Divine Moments and Visitations

And the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I indeed bear a child, when I am so old?”‘

“‘Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, at this time next year, and Sarah will have a son.'” (Gen 18:13-14)

Journal,

I occasionally hear from those who have experienced their new life in Jesus, in that it was as though they had rediscovered a long-lost childhood friend, that they knew the Lord as a child.

Actually there is much more to this than meets the eye. This is a God-thing matter.

Let’s begin with God’s side. The Bible tells us that God knew every believer on a personal basis before they were born in this world. I realize this is difficult to wrap our minds around. This is because it is a God thing.

However, the things that God said of the prophet Jeremiah, and of the Psalmist David, and of the Apostle Paul, can be said of all God’s people in one level or another. Listen –

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations.” (Jer 1:5)

“Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” (Psa 139:16)

“But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles … “ (Gal 1:15-16)

Did you know that according to the Scriptures, every person who is ever going to be saved, that their names were written in Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world?

Did you know that each saved person has been saved by an arranged appointment with God’s Son?

The Issue of Divine Appointments

The issue of an appointment with eternal life is not something we easily grasp. We always need to balance this out with the fact that not only is God just in all His ways, but He is also ‘all knowing’, and ‘ever present.’ This means that God was present in our past, He is present in our now, and He is already in our future.

Did you catch it? God is already in our future! Yes, He has arrangements for your future. Of course it is a God thing.

There is no place you can be that God is not. Another way of saying this is that the believer is surrounded on all sides by the Lord. This is what Peter was speaking of when he said,

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION [kjv has, ‘a peculiar people’], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1Pe 2:9)

The term, ‘a people for God’s own possession’ [Or, ‘a peculiar people’], is rich in meaning. It carries the idea of a possession in the sense of a treasure, belonging only and solely to God. Peter is calling attention to an eternal treasure.

This is also what David is speaking of in this awesome Psalm. (You should read all of Psalm 139, and Psalm 37.)

“You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all.

“You have enclosed me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

“If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, and the light around me will be night,’ even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

“For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.

“My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.” (Psa 139:1-18)[/note]

Now let’s talk just a bit about  …

Our Appointment With Eternity

Here is an example of some who met their eternal appointment with God –

“When the Gentiles heard this [the gospel], they began rejoicing and glorifying the word [gospel message] of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed [Greek: ‘tasso’] to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48 nasb)

This statement can also be translated, ‘Those who had been designated for eternal life became believers.’

Some would have this to read, ‘As many as were disposed to eternal life believed’, but that does damage to the language. ‘Tasso’ literally means to assign someone to a particular task, to arrange a thing, or to set something in order.

Here are some more places where the word tasso is used. (I’ll use caps to distinguish where the English word is based on the Greek term, tasso.)

“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had DESIGNATED.” (Matt28:16) 

“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are ESTABLISHED by God.” (Romans 13:1)

“And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been APPOINTED for you to do.'” (Act 22:10)

The Greek word ‘tasso‘ is used seven times in the New Testament. There is no mistaking its meaning. It always speaks of a set time or a set place or a set event. So, we can certainly say in this case, when we were saved, we were saved by appointment.

Does This Mean that Everything is Preordained?

While the Bible does speak of predestination, we must take care not to stretch predestination beyond its rightful place in the redemption program of the Lord. There is no question that the human will is always involved in one way or another in the work of salvation. But predestination can be stretched to the point of fatalism.

[Fatalism: A submissive mental attitude resulting from acceptance of the doctrine that everything that happens is predetermined and inevitable.]

The safest ground for us is to remember that God said that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. (Cf. Isaiah 55)

Perhaps the questions we can ask are along these lines – ‘Is God responsible for my sinful choices?’

‘Can I miss God’s will for my life?’

‘Can I find God’s will for my life?’ 

The first question answer is, ‘No, God is not responsible for your sinful choices.’ 

The second question answer is, ‘Yes, you certainly can miss God’s will, but even this has to have a qualifier.’ 

The last question is, ‘Yes, you most surely can find God’s will for your life.

The place to begin is with the knowledge that you are God’s will. You were born of God’s will and your life is being overseen in God’s will. Remember that you don’t work God’s will in your life. God works His will in your life.

Of course there are always qualifiers with these questions. I’ve given just enough to stir your thinking.

The point is that even when believers make bad choices, and we certainly will, there is a Scripture that binds everything together. Listen –

“… and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:26-28)

Notice carefully that Paul did not say that God causes all things that happen in our lives. This would make Him responsible for our sins. He said that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

A clear distinction needs to be made between cause and effect. We are the ones who can create a bad situation in life. God is the One who can turn the bad situation to work in some measure for our good.

Also keep in mind that we have a spiritual enemy who is continually at work to try and disrupt our walk with the Lord.

But it isn’t merely about turning bad things into something that works for our good. The ‘all things’ speaks of the total of God’s provisions for His people. All His provisions are designed to work for our good.

Let’s continue with a more personal level and talk about …

Prearranged Times and Events

Salvation is not simply a one time event. The Lord has been working salvation in our lives long before we ever came to know Him through faith in Jesus Christ.

He has made and continues to make appointments for us. He arranges spiritual visitations with us. He guides us step by step into the calling that is upon each of our lives.

The ancients firmly believed this. Listen –

“He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.” (Psa 40:2)

“‘No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; and every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,'” declares the LORD.” (Isa 54:17)

“I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.” (Jer 10:23-24)

“He keeps the feet of His godly ones, but the wicked ones are silenced in darkness; for not by might shall a man prevail.” (1Sa 2:8-9)

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”(Joh 6:39)

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (Joh 10:27-28)[/note]

May I leave this personal thought with you?

Yes, I Saw the Church that Christ Built

This past Saturday was a celebration of our 50th Wedding Anniversary. It was wonderful beyond words. Thought I’d throw this in extra. And this is what I saw …

I SAW THE CHURCH —

This past Saturday we celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I don’t know how we could have squeezed more people into the sanctuary. Yet as wonderful as the celebration was, I saw something that moved me deeply and continues to linger in my heart. I saw the Church.

Here is what I saw. First – The table fellowship. Seated together were believers and pastors from various streams of our Christian faith. We had Methodist, Baptists, United Pentecostals, Assembly of God, Charismatics, non-denominational, and others that I haven’t mentioned.

Love and laughter simply flowed. The fellowship was rich. And no one was concerned about who went to what church. In fact when Nathan invited anyone to share, various ones stood to speak from their hearts. All you could hear was the love of Jesus.

But I saw something else. Secondly, I saw history. As I looked across the gathered peoples, I saw friends from long years ago, and I saw friends who are recent. It was like an unfolding of the pages of history beginning with the 1940s, and reaching across to 2013.

When the moment came for me to share, I drew attention with everyone how this celebration reminded me somewhat of the marriage feast of the Lamb. There was joy. There was laughter. Even the tears flowed, but they were tears of thanksgivings.

You could feel the love of God flowing through the entire gathering. It was almost like a river. (Don’t tell anyone, but I can’t remember when I have cried so much.)

Anyway, I just had to share this. I don’t know what everybody else saw. Yes, I saw the Church.

It was a day to remember…

Perhaps you would like to meet the Martins.

You are welcome to respond to this study.

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