Living a Spirit Led Life

Hearing from God in Everyday Living

listening prayer

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God is Sovereign…?

Sovereign: having supreme or ultimate power

What does it mean that God is sovereign? Does it mean He is in control of everything and makes all things happen? That nothing happens outside His will? We often hear, “Oh well, I know God is in control” as people try to make sense out of what is going on. But let’s look closer.

God created mankind and designed the world we live in. He created the earth with design laws or protocols—realities we can count on. We have physical design laws like gravity, physics, nutrition, and sleep. There are relational design laws such as love, forgiveness, and honesty. And there are spiritual design laws like worship, truth, and wisdom.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, 
visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—
all things have been created through Him and for Him.
—Colossians 1:16 (NASB)

God also gave people free will—the ability to choose to align ourselves with His created order and ways or to choose our own way. Why? Because He is love—perfect love. And love goes hand-in-hand with freedom. Love is always a choice. It cannot be legislated or forced.

In a country, there is a government, king, or ruler that is sovereign. The government has the utmost authority and power over how a society functions. However, the sovereign government cannot make someone follow the laws of the country, but it can have consequences for disobeying the laws. 

If you go over the speed limit, endangering others on the road, you may be fined or even jailed. If you steal or murder, harming someone else, you will be arrested, your freedom taken away, and probably put in prison. Governments have power, but they can’t control what people do or don’t do.

God has supreme power and authority, but He doesn’t use that power to control people. He invites us to cooperate with His design laws and come under His sovereignty and ways in how we live.

It’s interesting, whether or not we believe there is a sovereign God and whether or not we align ourselves with the name of Jesus Christ, we will still have the blessings that come from living in harmony with the design laws put in place at the beginning of creation.

At the same time, if we choose to go against God’s design laws, we will have consequences.

  • If we ignore the law of gravity and jump off a building, we will be injured or die.
  • If we don’t sleep, we will get sick or not function well.
  • If we don’t forgive, we will live with bitterness, broken relationships and possibly poor health.
  • If we have an affair, we break trust, and emotionally and relationally harm our spouse and family.
  • If our main focus is on ourselves and our own happiness, we become depressed and lonely.
  • If we worship a false god, we end up disappointed.

Yes, God is sovereign, but He has chosen not to control the people He created. Instead, He invites us to come under His sovereignty and to join Him in making the world a better place. It’s in relationship with Him that we are empowered with wisdom and abilities to bring His ways and love to earth. 

And yes, God has the final word. Will you rest and live under His sovereignty?

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments;
and His commandments are not burdensome.
—1 John 5:3 (NASB)

“If you are willing and obedient, You will eat the best of the land;”
—Isaiah 1:19 (NASB)

Your Response:

Lord, thank you for Your design laws, established for our good. Forgive me for subtle ways I have thought of them as burdensome rather than life-giving. Is there any way You want me to think differently about Your sovereignty and Your design laws? (Pause and listen to the Lord in prayer.)

Holy Spirit, change my ways of thinking so my thoughts, motives, heart, and words are like God’s.

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Is God in Control?

The words in the song on the radio caused me to pause. “What would a skeptic think,” I wondered, “hearing God is in control — repeated over and over — and then reflecting on the recent killings of school children and policemen and the rampant sex trafficking of youth? Would he wonder, ‘If God is in control, why does He allow these tragedies?’”

My thoughts went to parenting and how it didn’t take much time to realize we couldn’t control our toddler, tween, or teen. There are things we can do to encourage our children to make good choices. There are consequences for disrespectful behavior and ways we teach our children to make things right with people they hurt. But we do not control them, as much as we might like to. We are in charge, but not in control.

God chose to give mankind free-will. He gave us the freedom to be Christ-followers and to do good. Yet free-will comes with the choice to ignore God and even to do evil. God is in charge of those who go against His ways, but He does not control them. There will be consequences for them — grave consequences, and He will step in to comfort and provide for those who have been hurt. He is in charge.

In this world we battle evil, but God has won the war. Jesus is the victor over pain, broken relationships, suffering, and death. Yes, I know what the song writer means by saying “God is in control.” But I wonder if it is less confusing to think of Him as the Heavenly Father, the good parent, who is in charge and has the final word.  I wonder if it gives a clearer picture of who Jesus is — the One who gave His life for us and loves us unconditionally, yet gives us the freedom to love Him back — or not.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.  
–Romans 8:28 (NIV)

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Your Response:  Lord, I know You wept over sickness, death, and pain while You were on earth (John 11:35). And then You did something. Out of death You brought life. As the One in charge and the One who has the final word, give me Your perspective on what this means. Plant it in my heart and mind. (Pause and listen.)

