“BEFORE I FORMED YOU!”

Jeremiah 1:4-7                                    (ESV)

“4 Now the WORD of the LORD came to me, saying,

5 "BEFORE I FORMED YOU” in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." 

6 Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth."

7 But the LORD said to me, "Do not say, 'I am only a youth'; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.”

It seems that even people who are known as “scientists” disagree with almost EVERYTHING!  I see the following on one social media post, “Scientists Confirm:  An unborn baby is a human being from the moment of conception”, and then shortly thereafter see “Why Science Can't Say When a Baby's Life Begins”???  If we are seeking wisdom, why do we look to other humans when we have access to OUR CREATOR??

Proverbs 2:6 says “For the LORD gives WISDOM; from HIS mouth come knowledge and understanding;”.  James 1:5 says “If any of you lacks WISDOM, let him ask GOD, WHO gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  We cannot simply ask though, we must ask in FAITH that HE is GOD and wants to REVEAL HIMSELF to us.  James 1:6 immediately follows verse 5 saying “But LET HIM ASK IN FAITH, WITH NO DOUBTING, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind!”  “WHO” we are praying to must be OUR CREATOR, not anyone or anything else!  

The WISDOM in question is “When does LIFE  begin”???  Does it start when a new heart begins to beat?  Does it start when the first breath is taken?  The same LORD WHO gives WISDOM said to Jeremiah verse 5 above “”BEFORE I FORMED YOU” in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."  GOD not only was involved in FORMING (putting us together) us, HE has a PLAN for each one of us!  Now we can wander, or stray, or do what WE THINK is best, but if we are CHOSEN by GOD we will submit to HIS CALLING, either voluntarily, or otherwise!

Moses ran for forty years.  The Apostle Paul was having Believers persecuted (some even killed) before he was made to stop.  Myself, I was doing what I THOUGHT was best, only to have my EYES OPENED TO SEE that my ways were NOT HIS ways!  “BEFORE I FORMED YOU” I was planning your future, says ALMIGHTY GOD.  So the “popular WISDOM” of “this world” cannot get us in out of the rain, but TRUSTING HIS PLAN, that HE knew “BEFORE I FORMED YOU” in the womb will reveal HIS PURPOSE in our life!!!

“RECONCILED TO GOD!”

2 Corinthians 5:20-21                                        (ESV)
“20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for CHRIST, GOD making HIS appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of CHRIST, be “RECONCILED TO GOD”.
21 For our sake HE made HIM to be sin WHO knew no sin, so that in HIM we might become the righteousness of GOD.”

One thing that I readily admit to since the Brain Hemorrhage is that I am NOT perfect.  Until then, admitting fault was not a strong suit of mine.  Not that admitting I was imperfect, but admitting my flaws meant that I was less than the best that I could be, and that was difficult to swallow.  While I was in the 17 day drug-induced coma, I literally had no control over anything, not even my breathing.  During the next few years I realized just how much that we (mainly “I”) was NOT IN CONTROL, and that ALMIGHTY GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!

Onto another point, an ambassador (v20) is defined as an “official representative”.  We (humans who Believe) only represent CHRIST.  WE ARE NOT GOD!  Everyone of us (and in spite of what Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:15  I AM THE WORST) is born IN SIN, imperfect, needing a Savior.  JESUS was born, not of man, BUT OF GOD (John 1:13) for the explicit purpose to be sacrificed for our sin!  JESUS became our “official representative” of GOD so that we could become HIS “official representative” (through imputation) for GOD to a world that cannot understand (1 Corinthians 2:14) that kind of LOVE!

This morning I was skimming through a social media site and saw the following quote, “Sleep is a daily reminder from God that we are not God”, by John Piper.  When you finally HAVE YOUR EYES OPENED that you are not invincible, that you are fallible, and error is a HUGE part of who you are, ONLY THEN are you able to SEE that we need to be “RECONCILED TO GOD”, WHO IS with fault!  JESUS came so that we could have our sins IMPUTED (transferred) onto HIM, and have HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED onto us!

