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Category Archives: God’s Sovereignty


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The Choice

The Choice
Whom Will We Serve

 

2 Chronicles 15:12-13 – and whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:33 “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Some powerful verses, aren’t they?

The Choice

We have a choice to make; a choice between God’s will and our will. Are we going to follow our way and what we think is best or are we going to follow God? Which we choose will determine if we enter into the kingdom of God.

We can only choose if we know what our choice is. Therefore, we have to learn who God TRULY is and who we TRULY are. Only then can we decide. Otherwise we may be choosing ourselves and not realize it or choosing a false image of God, not God.

This choice is the one Adam had to make. He chose himself when he chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He decided he could choose what was right, good and best in his life. Like Adam, we all have this choice to make, our way or God’s. But first we have to see God and see ourselves.

Born into Self-Will (sin)

We are born in this world following our self (sin) – like the fallen Adam. Bound to this self will, we learn to trust our pride, strength, intellect, ideas of what good is, and goodness. Our trust is in us. What we trust is our idol/god. We experience life with us at the helm. We see what it manifests. We have no idea that there is another option because it is all we know. We are blinded to God’s way. We haven’t learned of it therefore can’t chose Him or walk in it. We will do what we know. What we know we trust.

Then something in our spirit awakens. We become aware that there is another way; to trust God instead of us. This first awakening is what people acknowledge with the “sinner’s prayer” – it’s simply awareness. This awareness plays out in four ways as in the parable of the sower of the field. Matthew 13 Only the seed, the Word, that falls on good soil continues on and prospers. Good soil is the soul nourished with the spirit and truth. Though many have awareness only a fraction choose God.

Seeking God to Choose Him

Until we seek God grounded in the Bible with the instruction of the Holy Spirit, we don’t have the information to make the choice of truly denying ourselves to follow God. John 6:45 One, we aren’t fully aware of the self that is contrary to God (sin is a symptom of self, it’s self, the source, we are to repent, turn from) second we don’t know God deeply enough to trust Him with our lives. How do you really trust what you don’t know?

At this awakening, we can choose to pursue God or not. Pursuing God means seeking Him with all our hearts to know Him deeply and personally. It isn’t easy. It takes commitment to diligently seek. We need to get to know God amidst all the deception that fills our lives, which keeps us from this very act. Lies like you don’t need to seek, you don’t need to read the Bible, you just need to do be a good person, and you are too busy. There are many counterfeit substitutes within spirituality to keep us from digging deeper so we can truly make a choice for God and believe.

If you believe there is gold in your backyard what will you do? Go dig. If you believe God is your God what will you do? Go dig. If you believe only God is righteous and you aren’t therefore you don’t know what is truly good, then you will seek God and His ways and truth because you are clueless. You’ll desire to draw near and know Him. Faith without works is dead. Faith is believing and trusting in God and His ways. You can’t follow what you don’t know. To truly know God as He is and not some image concocted by you or this world, you have to get to intimately know Him. You have to get to know God and His ways in order to follow them. You don’t choose what you don’t know and trust. Believe is a loaded word.

This need to seek is why the path is narrow to life and few find it. Matthew 7:13-14 It takes commitment and diligence in seeking God. This is why many are called few are chosen. Matthew 22:14 Of the called, few choose to seek out God and get to know Him as He is. For those who truly seek God, they are able to choose between themselves and God because they understand what the choice entails.

Christian Image – False Security

One of the greatest distractions from seeking is buying into the image of a follower of God. Once you think you’ve found, you stop seeking.

This “image of a Christian” keeps people from seeking. (One who lives the manufactured Christian lifestyle) This manufactured image misleads people into thinking they made a choice when they haven’t. This “image” has a fundamental trait – no real necessity to seek God to get to know Him. It deludes people into thinking they have God when they don’t because outwardly they’ve changed their actions. They have only heard the call but they haven’t sought to really be able to make the choice. They are still following self.

In Matthew 7:22-23, people were doing great acts in God’s name. But they were doing what they thought best, thus living by their righteousness and not God’s. They never spent time to really get to know God. They lived the image of a Christian but were far from truly being a Christian.

This is why God says to seek Him. Amos 5:4 In seeking, you get to see who He truly is and who you truly are. In that awareness, you are able to choose between Him and you. Choosing Him is believing in Him. Believing means He is Lord in word and action. This is true faith.


