Prayer: Persevering because It Is Possible

Prayer: Persevering because It Is Possible
Scott Lyons
8/25/2013
We can and should pray always because it is always possible to pray. We live in the risen Christ, the One who is always with us, and because of his constant presence we can pray at any time. And if we can, we should. Stanislaus Kostka, a Polish Jesuit, wrote in a letter to his friend Ernest, "I find a heaven in the midst of saucepans and brooms." Everything, no matter how mundane or mean, can be not only an occasion for prayer but also a prayer in itself, a liturgy to God if offered up as such. This is true even, I suspect, with the laundry.

As a stay-at-home dad, I have occasionally joked, "Must I feed the children today?" But while I say it with tongue in cheek, the weight of something even so small as making lunch becomes on some days burdensome. Our love wanes in the exhaustion of the "never-ending." But we can take these daily demands and find God in their repetition, like a prayer or a poem. It must be an intentional thing, rising up from the heart, a conscious taking up of this cross for the other. And when we offer it to God in prayer and in love, this seemingly small thing becomes a beautiful work that stretches out into eternity.

We Christians pray too little. We pray too infrequently. We offer too little of ourselves to the One who gives all of himself. Our minds should always be turning toward Christ in prayer, not merely because we are desperate for his mercy and presence but because he is the lover of our souls. He made us. He saved us. He continues to save us. He draws us into his very life, into that perfect communion of his love.

Every encounter we have is an occasion for prayer. When Peter and the apostles were arrested and whipped, they “left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:41, NLT). And Paul, while living under house arrest, wrote to the Philippians, saying, “Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy” (Philippians 1:3-4, NLT). So should our lives be. When your friend or spouse enters the room, give thanks to God for them. When you see the sunset, give thanks to God for it. For rain and sun, for cold and heat—in all things and at all times, bless the Lord. We should delight in the glory of everything, giving glory to God for all things so that his praise is always on our lips.

Even when trials come, Paul says that we should give thanks to God (1 Thessalonians 5:18). James tells us to consider them as opportunities for joy (James 1:2) because these sufferings and trials are friends and teachers who, if we are willing, can lead us to Christ.

Prayer should always be on our lips. We must ask God that we might see.

As I write this article, I am in the middle of a national forest in Michigan. The silence is heavy and beautiful. The endless Michigan skies stretch above and through the leaves of oaks and maples. It is easy to bless God for such beauty as can be found in Michigan forests and on the shores of the Great Lakes. But I will not always be here.

You may not be somewhere beautiful now. Maybe you are taking a break from laundry or are weighed down by the stresses and worries of life, which are many. Stand up for a moment and raise up your hands in prayer and bless God for all that he has done and is doing in your life. He loves you and is faithful. Open yourself to his grace, and though you are in the middle of suffering, recognize the One who walks beside you and who shepherds you. And bless him: “The King of Love my Shepherd is / Whose goodness faileth never, / I nothing lack if I am His / And He is mine forever” (Henry W. Baker).

Solitude: Our Vintner

Solitude: Our Vintner
Scott Lyons
8/21/2013
Solitude helps us on the path of sanctification, our communion with and conversion to Christ, our perfection in love. It makes a human into a full person. We must flee the world to embrace solitude. Our destination is Christ; solitude is an avenue.

Solitude is not an easy road. We long to be part of whatever currently seems to us to be important. But solitude turns away from this, longing instead to be in the life of the most holy Trinity, within that perfect communion of love. This is not a turning away from loving other people but an intentional turn towards the desert, embracing solitude so that I might be able to love people as I ought. And while solitude is not easy, it is fruitful. I have heard it said that the best wine grapes are grown in poor soil. Their wild growth must be checked and pruned back or else worthless grapes will be produced. The vintner is looking for grapes full of flavor and vitality. So he stresses the vines, prunes them severely, limits water, and even risks the entire crop at times so that he might see the fruit that he desires. The stresses on the vine produce intensity of flavor.

We are wine grapes. Even our Lord, the Scriptures say, learned obedience through suffering. Without suffering, without the trial, then the subject is unproven. It is not that Christ was disobedient and learned to be obedient (as we must). Rather, his obedience was revealed through his suffering: the poorest of soil, revealing the most perfect of grapes, producing the best wine.

Solitude brings us face to face with ourselves. It is useful in leaving nothing to us but a true image, a correct understanding of who we are. Perhaps you hate quietness, or you crave distraction in order to avoid some pain in your life. Discipline yourself with solitude. The desert father Abba Moses said, "The man who flees and lives in solitude is like a bunch of grapes ripened by the sun, but he who remains amongst men is like an unripe grape" (The Sayings of the Desert Fathers, p. 140).

Distraction can be a terrible evil. It can be, as Neil Postman put it, a matter of amusing ourselves to death. Now the distractions themselves are innocent enough, but our obsession with them can lead us astray from our true journey, our true goal—like the lotus-eaters and Odysseus. Distraction is, for many of us, our drug of choice. We use it to numb the pain of life. We distract ourselves in order to avoid ourselves, life, and our sin.

Solitude rips a person away from distraction. It makes us confront our lives and ourselves. It helps us confess our sin. It is not, at the beginning, a pleasant process. Sometimes it becomes increasingly unpleasant as we see the extent of our sinfulness. We confess our sin and see the next layer—we see how ancient it is. Solitude is a ruthless but useful tool. It requires time to unearth the true men or women God intended us to be.

The spiritual disciplines are vintners, friends, teachers, and guides. They are the path to Christ, to becoming more like him, and to loving God and others more perfectly. Solitude is an effective discipline if we are willing that it be so. May solitude be your vintner, that you might be an acceptable offering—the work of human hands, moved and strengthened by grace, poured out, offered up, and made acceptable to God.

