“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church.”

— Ephesians 1:22

Have you ever wondered if you should always obey the laws of our government? This is an important question because the government influences almost every aspect of our lives. To help us answer this question, the Bible delineates a few principles.

Principle number one: The Triune God is sovereign over the whole universe. He is sovereign over every area of life, not just the Church. This includes the government.

Principle number two: The ultimate source of authority is not in the government or in the people; it’s in God. God has set government in place to enact and execute the laws He has given us in His Word—the moral laws of God, which He has written on our hearts. The authority of the government comes from God, and the government must answer to God.

Principle number three: The government has limited authority and power. The government does not encompass all things. We have other spheres that influence our lives: family, church, education, art, and science. Each of these spheres has its own authority and responsibility, and we must work out our lives freely in the various spheres in which we live. This means that if anyone in any sphere of activity oversteps his or her authority, the Christian has the obligation to disobey. If the government commands the Christian to do something contrary to the clear teaching of God’s Word, then the Christian must obey God and not humans. For example, some governments have forbidden Christians to pray, worship God, and witness. Clearly, these governments have created laws contrary to God’s commandments.

Are you willing to stand up for God’s laws when they conflict with those of your government? Ask God to give you wisdom as a citizen and the courage to obey His Word despite any governmental opposition.

“It is no more possible for man to build a political state without
the help of God than it was for the builders of Babel.”
Benjamin Franklin

“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”

— Romans 13:1-5

Do you ever listen to the news and find it hard to believe that God has ordained all governments? Whatever our opinions about governments around the world, the Bible tells us that God has appointed all governing authorities and we must submit to them.

The Bible teaches three truths about government that our founding fathers clearly understood, but which today have been blurred and obscured. If we understand these truths, we will place government in its appropriate place as God has ordained. The first truth is this: Government is under God and separate from the Church. The early founders knew nothing about a secular state (except for one caused by the ghastly French Revolution). They knew only about a nation under God. They knew that God Himself is above government, and that God, not the government, grants us our rights. The second truth is this: The purpose of government is justice. God has commissioned governments to legislate and administer laws for fairness among the people. Today the government has departed from this concept and attempts to practice benevolence. Governmental benevolence is incredibly wasteful, ineffectual, and harmful. The third truth is this: Government is a terror to evil works and not to good. God has ordained governments to punish evil deeds. Unfortunately, today we often see that, because humankind is basically sinful, government is becoming a terror to good works as well. We see the government beginning to direct oppressive tendencies toward the Church and its schools.

The government is a fearful master, but God is a faithful master. Today pray for those who run your local, state, and national governments; pray that God will use them for His glory and His will.

“Government is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.”
George Washington

“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?”

— Psalm 11:3

Do you ever wonder about the direction in which the United States is heading, worried that the fabric of our society is fraying around the edges? If you’re like me, you may read the newspaper headlines and shake your head in dismay at the choices our fellow citizens make.

Our country wasn’t always this way. Take an honest inventory of our history, and you can have no doubts that America began as a Christian nation. The early settlers of America clearly intended to advance the Christian faith when they came ashore in New England. Before stepping foot off the Mayflower, the Pilgrims drew up what became America’s first contract of government—the Mayflower Compact. This compact clearly states the Pilgrims’ purpose in making their historic voyage: “… undertaken for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith …”

Jumping ahead to the founding fathers of this country who framed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, we find that the book they quoted most often in their political writings was the Bible. And in 1892, after a thorough review of all of America’s foundational history, the Supreme Court declared this country a Christian nation.

America was founded upon Christ and His Word. But this foundation is under siege by those who would have our history otherwise. These people have rewritten our history books, erasing God from the pages. They’ve removed the Bible and prayer from the classrooms, only to replace any hint of Christianity with policemen and metal detectors.

Ah, my friends, Uncle Sam needs your prayers. I urge you to pray for the leaders of this nation—not only on the Fourth of July, but every day. Pray with me that we as a nation might return to Him. Pray and work as if our very future as a country depends on revival. After all, it does.

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this:
that it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles
of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”
John Quincy Adams

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord …”

— Psalm 33:12

This time of year is always a perfect time to dwell on the founding of our nation. Did you know that God’s providence played an enormous part in the settling and founding of this country? George Washington alluded to God’s providence many times as he recounted our nation’s development. Let’s look at just one stunning example, forgotten by many today.

In the first year of the Revolutionary War, America almost lost the entire conflict. British General Howe had cornered Washington’s army in Brooklyn Heights. The British forces surrounded the American forces in a great semicircle, and behind them British ships could close them off at any time. In fact, the British intended to do just that the next day and thus end the war.