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Insight into Old Testament Laws PART 3

Insight into Old Testament Laws

PART 3

 

Continuance from previous posts …

This entry is the last one of three on seeking understanding of the Old Testament Laws  …  Again, I’m addressing these because we know God doesn’t change, and when we read these “nonsensical” laws it can be confusing to why He did what He did. Learning about God is an on-going search and discovery. It’s a process, and in that process of seeking Him we are changed.

Specifications on trimming men’s hair Lev. 19:27

This rule reminded the Israelites that they belonged to God. The Israelites were different and to be set apart from other nations.  Their appearance was a reminder to them and other nations that they were special. We do the same today in that we dress to associate ourselves within certain groups of people. It was an outward symbol that others could see to know what group they belonged.

God’s people are to be separate from the world. We are to in the world but not of it. True separation starts in the heart.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Menstrual uncleanliness – Lev. 15:19-24

Menstrual flow is symbolic of blood covering death for there to be life again. It’s a reminder/ symbol of God’s design, that when there is death, blood is needed as a covering for there to be life.  The un-cleanliness of a woman was due to the death of the seed in her.  This rule is similar to the one in which someone was considered unclean if he touched a dead person. Physical death teaches us about spiritual death. A woman was unclean because death (spiritual) isn’t good. It’s contrary to God, who is life. In Jesus Christ spiritual death was destroyed, as signified by His resurrection. When we are in Him, we overcome spiritual death.

The uncleanliness of death is to teach us spiritual death isn’t good and the blood to remind us that blood (blood of Christ) when it covers us brings life.

Punishment of death for Adultery Lev 24:14

Over and over in the Bible, adultery is used to illustrate what we are doing spiritually when we have idols or put our trust in other things other than God. If we commit spiritual adultery, we will face spiritual death. However, in Christ we are forgiven and thus delievered from spiritual death.

Spiritual adultery is a VERY serious matter. Therefore, physical adultery was very serious; the physical points to the spiritual. When we have this kind illustration, we gain a deeper understanding of the seriousness of spiritual adultery, a seriousness we have lost today.

Homosexuality

As for Homosexuality, the original issue brought up along with these other laws, is also not allowed in the New Testament – therefore it still stands. Romans 1:27 The other laws Christ altered with His fulfillment of the law and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Throughout the Bible marriage and the relations between a man and a woman are symbolic of our relationship with God. Sexual laws are ones that point to spiritual purity. One man (who represents Christ) is to be united to one woman (who represents the church). Not man to man or woman to woman.  As woman is united to one man, we each are to be united to only One, Christ, in purity and holiness.

Further Reading … Man of Love, Man of War

We need to have the humility and understanding that we aren’t God and seek truth and understanding from Him as to His ways. His ways are so far above ours that we won’t ever fully understand for we don’t have His mind, but if we seek then God promises to enlighten us as best as we can understand at the time.


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Learning from Old Testament Laws PART 2…

Learning from Old Testament Laws

PART 2

 

Continuance from previous post …

Penalty of death for breaking the Sabbath Exodus 35:2

Because most of us struggle with sanctification without works, God designed a potent instruction tool, the Sabbath. God established the law of the Sabbath as a picture and foreshadowing of entering into His ultimate rest in Christ.  On the Sabbath His people were ordered not to do any work. The consequences of not honoring this day were severe. In Numbers 15:32-36, on the Sabbath, a man was gathering sticks in the wilderness; a seemingly low effort and harmless task. His penalty? Death. The Sabbath law was not to be taken lightly. Exodus 31:14

The day was established to remind us that God sanctifies us and not our efforts. Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. (Ezekiel 20:12) If we try even with the smallest effort, like picking up sticks, we are going against the will of God. Christ fulfilled the entire law including the Sabbath. The requirement of rest pointed to Christ who would be our eternal rest and free us from having to earn our righteousness by obeying the law. He became our rest and we became holy. We are no longer bound to any law because He perfectly filled each one. There is nothing we add to it and it is to our determent if we try to. We are to accept what He has done and rest in grace. We all fall into the performance trap, but the question is in what race are we trying to run, of works or grace?

Galatians 3:24-25, Colossians 2:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

From the severity of the consequences of the Sabbath Law, we can see how important learning and abiding by this truth is to God. It’s critical to our spiritual survival to rest from attempting to earn our righteousness. If we try to live by the law then that is how we will be judged. If we break one iota then we have broken it altogether and we are accountable. The man who picked up sticks that one afternoon was put to death. It is all or nothing. And no one can fulfill the whole law. We are human and we will fall short. This path, which the majority of the world attempts to walk, has one end, death. Conversely, if we live by grace then we are judged by grace, and we abide in freedom and perfect assurance of our salvation and sanctification.

