The Gift of Free Will
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
God has given mankind the ability to make choices. Every day, we make decisions about what we will believe, whom we will trust, and how we will live. Scripture repeatedly calls us to choose—to turn from sin, to seek God, and to follow Him.
Free will does not mean that we are completely independent from God. He is still sovereign, and He remains the Creator and Lord over all. Yet within His sovereignty, God calls people to respond to Him. He does not force us to love Him, obey Him, or follow Him.
The tragedy is that our natural inclination is often to choose what pleases ourselves rather than what pleases God. Our choices can lead us toward obedience or toward sin. That is why we need God’s grace and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.
Joshua challenged Israel to make a decision: “Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” The choice was before them, but Joshua had already settled his own decision: “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
We also face that choice every day. We may not be able to control everything that happens around us, but we can choose how we respond. We can choose faith over fear, obedience over compromise, forgiveness over bitterness, and God’s truth over our own feelings.
Our choices matter. But the wonderful truth is that God is not merely asking us to choose Him while leaving us to ourselves. He gives grace, guidance, wisdom, and strength to those who seek Him.
Today, choose to follow the Lord. Choose His Word. Choose obedience. Choose to trust Him even when you do not understand what He is doing.
You have a choice today. What will you choose?
Ask yourself: What choices am I making today that are drawing me closer to God, and what choices are pulling me away from Him? Surrender your decisions to the Lord and determine, like Joshua, that your desire is to serve Him.
"What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, In God I have put my trust; I will not fear What flesh can do unto me." — Psalm 56:3-4
Daily Scripture Reading
Join us as we read through the Bible in one year, growing together in God’s Word day by day. Click on any underlined verse to access Pastor Burns’ helpful study notes and deeper insights.
Look up a different passage
Search for any chapter or scripture above to begin.
This Week's Radio Program
Week Forty-Five • November 8, 2026
What are you Seeking? (Part 2)
In this message, "What are you Seeking? (Part 2)," Pastor Burns explains how many people search for meaning and purpose in all the wrong places. Just as Solomon sought fulfillment in worldly success and great wealth only to find it vanity and vexation of spirit, listeners will learn that true answers cannot be found in dead works, rituals, or philosophies.
Turning to John 20, listeners will hear how Mary Magdalene went to the tomb searching for Jesus and discovered that He had risen. Pastor Burns shares how the reality of Christ’s resurrection provides eternal life, encouraging everyone to choose life, since Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life."
Listen to Past Programs
Recent Devotionals
Catch up on the last few days.