The Americans had no way to escape. Nevertheless, that night, Washington endeavored to escape, realizing the helplessness of his position. He collected every vessel he could find, from rowboats to sloops, and set about to evacuate his troops by night. Counselors advised against such an escape because the British would see them in the moonlight and hear the splashing of their oars. But Washington was determined to go ahead anyway. Just as the American troops began to launch their vessels, a strange and unusual fog rose up and completely covered all of them. The next morning, when General Howe gave the orders to close the trap, he was astonished to find that Washington and his entire army had disappeared.

Precisely because of many incidents like these, Washington wrote after the war: “I am sure that never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States.” Today, thank God for His providence during the formation this great nation. And please join me in reminding people of God’s hand in founding it. Let’s give credit to Whom it is due.

“The hand of Providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he
must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked,
that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations.”
George Washington

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

— 2 Timothy 3:16

The more I read the Bible, the more I realize what an incredible book it is. Charles Wesley, the great hymn writer, said the Bible was written either by angels and good men, by demons and bad men, or by God. I am convinced that God wrote the Bible, and I have a lot of evidence to back up my conviction. I believe that God wrote the Bible, because in the Old Testament alone God says twenty-six hundred times that He did so.

We can trust the Bible as God’s Word because two thousand of its predictions have already come true: Over one hundred prophecies address the city of Babylon, including its destruction and the fact that it would never be rebuilt; Three hundred and thirty-three prophecies concern Jesus Christ, accurately predicting His place of birth, His character, and His crucifixion.

The Bible is from God because it is unified in thought. It contains sixty-six different books by approximately forty different authors writing in three different languages—Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Yet the same golden thread of redemption runs through it—God by His grace saves us when we believe in Jesus Christ, His Son.

We know God gave us the Bible because He has preserved it from destruction. It has survived twenty-six hundred years of attack. It has survived philosophical debates, wars, persecutions, and burnings.

We know the Bible is God’s Word because archaeology has confirmed it. For example, the Old Testament mentions the Hittites some forty times, but secular literature makes no mention of them at all. Because of this, some people said that the Bible is inaccurate. Then archaeologists dug up the great Hittite empire and proved the Bible right.

We know the Bible is from God because it has the power to transform. It transforms individual lives, societies, countries. It has produced literacy, liberty, and a republican form of government.

We have an abundance of proof that the Bible is God’s Word. Since He has taken great care to communicate and preserve His Word for you, treasure it, and take the time to know it well. Let it speak to your heart today.

“Not one single archaeological discovery has ever controverted the Bible.”
Nelson Glueck

“… It is enough. Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

— 1 Kings 19:4

Has discouragement dogged your path recently? You’re probably all too familiar with that sick feeling: A friend has let you down or the promotion has fallen through or your car just clutched its chest and died.

Life often seems riddled with letdowns, and if you haven’t experienced such discouragement yet, you’re in for a rude awakening because, sooner or later, discouragement elbows its way into all of our lives. Even spiritual giants such as Elijah experienced discouragement. After the greatest triumph of Elijah’s career—his defeat of the prophets of Baal—he fled for his life. When Jezebel, the Queen of Israel, threatened Elijah’s life for what he had done to the prophets, Elijah cried, “It is enough. Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” Elijah was in the pit of despair even though he had just experienced great victory through God’s power.

Whatever discouragement we face, God’s Word tells us that we can have hope. Scripture tells us that whatever comes our way, God will use it for good in our lives. He promises us that He will deliver us from our despair, although we may have to suffer for a while. Why does God allow us to suffer? Because through the fires of our affliction, God consumes our impurities and refines our gold. After all, what is a precious jewel but a piece of earth that has gone through some rather traumatic experiences? God is in the process of creating beautiful gems out of us so that we may adorn His crown.

Life can either wear us down or polish us up. If you feel discouraged today, trust Christ to use your discouraging times to mold you into a precious jewel, a person of great strength and character. Allow those thoughts to comfort you in tough times.

“If you believe God is living, act like it.”
Katherine Luther

“And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken …”

— Hebrews 3:5

Have you ever struggled to remain faithful to God in certain areas of your life? To be faithful literally means to be “full of faith.” The practical outworking of faithfulness is remaining true to God and His Word regardless of the cost or adverse circumstances.

Consider one man of faith, General William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army. In his later years, he lost his eyesight. He visited the doctor for help, but the doctor could not do much for him. His son, Bramwell Booth, had to give his father the final report: “I am afraid that there is little that they can do for you.” General Booth said, “You mean that I will never again see your face?” His son replied, “I am afraid the likelihood is that you will never again see my face in this world.” To this, General Booth declared, “Well, I have served God and the people with my eyes, and now I will serve God and the people without my eyes.” What an incredible example of faith in the midst of a tremendously adverse circumstance.

If we want to faithfully seek and serve God, we must remain true to God even in the face of possible loss, as Abraham remained true to God even when he faced losing his son, as Daniel remained true to God even as he faced the horrors of the lions’ den. To be faithful to Christ means to forsake this world with all its trappings and temptations. But even when we lapse in our faithfulness to God, He remains steady in His faithfulness to us. If you have trouble being faithful to God’s call, then ask the Lord for His strength and help. Bolster your faithfulness by studying His Word and obeying its commands.

