My Spiritual Journey

This is a first-hand account of my religious and/or spiritual pilgrimage, pitfalls and all, without glorifying the past--and sparing the details.   It's an example of a  believer who got his own way and ultimately learned to submit to God's will the hard way of "been there and done that."

I was baptized in California as an infant in a Lutheran church and the pastor was my sponsor--we were corresponding for years.   I was also confirmed in childhood.  I can remember as a youth making a scrapbook of Jesus' life and my pastor showing it to the church, teaching vacation Bible school, and inquiring of my pastor whether I should go into the ministry.  I even went to Bible camp and believed I  knew the Lord mainly because I was fascinated with the book of Revelation (reading Billy Graham's book World Aflame), and then shared insights with my mom.

I recall no particular moment of surrender or spiritual awakening, but my faith was very important to me and I loved the Bible (I recall beginning the habit of underlining favorite verses).  I was a person of the Book as far as I can recall, even buying a children's Bible on my own.  My grandmother became very close to me and told me Bible stories.

I  made the big decision to dedicate my life to Christ in a Billy Graham crusade I heard on TV around my 15th birthday, and then got involved in a Seventh-Day Adventist Church Bible study.  Counseling with my pastor,  he told me to read  Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians.   I then proceeded to write a paper debunking the sect and defending the Lutheran faith.  I also found out I am not Sabbatarian.   I don't believe in "forsaking the assembly together of ourselves, as is the manner of some." But to affirm that  there are no "hard-and-fast rules" for the Sabbath Day."

I went to Augsburg College (a so-called Lutheran Christian college), and was exposed to "higher criticism"  and liberal theology, finding out I didn't know all the answers. With no more motive to study and being confused in my beliefs, I dropped out to do some soul searching and to find myself--wondering if my experience was to no avail.

Joining the Army and looking for love in all the wrong places, I heard a Billy Graham crusade again, only this time it was from South Korea; it was translated into Korean, so he had to go very slow and not being a good listener, it sunk in that I needed to repent, the missing link in my walk ("Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," Acts 3:19; "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24:47").   I was under grave conviction of my sin and rededicated my life to Christ.   I called my mom and told her she will like the new me; she said she liked the old me!   It seemed like I had made this decision before, but this time it stuck. I had to get to the end of my rope before admitting my need.

Going back I hooked up with the Navigators and was mentored.  Once you've experienced it,  you want to pass it on; so I got the bug to witness.  Witnessing to a  friend, he got saved; we became bosom buddies and hung around together the rest of my stint--I could not have made it through without his companionship and fellowship.   I credit the Navigators for teaching me devotions, witnessing, Bible study, and the discipline of committing Scripture to memory.  Then I taught Sunday School while in Okinawa and made many Christian friends.

I matured in my doctrinal viewpoints and the first doctrine I became interested in was eternal security--I even wrote Billy Graham to ask him his stand.   I perceived that repentance is a continual attitude and not just a one-time event and that God grants it by grace.  I frown upon "cheap grace," which justifies the sin, and not the sinner, as it were; giving a license to sin.  I had thought you could sin as much as you want as long as you confess it!  Repentance is an about-face, in military terms, and "If we regard iniquity in our heart, the LORD will not hear us."  We must get a new attitude, change our mind about our sin.  We can be very bad sinners, but never too bad to be saved ("Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD, though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow....").  

I became convinced of believer baptism and was officially dunked in the church--Dr. Johnson knew me and didn't give me a hard time.   I then shared my faith for the first time publically in the church, and had a personal revival and couldn't restrain myself--I had the "can't-help-it's" ( and I couldn't stop reading the Bible).  I was accused of living "under the influence.    And it was so strange that my mom committed me to the mental ward of the hospital for observation (they couldn't find anything wrong with me and released me).  I was accused of going overboard on my religion.   But I was scarred as a result and never got over it.  Afterward, I wandered the state of Texas flat broke, and went down to Mexico, and then committed myself to the VA.

Finally, I decided to move to Minnesota to live with my grandmother.  I gave my spiritual ambitions a rest and took up electronics and got a job at Honeywell troubleshooting torpedoes--I  wanted to pursue this as a career path.

Then I joined the Army again, but had issues with depression and wanted out,  and was given a medical discharge.  Later, I had many personal problems and found a girl who listened to me and fell in love--we were married for ten years.   During those years I was in and out of the mental hospital, being committed by my best friend, and then by my wife several times.  Once I spent 18 months in treatment, but, praise God,  have not had a relapse in over 20 years--but I do take medications,  and am under psychiatric observation, to be safe, considering my track record. 

I thought my hope had perished from the Lord, and  I was destined for mediocrity.   I found a church  where I  could continue to grow  (I learned that one must keep the main thing the main thing and that the purpose of the universal, as well as the local church, is to evangelize and fulfill the Great Commission), and this church had a place for me to serve; however, I wasn't that dogmatic anymore.

Later, after a lot of studies, I started to be concerned about my beliefs  (I became cognizant of the deity of Christ in a real way, and realized the Proverb "without a vision, the people perish"). I knew I had to exercise grace toward those I disagree with, and not be judgmental;   putting Augustine's dictum into practice:   "In essentials unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

Since then I've had a meaningful relationship and friendship with my mom, who is not ignorant of doctrine, either--neither of us believes ignorance is bliss, and know our way around the block, theologically speaking.  We talk every day and usually have mutually edifying and lengthy fellowship; we are on the same page so we can bounce ideas off each other.

I am not a success in the world's eyes and haven't achieved the American dream:  But I believe what Mother Teresa of Calcutta says, "The Lord calls us to faithfulness, not success."  God isn't interested in our achievements; He's interested in us and our obedience--Isaiah says, "All that we have done [God] has accomplished for us," and Paul says, "I venture not to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through me"  (Rom. 15:18).