ALMIGHTY GOD “... made HIM to be sin WHO knew no sin, so that in HIM we might become the righteousness of GOD”!!  But we must BE CHOSEN by HIM (John 15:16) to have or EYES opened and SEE our lostness!  The JOY and PEACE that JESUS has brought to my life is indescribable.  The sin and death that HE transferred onto HIMSELF was equally as great!  JESUS has allowed me to be “RECONCILED TO GOD” and I am eternally grateful!!!

“SO SARAH LAUGHED!”

Genesis 18:9-15                                      (ESV)
“9 They said to him, "Where is Sarah your wife?" And he said, "She is in the tent."
10 The LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.
12 “SO SARAH LAUGHED” to herself, saying, "After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?"
13 The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?'
14 IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son."
15 But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. He said, "No, but you did laugh."”

Knowing exactly who is speaking to you is critical before FAITH in what they are saying can be displayed.  In Genesis 18:2 Scripture records “three men” were standing in front of Abraham.  Later, in verse 5 & 9, Scripture states “...and they said..”!  Yet, in verse 10 & 13 it is recorded “The LORD said...”!  How did THREE MEN become ONE MAN all of the sudden?  Now I’m no Bible Scholar, and I’m trying to add to Scripture, but it is worth more study for me to find out if the THREE MEN could represent the FATHER, SON, and the in Genesis 18HOLY SPIRIT?

The point that doesn’t need to be overlooked is that Abraham, who believed GOD (Genesis 15:6), and was a friend of GOD (again Genesis 15:6), was more IN TUNE with recognizing THE ALMIGHTY than Sarah, who couldn’t SEE TRUTH in front of her!  When “The LORD said "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son”, the only response Sarah could muster was “SO SARAH LAUGHED”!  Abraham had already been told in Genesis 15:4-6 that his offspring was going to be like numbering the stars, so hearing it again FROM GOD was confirmation of what he had previously heard.

When you are hearing from GOD, you can’t explain the confidence and assurance of where that message is coming from.  In Genesis 15:2b-3 Abraham told Sarah “... When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, "O LORD, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.”  Abraham was extremely excited to be entertaining those who were sent by the LORD to deliver a message to he and Sarah.  When the response from Sarah was “SO SARAH LAUGHED” TO HERSELF, it may not have been that she was mocking GOD nearly as much as she didn’t recognize WHO was speaking to them.  She wasn’t as comfortable in hearing from THE CREATOR as Abraham, and the MESSAGE was far beyond anything that she or Abraham could accomplish.

“IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?”  Sarah knows for SURE NOW the answer to this question!  Although I am a Spiritual Novice, because of my testimony I know that the POWER of GOD is beyond our finite imaginations!  If “SO SARAH LAUGHED” to herself was because she didn’t recognize WHO was talking to her, don’t you think she was drawn closer to HIM because of her experience?  When GOD speaks to us, “the enemy” will NO DOUBT cause us to question, not necessarily our Belief in GOD, but our Spiritual Hearing, whether we heard from GOD or man?  When our CREATOR speaks to us, may we recognize WHO is talking to us and avoid a “SO SARAH LAUGHED” moment!!!

“NO PURPOSE OF YOURS CAN BE THWARTED!”

Job 42:1-6                                            (ESV)
“1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 "I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS, and that “NO PURPOSE OF YOURS CAN BE THWARTED”.
3 'WHO is this that hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, THINGS TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME, which I did not know.
4 'Hear, and I will speak; I will question YOU, and YOU make it known to me.'
5 I had heard of YOU by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees YOU;
6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes."”

THINGS........in life seem to always be convoluted, in disarray, almost out of control, and problematic.  We get through one issue and another one will pop up that is seemingly more tragic.  Sickness, finances, business deals with twists, political issues, everything that can go wrong seems to be happening with no time to catch our breath, so to speak.