“I do not want merely to possess a faith,
I want a faith that possesses me.”
Charles Kingsley

“… but the greatest of these is love.”

— 1 Corinthians 13:13

How is your love life? Or put differently, is yours a life of love? Today I’d like to focus on a man who exemplified Christian love. Henry Drummond, a nineteenth-century Scottish evangelist and writer, influenced lives wherever he went. He’s perhaps best known for his book entitled The Greatest Thing in the World, an exposition on the Love Chapter of 1 Corinthians.

Drummond discovered that the most important thing he could do in life was to learn to love. He set his heart and mind and soul on this goal. In learning to love, he became one of the most influential men of his time. He always kept company with a myriad of people, from well-known citizens to unconventional, vagrant bohemians. Everyone was his type of person. Dwight L. Moody said that most Christians make an occasional sojourn into the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians, but Henry Drummond seemed to live in that chapter all his life, and it poured out from his pores. His love for others radiated from his face.

Have you made the joyful discovery that the greatest thing in the world is to give love (not to get it)? When we look back on our lives, we will see that in our moments of selfless giving, our lives took on their truest significance. Compared with all other things, love stands out as the greatest. But we cannot share this love on our own; we must receive it from Him who is love. Ask God to fill you with His love so that you might share it with others. Pray that His love would flow from you in all that you do.

“Love is life, and lovelessness is death.”
Frances Paget

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

— Ephesians 4:29

Of all the contributing factors that make our homes happy, good communication must be high on the list.

As we relate to people, we communicate on many levels—everything from “Hi, how are you?” to divulging facts, expressing emotions, and ultimately sharing our true selves. To make a home run smoothly, we need communication on all levels, but especially on that most intimate level of revealing ourselves to our housemates and families.

But that kind of communication can feel threatening. Sharing at the deepest, most intimate level makes us vulnerable, and many people don’t want to risk rejection. But as these people stay on “safer” levels of communication, they never discover the real glory of intimacy.

People avoid intimate conversation not only because they fear rejection but also because they have built up resentment against people who have hurt them in the past. As they refuse to forgive and as they continue to keep records of wrongs, these people maintain barriers between themselves and others. While they may feel safer that way, these people miss the joy of reconciliation and better understanding. We must express tenderheartedness and forgiveness toward one another as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us. If we don’t let go of our anger, we will clam up or blow up. “In your anger, do not sin,” and “Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” These admonitions from Ephesians can help us forgive others and let go of pent-up resentment.

We also need to avoid faultfinding and blame. If we negatively evaluate someone, that person will not risk any deep communication, and we’ll experience isolation. Instead of focusing on the negative things, focus on the good in the people you care about. When we start focusing on the positive, the positive will increase, and we will “administer grace” to each other.

What are some ways you can foster deeper communication in your home today? Do you need to share yourself on a deeper level, to forgive someone, to refrain from harshly judging others? Take a risk today, and see how those you live with respond as you pursue intimate communication and relationships.

“Until I truly loved, I was alone.”
Caroline Norton

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son …”

— John 3:16

How big is your God? Is He bound by the limitations of what you can see, hear, and think? Or do you have a God who can do anything at any time? Today, let’s consider a great man who believed in a great God—William Carey, the father of modern missions. Carey lived by the motto “Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God.”

For centuries, worldwide missions had come to a virtual standstill. But William Carey, a cobbler who lived in England in the eighteenth century, explored God’s Word and became increasingly convinced that God was concerned about the whole world—“For God so loved the world.” This conviction began a burning in Carey’s heart. He envisioned millions of people perishing throughout the earth, people who needed to hear about Jesus Christ. Being a man of action, Carey convinced a group of ministers in 1792 to form the first foreign missionary society. But that was not enough. Carey himself felt led to the mission field, so he traveled to India. He mastered more than a dozen Indian languages then translated the entire Bible or portions thereof into those languages. Every day, he preached to the natives. The result? Not one single convert among the Indians for seven years. But Carey persevered, believing that God could and would do great things. Finally, in 1800, Krishna Pal was the first convert of the modern missionary movement. Soon hundreds, thousands, and millions followed.

In the thirty-five years after Carey went to India, missionary societies sprang up all over Britain, Europe, and America. The result was an outpouring of missionary activity, labor, and zeal, the likes of which had not happened since the first century. All of this came about through the hard work of a humble cobbler who believed in God’s greatness and obeyed God’s call. When ordinary people with ordinary talents yield fully to God, He uses them to accomplish extraordinary things.

What can you do for God today?

“When I am gone, speak less of Dr. Carey
and more of Dr. Carey’s Saviour.”
William Carey