Doctrinally speaking, I am a Calvinist who believes in the gifts of the Spirit--an oddity.  Sometimes we must agree to disagree, and not be disagreeable, contentious, divisive, or argumentative.   Even Paul and Barnabas disagreed and had to go their separate ways:  There are more important things than being right all the time--relationships--our faith is a relationship with a person, not a creed.  We must accept one another in love because we are "accepted in the Beloved" (cf. Eph. 1:6) and always "speak the truth in love."

As far as doctrine goes, a good frame of reference for soteriology, the doctrine of salvation,  is important for witnessing and assurance of salvation.  Like they say,  "God said it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind."  I'm not what I ought to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be! I now live an abundant life with a capital L and am seeking God's Kingdom first.

In summation, I am what I am by the grace of God, and am blooming where God has planted me.  My mission is to the vets, my ministry is my Bible study, and my avocation is blogging to the glory of God--I thank God for my church home!    

My favorite Bible verses are as follows:

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep thy word" (Psa. 119: 67).
"He brought me out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps"   (Psa. 40: 2).  "Therefore, the LORD longs to have mercy on you, and He waits on high to have compassion on you" (Isa. 30:18).   "I know the plans that I have for you, says the LORD, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer. 29:11).  "If thy Word had not been my delight, I would have perished in the way"  (Psa. 119:92).
"The LORD has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death"  (Psa. 118:18).

Most importantly:  "The LORD knows the way that I take, when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold" (Job 23:10).   Soli Deo Gloria!

Importance Of Knowing God

"There is no mercy or truth, or knowledge of God in the land"  (cf. Hosea 4:6).  

I'm not writing as one who has the inside track, has had special revelations or visions or has superior training, but I have studied the subject enough to arrive at some conclusions, mostly thankful to J. I. Packer's book Knowing God.

There's such a thing as knowing someone intimately, and knowing facts about them or knowing about them versus knowing of them.  God is so good that to know Him is to love Him, and knowing Him makes us want to love Him and be like Him.

Anyone who says he knows God (especially on the basis of some experience) and does not obey Him is a liar, according to Scripture (not me).   Knowledge of God, not knowledge about God, is a means to an end and we must apply what we know to relate to our relationship with Him--we long for more than just knowing about Him, which would be like having a theoretical cognition.  We find God (and Pascal says he would not have found Him, had He not first found him), and this is the main pursuit of believers, by seeking His face and searching for Him with our whole heart, mind and soul, and strength.

Our goal is knowing Christ personally, which is eternal life (cf. John 17:3),  and not moral perfection, which is only a side effect or result.   Life's major pursuit is seeking God and the first step is to recognize how little we know Him and need some answers and guidance.  Packer says, "A little knowledge of God is better than a lot of knowledge about God."  Note, knowing God doesn't excuse us from knowing about Him.  The goal, I reiterate, is to know God, not knowing ourselves, as the Greeks would say, "Know thyself."   Hosea says, "Let us know God, let us press on to know Him."  God's peeve or controversy with man is that he doesn't know Him ("And they do not know Me," says Jeremiah of God).   God says through the prophet Jeremiah, "Let not a man boast of his wisdom ... but that he knows Me."   This is a command according to 2 Peter 3:18 is as follows:   "Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ."


Job says, "Acquaint now thyself with Him and be at peace"  (cf. Job 22:21).  We do good deeds to grow:  "Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  (cf. Col. 1:10).  Titus 1:16 warns of those who profess to know Him but deny Him by their deeds.

Why know God?

 1)  To know Him is to love Him.
 2)  Shapes morals and ethics.
 3)  It affects our response to life.
 4)  It gives strength in temptation.
 5)  It keeps us faithful.
 6)  It enhances our worship.
 7)  It determines our lifestyle.
 8)  It gives meaning to our life and religion.
 9)  It sensitizes our conscience.
10)  It stimulates hope.
11) It enables us to know what to respect and reject.
12) Is the FOUNDATION.

Five motives to know God:

1)  It gives us a desire to be like Him (Jer. 9:24).
2)   It reveals the truth about ourselves (Isa. 6:5).
3)  It enables us to interpret our world (Dan. 4:33-35).
4)  It makes us strong and secure (Dan. 11:32).
5)   It introduces us to the dimension of God and eternal life (John 17:3).

Loving God is the ultimate response, according to Chuck Swindoll.

He lists four things we cannot apprehend and never probably will:  Trinity (His persona); glory (personhood); Sovereignty (plan); and majesty (position).

What are we going to do with our knowledge of God?

--Do we become conceited?
--Do we see others as poor specimens?
--Does it make us toxic intoxicated and sour, as if not applied?
--Do we turn knowledge about God into the knowledge of God?
--Does it remain theoretical or become practical?
--Does it lead us to lead others to God and know the more?
--Do we meditate (a lost art) on the truths?
Paul said in Phil. 3:10:  "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...."

Two caveats:  We can know a lot about Him as did ever 17th-century gentleman as a hobby, and not know much of Him at all--even getting A's in theology;  we can know a lot about godliness and be religious and not know God--it is not about being good or talking "God-talk", but being alive in Christ.  Christ didn't come to make bad men good, but dead men alive, says someone.

There are four evidences of knowing Christ according to J. I. Packer:

1)  Exhibiting great energy for God (Dan. 11:32).
2)  Having great thoughts of God (Dan. 4:26; 9:4,7,9,14).
3)  Having great boldness for God (Acts 5:29; 20:24).
4)  Having great contentment in God (Dan. 3:16-18).

Soli Deo Gloria!

Systematic Evidence For God's Existence...

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless" (Bertrand Russel, atheist philosopher).

"What you see neither indicates the total absence of God, nor His manifest presence, but rather the presence of a hidden God"  (Blaise Pascal, Christian philosopher).