Weekly Sermon: The Huddle

On August 24/25, Pastor Diehl shared the message The Huddle, looking at lessons from Luke 9.

Weekly Sermon: The Huddle

Positive Thought For 08-28-13

Helping you to thrive this week, here's another Positive Thought: The Lord loves it when you put your hope in His unfailing love! See Psalm 147:11 

Stirring Up Justice

Stirring Up Justice

Judges 9:22-57

Read After Abimelech had ruled over Israel for three years, God sent a spirit that stirred up trouble between Abimelech and the leading citizens of Shechem, and they revolted. God was punishing Abimelech for murdering Gideon's seventy sons, and the citizens of Shechem for supporting him in this treachery of murdering his brothers. The citizens of Shechem set an ambush for Abimelech on the hilltops and robbed everyone who passed that way. But someone warned Abimelech about their plot. One day Gaal son of Ebed moved to Shechem with his brothers and gained the confidence of the leading citizens of Shechem. During the annual harvest festival at Shechem, held in the temple of the local god, the wine flowed freely, and everyone began cursing Abimelech. "Who is Abimelech?" Gaal shouted. "He's not a true son of Shechem, so why should we be his servants? He's merely the son of Gideon, and this Zebul is merely his deputy. Serve the true sons of Hamor, the founder of Shechem. Why should we serve Abimelech? If I were in charge here, I would get rid of Abimelech. I would say to him, 'Get some soldiers, and come out and fight!'" (Judges 9:22-29)

Reflect This "spirit that stirred up trouble" was not just an attitude of strife, it was a demon. It was not Satan himself, but one of the fallen angels under Satan's influence. God used this evil spirit to bring about judgment on Shechem and Abimelech. First Samuel 16:14 records how God judged Saul in a similar way. Abimelech was the opposite of what God wanted in a judge, but three years passed before God moved against him, fulfilling Jotham's parable. Those three years must have seemed like forever to Jotham. We may wonder why Abimelech wasn't punished sooner for his evil ways. We are not alone when we question why evil seems to prevail. Job, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk all asked God that question (Job 10:3; 21:1-18; Jeremiah 12:1; Habakkuk 1:2-4, 12-17). God promises to deal with sin but in his time, not ours. Actually it is good news for us that God doesn't punish sin immediately because we all have sinned and deserve God's punishment. God, in his mercy, often spares us from immediate punishment and allows time to turn from our sins and turn to him for forgiveness. Trusting God for justice means (1) we must first recognize our own sins and repent, and (2) we may endure a difficult time of waiting for the wicked to be punished. But in God's time, all evil will be judged. All wrongs will be made right.

Respond Next time you see evil succeeding, pray not only for God's justice, but pray that by his mercy, evildoers would repent and turn to God. Then thank God for his patience with you and for the grace, mercy, and forgiveness he's shown you through Christ.

Romans 12:12-21

Romans 12

12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
  14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them.15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all!
  17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
  19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

"I will take revenge;
  I will pay them back,"*
  says the LORD.

20 Instead,

"If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
  burning coals of shame on their heads."*

21 Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good

A Way Of Escape

READ: Matthew 4:1-11, 1 Corinthians. 10:12-13

[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it. —1 Corinthians 10:13

Highway 77, which passes through the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia, features a series of runaway truck ramps. These semi-paved exits appear in an area of the highway where the altitude drops nearly 1,300 feet over the course of about 6 miles. This steep descent combined with the road’s winding path can create problems for motorists—especially truck drivers.

Just as a runaway truck needs an escape route from a highway, we also need “a way of escape” when out-of-control desires threaten our spiritual well-being. When we face temptation, “[God will] make the way of escape, that [we] may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13). God enables us to say “no” to enticement through the power of His Word. Jesus conquered Satan’s temptation relating to food, authority, and trust by quoting verses from Deuteronomy (Matt. 4:4-10). Scripture helped Him resist the devil despite the effects of a 40-day fast in the wilderness.

When we are tempted, we may feel like disaster is just around the bend. Memories of past failure and isolation from others can intensify this feeling. However, we can trust God in moments of temptation; He is faithful. He will provide a way for us to resist sin’s allure. —Jennifer Benson Schuldt

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou near by;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.
I need Thee, O I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee. —Hawks/Lowry

The best way to escape temptation is to run to God.

Heavenly Prayers

Revelation 6:1-17

Jay Cutler, NFL quarterback for the Chicago Bears, led his team as they played in the NFC Championship Game. If the Bears won against the hated Green Bay Packers, they would play in the Super Bowl. Cutler was tackled hard a few times during the first half, enough that he took himself out of the game. Some fans became furious when they saw what they thought was a healthy Cutler sitting on the bench. He didn’t appear to be cheering the team on. He simply stared blankly as the Bears lost.

Cutler’s appearance of stoic resignation is how I used to think of heaven: When I leave this earthly contest, I will go to my eternal rest where I’ll sleep a lot. But then I read John’s snapshot of heaven, where martyred saints are shouting to God, “How long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:10). These saints aren’t resting, they’re actively praying!

Origen wrote that “all those fathers who have fallen asleep before us fight on our side and aid us by their prayers.” Gregory of Nazianzus said that his deceased father “accomplishes there now by his prayers more than he ever did by his teaching.” And Martin Luther told his friend that if he died first he must pull him to heaven by his prayers, “For we confess one God and with all saints we abide in our Savior.”

Luther was describing the communion of the saints—all Christians, whether dead or alive, remain connected in Jesus. We pray for them, asking God to give a special hug to our deceased loved ones. They pray for us, cheering us on from stands packed with a great cloud of witnesses. Death may have pushed them to the sideline, but they’re still in the game.

