"On the worst day of my life my name is written in heaven." said Pastor Josh as he was pointing out that getting sold out to Jesus is more than just a one day a week thing. "Remember," he said, "it's not about you, it's about God. And you can't be committed just part of the time. You have to be committed all of the time." Those are the kind of words that lift the listener out of his/her seat and causes the heart to beat faster. It's so easy to get lazy. Just like the vacuum cleaner, if it isn't plugged in, it won't be of any use in cleaning the house. You have to get plugged in and stay plugged in.
We aren't the ones with the power to get us to heaven. It's God power and he spells it out so eloquently in his word, the Bible. God's power is spoken of in Psalm 114. He is the One who led his people out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, caused the Jordan to go dry, and caused water to spill out of the rock. It's not about man, it's all about what God is willing to do for man.
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Verse 29 goes on to say that he (meaning God) foreknew. God is everywhere. He sees everything from the beginning to the end. Of course, he already knows. Time is of no consequence to him. God rises above the earth and time to a spectrum which man knows nothing of. From his perspective, that is, God's, he sees all. He knows what man is going to do tomorrow before he does it. This is God's wisdom. He has foreknowledge. We were in his heart eons before we were ever born.
The next part of Romans 8:29 states, "(those he foreknew)...he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son...". Remember, in verse 28 it says that this is for the ones called according to his purpose. God's has willed it to be so. Those who are called will be conformed to the image of his Son. How wonderful. How he's going to do that is up to God. God in his omnipotence has willed that he wants as many who choose him to be like his Son. Heaven will be filled with people who will be like his precious Son who suffered and died for everyone on the cross. First Timothy 2:6 says that Jesus gave himself a ransom for all. It also says in verse 4 that God wants all to be saved. That's everybody, no one is left out. Unfortunately there will be those who make the conscious decision to reject Jesus and the saving grace of God.
Yes, God has willed it that man has the right to chose whom he will serve. He's sovereign and that's the way it's going to be. Period. In Romans 8:30 he goes on to say that the ones who are called (the ones who choose God) will be justified. One of the dictionary meanings of justified is "declared or made righteous in the sight of God." The dictionary itself points out that man has nothing to do with it. Once a person is called to God, he's conformed to the image of his Son and now, he is declared righteous in the sight of God. Romans 4:5 backs that up, "... his faith is counted for righteousness." It's all God. Except for the fact that each and every person has the right to chose heaven or hell.
There's one more line in Romans 8:30 that says, "...and whom he justified, them he also glorified." It's done. God has done it. Those who are justified are glorified, honored, exalted. God sees us as we will be in heaven. One thing more, though, just for the benefit of the reader. God also says in Hebrews 12:6-7 the ones he loves will also be chastened and scourged just as a father cares for his child and wants him to be good.
Man only has to decide where he wants to spend eternity. God gives man all the chances in the world to go to Him. He sends out his special messengers like Pastor Josh to help man make up his mind. The messengers get it and feel the same urgency in delivering God's message to all who will hear and make the decision. What'll it be? Heaven or Hell?
We aren't the ones with the power to get us to heaven. It's God power and he spells it out so eloquently in his word, the Bible. God's power is spoken of in Psalm 114. He is the One who led his people out of Egypt, parted the Red Sea, caused the Jordan to go dry, and caused water to spill out of the rock. It's not about man, it's all about what God is willing to do for man.
Romans 8:28 says, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Verse 29 goes on to say that he (meaning God) foreknew. God is everywhere. He sees everything from the beginning to the end. Of course, he already knows. Time is of no consequence to him. God rises above the earth and time to a spectrum which man knows nothing of. From his perspective, that is, God's, he sees all. He knows what man is going to do tomorrow before he does it. This is God's wisdom. He has foreknowledge. We were in his heart eons before we were ever born.
The next part of Romans 8:29 states, "(those he foreknew)...he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son...". Remember, in verse 28 it says that this is for the ones called according to his purpose. God's has willed it to be so. Those who are called will be conformed to the image of his Son. How wonderful. How he's going to do that is up to God. God in his omnipotence has willed that he wants as many who choose him to be like his Son. Heaven will be filled with people who will be like his precious Son who suffered and died for everyone on the cross. First Timothy 2:6 says that Jesus gave himself a ransom for all. It also says in verse 4 that God wants all to be saved. That's everybody, no one is left out. Unfortunately there will be those who make the conscious decision to reject Jesus and the saving grace of God.
Yes, God has willed it that man has the right to chose whom he will serve. He's sovereign and that's the way it's going to be. Period. In Romans 8:30 he goes on to say that the ones who are called (the ones who choose God) will be justified. One of the dictionary meanings of justified is "declared or made righteous in the sight of God." The dictionary itself points out that man has nothing to do with it. Once a person is called to God, he's conformed to the image of his Son and now, he is declared righteous in the sight of God. Romans 4:5 backs that up, "... his faith is counted for righteousness." It's all God. Except for the fact that each and every person has the right to chose heaven or hell.
There's one more line in Romans 8:30 that says, "...and whom he justified, them he also glorified." It's done. God has done it. Those who are justified are glorified, honored, exalted. God sees us as we will be in heaven. One thing more, though, just for the benefit of the reader. God also says in Hebrews 12:6-7 the ones he loves will also be chastened and scourged just as a father cares for his child and wants him to be good.
Man only has to decide where he wants to spend eternity. God gives man all the chances in the world to go to Him. He sends out his special messengers like Pastor Josh to help man make up his mind. The messengers get it and feel the same urgency in delivering God's message to all who will hear and make the decision. What'll it be? Heaven or Hell?