Note that the existence of God is "open-ended" and God is only pleased with faith--both choices require faith.  (Heb. 11:6).

1)  The Bible assumes it unapologetically and does not try to offer proof (Gen. 1:1).

2) People suppress it (Psa. 14:1).

3) God hides Himself and one must seek Him (Jer. 29:13; Isa. 45:15; 55:6).

4) Changed lives prove the validity of testimony and the veracity of the witness is often validated by martyrdom--people usually tell the truth on their deathbed!

5) There is a God-shaped hole in man's heart (He is made to be fulfilled in Him alone), says Pascal.

6)  There is anthropological proof because belief is universal and all primitive peoples believe in a god or deity.

7)  Cosmological evidence citing the law of causality (cause and effect) which needs a so-called first cause or ultimate causation (Heb. 3:4).

8)  Ontological evidence--where did we get this idea from--it is like a tug or a moving of the tide (Rom. 1:19)--no one is without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

9) The moral compass of man like a mathematical table, not like social evolution (Rom. 2:15).

10) Teleological proof means that there is order, purpose, harmony, and intelligence (design), which point to a designer or grand thinker or author. If things are in order, someone had to put them that way!

11)  The Big Bang implies that the cosmos had a beginning, so who pulled the trigger?  There must be a "Beginner."

12)  The personhood of man proves God must be a person, for He must be greater than us, as His "offspring" (Acts 17:29).

13)  Can't prove a universal negative--that He doesn't exist (can't even prove there are no little green men!).

14)  Infinite time plus chance is bogus reasoning and is called "junkyard mentality"  This is like hoping a blind person can solve Rubik's Cube (would take 1.35 trillion years).  (Even if the whole universe were filled with junkyards and a tornado went through all of them, a 747 would not be assembled by chance, and this is an analogy).

15)  There is more evidence for than against--it is the hardness and unwillingness of the heart that doesn't want to believe; there is plenty of evidence and sound evidence at that.

16) Atheism can't account for Big Bang, the universe's fine-tuning, anthropic design of earth, the origin of life, the resurrection of Christ, the Bible's confirmation, changed lives, DNA, biogenesis,  et al.

17)  Archeology has never controverted the Bible though many have tried to disprove it and failed.

18)  Miracles and prophecy of the Bible are consistent and unaccountable by any other explanation.

19) Pascal's wager says that you are wiser to bet there is a God and find out you are wrong than take your chance that there isn't one and end up in hell--there's a lot to lose!


20)  The moral argument shows that God cares a lot about right and wrong and ethics and where did fair play, good faith, altruism, goodwill, integrity, et al., come from?

Creation implies a creator; design, ipso facto a designer; order, ergo an Orderer; and art, therefore an artist! This is plain logic and common sense:  if you found a watch, wouldn't you say someone made it?    "God doesn't believe in atheists," some have well said.  Norman Geisler said, "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist!"  There is more evidence for God than against--in fact, what evidence is there really that there is no God?

You can experience Christ personally and God challenges you: "Taste and see that the LORD is good"  (Psa. 34:8).   It takes faith; if you could rationalize God or prove Him, it wouldn't take faith and He would be not worthy of our worship!

Finally, it is not egotistical to assert that there is a God, and Jesus is the only way to Him because He made that claim and we just take His word for it--it is not us saying it!
  Soli Deo Gloria!

Should We Respect All Authority Figures?

"Render to all what is due them:   tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor"  (Rom. 13:7).  Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.  Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable" (1 Pet. 2:17-18).  "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right"  (1 Pet. 2:13-14, NASB).

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God:  the powers that be are ordained of God.   Whoso resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God...  For he is the minister of God to thee for good...(Rom. 13:1-2,4a, KJV)."

The Word says to fear (respect) all that fear is due (I learned this pretty fast in the Army saying my first "Yes, Sir!"), but does this mean it is up to us to decide whether they are worthy of our respect or not?  All authority is given by God and established by Him and it would not have any power over us except that God has given it.  Disrespecting authority is a way of disrespecting God (e.g., parents are in loco Dei or in the place of God as the first authority figures a child has to learn to obey, and disobedience to parents was a crime worthy of death, according to Romans 1) and only when they ask us to do some evil or sinful act are we entitled and obligated to disobey, and even do civil disobedience--there is a limit to our obedience (Shall we obey God or man? is asked in Acts 4:19).

But just as the judge demands respect from the court, even if they disagree, so in the military services one respects positions of authority regardless of the personal opinions or whether one likes them--it is the office they hold that is the key.  When the judge enters the courtroom, all rise out of respect and call him "your honor."

 We are to honor all people because they are in the image and likeness of God, no one deserves contempt or inhumane treatment as if they weren't human or deserved any rights.  We believe in the basic dignity of man and that is why capital punishment is appropriate because a person in God's image has been killed.  In a church, we have an organization, though the church is an organism of believers.  Elders, deacons, and pastors and teachers are a chain of command and are there by God's decree.  It is vain to believe we can reform our church to our image and agree with our way of thinking--Martin Luther tried this and failed to change the Vatican, getting excommunicated in the process and having to start his own denomination, which was not his intent.

 Rebellion is a sin and so is sowing discord among brothers.  Being divisive, factious, or contentious is a fruit of the flesh and to be avoided and disciplined by the church body  (cf. Gal. 5:20).  We are not trying to start our little own following, revolution or movement to be counterproductive to the system--we want to church's blessing on our endeavor.    As an example, I have this blog and made sure that my pastor didn't object to my sharing it; I gave him a sample of my doctrine so he knows where I stand, and that I'm not way out there in some heresy or something, and dangerous to the church.  This is done in the "up and up" and not in secret--no hidden agenda. 