From the first chapter of Job through the last chapter, a common thread is that Job knows that ALMIGHTY GOD is in control!  In this last chapter, Job writes “Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, THINGS TOO WONDERFUL FOR ME, which I did not know.”  How many times have I grumbled to GOD about the circumstances I found myself in without understanding that HE uses my difficulties for HIS GLORY?  A friend used to say “GOD is still GOD, even in tough times”!  My finite mind doesn’t have to comprehend the ends to justify a journey.  I simply must TRUST IN GOD to deliver me to the other side!

One commentary on Job says “he abhorred himself as a sinner in heart and life, especially for murmuring against God, and took shame to himself. When the UNDERSTANDING IS ENLIGHTENED by the SPIRIT of grace, our knowledge of Divine things as far exceeds WHAT WE HAD BEFORE, as the sight of the eyes excels report and common fame. By the teachings of men, GOD REVEALS HIS SON to us; but by the teachings of HIS SPIRIT HE REVEALS HIS SON in us, Galatians 1:16, and changes us into the same image!” Just because we cannot SEE and UNDERSTAND how HE IS IN CONTROL, doesn’t mean that HE IS NOT IN CONTROL!!!

Getting caught up in the turmoil that “this world” is continually using to distract us is blatantly against TRUSTING IN GOD.  “NO PURPOSE OF YOURS CAN BE THWARTED” isn’t just a catchy phrase to mask fear, it is a way of LIFE that we who are IN CHRIST should display to a lost world.  “The enemy” has one main objective, to make us think that GOD IS NOT IN CONTROL.  We should revel in the fact that “NO PURPOSE OF YOURS CAN BE THWARTED” and follow HIS lead wherever HE directs!!!

“WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS!”

Romans 5:1-5                                         (ESV)
“1 Therefore, since we have been JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, we have peace with GOD through our LORD JESUS CHRIST.
2 Through HIM we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of GOD.
3 Not only that, but “WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS”, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because GOD's love has been poured into our hearts through the HOLY SPIRIT who has been given to us.”

When Ananias was instructed by JESUS to go find Saul/Paul, HE told Ananias that “For I (JESUS) will show him (Paul) how much he must SUFFER for the sake of MY name” in Acts 9:16.  JESUS didn’t tell Ananias that HE would cause Paul to be the pastor of the largest church in Jerusalem, or even a small church in the country?  JESUS had a Plan and Paul would be used to Glorify THE NAME OF JESUS!

We have to be JUSTIFIED BY FAITH before we can be SANCTIFIED through our sufferings.  One commentary puts it in these words::

The Greek word translated "sanctification" (hagiasmos [aJgiasmov"]) means "holiness." To sanctify, therefore, means "to make holy." In one sense only God is holy ( Isa 6:3 ). God is separate, distinct, other. No human being or thing shares the holiness of God's essential nature. There is one God. Yet Scripture speaks about holy things. Moreover, God calls human beings to be holy — as holy as He is holy ( Lev 11:44 ; Matt 5:48 ; 1 Peter 1:15-16 )

GOD calls us to be HOLY!  But we are ALL sinners, saved by JESUS.  The only thing we can Glory in is that some of us have been JUSTIFIED BY FAITH in the LIFE of JESUS!  SUFFERING for HIM doesn’t save us.  That is done by FAITH IN JESUS.   SUFFERING draws us into a greater relationship with JESUS, TRUSTING HIM more as we Spiritually mature, or GROW more HOLY!

Like Saul/Paul, we must understand that when “WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS” that we are Glorifying JESUS and HIS Kingdom.  That SHOULD be our main objective.  We should not desire to have the largest bank account, or the biggest sanctuary, or whatever “this world” sees as a success!  Rather we should COUNT IT ALL JOY (James 1:2-4) when “WE REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS” as we are being used by the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES for HIS GLORY!

“BUT OF GOD!”

