Faith and Sovereignty: Engaging God in Our Journey
Summary
In a deeply personal and reflective message, Mark Evans shares his journey of grappling with the concept of God's sovereignty, a journey that spans over three decades. It began in his youth, two years after high school, when he encountered a conversation that challenged his understanding of God's control over human destiny, including the eternal fate of individuals. This conversation sparked a seed of doubt and questioning that would follow him for years.
Evans discusses the struggle to reconcile the idea of a sovereign God with the reality of human suffering and unanswered prayers. He reflects on his early days of pastoring with his wife Robin, where the theoretical questions about God's will became practical challenges as he faced real-life situations that did not align with his expectations based on scripture. He wrestled with the notion of God as a healer when healing did not come, and the idea of God answering prayers when prayers seemed to go unanswered.
The crux of Evans' message centers around a story from the Bible, where a woman who had been suffering from bleeding for 12 years reached out in faith to touch Jesus' garment and was healed. This story profoundly impacted Evans, as it demonstrated that while God is sovereign and has a divine plan, there is also room for human faith to intersect with and influence that plan. The woman's faith, not her pity or her circumstances, drew the power of God to heal her.
Evans emphasizes that faith is not about having a pity party or posting about one's struggles in hopes of eliciting a divine response. Instead, it's about a deep trust in God that persists despite circumstances, skepticism, and the lack of tangible evidence. He challenges the notion that God's sovereignty means passivity on our part, suggesting that there is a dynamic relationship where human faith can 'pull' on God's power.
The message concludes with a call to action, urging individuals to stop making excuses, to stop being skeptics, and to diligently seek God with the expectation that He rewards those who do so. Evans encourages his listeners to press past hurt, disappointment, and the voices of doubt to trust in God's goodness and to continue reaching out in faith.
Key Takeaways:
- The sovereignty of God does not negate human responsibility or the efficacy of faith. The biblical story of the woman with the issue of blood illustrates that individual faith can have a profound impact, even within the framework of divine sovereignty. This challenges the notion that everything is predetermined without human influence. [36:15]
- Faith is not a passive acceptance of circumstances but an active trust that engages with God's power. It is not about eliciting pity or simply hoping for grace to pass by; it is about reaching out to God with the expectation that He will respond to genuine faith. [33:14]
- Skepticism and excuses can hinder one's relationship with God. To truly seek God, one must eliminate these barriers and approach Him with a mindset of trust and expectancy. This requires a shift in thinking from victimhood to victorious faith. [42:39]
- The rewards of faith are not always immediate or visible, but they are promised to those who diligently seek God. This seeking is not a one-time event but a continual process of pressing into God's presence and trusting in His character, regardless of the external evidence. [41:59]
- The concept of God's sovereignty should not lead to fatalism or resignation. Instead, it should inspire a deeper pursuit of God, knowing that He is both in control and responsive to the faith of His people. This balance is essential for a vibrant and dynamic faith journey. [08:41]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Mark 5:25-34 (NIV)
> "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, 'If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.' Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?' 'You see the people crowding against you,' his disciples answered, 'and yet you can ask, "Who touched me?"' But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.'"
2. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
> "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
3. Job 42:2-3 (NIV)
> "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the condition of the woman in Mark 5:25-34, and how long had she been suffering?
2. How did Jesus react when the woman touched his garment, and what did he say to her? ([27:12])
3. According to Hebrews 11:6, what two things must one believe to please God?
4. In Job 42:2-3, what does Job acknowledge about God's power and plans?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of the woman with the issue of blood illustrate the relationship between human faith and God's sovereignty? ([27:12])
2. What does Hebrews 11:6 suggest about the nature of faith and its importance in our relationship with God?
3. How does Job's acknowledgment in Job 42:2-3 reflect a proper understanding of God's sovereignty and human limitations?
