CHOSEN!!

 https://x.com/faithwithmase/status/1816066043535581450?s=46&t=v-nCUFHOQhOc0d3RzRrtsA

“HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD!

 Acts 17:22-34                    (ESV)

Paul Addresses the Areopagus (the Athenian governing council)

“[22] So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. [23] For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. [24] The GOD WHO made the world and everything in it, being LORD of heaven and earth, DOES NOT live in temples made by man, [25] nor is HE served by human hands, as though HE needed anything, since HE HIMSELF gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. [26] And HE made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, [27] that they should seek GOD, and perhaps feel their way toward HIM and find HIM. Yet HE is actually not far from each one of us, [28] for 

    “‘In HIM we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,  “‘For we are indeed HIS offspring.’ [29] Being then GOD’S offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. [30] The times of ignorance GOD overlooked, but now HE commands all people everywhere to repent, [31] because HE HAS FIXED A DAY on which “HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD” in righteousness by a man whom HE has appointed; and of this HE has given assurance to all by raising HIM from the dead.”

[32] Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” [33] So Paul went out from their midst. [34] But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

Yesterday I wrote that HE HAS FIXED A DAY, and I was moved by the way GOD SPOKE to me during the day!  But “HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD” is the next portion of the verse, and HE will do it unapologetically!!

The JOY of being CHOSEN will be beyond our comprehension or expectations!  I cannot fathom ALMIGHTY GOD sentencing people I love to eternity without HIM?  JESUS HIMSELF says in Matthew 11:24 “But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you”, the unbelievers!  Sodom was destroyed with sulfur and fire (Genesis 19:24-25), and JESUS says it will be better for Sodom than the unbelievers at the Judgment!!!

“HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD” is a devastating statement that WILL come about for those who are not CHOSEN!  Has ALMIGHTY GOD “pricked” your heart?  Please, PLEASE, DO NOT allow eternal separation from GOD be spoken to you at the JUDGEMENT!  “HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD” is not a fairy tale ending!  It is something you need to FLEE FROM!!!

“HE HAS FIXED A DAY!”

 

Acts 17:22-34                    (ESV)

Paul Addresses the Areopagus (the Athenian governing council)

“[22] So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. [23] For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. [24] The GOD WHO made the world and everything in it, being LORD of heaven and earth, DOES NOT live in temples made by man, [25] nor is HE served by human hands, as though HE needed anything, since HE HIMSELF  gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. [26] And HE made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, [27] that they should seek GOD, and perhaps feel their way toward HIM and find HIM. Yet HE is actually not far from each one of us, [28] for 

    “‘In HIM we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said,  “‘For we are indeed HIS offspring.’ [29] Being then GOD’S offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. [30] The times of ignorance GOD overlooked, but now HE commands all people everywhere to repent, [31] because “HE HAS FIXED A DAY” on which HE will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom HE has appointed; and of this HE has given assurance to all by raising HIM from the dead.”

[32] Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” [33] So Paul went out from their midst. [34] But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

Briefly this morning, the Apostle Paul was addressing the Areopagus, a group of men from Athens Greece elevated by other men to govern themselves.  “Some men joined him and believed” that GOD was in CONTROL of everything and “HE HAS FIXED A DAY” on which HE will judge the world!!

That day, fixed by OUR CREATOR, is rapidly approaching!  “HE HAS FIXED A DAY” already has been marked on a calendar!  We humble humans can’t alter it nor when it is coming!  “HE HAS FIXED A DAY” was set by OUR CREATOR BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4)!!!

“ALL THINGS!”

 Matthew 19:26                     (ESV)

“[26] But JESUS looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with GOD “ALL THINGS” are possible.””

Regardless of what the naysayers think or say, “ALL THINGS” are possible according to THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!

“I HAVE CALLED YOU IN RIGHTEOUSNESS!”

