Galatians: Predestination (Part 3)

I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.
I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.
For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.
Galatians 1:11-14

The bible is not some made up fairy tale, it's not a ghost story told around a campfire. The bible is the God reveling himself through men.
Paul literally went blind from the majesty of God, from the holiness of God when he was going to Damascus. Paul knows that God is real because he experienced God's presence. Paul was a religious leader, until God turned his whole world upside down. Paul knows that he is not making up what he is writing.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased
to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.
Galatians 1:15-16

Before we are even born, God had already selected me to be a Christian, to do his work. God has everything worked out for good. God is in control!
I know that some of my reads might doubted that God does indeed predestine humans. Know that if you're already christian, we you became one, it was entirely your choice. God did not force you into become one of his children, but it's more like this:
If you were to adopted a child, you would pick one child to take home from the orphanage. All the orphans need a home, but you can only take one. You love them all, you want them all to have a family, but you cannot take ever orphan home.
Likewise, God loves everyone. He wants everyone to be a part of his family, but not everyone can come to heaven.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will
Ephesians 1:5

In Ephesians, Paul also brings up the idea of predestination.
I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.
I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother.
I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie.
Then I went to Syria and Cilicia.
I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
They only heard the report: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
And they praised God because of me.
Galatians 1:17-24

The bible is not a joke, it's the God inspired book written of thousands of years by dozens of different authors.

I want you to know...the gospel I preached is not of human origin.I did not receive it

from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Conversion_on_the_Way_to_Damascus-Caravaggio_(c.1600-1).jpg

David and his Lament

David took up this lament concerning Saul and his son Jonathan, and ordered that the men of Judah be taught this lament of the bow (it is written in the Book of Jashar): "Your glory, O Israel, lies slain on your heights. How the mighty have fallen! Saul and Jonathan--in life they were loved and gracious, and in death they were not parted. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
2 Samuel 1:17-19; 22-23

I know I said last post I'd be doing a blog post on Kindness and Goodness, but I really don't care. I read 1 Samuel 1 yesterday in my quiet time, devotional, or what you want to call it. Verse 23 really stood out to me. I encourage you to read through all of 2 Samuel 1, but I you need to look at the beginning of the 23rd verse one  more time. Saul and Jonathan--in life they were loved and gracious. Perhaps your not so familair with you bible. If so, then that fine...but if you read through 1 Samuel, you'll see that Saul tries to kill David, and he's very blunt about it...He doesn't go into stealth mode, but simply attempts to kill him several times and is quite clear about it. His son Jonathan was kind to David til the end and deserved a lament, but I'll be honest...if someone tries to kill me, they aren't going to be called gracious in my little song about them. That's just me being honest.
David refused to kill Saul twice when he could have (he cut off a portion of Saul's clothing), but David refused to kill God's anointed.
I just am amazed that David had so much strength and courage. If I was David, the Saul would have been murdered in his sleep. But anyway, Saul was anything but gracious. He refused to give up search for the anointed king of Israel. And in his hatred for David, he went to a witch and told her to bring up the spirit of Samuel (who was dead at this point).
David sure has a good heart (even though his actions were sometimes less than good).
-Ruth

It's Not You!

The verse Epesians 2:8-9 is a verse that tells people how to become a christian, but I want to point out a few words.


For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.


I just want to point out that your are a christian not by works, but by grace. God says that twice in this passage through Paul. 2 times. It must be important.


For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Romans 12:3


Paul wrote both of these verses because Paul knew without a doubt that his faith was not of himself. Paul was once known as Saul. He killed Christians and watched them be stoned, but was miraculously converted to a christian by God. Paul knew that all he was was not of himself because if he had not seen Jesus, the light, then would probably be killing Christians all of his life. This is not of yourself. This is what Paul was sure to tell to those from Roman and Ephesus. He probably told this to other places he visited, maybe even by mouth. But Paul was sure of it. 
Maybe you experienced something like Paul were your eyes were opened, or maybe you came into God's family in a more "basic" way. (Basic in quotation marks because no matter how you became a Christian, God sees it all the same) But anyway, maybe you came into God's family in a more "basic" way, it doesn't matter...you should be aware that IT'S NOT YOU! 

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought!

Sin

Samuel said to Saul, "I am the one the LORD sent to anoint you king over his people Israel; so listen now to the message from the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them; put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.'" Then Saul attacked the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, to the east of Egypt. He took Agag king of the Amalekites alive, and all his people he totally destroyed with the sword. But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs--everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.
1 Samuel 15:1-3 and 7-9

You see, Saul just sinned in that passage. And now I will show you how his sin affected people later on because sin affects more people then just you. Here is what happened in Saul's case.

King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles.
Esther 3:1

I bet most of you have heard the story of Esther, but you might not know that Haman was related to King Agag. Esther would never have happened if King Agag had been killed.
So the brief overview of Esther is that Esther, a Jewish girl, was chosen to be the queen of a Persian king. Her uncle told Esther that all the Jews where to be killed and Esther told this to the king. Haman was hung on the gallows and all the Jews where saved. If you'd like to know more details, read the book of Esther (The whole book is only ten chapters).
Sin is a big deal. So be careful what you do because when you step out of God's will and plan, bad thing do happen to you and possibly future generations.