Roses of Grace

Christian, you're at war.  All around you is a cosmic struggle between good and evil, between the forces of the Lord and the forces of the devil—and this struggle has gone on ever since the world was created.  It's a little intimidating to be at war, to be honest. We'd like to stay safe, living our lives like nothing's going on around us. But it is. Spiritual warfare is real , and it's something we've got to think about.  So what do we know about this war that we've entered into?   This war is active. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places." Notice the wording. Paul specifically uses the word "wrestle" to describe the conflict that we're a part of. Not "oppose." Or "disagree with." Or even "resist," in this context. Wre...

God is all-powerful. God is all-knowing.  This would be extremely bad news if he wasn't also good.  The Bible makes God's love and compassion abundantly clear. 1 Chronicles 16:34 says, "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!" And Psalm 33:4 reiterates this by saying, "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness." Why is this so important?    If God wasn't perfect: Imagine something with me for a minute. Imagine a god that is omnipotent, and that knows every single one of your thoughts. Imagine a god that is in total control of your life.  Then imagine that that god also doesn't care about what happens to you in the slightest.  Or worse: he not only doesn't care, but he actually isn't admirable. He's petty, envious, and selfish. He doesn't keep his promises. And he kind of dislikes you. Wouldn't you get a little worried?  I know I would. Because the god ...