The Very First Temptation In

From Our Limited Vantage Point, Our Lives Are Marked By An Endless Series Of Contingencies. We Frequently Find Ourselves, Instead Of Acting As We Planned, Reacting To An Unexpected Turn Of Events. We Make Plans But Are Often Forced To Change Those Plans. But There Are No Contingencies With God. Our Unexpected, Forced Change Of Plans Is A Part Of His Plan. God Is Never Surprised; Never Caught Off Guard; Never Frustrated By Unexpected Developments. God Does As He Pleases And That Which Pleases Him Is Always For His Glory And Our Good.

Giving Thanks To God For Both His Temporal And Spiritual Blessings In Our Lives Is Not Just A Nice Thing To Do - It Is The Moral Will Of God. Failure To Give Him The Thanks Due Him Is Sin.

Both Gentleness And Meekness Are Born Of Power, Not Weakness. There Is A Pseudo-gentlene Ss That Is Effeminate, And There Is A Pseudo-meekness That Is Cowardly. But A Christian Is To Be Gentle And Meek Because Those Are Godlike Virtues... We Should Never Be Afraid, Therefore, That The Gentleness Of The Spirit Means Weakness Of Character. It Takes Strength, God's Strength, To Be Truly Gentle.

So Often We Try To Develop Christian Character And Conduct Without Taking The Time To Develop God-centered Devotion. We Try To Please God Without Taking The Time To Walk With Him And Develop A Relationship With Him. This Is Impossible To Do.

Evil Rulers Are Never Beyond The Bounds Of God's Sovereign Will