— Mike Wittmer

Read Hebrews 12:1-29 to learn how we remain connected to other Christians who have died.

How does it help to remember that we remain connected to those who have died in Christ? What message would you like Jesus to pass on to someone for you?

A "Wool-Proof" Test

A "Wool-Proof" Test

Judges 6:33-40

Read Then Gideon said to God, "If you are truly going to use me to rescue Israel as you promised, prove it to me in this way. I will put a wool fleece on the threshing floor tonight. If the fleece is wet with dew in the morning but the ground is dry, then I will know that you are going to help me rescue Israel as you promised." And that is just what happened. When Gideon got up early the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out a whole bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, "Please don't be angry with me, but let me make one more request. Let me use the fleece for one more test. This time let the fleece remain dry while the ground around it is wet with dew." So that night God did as Gideon asked. The fleece was dry in the morning, but the ground was covered with dew. (Judges 6:36-40)

Reflect After seeing the miracle of the wet fleece, why did Gideon ask for another miracle? Perhaps he thought the results of the first test could have happened naturally. A thick fleece could retain moisture long after the sun had dried the surrounding ground. Was Gideon testing God, or was he simply asking God for more encouragement? In either case, though his goal was right (to obey God and defeat the enemy), his method was less than ideal. Gideon seems to have known that his requests might displease God, yet he demanded two miracles even after witnessing the miraculous fire from the rock that had consumed his sacrifice to God (Judges 6:21). Certainly, seeking God's will can take time and prayerful attention. But demanding extra signs to confirm what God had said was an indication of Gideon's unbelief. Gideon knew God's will, but still he hesitated. He delayed obeying God because he wanted even more proof. Fear often makes us wait for more confirmation when we should be acting in faith. "Putting out fleeces" displeases God when they only confirm what God has already said.

Respond If you are uncertain about God's will, perhaps waiting for more clarity can help. But there are many things that God is already very clear about. If you focus on obeying the parts of God's will that you know, you may find that what you don't know becomes clearer, or maybe doesn't matter anymore. Today the Bible will go a long way in helping you understand what God's will is. As you learn to obey it, you'll hear God's voice more clearly because it will be in harmony with what he's already said.

Isaiah 26:4-21

Isaiah 26 4 Trust in the LORD always,   for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock. 5 He humbles the proud   and brings down the arrogant city.   He brings it down to the dust. 6 The poor and oppressed trample it underfoot,   and the needy walk all over it. 7 But for those who are righteous,   the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right,   and you smooth out the path ahead of them. 8 LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;   our heart's desire is to glorify your name. 9 All night long I search for you;   in the morning I earnestly seek for God. For only when you come to judge the earth   will people learn what is right. 10 Your kindness to the wicked   does not make them do good. Although others do right, the wicked keep doing wrong   and take no notice of the LORD's majesty. 11 O LORD, they pay no attention to your upraised fist.   Show them your eagerness to defend your people. Then they will be ashamed.   Let your fire consume your enemies. 12 LORD, you will grant us peace;   all we have accomplished is really from you. 13 O LORD our God, others have ruled us,   but you alone are the one we worship. 14 Those we served before are dead and gone.   Their departed spirits will never return! You attacked them and destroyed them,   and they are long forgotten. 15 O LORD, you have made our nation great;   yes, you have made us great. You have extended our borders,   and we give you the glory! 16 LORD, in distress we searched for you.   We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline. 17 Just as a pregnant woman   writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,   so were we in your presence, LORD. 18 We, too, writhe in agony,   but nothing comes of our suffering. We have not given salvation to the earth,   nor brought life into the world. 19 But those who die in the LORD will live;   their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth   will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew   on your people in the place of the dead! Restoration for Israel 20 Go home, my people,   and lock your doors! Hide yourselves for a little while   until the LORD's anger has passed. 21 Look! The LORD is coming from heaven   to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will no longer hide those who have been killed.   They will be brought out for all to see.

Our Daily Bread -- On My Side

READ: Psalm 118:1-6

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. —Psalm 118:6

After diminutive Olympic athlete Gabby Douglas captured two gold medals in the 2012 London Games, she made this proclamation: “God will never fail you. He’s always on your side.”

Sometimes this kind of statement by an athlete can be misunderstood. It can be taken to mean that if I’m competing against you in a sports contest and I have God’s help, there is no way I can lose. But if we turn to Psalm 118:5-6, we get the true picture of what this line means. The psalmist wrote, “I called on the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.”

Another version translates verse 6 as “the Lord is with me” (niv). It’s the idea that when trouble comes into our lives, God, who is full of mercy and love (which “endures forever,” v.4) will always be attentive to us and provide the protection we need.

We don’t have to be an Olympic champion to appreciate this kind of divine attention. This is what we need when the economy falters and our finances can’t keep up. It’s what we need when a relationship we cherished falls apart. No matter what our situation, as Christ-followers we know where to find help. “The Lord is on my side.” —Dave Branon

Be still, my soul—the Lord is on thy side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide—
In every change He faithful will remain. —von Schlegel

In the midst of every trial, God is on our side.

Lesson In Humility

Proverbs 3:5-12

I know you’ve tried your best, but your best isn’t good enough.” If someone said those discouraging words to you, your thoughts might be something like, Whoa! Come on, I’ve been doing my best. Surely, that’s worth something!

Well, yes and no. Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Isaiah 64:6 reads: “We’re all sin-infected, sin-contaminated. Our best efforts are grease-stained rags” (MSG). Besides, objectively speaking, it’s possible that our best might not meet the mark, due to a lack of experience, knowledge, or skill.

So while it is only right that we do our very best, it is never right when we take pride in our best efforts.