We are to work with the system God has set up and respect all authority, even if we don't like them.   Remembering Jesus' words to Pilate:  "You would have no authority over me, except it had been given from above." Jesus never showed any signs of lack of respect, though he didn't really cooperate as expected.  As Protestants we can take advice from Martin Luther who dared to stand up to heresy and take the consequences, saying:  "I dissent, I disagree, I protest."

 Summing up, we don't have to agree with everything, but in everything we do we must show respect and disagree in the right way:  Augustine's dictum, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity" applies, but that also means we are to leave room for disagreement from the church, and not just them leaving room for our disagreement.  There should be unity, but not uniformity in the body. "Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (cf. Eph. 4:3).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You An Antinomian?

"Everyone did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 21:25).  We are not free to do what we want, but what we ought! 

A word to the wise is sufficient from Romans 14:1-5 as follows:  "Accept one who is weak in the faith, but don't argue about doubtful issues.  One person believes he may eat anything, but one who is weak in the faith eats only vegetables.  One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not criticize one who does,  because God has accepted him. Who are you to criticize another person's household slave?  Before his own Lord, he stands or falls.  And he will stand.  For the Lord is able to make him stand... Each one must be fully convinced in his own mind"  (HCSB).

My goal is to refute those who have become a "law unto themselves."  I want to emphasize that the unbeliever knows no law in effect, however, the believer needs no law in effect--a paradox.

We should never label our brothers, but for the sake of argument, let's analyze the issue.  Antinomianism refers to "anti-lawism," or being against law.  It is sometimes called libertinism, hedonism, or living by the philosophy that says, "Freed from the law, Oh blessed condition, now I can sin all I want and still have remission." It refers to moral liberty run amuck or moral laxity to the extreme.    We don't have the right to do as we want as believers and we are not a law unto ourselves--the Bible doesn't sanction a license to sin.  We never have the right to do what is wrong, and we believe in absolute right and wrong, defined by the Word of God, not our conscience--we are not lawless!  Certain of the more than 600 laws are now obsolete and don't matter to Christians, such as tithing,  cutting our sideburns,  mixing fabrics, or charging interest, but if it is serious it is reinstated in the New Testament in some manner.  Recall that Paul said love is the fulfillment of the Law.    We don't have to become Old Testament scholars to be good Christians--you can never go wrong by placing emphasis on the New Testament.

When we strive to obey the Law, we have "fallen from grace."  We don't have to become somewhat Jewish to become a Christian.  Neither justification nor sanctification is through the Law; instead, we are subject to the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ (Rom. 8:1-2).  The Pharisees were guilty of obeying the letter of the Law, and not the spirit of the Law--"As many as are led by the Spirit are not under the Law [how clear can the Bible be?]," says Gal. 5:18. The difference between a Christian and a non-Christian is that the former needs no law, and the latter knows no law.   Yes, all the Law can be summed up in loving your neighbor as yourself (Gal. 5:14).

There is a question of definition and morality. Some say are obliged to obey the moral law (in fact we are not "lawless", but have an inner law given by God), as opposed to the ceremonial or governmental codes.   There are many moral precepts laid down in the Law that are relevant and are merely addendum's to the Decalogue and are spelled out to a dense nation that didn't know right and wrong.  There are plenty of sins to worry about already, that we don't have to find some obscure one to preach about--we should always keep the main thing the main thing and preach salvation and deliverance from the Law.  

I have heard it said that if we are under the Ten Commandments (except for the Sabbath observance, which is not repeated in the New Testament). and this has not been rescinded.  There are plenty of sins mentioned in the New Testament (see Romans 1 Mark 7,  or Gal 5:20-21), that we don't need a longer "to-do list" or "not-to-do-list," as it were (Christianity isn't a rulebook if you will).

It is a sound interpretation of Scripture that the New Testament trumps the Old and we should interpret each in light of the other.  The fault of legalists is that they see "sins" and not "sin," or the root problem.  The Pharisees strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel!   They neglected the important areas of love, justice, and mercy while being overly legalistic and demanding about the Sabbath, making it a burden to dread, not a joy.

Remember,  Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light."  The early church (referring to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15) did not desire to burden the early church with a yoke their fathers couldn't bear and did not require them to follow the Law of Moses.  Christianity is a new faith and the fulfillment of, and not an extension or continuation of Judaism, which the early church struggled about.  Judaizers were an early heresy and Hebrews was written to combat this.  Soli Deo Gloria!

Dissertation On Salvation

What Scripture says about our standing before salvation: 
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people"  (Titus 2:11, ESV).

"Today, if you hear His voice, harden not your heart, as in the rebellion" (Heb. 3:15).  God has a plan of salvation:  "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"  (Heb. 2:3).  "Behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2).   God has a future for His people and offers them abundant life.  "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope"  (Jer. 29:11).  "...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly"  (John 10:10).   God's kindness and goodness toward you is not leniency but meant to give you space to change.  "...Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance"  (Rom. 2:4).

But we are in a predicament and cannot realize God's plan.  We are totally, but not utterly depraved, which means you are as bad off as you can be and that every part of you is corrupt, even though you are not as bad as you can be. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"  (Jer. 17:9).  We are a "sinner by birth, by nature, and by choice", according to  Chuck Swindoll.   "Indeed it is the straightedge of the law that shows us how crooked we are"  (Rom. 3:20, Phil.).  We are "free but not freed," says Augustine of Hippo.  We are free agents who are culpable and blameworthy and guilty, and all we can do is sin ("non-posse non-peccare," says Augustine [literally, "unable not to sin"]) period, case closed.

