The Mystery Of His Will
As time has passed by, there can be no denial now. Having possessions, succeeding, acquiring fame and fortune, and the love of pleasures, became more important than the things we once sought after.
It’s quite likely, that we were much more humble, when we had a lot less. Knowledge has increased at a rate, we could never foresee. But could it be, that we were in some ways, much better off; before we had so much or knew so much.
We started out humble. One of the first things we learned after we received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, was that there was so much more to God, than we could ever possibly know. We actually accepted that. It did not take a degree of education, to fully believe that God, worked “in mysterious ways.” As we grew in the Spirit, we learned that God did not think like us; that His ways, are not our ways. We fully understood, that the Spirit, was going to teach us.
There was this kind of gray area, which we read, but couldn’t begin to understand. So basically, we stated our own understanding and then left it at that. Even as a small boy, what a stir one particular word caused.
It was the word “predestination.” The Apostle started out talking about God; how He planned it all. It was He, that brought Jesus Christ into the world. And why did He do that? That through adoption, it might bring everything, and everyone to God himself.
“To the purpose of him who worketh all things, after the counsel of his own will.” We couldn’t figure that out; it was much too deep for us. And it went on, to say, “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined,” according to that purpose.
To add, “having predestined us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” I think we left it there. Because to believe that, as it was intentionally written, meant we would have to change some of our men’s words.
Not letting the Spirit teach us about these things, and open each of our understanding, led us to deny or not accept or ignore, other things. For example, the idea that God called people from their own mother’s womb, was often rejected. It was one reason why we could not accept that Paul was called, long before he began his reign of persecuting the church. It couldn’t be; it did not make sense to us.
Well, it did to the Spirit. It was the same with the gifts and the calling of God, being irrevocable. That went against our perception.
Having made known to us “the mystery of his will,” according to his good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself. We knew, that we did not have to understand all of this, to have the Holy Ghost and to be used of God. We saw mature people. We observed that our understanding would also grow, the more we sought to follow the Spirit. Why? Because His word said so.
Beginners at the start, we were like little children. We had not learned to seek our own way or interpret things the way we or others, thought it should be.
God has prepared a people; trained and called for this very hour. He is going to use things and folks, our traditions tell us He can’t do.
If we have never learned to love as He loved, to forgive as He has forgiven us, most of what we are hearing, will make no sense. If we cannot discern all of this in the Spirit, we have no understanding of what God is doing today.
Or, why He is doing it; His way. We once believed, that He did not have to ask us.
A quick work? It won’t be for us, if we keep our hearts and minds shut. Or, we’re not listening.
~ Robert Blackburn
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