Pride is a Christian’s greatest enemy. It inclines us to depend on our own understanding and not to seek God’s will in all that we do. As Christians, we are always to be learning to say, “I can’t live up to this demand, I can’t do this thing that is asked of me; but He can, therefore I can.”

Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission, was a marvelous example. He wrote: “It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than me; for in the easiest positions He must give me grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient. So, if God places me in great perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trial, much strength?”

God knows how easily I can be “impressed with [my] own wisdom” (Proverbs 3:7) and desire that my best efforts be noticed and rewarded. As my loving Father, He corrects me (Proverbs 3:11-12). So, when you receive a disparaging remark for your best effort, stop and consider: Is my loving Father teaching me a lesson in humility?

— Poh Fang Chia

In Numbers 12:1-16, Miriam demanded that her good efforts be recognized. What was the result of her demands?

Should God or you be praised when others see your best efforts? Why is it important for us to be humble before God and others?

Positive Thought 08-23-13

Getting a great weekend started with a STAR 88.3 Positive Thought: "Eternal encouragement and good hope come from the LORD." See more 2 Thessalonians 2:16

So, What’s God Really Like?

So, What’s God Really Like?
Is there really a God? If so, what's he really like? Have you been asked those questions lately? Maybe you've asked those questions yourself because of conflicting information you've heard.

In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet describes a vision of God. Obviously, he was convinced that God existed! So, what is God like?

We can know what God is like by looking at the names given for him in Scripture. Each name--Elohim, Adonai, El Shaddai, Yahweh (or Jehovah), Abba--reveals an aspect of God's character.

Yet there are some aspects of God's character that are mysterious. For example, God has always existed. (See Ps 90:2.) That's mind-boggling.

Another mysterious element of God's character is the fact that he never changes (see Mal 3:6). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (see Heb 13:8). In other words, he is forever consistent.

Still another is the fact that God is infinite--limitless. This infinity is expressed in different ways. In regard to time, God is eternal; he always was, is, and will be. In regard to space, he is omnipresent, or everywhere at once. No corner of the universe lacks his presence. In regard to power, he is omnipotent, or all-powerful. God can do anything that is consistent with his character. In regard to knowledge, he is omniscient, or all-knowing. There is nothing and no one that God does not know completely. He knows everything about you.

We can comprehend many of God's characteristics because he shares them with us to some degree. These include the abilities to think, to love, to make wise choices, to communicate, to work, and so on. Though God's ability in these areas is light-years beyond ours, he has given us some capacity to resemble him in certain areas. Remember, we are made in the image of God.

There are many different ideas and belief systems centered on the question, Who is God? Christianity is based on the confident assertion that the real God, the God of Isaiah and of the Bible, has revealed himself to us, and we can know him.

Victory Fanfare

Victory Fanfare

Judges 5:1-31

Read "When Israel chose new gods, war erupted at the city gates. Yet not a shield or spear could be seen among forty thousand warriors in Israel! "My heart is with the commanders of Israel, with those who volunteered for war. Praise the LORD! "Consider this, you who ride on fine donkeys, you who sit on fancy saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road. Listen to the village musicians gathered at the watering holes. They recount the righteous victories of the LORD and the victories of his villagers in Israel. Then the people of the LORD marched down to the city gates. "Wake up, Deborah, wake up! Wake up, wake up, and sing a song! Arise, Barak! Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam! "Down from Tabor marched the few against the nobles. The people of the LORD marched down against mighty warriors. They came down from Ephraim—a land that once belonged to the Amalekites; they followed you, Benjamin, with your troops. From Makir the commanders marched down; from Zebulun came those who carry a commander's staff. The princes of Issachar were with Deborah and Barak. They followed Barak, rushing into the valley. But in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. Why did you sit at home among the sheepfolds—to hear the shepherds whistle for their flocks? Yes, in the tribe of Reuben there was great indecision. Gilead remained east of the Jordan. And why did Dan stay home? Asher sat unmoved at the seashore, remaining in his harbors." (Judges 5:8-17)

Reflect Although God had given Israel clear directions, the people failed to put his words into practice. Without God at the center of their national life, pressure from the outside soon became greater than power from within, and they were an easy prey for their enemies. War was the inevitable result. Four tribes—Reuben, Gilead (either Gad or Manasseh), Dan, and Asher—were accused of not lending a helping hand in the battle. No reasons are given for why they didn't help their fellow Israelites, but their reasons may be the same ones that stopped them from driving out the Canaanites in Joshua's time: (1) lack of faith in God to help, (2) lack of effort, (3) fear of the enemy, and (4) fear of ruining the economy that depended on trade with the Canaanites. This disobedience showed a lack of enthusiasm for what God wanted Israel to become.

Respond Are you excited about what God wants to do in and through your life? Or does holiness sound like a drain of life and joy? If you are more excited to gain recognition, power, or money, you may find yourself besieged by stress, anxiety, illness, or fatigue when your dreams slip out of your grasp. Ask God to give you a clear picture of the life he wants for you, and ask him to ignite your imagination for what it could mean for your future.

Psalm 9:10-20

Psalm 9

10 Those who know your name trust in you,
  for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.

11 Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem.*
  Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
  He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

13 LORD, have mercy on me.
  See how my enemies torment me.
  Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's gates,
  so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.
  Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
16 The LORD is known for his justice.
  The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.     Quiet Interlude*

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.*
  This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;
  the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

19 Arise, O LORD!
  Do not let mere mortals defy you!
  Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O LORD.
  Let the nations know they are merely human.    Interlude

Our Daily Bread -- The Gift Of Light

READ: John 8:12-20

I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. —John 8:12

Sir Christopher Wren designed and built more than 50 church buildings in London during the late 1600s. His design style had two prominent features—the first of which was sturdy, tall steeples. The second, however, was more profound. Wren was convinced that all of the windows in his churches must use clear glass as opposed to the stained glass so popular in churches of that era. In part, his reason for the clear glass is found in words attributed to him: “God’s greatest gift to man is light.” Allowing light to bathe people as they worshiped was, to Wren, a celebration of that gift.