Ezekiel 33:13, Romans 4:4-5

Christ saves and sanctifies. Most of us trust Him with saving our souls but when it comes to sanctification we intervene. If the core motivation to give to the poor, tithe, go to church, say a prayer, go to a Bible study, work for a ministry, and help with the homeless is to earn a high ranking in His kingdom or make us more worthy then our trust is in the wrong place. It’s clear by the consequences of breaking the law that God doesn’t tolerate us attempting to sanctify ourselves. It’s critical that we know this truth deep in our souls. Resting means we trust God to sanctify us alone. A good way to test if you are resting in Him is to stop doing those things for awhile and see what you feel in your soul. If you feel guilt, you are trusting in the wrong thing.

Galatians 5:4-5

Restrictions on eating certain foods Lev. 11:10

Eating represented eternalizing certain spiritual doctrines. Foods were symbolic of what was unclean, the philosophies contrary to God’s truth and ways and the ones those other beliefs come from. The restrictions on food were a constant reminder that what we take in (other philosophies) affects our bodies, minds, and spirits. If it is tainted then we are tainted.

The Israelites were commanded not to mingle with other nations because their philosophies and beliefs would influence them and lead them astray from God, which they did. Abstaining from certain foods was a constant reminder of this truth.

At the coming of Christ, life was able to go to all men so that all could enter God’s presence not just the Israelites. Anyone God purifies is pure. Acts 10:12-16 There are no more divisions in Christ, all can come to God through Christ. However, it is still critical for us not to mingle the truth of God with other philosophies. Matthew 16:6, 12.

 

Touching unclean animals Lev 11:8

Again this addresses staying away from other philosophies that aren’t of God because of our ability to be influenced by them. Without the Holy Spirit people had to stay completely separate from these other nations and ideas. They lacked discernment, wisdom and counsel. They easily gave into those ideas. The restrictions on animals represented that separation and served as a constant reminder.

To be continued …


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Eternal Truths of those CRAZY Old Testament Laws

Eternal Truths of those

CRAZY Old Testament Laws

An email was forwarded to me from a man who listed several points about the Word of God in a response to the claim by Dr. Laura that homosexuality is an abomination according to the Word of God. He addressed issues regarding the laws of the OT (Old Testament), in which he thought they were nonsensical. His point was to show the laws were absurd and therefore dismiss anything it may say about homosexuality. Many stumble at these issues so I felt it was important to talk about them. Here I address each of the topics he mentioned. I hope this brings some light though I realize there is much to learn.

Seeking with a mindset to truly know and not to lift ourselves above God allows us to be open to learn from Him. If we seek to know God as He is, then we will start to see the perfection in all His ways, and how all works together to teach us and instruct us. God is love. All He does is in love. As we seek to understand His truths with this mindset and trust the Holy Spirit to teach us, we see that is the case.

Before we get started a couple of points. The Word is written layer upon layer so that each passage holds layers of truth. It’s incredibly rich and deep, which makes seeking and learning an on going process. Second, those of the OT didn’t have the Holy Spirit to guide and to teach them, therefore they needed numerous external rules to live by. Third, the stories and events of the OT point to spiritual truths, eternal truths. The laws are symbolic and reminders of God’s truth. Each one pointed to a deeper spiritual truth, and those truths endure though many of the rules do not – as they were no longer need with the coming of Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

God is God and we are not. We see a sliver. He sees eternity. He knows how all works together. We think we know better and we know best, we don’t. God knows our nature better than we do. He understood that the Israelites needed boundaries, rules, reminders of His truths to be constantly before them. He understood if you give people an inch they take a mile. God knows the human nature better than any. All the “rules” were for the Israelites protection and continuance of a nation. He needed to protect them because from that lineage Christ would come. At the manifestation of Jesus Christ not only was He the perfect fulfillment of the law but we are now able to receive the Holy Spirit to guide us so we didn’t need all those outward reminders. Further, God was building illustrations that taught eternal truths and many pointing to Christ. On with the issues …

Slavery Leviticus 25:44, Exodus 21:7

God allowed slavery for a reason to serve certain purposes. It caused history to play out in a certain way. We can’t understand the beginning from the end or the full purpose of its existence, because all we’ve know is history with it. Like today, our systems serve certain purposes though far from perfect. Some systems seem unfair, but that is our estimation. We aren’t qualified to judge, because we see only a sliver of time. We think we know what fair is. We haven’t a clue. We don’t see the beginning and the end. We don’t understand the fullness of our purpose here on earth. Ecc 3:11 We are trying to play God when we think we do.

