable order, plan, or purpose; something that happens by chance. Today I am referring to “random acts of kindness”.  Holding a door open for a stranger. Paying for a strangers lunch. Complimenting someone regarding their appearance. Showing understanding when someone comes to you with a hurtful set of circumstances that have knocked them to their knees. There are so many ways to bless someone; or as I like to say, “be Jesus to someone”. We are Christ’s ambassadors, meaning it is incumbent upon us to behave in such a way that others see the kindness of God in us thru our words and / or actions.

            If the unsaved don’t see Christ in God’s children, then where will they see Him? This is our mission as followers of Christ. This should be our focus, our mindset; to be a constant reflection of the One who saved our souls from an everlasting hell.

            Here’s a true fact for you: it costs us NOTHING to be kind. Absolutely nothing, except some of our time. I’ve already written about time and how it is a commodity we only get to spend once. Why not spend your time being kind to others, regardless of how they respond. 

Our ACTIONS are important, but our REACTIONS matter as well. Being kind only to be ugly in reaction to the reception your kindness receives is highly counterproductive. Be steady. Be strong in your convictions. Don’t allow someone else’s unseemly behavior negatively effect your disposition. Remember, CHRIST is our example, not any mortal man, woman, or child. Follow His lead and succeed in life.

            Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

 

 

Are We Truly Eternally Secure?

When people come to know Christ as their Savior, they are brought into a relationship with God that guarantees their eternal security.  Jude 24 declares, "To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy." God’s power is able to keep the believer from falling. It is up to Him, not us, to present us before His glorious presence. Our eternal security is a result of God keeping us, not us maintaining our own salvation.      

The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand" (John 10:28-29b). Both Jesus and the Father have us firmly in their hand. Who could possibly separate us from the grip of both the Father and the Son?

Ephesians 4:30 tells us that believers are "sealed for the day of redemption." If believers did not have eternal security, the sealing could not truly be unto the day of redemption, but only to the day of sinning, apostasy, or disbelief. John 3:15-16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will "have eternal life." If a person were to be promised eternal life, but then have it taken away, it was never "eternal" to begin with. If eternal security is not true, the promises of eternal life in the Bible would be in error.

The most powerful argument for eternal security is Romans 8:38-39, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Our eternal security is based on God’s love for those whom He has redeemed. Our eternal security is purchased by Christ, promised by the Father, and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Source: www.gotquestions.org/eternal-security.html

Covering vs. Removing

            To cover something is to hide it from sight. To remove something is to erase it from sight as if it had never been there. THAT is the key difference between God’s way of dealing with sin in both the Old & New Testament. 

            The Old Testament had a sacrificial system put in place by Almighty God to atone for man’s sin. It happened to be the blood of animals and that particular sacrifice only covered over the sin so, theoretically, it could no longer be seen. It was a symbolic system in that God who forgets nothing and is certainly still aware of a person’s sin, CHOOSES to no longer hold it against them due to the covering of the blood. 

            The New Testament, often referred to as the ‘era of God’s grace’, allows Christ’s blood to wash our sins away, the way a wave from the ocean washes away writing in the sand... just as if it were never there. Though both the Old & New systems of sacrifice essentially provides the same result, the New Testament recipient has to sacrifice not a spotless animal, but submit their will over to a loving God who only wishes to bless and not harm us. Sounds like a great exchange to me. Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

What sin will God not forgive?

          “According to the Bible, the unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This is not a single act, but rather a state of a hardened heart that repeatedly rejects God's grace and refuses to repent. It is seen as a deliberate and persistent rejection of the Holy Spirit's conviction, a choice to remain unforgiven.” ^[1]

            So you see there IS something that God will not forgive. If a person is bound and determined to reject the existence of God and live his or her life on their own terms, then in the end that is considered by God to be unforgiveable. Now you may have a hard time excepting that there is something God will not forgive, but it is true. As quoted above, it is blaspheming the Holy Spirit of God. God doesn’t wish that any individuals would go to hell. Hell wasn’t created for them; it was created for Lucifer / Satan and his minions (the fallen angels cast out of heaven with Lucifer by God). While Satan has been given dominion over the earth, he is not nearly as powerful as Almighty God. He is stronger than humans though, so he does have power, but is controlled by God. We see reference to this control in the opening chapter of Job*in the Old Testament.

            The free will that God allows all men and women can be a blessing, but can also become a curse in that the decisions that one makes on his or her own they will own and must deal with the corresponding consequences that result from said decision. Even WITH God’s assistance we can still choose the wrong path by misinterpreting scripture or some word they feel had come from the Holy Spirit. That’s why I have been saying that being close to the Lord consistently and continuously is extremely important for a believer.  You wouldn’t have much of a relationship with your wife if you avoided her, or always had something else to do rather than spend time with her. Why would you think your relationship with God would be any different? Is it because you can’t experience Him with any of your 5 senses?

Seek to get spiritually in tune with your God. You can and should so you can know what comes from the Lord and what does not. That way falling away from faith in God should become more remote. Enhance your relationship with Almighty God by spending more time with Him. I’m not suggesting that you spend ALL your time with Him, but I believe He should always be on your mind. Don’t you think that’s the least you can do for someone who purchased for you your freedom from the clutches of sin? 

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

^[1] “AI” generated response to the title question.

*Job 1:6-12 

Worship

Is it true that we were created to worship God? It would appear that the answer is “Yes”, since major religions (for example, Christianity, Judaism, & Islam), teach that humans were created to worship God. Humans were created in God's image to have a relationship with Him, to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him forever, according to biblical teachings.  Not everyone believes there is a God; therefore, if a person isn’t focused on God, then will likely worship other things that have no connection to God; such as athletes, stars from the entertainment industry to name a couple.

According to the Bible and the Quran, the purpose of human creation is to know, love, and worship God. However, since people are separated from God through sin, they naturally seek other things to fulfill this need for worship, which can lead to focusing on things like money, power, or self. 

Some sources suggest that when people turn away from God, they may worship their own ego, material possessions, or sensual desires. Other potential "false gods" include political power, the natural world, or other things that receive the highest priority in a person's life. Ultimately, any worship that is not directed to God is seen as worshiping the "created" rather than the "Creator". 

            It’s simply a matter of what your focus in life is. Is it God and the relationship you have with Him, or is it something else that is much less important? I say that because in the eternal scheme of things nothing is more important than knowing and worshipping the One who created you. To not agree with that only means that your life is on a different trajectory than those who know the Lord. 

Once redeemed worshipping God should become fairly natural to you. Once you realize who God is and what He has done for His creation, it ends up being normal to want to lift up His name in praise. No other person or object that man might worship cannot save your soul. Without salvation, heaven is out of your reach. There is no other way to go to heaven but thru the cross of Christ. That news is worth praising forever.

Until next time, walk with the King & be a blessing.

In His Name & for His Glory,

RL Keller

Bread of Life Ministries