John 1:9-13         (ESV)
"9 The TRUE LIGHT, which gives LIGHT to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 HE was in the world, and the world was made through HIM, yet the world did not know HIM.
11 HE came to HIS own, and HIS own people did not receive HIM.
12 But to ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, who believed in HIS NAME, HE GAVE the right to become children of GOD,
13 who were born, NOT OF BLOOD NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, “BUT OF GOD”."

John 1:10 (ESV) was a memory from five years ago.  Well, I went to Scripture and was reading the context and the above verses (John 1:9-13) were highlighted causing me to ponder what was being said to me.  It can become enticingly easy to glimpse at a verse of Scripture and  only SEE what is on the surface, but digging into THE WORD can TRULY OPEN our EYES to SEE exactly what GOD is attempting to reveal to our Spirits.

To begin with, HE came into the world that HE made, yet the world DID NOT know HIM.  HE made us, and we REJECTED (Matthew 21:42 ; Mark 12:10) HIM.  We ALL REJECTED our CREATOR for we couldn’t SEE WHO HE is/was.  The passage of Scripture above tells us rather plainly “But to ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, who believed in HIS NAME, HE GAVE the right to become children of GOD, who were born, NOT OF BLOOD NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, “BUT OF GOD”."

These Scriptures are very clear that ALMIGHTY GOD has CHOSEN we who Believe in HIM to serve HIM, and to “...suffer for the sake of MY NAME” (Acts 9:16)!  Not to be given an earthly life of comfort and luxury, but to SUFFER for HIM!  JESUS, GOD IN THE FLESH, was sent to earth, NOT To live in luxury, but to pay for our sinfulness.   HE could have called “....more than twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to defend HIM, BUT HE CHOSE TO SUFFER for me! Why do we think HE is required to give us anything?  We are provided LIFE to Glorify HIM, not ourselves!

It is an honor just to be CHOSEN by THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES, and we need to remind ourselves that we are HIS servants, not visa versa!  We are NOT here of OUR OWN WILL, “BUT OF GOD”!  FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to remember that YOU are LIFE, and I am simply a broken mirror used to reflect YOUR GLORY!  And that glory is “BUT OF GOD”!!!

“WITH ONE ACCORD!”

Acts 2:1-6                                             (KJV)

“1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all “WITH ONE ACCORD” in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the HOLY GHOST, and began to speak with other tongues, as the SPIRIT gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” 

Much has been written in the last 2,000+ years regarding Pentecost Sunday.  How were “about three thousand souls” saved when an uneducated fisherman, with no seminary training, and no courses on how to minister by some educated elitist was the one who preached for a maximum of 27 verses with no choir invitational sung?  Just reading the text from Acts 2:14-41 only takes 6 - 8 minutes, even for a poor reader like me!  

These days we attempt to get the sound system just right, the air conditioning/heating perfect, the seating luscious, and “the mood” precisely where “we think” it needs to be to in order for the HOLY SPIRIT to be able to transform a single soul, much less three thousand souls?  Man cannot manufacture a setting to endure the HOLY SPIRIT to manifest HIS Presence no more than we can give life to a corpse.  ONLY through a Supernatural imposition of the HOLY SPIRIT can NEW LIFE be instilled in flesh.  There is NO OTHER WAY!

“When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all “WITH ONE ACCORD” in one place” is the first thing we need to welcome the HOLY SPIRIT.  The pews might be hard or soft, the air conditioning might be our of order, the sound system might be rated by a deaf-mute, as long as the people are “WITH ONE ACCORD” and we know that it will only happen through HIM, THAT is how we make HIM welcome in our midst.  

The only way we can expect to SEE the HOLY SPIRIT show up and show out like days of old is to be “WITH ONE ACCORD” with each other.   Regardless of what we want to make happen, it is all about Glorifying GOD, not about edifying man.  When we come together “WITH ONE ACCORD” and lift HIM up, and “Humble yourselves before the LORD, HE will exalt you.” (James 4:10)!  Could that be the secret to hearing from GOD???