April 21
The doctrine of predestination is one that is difficult to put into a box. The pressing question is, ‘If God already knows who will receive Christ and who will reject Him, how can God judge fairly?’ It seems to be an arbitrary decision on the part of the Almighty who is aware of what is to transpire.
But if we analyze it, we realize it’s not unfair as it may first appear. To have complete foreknowledge of a decision and to base the entirety of eternity on a person’s choice in the matter of accepting or rejecting Christ as Savior does not mean the individual did not have the choice to make.
How could an omniscient God not know? Of course He knows and He weeps at the knowledge of every heart that will ever reject His designated Savior. Because God has given man a free will, He won’t interfere with that even though neglecting to do so means a beloved one will elect to refuse Jesus.
It behooves each of us to be among those in Romans 8:30, of whom Paul says, “Those He predestined, He also called, and those He called, He also justified, and those He justified, He also glorified.” When we simply say ‘Yes’ to Jesus, we place ourselves among those predestined for redemption's glory!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Redeemed and Transformed
April 20
The eternal, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God has invested Himself in us. That bears repeating: The eternal, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God has INVESTED HIMSELF IN US! Our bodies are temples of His Holy Spirit. He dwells within each believer (I Corinthians 3:16).
With His presence comes the promise of His power in our prayers. We must stand on the authority of the One who dwells within us when we lay hold on the promises He has assured us are ours. We are not to be driven by fluctuating circumstances like tumultuous waves of the sea that are driven by adverse wind.
We are to stand fast on His revealed TRUTH and proclaim and appropriate all that He has said is ours. Yet, though we walk in the power of who He is, we must remember that the power is not of us. II Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure in clay jars so that the extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.”
We must not become haughty in the gift of Himself with which He has filled and blessed our lives. We must not become vain in our own conceit. We must remember who we are, from what He has redeemed us, how He has transformed us and that the glorious transition that has occurred is because of Him, not because of ourselves. That amazing investment overshadows us wondrously!
The eternal, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God has invested Himself in us. That bears repeating: The eternal, almighty, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God has INVESTED HIMSELF IN US! Our bodies are temples of His Holy Spirit. He dwells within each believer (I Corinthians 3:16).
With His presence comes the promise of His power in our prayers. We must stand on the authority of the One who dwells within us when we lay hold on the promises He has assured us are ours. We are not to be driven by fluctuating circumstances like tumultuous waves of the sea that are driven by adverse wind.
We are to stand fast on His revealed TRUTH and proclaim and appropriate all that He has said is ours. Yet, though we walk in the power of who He is, we must remember that the power is not of us. II Corinthians 4:7 says, “We have this treasure in clay jars so that the extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.”
We must not become haughty in the gift of Himself with which He has filled and blessed our lives. We must not become vain in our own conceit. We must remember who we are, from what He has redeemed us, how He has transformed us and that the glorious transition that has occurred is because of Him, not because of ourselves. That amazing investment overshadows us wondrously!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Where Are the Signs?
April 19
God doesn’t change. He is forever the same as He always has been—perfect. Of course, finite man has no significant point of reference for His infinite perfection so we can’t begin to conceptualize exactly what it means. We do have certain expectations of the Lord, however.
Though they are on a finite level, we don’t always see them realized either. Why? Why this discrepancy between what mortals with limited understanding of the limitless power of Jesus pray for, hope for, and receive? Why is there a gap between request and realization?
David, in Psalm 74:9, 11 says, “We don’t see any signs for us. There is no longer a prophet. Why do You hold back Your hand?” There is a longing within us to experience the guidance and good provision from the Lord, but the reality is that we want Him on our terms. We long for self-fulfillment, not surrender to His will.
Ann Graham Lotz may have said it best after 9/11 when she pointed out that we as a society have cast God out of our families, from our schools, from our public assemblies and then wonder, “Why?” when the unthinkable happens. If we truly want signs from God, we must be willing to see them and willing to order our lives according to His revealed will.
God doesn’t change. He is forever the same as He always has been—perfect. Of course, finite man has no significant point of reference for His infinite perfection so we can’t begin to conceptualize exactly what it means. We do have certain expectations of the Lord, however.
