Foreknown

17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 5:17-21 NKJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 NKJV

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us[a] with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:26-30 NKJV

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These verses really stand out for me today.

If He knew I would come and be here on this day, at this time, doing this very thing I am doing and going through all I am going through, why do I fret so much? Why have the things I have allowed to define been so? What can I do different here? He knew that the set of circumstances I would face would produce the prefect image of Himself I was sent here to showcase.

Then it hit me…it is all about Choices.

HE made a choice in me before he knit me together in my mother’s womb that I would be who I am. He assigned me a destiny, a gate to man, people to meet and influence and thing to change the world with and for. I too have a series of choices to make in response to this big choice He has made in me. I must choose to:

  • WALK in Him, rooted and built up in Him and strengthened in the faith as HE teaches me
  • OBEY only His instruction and live by that all the days of my life
  • BELIEVE His word is true and alive in me that it may come to life and accomplish all that He set it out to do
  • STAND FIRM because HE is not a man that He should lie or the son of man that He would change His mind; meaning that regardless of the circumstances if He said it, that word is good.
  • CONFORM fully; to become all He has seen in me and fully rely on Him

The most fascinating thing for me is that He never forces anyone to do anything. He allows us the freedom to believe or not and live out or not. In this day and age of freedom of thought, speech and expression, how do I live out my life for Him? Just because He doesn’t force us to do anything doesn’t mean HE will wait indefinitely either.

What happens when I fail flat in the face of others but He says that it is the path He would have me on? What happens if I come to the place of rejection and I am all alone and He says that is exactly where He wants me? What if I am in the place of great success and He says look out for me?

I have come to understand that the circumstance never ever negates His presence and His work in my life. Every circumstance, whether hard, good, evil, whatever…is the elevator to God’s purpose. Every circumstance is a part of the process that will produce in me the appointed fruit for Him or allow Him to prune me so that I can produce more. It is the fuel for the ascent to His higher heights. Only I can negate the work of God in me by my response to the circumstance He has allowed.

I must understand that there is a reason and an intended outcome. The choice He made in me ‘before the foundations of the earth’ is secure and unchangeable in Him unless I choose to change it. I must make daily choices to align with who He says I am and I was from before time so that I will finish the race He has set out for me and attain the prize.

Join me

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