We cannot please God:  "We are like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is like filthy rags"  (Isa. 64:6).  We are in a no-win situation and cannot gain the approbation or approval of God no matter what we do--we cannot clean up our act or prepare ourselves for salvation, except admit we are unqualified.   "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23).  There is a great chasm, rift, or cleavage between us and God.  "But your iniquities have separated you from your God..."  (Isa. 64:6).  Jonathan Edwards preached back during the Great Awakening  in 1741 that we are" sinners in the hands of an angry God [referrring to Deut. 32:35 as his text]""  Furthermore, God doesn't hear our prayers as unbelievers:  "...Your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear" (Isa. 5:2).  We are even blind to the truth of the gospel:  "Whose minds the god of this age has blinded..."  (2 Cor. 4:4).

We cannot clean up our act or get it together--don't get me wrong; we can come as we are to Christ, we just can't stay that way.  We are "by nature a child of wrath" and cannot reform ourselves enough to please God.   "Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?  Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil?" (Jer. 13:23).   "Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?"  (Prov. 20:9).

 There is an exit strategy:  Jesus comes to the rescue and shows a way out of our dilemma.  This is no "do-it-yourself" proposition, but God taking the initiative and paying the price we couldn't pay on our behalf.  "But God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).  "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, all we like sheep have gone astray, and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all"  (Isa. 53:5-6).  "Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us, and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Col. 2:14). "For Christ suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Pet. 3:18).  "For He made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us..."  (2 Cor. 5:21).   This is called the propitiation, atonement, or reconciliation and is what God did for us on the cross through His Son Jesus Christ, and what was needed for our forgiveness (sort of like paying the price with His blood).

Christ died for "whosoever will" and no one who wills to do His will be left out.  However, the offer is to all whom the Lord our God will call, cf. Acts 2:39).  God does the wooing and actually compels us to come to Him with irresistible grace and an effectual call and we refer to as efficacious in its result.  "No one can come to Him unless the Father who sent Me draws him ..."  (John 6:44).  This is called one of Christ's "hard sayings."  "No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father"  (John 6:65).  I am not offering religion to you, but a relationship and way of life. It is not "do" but "done."  "The just shall live by faith"  (Hab. 2:4). It's a "done deal" and we cannot add to God's work, because Jesus said, "It is finished."

But the prerequisite to salvation is repentance by the grace of God or His unmerited and undeserved favor.  "... [God[ commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30).  Repentance is an about-face, a 180-degree turn, a turnaround, a change of mind and heart and action, a turning from sin toward God.  "Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, and times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord"  (Acts 3:19).  "For godly sorrow leads to repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted..."  (2 Cor. 7:10).  God gives space and time to repent and is patient:  "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Pet. 3:9).  God is being good for a reason--He wants repentance.  God grants repentance, so we should ask Him.  "Then God also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life" (Acts 11:18).  "...If perhaps, God will grant them repentance..." (2 Tim. 2:25).   True repentance always accompanies saving faith as the flip side. The combo is called believing repentance or penitent faith.  They are seen in juxtaposition in certain passages like Acts 20:21 and used interchangeably in others like Luke 24:47.    God puts a new man in the suit, not a new suit on the man!

We must be regenerated or born again, or born from above.  Irresistible grace makes us willing on the day of salvation (cf. Phil. 2:13).  "Salvation is of the Lord' (Jonah 2:9).  The Spirit regenerates like the wind blows where it wills (cf. John 3:8).  "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh"  (Ezek. 11:19, cf. Jer. 24:8).

We are at the mercy of God:  "...so then, it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy" (Rom. 9:16).  Our destiny is ultimately in God's hands and we are not the masters of our fate or captain of our souls, God is in control.   We are born "...not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13).

You must have faith to be saved, for only faith pleases God, and it is impossible to please Him without it.  Everyone has faith, they just have to exercise what they have; everyone has faith in something or someone.  We must have a  "heart belief" and not just a "head belief" or mere assent or agreement; it must involve the intellect, knowing the fact;, the will,  being obedient;  and the heart or emotions.    Real saving faith produces good works and if no fruit is present there is no faith, period. The Reformers' formula was "saved by faith alone, but not by a faith that is alone."  Faith is quickened within us and comes by the hearing and by the hearing of the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).  "For by grace are you saved through faith [the instrumental means], and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (cf. Eph. 2:8-9).  "God has dealt to each a measure of faith" (Rom. 12:3).  Peters epistle was directed "to those who have obtained like precious faith" (2 Pet. 1:1).  "This is the work of God, that you believe on Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29).  Doubt is an element of faith, not its opposite, and often resides with faith because no one knows all the answers or it would be knowledge.  "I believe, help thou mine unbelief" (cf. Mark 9:24).   If left to ourselves, none of us would believe, and we are no more virtuous because we do:  "There but for the grace of God, go I," (George Whitefield).  God has poured out grace on His chosen ones:  "...as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed' (Acts 13:48).  "He greatly helped those who believed through grace" (Acts 18:27).

The general call is to all but God gives His invitation to all whosoever will:  the poor, imprisoned, blind, and oppressed, according to Isa. 61:1.   The offer is not "swimming instructions for a drowning man, but a reprieve to a man on death row, who is guilt," ( Paul Little).  The invitation is as follows:  "Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Yes, come buy wine and milk, without price" (Isa. 55:1). "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you" (Jer. 31:3).  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).

We must respond (or reach a decision) to the good news about Christ.  That He died for sinners (they must know this), that He was buried, and that He rose again (for us personally--to know He died is history; to know for us is salvation).   There is no place for cheap grace or peace or easy-believism that thinks we can be saved without surrendering to His ownership of our lives and lordship over us and live in the flesh after its desires.  We must count the cost of following Him as Lord of our life.  "Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision" (Joel 3:14).

The search for God begins at salvation and we cannot find Him but that He found us:

 "Sow for yourselves in righteousness; reap in mercy, break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you"  (Hos. 10:12).   "But you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).  "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (Isa. 55:6).