Though they are on a finite level, we don’t always see them realized either. Why? Why this discrepancy between what mortals with limited understanding of the limitless power of Jesus pray for, hope for, and receive? Why is there a gap between request and realization?
David, in Psalm 74:9, 11 says, “We don’t see any signs for us. There is no longer a prophet. Why do You hold back Your hand?” There is a longing within us to experience the guidance and good provision from the Lord, but the reality is that we want Him on our terms. We long for self-fulfillment, not surrender to His will.
Ann Graham Lotz may have said it best after 9/11 when she pointed out that we as a society have cast God out of our families, from our schools, from our public assemblies and then wonder, “Why?” when the unthinkable happens. If we truly want signs from God, we must be willing to see them and willing to order our lives according to His revealed will.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Predestined for Glory
April 18
I Corinthians 2:7 can leave us a bit confused. It makes an amazing assertion that is beyond our comprehension with our finite understanding. It says, “We speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery which God predestined before the ages for our glory.”
How can we speak wisdom that is hidden? How can the mystery of this hidden wisdom predestine our glory? How can God, who “will not share His glory with another” (Isaiah 42:8) state that our glory is already established in His mystery?
As with all wisdom, both hidden and revealed, it is fulfilled in Christ. He is the fullness of all that is God and the revelation of all that is hidden. When we have embraced Him to our heart we become co-heirs of HIS glory! Though it remains true that we have no glory of our own, it is undeniable that He has elected to share His glory with us.
What He has predestined is the fact that fallen man, laden with sin is precious in His sight. The Lord who fashioned us for fellowship with Him and to dwell eternally with Him has supplied the way for that to occur. It is not achieved through our goodness, for we have none, rather, through the goodness of Jesus who lived the perfect life we cannot live—and shares its glory with us.
I Corinthians 2:7 can leave us a bit confused. It makes an amazing assertion that is beyond our comprehension with our finite understanding. It says, “We speak God’s hidden wisdom in a mystery which God predestined before the ages for our glory.”
How can we speak wisdom that is hidden? How can the mystery of this hidden wisdom predestine our glory? How can God, who “will not share His glory with another” (Isaiah 42:8) state that our glory is already established in His mystery?
As with all wisdom, both hidden and revealed, it is fulfilled in Christ. He is the fullness of all that is God and the revelation of all that is hidden. When we have embraced Him to our heart we become co-heirs of HIS glory! Though it remains true that we have no glory of our own, it is undeniable that He has elected to share His glory with us.
What He has predestined is the fact that fallen man, laden with sin is precious in His sight. The Lord who fashioned us for fellowship with Him and to dwell eternally with Him has supplied the way for that to occur. It is not achieved through our goodness, for we have none, rather, through the goodness of Jesus who lived the perfect life we cannot live—and shares its glory with us.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Be Thou Exalted
April 17
Where do we place God in our lives? Where does He fit in? Do we have space for Him anywhere in our busy existence? Do we have the option to exclude Him from our day-to-day affairs?
Man’s free will says that we do. Our yearning for assurance of eternal reward when this brief life is over says that we don’t. So what is the reality in the matter? If we want the assurance of life’s best and Heaven’s reward, how are we best to weave Jesus into the tapestry of our lives?
The Word gives us insight, as it always does in every matter that we contemplate. In Psalm 57:5, David, the sweet songster and brave warrior states it succinctly, “Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, let Your glory be above the whole earth.” We who are earth-bound are on the right track toward recognizing God’s place in comparison with our own when we acknowledge that He is high above us.
When we conform ourselves to the reality that He is to be exalted in our hearts, we will have taken great strides toward the joy of walking hand-in-hand with Him through time and into eternity. When we lift Jesus up in our minds and hearts and spirits we will be on the track toward living lives that are pleasing in His sight. We know He does not condemn our sins and foibles because He has taken them upon Himself. That deserves His never-ending honor in our hearts.
Where do we place God in our lives? Where does He fit in? Do we have space for Him anywhere in our busy existence? Do we have the option to exclude Him from our day-to-day affairs?
Man’s free will says that we do. Our yearning for assurance of eternal reward when this brief life is over says that we don’t. So what is the reality in the matter? If we want the assurance of life’s best and Heaven’s reward, how are we best to weave Jesus into the tapestry of our lives?