4. How does Mark Evans' personal journey and struggles with unanswered prayers and suffering relate to the biblical examples provided? ([04:02])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt like the woman with the issue of blood, facing prolonged suffering or unanswered prayers. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? ([25:20])
2. Mark Evans emphasizes the importance of persistent faith despite circumstances. What are some practical ways you can cultivate and maintain such faith in your daily life? ([33:14])
3. Skepticism and excuses can hinder our relationship with God. Identify one area in your life where skepticism or excuses have held you back. How can you address this and move forward in faith? ([42:39])
4. The sermon challenges us to diligently seek God with the expectation of rewards. What specific steps can you take this week to seek God more earnestly, and what rewards are you hoping to receive? ([41:59])
5. How can you shift your mindset from victimhood to victorious faith, especially in areas where you feel defeated or discouraged? ([42:39])
6. Think of a situation where you have been passive, expecting God to act without your active involvement. How can you change your approach to engage more actively with God's power through faith? ([33:14])
7. Mark Evans talks about pressing past hurt and disappointment to trust in God's goodness. What past hurts or disappointments do you need to let go of to fully trust in God's plan for your life? ([47:58])
Devotional
Day 1: Faith Influences Divine Sovereignty
Faith is not a mere sentiment; it's a force that interacts with God's sovereignty. The story of the woman with the issue of blood shows that personal faith can actively engage with God's plan, suggesting that divine sovereignty and human faith are not mutually exclusive but rather work in tandem. [36:15]
Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Reflection: How can you exercise your faith today in a way that reflects a belief in both God's sovereignty and His responsiveness to your trust?
Day 2: Active Trust Over Passive Acceptance
True faith is an active trust in God that goes beyond passive acceptance of life's trials. It involves a deliberate effort to reach out to God, expecting that He will act in response to genuine faith, just as He did when the woman touched Jesus' garment. [33:14]
James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Reflection: What is one action you can take today to demonstrate your active trust in God, rather than passively accepting your current circumstances?
Day 3: Overcoming Skepticism with Expectant Faith
Skepticism and excuses can create barriers in one's relationship with God. To truly seek Him, these barriers must be overcome by approaching God with a mindset of trust and expectancy, believing that He will reward those who diligently seek Him. [42:39]
Hosea 10:12 - "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you."
Reflection: What doubts or excuses have been holding you back from fully trusting God, and how can you begin to break up that 'unplowed ground' in your heart today?
Day 4: The Continual Pursuit of God's Presence
The rewards of faith are not always immediate or visible, but they are assured for those who persistently seek God. This pursuit is a continuous journey of pressing into God's presence and trusting in His character, despite what external circumstances may suggest. [41:59]
Lamentations 3:25 - "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;"
Reflection: In what ways can you more diligently seek God's presence in your daily routine, even when you don't see immediate results?
Day 5: Embracing Sovereignty with Dynamic Faith
Understanding God's sovereignty should not lead to resignation but should inspire a deeper pursuit of God. It is essential to recognize that He is both in control and attentive to the faith of His people, which calls for a vibrant and dynamic faith journey. [08:41]
Isaiah 55:6 - "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near."
Reflection: How can you balance the acceptance of God's sovereignty with the active pursuit of a relationship with Him, starting today?
Quotes
1) "The sovereignty of God can be pulled on by the faith of a human man and a human being's faith can pull on the power of God." [31:13] (Download)
2) "It's faith that causes the power to leave him, not pity or posting about struggles in hopes of eliciting a divine response." [33:49] (Download)
3) "If you're not careful, you will trade faith for skepticism, for excuses, for the reality you already live in, and just become one of the crowd." [35:07] (Download)
4) "The sovereignty of God is real; you cannot stop His godness. But there are some people in the kingdom of God that will say, 'Wait a minute, I am going to reach out to you.'" [31:55] (Download)
5) "He rewards those who diligently seek Him, not those who have pity for themselves or who are skeptics ridden with excuses." [41:59] (Download)
6) "To diligently seek Him means you start speaking what is true before it's ever true. You talk like it, act like it, think like it, walk like it, with zero proof." [43:16] (Download)
7) "Your faith made you well. He didn't say, 'I felt sorry for you.' He said, 'What just left my body of power was your faith.'" [39:23] (Download)
8) "There are things that are resonant within the life of Jesus Christ that are rewards that have your potential on them, but you never call upon the reward because you're a skeptic." [38:49] (Download)
9) "I reward those who diligently seek me. What's hindering you from deliberately seeking Him in faith?" [41:59] (Download)
10) "Are you going to allow things to hinder you this year too, to stop you from diligently seeking Him?" [47:58] (Download)
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