In the Genesis account, on the first day of creation God made light (1:3). The light God created is even more than just a means by which to see. It’s a picture of what Christ brought when He entered this darkened world. In John 8:12, our Lord said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” To the follower of Christ, light is one of the great reminders of the character of our Savior and the quality of the life He has given us through His sacrifice on the cross.

Wren was right. God’s greatest gift to man is light—Jesus Christ, the Light of the world! —Bill Crowder

Creator God, I thank You that You spoke light
into the darkness of the universe, and I thank
You that You brought light into the darkness
of my heart through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to give light to a dark world.

Shameless Persistence

Luke 18:1-8

It was supposed to be one of those in-and-out trips to the store—all I needed was laundry detergent. But then my daughter spotted some playthings for sale. She begged, “Can we look at the toys?” I responded with, “Maybe.” Then, she used a negotiation tactic popular with children—shameless persistence. “Mom, pleeeeease?” She kept up the requests until we finally ended up knee-deep in baby dolls and books.

Spiritually speaking, God doesn’t mind persistence in His children. The Bible encourages us to always “pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1). In fact, Jesus told a story about a widow who badgered a judge with repeated requests for justice (Luke 18:3). The judge had a bad reputation, and yet he thought: “I’m going to see that [this woman] gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests” (Luke 18:5). Even the crooked judge handed down “a just decision in the end” (Luke 18:7).

Since God is a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11), Jesus assured us that “God will surely give justice to His chosen people who cry out to Him day and night” (Luke 18:7). Besides justice, God also gives “good gifts” and the Holy Spirit’s help to those who ask Him (Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13).

Are you struggling to ask and knock with the fervor of the persistent widow? Maybe you’ve prayed about something, but then gave up and tried to fix the issue yourself. If so, remember that God is able to “accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Going back to God again and again puts the outcome in His hands. And it allows us to say, “Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” (Psalm 116:2).

— Jennifer Benson Schuldt

Read Deuteronomy 10:10 to see how God answered Moses’ persistent intercessory prayers.

What’s the difference between vain repetition in prayer (Matthew 6:7) and “shameless persistence”? (Luke 11:8). What do you need to pray about today?

A Devotional for Leaders

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew--throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Matthew 4:18-20, NLT

A good leader looks for undiscovered qualities in people and provides opportunities for those qualities to become assets. The ability to nurture talent and encourage growth in others can also create deep loyalty. One of the tasks Jesus had to accomplish in his three years of ministry was to put an effective team together that could follow through with his mission after he had ascended to heaven. One problem was that no one had ever been trained in the field of church planting. Jesus had to pick people for his team who could grow into their jobs. His ability to see potential in people brought twelve very different men together. How did Jesus persuade the disciples to join him? No begging, no buttering up. Jesus did not give the disciples false hope or exaggerate their potential. He simply told them that they would remain fishermen but that the bait and the catch would be much more significant. Scripture tells us that Andrew and Peter responded immediately to the offer Jesus made. They faltered and fell along the way but always got back up and continued to follow Jesus. History records that they were loyal to Jesus unto death. Jesus called them away from an unexciting, common existence to a compelling and challenging career. The disciples could not have envisioned themselves as part of future earth-changing events, but Jesus knew exactly how they would be used to further his kingdom. Jesus had a vision and he invited simple men to step out of the common and into something completely new. That invitation made all the difference for the disciples and for the world.

Psalm 146:5-10

Psalm 146

5 But joyful are those who have the God of Israel* as their helper,
  whose hope is in the LORD their God.
6 He made heaven and earth,
  the sea, and everything in them.
  He keeps every promise forever.
7 He gives justice to the oppressed
  and food to the hungry.
The LORD frees the prisoners.
8   The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are weighed down.
  The LORD loves the godly.
9 The LORD protects the foreigners among us.
  He cares for the orphans and widows,
  but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.

10 The LORD will reign forever.
  He will be your God, O Jerusalem,* throughout the generations.

Praise the LORD!

Our Daily Bread For 08-22-13

READ: Matthew 5:17-20

The entirety of Your Word is truth. —Psalm 119:160

Pandora is one of the musical marvels of the Internet age. It helps you create your own personal radio station by allowing you to “customize” your music. It plays a song and you then click a thumbs up or thumbs down sign to indicate whether or not you like it. You end up with a grouping of only songs that you like.

Unfortunately, sometimes we do that with the Bible too. People may choose some Scripture passages they especially like and ignore others, and so they “customize” it to their preferences. The psalmist looked at God’s Word this way: “The entirety of Your Word is truth” (Ps. 119:160). And the apostle Paul told Timothy, a young pastor, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable” (2 Tim. 3:16).

The Scriptures were important to Jesus (Matt. 5:17-18), but He looked at them differently than the religious leaders of His day. To Him, “You shall not murder” was on the level of being “angry with [a] brother without a cause” (vv.21-22). Far from customizing Scripture, He was concerned about the motivation of people’s hearts in applying all of it.

As we embrace God’s Word more fully, we’ll know Him more deeply and desire to honor Him. —Marvin Williams

Lord, I don’t want to treat Your Word lightly or
to dismiss what seems too difficult. Show me
my heart and help me to obey from the heart
whatever You tell me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

When you open your Bible, ask the Author to open your heart.

