Introduction

There is a distinctive facial expression that is common to all countries and cultures. There is something that can happen to any human being at any place at any time. It doesn't matter what language you speak, what color your skin is, or what country you live in. The response is always the same. The expression is known as "the surprise brow." We all use this facial expression. When we are surprised, our eyebrows immediately rise, and our eyes widen so that our vision is enlarged. The surprise brow is the body's way of forcing us to see more. Often, we will do a double-take to make sure we saw what we thought we saw.

Not only do our eyebrows rise; our jaws drop. That is what happened to my face the first time I laid eyes on my wife, Teresa!

When we are taken by surprise, everything comes to a halt, every activity is interrupted, and our attention becomes completely focused, involuntarily, on whatever it was that surprised us.

When you begin reading the Bible, the first two chapters almost lull you to sleep, in a good way. A utopia, called the Garden of Eden, was created, and the first man and first woman were put in a pristine, pure, perfect environment. Other than those two, no one has ever known or seen a world without sickness, suffering, and sorrow.

Then, in chapter 3, the first surprise hits you squarely in the face. The surprise comes in the form of a serpent. He successfully tempts the first couple to go against the will of God, to disobey their Creator. Instantly, this world is plunged into a war. From that moment until now, the human race has been faced with an enemy it cannot defeat, involved in a war that it cannot win. Humanity is fighting a battle it is destined to lose.

But how does God answer? What is ...

James Merritt is the Senior Pastor of Cross Pointe Church. His media teaching ministry, Touchinglives, is broadcast around the country and throughout the world. Dr. Merritt is also the author of numerous books, including How to Impact and Influence Others.