In addition, the way the world is at any one time is to teach us spiritual truths and the “negative” teaches just as much as the positive, if not more so. Slavery in the physical taught us about slavery in the spiritual. If there was no slavery we would lack understanding. We can’t see the spiritual so the physical is there to teach us about it in a way we can understand.

The more important truth is we are all slaves either to God or to “Satan”. It’s the spiritual life that matters much more than the physical. The physical life is but a nit; the spiritual for eternity. We put far too much weight on the physical and not enough on the spiritual life. Many people today are slaves to greed, lust, and a whole host of things that are far worse than physical slavery. And it this internal slavery that Christ came to free us from. Freedom is an illusion to those who are slaves to this world.

Matthew 10:28 , 1 John 5:19, Titus 2:9, James 4:14

Animal sacrifices – Lev 1:9

Animal sacrifices pointed to Christ. God designed this world that life is to be given for life for there to be forgiveness; blood for blood. The sacrifice of the animals was to teach us about the seriousness of our sin – how it separates us from God and what is required for us to be reunited to Him – the life of another. For the Israelites, it was a constant reminder of their need for forgiveness and that it’s only life that can pay the price for sin.

With Christ, the eternal sacrifice, an animal sacrifice and having to do it over and over is no longer needed.

Further reading – Lesson in Sacrifice

To be continued ….


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Power of God’s Spirit Within Us

Power of God’s Spirit Within Us

 

Theses truths stuck me in a deeper way this past week … AMAZING.

God’s spirit is more powerful than anything in this world. Jesus Christ, full of that Spirit and not rebelling against it with His will, simply touched people and healed incurable diseases. Luke 8:44-46 He walked on water. Matthew 14:26 He fed thousands from one man’s lunch. Matthew 15:33-38 He raised people from the dead. John 11:43-44 This power raised Him from the dead. Matthew 28:6 It’s a Spirit who has complete authority over every spiritual entity. It has power over the spiritual and physical and it dwells within us. This Spirit is the kingdom of God in us, changing us and our lives. This Spirit and the power it holds is what Jesus taught and gave us access to. He set the example of how that Spirit is manifested, by knowing and being in harmony with God’s will.

Jesus reconciling us back to God, made it possible for the Spirit of God to dwell within us as a part of the divine nature 2 Peter 1:4, thus sons and daughters of God. When we have God’s Spirit, we have that same power that worked in Jesus working in us. Matthew 10:7-8 Ephesians 1:19-20. Meditate on that for a minute – it’s an astounding reality.

God’s spirit dwells in us giving life to all that we are. Romans 8:10-11 Nothing in this world is more powerful; illnesses, situations, spiritual enemies, even death. Mark 16:17-18 This Spirit infuses a power far beyond us into every area of our lives – our work/purpose, relationships, bodies, prayers, everything. John 15:7, Phil 4:13, 4:19. It’s this Spirit that manifests the spiritual gifts as God wills. 1 Corinthians 12:11 It’s this Spirit that manifests the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22

Power comes from Unity

This Spirit is active and thrives in us when there is unity between us and God as Jesus exemplified. Like all relationships, it takes both parties to come into harmony of will for there to be true unity. If you want to marry someone and he/she doesn’t, there won’t be a marriage. God did His part through Jesus’ life reconciling us back to Him that we may become children of God. Our part is to submit our will to God’s will; to abide in Him and all He is creating unity of wills. God gave us our own will. With a will, we can either submit to God or not as He leads us. For there to be unity and have God’s power at work in our lives, our will needs to be in line with His in all we do. We lack power when we lack unity. But unity isn’t simple. It’s a process, a journey of unlearning and learning, trusting, humility, and letting go. Galatians 2:20 Yet, no journey is more important or has more impact to say the least.

How to Gain Unity

Harmony of wills is the result of seeking God with all our heart, soul, and mind while being grounded in His Word. When we seek in this manner, we gain truth that leads to trust and love, both requirements of the unity God desires. Many people try to gain the power of God outside of seeking His will and submitting to it. Pray and pray to no avail, try to be a good person, earn favor with their works, push their will and try to use God’s power to fulfill it, and/or try to mimic God’s power in their lives. Living in His power is a result of coming together as one in truth and love being rightly united to Him. When you have this unity, the flow of His power is the result. It takes time, patience, and persistence – three things difficult to give especially in a world of instant gratification.