The Word gives us insight, as it always does in every matter that we contemplate. In Psalm 57:5, David, the sweet songster and brave warrior states it succinctly, “Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, let Your glory be above the whole earth.” We who are earth-bound are on the right track toward recognizing God’s place in comparison with our own when we acknowledge that He is high above us.
When we conform ourselves to the reality that He is to be exalted in our hearts, we will have taken great strides toward the joy of walking hand-in-hand with Him through time and into eternity. When we lift Jesus up in our minds and hearts and spirits we will be on the track toward living lives that are pleasing in His sight. We know He does not condemn our sins and foibles because He has taken them upon Himself. That deserves His never-ending honor in our hearts.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Available to His Purposes
April 16
What does it take to move the hand of God in mighty ways? What must we do to give wings to our prayers so they may reach His Throne of Mercy and Grace? We’ve all had prayers that seemed to bounce off the ceiling—and that experience is not conducive to pursuing a greater prayer life.
Although there is certainly an element of the discretion of the Almighty where the matter of prayer and the answers to it are concerned, there is one thing we can do that will either prepare us to receive a desired request or prepare us to accept His denial of our request.
Joshua 3:5 says, “Consecrate yourselves because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” Consecrate. That’s a powerful word. The meaning of the word ‘consecrate’ is to make holy; to set aside for the Lord’s use. Just what does that mighty word entail?
Above all, it means that we allow ourselves to be washed in the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin and sets us apart for His purposes. It means we find ourselves focused on Him rather than on worldly pursuits. It means that we make ourselves available to His purposes so He can glorify Himself in us.
What does it take to move the hand of God in mighty ways? What must we do to give wings to our prayers so they may reach His Throne of Mercy and Grace? We’ve all had prayers that seemed to bounce off the ceiling—and that experience is not conducive to pursuing a greater prayer life.
Although there is certainly an element of the discretion of the Almighty where the matter of prayer and the answers to it are concerned, there is one thing we can do that will either prepare us to receive a desired request or prepare us to accept His denial of our request.
Joshua 3:5 says, “Consecrate yourselves because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.” Consecrate. That’s a powerful word. The meaning of the word ‘consecrate’ is to make holy; to set aside for the Lord’s use. Just what does that mighty word entail?
Above all, it means that we allow ourselves to be washed in the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all sin and sets us apart for His purposes. It means we find ourselves focused on Him rather than on worldly pursuits. It means that we make ourselves available to His purposes so He can glorify Himself in us.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Little in Our Own Eyes
April 15
We can become pretty wrapped up in our successes. We enjoy the acclaim we receive from others when we achieve something they consider laudable. We want to look good in our own eyes and one of the best ways we have of attaining that desired self image is for other people to affirm it for us.
We strive for man’s approval in many ways. One of the foremost methods we have of gaining recognition is to excel beyond others in one area of endeavor or another. We may have outstanding artistic abilities or a methodical mind that enables us to invest money profitably. Perhaps we manage a business well.
Success in any of these endeavors will assure our positive recognition in the eyes of those around us. But, how does God perceive us? Are we a success in His eyes? We are if we are like Jesus, who, “…created all things and because of His will they exist and were fashioned” Revelation 4:11.
This Jesus, who, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made Himself of no reputation and took on the form of a man…” (Philippians 2:6,7) was a man of humility. To be like Him, to be great in His estimation, is to be little in our own eyes.
We can become pretty wrapped up in our successes. We enjoy the acclaim we receive from others when we achieve something they consider laudable. We want to look good in our own eyes and one of the best ways we have of attaining that desired self image is for other people to affirm it for us.
We strive for man’s approval in many ways. One of the foremost methods we have of gaining recognition is to excel beyond others in one area of endeavor or another. We may have outstanding artistic abilities or a methodical mind that enables us to invest money profitably. Perhaps we manage a business well.
Success in any of these endeavors will assure our positive recognition in the eyes of those around us. But, how does God perceive us? Are we a success in His eyes? We are if we are like Jesus, who, “…created all things and because of His will they exist and were fashioned” Revelation 4:11.
This Jesus, who, “being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made Himself of no reputation and took on the form of a man…” (Philippians 2:6,7) was a man of humility. To be like Him, to be great in His estimation, is to be little in our own eyes.
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