The three things (the ABCs) we must do are as follows:

(1)   Admit our need that we are a lost sinner in need of salvation and alienated, estranged, or separated from God.

(2)  Believe in the gospel message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again all on our behalf as a substitute.  This implies that He is God in the flesh or the incarnate God of the same essence as the Father--His Deity.

(3)  Confess Him openly before men as Lord, not being ashamed of Him, that He is the Lord and your personal Lord.  "That If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved"  (Rom. 10:9).

Man is incurably addicted to doing something for his salvation, but in a works religion, you can never be sure and have the assurance of heaven.  Here is a simple sinner's prayer you might want to echo:


Lord Jesus, I believe that you rose from the dead and died on my behalf as a lost and condemned sinner.  Come into my heart and reign as Lord of my life, as I commit to following You as a disciple in the fellowship of Your church.  I hereby repent of all known sin and desire to be changed by Your power and not to look back.  Amen [So be it!].    This is not some magic formula to say but the condition and sincerity of the heart are paramount.

Now, a transaction has taken place and we should not confuse fact and feeling or works and grace.  God says it in His Word, I believe it in my heart, that settles it in my mind.  There are several verses of comfort and assurance:  

"Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they be red as crimson, they shall be as wool|" (Isa. 1:18).

"But as many as received Him to them gave He the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in His name"  (John 1:12).

If you have honestly (God doesn't ask for perfect, but unfeigned or sincere faith) trusted Christ for your salvation and have stopped trying to save yourself, you have accepted the gift of life eternal that begins now and goes on forever, forgiving your sins, past, present, and future.  Your salvation began in eternity, was realized in time, and is going to be consummated or fulfilled in heaven.  God erased the tape, as it were, gave you a clean slate, and doesn't recall your sins--they are deleted permanently. Look at the following verses:

Our position before Christ:
"As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (Psa. 103:12).  "I am He who blots out your transgressions, and will not remember your sins" (Isa. 43:25).   "I have blotted out like a thick cloud your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins"  (Isa. 44:22).  "....You have cast all my sins behind Your back" (Isa. 38:17). "If You, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared (Psa. 130:3-4).  "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more;'  (Heb. 8:12).

  Assurance is up to the Holy Spirit:

 "The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:16).   But reassurance is found in Scripture, and we should stand on the promises of God and take Him at His Word.  "He fills us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rom. 15:13).  Simply find a verse that means something to you and gives you what you need to hear and cling to it.  My favorite is John 6:37 saying, "The one who comes to Me I will in no way cast out [permanent salvation or eternal redemption]."  Some others are as follows:  "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand..."  (John 10:27).  "And this is the testimony: That this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life... These things I have written to you that believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life:  (1 John 5:11,13).  My favorite is what Michael Faraday quoted when he died:  "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day"  (2 Tim. 1:12).  Soli Deo Gloria!

Are You Doing The Lord's Work?

Bill Gates, the richest man in the world, was asked why he was doing the Lord's work (charitable causes as a philanthropist) since he is not a Christian:  "Well, the Lord isn't doing it!"  This is sarcasm and it is sad we have this state of affairs in our blessed nation deemed to be under God.  Nothing done in the Lord is done "in vain," according to Scripture; so we should never give up doing His will for our lives, no matter how mundane or humble the task (remember the poor widow who fed Elijah in Zarephath).  "Do your work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men [as people-pleasers or brownnosers]  We must realize that our reward is in heaven and the unrighteous receive their portion in this life (Psa. 17:14).  Some leave their riches, while others go to theirs.   Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and not on men, even if they are so-called "princes".

Work has it's own reward  (knowing we are pleasing God:  "Work, for I am with you," says Hagga):   fulfillment, achievement, goal attainment, and of knowing we're "purpose-driven".  The Air Force motto is "Aim High!" and the Army says, "Be all you can be!" We must discourage a lukewarm and apathetic attitude:  attitude determines altitude and is everything!  Recall King Saul's halfhearted obedience compared with David being a man after God's own heart.  Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord."   Pete Rose was known as Charlie Hustle and displayed this kind of character.  Sports show that the key to getting something done is to be a team player and not worrying who gets the credit or the glory.

Jesus had a servants heart (cf. Mark 10:45 saying, "I came not to be served, but to serve..."). Yes, complacency is the enemy and we must work as if everything depends on us, though we pray like everything depends on God--we leave the results to God!   Solomon says that whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might--get a purpose and be a man or woman on a mission!   "For the people had a mind to work..." (Neh. 4:6).

The Lord's second coming should motivate us and stimulate us all the more, as we see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25).   There is intrinsic motivation like knowing God is happy with us and we are doing His will, and there is extrinsic motivation like being rewarded with more pay as an incentive.  Feeling called to do something is intrinsic:  Zechariah was an expert at this:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts."  Nehemiah felt inspired to work hard and finished his task in 52 days, which was a miracle.  We are inspired as lofty as our insight and dreams; so dream big and remember that God is big enough for our dreams.  A personal example:  I got a job filing and that was my bugaboo, as it were, and my fears and Angst had to be overcome!   God did indeed change me and gave me the patience to do it and not ever be overwhelmed (I thought of the promise in Isa. saying, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you...").   A good anecdote you might want to remember:   There were three stonecutters who were asked what they were doing.  The first said he was laying bricks, the second that he was making 20 pounds an hour, the third said that he was building a cathedral for God.  Which one had a real vision ("Without vision the people perish,"  says Prov. 29:18)?

The Protestant work ethic has a long history.  You must have the vision of Nehemiah:  "Behold, I am doing a great work."  St. Francis of Assisi was asked if he died in 10 minutes what would he do:  He was the gardener at the monastery and he said he would finish "this row."  Work is part of our image and likeness of God and we are hard-wired for it--incomplete without it.  We are compelled to accomplish something and take pride in our achievement done in the Lord. God will someday balance the books and justice will be served as far as reaping what we sow--and I'm not talking about karma or fate, but if we are not rewarded in this life, we will in the afterlife. 