Role of Trials/Afflictions

Setting aside the ego-will that is in rebellion to God’s is often the purpose of our trials/afflictions. Trials/afflictions can point to the fact that our will is in control and not unified to God’s will. 1 Peter 1:6-7. Each one of us has different areas where our will is dominating; areas we know and ones we are blinded to. Only God can reveal and work through those areas so we live in His will. If we seek with a love for the truth and not for our own desires, God uses trials open our eyes. The angst is to get our attention; to get us to seek. If we never learn what those trials are there to teach us, then we remain in the dark. As a result, we remain blinded to His will and continue to hinder the power of His Spirit in us. It’s a HUGE cost to pay for our stubbornness and lack of seeking.

Unity only happens if we seek Him in truth (abiding in His Word), commune with the Holy Spirit being taught by Him, and allow that Word to penetrate our lives and change us. As we seek in truth, His Spirit moves closer, our will starts to align to His, and as a result His power starts manifesting in our lives. Amos 5:4 Apart from God we can do nothing. John 15:5. In Him, we are mighty beyond anything in this world as He wills. Our lives were created to be a channel through which God’s power flows according to His will and good pleasure Phil 2:13

Unity with God that brings the power of God to our lives is the outcome of seeking God with a heart to know Him, having a love for the truth, being grounded in His truth, the Bible, and being taught by the Spirit. Seeking Him comes first, and all else follows. Matthew 6:33

Grasping what the indwelling of God’s Spirit means and what is produces, it becomes apparent that following rules alone creates a religion, not a relationship thus false spirituality. Only being unified to God in truth and love creates the unity God desires. Without love, our acts are in vain and gain us nothing. Authentic Christianity entails our will being in unity with God’s in a bond of love and truth so His power flows in and through us so God’s purposes are fulfilled and He is glorified.


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Interruptions or Opportunities? God Directing Our Paths

Interruptions or Opportunities?

God Directing Our Paths

The other week my mom came to visit. It was just her and I as my husband was out of town. We were looking forward to a week of relaxation, bonding and quality time together. On Thursday, I walked into the garage to find the water heater leaking. Our plans were put on hold as I spent the next several hours dumping buckets and waiting on the plumbers. Then as I tried to play Mrs. Mechanic – our kitchen sink faucet started to leak – don’t ask. Later I found out that our second water heater had a problem with the pilot. It was crazy. Our week of bliss just got derailed as I was consumed with resolving these issues.

It was a blessing all these plumbing issues happened at once saving me time and money – but what a pain. As frustration was about to set in I asked, why God? I believe there is a reason for everything.

I learned a great lesson. When interruptions (anything disrupting “our plan” or anything not part of “our plan”) come into our lives, it forces us to redirect for the day or however long the interruptions last. Whether they are distractions of our enemy trying to rattle us or God redirecting our paths – if we look for the opportunities in what is happening – we can be blessed by those interruptions and our whole experience changes from one of frustration to discovery.

Our lives are no longer ours, but God’s. God is in control. He directs our steps, not us. So why do we get frustrated with situations outside our control? God directs our lives, interruptions and all, so who knows exactly what He is doing at any one time including with the interruptions. When situations happen outside of our illusionary control we can be at peace that all is working out as it should. Romans 8:28

How we respond to those interruptions is up to us and makes all the difference. We can be resistant and frustrated and miss out on the blessing that was wrapped up in that interruption. Or we can embrace it for what it is, our path being slightly or significantly redirected to fulfill His purposes and look for the new opportunities it presents (a need God was providing, a new acquaintance, a better path). If we do the latter, whether it is an attack or God, we are in a place mentally for God to use it for good in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

I know things happened for a reason; however this time I went to the next step and instead of just dealing with it or putting my life on hold until it passed, I looked for the gifts in what was happening and embraced the redirection – even in something as small as a leaky water heater.

Despite the constant interruptions, I still managed to get in a pretty good quite time, where I learned this great lesson. My mom had a wonderful time relaxing in the San Diego sun, gardening in my yard, and reading. She fully appreciated her downtime. It was a great respite for her. Then there is the plumber, our paths crossing perhaps only for this time; is that a coincidence? What about the prayers I spoke for him? One way to get people to interface with our lives is with these seemingly inconveniences. Who knows what God is up to? People we meet, even briefly, can impact us or we them – you just never know. And if we accept the interruptions for what they are we are more in the mindset to be used as God is looking to use us.

