Bible Matters 357: Chosen from the Womb

God’s foundation is sure.  Everyone one of you have been chosen from the womb.  God has patiently been waiting for your service.  He has been blessing you along the way.  Now it is you turn to accept him, by doing his will. 

Isaiah 44:2,24- Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.  Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

Right now, you are glorious in the eyes of the Lord.  God knows exactly what you are capable of.  You may not believe in the power of how to serve God and his kingdom, but God is sure.  You may not know your endgame, but God does.  Accept him and he shall be your strength.

Isaiah 49:5 – And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

God sanctified the Old Testament prophets from the womb. 

Jeremiah 1:5 – Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

The disciples, apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and all of the New Testament saints were chosen from the womb.  God did predestinate them to be conformed to the image of his Son.  When asked, these disciples, apostles and New Testament saints chose God, by being his servant. 

Romans 8:29-30 – For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

By accepting God, you have obtained an inheritance as a child of God.  Many of you know exactly why God chose you.  If you are a Coach of the Year, then you are doing the will of God.  If you don’t know exactly why God chose you, then volunteer.  Study God’s word and God will speak to your heart.  When we live in the spirit, the church of God comes alive.  God’s foundation is sure.  He knows them that call on the Lord and love him from the heart. 

2 Timothy 2:19-26 – Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.  But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.  But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

If you grew up in religion, then many of you are asking why do I have to do anything beyond what I am doing right now.  God has kept me safe so far, so why do I have to change what I am doing!  All I can say is that God chose you for a purpose.  He has been waiting for you to trust him and to share the word of God.  You are called according to his purpose, not yours.  You won’t know what your purpose is until you serve him.

Ephesians 1:4-7,11-12 – According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Before I started understanding God’s word and witnessing for him, the thought of being chosen by God in the womb never crossed my mind.  When I witnessed to Thomas with a Beelieve gospel tract, I had no idea that Thomas would witness to me (See Bible Matters 267 Three Witnesses).  Thomas was raised as a Catholic.  He showed his love of God by loving people.  Only God knows when Thomas was converted from a lover of self to a lover of God and people.  His love has shown forth in his many years of volunteering and coaching youth sports.  Thomas knew God’s doctrine as he considers himself to be a saint of Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:5-7 – By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation 14:12 – Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Thomas died on the surgery table and saw himself on the table on his way to heaven.  He talked to God in heaven and also talked to his brother that died by miscarriage.  Thomas stated that heaven was beauty, calm and peace beyond description.  Thomas did not want to come back to earth.  God said that he was not done with Thomas and sent him back to earth to be a witness.  Thomas had been dead for over 22 minutes. 

Both Thomas and his brother were chosen from the womb.  He talked to his brother in heaven.  His brother never set foot on the earth. 

As you sit back in your easy chair and tell yourself that God loves me and I am such a special person, ask yourself, who have you talked to this week about God?  …  Who have you talked to about the saving power of Jesus Christ.  You say you believe, but do you really believe in the power of God?  Howard Pittman and MK (Kathy) McDaniel both thought they were on their way to heaven when they die because of religious teachings.  You may consider your works as going to church on Sunday and singing.  God has not called you just to go to church.  He has called you with a holy calling.  Do not be ashamed of the testimony of your Lord.

2 Timothy 1:8-10,13-14 – Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,  But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:  Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.

Beer, alcohol and addiction will numb you from hearing the word of God.  It will numb you from serving him.  Addictions are the work of the devil and idol worship.  I pray that today, you declare your love for God and decide to serve him.  When you recognize that God has chosen you from the womb, you must decide to chose him.  Not because your mom and Daod had you baptized as a baby, but because you now have decided to choose God.  It is time for you to seek the things from above.  Do all you do for the glory of God.

Colossians 3:1-10,12-17,23-25 – If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

When you decide to serve him and do your good works, you promise the Lord that you will serve him until the day of Jesus Christ.  You will endure until the end!

Philippians 1:6 – Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

It is time now for you to enjoy, Bible Matters 358 – Choose God.

Go back and refresh your memory of Bible Matters 267 Three Witnesses. 

To God be the glory in all you do, Amen.