SPIRITUALITY AND FAITH
"“For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the first born among many brethren.” God believed in you."
conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the first born among many brethren.” God believed in you. Died to change you and free you from all addiction and past pain. He did all this knowing that we might run from Him for John 15:16 says, “You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go, bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in my name He may give to you.”
C. Where did God Choose?
“in Him” (Eph. 1:4c). God sovereignly placed us in Jesus Christ. Thus, when Jesus came to the earth, we were in Him. When He died on the cross, we were in Him. When He rose from the dead, we were in Him. All this culminated in a moment in time when God came to us in conviction and we responded to Him in faith! The anticipated results of all that God has done is that we will be with Him
throughout all eternity. That’s why He is clear about healing you, delivering you, baptizing you…so that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! But you ask:
D. Why Did God Choose?
“that we would be holy and blameless before Him…sons through Christ to Himself, according to the kind intension of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace…(to experience) the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.” (Eph. 1:4-8) He did not choose us based on our abilities, our good deeds, or any merit in us. He chose us and saved us because He wanted to. He set His love on our lives and put us in His plan, with the ultimate reason to “choose us for His glory by His grace!” He is the good, good Father that waits for us, comes to us, forgives us!
GOD CHOSE US TO CHANGE OUR NAME TO HIS (Eph. 1:5)
A. Everyone at birth is given a name (some people don’t like), and God can give us a new name and purpose in rebirth. Jacob means a con man, fraudster, and supplanter. Wherever Jacob went (i.e. Laban), his name worked against him. However, after about 40 years of struggling with life and destiny, God changed his name to “Israel”. From that point on Jacob became a spectacular being, enjoying unprecedented favor, increase and One from whom the nation of Israel came!
B. God wants to stop negative name