 Isaiah 42:5-8                    (ESV)

    “[5] Thus says GOD, the LORD,

        WHO created the heavens and stretched them out,

        WHO spread out the earth and what comes from it,

    WHO GIVES BREATH to the people on it

        and spirit to those who walk in it: 

    [6] “I AM THE LORD; “I HAVE CALLED YOU IN RIGHTEOUSNESS”;

        I will take you by the hand and keep you;

    I will give you as a covenant for the people,

        a light for the nations, 

    [7]     to open the eyes that are blind,

    to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

        from the prison those who sit in darkness. 

    [8] I am the LORD; that is MY name;

        MY glory I give to no other,

        nor MY praise to carved idols.”

As yesterday I was in church listening to the message from GOD, I wrote this sentence as a “note” to myself!  “GOD “gives” us EVERYTHING, even the breath we breathe (Isaiah 42:5)!”  Our Sunday School lesson even reminded us that “Agrippa and Bernice” (Acts 25:13) were thought by most to be at the top of the ladder socially, but they were apparently living a life that was VERY deviant!  

As a people, we don’t have the capacity to undertake ANYTHING outside of the GRACE OF GOD!  “Agrippa and Bernice” weren’t CHOSEN BY GOD, therefore they did what they wanted.  We often default to doing what “we think” is best, very often without praying for DIVINE GUIDANCE?  We tend to trust that THE CREATOR will guide us, even though we don’t SEEK HIS GUIDANCE in the path we are assigned???

FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to ALWAYS remember that “I HAVE CALLED YOU IN RIGHTEOUSNESS”, not to make any life easier, but as a TESTAMENT of YOUR MERCY and GRACE!!!  YOU GIVE me the BREATH required to live, and I need to REMEMBER that every time I exhale.  

“ECCLESIASTIES 7:14”

 Ecclesiastes 7:14                    (ESV)

“In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: GOD has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after HIM.”

“BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU!”

 Exodus 3:1-2;10-12                    (ESV)

“[1] Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the WEST SIDE OF THE WILDERNESS and came to Horeb, THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD. [2] And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, YET it was not consumed.

[10] Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring MY PEOPLE, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” [11] But Moses said to GOD, “WHO AM I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” [12] He said, “BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU”, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve GOD ON THIS MOUNTAIN.””

Being REMINDED of exactly who we are by our CREATOR is one of the most humbling and painful experiences that can happen to anyone.  Moses was born in Egyptian captivity, where most Hebrew males were slaughtered at birth in an attempt to keep GOD “in control” of satan and “his ways”!  BUT GOD had a PLAN as HE ALWAYS DOES!!!

In the focal Scripture today, GOD ORCHESTRATED Moses to be tending sheep near Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai), also known as THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD!  Why did GOD CHOOSE this place to SPEAK to HIS servant???  Why not in the castle of Herod, where Moses was raised after Pharaohs daughter found him floating in a basket in the Nile River?   Could it be that ALMIGHTY GOD wanted to get Moses away from the clamor and business of “this world” to HEAR HIS VOICE delivering instructions to him on rescuing HIS CHILDREN???

GOD has CHOSEN to use HIS PEOPLE to exhibit HIS POWER to “this world”!  HE can, AND DOES, do MIRACULOUS THINGS to and through HIS CHOSEN for HIS GLORY.  When HE was speaking to Moses on Mount Horeb, GOD told Moses “BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU”, making HIS PRESENCE in his life VERY EVIDENT!  Why did GOD use a Hebrew in an Egyptian country to rescue HIS PEOPLE from the grips of one of the most powerful nations known to man???  Because GOD HAD A PLAN and HE KNEW (PREDESTINED) that Moses would do what HE SAID!!!

It is NOT a coincidence that Moses was at Mount Horeb at this point in time.  GOD had Moses PRECISELY where he needed to be at the EXACT TIME for him to be there! GOD had ORCHESTRATED things in the life of Moses since he was born, and HE wasn’t through with him yet!  “BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU” was THE PROMISE GOD made to Moses at THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD!!!

We must NEVER allow GODS PROMISE to leave us when as we are on our JOURNEY for HIM!!!  “BUT I WILL BE WITH YOU” hasn’t lost any POWER!!!