THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 311 I

God has made all things according to the counsel of His own will. Yes, God counselled with Himself. No one was God’s instructor. Indeed, God knew the end from the beginning. And when God speaks, lo and behold, whatsoever was spoken will most assuredly comes to pass.

In the world as we know it, there are wise men who counsel among themselves. Still others might foolishly jump into situations, even situations where angels would fear to tread. But the reality is that no sane man enters any battle without first establishing the pro and the cons of the situation. Where are we going with this example?

Well there is a word called predestination. The scriptures present this concept in a way that enables men and women to fully understand that with God in control, there are no surprises. Those who God foreknew - God did predestine - and those that God did predestinate, God also sanctified - and those that God sanctified, God also justified and those that God justified - God glorified. But this text is not just passages in the past tense. God is still in control of the lives of those who love Him today. Indeed, God was preparing a people for Himself, a people who were chosen and elected of God - and who are conformed to the image of God Himself as a Son.

Consider these questions. Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been His counselor? What is man that God is mindful of man? What is man that God has set man over the works of His own hands?

Well, we know that with God there is no unrighteousness. And similarly, we know that the Lord has crowned man with glory and honour! Still, God has many attributes that are completely unknown to man. In contrast, man's foolish imagination concerning God is remarkably stupid. We build buildings filling them with imaginary relics and statutes. Sometimes, people can be seen bowing down to them talking to the statues. God is on record as saying, "In vain do they worship me - teaching man made doctrines." Yes admittedly, we have been led astray by men who teach darkness as if what they taught was enlightenment.

Still, the good news is that when God who is Spirit reveals His thoughts to one of His chosen prophets, it expresses to man the mind of the Lord. That is GOD is Love. God is long suffering. God is compassionate and altogether merciful. God is not willing that any should perish. To this end, God has revealed Himself as pure humanity. In this context, humanity is a spiritual attribute! God decided to reveal Himself in form. JESUS is God in Spiritual Form. And us? We are earthly images of God’s spiritual form and as such we should grow and multiply on earth.

But the devil got in the way messing up God's original plan. Fortunately, this was not a surprise to God. But the detour did cause man to have a choice to make - to either choose good or evil. This is your call. Your choice. When we were removed from the Eden paradise because man made the wrong choice, we were thrust into a world of sin and woe. As a consequence, religious institutions took over and wars, often religiously instigated.

Psalms 40:5 states, "Many, Oh LORD My God are Your wonderful works which you have done. Your thoughts are always of us - [about us] - if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered." Still, SACRIFICE and OFFERINGS you did not desire. You did not desire burnt offerings and sin offering. MY EARS LORD you have opened and I have heard your words .. Lo, I come.

God was in the man JESUS the Christ. JESUS was all the fullness of the Humanity of God revealed in earthly fashion. For JESUS is GOD HIMSELF MANIFEST in FLESH!