About Me

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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

God's Plan Cannot Be Thwarted

 "The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, And as I have purposed, so it shall stand." Isaiah 14:24 NKVV 

"For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?" Isaiah 14:27  NKJV

"He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion..." (Phil. 1:6).

It is pretty difficult not to deplore, decry, and bemoan the condition of the present-day church. What can be done and what can we do?  Is this our problem or God's problem are we to blame? Usually, if something is wrong in the church we must start with ourselves and our problems rather than blame the church come on once said what's wrong with the church I am. There are many reasons to lose heart about what's going on in the local church because of the false teachings, especially in these are valid reasons that when we put our faith in God we realize that God is bigger than our problems. 

It is not how big our faith is but how big our God is matters. This is not a big deal in God's eyes.  He sees from the vantage point of eternity and the big picture while we don't. We might say that the Christian life is hard in the church but it's not just hard it's impossible!  No church is perfect no perfect people need a ply the church is a hospital for centers, not a hotel for saints and all the work so we are going to see shortcomings in the church, and losing heart is only normal but, when we do, we can come to God in prayer with boldness and access the majesty at his right hand, the throne of God on high. the power of God!  God's open-door policy gives us the right to go right to the top.

It is a mystery how God works through his church this was not revealed in the Old Testament where the church is composed of Gentiles and Jews and we must realize that this is all going according to plan.  God has no Plan B, no backup plan. When Jesus was discipling the Twelve, if they had failed he had no backup plan--they were his plan and his only plan and he put all his faith in them.  This shows that God uses humble instruments because they are all ordinary men.  

Only one of the apostles that was not ordinary was Paul and he was an intellectual giant and educated as a Pharisee,  probably more than in his era.  We find out that God can use these humble instruments and also use us which humbles us God doesn't always choose the scholars of the world to be the great leaders of the church. So we see the wisdom of God in the church that God orchestrates all history to bring about the completion of the church.  It's all going according to plan and no one can stop, thwart, or frustrate God's will.  We do not have the power to interfere with God's plan.

""Oh the depths both of the riches and knowledge of God. (Rom. 11:33).  We seem to want God to make sense to us but God is beyond words for the finite cannot grasp the infinite.    He is beyond description and his thoughts are deeper than ours and we cannot fathom the profundity of God. Canst thou search to find out God? Job 11:7. So the deep things are hidden from us but that which is revealed belongs to us (Deut. 29:29).  it says in the army god does have mysteries but in that day when we're in heaven we shall ask Jesus nothing 'cause Jesus will answer all our questions.

We should never lose heart and seek God's will because we can always go to God in prayer.  He's always there ready to hear us with an open ear the door is open and we do it by the power of the Holy Spirit on our own power and the authority in the name of Jesus Christ we can go right to the Father.   We don't have to pray and invoke Saints or Mother Mary or anybody else we go right to God the Father and pray directly to him to the throne of grace.  We live our lives in Christ to reflect and showcase God's glory in our lives as we do God's will but God enables us by the Spirit's anointing and filling. 

Paul said, "I will not venture to speak of anything but of what has accomplished through me!" (Rom. 11:18).   God is working through us and accomplishes will through us we are his instruments or vessels of honor for the work he has chosen to use us to do his will. (Eph. 2:10).  So we must learn that we can be ourselves with God;  frank, candid, and open and not hide anything from him, for he will accept us as we are he will not let us stay that way.  He will work in us to transform our lives make us new creatures and soften our hearts so that we are transformed from the inside out. We are his works in progress so we should be patient as God isn't finished with us yet!  Soli Deo Gloria!