Devotional Song: ... Go to this link … Please take the time to take in a video of the group Avalon singing their poignant contemporary worship song … No Orphans; … declaring the truth of all Christians being CHOSEN by God to be adopted into the family of God.
Highlight Passage 2nd Thessalonians 2: 13-14 [NKJV] …
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Highlight Context - 2nd Thessalonians 2: 13-17 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK … …
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Reference Passage #1 - Isaiah 44: 1-2 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Even the Prophet Isaiah wrote of the “chosen ones” of God
Reference Passage #2 - Ephesians 1: 3-6 [NKJV] ... USE THIS LINK …
… Paul reinforces the truth of our being CHOSEN by God before the foundations of the world
Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Timothy 1: 8-9 [NKJV] …
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, …
… Paul, again to Timothy, reiterates the truth of all Christians being chosen before time began for God’s purposes …
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread devotional entry, authored by Joe Stowell, used a personal story to relate His devotional point that Christians are “chosen ones.” And when I read this morning’s ODB I was reminded of my own personal illustration of what it feels like to be chosen.
When I was in elementary school, about 12 years old, we used to run, on a sunny day, onto the playground at school for recess; and the 5th-6th graders would claim the basketball court for a game during the 20 minutes we had to play. And quickly we’d gather and two sixth graders were selected by a rock-paper-scissors contest to choose sides for the game. And as sides were chosen, I was gratified to be selected early in the choosing rounds. It felt good to be chosen early, which happened because, at that time, I was one of the biggest boys in my class and played on the school basketball team. But I’ll never forget the “left-out” look on the face of the last one chosen to play each day. And it was usually one of the smallest and least athletic of the group.
It feels great to be chosen to fit into the group, doesn’t it? And no matter when any of us come to surrender ourselves to the Savior, I hope we all realize what the Apostle Paul was trying to convey to all Christians in his letters to the Thessalonians (see the highlight passages linked above) as well as to others in his epistles (see Ephesians 1 and 2nd Tim. 1passages linked/copied above).
As the group Avalon sings in the linked devotional song above, “There are no orphans” in the family of God. Do you get it, my dear one, whoever you are?!! Though we surrendered our hearts and lives to Christ voluntarily, receiving His deliverance as born-again Christians, HE, and HE ALONE, chose us first to be a part of the family of God. So, as the attached photo depicts, … before time began, … if you are, like me, born-again, God pointed to our eternal future and selected us to be HIS … forever!!
Do, I sense a loud and genuine outcry[?] … of … "HALLELUJAH!!!"
My Prayer for Today … O Lord, … I am Yours!! … You chose me, Jesus! … And may I live as worthy of Your choice. … Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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