This situation got me thinking about a more serious interruption that has happened lately. The interruption came to a friend’s life, but it greatly affected mine. My friend and I were writing partners. We would get together and critique each others work twice a month. The writing was basically the extent of our interaction. Then her Mom started to have health issues that took up much of her days. We stopped the critiquing because she was so busy with her mom she didn’t have time to write. Instead we went for walks and just started hanging out. Our conversations expanded beyond just our writing into our lives. Our hearts started to draw near and a beautiful friendship blossom from our time together. Her Mom is stable now and my friend is getting back to her writing. And we now have a wonderful friendship that I absolutely cherish. Our friendship wasn’t the only reason for her interruption – but it was a HUGE blessing that came out of it.

We often see only one or a few aspects of a situation. God showed me there is much more that is going on. My frustration from seemingly unnecessary distracting interruptions is simply a lack of awareness of the bigger picture. And thinking I know what that big picture is. We have no idea all that God is doing in our lives and doing through us in other people’s lives. So the next time whether a small interruption like a leaky water heater or a bigger one like health issues with a family member – ask God to show you the bigger picture and to trust that He has all under control and everything is working out as it should be. And just don’t tolerate it – look for the opportunities that are coming out of the interruption and be in a mindset to be used by Him in the situation.

What are the interruptions in your life? What are the gifts in them?

Psalm 138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands


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Do We Have Free Will?

Do We Have Free Will?

 

Lately, free will has been brought up in several conversations carrying the assumption that we have free will and it got me to thinking . . . how much free will do we really have?

Let’s look at what we didn’t choose in our physical life; to be born, where, when and to whom we were born, where we grew up, who we grew up around, our family, our genetic make up, our IQ, our body type, our race, our gender, our personality, generational weaknesses and strengths.

Given all these restrictions, how much free will do you think we have? Our will is constricted to certain things, whether we like it or not.

Those things pertain to our physical life, what about the spiritual life?

I believe it is very similar, because throughout the Word, this earth, our lives, the physical parallels the spiritual. First, I believe we don’t chose salvation. We didn’t choose our physical birth and we didn’t choose our spiritual birth. How can a dead life choose life? It is dead. It can’t comprehend the things of God. It can’t understand the spirit life to choose the spirit. It is in rebellion against God, not wanting to draw near. Isaiah 53:6

God saves, God calls, God chooses. We don’t think that is fair? What about the ones who didn’t have a choice where they were born and were given horrible circumstances, in slums, in drug addictions, in a place where human life isn’t valued, and no love? Is that fair? How much choice did they have?

Romans 9:11-23, John 6:44, Romans 8:28-30, Matthew 22:14, 1 Peter 2:9

Second, like our physical life, we live within defined limits in our spiritual life. God saves us and gives us new life. He determines the grace we have, the spiritual gifts we possess, and our spiritual growth. Romans 12:3 1 Corinthians 12:11 Ephesians 2:10 Philippians 2:13 Our will comes into play in seeking Him, drawing near and abiding in His truth. Matthew 7:33, Hebrews 11:6 If we seek Him, then He has promised to do all sorts of wonderful, powerful and amazing things in our lives. Our will, what we say happens or doesn’t happen and the choices we have, is limited.

Acts 17:26-28 And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’

There are two faulty beliefs that cause us to think that God being in control of our salvation isn’t fair and therefore couldn’t be.

1. The beliefs about hell.
2. The beliefs about God’s complete plan of salvation.

I don’t profess to completely understand either though I am seeking, but from what I read I am not convinced of an eternal torment as most churches teach or that we fully understand God’s plan of salvation and the roles we each play. Romans 9:22 We don’t know His thoughts, and I believe there is more to this life than we know. God is not like us, He is much bigger and we tend to forget that truth. We each try to fit Him and His ways into what we can understand right now.

To try to make God’s Word fit our ideas of justice and fairness is not seeking The Truth but trying to establish our own. We need to be okay with what we read, keep questioning, asking, learning, admitting we don’t know, and acknowledging there is more to learn. The entire Word fits together like a puzzle if certain pieces don’t fit we don’t have all the pieces yet. Only with all the pieces can we understand His Truth. We need to remove our church filters telling us what to believe and read His Truth to know and not to convince ourselves of what we currently believe. Only then do we have teachable hearts. God doesn’t want us to assume we know all or throw up our hands and say how can we know? He wants us each one of us to seek, grope, and ask for truth because that creates intimacy with Him.

Our will only comes into play in certain things. God holds the reigns. After all, He is God we are men. Psalm 9:20 We need to stop trying to make His truth fit ours and seek His.