Bible in a year: Psalms 110-112; 1 Corinthians 5

False Gods, True Blessing

1 Samuel 7:3-13

The stuff of life has a way of turning our hearts away from God. False gods include money, success, school, careers, romantic relationships, children, and more. Tim Keller, in Counterfeit Gods, defines a false god this way: “Anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”

In 1 Samuel we find the Israelites falling away from God as they fell for false gods (1 Samuel 7:1-3). After tasting defeat at the hands of the dreaded Philistines and subsequently enduring deadly divine punishment due to disobedience, the people felt distant from Him (1 Samuel 4:1-2, 6:19). They cried out, “Who is able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this holy God?” (1 Samuel 6:20).

Much like the way we think and sometimes behave when we’re feeling weak or insecure, the people turned to false gods to try to fill the spiritual hole in their heart. We might seek material things, achievements, or sex to make us feel better. But nothing will satisfy our deep desire and need for God.

Samuel the prophet made it clear that the Israelites had been looking for hope and meaning in all the wrong places. He said to the people, “If you are really serious about wanting to return to the Lord, get rid of your foreign gods . . . . Determine to obey only the Lord” (1 Samuel 7:3). Fortunately, they got rid of their false gods (1 Samuel 7:4).

The end result? Out of obedience flowed blessing—the Israelites were able to defeat the Philistines in battle (1 Samuel 7:10). The One true God conquered a people who worshiped false gods.

What are the false gods in your life? Turn them over to God as you seek Him and His blessing alone.

— Tom Felten

Read Isaiah 43:10 and note what God says about Himself and false idols.

When are you most prone to seek false gods? Why can they never satisfy your deepest needs?

The Three Enemies of Every Christian

The Three Enemies of Every Christian
Jack Klumpenhower
7/13/2013

Read enough news and you’ll quickly be convinced that Christians have enemies around every corner. Changing social norms threaten our values. Government mandates challenge our freedom. In parts of the world, extremists even want to kill us. It’s no wonder we sometimes get the urge to fight back.

It’s good to know our enemies. We must be on guard. But I wonder if all the alarm accompanying those kinds of threats diverts our attention from even bigger foes. When the Bible speaks of our most dangerous enemies, it focuses on those that threaten our souls. Such enemies tempt us to sin and turn away from God. Bible scholars have often grouped them into three categories—the three chief enemies of every believer. They are the world, the devil, and our sinful natures.

Enemy #1: The world

When the Bible speaks of the world as our enemy, it means the world’s priorities and sensibilities. “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8, NLT). The chief danger from those who have power in the world is not what they might do to our bodies or how they might restrict our freedoms. It’s how they tempt and pressure us to conform to their ways.

We must work to keep our goals different from those of the world. Although we’re kind to others, we should never join in their thirst for power and worldly success. We ought to advance God’s Kingdom, not worldly empires. We must follow God’s laws, even when the world thinks those rules sound awfully strange. Jesus warned that the world may hate us for our different drumbeat, but that should be no surprise. After all, the world is our enemy.

Enemy #2: The devil

Pictures we draw of the devil usually make him look menacing, often harassing his victims with a pitchfork. The Bible says he’s an evil, spiritual being who’s even more dangerous than that, mostly because of his accusations and cunning lies. Jesus called him “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44, NLT).

The devil tries to get us to believe that living for God isn’t really in our best interests. He tempts us to doubt God’s goodness and trust what we think best instead. He also loves to accuse us when we sin, making us think that God could never love us given what we’ve done. The devil uses these lies to undermine our faith in God, which is what makes him such a dangerous enemy. We must battle to keep believing the truth.

Enemy #3: Our sinful nature

As long as we live in this world, we’re subject to sinful desires. Believers still struggle with their old, sinful nature. “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-21, NLT).

That list contains a wide variety of activities and feelings that we’re tempted to indulge because, at the moment, they make us feel good. But they’re unkind, degrading, and hurtful toward others and ourselves. We must fight against the sinful nature that gives rise to them. It too is our enemy.

Fighting our enemies

I don’t mean to make light of the sort of enemies we read about in the news, but battling the three I’ve described here is enough to keep most of us busy for a lifetime. If we take an honest look at ourselves, we must conclude that too often we follow the world’s priorities. Too often we believe the devil’s lies instead of God’s promises. Too often we indulge in selfish sin. We need to fight our enemies, and fight hard.

Happily, we are not on our own. Do you struggle with pressures from the world? Jesus tells us, “Take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT). Do you give in to the devil’s lies? Remember that “the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8, NLT). Are you tempted by the sinful lusts that remain in you? Believe that God has taken action: “He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins” (Romans 8:3, NLT).

The Christian fight is not easy, but neither is it waged alone. We have a Champion on our side, so we fight confidently by faith. We battle prayerfully, feeding on his Word, drawing strength from his fellow children who also fight with us. The urge to defeat our enemies is the right mindset, and the victory will be ours. Fight on, Christian warrior!

Jack Klumpenhower is a writer and children’s ministry worker living in Colorado.

Staying Grateful

Staying Grateful

Deuteronomy 8:1-20

Read "Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands. Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. For all these forty years your clothes didn't wear out, and your feet didn't blister or swell. Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the LORD your God disciplines you for your own good." (Deuteronomy 8:1-5)

Reflect We can easily take God's provision for granted. We seldom take notice or thank God, for example, when our car doesn't break down, our clothes don't rip, or our tools don't break. The people of Israel also failed to take notice, evidently, for they didn't even notice that in 40 years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn't wear out and their feet didn't swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for those blessings. At other times, we can make these objects the focus of our lives. Many people think that life's purpose is to satisfy their appetites. If they can earn enough money to dress, eat, and play in high style, they think they are living "the good life." But such things do not satisfy our deepest longings. In the end they leave us empty and dissatisfied. Real life, according to Moses, comes from total commitment to God, the one who created life itself. It requires discipline, sacrifice, and hard work, and that's why most people never find it. We can veer off course both to the right and to the left. We can ignore the goods that sustain our lives, and we can focus on them too much. Both extremes are mistaken. Instead, we need to remember what God has given us and receive it with thanksgiving.