Lord, is there a way I can partner with You today to bring forth life—in my thinking or in the world around me? Give me Your insight and more of Your heart. (Listen and respond to God.)

(Part Two of these Thoughts to Ponder will be posted next week: God is Sovereign . . .?)

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When will this stop?

Another school shooting! My heart grieved when I saw the news. Nineteen children and two adults. Dead.

No! I screamed inside. Not again! This can’t go on!

I cried out to God, “When is this going to stop?”

Immediately I heard in my spirit: When you stop glamorizing violence.

I never would have thought to use glamour and violence in the same sentence. But that was it. As a culture we have done that. And I became angry. Angry at all the ways our society glamorizes, idealizes—even romanticizes violence and calls it entertainment. I was angry at myself for what I have allowed and invited into my home through my TV and computer. Angry that young children are playing murder in video games. Angry that nobody seems to be talking about or doing anything about the root issues of this problem. And here we are again, mourning the loss of innocent lives.

More was stirring inside me and I realized what it was. “How come no one is training these boys to be men?” I cried out. There is a whole generation being discipled by video games, YouTube, and popular media. Where are the parents?

Where are the fathers—those positioned to train young minds into maturity and character? Where are they? Far too many are distracted, addicted, self-consumed, and emotionally unavailable. Far too many grew up on video games, violent movies, and self-focused sports and have remained boys.

Where are the mothers—those designed to care for the hearts and teach their children how to care for others and not just themselves? What makes them unavailable or unwilling to parent instead of being a friend to their children? What has become more important to them than raising their children to be responsible adults and contributing members of society?

It’s time that we, as a culture, start addressing the root issues of these acts of violence. It’s time we talked about this with others. It’s time we took tough stands. And it’s time we looked at ourselves. How are we cooperating with the glamorization of violence?

Take time to dialogue with the Lord:

Lord, are there ways I am glamorizing violence in my own life?

As part of the American culture, are there ways I am participating in this?

Lord, Is there anything you are asking of me — that I might be part of the solution?

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Word of the Day: Lettuce

Lettuce consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  
Lettuce not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but lettuce encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
—Hebrews 10: 24-25

The Invitation: These became the Bible’s lettuce verses for me as I thought of creative ways to memorize scriptures for the Experiencing God study years ago. And, if you can be-leaf it, the verses have ro-mained with me!*

With the pandemic, most of us have gotten out of the habit of reading the Bible as a group and meeting together. I’ve heard people say they prefer listening to a podcast or watching church in their living room. It’s easier and faster. They can stay in their pj’s and mute or fast forward through music they don’t care for.

Last week I attended my first socially undistanced event at our church–a memorial service. The sanctuary was full, and I saw people I hadn’t seen for a year and a half. We gathered to remember a life well-lived—someone we all cared about. We comforted one another and were reassured that the promise of eternal life is real. The peace and hope of God was passed from one person to another. Many of us left that service asking God to help us love more extravagantly and live more generously. And when we see each other again, we’ll be able to ask one another how it’s going.

That was church. No, not the building, although we need a place to gather on a regular basis. It was the people. The Christian life is meant to be lived in community—not just for what I can get out of it, but for what I have to give and you have to give that people will miss out on if we don’t show up.

We can get information about Jesus and grow in our understanding of the Bible on our own. We can pray and worship in our personal quiet time. But it’s through my church community that I’ve been refined, challenged, encouraged, and held to a higher standard than at the grocery store, soccer field, or workplace. Church is where someone will not only empathize with me, but will pray with me. Church is where I’m made aware of my rough edges through another’s gentleness. Church is where I have opportunities to give in ways that make a difference for eternity.

Whenever possible, lettuce meet together.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,
especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
—Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

Your Response: Today, talk with the Lord about your going-to-church feelings. Ask Him what He wants to say to you through these verses. If you’d like some prompts, try these:

  • Lord, show me how I feel about church right now. What does my heart for the church look like?
  • Now Lord, show me Your heart for Your church.
  • If my heart doesn’t line up with Your heart, Lord, may the Holy Spirit to set it aright. Do I need to die to selfishness in some way or exchange apathy for action? (Take time to listen and respond.)
  • Lord, You say that the church is the bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27). May I be given Christ’s heart for the church. May I serve Your church and love Your people. Is there anything specific You want me to know or do?

*P.S. I was thinking of including more salad jokes in this post, but I tossed them.