"The Chosen Ones" - 2

 "And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that on man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father." (John 6:65 KJV)

  "For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are all in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it." (Philippians 1:29-30 NLT)

 Well, another person I know has went home, after being placed on a ventilator. This thing is not our enemy, but it sure is making a mess of a lot of people's lives. I do believe that it has a spiritual force behind it, as do most things that cause destruction in the world. Great is He that is in us, then he that is in the world!

 As for yesterday's post, we have been through that parable before; the one about the guest who refused to put on the garments he was given to enter the wedding super. It is really not that uncommon, because there are many who want the benefits without the change; as a matter of fact, I am pretty sure that almost all of us still have something we hold onto, in one form or another. 

 This much I really know: God will never give us more than we can handle! It might seem overwhelming and too much to handle, but somehow, we are given the strength to go on, because He is always with us and is helping to carry the load! Most of the time, if not all, the load that needs to be carried is me!

 Just a little detour from the real story that must be told, because if not for being chosen by God, I would really have nothing to say or offer, at all! We must never forget that we were chosen by Him, without Him reaching out and choosing us, we would have still been lost and without hope! I know that it is complicated and hard to understand, as I also know that I don't fully understand it. 

 As Paul clearly points out, we are given the privilege to trust in Christ for the salvation we are given; and along with that, cones the privilege of suffering for Him. He suffered for us, now we get to do a little suffering for Him. Count it all joy...

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing." (James 1:2-4 NLT)