“Chosen” – Time To Act by Steve Martin
Sept. 9, 2020 Love For His People ministry in Charlotte, North Carolina USA
“Chosen” – Time To Act by Steve Martin
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. “This I command you, that you love one another. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” John 15:16-19, NASU
Being the captain of one of the grade school kickball teams during our daily recess times on the blacktop playground in 5th grade, in Cedar Falls, Iowa at St. Patrick’s Elementary School, I really enjoyed picking the ones who didn’t really play that good and then beating the other team who supposedly had the better players.
Being chosen isn’t always because of who we are, but because of Who He is.
How right is the Scripture which really says who we are.
“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don’t see many of “the brightest and the best” among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn’t it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, chose these “nobodies” to expose the hollow pretensions of the “somebodies”? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. Everything that we have — right thinking and right living, a clean slate and a fresh start — comes from God by way of Jesus Christ. That’s why we have the saying, “If you’re going to blow a horn, blow a trumpet for God.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, THE
When we consider where we have been, what we have done, and who we have known, it further brings out the point that it was not us who chose God, but God chose us. He “picked us”, out of all the ones He has created, to demonstrate His wisdom, His strength, His character…to show the world Who He is and what He can do.
More so consider those who have gone before us, whom the world despised, and yet because of the Lord’s working through them, displayed Who He really is, the One Who alone saves. And we have been called to further demonstrate His love and compassion to a dying world, lost without Him, just as they did who walked before.
Imagine – being the ones who the Creator of the Universe has chosen to be on His side, the One who could choose anyone He wanted to, and then He chose us.
“I can only imagine” are the words we all know.
When I truly consider this, I just have to say, “Wow.” To be picked by God, the High and Holy One, to do His work. His awesome and profound work. The Creator of the Universe. Yes, chosen by Him.
When the apostle Peter wrote this message in his word to the early Church, he was quoting from the only Scripture that was written prior at that time.
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.” 1 Peter 2:9-10, NASU
He was quoting from Deuteronomy 7:6 and repeated in chapter 14:2, which Moses had spoken to the Hebrews (Jews) coming out of their bondage, the land of Egypt.
“For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6, NASU
And Moses repeated it to make sure they heard it. “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.’ Deuteronomy 14:2, NASU
God chose the Jews. God then chose non-Jews (“goyim”, Gentiles, Christians). He desires to put us together as one team, the One New Man. To show Who He is. To prove He Alone is God, the One Who rules and reigns.
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:14-18, NKJV (Emphasis mine.)
When I consider the current work (position) the Lord has personally now brought me into, a Christian helping Jews make aliyah (immigrating back to their homeland Israel) as part of the CAFI (Christian Agency For Israel) team, I can only stand in awe at how He picks and choses. Being not one the world would choose, and overlooked at previous opportunities, it has been He who has picked, to be on His awesome, winning, present and eternal team. Humbling, with no room for arrogancy or pride in oneself. It has been all by His grace.
It truly amazes me to see how He has placed people together, especially Jew and Gentile, formerly so disconnected, but now He is connecting them as they give themselves to His plans and purposes.
You are one who has also been picked. You are one who has also been chosen. By the Almighty God none the less!
It is an awesome thing. I hope you grasp that, to get further revelation for your own life, as you press on into Him, seek His face, and do that which He has apprehended YOU to do.
Now is the time to act like it and be whom He has called you to be.
Ahava and shalom,
Steve Martin, Love For His People Founder/President
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Time To Act #23 – in the year of our Lord 9.07.2020 – “Chosen” Wednesday, 5:44 am in Charlotte, NC USA
