To my brothers

[rl69]

Even if you haven’t obtained academic degrees, you have wisdom that far surpasses the most educated unbeliever.

When God redeemed you, He not only forgave your trespasses and removed the guilt and penalty of sin, but He also gave you spiritual wisdom and insight—two essential elements for godly living. Together they speak of the ability to understand God's will and apply it to your life in practical ways.

As a believer you understand the most sublime truths of all. For example, you know that God created the world and controls the course of history. You know that mankind's reason for existence is to know and glorify Him. You have goals and priorities that transcend earthly circumstances and limitations.

Such wisdom and insight escapes unbelievers because they tend to view the things of God with disdain (1 Cor. 2:14 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/x-apple-data-detectors://0)). But you "have the mind of Christ" (v. 16). His Word reveals His will and His spirit gives you the desire and ability to understand and obey it.

Today is another opportunity to cultivate that desire through diligent prayer and Bible study. Let the psalmist's commitment be yours: "O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies. . . . I have more insight than all my teachers. . . . I understand more than the aged . . . I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word" (Ps. 119:97-101).

[Preacher Jim]

Great word for all. God gives freely to all who seek.

[LAH]

Great word for all. God gives freely to all who seek.

Amen.

[Blackwater]

Jim's right, without any doubt. It's a shame more don't seek Him, and seem to do all they can to deny Him. Their choice. Heaven will just have to get along without them.

[square butte]

Amen and Amen

[slim1836]

Good words, Amen.

Slim

[dverna]

I do not believe God controls history. For example, God did not guide Eve to eat the apple.

History, is a mix. God has intervened at times, and at other times, mans free will has shaped history. We cannot comprehend why this is so....But it is.

It it may be argued that when God allows man to shape history, that too is his will.

God has given us free will for a purpose. Regrettably, it does not always result in a harmonious outcome.

Don Verna

[Boaz]

Could be measurable if you had a gage to go by but there is none. GOD is in control . There is a plan in motion . Freewill does not trump the fact that GOD is omnipotent . Your freewill dictates your relationship with him . You do not direct what will come . The future is already set/predicted . Scripture will back that up . Freewill only pertains to you .

[1johnlb]

God is in control, man is spiraling out of it. But then He knew what would happen. Who else can declare the end from the beginning?

[Bzcraig]

Excellent post rl!

[USMC87]

Great post, God is in total control.

[Blackwater]

I do not believe God controls history. For example, God did not guide Eve to eat the apple.

History, is a mix. God has intervened at times, and at other times, mans free will has shaped history. We cannot comprehend why this is so....But it is.

It it may be argued that when God allows man to shape history, that too is his will.

God has given us free will for a purpose. Regrettably, it does not always result in a harmonious outcome.

Don Verna

Well, Don, you're half right IMO. God IS in control of everything EXCEPT the one thing He's given us complete and total control over, and that is OUR will. He has his, and He has abundant options to get what He wants out of us. But this is a testing and training ground, and He IS in final control of everything. He just lets US decide how we want to behave and think in this world, and what we want to do here. That brings natural and inevitable consequences, according to how WE behave and choose. This doesn't lessen God's control one whit. It merely allows for OUR free will, and the consequences and inevitable ends thereof.

So you make a good point, but I just wanted to flesh it out more completely. Much of what happens on this earth is due to US, it's true, and not to God, but he DOES stand over it all, and can allow it to continue or come to an end, at His pleasure and for His reasons. He's not nearly as arbitrary and capricious as WE are! He's so long-suffering with us, and our willful nature, that I'll always be in awe of his seemingly infinite patience with us, and all that he indulges us having done. Truly, He is an awesome and loving and gracious Lord. In Him must all trust finally, in the end, rest. There's really no other place worthy of faith and trust on this earth, but in Him. Other people will always, sooner or later, let us down, or even turn on us. God never does this. His love is endless, and his patience nearly so. THIS is the greatest "control" that only He could EVER have, and control worthily. We continually use our wills to get the reverse of what we so often seek! Therein, lies the contrast between His control and our will, and what we each do with what we have. God DOES let us control a lot, but He's always overseeing it, and when it gets to a certain point, beyond which He can't let us go, lest it defeat us totally, He'll intervene. But a lot of it IS controlled by his allowance of our free will. So you're certainly not wrong, but ultimately, God IS always in total control. He's just very indulgent with us oftentimes.