A bit of history:  During the time of Paul there were 60 million slaves in the world and work was considered a curse and only slaves should do it.  Martin Luther brought honor to work by saying that all work can be done to the glory of God.   Another exemplar was Brother Lawrence, a dishwasher/cook at a French Carmelite monastery in the seventeenth century.  In the formative and desperate years of the Jamestown settlement, started in 1607, Captain John Smith quoted 2 Thess. 3:10 saying, "He that is unwilling to work, shall not eat."  That got people motivated!  Now we hear of the "idle rich," but the Bible says that those who wear themselves out trying to get rich are just as wrong.   Theodore Roosevelt said, "There has never yet been a man who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering."  Everyone needs a purpose in life and seeing something higher than himself to attain to.    Carl F. H. Henry, a 20th-century theologian,  said that we are made for work and not for idleness.  We are hard-wired that way, to be blunt.   Yes, there will be work, even in heaven.

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  Failure is not a sin!   Jeremiah 45:5 says,  "Do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not."  Selfish ambition is a fruit of the flesh and carnal according to Gal. 5:20.   Everyone has a niche and calling from God ("The gifts and calling of God are without repentance," per Rom. 11:22).  Some are homemakers, and some are kings or presidents; they are judged according to their faithfulness in the talents God gave them:   "To whom much is given, much is required" per Luke 12:48.  It is not so much what we accomplish and brag  (being a braggart is wrong) about, but our character that matters.   Only deeds done to the glory of God in the power of the Spirit will be rewarded.  God is not against good deeds; only ones done in the flesh (or without God's Spirit, cf. Rom. 8:8).

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might," says Solomon in Eccl. 9:10.  Believe me, I have paid my dues and know what hard work is. There is nothing beneath us, and if we are humble  and meek, being willing to do whatever God wants us to do,  and be what He wants us to be, we will be willing to do the order of the towel as Jesus did and do the role of a slave or servant:  Then God will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."   We should be redeeming the time because the days are evil; making the most of the opportunities we are given--there are always lost opportunities that teach us a lesson.  Col 1:10 says we should be "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God [they are correlated]"

We are not saved by good works, but not without them either:  "we are saved unto good works [Eph. 2:10]."  We need to find our labor of love, that we would do even if we were not compensated.  But there is a caveat:  Jer. 48:10 says that slackness in the LORD'S work will bring a curse!  Slothfulness is one of the seven deadly sins according to the Vatican and they could be right.  When we have completed the work that God has given us we "enter into His rest."

 Jesus prayed in His priestly prayer in John 17 that had completed the work that God had given Him to do (John 17:4).   The only question I want to leave you with is to consider what kingdom you are working for--is it God's kingdom or your own empire and circle of influence.  God wants us to leave our comfort zone and venture out to do brave and great things for God!  Nehemiah said it well:  "Behold, I am doing a great work, and I cannot come down."

In summation, let me quote Nehemiah, an expert on motivation in getting the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt, in Neh. 4:6 as follows:  "For the people had a mind to work...."  Note that it was all about attitude and frame of mind!  Soli Deo Gloria!

Indebted To Jesus!

Do you know that you owe
It all to the Lord Jesus!
When your goal loses your soul,
And you want a way out,
Remember He's near and saves ev'ry tear,
And your woes won't overflow His bowl. 

When the fight is lonely as the night,
And you wonder where He is,
Remember all the same to praise His name.
So thank Him anyway,
For you He'll win, so don't lose by sin.
And if you pray, claim His fame. 

The joy you'll share, knowing He's there,
Treading those paths ahead.
But let it glow, and you will grow,
To lighten the paths of sin;
But love is the way to make His day,
And loving the Lord will make them know. 

  Soli Deo Gloria!

Rationale For My Blog

This is an extended disclaimer or for the tone and subject matter of my blog.  My intention is simply soli Deo Gloria or to God alone be the glory, using me as a vessel of honor.  I don't want any bad blood or bad vibes between me and my friends, associates, family members, or readers, but to have as much harmony and unity of spirit as possible. I truly believe Augustine's dictum "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.

There are plenty of gray areas and we are not to judge our brother indisputable areas according to Romans 14:1, but leave room for disagreement (agreeing to disagree and disagreeing without being disagreeable) and freedom of conscience as Martin Luther would phrase it ("to go against conscience is neither right, nor safe")  But the Scriptures exhort us to strive "for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3),  and Paul said to each "be fully convinced in his own mind."  Abraham said it well to Lot:  "Let there be no strife between us ... for we are brethren"  (Gen. 13:8).

Some Christians have come full circle, in that in Catholicism you cannot question the priest who alone has authority to interpret Scripture, but they frown upon believers who show discernment and discretion toward Bible teachers and pastors.  It is alright to have a biblical objection, but just don't get personal and attack his character, which would be casting a slur on our fellow man or taking up a reproach against another (cf. Psa. 15:3).  A man of God must not "strive."  We don't purposely cause divisions or separate brethren, but we must take our stand for the truth as we know it.  "If I die, I die," said Esther as she took her stand!   John 7:24 says it like this:   "Do not judge by appearances, but judge right judgment.

I do not have an axe to grind nor do I wish to pick a fight or have a bone to pick; and I'm certainly not out to get you to join my church or become my convert.  I'm not just interested in "doctrines that divide" like the so-called "Limited Atonement" that Calvinists are known for.  I am not desirous of controversy, but only in finding the truth (to go there you must be willing to admit you could be wrong, and be willing to go wherever it may lead).  My goal is to make issues in the church have a forum for discussion and to bring to light some of my opinions to the open marketplace of ideas.

