"For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away." (Isaiah 64:6)
He spoke and said to those who were standing before Him, saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him " Again He said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes." (Zechariah 3:4)
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will ..." (Ephesians 1:11)
In the scriptures, we learn that God has made all things according to the counsel of His own will. Yes, God counselled with Himself. No one was God’s instructor. No one was God's teacher. Indeed, God knew the end from the beginning. And when God speaks, lo and behold, whatsoever was spoken will most assuredly comes to pass. This certainly should not be difficult to understand, for "in the beginning, God ..."
Prior to that certainty, there was only darkness and void. (Genesis 1:1)
And to some extent, when we are babes in the scripture (similar to newborn infants), there is a lot of learning that needs to happen. We do not learn to eat food overnight. Neither is learning to walk without faltering an easy feat. In the same way, studying the scriptures for our understanding is not always easy, but nevertheless, our hearts should desire to know more of our Lord God and Saviour, for He paid the price for our sins once and for all.
But the one absolute is that regardless of where we are in our faith journey, God is always in control. There are no surprises to Him. 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.
Note that this text is not just written in the past tense, wherein the message becomes historical. Rather, as the Word indicates, 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 clothed in flesh as a Son.
Therefore, in reaching this point of having now freely received His wonderful gift of salvation, we should be asking, "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?"
All good questions.
Still, we know "O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy Name; for Thou hast done wonderful things. Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." Isaiah 25:1)
Thus, we know that with God there is no unrighteousness. And similarly, we know that the Lord has crowned man with glory and honour! But there are also attributes about the God we serve that are completely unknown to man. Why would we think otherwise, for He is the potter and we are the clay. He is moulding and fashioning those who believe in His image.
But in contrast, man's foolish imagination concerning God is remarkably stupid. We build buildings filling them with imaginary relics and statues. Sometimes, people can be seen bowing down to them talking to these idols made from stone. Perhaps, these don't know that 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. However, this is our hope. 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.
And because of His love for His beloved creation, 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 as we also know, 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. To choose the God who loved us enough to be in the world -- the same world that was made by Him -- knowing that He was not welcome, or to compromise for the things of this world. (John 1:10-11; John 1:1-18)
This is your call. Your choice. When Adam and Eve 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 too, often religiously instigated. Don't fall for the deception of this world. Don't let those who don't study the scriptures to lead and guide you into the way of destruction.
Admittedly, in the beginning of our faith journey, it will be difficult, because we are usually walking into our faith unarmed, not knowing what came before, and how our God willingly became our Saviour. It is for this reason that we diligently read and learn from His Word, allowing the King of kings and Lord of lords to lead and direct us into all truth.
And remember to pray without ceasing and rejoice evermore, for He is our Light, and Bread of Life. He is faithful, never leaving us nor forsaking us. As Peter said to Jesus, "Where can we go, for You have the words of life." No truer statement could be said. It is for this reason that we press into the mark of our high calling, which is Christ Jesus, our Lord God Almighty in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
God was in the man JESUS the Christ. JESUS was all the fullness of the Humanity of God revealed in earthly fashion.
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, which is why I now understand that we - believers in our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ -- are to stand in the offering plate -- because You Lord Jesus have become in our hearts our all in all.
In the scriptures, we learn that God has made all things according to the counsel of His own will. Yes, God counselled with Himself. No one was God’s instructor. No one was God's teacher. Indeed, God knew the end from the beginning. And when God speaks, lo and behold, whatsoever was spoken will most assuredly comes to pass. This certainly should not be difficult to understand, for "in the beginning, God ..."
Prior to that certainty, there was only darkness and void. (Genesis 1:1)
And to some extent, when we are babes in the scripture (similar to newborn infants), there is a lot of learning that needs to happen. We do not learn to eat food overnight. Neither is learning to walk without faltering an easy feat. In the same way, studying the scriptures for our understanding is not always easy, but nevertheless, our hearts should desire to know more of our Lord God and Saviour, for He paid the price for our sins once and for all.
But the one absolute is that regardless of where we are in our faith journey, God is always in control. There are no surprises to Him. 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.
Note that this text is not just written in the past tense, wherein the message becomes historical. Rather, as the Word indicates, 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 clothed in flesh as a Son.
Therefore, in reaching this point of having now freely received His wonderful gift of salvation, we should be asking, "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?"
All good questions.
Still, we know "O LORD, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy Name; for Thou hast done wonderful things. Thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth." Isaiah 25:1)
Thus, we know that with God there is no unrighteousness. And similarly, we know that the Lord has crowned man with glory and honour! But there are also attributes about the God we serve that are completely unknown to man. Why would we think otherwise, for He is the potter and we are the clay. He is moulding and fashioning those who believe in His image.
But in contrast, man's foolish imagination concerning God is remarkably stupid. We build buildings filling them with imaginary relics and statues. Sometimes, people can be seen bowing down to them talking to these idols made from stone. Perhaps, these don't know that 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. However, this is our hope. 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.
And because of His love for His beloved creation, 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 as we also know, 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. To choose the God who loved us enough to be in the world -- the same world that was made by Him -- knowing that He was not welcome, or to compromise for the things of this world. (John 1:10-11; John 1:1-18)
This is your call. Your choice. When Adam and Eve 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 too, often religiously instigated. Don't fall for the deception of this world. Don't let those who don't study the scriptures to lead and guide you into the way of destruction.
Admittedly, in the beginning of our faith journey, it will be difficult, because we are usually walking into our faith unarmed, not knowing what came before, and how our God willingly became our Saviour. It is for this reason that we diligently read and learn from His Word, allowing the King of kings and Lord of lords to lead and direct us into all truth.
And remember to pray without ceasing and rejoice evermore, for He is our Light, and Bread of Life. He is faithful, never leaving us nor forsaking us. As Peter said to Jesus, "Where can we go, for You have the words of life." No truer statement could be said. It is for this reason that we press into the mark of our high calling, which is Christ Jesus, our Lord God Almighty in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
God was in the man JESUS the Christ. JESUS was all the fullness of the Humanity of God revealed in earthly fashion.
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, which is why I now understand that we - believers in our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ -- are to stand in the offering plate -- because You Lord Jesus have become in our hearts our all in all.
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