“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13).

God is sovereign. The sovereignty of God means that God is omnipotent, God is omniscient, and God is omnipresent.

Because God is sovereign, while God invites us to establishing God’s kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven, the establishment of God’s kingdom doesn’t depend on me or you. God will do it. And should we choose to participate, we get to be a part of God using us to establish his kingdom.

Here’s why I tell you all this. Because it’s a good thing that the kingdom of God doesn’t depend on the likes of you and me. You and me are prone to do stupid things. Not only have we done stupid things, but the reality is that we will continue to do more stupid things. Most of the time, it’s not even because we want to do stupid things. In fact, none of us would choose to do stupid things, if we could help it.

What is certain is that until Jesus returns, we will struggle with stupid all our lives.

That’s a good thing.

I love what Shane Pruitt said, “When Jesus saves you, he has already factored in all your future stupidity.”

That’s amazing Grace!!!

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good” (Psalm 14:1).

These words were written thousands of years ago, yet they still ring true today.

We live in a world where sin, corruption, lies, vile deeds are no longer offensive. Things that would have shocked our parents, we don’t even bat an eye.

About the only thing our world finds offensive is correction. Who are you to tell me how to live? What gives you the right to tell me what is right or wrong?

We are all in trouble when sin is no longer called sin, lies are no longer challenged, and wicked deeds tolerated.

There is a problem when sin no longer offends us, but correction does.

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.”

One of my favorite theologians, Dr. Karl Barth, wrote in 1914 as the world was speeding headlong into World War I:

It is simply out of the question that God ‘helps’ the Germans or the French or the English. God does not even ‘help’ us Swiss. God helps justice and love. God helps the kingdom of heaven, and that exists across all national boundaries…
The foolish mixing of patriotism, war enthusiasm, and Christian faith could one day lead to the bitterest disappointment…We will not join in drinking this intoxicating potion. We want to look steadfastly and unwaveringly here to God, who loves everyone equally, who is above all the nations, from whom all have similarly departed, and from whose glory they have fallen short.

Nothing wrong with being a patriot. Nothing wrong with loving your country. Nothing wrong with being proud of being American.

But when our love for our country usurps our love for God and all of God’s people…that is terribly wrong.

• “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11).
• “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
• “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

We are all God’s children. We are all equally sinners in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.

When we get to heaven, there will not be partitions for Russian Christians, American Christians, Korean Christians. All Christians will be present in the throne of God’s grace. That’s who we are – we are Christians first before any other identity.