God is sovereign over governments, but they are often evil. When they are, God's people demonstrate allegiance to Him by refusing to obey, knowing full well that they may face temporal consequences.
Christians live in this world as ambassadors for Christ, but are citizens of the world to come. How are we then to treat government? God deals with nations and leaders, and calls us to submit to them for His sake.
Augustine wrote his famous City of God in 413 A.D. In it, he describes two cities, the city of the world and the city of God, and calls on society to choose which city it will be a part of. Our challenge as believers is to live in both 'cities' - to be in the world, but not of the world.
Scripture:1 Peter 2, 2:11-16, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
God is sovereign over all human governments; nothing can thwart His eternal purpose. Christians can be assured that though the wicked may prosper, and evil rulers may mock God's truth with their evil schemes, God's plans are not impeded, and His ultimate victory is sure.
In spiritual battles which lie ahead, Christians will confront the vacuum of truth in our relativistic world. Jesus said, You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32). The challenge before believers will be severe: Do I know the truth?
We are living in changing times. Unbeknownst to most people, 'social engineers' without faith in God or His Word want to shape our future. What does the future bode for Christians? We who are used to freedom of worship must prepare ourselves to stand strong when trials come.
Her name isn't actually in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, but she is there - 'she who was the wife of Uriah.' Bathsheba was involved in the sin that stained the rule of Israel's greatest king, David, resulting in death. But repentance and grace gave forgiveness, and new life.
Tamar and Rahab, the first two women in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus, both present a moral challenge to Christians. But the third, Ruth, seems a saint by comparison! Her circumstances, however, were far from great. Yet her life exhibits God's love and grace.
Tamar, the first woman listed in the genealogy of Jesus, playing the role of a prostitute one time. Rahab, the second woman listed, ran a brothel! Have we gone from bad to worse? No. God's just showing us what's possible when a life is touched by grace.
Scripture:Matthew 1:1-5; Joshua 2, 6:22-25; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25