Respond What has been working well for you? What has been serving you without breaking? Remember that God gave you these quiet blessings.

Isaiah 65:24-25

Isaiah 65

24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
  While they are still talking about their needs,
  I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
  The lion will eat hay like a cow.
  But the snakes will eat dust.
In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
  I, the LORD, have spoken!"

Our Daily Bread For 07-13-13

READ: Luke 6:27-36

Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. —Luke 6:31

The annual Texas Book Festival in Austin draws thousands of people who enjoy browsing for books, attending discussions led by acclaimed authors, and gleaning advice from professional writers. At one such festival, an author of young adult fiction told aspiring writers, “Write the book that you want to find on the shelf.” That’s a powerful recommendation for writing and for living. What if we decided to live the way we want everyone else to live?

In Luke 6:27-36, Jesus urged His followers to pursue a lifestyle that demonstrates God’s mercy to all: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you” (vv.27-28). He also said that generosity and a lack of retaliation should characterize our reaction to unreasonable treatment (vv.29-30). Jesus concluded, “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (v.31).

Impossible? Yes, if we rely on our own strength and resolve. The strength comes from the Spirit. And the resolve comes from remembering how God has treated us: “He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful” (vv.35-36). That’s a life we all long to see. —David McCasland

All the way my Savior leads me—
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy,
Who through life has been my Guide? —Crosby

Christianity is not just Christ in you, but Christ living His life through you.

The Need To Know

Job 38:1-21

Why? Our 10-year-old son is especially adept at asking this question with great frequency. Because his questions have moved from innocent curiosity to occasional open challenge, my husband and I have chosen not to overlook the habit. Paying close attention, I realized Micah was asking questions not to gain understanding but in order to gain information so he could negotiate his way out of whatever we had asked him to do.

Since the Garden of Eden, human beings have succumbed to the temptation for greater knowledge (Genesis 3:5-6). Surprises are nice when it comes to birthday parties, but beyond those occasions for gifts and well wishes we don’t normally like to travel the unknown with limited information.

The drive to know what the future holds becomes even greater when hardship strikes. But if we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t desire answers as much as we desire control. Information, in and of itself, cannot bring peace, as even Solomon—the wisest of men—acknowledged (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18). Much like a child who desires to renegotiate the rules, we often bring our questions to the Lord, not because we want to understand His ways but because we want to see His position so we can better argue ours.

But as Job realized, the ultimate prize is not the answer we receive, but the relationship we cherish. Recognizing that God’s wisdom far surpassed his own, Job had a decision to make: continue to demand answers or surrender his own will to the One who is greater (read Jeremiah 17:7).

The key to Job’s freedom came in his recognition of God’s sovereignty (Job 42:2) and his willingness to repent for thinking he had a better way (Job 42:6)

— Regina Franklin

Read Psalm 19:9-14 and Psalm 139:23-24. What does David recognize about his own heart in these passages?

What are some questions you’ve been bringing before God recently? How do you respond when God gives you an answer you don’t want to hear?

Weekly Sermon: Dear God... It Hurts When I Don't Experience Your Care

On July 6/7, Pastor Stine continues the Summer Series Dear God answering several tough questions asked.

Weekly Sermon: Dear God... It Hurts When I Don't Experience Your Care

Positive Thought For 07-12-13

Kicking off the weekend with a Positive Thought! Jesus' love is bigger and wider and deeper and higher than you can imagine! Find more in Ephesians chapter 3...

Uriah the Footnote

Uriah the Footnote
Ron DeBoer
7/10/2013

The story of Uriah is shorter than this devotional. A little over 500 words, the record we have of Uriah is a footnote to the epic story that is King David’s. But Uriah is one of my favorite characters in the entire Bible. While he was off risking his life for the king in a bloody war, that same king sleeps with his wife and she becomes pregnant. The king calls Uriah home from the war for a military update, all as a ruse to get Uriah to spend a night with his wife and obscure the fact that David is the father of her child. Uriah refuses the comforts of his bed and wife while his men are sleeping on the battlefield, and for his loyalty he gets sent to the front lines so he will be killed. David disposes of his most loyal soldier not because Uriah has sinned but because David himself had. Uriah died because of David’s sins.

That’s it. We never hear about Uriah again. You couldn’t ask for a more honorable man, could you? Uriah was the kind of guy who would have your back, no matter what. He was the loyal, trustworthy best friend who would lay down his life for you. What King David did to satisfy his lustful desire was despicable.

God thought so, too.

I love how God makes his point to David. He could’ve shown his displeasure in any number of ways. But he sets David up to realize his own folly. In 2 Samuel 12, God sends a prophet, Nathan, to tell David a story about two men in a town:

“One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!”

Busted! Can you imagine David’s face at that moment? To his great credit, David confessed his sins (2 Samuel 12:13, NLT). You can read more of David’s confession in Psalm 51, where David poured out his heart of guilt in response to Nathan’s revelation. None of this brought Uriah back, however.

I always feel empty after reading the story of Uriah, Bathsheba, and David. Yes, David was duly punished. But Uriah, loyal Uriah, died in battle fighting for a king who stole his wife. He never even found out the truth. Just as David felt about the little lamb, we feel for Uriah in hearing this story.

Which brings my thoughts to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was sinless, blameless, and perfect, and who died at the hands of his enemies. We can’t worship Uriah; he didn’t know us and didn’t die with you and me in mind. He was a small part of a larger story, and his experience shares some similarities with Jesus’ own sacrifice. But we can worship and bow down to Jesus Christ, who truly laid down his life for you and me. He knew us then, even though we didn’t yet exist. Isn’t that amazing?