I am not contentious, divisive, nor argumentative by nature in my estimate, but Christ was known as a controversialist and to avoid controversy is to avoid Christ according to R. C. Sproul.  Sometimes a diatribe can create more heat than light and cannot be settled in print or in writing, but end up getting personal and emotionally charged. We need to keep our cool and commit ourselves to what the Bible says and that it alone is the infallible source of truth.  No one has a monopoly on truth nor has cornered the market of knowledge or wisdom--even Solomon made mistakes!

The only stand that I take dogmatically is that I am a Protestant  (I disagree, I dissent, I protest), in that I believe I can question authority and that the Bible is the final word on any subject of doctrine over tradition or any papal edict or prophetic utterance.  As the reformers proclaimed:  "Sola Scriptura"  (Scripture alone as authority).  If there is a disagreement I hope the Bible and not personal hunches or insights from mystical teachers will settle the issue.   I submit to the authority of the Bible alone and do not revere any teacher or leader as holy or above criticism, but I believe I can reserve the right to show what I call discernment.

My blog and I have been criticized and blamed for being "judgmental" of other ministries or ministers.   I admit to being a Protestant and claim the right to "dissent, disagree, and protest" against the pope or Rome's dogma as I understand it.   First of all, I would like to refer to the heading of my blog not to promote any one denomination or a certain agenda.  I may have blogged about certain doctrines that have been of interest or even problematic, or open to debate and not easily settled or dismissed, but I have not made it my "mission" to attack anybody I know unless he just happens to come up in the topic in question.  My blog is not definitive (I do not claim to have the last word or to speak ex-cathedra or from the chair as the pope does, nor do I ever pontificate or speak for God, but am only expressing my personal educated and edified opinion, which comes from considerable study of all of the Scriptures and growth as a Christian.

 When one has a highly visible ministry like Billy Graham or Joel Osteen. or John MacArthur he is just asking for opinion and criticism.  I know we are not to judge or criticize our brothers (cf. James 4:11), but I'm  not getting personal and am showing what I regard as "discernment."  There are some areas that ministers compromise important truths, and I believe should be brought to the attention of students of the Word with an open mind, willing spirit, and needy heart.


Now, I claim to be a Calvinist or Reformed in doctrine, yet I do not harp or get preoccupied with the subject of predestination or the bondage of our will (as opposed to so-called free will), and if I did you could say I was just trying to convert you rather than edify you or whet your appetite for the truth and stimulate to be Bereans and search these things out for yourself.  Some people just need to be shocked out of their comfort zones and woken up out of their dogmatic slumber. 

Let's get specific, I was "saved" by Billy Graham preaching more than 40 years ago and revere him, yet I disagree with that organization saying that Mormonism is not a "cult".  I also think that John M. has taken upon himself to judge other ministries and I do not believe that is the job of the expositor of the Word.  I believe we should keep the main thing the main thing.    I disagree with Joel Osteen because I disagree with "prosperity theology" and am shocked that he won't mention "sin" because it is such a "killjoy word."  

I do not agree with  Jack Van Impe because it seems he is trying to scare people into the kingdom and has an agenda about the Lord's second coming.     I understand that genuine believers do follow these ministers and do not think they are going to hell,  but there is a difference between judging and show discernment.   In sum,  I do not argue ad hominem or "to the man" and make a personal attack as it were because I cannot refute what they say from Scripture.
   Soli Deo Gloria!

Is Invictus Right?

Are we the "masters of our fate" and the "captains of our soul?"  According to this famous poem Invictus, penned by William Ernest Henley, and recited at a many a graduation ceremony, we are unconquerable and just don't realize it all the time.  We should thus thank God for our own success.  The irony of modern man is that he ruins his own life and blames God (cf. Prov. 19:3) however, he becomes a success and gives himself the credit. Like the definition of an Englishman:  "A self-made man who worships his creator."  There is no such animal as a self-made man.  Isa. 64:8 says God is the potter and we are the clay.  We should remember the rock from which we were hewn and the stone from which we were cut, says Isaiah in chapter 51:1.  We are all a byproduct of all those we've been influenced by in our circle of friends and family.   Very little of our personality or success is due to genetics per se, but the sovereignty and providence of God and, of course, environmental factors.

The psalmist says in Psa. 31:15 the following claim:  "The course of my life is in your power."  Another translation reads, "My future [my times] is in your hands."  God can, and does control the king and sovereign of the state just like the course of a river according to Prov. 21:1.  "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way,"  says Psa. 37:23.  The most devastating blow to think that we are in control of our lives and destiny is two verses that essentially say the same thing:  Jer. 10:23 and Prov. 20:24.  "I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps."  "A man's steps are from the LORD, how then can a man understand his way?"

 Did you know that your life was already planned out by God and written in a book before you were born, just like an author writing a play and you merely have a role to play?  Psa. 139:16 says precisely this:  "....in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me when as yet there were none of them."  Fate is impersonal, like the blind "kismet" of Islam, but we have a destiny, which is different:  We have a part to play and must cooperate with God to reach God's best for us.  For instance, if your destiny was to be a piano virtuoso, you must practice diligently.

Isaiah says in Isa. 26:12, "...all that we have accomplished you have done for us...."  Paul says he will not "venture to speak, but of what Christ has accomplished through him,"  in Rom. 15:18.  Amos 6:13 speaks of Israel being proud of accomplishing nothing by themselves:  "You who rejoice in the conquest of Lo Debar [nothing] and say, 'Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?'"  All our fruit comes from God (Hos. 14:8).   In summation, our destiny is ultimately in God's hands, but it isn't a blind, mechanical, impersonal fate that some seem to think--our input matters!  Soli Deo Gloria!