God’s Plan Not Man’s???  A Word from THE WORD!!! #289

With the popularity of social media of all kinds it seems that everyone feels called to share their opinion about everything.  While it can be good to have a platform, everything that you read, hear and see on the internet may or may not be true.  I want to talk about one of those subjects, the Bible and God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.  The opinions we hear and see on the internet run the gambit, but I want us to take a look at scripture for our standard, not the opinions of people.  And yes, I’m a ‘people’, but if you’ve followed this blog for very long, you know that I am committed to help people go to God’s Word and read and study it remembering to take all scripture in its context, and in the larger context of the whole counsel of God (meaning all scripture—from Genesis to Revelation!)!  The first passage that I want us to consider is from Peter’s message on the Day of Pentecost—50 days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.

The followers of Jesus had watched Him ascend into the heavens after He had instructed them to wait for the Holy Spirit to come to them before they began to “go ye therefore” (see Matthew 28:19-20) and spread the good news of The Gospel.  So after about 10 days the assembly of some 120 believers received the Holy Spirit and went forth in great power and purpose to share the truth about Jesus saving sacrifice and His grace to save.

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven,

lifted up his voice, and said unto them,

Ye men of Judaea,

and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem,

be this known unto you,

and hearken to my words:

15 For these are not drunken,

 as ye suppose,

seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

16 But this is that which was spoken

by the prophet Joel;

17 And it shall come to pass in the last days,

saith God,

I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:

and your sons and your daughters

shall prophesy,

and your young men

shall see visions,

and your old men

shall dream dreams…

…. 21 And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God among you

by miracles and wonders and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him, being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands have crucified

and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”  Portions of Acts 2:14-24

Jesus wasn’t crucified by the plan of man, rather He laid down His life willingly for your sin and mine.

“Therefore doth my Father love me,

because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received

of my Father.”  John 10:17-18

Jesus had this power because He was, is and ever shall be God!  And yes, He said so Himself!

“My sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life;

and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them

out of my hand.

 29 My Father, which gave them me,

is greater than all;

and no man is able to pluck them

out of my Father’s hand.

30 I and my Father are one.”  John 10:27-30

Are you His sheep?  It’s a question that only you can answer.  Have you come to Jesus in repentance of your sin and faith/belief in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for you—and all of your sin!  It’s your choice, but choose wisely there is a test, and it may be soon.  So, back to Jesus’ claims.

Jesus went on to proclaim that HE is the only way—one way, one Savior, one who was crucified, buried and risen again in the power of God to pay for our sin; but that cost was His life’s blood on Calvary.

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am

the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.”  John 14:6

“Then saith Pilate unto him,

Speakest thou not unto me?

knowest thou not that I have power

to crucify thee,

and have power

to release thee?

11 Jesus answered,

Thou couldest have no power at all against me,

except it were given thee from above:

therefore he that delivered me unto thee

hath the greater sin.

12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him:

but the Jews cried out, saying,

If thou let this man go,

thou art not Caesar’s friend:

whosoever maketh himself a king

speaketh against Caesar.”  John 18:10-12

Jesus was the plan from the beginning—before “the beginning”!  God created us knowing that we would sin, yet He loves us so much that He created us anyway.  I’ll share just a few passages that reveal this to us, when we will listen and receive God’s truth, starting in Genesis.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed;

it shall bruise thy head,

and thou shalt bruise his heel.”  Genesis 3:15

“Father, I will that they also,

whom thou hast given me,

be with me where I am;

that they may behold my glory,

which thou hast given me:

for thou lovedst me

before the foundation of the world.”  John 17:24

“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,

whose names are not written

 in the book of life of the Lamb

slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8 (the ‘him’ mentioned here is the antichrist)

“Forasmuch as ye know

that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God,

that raised him up from the dead,

and gave him glory;

 that your faith and hope

might be in God.”  1 Peter 1:18-21

And just as the followers watched Jesus ascend into the heavens, He is coming again—and I believe, very soon.  The question then is, are you ready?  Have you bowed before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

“And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven

as he went up,

behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said,

 Ye men of Galilee,

why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

this same Jesus,

 which is taken up from you into heaven,

shall so come in like manner

as ye have seen him go into heaven.”   Acts 1:10-11

Even so Lord Jesus, come quickly, but grant grace unto those who need to come to YOU!

Amen and Amen!!!