I think the reason Uriah’s story resonates so strongly with me is that he dutifully followed orders from the king and went to the front lines. He didn’t know the whole thing was a setup. In literature class, we call this “dramatic irony”—the audience knows the truth about everything, but the character does not. He was wronged by those he trusted the most and never suspected a thing because of his goodness. We love characters like Uriah, and we feel deeply for them.

But Jesus knew what was in store for him. He knew he would suffer and die, yet he went through with it anyway!

Jesus knew something that most others did not: that he would rise from the dead. That’s the special knowledge we believers all have. We all will conquer death and go to Jesus after our pain and suffering on this earth, after our demonstration of lifelong loyalty to our King.

The song to end our devotion time today is You Are My King (Amazing Love) by Hillsong.

Holiday or Vacation?

Holiday or Vacation?
Ron DeBoer
7/10/2013

If you’re fortunate enough to be able to go away for holidays this summer, you’ve probably already begun the planning. You’ve checked maps, scouted out places to visit, and booked your accommodations. As you get closer to the time of your departure, you will pack the things you will need. Camping gear, maybe. Suitcases. An iPad with novels downloaded. Beachwear. You will check and double-check that you have your passport, wallet, and cell phone. If you’ve gone on vacation, you know that sweet feeling of finally getting on the highway and seeing the outskirts of your town grow smaller in your rear-view mirror.

Going away allows you to recharge your batteries, relax, and get out of the routine that you and your family have followed for the last year. Psychologists will tell you that going away causes your brain to make new connections under different conditions and allows you to become more creative in your thinking. You release yourself from the shackles of the ordinary.

Some people leave on vacation and desire to truly escape from everything, including their devotion routines. Theirs is a vacation in the literal sense. They vacate. Finding a church isn’t even a consideration when they are visiting another place. If doing supper-hour devotions is considered routine, they vacate that habit as well. Some lower their standards for themselves when they’re away from home, as if they can take a vacation from their values, morals, or beliefs. What happens in Vegas is still seen by God!

I like the term “holiday” to describe going away. The word holiday comes from “holy day,” a day set aside by custom or law during which normal activities are suspended or reduced. If you think of days off as “holy days”—times when you reflect on God’s goodness and when you have the opportunity and time to worship and praise God—your perspective on holidays changes.

Wouldn’t it be neat to go into our holidays this summer with a deliberate plan to commemorate and honor God? Whether it be enjoying his wonderfully created world at a campground; visiting man-made structures, which came ultimately from the mind of God; or wandering around museums that capture pieces of history, everything we do and every place we visit came from the hand of God. They are part of an ongoing creation story that fits into God’s ultimate plan.

If you have children, buy little journals for them to write about their observations. Call them “praise journals.” Like the psalmists, your kids can write praises about specific activities you participate in and about places you visit. Have them record their experiences with a digital device. Or you can hold the camera and have your children play reporters, reporting on a place you’ve visited. Start a YouTube channel about your “holy days” and send the link to your extended family.

Keep God in the conversation as you travel. Cars are great places to engage your children or other fellow travelers about God’s faithfulness, grace, and majesty. Bring a Bible and read passages that are relevant for your trip. A passage my family reads regularly is Psalm 139, which reassures us that God is everywhere we go. When our daughter traveled to Africa this summer to work for a Christian organization, we read Psalm 139 as a family on the day of her departure. She says she’s read it several times upon her arrival and is in awe that the God of Toronto is the God of Accra, Ghana, too! If your holidays are in the great outdoors, there are lots of praise psalms about nature that will be relevant.

Consider finding a church if you’re holidaying on a Sunday. I’m always amazed at the message I hear when I’m visiting churches while traveling. I often think that the message was made knowing I was going to come there because it applies to me! That’s God at work.

I hope you have a wonderful summer. For those of you who are unable to travel, I hope you enjoy some downtime to get away from your everyday routines and turn your focus to God’s wonderful story of grace and salvation.

Let’s end our time together with an old favorite: Awesome God. God bless!

Ron DeBoer is a retired teacher living near Toronto.

Who’s in Charge

Who’s in Charge Many Christians throw around terms like free will and sovereignty. Free will, of course is freedom of choice. But sovereignty means that God ultimately is in control of everything. So, is free will really possible? The idea that God is in control goes against our notions of fairness and individual choice. And yet, we draw strength and comfort from the belief that God is running the universe. Which is right? Is God truly sovereign--is he calling the shots--or are people free and ultimately responsible for making their own decisions, even those that have eternal consequences? This question has perplexed people for thousands of years. It raises itself here, in the account of Pharaoh in Ezekiel 32. It came up in the story of another Pharaoh, too (Exod 3-15). Before he allowed Pharaoh to rise to power, did God know that Pharaoh would sin? Did God simply allow Pharaoh to follow his own course of action? These questions might lead some to think If God is truly and completely sovereign, then I have no real freedom, and I'm just a puppet. But if I'm truly free to do whatever I want, then God isn't really in control of the universe. What's really true? The greatest minds of history have wrestled with this issue, and quite frankly, it remains as impenetrable today as ever. So if you were hoping this article would resolve it, you're going to be disappointed. But we can leave you with one answer: It is a mystery. Sovereignty, responsibility, free will . . . and mystery. The Bible teaches them all. The modern American mind balks at accepting two truths that seem to be contradictory. But when you think about it, it makes sense that God is bigger than our minds--big enough to encompass what seems to us to be paradoxical. If someone asks you whether you believe in God's sovereignty or human freedom, the best answer is yes.