4/21/12- Not all are Children of God

4/20/12- WSC Q. 32- What rewards do those who are really called by God obtain in this life?
A. Those who are really and effectively called by God obtain justification, adoption, sanctification and the several other awards that come with or from them.

Behold what manner of love the Father has given unto us, that we should be called the children of God. (1 John 3:1).

You are of your father the devil.  (John 8:44)

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. ²²Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

(Jesus and the children)


Thoughts: In some ways God is father of us all.  He makes each of us.  As part of creation, He provides for us- making His grace to fall on the just and the unjust.  His father's call is offered to all people- to come back to Him.
    But we cannot overlook that some have obviously rejected his fatherhood.  Some have disowned God and refuse to listen to Him or claim Him.  In fact, we all disown God's fatherhood by doing wrong.  The Bible says, and we experience, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Sin ultimately is against God who defines right and wrong by Himself (and thus by His creation and Word).  Jesus even said to those who were rejecting him that they belonged to their father the devil.
    Now without knowing that God is our father, we do not know who we are or whose we are.  Without knowing that God loves us, we have forgotten a key ingredient and hide the blessing of God from ourselves.  Without knowing that God has made us for a reason- a purpose- we struggle to find an eternal purpose in this life.  Without knowing that God loves us as a father- we are alone in the universe.  
    But Jesus teaches His disciples to pray..."Our father..."   It is a loving gift to know that God did not just make us way back when, but cares for us today.  It is truly a gift to know God desires us to talk and pray to Him- and that it is possible to communicate with God.  


Prayer: Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name.  TYhy kingdom come thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  

4/20/12- The Benefits of the Real Call of God

4/20/12- WSC Q. 32- What rewards do those who are really called by God obtain in this life?
A. Those who are really and effectively called by God obtain justification, adoption, sanctification and the several other awards that come with or from them.

 ¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent,^[c] nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12,13)

(Butterfly becoming a new creation- emerging)

Thoughts: When God calls us to follow Him (the "effectual" or "real" call of God)- it is not a fake call, or a faint call- but a real call upon our souls to come to Him.  Our souls answer the call of God by responding to Him.  The three benefits of salvation in this life are the acceptance of God, the belonging to God, and the growing in faith in God.  Accepting, belonging, and growing are signs of life responding to His life.
   The benefits of following God do not all occur in the next life.  Eternal life does not begin after we die.  The new creation begins when we are enabled and do respond to Christ in faith.  Often this is described as "when we become a Christian" or "accept Christ as our Lord and Savior."  We are the same physical person basically, but our spirits are made alive, and we see life, God, and others differently.  It is not that we are by nature better people.  In ourselves, in our own power, talents, and ability we cannot respond to Christ.  So we come to Him humbly, thanking Him for enabling by calling us and opening our ears and hearts to respond to Him.  Christians are not simply people of another world somehow stuck here.  But this world is a gift from God to all human beings.  Christians are called to understand that the world is not their oyster, but they are put here to be good stewards of their time, talents and gifts in the world.  God calls us beyond ourselves to turn toward Him.

Prayer: Help me see, Lord that this world is not all about my simply improving, but my heeding your call and turning toward you both in this life and the next.